You are here: Home / Archives for bliss

Benefits And Bliss Of The Quiet Mind

June 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Steve Wickham -

Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock in a thunderstorm.”

This is resilience is it not? No matter what comes against it, the mind of such a person responds the same way. It continues on. It treats both extremes of triumph and disaster the same way — as the impostors they are — thanks Rudyard Kipling. This resilient life is not dependent on external circumstances for its peace. Peace is an internal construct, entirely independent of earthly condition; even set apart from it.

These are some ways toward gaining a ‘quiet mind’:

1. Keep a simple life. De-clutter your life and learn to live with less… fewer possessions (especially “toys”); a focused time schedule; and, less on your mind, which equals less stress and fewer distractions.

2. Study resilience. Become more optimistic and forward-looking. Find and develop ways of coping with life stressors naturally.

3. Get quiet time each day. Quiet time to be alone and thoughtful and reflective. Being still in our society in the twenty-first century is never easy to do but the rewards are worth it.

4. Commit to becoming and ‘overcomer.’ Don’t venture down the ‘complaint path,’ instead find the good out of every life circumstance — good, bad or indifferent. (There is GOOD in every thing that happens to us — our task is to find it.) You’ll be surprised how easy it is to overcome things when you learn the biggest battle’s in the mind.

5. Be disciplined regarding self-talk. Make it constructive and fair, but commit to quieting your mind.

6. When we feel like giving up, we should simply express faith by being patient and enduring through the difficulty before us. We can endure more than we think we can.

7. Lastly, the Shaman’s use the rule of momentary retreat when odds can’t be dealt with. Be wise: when things get unworkable simply let the mind wander — we can occupy our time with something else — anything else.

As the clock ticks, never stopping — never going backwards, only ever steadily forwards — so does the person who remains unruffled in all circumstances — thanks Thomas Jefferson. All the while the thunderstorms of life approach, hit, and leave. The clock still ticks. And we cope. There’s an innate strength that pervades the soul here; generating energy for the restless souls that this resilient life touches — it is ‘God strength.’ It is immutable, all-conquering.

The quiet mind is not only resilient and peace-filled, it is free to ponder what might be — it is finally creative! It has reserves in store to both power thinking processes, and, to explore the vast landscape of possibilities before it. This is utter freedom. If we want to achieve anything of real note we ought to realise that simplicity, resilience, faith, peace, and creativity are genuine keys to success.

Copyright © 2008, Steven John Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Steve Wickham is a safety and health professional (BSc) and a qualified lay Christian minister (GradDipDiv). He is also has training and leadership Diplomas. His passion in vocation is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher value of their potential. Steve’s key passion is work / life balance and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person within us.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1193004
Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: ,

Tips to Living a Life of Bliss, Peace and Contentment – Finding Inner Peace

April 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Susan Apollon -

How amazing you are! It is the choices you make that determine your bliss, joy, peace and even contribute to your being aware of how connected you are to your Higher Power, whoever and whatever that may be. This is real Power! And you were born with the intuitive wisdom to do whatever is necessary to find your bliss and inner peace.

Though you were born feeling and knowing this bliss, life being what it is, this knowing is something you tend to forget. It becomes part of your life’s journey to realize – or remember – that you are entitled to live in bliss – and that it is all an inside job! There is nothing outside of you that determines whether you are happy or peaceful. It must come from within.

What is bliss, after all? Personally, being in bliss is my awareness of overwhelming peace, joy and well being, as though I am connected to All That Is. It is not unlike what athletes call “being in the zone,” or making love, or successful meditation, or simply being still. Bliss can be the feeling you may experience when you are in the park on a beautiful fall day, on the beach listening to the soothing sounds of the waves, or listening to your favorite music while on a drive in your car or even seated in your special chair at home.

Remember the moment you held your newborn or your first puppy or kitten and how you felt? That is bliss! You were totally in the present moment, enjoying the experience you were having. Perhaps you can recall the first time you traveled somewhere that you had longed dreamed about? Or remember that moment you experienced winning a competition for which you had long been preparing? That, too, is bliss.

Of course, when things are going well, it is easier to feel bliss. But, when your outside world feels as though it is falling apart, such as dealing with the impact of the recent financial crises, the loss of a loved one or receiving upsetting news about someone or something about which you deeply care, you can and you must, eventually, find your sense of bliss, peace and well-being by connecting you with the core of your being.

You really do have the power to create your bliss via the choices you make and the image, person or thought on which you choose to focus. We have extensive research to validate that when you focus on your fears, worries, tragedies, anticipated problems and losses, you create an inner state of suffering. Yes, suffering. And, when you choose to focus on what feels good, you feel good!

Please, do not misunderstand. Life is what it is. There are going to be curve balls; there will be events and occurrences which result in pain and suffering. But, there needs to be balance. In time, you need to re-create a dominance of feelings of well-being and bliss. This comes by the choice you make about your mental images and thoughts. Choose carefully!

So, how do you arrive at such a blissful state? To find your own connection to your Higher Power or Source – or to be in your personal zone, you might try one or more of the suggestions that follow, noting which ones best work for you. If you think they are really simple, you are right; they are. They work because they enable you to shift energetically, which impacts your physiology, contributing to the release of the chemicals that enhance your entire body, mind and spirit.

Bliss and finding your inner peace comes when we are fully aware of our being connected to, valued and loved by another. Reach out to someone, perhaps a family member, old friend or neighbor with whom you have not spoken in some time. Call and make arrangements to get together, and then go and be with one another; feel the pleasure of the connection. Fill your heart with caring and love for this individual. Truly be present, whether on the phone or in person. Truly be in the moment, listening with your heart and speaking from your heart.

These connections are, if nothing less, amazingly precious, and can be highly spiritual. And, they are even more so when you make it your intent to merge at the soul level; that is, to recognize that both of you are more than physical beings. Rather, you are souls yearning to reconnect, with no regard for appearance, status or role. Such soul to soul connections are among the highest of vibrational experiences, often leaving you feeling as though you are on a natural high or in pure bliss.

You may connect by taking time to be and play with your pet, be it your bird, cat, dog or any other pet. While petting, holding, talking to, walking with or playing with your pet, notice your feelings and your pet’s response to you, as well. Just being aware of and feeling your pet’s love for you, causes bliss. If you are truly in the moment, you may be feeling a sense of peace and gratitude for having your pet with whom to share your life, or, you may be experiencing deep love and affection for him or her. Just the act of petting your dog or cat releases endorphins, chemicals that help you to feel better.

Consider finding a way to personally experience some aspect of nature, be it taking time for a bike ride, going for a walk or run outdoors, going fishing, or going to your favorite restaurant which has a view of a river or lake. For example, recently my husband and I had the most wonderful time in our local park. While there, we saw individuals, couples and families canoeing, picnicking, bike riding, flying kites, skateboarding, walking with their dogs, or simply sprawled out on the grass enjoying the magnificent view of the lake – you get the picture.

The day was magnificent and we felt we were in heaven, so totally recognizing the gift of being fully in the present, the Now and the Moment. I shall never forget those few hours. When I am struggling to feel less stressed, I just bring up images of our time there and I feel better. In fact, I snapped some photos and one is now my desktop photo, serving as a vibrational reminder of being in this personal zone.

Nature is considered to be God’s territory. It is where we feel an awareness of Truth and a sense of closeness to that field of energy which created All That Is. Perhaps we affectionately call nature “Mother Nature” because we intuitively experience a sense of being embraced by this nurturing, maternal force, as well as an awareness of a feminine parental power which is far greater and wiser than we are. Clearly, there is an intuitive knowing on our part that directs us toward aspects of nature so that we can, if we wish, feel as though we are merging with this powerful, creative energy that lovingly allows us to feel the joy we call bliss.

“To laugh often, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children…to leave the world a better place…to know one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Bliss can also be created by choosing to expose yourself to healing vibrational experiences: translation, your favorite music. Research has shown that when we listen to music of our choice, we release more endorphins and experience greater clarity, less confusion and increased well-being. Beside being soothing to our cells, vibrationally, the music forces us to be in the moment, distracting us from focusing on what would cause us further suffering. The result: bliss!

Be sure to consider other types of vibrational sounds on which you can focus. Bliss can be the result of listening to comedy that causes you to laugh heartily. Norman Cousins was one of the first to write about the power of laughter to ease pain and expedite healing, leading to bliss.

Bliss can be evoked even through journaling which uses the powerful tools of imagery and visualization. Make it a practice to write ten to fifteen minutes or more daily and allow yourself to write about something you intend to create, be it your dream job, spouse, family, home or your world. Being fully in the Now as you write, use all your senses to imagine what you want in the future as actually occurring in the Moment. Feel the joy of this and the vibration of this will move through every cell of your being, filling you with pure bliss! And, what is lovely, is that this process enables you to manifest your dreams.

Bliss comes when you give yourself permission to do something you enjoy and about which you are passionate, but which you do not do often, if ever! Taking time to go to a concert, meeting a friend for coffee, driving to the mountains or to the beach to visit friends, shopping, taking a course, learning to play an instrument, taking a luxurious hot bath or getting a massage are some examples.

One of the most assured ways of experiencing bliss is knowing you are making a difference in the life of another. Choosing to be of service by volunteering your time, effort and energy results in the release of endorphins, making you feel gratified and valued. Consider learning a healing modality, such as Reiki, and using this not only on yourself, but on your pets, as well as family members. You may wish to receive certification in a healing modality and choose to use this as a way you can help others to heal.

Finally, bliss is often the described state of taking time daily or whenever possible to experience going deep within you, into the stillness of your soul. You can do this by learning to focus on your breath, praying, meditating, doing yoga, Qi Gong and/or Tai Chi, Engaging in any one of these activities enables you to connect with your intuitive wisdom, which, in turn, connects you with your Higher Power and the recognition that you are a being of Love, worthy of being loved.

Bliss is Love, be it the love you feel for your most significant other, that is, you, or the love you feel for another. May your life be filled with only bliss.

My name is Susan Barbara Apollon and I am an Intuitive Psychologist in practice for more than 20 years and a researcher of Mind, Consciousness, Energy, Healing, Intuition, Prayer and Life After Life. I am an Author of Touched by the Extraordinary and Intuition is Easy and Fun, which is coauthored with Yanni Maniates.
My work is, essentially, about providing all of us with empowerment, hope and comfort. Be sure to visit our Love to Feel Good Blog where like-minded souls can come and share thoughts, feelings, inspirations & recommendations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susan_Apollon
http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-to-Living-a-Life-of-Bliss,-Peace-and-Contentment—Finding-Inner-Peace&id=1843703

Filed Under: Happiness Tagged With: , , , , , ,

April 17, 2011 Follow Your Bliss

April 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors where there were only walls.
Joseph Campbell

Filed Under: Daily Quotes Tagged With: , , ,

How to Find Your Bliss

April 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Tony Fahkry -

Discovering Your Bliss.

What are so passionate about to be your bliss? When pursuing that which you love, you’re serving the universe and yourself. You’re adding your gift to the cosmos by following your true nature. This is what I mean by awakening your authentic self; being in alignment with universal intention.

A useful metaphor to illustrate this concept is revealed in nature. A tree does not pretend to be anything else other than a tree. It bears leaves in season. It turns toward the sun seeking rays to grow and offer shadow to those beneath it. It doesn’t have illusions of grandeur about becoming anything else other than what nature had intended it to be.

I invite you to adopt a similar line of thinking. Your authentic self means awakening to the magic; the splendour and beauty of your birthright. Most will never experience the delight of becoming their best, since they believe it to be untrue. They feel unworthy of being all that nature had intended for them. Going back to the tree analogy; it would be equivalent to the tree not bearing its leaves in season since it felt inferior to other trees that were grander in size.

So what does following your bliss entail? The tree analogy; although simple in its description, serves to illustrate that your bliss is – your story. It is the reason you were born on this earth. It is your purpose and your destiny; it is your dharma.

Note the way dancers follow their bliss next time you watch a dance routine. They’re in a rapturous state of bliss performing for the audience. They’re present; grounded and completely in sync with their repertoire. Dancing becomes a way of life for many. It’s their passion and purpose. It gives meaning to their lives. It’s not something they DO. It’s something they ARE.

A performer doesn’t refer to their art as something they LIKE doing; it’s much too passive a description. They tell you “I AM” a dancer. They tell you who they embody as a person; they personify an archetype. Think about the same context in your life. What do you tell people when they ask you “what do you do?” The message is not to identify only with your skill or passion. The message is; your passion or purpose becomes your meaning. It personifies who you are. If you were to omit that aspect of yourself, who would you be?

My passion and purpose is to communicate the message of awakening your greatness and genius. It is teaching and showing people how to access their inner wisdom. I am lost and absorbed by every aspect of the process. When I watch, listen or read inspirational stories or documentaries, I’m moved to tears of gratitude; knowing I have access to the same wisdom within me.

There’s nothing stopping me from following my bliss. Writing articles bring me joy. My fingers don’t leave the keyboard as I type. It flows through me. I am present in the moment. I feel enthusiasm toward the words leaving my mind onto the page. I trust and know these words will be meant for someone; even if it impacts one life, I have been authentic and true to my nature.

Recognising Your Bliss.

So, what is your bliss? Your bliss is something you’d do for free; devoid of money. It’s something you can’t wait to do upon rising each morning. It’s something you’re consumed by. Your friends and loved ones constantly tell you how much time you spend absorbed in this behaviour. You’re oblivious to time, since you have no concept of it when performing this task.

Your bliss may also be your calling in life. If you find joy and energy bringing happiness and fulfillment to others; your bliss is your blessing. Doctors, nurses, teachers, tour guides etc all experience this wonderful enthusiasm when undertaking their job. Yes, the hours may be long; often making sacrifices along the way. The reward reveals itself in pleasure and excitement. It’s an uncontained energy that no undertaking is too big. There is always time to pursue your pleasure.

When you’re following your bliss, you’ll notice the path may reveal itself. There are no longer obstacles which block your success. Everything is effortless and easy. The right people show up in your life to help you advance forward. The right circumstances befall you at the right time; since you’re now in alignment with nature and universal energy.

For a moment, think about friends or loved ones in jobs, relationships or circumstances they loathe. Think about the energy they expend to do that task or to be in that relationship. They’re depleted of their life-force. They may be forlorn and exhausted. You hear it in their words and see it in their body language; everything becomes an effort.

Don’t become that person. Yes, many have obligations to their families or business. Yet they all chose their path in life. They chose not to pursue their bliss. Society may have told them it’s impossible to follow your bliss. Believing this, they acted upon this advice telling themselves the same story. Now, think about those pursuing their bliss in the world and the effect they have on humanity?

Make a choice what you’d like out of life. If you’re already following your bliss, I wish you continued success and joy. If you’re not, I hope this post ignited something within you to take action NOW. Even a phone call or an online enquiry is enough to propel you in the direction of your dreams.

In writing about awakening your authentic self, I draw your attention to the following words in italics. Apply them in your life as you find meaning and purpose to your calling. Follow your bliss and awaken your authentic self to the beauty and splendour of life that awaits you.

Tony Fahkry is an expert in integrating the mind-body connection with health & healing, personal development and self awareness to achieve greater human potential. I do this by drawing awareness to self, removing limitations and obstacles which restrict personal growth and development.

My program Awaken Your Authentic Self trains people how to reclaim their mental and physical well being. Based on three fundamental principles I have found essential for achieving radiant health to healing from disease and illness. Following these principles in their daily lives people see a powerful shift from fatigue, unhappiness, stress, depressed mood to feelings of vitality, a renewed sense of life purpose and the energy to make it happen.

My Awaken Your Authentic Self eBook shows you how to reclaim and renew your health & wellbeing. Visit http://www.awakenyourauthenticself.com.au to learn more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tony_Fahkry
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Find-Your-Bliss&id=6041123

Filed Under: Self Improvement Tagged With: , ,

What Does Happiness Mean to You?

April 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

By Andrea Rose Lucas -

The desire to be happy is a universal part of human nature. It is a fact, though, that there are nearly as many definitions for the word “happiness” as there are human beings on this planet. Every person has his or her own unique definition of what happiness means; this is because each person has his or her own unique desires, wishes, thoughts, emotions and dreams.

If the definition of happiness is as individual as the desire for it is universal, how can you hope or attempt to attain it? While this may seem to be the logical question, you may be relieved to hear that it is not impossible — for that matter, it is not nearly as difficult as you may think.

You want to be happy. You want your life to be brimming with happiness — to enjoy, and to share with others. The first thing which you must do in order to make happiness a part of your everyday life and a part of your future is to decide what it means to you. If you “compare notes” with your friends, or even with your family members, you may go off track, and you may be quite disappointed. As they, too, are individuals, you cannot reasonably expect them to describe happiness in precisely the same manner as you do for yourself. When you are planning to make happiness a part of your life, putting the focus on your own definition first is essential. After all, it is quite impossible to attain something if you are uncertain as to what it is that you wish to attain.

There are three basic approaches to the subject happiness. Some people have an external approach. To these people, the existence or absence of happiness is primarily determined by what they have, what they do, what they accomplish. They find the prospect of a nice family vacation, a new job promotion or opportunity, or similar types of external factors to be Happiness. Others take an internal approach. For them, the highest and best state of happiness involves a true sense of inner-peace, contentment, and general well-being. Still others take the approach that true happiness is about acceptance — that everything is fine exactly as it is. Individual personality traits account for differences in happiness styles — and knowing what happiness means to you is the surest way that you can attain it.

When you know what happiness means to you, you can then proceed toward it by beginning to remove the obstacles. Whether a new home is your fondest desire, whether you wish to have a sense of contentment in your everyday life, or whether you feel that you are relatively happy with yourself and your life but simply need to be sure that you are on the right track, happiness does not need to be a far-off goal that you may or may not reach someday — it is something that is very close to your reach right now. Decide what happiness means to you — and what you reach for will be within your grasp!

Andrea Lucas is the author of “My Life’s A Mess – But I Can Fix It! Reprint Your Blueprint and Grow Happy & Rich!”, which deals with the subject of the script, or life-blueprint by which we all live our lives. This blueprint is formed in early childhood as a result of a traumatic event (that could be as devastating as physical or emotional abuse or as insignificant as a spider bite that nevertheless is perceived as traumatic by the child). Such a negative event has a life-altering effect on the way the child sees the world and his/her place in it.

The good news is that a negative blueprint can be changed to a positive one in just seven simple steps. If you are unhappy with your life, your lack of financial or emotional security or your meager accomplishments to date, change your blueprint and reprint yourself a new one! For a copy of her book go to http://www.MyLifesaMess.net and see how easy it is to live a life of happiness and total fulfillment! Andrea R Lucas, entrepreneur, author and mentor http://www.andrealucas.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrea_Rose_Lucas
http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Does-Happiness-Mean-to-You?&id=1127265

Filed Under: Happiness Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

January 18, 2011 – Meditation

January 18, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Meditation is painful in the beginning but it bestows immortal Bliss and supreme joy in the end.
- Swami Sivananda

Filed Under: Daily Quotes Tagged With: , ,

Benefits And Bliss Of The Quiet Mind

May 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment

By Steve Wickham http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham

Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock in a thunderstorm.”

This is resilience is it not? No matter what comes against it, the mind of such a person responds the same way. It continues on. It treats both extremes of triumph and disaster the same way — as the impostors they are — thanks Rudyard Kipling. This resilient life is not dependent on external circumstances for its peace. Peace is an internal construct, entirely independent of earthly condition; even set apart from it. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Emotional Health, Habit management, Self Improvement, Spiritual Health, Stress Management Tagged With: , , ,