Mind Over Matter

Written by J. R. Nova

For as different as Eastern and Western philosophy can be, there have been certain trends running through both that support the same perception—that mind is more powerful stuff than matter. This thread is sewn deeper in Buddhist and Taoist philosophy and practice, but it is not absent from European philosophy.

“All that we are arises from what we have thought.” – The Buddha

“I think therefore I am.” – Descartes

I am a Taoist, and I also, in my spare time, study up on cognitive psychology. Both are similar in that they suggest that the world outside of us is nothing more than a blank slate, and it is our thoughts inside of us that give the world its taste.

In his book “Feeling Good,” David D. Burns preaches this point. Burns pushes the idea that it is not what people do to us that gets us in a bad mood, but how we think of what they do to us, and that climbing out of the muck of depression, anxiety, anger, and other foul emotions, is as simple as changing how we view the world.

And from the Tao Te Ching:
“The Master observes the world
but trusts his inner vision.
He allows things to come and go.
His heart is open as the sky. ”

Doesn’t sound like “The Master” is a person who lets others get him down, does it?

The mind is a very powerful tool, and it can also be a very dangerous one. Human beings often set out with a purpose, having an idea, and bend the world to fit that idea; so that two very different individuals will view the same event, having witnessed it together, very differently. A pessimist will find misery about, an optimist hope.

Humans are greatly influenced by those around them. There is no doubt about this, but we are not wholly determined to be what we are today, in this moment of time. We may not have 100% free will, since the world is far too complicated to control all our actions, or even expect that we’re doing things autonomously when our own behavior may spring from decades of habit, instinct, or some other device of nature, but we do have a little control over our thoughts.

And if we can control our thoughts, if we are at all sane, then we can shape our own destiny.

In your mind, think of a blue ball. Then think of a red one. You’re controlling the images that enter your brain. The real question is: “How will you control them?”

Will you see a world in which others are out to get you, where every slight is an offensive, where every action is an action against you? Or will you live in a world where you accept and nurture—the best you can—those around you? Will you be upbeat about the world, or down about it?

How can we put this into practice? It won’t be difficult, though it may require time. By visualizing or meditating on positivity each day, we can slowly begin to shift into a new world view.

Imagine people smiling at you, and you smiling back at them. Imagine hugging them. Visualize this about people you love, and even people you hate. Do this for strangers as well as friends. See yourself, not standing against people or separated from them, but one with them.

A Simple Compass – Emotions and thoughts direct our desires

Written by Star Seed

Have you ever felt the need to avoid a situation but could not come up with a logical reason? Many times, we go ahead and push through the situation, only to realize that something unpleasant awaited us. We wish we had listened to our feelings. On the other hand, many people have told me that they felt compelled to do something but that it didn’t work in their favor. They have said that they wished they had listened to their mind, instead of their feelings. So which one is the better guide?

The answer is neither and both.

The world is going through many changes. Conversations about intuition and spiritual paths are much more common than they used to be ten years ago. Yes, we have always had places, such as California, that were more inclined towards spiritual growth than others but were seen as odd by the conservative majority. All in all, the language of spiritual growth has spread across the planet. It is not unusual to hear someone talk about intuition, a feeling, a hunch, energy centers and even chakras in places where this sort of talk would have been considered “kookoo” before.

There is a place below our heart and right above our stomach where a compass of emotions resides. When you have a good, warm feeling then chances are ok that you can proceed. On the other hand, if you feel aprehension in that area, a knot, or any type of discomfort, then you should probably reconsider your next move. 

Since people are going through a general change of ideas, beliefs and circumstances, we could say that emotions as a worldwide phenomena are a bit muddled. Sometimes we may feel strongly about a situation but it is important to also use reason in conjunction with our gut feelings. If the emotion is a negative feeling, and we cannot come up with a logical explanation as to why we feel it, I usually tell people to listen to that emotion and reconsider the action. If the emotion is positive, I tell people to consider if the action is ethical. So long as the action respects the beliefs and practices of others surrounding, it is generally a good signal to act.

The bottom line is that until more people have learned the meaning of “ethical behavior”, they should be careful about following a desire. This is not the same as following a dream. Dreams of success, love and happiness, as long as they do not involve crushing another’s free will, are always good.

Aum.

Understanding Psychic Energy, and ways to balance it

By Mahesh Mahbubani

Understanding what psychic energy is all about can be a little bit confusing. If you are experimenting with your own psychic energy there are a few things that you should be aware of.
We all possess psychic abilities in some way or another. The strength of each person’s energy can vary greatly and it can be worked on and practiced in order to build it even more.
However while working with your own psychic powers you need to keep yourself safe and healthy. In order to do that you need to be aware of three common side effects.

Side Effects

Dehydration – Dehydration is very common when either using your own psychic energy or having someone else use theirs on you such as in a healing session. It is important to drink lots of water in order to keep the fluids from being drained from your body. Do not allow yourself to get dehydrated as this will cause you to feel tired and weak.

Tension Blocks – Energy likes a clear path to flow through. Unfortunately most of us have blockages within our body as well as within our energy field. These blockages can cause tension and soreness in different parts of your body. Especially when working with your own energy you may notice an increase in body tension as you become more aware of where your energy gets blocked.

There are a few different ways to clear your tension blocks to help keep the energy flowing freely. A few methods that are known to help are:

– tai chi
– reiki
– yoga
– meditation
– with the help of a healing practitioner

Once you have cleared these blocks you will find that your energy and psychic abilities become far stronger and much more powerful.

Baggage – When you begin to work with and use your own energy, it will be difficult to separate your own positive energy flow from the negative baggage of others. Energy is all around us, some of it good and some of it negative. As your own energy intensifies you will attract back to you even more energy than before.
Therefore you will need to know how to shield yourself from the emotional baggage of others. The following three methods are known to be helpful:

– Clear your energy centers often
– Stay confident and centered in your own being
– Imagine yourself surrounded by a white light shield of protection in which negative energy can not penetrate

Dealing with the common side effects of psychic energy in an effective way can help alleviate any safety or health issues and allow you to concentrate on building your own energy stronger and stronger. Follow the above steps to keep yourself strong and remember to always practice deep breathing as well.

Exposing the food industry; the truth behind our meals

Written by: Karthik Ramaswamy

I love America. I love this country with all my heart. It’s just the corporations that sicken me, and the major influence they have in the government. Never in my life have I been so sick to my stomach walking through the grocery store than last night, when my business associate and I went to a local grocery store close to where we live. I had just had a conversation a few hours before with one of my best friends, residing in Canada, about the food system. It all stemmed from a conversation that started when I told her I was eating my bagel with “organic cream cheese”; She was intrigued that there was such a thing as organic cream cheese, and she asked “How?” We went on to talk about how cows in America are given extreme amount of anti-biotic medicines, and pumped up with growth hormones. In this conversation I ended up upsetting myself by talking about how bad the food system is in America, and hearing how good it was in Canada. This conversation lead me to feel passionately disgusted with all the false stuff I saw in the grocery store last night and I decided I had to take pictures of all the food items and then take a corresponding picture of the ingredients list. I did this to not only prove a point to my enlightening Canadian friend, but I also wanted to make a point to my fellow Americans around the country. What is the point, you may ask? To try to let it be known that we’re living in a country with a corrupt food system and a corporate influenced diet.

With approximately 50% of the FDA decision makers having financial ties with major food corporations, the question arises: How much can we really trust the FDA stamp? Following I have uploaded pictures of my trip to this grocery store, and the ridiculousness I found throughout. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion, and I am not trying to offend anybody in any way 🙂

Wheat Bread!

Bleached Flour, High Fructose Corn Syrup, and a whole HOST of unpronounceable chemicals.

What comes from the Hidden Valley? Sounds intriguing!

MSG and sugar (under the moniker: MaltoDextrin), of course!

How healthy of a choice is this?

Lots of sugar (under monikers "dextrose" "maltodextrin" and LOTS of MSG! (disguised as "modified food starch", "disodium inosinate", "disodium inosinate", "Yeast extract"

Quite tempting!!! This looks so good!!

Well, it looks enough like butter to make me THINK its butter! Goodness, this is a heart attack in a tub.

And finally:

Music therapy, Music healing

Written by Karthik Ramaswamy

Every day I listen to music. And every time I listen to music, I make sure to pick music that gives me a buzz. You know, the feeling you get when a song is so amazing that your whole body starts buzzing with warmth and a tingle of electricity shoots down your spine? The kind of music that gives me that feeling may not be the same that gives you that feeling, but the point is this. It feels good. Music is a fundamental part of my life, and I’m sure you can relate.

This ‘buzz’ I mentioned before, is something I feel to be a healing buzz. I have no science to back up my ‘theory’, but if you bare with me, I will explain a little bit more. Humans, by nature, strive to avoid pain and achieve pleasure.  Whenever we feel this pleasure, our brain tells us “Everything is okay, let’s keep moving”. I don’t know about you, but to me music does this all the time. It very well may be the reason I continue doing what I do every day. As I write this, I am listening to a song by So What Project, which needless to say is successfully sending electricity down my spine. I think this electricity is the foundation of the energy within us, that connects us with everything. When I listen to the music and close my eyes… I feel one with the Universe, and at peace with myself and the eternal.  I’d like to hear from you, the reader. What does music do for you? Where does music take you?

Leave a comment below, and don’t forget to like our Facebook page, 7 chakra collective!

Music = Life

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spiritual freedom

spiritual freedom. Great blog post by Daniel Switzer. Follow his blog @ https://visionarydreamwear.wordpress.com

A basic overview of the 7 Chakras

Written by Mahesh Mahbubani

Chakras as I have experienced and therefore understood them are the seven states of consciousness in which we operate on a daily basis, they are the central means to our constant evolution.

The base chakra, Muladhara- red in color deals with survival issues and grounding. It is responsible for the fight-or-flight response when survival is under threat.

The sacral chakra, Svadisthana, the sex chakra, orange in color, corresponds to testes or the ovaries that produce the various sex hormones involved in the reproductive cycle,it relates to issues of relationships, violence, addictions, basic emotional needs, and pleasure. Physically, Swadisthana governs reproduction, mentally it governs creativity, emotionally it governs joy, and spiritually it governs enthusiasm.

The solar Plexus, Manipura, yellow in color, Adrenal gland -Key issues governed by Manipura are issues of personal power, fear, anxiety, opinion-formation, introversion, and transition from simple or base emotions to complex. Physically, Manipura governs digestion, mentally it governs personal power, emotionally it governs expansiveness, and spiritually, all matters of growth.

Heart Chakra, Anahata – green in color, Key issues involving Anahata involve complex emotions, compassion, tenderness, unconditional love, equilibrium, rejection and well-being. Physically Anahata governs circulation, emotionally it governs unconditional love for the self and others, mentally it governs passion, and spiritually it governs devotion.

Throat Chakra, Vishuddhi, Physically, thyroid gland – governs communication, emotionally it governs independence, mentally it governs fluent thought, and spiritually, it governs a sense of security.

Third Eye Chakra, Ajna, key , Pineal gland -issues involve balancing the higher and lower selves and trusting inner guidance. Ajna’s inner aspect relates to the access of intuition. Mentally, Ajna deals with
visual consciousness. Emotionally, Ajna deals with clarity on an intuitive level.

Crown Chakra, Sahasrara,Pituitary gland – inner aspect deals with the release of karma, physical action with meditation, mental action with universal consciousness and unity, and emotional action with “beingness”

Intro

The Collective Consciousness Collaboration

Written by Karthik Ramaswamy

Living in the Western culture, I’ve grown up with a lot of things that I now know I should question. What is this concept of the spirit? How does the spirit affect the health of my physical body? How does the medicine my doctor gives me actually affect my body? What is in the food that I eat, how was it produced, and where does it come from? What do I not know that I should know? All these are questions that in a way I wish I didn’t ask myself, although I’m actually glad I did. I proceeded to do some (extensive) research  from the age of about 16, and found some research that would change the way I think… For good.