Month: February 2019

The Energy Forecast for the month of February brings The Devil Card to the forefront. The Tarot Arcane of The Month of March – The Devil Card – Confronting our Shadows   The Tarot is an auspicious instrument for personal improvement and, above all, for helping one to analyze and self-evaluate oneself. The Devil Card is a tarot arcane of an instinctive and impulsive nature, of procreative forces, that develops in the depths. It talks about the shadows, the excesses, the temptation, the unconscious forces, the hidden feelings that we believe or pretend not to exist. This arcane comes to instigate us confronting us with our shadows and deepest fears. We know that it is difficult, but necessary, for only then, we will genuinely illuminate our darkness. We cannot sweep the dust under the rug; we must face it and start the process of cleansing. We must control ourselves not to engage in lower vibration activities, such as intrigues, angry outbursts, secret negotiations, gluttony, lust. The archetype will push you towards the seven deadly sins. I can be a struggle to keep our principles because there will be some challenges and tests. This month is presenting a unique opportunity to become aware, to cleanse our hold and free ourselves from possession, tyranny, jealousy, thirst for power, control, manipulation, and addictions of all kinds. We know that we have evolved step by step and that we are responsible for our actions. So, the idea is to throw light on our lower nature. Strive for balance, because we are aware of the price we pay for our evil actions. This arcane represents our material needs, our desires. We can accomplish everything we want, but with discernment, practicing wisdom and without excessive ambition. This Arcane evokes that part of us that we hide…

Continue Reading

Are you familiar with the mid-afternoon slump? You know, the fog that rolls in sometime between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., without so much as a warning, destroying your will to do anything except curl up in a ball under your desk. You’re not alone. The afternoon slump is a real, biological phenomenon that lots of people experience every single day. In fact, it’s a sign your internal clock—fluctuations in energy and body temperature regulated by our circadian rhythms—is running on time.

Clear away the haze with a few body-and-brain-boosting tricks—none of which involve pumping yourself full of caffeine or sugar.

But that doesn’t mean the slump has to keep you down. Clear away the haze with a few body-and-brain-boosting tricks—none of which involve pumping yourself full of caffeine or sugar—so you can go forth into the world with a fresh mind.

1. Stretch

Stretching for even 20 seconds can have a huge effect on your energy levels—particularly if you’ve been sitting at a desk for hours. Stand up and reach down to touch your toes; bring your hands together and reach above your head; imagine yourself as a cat to deepen your stretch. Just kidding. (Sort of—if you’ve got a good imagination and like cats, it might help.)

2. Close your eyes for two full minutes

It’s hard to truly comprehend how much time we spend with our eyes widened by the glaring light of our phones, TVs, and computers. Not only is it physically straining, it’s also mentally draining. Place your hands over your eyes for two minutes, and relish the time you have to sit still and be with yourself.

3. Tidy up

When you create an uplifted environment for yourself, your mind and body follow suit. Take a few minutes to clean up your desk, wash a few dishes, or straighten up your coffee table.

4. Call a loved one and tell them why they matter

It’s always worthwhile to extend yourself to others, so pick up the phone and feel your heart swell. It’ll make their day better; it’ll make your day better.

5. Take a walk

There’s nothing like fresh air to perk you up when you’re feeling hazy. And if you spend your days in an office building, the air can get pretty stale. Get up and get out—even if you’ve only got five minutes to spare. It’ll get your blood flowing, your muscles moving, and will offer your mind a fresh start.

This article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue of Mindful magazine.

The post 5 Ways to Beat the Afternoon Slump appeared first on Mindful.

Advances in neuroscience and AI could revolutionise medicine but they also pose significant ethical and social challenges. If a brain computer interface can allow a blind person to see, or restore speech to those who’ve lost the ability to communicate, what does this mean for a person’s sense of self, personal responsibility, or privacy?

Build Resilience

Uncertainty is like fertilizer for difficult emotions. This meditation reminds you that life is always in flux and the most courageous thing you can do is slow down, turn toward your difficult emotions, and meet them with compassion. By staying with both the highs and lows of your inner experience, over time you become more resilient, meeting each moment with strength.

Respond with Calm

Anxious feelings often provoke us to act in habitual ways. For example, when you’re anxious you may find yourself chewing on your nails or lashing out at close friends. By practicing mindfulness, you can bring awareness to your experience and respond, rather than react, to the moment at hand. This meditation helps you open up, so you can choose whether to engage in a habitual action or simply stay with your feelings.

Create Space

When you dig into the storylines that trigger anxiety—whether it be memories, thoughts, or self-conditioning—you begin to give yourself the space you need to live with more ease. This practice helps you acknowledge your anxious feelings rather than fight them. This is a deep investigative practice that can be challenging at times and is best done when you feel safe, curious, and ready to fully explore your emotions.

The post Tune in: Three Guided Meditations to Conquer Anxiety and Build Resilience appeared first on Mindful.

Just a quickie update for you this weekend.

I recently received an award for depression blogging. I even had to send off a headshot. I’ll write more about it when their post goes live, but in the meantime, I realized that I haven’t been blogging about depression much this year. I wanted to let you know why.

I’m cured!

Nah. Wouldn’t that be great? No such luck for me, however. I still struggle with mild depression daily and occasional heavy bouts when most inconvenient. What really has me distracted is my latest book project. I’ve dug through the past fourteen years of articles and collected the best articles I’ve written on ADHD and ToDo lists. That’s the theme of my next eBook. I hope to have a first draft finished by the end of next week.

Some of the articles stand as is, but many need to be updated or rewritten (For example, how about this one? Three Simple Ways to Prevent Your PDA from Becoming a Paperweight). As I update or write the chapters, I’ll post the first drafts here as articles. Then I’ll clean them up and hit the presses. Or press submit. It’s the same thing these days. By incorporating the book writing as blogging, I hope to prevent one from overtaking the other, as has been the case for the past few years. And then I’ll make time for my middle grade novel.

Once I’m finished with the task management for ADHD adults ebook, I’ll tackle the fighting depression book I started a year ago. Or was it two? I also started an upsides to ADHD book, which was also abandoned, come to think of it. It’s like I have ADHD or something. Weird.

For those of you who have come here seeking depression help, please click on the “Main Topics” tab above, then select “Depression”, or take advantage of the search field in the sidebar. I am certain you will find something that will be of use to you. If you have any questions, hit me up on Twitter. I’m @SplinteredMind.

And now I’m off to write.

⁂

If you are interested in coping strategies for suicidal depression, you should read my book on fighting suicide.

Socially awkward Professor Don Tillman was the protagonist in the best-selling novel The Rosie Project, a book which built awareness of and helped to reduce the stigma around autism. The final book in author Graeme Simsion’s Rosie trilogy has Don and his wife Rosie raising their 11-year-old son, who may have autism.

Question:

I have diabetes and blood pressure problems usually under control. I studied reiki and internal healing but for some reason when I’m around people I feel them a lot. Sometimes I feel their systems and get sick WHAT CAN I DO TO END THIS AND BRING MYSELF BACK? Just from talking to someone on phone even or in person I feel like I take on their stuff. Please help.

Only one thing is harassing you: your own idea of achieving things as quickly as possible.

But meditation is not to be achieved; it is already there.

It has only to be discovered.

And discovery needs only one thing: a silent watcher.

Osho, Watch and Wait