The Dream Incubation Experiment

My purpose in researching, writing about and investigating dreams is to help you to become aware of and appreciate the power of your dreams, and to provide you with information on how to use those dreams in a variety of useful ways. I want to inspire you to move from perhaps being an unconscious dreamer to where you're using your dreams for intentional foresight that will lead to personal, psychological and spiritual growth and evolution.

The solution to perplexing and sometimes frustrating problems, as well as everyday solutions to mundane issues, can reliably be resolved in the dreaming mind. Historical records bear witness to humanity's attempts to seek (and receive) guidance, wisdom and solutions through their dreams.

The ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, Indigenous cultures, and many, many more have dedicated sacred sites, writings and resources to the study and incubation of healing, problem solving, creative and guidance dreams. Even in modern times, dreams have helped solve problems in science, politics, literature, religion and almost every other industry, segment or part of society, as well as with everyday concerns such as health, finance, relationships and so forth.

Inventions as varied as Elias Howe's sewing machine needle-where he dreamt the solution to the problem with the needle to be the placement of the hole at the pointed end-- and J. B. Parkinson's computer-controlled antiaircraft gun, were conceived in dreams. Scholar Herman Hilprecht reported that he dreamt that an Assyrian priest revealed the accurate translation of the stone of Nebuchadnezzar.

Problem Solving

The most common use of dream incubation is to request a solution to a current or continuing problem in your work or home life. These may be along the lines of whether to ask for a raise or make a career change; whether to have a baby or marry your current beau; If now is the right time to take the plunge and buy that little house, or move to another part of the country.

Several research studies have examined different aspects of problem solving and dreams. Wile, in 1934, addressed the incubation issue when he measured how long it took children to self-induce a dream on a desired topic. In 1974, Dement tested 500 undergraduate students by giving them three "brain-teaser" problems to solve while they slept. Morton Schatzman, in the 1980s repeated the Dement experiment, giving brain-teasers to huge numbers of people in England via the mass media.

Dr. Deirdre Barrett, of the Harvard Medical School, Behavioral Medicine Program, conducted a study of dream incubation for problem solving. However, unlike the researchers before her, she explored how subjects would do if they could solve problems of their own choice, rather than predetermined puzzles or problems.

One of the more interesting results of the Barrett study revealed that a solution was usually arrived at by the start of the dream. It didn't appear that the problem was being struggled with throughout the experience. However, in some instances, the solution was presented through subtle hints which built toward more obvious ones until the conscious mind finally "got the message."

Inventive and Scientific Solutions

Inventors, by nature are dreamers; sometimes in a very literal sense. Nikola Tesla, famous inventor of the high-voltage transformer (Tesla coil), for example, often perceived his inventions in dreams and in dream-like mental visions. Tesla reported that he "saw" his inventions as if they were real on the screen of his mind's eye. He claimed that the power of his imagery was such that he could do "experiments in his mind."

Friedrich August Kekulé von Stradonitz was the great chemist who revolutionized the study of chemistry with the discovery of the Benzene molecule. In a dream he was shown an image of a snake biting its own tail and realized that the molecule was a "closed chain."

In 1922, Niels Bohr received the Nobel Prize in physics due to a dream that enlightened him. He was trying to figure out what the structure of an atom was. One evening he fell asleep and in his dreams he saw the nucleus of the atom, with the electrons spinning around it, just like our solar system with the sun and planets. He knew immediately that this was the solution to his problem. Further testing and experiments proved it to be true.

Creative Solutions

Dreams can provide creative insights and solutions as well as practical and mundane ones.

Mary Shelley, who in the company of her famous husband Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and others had been reading aloud a collection of ghost stories, became part of a plan, suggested by Lord Byron, that they all write ghost stories of their own.

According to Mary Shelley's journal of April 1817, after listening to a long conversation between Byron and Shelley on the speculation that, "Perhaps a corpse would be reanimated," she retired to her bed well where, stimulated by the evening's conversation, was unable to sleep. When finally she did fall into blissful slumber her "imagination, unbidden, possessed and guided me, gifting the successive images that arose in my mind with a vividness far beyond the usual bounds of reverie," she wrote, and thus Frankenstein was born.

Robert Louis Stevenson was influenced by his dreams. He wrote an essay in which he called his dream helpers "the Brownies. Whenever he was stuck for a character, plot or story he'd make a request of his "Brownies" and in the morning he'd have what he needed.

Edgar Allen Poe's personal favourite work was The Lady Ligeia. He was particularly captivated by her eyes, which had met his in a dream. Her eyes were "far larger than the ordinary eyes of our race. They were even fuller than the fullest of the gazelle eyes of the tribe of the valley of the Nourjahad."

Healing Solutions

Like Edgar Cayce, though perhaps not to the same degree, we can all request health related information, advice and even diagnoses. In 2004, I was suffering with terrible headaches daily. I had visited the doctor but, after a cursory examination, he informed me that there was "nothing wrong." Frustrated with his evaluation and flippant attitude, I decided to diagnose the problem myself... with the help of my dreaming mind. The dream I received that night told me that my diet and my anger with a situation in my life at that time were the cause. A change in eating habits and attitude alleviated the headaches.

The Power Of The Mind

Anyone who's experienced a creative breakthrough or insight through their dreams knows that the dreaming mind has a power we don't experience while awake. This power is unfettered by time, space, or self-imposed limitations. It reaches into the endless, boundless and eternal universe of unmanifest potential, where unlimited ideas, inspirations and imaginings lay in wait.

When you incubate or request, a resolution, solution or guidance dream, your sub/unconscious and superconscious mind work in unison to bring you the best solution for you at the present time. In some instances you may have been thinking about a particularly troubling problem for days, weeks or even months, but hadn't been able to resolve the issue. Then, out of the blue, you have a dream that makes everything crystal clear. At other times, you might not have consciously been focused on any particular problem, but you have a dream that provides you with a big "fix" for your life in general. It may be that the issue was smouldering in the back of your mind for quite a while and your dreaming mind finally brought it to the forefront for you to deal with.

Incubation Method

There are tons of resources on how to incubate or request a specific dream. What I'm sharing here is my own personal method. Feel free to adjust it to your liking.

The most important part of dream incubation is setting an intention. The more clearly your intention is articulated, thought or written, the more likely it is that you'll dream the answer to your question, problem or issue.

Clearly define the issue in your conscious mind first. What do you want your dreams to work on? Are you seeking the answer to a technical question or a career decision? Are you inquiring into a health or physical concern? Are you debating a relationship issue? By clearly understanding the problem or concern, you'll better understand the solution given.

If you usually keep a dream journal, write out your question or query on a new page. If you don't have a dream journal, any piece of paper will do. If you can draw an image, add a photograph, sketch the problem, add the additional information.

Once you settle into bed for the night, start thinking about the issue you want your dreams to work on. Repeat the question or statement you wrote out, over and over while you drift off to sleep.

That's all there is to it. You may not get an answer, solution or response the first time you try dream incubation. If this is the case, don't be disheartened. If you keep with it, you will get the answers you need. The most common reason new dreamworkers feel that their efforts yield no results is that they don't recognize that the dream or dreams they receive relate to the problem at hand (or each other). However, what I've found is that once I begin investigating the dream story, I'm surprised to discover how much they do in fact relate to my concerns and that they do indeed offer practical and sound solutions.

Like any new skill, dream incubation takes a little bit of practice and some patients. Once you begin using your dreams to explore and resolve issues, problems and concerns, you'll discover how invaluable the information they offer really is and you'll wonder why you didn't start requesting guidance sooner.

The Experiment

The point of this entire article is to provide the background and reason for an experiment I'm conducting, and to invite you to take part in the research. From October 31, 2012 to December 31, 2012 I'll be requesting information from my dreams on a variety of topics. I will also be attempting to incubate information for others as well.

Every day (or once I receive an answer/response to a dream query) I'll post the pre-dream request or question on the blog at: http://terrygillisdreamanalyst.ca/blog/. I'll then post the dream I receive. If you would like to participate, either by incubating your own questions/queries or by requesting that I incubate an issue for you, post your question or incubation and dream on the blog.

At the end of the eight weeks, I'll write up a report and article on the experiment and our results.

For more information or details on The Dream Incubation Experiment click here.

Terry Gillis is a dream investigator, researcher and author and would like to invite you to participate in her ongoing research and become a part of the growing dream community by posting your dreams on her blog. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Fresh Kava Root Versus Dried Kava Root

Unless you are fortunate enough to live on or visit one of the many tropical islands on which the beautiful kava plant grows, chances are you will only ever come across dried or pre-prepared kava root products. Although, in a perfect world, it would be possible to ship fresh kava root to people all over the world, the fresh root does not keep well once it has come out of the ground, making it almost completely impossible to ship safely. On the other hand, dried kava root that is powdered will last for over two years, while dried kava root that has been minimally processed will keep for much longer. Therefore, the preferred method of kava exporters is to sell the dried root rather than trying to deal with all of the complications of shipping the root fresh.

Nevertheless, I want to take a moment to extol the many virtues of fresh kava root, in order to ensure that if any of you ever have the opportunity to work with the fresh root you take it without hesitation. First of all, fresh kava root will almost always be more potent than its dried counterpart, and it will also most likely taste sweeter, as well. It can be difficult to know when buying dried kava root how old it really is - some companies likely leave their dried root sitting on shelves for months, even years - but with fresh kava, you can be assured that it was just harvested. Furthermore, the young lateral roots of kava are known to taste much sweeter than the older taproot of the plant, probably due to different alkaloid contents in the lateral and vertical roots of the plant. When you buy the fresh root, you know exactly what type of kava root you are receiving, as well as what strain it is. This extra level of control will allow you to craft the type of kava experience you really want to have. A final benefit of fresh kava root is that traditional Pacific kava ceremonies always utilize fresh roots, so if you want to experience the real spirit of the kava plant, fresh root is definitely the way to go.

If you do not live in a Kava growing area, and if you cannot foresee a future in which you might have the chance to visit one, don't feel discouraged. I still have good news for you. With a little bit of conscious effort, it is absolutely possible to make your dried kava root experience as close to 'fresh' as possible! The most important thing is to find a supplier that offers high quality dried kava that has not been sitting around for too long. Now, no company is going to admit to selling stale kava, so here are some tips for figuring out which kava supplier is the best:

1. Try to buy your kava direct from a farm, if possible. Kava farms sell to retail outlets and kava bars as well as individuals, and therefore tend to have a much higher turnover rate than retailers. Therefore, kava purchased directly from a farm tends to be much fresher. Fortunately, there are plenty of kava farms who will sell directly to you over the internet.

2. The more details a kava seller provides about the kava, the better. Look for mentions of the specific strain that is being used, where the kava is grown, even kavalactone content! There are many types of kava, and this information will help you to discover what types are the most effective for you.

3. Finally, a great way to determine if your batch of dried kava is potent is to notice whether the prepared kava beverage numbs the insides of your mouth and your tongue. The more numbing quality you experience, the more kavalactones are likely to be present in the dried kava.

By using these tips and doing a little research, you will be able to create a dried kava experience that is as close as possible to the fresh kava experience. And if you are ever in a Pacific island region, make a point of searching out some fresh kava root - you won't regret it!

Kona Kava Farm ships worldwide and offers safe, effective, and unusually potent Kava made only from the roots of our organic-certified, estate-grown plants. Don't forget to register for our free monthly Kava giveaway when you stop by as well. Aloha no, Makaira Kealoha. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

How to Protect Yourself From Unknown Dangers

Even though today our world gives more importance to science, believing that it is the only discipline that can really show us the truth about our reality, the importance of art, religion, and philosophy cannot be disregarded if we want to have a global vision of our reality.

The divine unconscious mind shows you in your dreams the future development of your reality, so that you may understand how to achieve your goals based on the truth, and not based on your imagination. You learn how to be a serious scientist and a devoted artist who keeps looking for perfection in your work.

You stop being a narrow-minded and one-sided creature who makes many mistakes without understanding the meaning of your actions. After having a global vision of your reality you'll understand how to behave in order to achieve success in life.

You'll become sensitive. You'll pay attention to all the details that compose your reality.

Your dreams will help you understand why you behave the way you do, and how you can always control your behavior in all circumstances, even if you'll be exposed to many dangers and face very difficult situations. Your dreams will also help you avoid all dangers. The divine unconscious mind is your natural protector.

Your dreams will show you unknown dangers that you cannot see, and ways to protect yourself that you cannot find alone. Your dreams will give you many explanations about all matters.

You'll verify that your reality is complex and you must always try to have a global vision about your reality, and never concentrate your attention only on the interesting points for you. This global vision will help you understand the real importance of your actions.

You will find protection from all dangers if you'll be a good student and patient and obey the divine guidance in dreams. The unconscious mind helps you become a prudent person. You learn how to prepare the necessary conditions for your permanent protection from all dangers.

You'll verify that everything that happens to you depends on your attitude. This means that your wise attitude always protects you from outside dangers. The outside dangers cannot cause you any damage if you know how to protect yourself from what is bad.

The unconscious mind gives you clear lessons in dreams. You only have to be an obedient student and patient in order to triumph over life's challenges. You'll acquire sound mental health that lasts forever and attain spiritual perfection.

Christina Sponias continued Carl Jung's research into the human psyche, discovering the cure for all mental illnesses, and simplifying the scientific method of dream interpretation that teaches you how to exactly translate the meaning of your dreams, so that you can find health, wisdom and happiness.

Learn more at: scientificdreaminterpretation.com. Click Here to download a Free Sample of the eBook Dream Interpretation as a Science (86 pages!). Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Dream Predictions and The Unconscious Guidance in Dreams

You can understand your spiritual reality the same way you understand your material reality. You only have to learn how to translate the meaning of dreams according to the scientific method discovered by Carl Jung, and simplified by me.

The unconscious mind that produces your dreams gives you many explanations about the reasons why everything happens in your daily life. You can also predict the future, and change the future development of your reality.

The mindset of the materialistic and atheistic modern civilization is very far from the comprehension of the spiritual dimension of our reality. The unconscious mind shows you in your dreams how you can avoid repeating the common mistakes of the human race.

You'll learn how to identify the laws that belong to your spiritual reality and respect them, the same way you respect physical laws already recognized by our scientists.

This new vision of your reality will give you the chance to read people's minds and understand the reasons why various facts happen in your daily life. Since you'll understand what makes these facts happen, this means that you will also understand how to change the route of your life.

You have to learn how you can change your life. You must pay attention to the objective conditions of your reality. By having a superior vision, you'll understand all the possibilities and impossibilities of the way.

You will observe that everything is prepared to happen before actually happening. Nothing happens without being prepared to happen in a certain way because the facts of our daily lives have a purpose.

Our reality is organized based on the fight between good and evil. Our reality also depends on our psychological type and on the necessities of development of our psyche. Numerous factors predetermine how our future will be unfolded.

We live in order to eliminate our wild nature and learn how to be wise. Nothing happens by chance in our world.

We can predict the future the same way we predict the weather. However, dream predictions are not doubtable like the weather predictions based on human calculations. The predictions we have in dreams are based on God's calculations, since the unconscious mind that produces our dreams is God's mind. Therefore, these predictions are not suppositions. They will happen for sure.

When will you see something you had predicted in a dream actually happening?

Sometimes immediately, sometimes only after a long preparation. However, you will surely verify that everything you had predicted in a dream will really happen in your daily reality. The divine predictions are based on wisdom.

Now that we have undoubtable proof of God's existence we must understand that we have a spirit. All the religious lessons we had when we were children were true. Even thought the absurd modern civilization is materialistic and atheistic, the truth is that God exists and we had better pay attention to this fact instead of trying to ignore the truth.

This fact is not being accepted with joy by the world because nobody likes to be obedient.

Nobody wants to recognize God's existence. Nobody wants to obey God's guidance and learn how to be wise. Everybody wants to be free and do whatever they may desire.

However, there is no freedom on Earth, a planet especially created with the intention to transform our satanic anti-conscience into human content. Our anti-conscience is our wild conscience, which didn't evolve like our human conscience and generates mental illnesses within our conscience. We inherit this primitive conscience because we can think.

We also receive a tiny human conscience from God, so that we may transform our anti-conscience into human content.

We have to obey God's guidance because we don't know how to fight absurdity, and our anti-conscience destroys our conscience through craziness. If we don't obey God's guidance, we become slaves of our wild nature.

We must show gratitude because we can be guided by God in our dreams. This way we can understand how to successfully solve our problems without being based on our suppositions.

As an intelligent individual who follows the progress of the human knowledge, you have to conclude that the obedience to the guidance of the unconscious mind is a wise decision. The unconscious mind is the best doctor, teacher, and friend you could find.

Christina Sponias continued Carl Jung's research into the human psyche, discovering the cure for all mental illnesses, and simplifying the scientific method of dream interpretation that teaches you how to exactly translate the meaning of your dreams, so that you can find health, wisdom and happiness. Learn more at: scientificdreaminterpretation.com

Click Here to download a Free Sample of the eBook Dream Interpretation as a Science (86 pages!). Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Scents for the Soul

Making Sense of Scents

Have you ever had the sudden experience of detecting a scent and suddenly you are transported to a time and place in your past? There are many scents that have a strong connection to experiences we have had in the past. We associate the scent with an experience and for that brief and uncontrollable moment our memories evoke a response that can be pleasant or painful. Finding the scent that brings the emotional feeling and connects with our soul is a very personal one for me and there is not just one.

We use fragrance and scents in many products. We often associate the fragrances to feelings of well being and so much advertising is focused on pleasing our sense of smell. The personal preference for the right scent is unique to the individual. The market is saturated with products to choose from and yet we often continue to purchase what is familiar to us. Knowing what pleases you gives you a foundation to try similar but different products.

For me the smell of citrus is a scent that speaks to my soul. Maybe it is the sudden recollection of time spent in California driving along roads where the citrus blossoms just started to open. Another favorite fragrances that immediately take me to the islands with a soft breeze and warm sunshine will lift my spirit on a cloudy day. The effects of vanilla and cinnamon for example have been found to reduce blood pressure and calm us. Lavender can reduce stress hormones in your blood stream. Jasmine is a fragrance that can lift your mood.

Experiment with other elegant aroma's and discover what fits your mood and speaks to your soul. Have a variety of fragrances that can be used for everyday use as well as those special occasions.

Products like perfumes, bath and spa products can be incorporated into our daily routines and enhance our sense of well being. These products may not be essential to life but they are a way that we can pamper and take care of ourselves. Taking time to select a fragrance that makes us smile or feel wonderful about ourselves only takes a few moments but the effect our entire day. Relax soak in a warm bubble bath filled with subtle scents that sooth our soul as a treat at the end of a long day. When I don't have time for that I reach for scented body lotions of some of my favorite scents. Rose is one of my daily scents which help me de-stress form life's chores. Our world is busy and hectic; often mostly out of our control. What we can do for ourselves is to make some time for those special moments that pamper and rejuvenate our soul.

For more information on how scents can soothe your soul, visit this website. MyBeautyFragrances.com. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

So What Good Is Reverse Osmosis?

It's well-known that people are mainly made up of water. With out drinking water our blood would not be in a position to flow and our bodies wouldn't be capable of getting rid of waste materials and we would actually end up poisoning ourselves. The important thing to keep in mind is that it is that you need to drink clean water. You do not want to introduce a range of impurities that could be hazardous to your health in an attempt to get water into your body as this will make you dehydrate even more! This is where things such as reverse osmosis come in handy.

Reverse osmosis is really a process that is used in the purification of water. It's used to get as many heavy particles out of the water as possible. Osmosis is a process by which water moves from a higher concentration of water molecules to a lower concentration of water molecules until the system is in balance. Reverse osmosis is the precise opposite, therefore the term "reverse".

A system which makes usage of reverse osmosis to cleanse water will use pressure on the side of the lower concentration of water molecules to force the water molecules to escape via a semi-permeable membrane layer to a higher concentration of water molecules. This then separates the water from the harmful particles that you do not want in the water as the membrane layer doesn't allow them through.

This is not the actual be all and end all of water purification though. Reverse osmosis can only do so much as only a specific amount of pressure could be withstood by the membranes employed in the process. It will do a very good job though.

This procedure is usually used to remove contaminants such as salt and other heavy metals from the water that is being purified. Some heavy metals are harmful to our bodies if taken in sufficient amounts and so need to be removed from the water. It does not work against contaminants that are smaller than the water molecules though so things like germs and pesticides may still be in the water after is has passed through this sort of process. That is why a water refinement plant is such a sizable and intricate beast. The purpose of it all is to produce drinking water that's as pure as possible.

It's not possible for mankind to produce water as pure as that which flows from the source of a glacial spring, however we are able to d a pretty good job with all the technologies as well as science at our fingertips. It's a good idea to check on the purity of water in a foreign country before you drink from the faucets there although, just in case there are things in there that your body does not understand how to handle and may make your stomach upset. If you are not certain then its usually safer to consume water in bottles that has been through a more stringent purification process compared to water in the taps.

To learn more about reverse osmosis, go to http://www.healthy-water.co.za! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, hypnotherapist, counsellor and life coach in London.

A World Full of So Much

There are so many people in the world ready to give their love to one another. Yet so many people at the same time are crafting their skills in how to hate one another just a bit more each and everyday.

Millions of people on a daily basis seek inner happiness and harmony. Yet so many disregard another's opinion, so many disbelieve that humanity can safe itself from extinction, and there are even those who dislike our world in a state of true peace.

Why are the most people on this earth not utilizing their fullest potential of love, peace, and harmony to their benefit? Is even this concept too hard for us to understand? Or is it because for thousands of years our subconscious minds have been pre-programmed to deliver us misery? Where is our sense of touch and connection, with the inner spirit of this little planet earth and our grander home, the universe?

A world that is full of so much human potential, which is available through the infinite capabilities of our soul. Yet due to the lack of understanding in our minds, we dwell and dwell in vicious circles, taking us further and further away from the truth.

The truth is that we do not need to live in a world of pain and misery; we can start today, even now by creating a world of love and peace. We start with our own world, bit by bit, piece by piece; we change our view of the world into a positive one. A world, where there isn't just some little space for happiness, but rather where everything we do and surround our selves with is the source of our true inner happiness.

In the state of true happiness, we often cross the border of pain and confusion and we enter into our spiritual world. A place Where our hearts are filled with love, fun and joy. Venturing in our spiritual world also enlightens to us, our unlimited creative potential.

This is why we need spirituality, and it has always been important for us since the beginning of time. Today's economy is absolutely no exception; humanity should become more creative to carry on successfully. It is no lie that a vast amount of people around us are becoming unhappy with their life situations. They see greater lack in more and more things, in and around their life's.

Creativity is something we all have and are able to use to the fullest, when we get into harmony with our true inner spiritual self. When we consciously reconnect our physical being with our spiritual being, we learn to let go of any kind of mental limitation, self-doubt, or self-destruction.

Everyday is a new life to the wise woman or man, in a world full of so much potential. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

Harvesting Kava Kava

Here on our beautiful farm in Kona, Hawaii, we have several acres of lush kava plants flourishing year round. This bush, with its heart shaped leaves, thrives at about 500 to 1000 feet above sea level, and we are right in the middle of that range! Our plants are about 20 feet tall, with rhizomes reaching in every direction from the base of the plant, as far as ten feet! Some of these lateral roots are below the surface, and some are above. It is from these lateral roots that the majority of kava for consumption is harvested - that way, the plants can keep thriving from year to year in a fully sustainable fashion.

It takes about three years minimum from the first planting before it is possible to harvest the lateral roots of the plant. If the plant is harvested any earlier, it may die. Many kava farmers allow plants to mature a minimum of 5 years before harvesting the first lateral roots, which allows for more potency to develop. The lateral roots, or runners, are fairly easy to harvest without harming the plant, and are the most potent part of the plant, as well.

Once we harvest the first set of roots after the first three years, we must then wait another three years to harvest more of these roots. The most potent kava comes from first generation roots and rhizomes, so many kava farmers constantly rotate plants and crops to ensure maximum potency. Kava plants rarely produce seeds, but they are very easy to propagate from cuttings.

If you look up images of kava farms online, you will find that many of them are surrounded by tall trees. This is because kava plants love the shade, and plenty of water, as well. Each kava plant spreads out a great deal when full grown, so we keep them separated by abut 6 feet. This yields an average of about 1200 plants per acre.

Since it is the roots of the kava plant that are harvested, and the plants grow in tropical climates, it is possible to harvest kava roots year round. It is important not to harvest roots that are less than 3 inches thick. If one is patient enough, it is better to wait until the roots are closer to five or six inches thick! It is essential that kava for consumption only be prepared using the roots and rhizomes of the plant - consuming the above-ground portion of the plant can be quite dangerous and toxic.

Once the roots are harvested, they may be cut into small pieces that weigh just a couple of ounces each. This allows for quick and even drying. It is important to note that kava, to remain at its maximum potency must retain some moisture. So, to make sure that the kava you are purchasing is still fresh, ensure that it is in a sealed foil package. Drying the roots in the sun is the most effective method, may make the flavor less bitter than usual, and is very ecologically friendly, as well!

If you are a fan of kava, of if you're ever fortunate enough to visit one of the many Pacific islands where kava is consumed in the traditional fashion, you absolutely must try out fresh kava root at least once. A kava beverage made from fresh root is much less bitter, and much more potent and lively. Only by experiencing kava prepared from the fresh root will you truly be able to understand why this plant is so integral to our people and our culture.

Kona Kava Farm ships worldwide and offers safe, effective, and unusually potent Kava made only from the roots of our organic-certified, estate-grown plants. Don't forget to register for our free monthly Kava giveaway when you stop by as well. Aloha no, Makaira Kealoha

Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

Struggling To Remember Things? Check Out This Advice!

Every relationship that we have is built on memory, and the ability to remember. Don't let yourself suffer from something like memory loss. Keep reading for ideas on how to improve your memory and preserve your brain function.

A fun and easy way to remember things is to make a song out of it. This technique is often used to help children learn to sing the alphabet by memorizing it. Melodies involve repetition and so, are easy for your brain to hold on to. Try singing a few thoughts to realize how easy it is to remember them.

Use mnemonic devices to remember bits of information. A mnemonic device is a word association tool, which you use when trying to memorize and recall information in a fast manner. People who have difficulty with names might find this tool especially useful.

Exercise your memory by exercising your body. Treating your body right ensures that you can remember things you need to, and process information better. Exercising also produces more oxygen to the brain, and reduces memory loss disorders. Exercise also enhances the activation of chemicals that are essential for protecting the cells of the brain.

If you have an upcoming test, try varying your study environment on a regular basis. Changing the environment in which you are studying will often refresh your mind, and makes it easier to remember things for the long-term. Your brain becomes radiant when it is exposed to new areas, allowing you to intake new information with ease.

Learn to avoid feeling like an important piece of information is not easy to reach in your brain. If you find yourself doing this often, you are not alone. Breathe in deeply, then recite any words or memories that you associate with the word you've forgotten. When you can successfully do this, it generally makes the word that eludes you move to the front of your thoughts.

If you need to be able to recall and remember something, try incorporating it into a humorous song, image or mnemonic phrase. Using a funny mnemonic device creates a humorous, entertaining association with the piece of information, and you will be able to recall it more easily in the future.

Association can be a powerful memory aid. A common memorization tool is a mnemonic device. This little trick will assist you in recalling concepts more effectively. By connecting a term or an item with something you already know, there is a much better chance of you remembering it. Song, jokes and rhymes are all examples of mnemonic tools.

You can improve your memory through games designed to simulate your brain. The concept is similar to the way you exercise to keep your muscles in shape. Regular mental exercise can result in improved memory and the increased ability to concentrate and focus. Some great games for giving your memory a boost include word searches, crossword puzzles, and brain teasers.

Keep your mind sharp by constantly using your brain. Playing "brain games can keep your memory in great shape, and it will also help you maintain an active brain. Get out of any ruts, and don't be afraid to mix up your daily routines. You can change the route you take home, or learn a musical instrument. Making an effort to use your mind more often can greatly improve your memory.

Though you may get a bit of amusements from forgetting silly little tidbits of information, it can soon lead to frustration when you find you are really not able to remember. This could just be the start of your memory loss. Use the tips from the article above to help boost your memory skills.

Visit http://www.wellnessbounty.com/ for more interesting articles and posts about health, nutrition and simple ways to live a healthier fuller life. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, hypnotherapist, counsellor and life coach in London.

Which Comes First, You or Your Car?

For the past eight years, I have been privileged to travel and share with many hundreds of people around health and wellness topics. As my exposure to others increased, I began to realize that most of my audience placed very little emphasis upon self-care. I began to formulate the idea that we really do pay more attention to the needs of our cars than to our own.

When asked if they would put duct tape over a red warning light on their dashboard and hope it goes away, everyone agreed that this would be a ridiculous thing to do. After all, ignoring the signal could mean major mechanical problems or, even worse, a serious accident. It just makes no sense to anyone to pretend and hope that the problem will go away. So why, then, do we duct tape our body's symptoms and hope they, too, will just disappear if we ignore them?

In today's crazy world of multi-everything, taking care of ourselves lies at the bottom of the to do list. This is especially true of women. We have been taught to place the needs of everyone else before our own. When asked if they would give up the quiet bath at the end of a hectic day if someone they cared about needed them, nearly every hand goes up in the room. What about the old caution to put your oxygen mask on first if the plane is going down?

Many of us are like the old Energizer Bunny. We just keep going, no matter what. It is only when symptoms we keep ignoring begin to affect our every day life that we are forced to reflect upon what these headaches, chronic pains, sleeplessness, weight gain, indigestion, and so many other signals might be telling us. Our bodies are actually designed to support us through one hundred and twenty wonderful years. Most gasp at the mere thought of enduring life on this planet for that long. But, given proper physical, spiritual, and emotional support, these beautiful vessels can sail us through years of joy and growth. After all, there are indigenous people all over the world who live even longer and still have smiles on their faces. Why not us?

I think it is the perfect time to begin to look at self-care as a necessity and not a luxury. Let's begin to explore this whole concept together!

Terry Quigley, M.S., is a former classroom teacher who has created her own unique wellness business. Using the tools of Brain Gym, therapeutic essential oils and holistic nutrition, she works with children and adults to educate them around natural and non-toxic ways to reduce stress and enhance well-being. Please contact her at areallygreatchoice.com to learn more and to take advantage of her free offer. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

Health and Wellness 101

A vast difference exists between the words health and wellness. While most people consider these words to convey similar meanings, their definitions vary considerably. Health, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is defined as, "the condition of being sound in body, mind, or spirit; especially freedom from physical disease or pain." More simply put, health is a conditional state. A person can be in good health or bad health, based on their physical and emotional symptoms.

As well, a person can alter the condition of their health by changing their habits for better or for worse. For example, if a person is considered unhealthy due to a weight problem or high blood pressure, they can start exercising, eating a healthy diet, and changing poor lifestyle habits. If this person eventually loses weight and lowers their blood pressure, the doctor may declare that they are now in good health. However, the term health is conditional. This person can easily slip back into a state of unhealthiness by returning to the habits that got them there in the first place.

On the other hand wellness is defined as, "the quality or state of being in good health, especially as an actively sought goal." Wellness, unlike health which is conditional, is a continuous state of optimal health that is maintained through persistent effort. If health and wellness were designated as running terms, health would be a sprint and wellness a marathon. Wellness, like health, does account for the physical, emotional, and spiritual state of a person. However, wellness primarily refers to a person's continual effort to strive for peak performance and overall well-being in the physical, emotional, and spiritual realms.

It is for this reason that corporate wellness plans are essential to a company's long-term success. Workplace health programs do not just promote employee health, but also stress the importance of wellness-a continuous state of health and well-being. The benefits of long-term employee health for a company include less payment towards health plans, happier workers, and higher production rates. While it may seem to be common knowledge, a person who is physically healthy and emotionally stable will perform at higher levels than an employee who is dissatisfied with his or her overall health. This does not just benefit a company while the program is in place, but long after as a result of its employees profiting from a healthy lifestyle.

A wellness lifestyle encompasses more than a person's physical state. Emotional and spiritual health is also taken into consideration. Now, the importance of good employee health should not be downplayed. It is extremely important to encourage all employees within a company to endeavor to reach a healthier state. However, striving for good health should not end once a person reaches their desired health goals. A journey towards wellness is what constitutes effective corporate wellness plans.

Sources: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/health and http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wellness.

For more information on corporate wellness lunch and learns visit http://www.weightwellnesswellbeing.com/. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

Ensuing Challenges to Epilepsy

Health challenges

One thing most all individuals have total control over (except when moms and dads decided for us) is the time we close our eyes and go to sleep. So everyone more or less takes for granted the control of their consciousness and everyone has likely experienced times when they lost their consciousness, due to accidental falls, drinking too much, staying up too late...

So, one is to normally choose the time and "surroundings" of their sleep; bed, pajamas, covers, blankets, etc, etc, and "schedules" their loss of consciousness, each night.

However, the disabling disorder of epilepsy; tonic-clonic, complex partial, petit mal seizures, abruptly takes away one's control of that highly valued personal treasure.

Witnessing someone having a seizure and losing control of their consciousness terrifies and shocks everyone. This helps explain why nobody ever wants to deal with it - but the fact is, one could easily understand and alter their responses if they simply scan the many websites about epilepsy.

I remember, ironically, parts of what happened after the first one; I awoke, at age 10, lying down on something different. It was dark and I couldn't see anything around me. Then I saw a light shining through a crack in the darkness. I pondered if I was on my way to seeing what heaven was like. A few minutes later, my senses began coming back to me. I soon realized I was lying on a different bed than mine. Before long I was looking up at a ceiling I had never seen. A couple of minutes later I began realizing that the light I was looking at was coming into the room through a doorway. But even so, at that time I hadn't heard anything. About 20 minutes later, during which time I had just kept staring up at the ceiling, I heard a sound, turned my head, and saw a nurse coming into the room. Then, of course, I realized I wasn't in heaven, But in a hospital. As the nurse was taking my temperature and checking my pulse, she didn't even look or speak to me. After she left, a little while later a doctor came in. I don't remember everything he said, but I do remember him giving me a prescription and then firmly telling me that I'd best be sure to take my medicine, and to behave myself according to the rules he had given my father. If I didn't, I could have another seizure, and if so, I would likely swallow my tongue and choke to death! This myth is still present today!

By the time I was in my senior year in high school my seizures were, gratefully, well- controlled. I didn't feel as if I had epilepsy.

But in my late 20s they started flaring up; either severe tonic-clonic, complex-partial, simplex-partial or status epilepticus and by my mid-30s would become intractable.

Over those years, my doctors were trying all possible combinations of medication for me, but were unable to find one that successfully controlled my seizures. My next step was voluntarily taking part in two separate clinical drug trial studies. But neither one worked.

My neurologists then informed me that my options were to either keep suffering those intractable seizures, or choose brain surgery to possibly control the seizures. Brain surgery? Good grief! I immediately had all kinds of panicky thoughts and terrors whirling around: becoming a zombie, turning into an airhead... I remained thunderstruck, even while trying not to think about it. I couldn't accept the fact that there were only two choices left; have surgery or wait to keep trying new medications still in the developmental stage. It was a very difficult decision, believe me. I was frantic with fear and anxiety. I was so unsure, I couldn't really even conceive what to expect during and after the surgery. And, of course, the uncertainty of not knowing how well I would function afterwards continued to race through my head. My wife Angela had watched me agonize for days about the decision to have brain surgery or not, so she called me over and asked me to count up the times seizures had come close to killing me. Well, I had never looked at that aspect before. I reminisced and started counting out loud all the times I had nearly died due to the seizures, and she helped remind me of some - it was 28 times!

I decide right then that it would be a higher risk for me not to have brain surgery.

I was, of course, quite apprehensive when I checked into the hospital's epilepsy-monitoring unit on the evening before the first of my four surgeries. I couldn't relax. My mind was a whirling inferno of all kinds of fears: I may turn into an airhead, my lovely wife will leave me, I will never get to know my little daughter, I will lose my voice, I'll be shunned by everyone,... But as I was being taken into the pre-operative room, I suddenly became resigned and relaxed, having faith in God that things would turn out all right.

After the 84 wire grid was implanted on the left temporal lobe inside my head, I was taken off my medicines in order to induce seizures so that my surgeons could better see and locate the whereabouts of the epilepsy in my brain. It was pretty uncomfortable to lie in that small bed for that many days. This was especially true because I couldn't rest my head on either side. For wire attachment security, those bandages around my head were wound quite heavily. And, as I'm sure everybody knows, the food was not very appetizing.

In the late afternoon of the 13th day I did finally have seizures. A few hours after the last one the doctors came in and suggested the partial removal of the left temporal lobe of my brain suspected of causing the seizures.

The next day surgeons soon took me in for the procedure of the second surgery to remove the electrodes, along with the partial removal of the left temporal lobe of my brain suspected of causing the seizures.

I awoke, sluggish, a few hours after the second 12-hour surgery. I soon realized where I was and why I was in the hospital bed and that I would be leaving there soon and going back home. I was very excited and at the same time relieved, knowing I was "thinking" the same as before.

Over the next year Angie, I, doctors, - everyone - was watching the results of the surgery to see if it better controlled, or slowed down, the seizures. However, the seizures continued to occur.

At first I was dismayed and exasperated. Why haven't they been eliminated? Why do they keep happening? Will I have seizures the rest of my life... ? But I stayed positive and did not let any of it discourage me. I simply accepted the fact that the surgery didn't stop the seizures and reiterated to myself that tomorrow is a new day and things can change for the better.

I had my second set in November of 1994. That was the last thing I'd sought - but I had no other choice - it was imperative that my seizures be controlled.

Talk about tense! No, I was not looking forward to being in the operating room two more times.

The final surgery was quite harsh. It has taken many, many years for my brain to regroup not only its remaining memories, but also to reestablish my basic fathoming of reality. In actuality it took about 8 years, before I stopped coming across to everyone as somewhat of an airhead.

While my brain was regrouping its thought "process", I couldn't interact with anyone. Came across as being laconic or stoic to many people. That behavior of course had everyone labeling me as "flakey" or "off".

One thing I've told others was that after the surgeries I could remember the numbers one to ten but they just weren't in that order. More like five, one, nine, three... It took quite a few years to get those numbers back in order. I re-learned the expected picture of reality during those first few years through all possible avenues: listening to others' discussions, watching and reading national and local news, newspapers, television... while also philosophically reflecting about life. Throughout the 10 years following my surgery, my grasp of reality changed at varying speeds.

I've always kept looking, and still do, for the right words to best explain my surgery experiences. One of the main reasons I have talked often about my surgeries is to help others be more relaxed about the after effects (some of which are startling to others), and to realize that today's drugs and medical care have advanced immensely.

Being free of seizures, has given me the opportunity to lead a treasured normal life!

And that simple statement, to some/many of us, is like participating in a real, larger-than-life miracle!

Tom McGranahan

Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

The Beginner's Guide to T'ai Chi

Everyone knows that dynamic good health depends in part on physical exercise. The human body was made for work - for movement. Our ancestors got their exercise from survival activities, like chasing down the woolly mammoth or plowing the lower forty. In our modern world, however, our lives are too sedentary. Our work is in the factory rather than the field, or in the office instead of on the ocean. So we need to add exercise to keep our bodies healthy.

The question is, what kind of exercise is best for you? Weight training for strength? Pilates for six-pack abs? Yoga for flexibility? Or perhaps a mixture of several different kinds of exercise that you blend together - a format that fitness professionals call, "cross training."

But what if there were a single workout that could satisfy all your fitness needs, and more? And what would you call it? What would you call a workout that was simultaneously a system of self-defense, a shield against disease, a means of meditation and a beautiful dance? Well, you might call it "T'ai Chi Ch'uan" - one of the world's most popular workouts. It's practiced by more than a billion people throughout Asia and around the world. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is called "the ultimate exercise" for body, mind and Spirit. If you've ever been curious about this ancient Chinese martial art, here are just three things you ought to know.

First of all, T'ai Chi is a phenomenal physical workout. It builds great lower body strength and flexibility, and along the way delivers a terrific cardio workout. The upper body also gets a great resistance workout as you begin to practice the T'ai Chi sword, or include the weighted Chi ball. Its greatest workout benefit, however, is how it hones your balance and coordination, which makes it the perfect complement to any other workout. No matter what your other sport may be, T'ai Chi will make it better.

The second important benefit is how this discipline helps you manage and relieve stress - and who couldn't benefit from that? Good T'ai Chi practice teaches you to trigger what is known as the "relaxation response." The relaxation response is a total release of the unconscious muscle tensions and a reversal of the stress hormones that have created our chronic "stress responses" (our automatic reactions to stress, like increased blood pressure and heart rate, shallow breathing and elevated cortisol levels).

Finally, T'ai Chi has a deeply metaphysical or philosophical side (some would even say Spiritual). It is based on ancient principles that not only teach you about exercise and self-defense, but about life itself. It teaches you the principles for living in a very physical way. Here's just one example, almost all Spiritual systems talk about the importance of "balance" in your life. But what does that really mean? How are you supposed to use balance to your advantage? Most of the time, you are left to figure that out for yourself. But T'ai Chi demands that you balance your physical body, teaches you how to do it, and shows you the consequences of not having balance (you fall down).

Of course, the most important feature of the extraordinary discipline is simply this: it's fun. The traditional way of telling people you practice this art is to say, "I play T'ai Chi." That by itself may justify the name, "The Ultimate Workout."

David-Dorian Ross - T'ai Chi Master, life coach and celebrity wellness expert - writes a regular advice column on practical coaching for daily life called "Invincible Living" at http://www.daviddorianross.com/ask/. Got a persistent problem? Email your question to daviddorianross@gmail.com. Remember: when body, mind and Soul come together - we are invincible! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, hypnotherapist, counsellor and life coach in London.

On The Usefulness Of Classifying Dreams

My purpose in writing this article is two-fold; to encourage the development of a universally accepted model of dreams -including purpose, meaning and language- and; to encourage the cooperation and sharing of information on a wider, freer platform that isn't restricted to peer-reviewed publications or primarily published works.

Over the years it's been suggested, by a number of individuals, from various disciplines, who work with dreams, that it would be beneficial and useful to sort dreams into some kind of system. This idea evolved into the classification or organization of dreams into types, or themes. Based on the work of a few prominent dream researchers, we now have twelve basic types, classifications or dream themes, with each type having both a positive and negative meaning (resulting in 24 rather than 12 types of dreams). It's been strongly suggested that we can develop a clearer, more specific form of dream analysis and interpretation through these classifications and do so without adhering to any one theory.

From the beginning, science has expanded, progressed and proliferated primarily by the observation, collection and naming of data whether in the form of specimens or information. Whether observing the thousands of species of beetles on the planet, the trillions of stars in the sky, or the hundreds of fragments of bone in the earth, researchers collect the data or specimen then proceed to organize them into some logical system. They usually sorts them into groups of similarities and differences. The data is then named, numbered and analyzed. This process allows for other researchers to work with the same set of data and reproduce or continue working in the same area with the expectation of gaining understanding and cohesion in studies and experiments. Once all this work has begun and patterns or anomalies observed, a theory or theories are developed to help explain the findings.

Through the past century or so, we've actually learned quite a bit about the mechanics or dreams. We've discovered that:

• REM (rapid eye movement) is associated with dreaming (though not solely);

• We've learned that dreams progress through different stages throughout the sleep cycle;

• We now know that different states cycle throughout the night

• We can now observe the different brainwave patterns during different states of sleep and wakefulness;

• And we think we understand at least some of the physiology of dreaming.

However, in all this flurry of activity and discovery, we're no closer to understanding the purpose or meaning of our dreams. As a science, or even as an art, dream analysis or interpretation is still stuck in the stone ages. Many dream experts argue that this is because we, as dream workers, haven't organized and shared our combined knowledge about dreams and their vast array of subjects, images and symbols.

Sadly, though, we, as a discipline, are stuck at the stage or level of specimen/data collection. We've amassed a mind-boggling amount of information on the images, emotions, symbols and subjects of dreams, but we haven't been able to organize this information into any agreed upon theory or system from which to work from. Because of this, we're unable to corroborate each others' findings or observations and settle on a definitive answer as to what purpose dreams hold or even what they mean.

This work has been attempted by other prominent dream workers, such as Hall, Van de Castle, Garfield, Ross and others. For example, a universal classification system was developed by Patricia Garfield, Ph.D., but unfortunately this or other similar systems haven't been widely accepted or used. The nearest we have to a generally accepted classification (or coding) system is that developed by Calvin Hall and Robert Van de Castle way back in 1966. Like most research-based scoring systems including personality, psychology and other systems, it's helpful for the quantitative collection of data but excludes the individual dream and dreamer. You can code a dream down to its last period, but it's not going to help a dreamer understand what the dreams message is.

With both the Hall and Van de Castle Content Analysis System and Patricia Garfield's Universal Classification System (and other lesser known systems), the suggestion is that dreams can be broken down to their parts and understood this way. This is similar to the physics paradigm; by smashing particles into ever smaller units, the belief is that they'll be able to understand the whole of the universe and thus reality. Modern scientists always tend to follow this reductionistic approach. In personality psychology, researchers have continued to whittle down the number of personality traits we humans have from the original 116 characteristics observed in the last century all the way down to two. However, the early personality researchers realised that this was too simplistic, so the majority of them settled on five. Do you think 5 personality traits are enough to define who you are? The point I'm trying to make here is that the same is happening with dream research. Dream workers try to reduce what they're studying to its most basic structure or function and expect to understand the whole.

The paramount question I have is this: Can dreams even be classified? Granted, dreamers around the world have similar dreams (universal dreams). And why shouldn't they? We're all human beings; we're all concerned with the same things -food, clothing, shelter, family, security and society. However, we also have concerns that are more personal, more egocentric and more subjective. There has to be a comfortable middle where not every single word of a written dream has to be analyzed, but has more points of analysis than just the general, overall theme. This is where my research has lead me. I'm trying to find the middle: where analysis isn't so detailed that every single sigh in a dream is analyzed, but detailed enough that more than just the examination of general actions or activities are taken into account.

The biggest oversight I've observed in dream work is that the majority of dream researchers fail to account for or even consider the dreamer behind the dream; the interaction between the imagery in the dream and the dreamer herself; or the response elicited or evoked from and throughout the dream experience. We have to consider the source before we can hope to understand the purpose or the meaning.

As research continues, eventually, I or another dream researcher, will get there. The question, however, is whether others will get on board.

Ms. Terry L. Gillis, dream analyst and investigator, invites you to visit http://www.terrygillisdreamanalyst.ca for more dream articles like this one. You may also participate in her ongoing research and become a part of the growing dream community by posting your dreams on her blog. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online, counselling hypnotherapist and life coach in London.

Intuitive Health Readings As Preventative Medicine

Modern medical diagnostic techniques are fantastic at finding the presence of disease. But what if disease is not yet present in organic form? That is, it cannot be seen by an MRI, CT scan or X-ray and isn't revealed in blood work, an EEG or EKG. How can we predict tendencies to develop illness before it manifests in the body as detectable disease?

Genetic markers are one answer. By evaluating someone's DNA, it is possible to see familial patterns that have the potential for developing disease. But these are only probabilities. What of the actual energetic complex in an individual at any given point in time? What of the diseases that are hovering, ready to manifest in tumors or heart dysfunction, or waiting to send our cells spiraling into mutation?

All of Earth and her inhabitants are composed of energy in its myriad forms - the humans, the animals, the plants and the members of the mineral kingdom. It is simply a matter of density, form and intention. Given that, it is reasonable to presume that disease in an organism has an energetic footprint. Stress, sadness, anger and emotional trauma can all contribute to an imbalance in homeostasis.

Viewing an entity intuitively is a way to see into these energetic footprints. What can be perceived surpasses the abilities of mechanical diagnostic techniques, seeing into the very energy profile of an organism. Areas of concern, the mental and emotional composition of an entity can be assessed by an intuitive health reader before organic disease manifests. Thus, matters can be addressed leading to more vigorous health and well-being.

As example, we will make certain assumptions about the progression of an intuitive reading. Let us say that current bodily systems will be visualized as they would appear to conventional diagnostics, giving us a literal picture of the state of any organ. In a reading where disease is hovering, the visualization would be more ethereal. The area viewed might present as a color of light or darkened area signifying disturbance or the intuitive might simply feel a disruption in the area. Emotional causes might make themselves apparent to the reader or past physical trauma might be visualized. Simply put, the reader can sense the seeds of disease before they materialize.

This kind of appraisal can be invaluable in discerning the impending presence of illness or disease and can arm the client with information that they can then take under their own council, to their health care provider, psychoanalyst or spiritual advisor. Unraveling some of the underlying origins of stress, disquiet and so on gives the client tools with which to begin moving toward well-being, and in so doing, also toward more robust health.

Semi-annual or annual evaluations with an intuitive practitioner along with wellness checks from medical professionals can yield a holistic approach to preventative medicine.

Alannah Hudis has studied natural spirituality with Medicine Woman Loren Cruden for several years and offers intuitive health readings for people and animals. For more information about Alannah's readings, please visit: www.healingspiritsong.com. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

The Link Between Financial Stresses and Poor Health

Over the past couple of years, especially since the recent global recession has taken place, there has been a strong link observed in between someone's poor mental condition and financial stress. Financial stress has become an area of alarming concern for medical professionals as more and more people are now suffering health problems. Not to forget, Americans are having hard time to cope up with rising costs of living after the financial recession. Whether the price rise is seen in gasoline, or food, debt keeps on increasing for an average American. Financial stress is now translating into serious health hazards like sleeplessness, anxiety and tension.

Are you among one of those suffering from financial stress that you are having a hard time dealing with your routine matters? Overeating, smoking, or drinking aren't answers to your financial problems. You need proper debt counseling services from certified financial experts that can help you resolve your financial worries.

Are you afraid of rising medical costs? As costs rise and income levels stay stagnant, Americans without medical insurance are missing out on the essential health care they need for themselves. Escalating costs of covering basic necessities of life have made it difficult for a layman to cope up for medical fees and charges.

The first impact of financial problems is going to be directly upon your ability to sleep peacefully. Without adequate amount of hours dedicated to sleeping, you can neither enjoy a healthy lifestyle nor be able to focus on your routine matters.

Anxiety and frustration destroy one's ability to cope up with financial problems. As a result, it is important to stay calm during your harsh times in order to get out of your worries.

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle making quality food choices. Once you have a healthy lifestyle, you would find yourself in a better position to cope up with debt. Consult debt counselors and see if you can get a solid advice from them. Debt counselors are expert financial consultants that devise a debt elimination plan for you and your family. Upon following this plan, you can lower down your debt and even eliminate it.

It is better to see if you qualify for government assistance programs and health benefits. Last but not the least, it would be my recommendation to try to stand up and fight the financial stresses of your life. Life is full of challenges that you need to constantly fight in order to live happily

Yasir Saeed provides high quality, effective, unique and efficient copywriting services for several clients as being an adept freelance writer, blogger and copywriter. He enjoys penning on numerous niches including medical, finance, business, management, home improvement and self-improvement. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Live a Healthy and Happy Life, The Keys to Wellness

Every living being seeks optimal health and happiness, a quality of life where there is a healthy balance between the mind, body, soul and spirit. Our ultimate goal is to live a life of purpose, one of meaning, to love and to be loved, and be healthy. Life throws everything at you, and you frantically juggle to keep things balanced. The pieces come together to create our unique lives that are forever changing. With this comes a feeling of well-being, a status of our wellness. It is the combination of the physical, mental, spiritual, intellectual, social, environmental and socioeconomic components that determines our overall state of health.

The abundance of information about wellness in books, magazines and websites is overwhelming and often causes more confusion than anything else since the sources of information at times oppose one another on a particular topic. For example, in nutrition some say eating late at night leads to weight gain, whereas others stress that it's the total amount of food eaten day by day that will determine weight gain/loss; and in exercise, some promise a magical flat stomach using their unique machine or diet product, whereas others strongly advise that this is only achievable if overall body fat is reduced. It is important that the information comes from a reliable source and has solid evidence backing the claim. Using the services of a certified professional in the field will be of much benefit as they will have the answers and be aware of any recent discoveries in research.

It certainly isn't rocket science to be able to understand how to live a healthy life; most know the basics but there is more to it, isn't there? Lifestyles are becoming increasingly high-paced due to advances in technology and higher cost of living which ultimately results in stress, binge eating, and roller-coaster emotions which leads to our health being neglected. It becomes easier to order fast food, skip exercise, and interact with our friends online instead of actually visiting them in person. This is detrimental to our well-being and is the leading cause of global health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and depression. Chronic diseases such as these are preventable by taking the necessary precautions and making small lifestyle changes that can positively impact your wellness. Unfortunately, only small proportions of society actively maintain and/or improve their lifestyles, whereas the rest continue to let their health slide and chronic diseases sky-rocket.

We have all heard of the saying 'money can't buy you happiness', and in some sense this is true. A recent study has indicated that there is an increase in perceived well-being with an increase in income; however once income rises past a certain level, emotional feelings (such as happiness, and affection) generally tend to level off due to work related stress and unhappiness. Lower incomes were linked to more sadness and stress; and increasingly so with poverty and the occurrence of disease. Considering this, there are those at both extremes that are at the peak of health and happiness since they have been able to maintain a balance of the elements that fulfill their unique needs and desires despite between very rich or poor. Of course there are many factors that can influence a particular situation; however the study demonstrates the importance of balance according to ones values and aspirations. Most live imbalanced lifestyles leading to reduced wellness. For example your physical health may be great since you exercise regularly and eat a nutritious, well-balance diet; but you work too much, have family issues and don't socialize enough with friends. The key is to maintain a balance between the different components of wellness.

Physically, taking part in activity that boosts your heart rate just a few times a week can improve your health significantly. It doesn't mean you have to join the gym if that's not what you like. Take a walk outside, go swimming or cycling, join a dance class or yoga class, or simply stay at home and move to your Zumba DVD. Whatever it may be, there are unlimited options. The key is to find something you like doing, exercise regularly, and have the support of friends and family (getting them involved will be even more beneficial since it strengthens relationships). Combining this with good nutritional habits will enhance results even more. Keep it simple; eat a balanced diet full of natural foods avoiding saturated and trans fats (avoid or at least limit takeaways), watch the portion sizes, grill don't fry, drink alcohol in moderation, and drink enough water. There are online food journals that are great for those who want ideas on meals, track what they eat and the amount of calories consumed. Learning how to read food labels is advised since many products are labeled as 'healthy', 'low-fat', or having 'reduced sugar' but be warned that these are often very similar to their 'unhealthy' counterparts.

There is strong scientific evidence showing the connection of the body and mind, hence maintaining healthy diet and exercise habits is a major step in the right direction to improved health. The importance of mental and emotional health is largely underexposed and should be considered just as important as physical health. Emotions can trigger physiological changes in the body and prolonged negative emotional health can lead to hormone imbalance, hypertension, weaker immune systems, depression and various other threatening health conditions.

Why get infuriated when another driver of a car does something that is out of your control? Your enraged emotions only affect your health since your blood pressure rises and mood becomes edgier, whilst the other driver goes unharmed. Why become an emotional eater? Food is not going to solve the problem! Learning to control your emotions and how you react to various situations will certainly improve your internal homeostasis. Learn stress management techniques, relax (consider meditation and yoga or just breathe), talk to someone, be positive and just smile.

Relationships are another crucial factor. We all want that feeling of belonging to something and being loved. Find the time to talk to your loved ones, visit or even call your friends more often, organize regular gatherings and make new friends by joining a membership or class. As hard as it may be, switch off your electronic device and get talking to a real person!

Ensure you are sleeping your 7-8 hours a day since deficiencies in sleep can strongly affect your cognitive performance, cause weight fluctuations, diabetes, and other physiological imbalances. Also, be willing to learn something new whenever the opportunity presents itself. The brain is amazing and feeding it with new information not only boosts your mental health, but also improves your intellectual well-being. Doing something of meaning according to our values is another driving force to happiness. It doesn't mean quitting the job you don't enjoy as it isn't always possible but one has the power to take the steps to make some long-term investment to making that change in the future. Some are lucky enough to call the work they do their passion and don't need to consider it their 'job', yet this is a small population. Participating in church programs, or belonging to a charity organization is a great way to boost your soul and spirit.

Life is magnificent and we all deserve to enjoy it to its fullest. There are some things we cannot control but mostly we have the power to choose how to live and react. Taking small steps to introduce healthier habits will make a significant difference to your overall health, remembering to maintain constructive balance of all components. Don't wait until it's too late as some things are difficult to reverse. Live a healthy and happy live! Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Intuitive Health Readers: Finding the Right One for You - The Interview

When you are sick, in pain, emotionally distraught or are dealing with a difficult to diagnose condition, you want help. Many of us today are looking for alternatives to augment conventional medicine for aid in healing. If you consider working with an intuitive health reader, there is just so much that you can learn from a website or printed materials. Though this research is a great way to start the winnowing process and should be in your plan of action, there is no substitute for person-to-person contact. It is just as important to vet an intuitive reader, as it is any health care provider. This is a person that you are considering allowing into a very personal area of your life. It is crucial to find someone who is sensitive, compassionate and honorable.

The interview process need not be intimidating. If you have done your due diligence in terms of research, you are now prepared to interview one or two intuitive readers. Creating a list of questions beforehand is a good way to prepare. Here are a few suggestions that can help complete the picture you are forming of your prospective reader.

• Does the practitioner perform the reading in person, over the phone or at a distance? Respect each reader's way of working. Methodologies differ from one practitioner to another.

• How will the reader report to you? Do they report during the reading? Do they generate a report to give you after the reading is completed? What is included in the report?

• What information does the reader need from you before the reading? Do they need a lot of information about your concerns or conditions, or do they just want the basics, i.e. your name and location

• In their report, will the reader acknowledge what they previously knew about you in addition to reporting the information they garnered during the reading?

• Does the reader promise to perform the reading only after you have given express permission to proceed? In my opinion, an ethical reader will only read individuals who have consented to having their energy field accessed. It is also a principled practice to ask animals at the beginning of the reading if they are comfortable with the reader's energetic presence.

• Is the reader available for further discussion of the issues addressed in the initial session? Will additional expenses apply? It is reasonable to levy charges for further readings.

As you speak to prospective practitioners, pay close attention to personality clues, tone of voice and manner during the interview. The following tendencies will help indicate if you have found the reader for you:

• You get a sense that the reader welcomes an interview.

• The reader is willing to spend time talking to you; and is truly interested in your well-being.

• The reader does not ask you for a wealth of information before you have agreed to engage them, but is happy to answer any questions you have about their skill. Remember, this is your information-gathering venture to gain insight into the practitioner.

These are just a few suggestions to implement in your search for an honorable intuitive practitioner that will hopefully inspire your own list of questions and give you confidence in conducting an interview.

I wish you good health and blessings on your journey.

Alannah Hudis has studied natural spirituality with Medicine Woman Loren Cruden for several years and offers intuitive health readings for people and animals. For more information about Alannah's readings, please visit: www.healingspiritsong.com. Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

Fever Is Good

While I was growing up, if I ever got "sick" do you know what my dad would do?? He would take my temperature and see that it was higher than "normal". Then, he would pile up blankets on top of me and then start making some hot food for me to eat. I would sweat so much that the sheets would be soaked. But no matter how much I tossed and turned my dad would insist that I keep the blankets on.

Why would he do this?

Many say that it can be very dangerous to have a high temperature due to the possibility that the brain could overheat and cause damage to the cells. Out of fear we have been taught that if we are not at the average temperature, we need to do whatever it takes to lower it. So it is common to take some kind of medicine that will cool us down and get our temperature to "normal". If that didn't work, it would be recommended to have you sit in a bath tub full of ice in order to cool you off. BURRR!!!

Why?

How can the body be so stupid? How can it manage and organize the 70 billion cells in our bodies, run and maintain all the different systems at the same time without us even thinking about it, but then when our temperature goes higher than we think it should, we throw the intelligence of the body out the door and take matters in our own hands.

Why would the body allow our temperature to rise?

The answer is simple. The body always... always... always... does everything that is possible to protect you. That is its job. So how is it protecting us by over heating us? How is that beneficial?

Well lets take a look at what happens when we express symptoms or as many call it "get sick."

We start to feel a little weak maybe even dizzy, all we really want to do is lay down, we get thirsty and hungry. Sometimes we vomit or cough and sneeze and of course we get a fever. There are more symptoms but that should be enough to get the point across.

How is all of that beneficial?

When we get dizzy and feel weak, the body may be asking us to rest so that way it can re-route its energy source to taking care of the underlying issue. If we are not walking around,looking around and working, the body can use the energy on healing instead of supplying your eyes to look, our muscles to walk and our brain to manage work.

We get thirsty and hungry, the body may be trying to get us to hydrate so the normal functions of the body can run more smoothly. The body is over 60 % water so staying hydrated is very important. We need food in order to supply the body with more energy. The body is at a weaker state so the more fuel it has the better it can manage. Now on a side note if you give the body bad fuel it will function bad, if you give the body good fuel then it will function better... so lay off the ice cream and soda for a bit!

When we cough and sneeze the body is pushing out unwanted material. The body will create mucus in the lungs and nose to collect all the dirt and bacteria and anything else that is not helping and then through a sneeze or cough project it out of the body. So if we take medicines that stop us from coughing, sneezing and getting runny noses.. what are we really doing? We are fighting against the body's wisdom and keeping all the trash inside us still.

When we have a fever what happens? We begin to sweat. When we sweat, toxins will leave our bodies through the sweat and then when ready the body will have enough liquid on the skin so when the air hits it, it will cause cooling which brings our temperature down. That is why we sweat when it is so hot outside, so we can cool down.

Also when we are experiencing symptoms like these the body will kick into gear the detoxing process in order to clean us out. A great way to detox is though oxidation. In order for the process of oxidation to occur with in the body faster, it will need to have a catalyst. And guess what that catalyst is??

Heat

So the body gives you a temperature increase (Fever) on purpose to increase the process of oxidation that in turn increases the detoxing. This will clean you out and bring your body back to harmony.

Pretty amazing stuff... who knew that the intelligence of the body was so... well intelligent

Now I do not want you to take away from this post that we should never do anything when our temperature is high. Sometimes it is necessary for us to step in but I think we jump the gun a little due to fear instead of allowing the body to do what it does best....which is taking care of us when there are symptoms as well as when there are not.

When the seasons change and the body expresses symptoms, it is OK. It is actually healthy to have these symptoms. With these symptoms, the body is able to shed off the old dead cells and makes way for the brand new ones just like when the trees drop their leaves in the fall and then replace them with new ones in the spring.

I guess my dad knew a thing or two about the body, how amazing it is, and how it is better to work with it than get in its way or even worse... work against it.

Respect and trust your body... it is brilliant!

Cheers to your Health! (with symptoms and without!)

If you are interested in reading more great articles and seeing my weekly "Monday Motivator" Videos... visit my Blog RedZen by clicking here now where you can find "Peace in Life One Inch At a Time". Providing quality counselling articles, hynotherapy writings and other mind help resources online.

5 Secrets to Taking It Easy Following Stress Burnout

Burnout can be the result of prolonged periods of stress. Your physical and emotional reserves are diminished to the point where you cannot cope. Job related stress burnout is common and here are some ways to take it easy after the burnout.

1: Take time out for yourself
You may have worked yourself to the core at work and have found taking it easy difficult. Go and do what you love, take that spa day, join a group that you have always wanted to join but never thought you had the time to.

Take time off work for as long as you are able and from your normal routine, for example from housework or taking care of the children, even for a couple of days. This will help to give your body and mind a chance to begin recovery. Once you return to work make sure to continue with your hobbies and find time to relax.

2: Keep your mind and body healthy
Make sure to exercise each day. Start small with ten minutes of light exercise, such as a gentle walk. Work up to thirty minutes a day and increase the intensity of the exercise to what you feel comfortable with. You can stick to walking or, if you prefer, take a run around the park. What ever exercise you do it is beneficial for the health of your mind as well as your body.

Practice relaxation exercises every day to train your body to relax. This way you will be more able to cope with stress if it does come around.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet as this improves energy levels and mood. Get enough sleep and in a regular pattern.

3: Re-evaluate your job
This is one of the most important steps you have to take. Identify the specific problem or problems with your job. Were you working too hard or beyond the remit of your job description? Were you stuck in the same job for too long? Were you feeling unappreciated or working in a toxic environment?

Be proactive and talk to your superiors about the problem. They may be able to give you a new job or stop giving you more tasks than you can cope with. If change in your current job is not possible then you may have to consider quitting to avoid getting into a similar situation in the future. Make certain that your next job is less stressful and that you can take it slower than before.

4: Re-evaluate what you want from life
After the burnout you can take what you have learnt from the experience and discover a new direction for your life. You may wish to look at the goals you had surrounding your job and work out if those are realistic and achievable given what you now know.. There is no failure in admitting that you may have to settle for less. What is more important is finding out what makes you really happy. Having a job where you get more time for yourself and to spend with the people you love may be what you want but never realised.

5: Get support
Burnout can cause you to want to protect the little energy you have by isolating yourself. Your friends and family are important and can support, listen and help you through this difficult time. Sharing your feelings with others can help to relieve some of the burden you are feeling.

Follow these five steps and expect your life to be much more stress free.

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