What Steven Cousley Does

An Introduction to Shiatsu Massage(Part One)
Shiatsu originated in China at least 2000 years ago, when
the earliest accounts gave the causes of ailments and the
remedies that could be effected through a change of diet
and the way of life. The use of massage and acupuncture was
also recommended. The Japanese also were practitioners of
this massage after it had been introduced into that country
and it was known as anma. The therapy that is known today
as shiatsu has evolved with time from anma under influences
from both the East and the West. It is only recently that
it has gained full recognition and popularity, with people
becoming aware of its existence and its benefits.

Although East and West have different viewpoints on health
and life these can complement each other.  The Eastern
belief is of a primary flow of energy throughout the body,
which runs along certain channels that are known as
meridians. It is also believed that this energy exists
throughout the universe and that all living creatures are
dependent upon it as much as on physical nourishment. The
energy is known by three similar names, ki, chi and prana
in Japan, China and India respectively. As in acupuncture,
there are certain pressure points on the meridians that
relate to certain organs and these points are known as
tsubos.

Shiatsu can be used to treat a number of minor problems
such as insomnia, headaches, anxiety and back pain. Western
medicine may be unable to find a physical cause for a
problem and although some pain relief may be provided, the
underlying cause of the problem may not be cured. It is
possible that one session of shiatsu may be sufficient to
remedy the problem by stimulating the flow of energy along
the channels. Implementing an exercise regime with a change
of diet and lifestyle may also be recommended. Shiatsu can
encourage a general feeling of good health in the whole
person and not just in the physical sense.

There are believed to be a number of  auras or energy
layers that surround the physical body and can be detected
or appreciated. The first layer which is known as the
etheric body and is the most dense, is connected with the
body and the way that it works. The astral body is much
wider and is affected by people’s feelings. If it is
detected by a clairvoyant it is said to change its shape
and colour depending on the feelings being experienced. The
next aura is the mental body which is involved with the
thought processes and the intelligence of a person.
Similarly, this can also be detected by a clairvoyant and
is said to contain ‘pictures’ of ideas emanating from the
person. These first three auras comprise the personality of
a person. The last aura is known as the casual body, soul
or higher self and is concerned more with perceptive
feelings and comprehension.

It is believed in reincarnation that the first three auras
die with the body but the casual body carries on its
process of development by adopting another personality. As
a person grows in maturity and awareness, these different
auras are used and energy is passed from one layer to
another. It therefore follows from this that any alteration
in the physical state will, in turn, affect the other
layers and vice versa. It is believed that there are seven
main chakras (centre of energy) found in a midline down the
body, from the top of the head to the bottom of the torso.
They are situated along the sushumna, or spiritual channel,
which runs from the crown of the head to the base of the
trunk. Energy enters the channel from both ends. Since the
flow is most efficient when the back is straight, this is
the ideal  posture for meditation or when powers of
concentration are required. Each chakra has a component  of
each aura and it comprises what is known as a centre of
concentration. Each aura is activated as a person develops
and the same applies to the chakras, starting with the
lowest and progressing to the others with time. There is
also a change of energy between the auras of each chakra.

The crown chakra is concerned with the pineal gland, which
controls the right eye and upper brain and affects
spiritual matters.  The ajna, brow or forehead chakra, also
known as the Third Eye, is linked with the pituitary gland,
which controls the left eye, lower brain, nose and nervous
system. It has an effect on the intellect, perception,
intuition and comprehension. The throat or expressive
chakra is concerned with the thyroid gland and governs the
lymphatic system, hands, arms, shoulders, mouth, vocal
chords, lungs and throat. It affects communication,
creativity and self expression. The heart chakra is
concerned with the thymus gland and controls the heart,
breasts, vagus nerve and circulatory system and affects
self awareness, love, humanitarian acts and compassion. The
solar plexus or personality chakra is concerned with the
pancreas. It controls the spleen, gall bladder, kidneys,
liver and digestive system and stomach and has an effect on
desire, personal power and the origins of emotions. The
sacral or sexual chakra affects the gonads and controls the
lower back, feet, legs and reproductive system. This
affects physical, sexual and mental energy, relationships
and self worth.  The base or root chakra is concerned with
the adrenal glands. It controls the skeleton,
parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, bladder and
kidneys and affects reproduction and the physical will. As
an example of this, if a person is suffering from an
ailment of the throat, it is possible that he or she will
not be able to voice private thoughts and feelings.

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Andrew Tomkinson is a writer of articles on the subjects of
health, fitness, nutrition, animals and business
opportunities.
http://www.fitnesshealthnutrition.org

By Michaiel Bovenes

Are you lucky in life? (Really, do you feel like you’re a
lucky person?) I don’t mean that you have a perfect life,
but do things just seem to always work out for you? Do
seemingly negative situations end up turning into something
better? Do great opportunities simply fall into your lap?
Do you meet (attract) the right people in your life? If so,
then you are truly a lucky person, if not, you can quickly
increase your good fortune.

I hadn’t thought much about luck until a few days ago, I
was at a coffee shop with a buddy of mine. Sitting deep in
an overstuffed blue chair, I listened to him talk about how
lucky my life is. I never really thought about it before,
but he was right. I put down my cinnamon scented coffee and
nested back into my chair, taking in and trying to digest
his compliments.

Later when I mentioned that I need to find a topic for my
newsletter this month, he immediately said, “Why don’t you
write about how to be a lucky person!” I chuckled to
myself, because I would have never thought about that in a
million years, but it intuitively felt so right. I knew
that the Universe had just winked at me with a confirmation.

He said, “goodbye”, gave me a hug and left his empty
ceramic cup still dripping with foam next to my chair. All
around me, the coffee shop conversations were mumbling in
my ears. I quietly sank deeper into my chair and started to
type. I must have been in a trance, because with only one
refill the article poured out of my Soul and onto my
laptop. I wrote the first draft in less than two hours.

Whether you believe you are lucky or not, most people think
that luck is not real or at best a random activity that
can’t be chosen or developed. You might think that people
stumble into good things by accident. How then do you
explain when a friend calls you at the last minute with
free tickets to a sold out show you’ve been dying to see?
Or when you turn around to quickly drive back home, because
you “forgot something” and a long lost friend is standing
at your door, but had no way to contact you except to stop
by and hope you’d be home. Is this coincidence or something
much more magical?

I believe becoming a lucky person is easy when you
understand the characteristics of these blessed people.
Imagine for a moment that luck isn’t random after all!
There is an attitudinal structure underlying every
fortunate human being. And anyone who is wiling to change
their mental-emotional habits can increase their good
fortune and become lucky.  Years ago, I read an article
about some University research from England. The studied
showed what naturally lucky individuals have in common with
each other. They discovered a set of four qualities that
set them apart from the “unlucky”. The cool thing is that
people who developed these attitudinal qualities started to
increase their own good fortune very quickly! 

Four Qualities of Lucky People

1. Lucky people are mindful and present. They pay attention
to the present moment and aren’t preoccupied thinking about
the past (disappointment) or fearing the future (worry).
They naturally choose to live in the present moment. This
allows them to notice and seize new opportunities, instead
of being distracted, confused or simply unaware.

2. They value their “intuition” as much as “logic and
reason”. They tend to look at both the “bigger picture” and
also the details of the “little picture” in their lives.
They’re open to an intuitive sense of possibilities (bigger
picture) and how it can fit into their current situation
(little picture). They are neither stuck in the details nor
dreaming about the future. Instead, they simultaneously
bring these two perceptions (awareness of the big and
little picture) the possibilities and on the one hand, the
actuality of their lives, on the other, together. This
offers them a way to set goals and make a plan that works.

3. Lucky people have a positive relationship with the
future. They are hopeful about the unknown (future) instead
of being fearful. Even though they don’t have all the
answers, they’re naturally optimistic and open. They refuse
to fantasize about what could go wrong and instead focus on
“what can go right”. They feel positive even when things
appear to be negative. Simply put. they don’t let
negativity get in the way of their plans and dreams.

4. They are self empowered and take responsibility. They
refuse to hang out in feelings of powerlessness, apathy or
self-pity. They don’t believe that life happens to them nor
are they a victim of circumstances. They know that what
they think and feel about themselves and the future
matters. They believe that opportunities are a direct
result of their attitude, thoughts, feelings and actions.
Simply put, they embrace their inner power and choose to
live their lives with responsibility.

The study also revealed that most lucky people had fairly
large social circles. They make friends easily and are
socially connected to their community. They’re naturally
outgoing because they really enjoy people and tend to be
non-judgmental. They get involved with their community.
They believe that people are inherently good, beautiful and
caring, which tends to make them popular individuals.

Four Secrets to Increase Your Luck and Good Fortune:

1) Embrace and accept yourself and your life, just the way
it is. The good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly-accept
everything that is happening in your life, warts and all.
Stop fighting yourself and make a decision instead to
accept things the way they are instead of longing for it to
be different. Acceptance creates the space for change and
healing to occur. You’ll feel more comfortable when you
accept yourself and begin to naturally relax in social
situations. A quick method to do this is to choose to
believe that the world is a friendly place. It is here to
support you and your dreams. Unlucky people believe the
world is “out to get them.” Which world is true? Whatever
world you choose to believe in will be true for you! Both
worlds are possible but only one will become your reality.
Choose wisely.

2) Listen to your intuition and open your heart to feel
greater intimacy. There is much more happening around you
than you can ever grasp in your conscious mind. Your mind
filters out over 50% of the experiences happening to you
right now. However, beneath your conscious awareness your
subconscious is continuously picking up clues about your
future and the possibilities that are there. This is called
your intuition. When you blend intuition with intimacy, you
will experience a deeper connection with yourself and
others. You’ll know what decisions to make and why. You’ll
be more wise and understanding. Opening your heart will
improve your intuition and deepen your sense of purpose.
This naturally leads toward increasing your opportunities
for luck and expanding good fortune.

3 Avoid feeling sorry for your self. Admit the truth- you
are powerful. Embrace a resilient positive attitude about
your self and your life. You know this and have done it
before. Lemons can be made into lemonade when you change
your attitude. You can learn something about yourself from
the worst disaster. If you’ll begin looking for the silver
lining in the dark clouds of your life, your luck will
improve rapidly. What you focus on expands. So focus on
being powerful and seek the good in all situations.

4. Meditate regularly. If there is one activity I had to
choose that I believed cultivated good fortune and luck, it
would have to be meditation. Looking back on my life, I now
realize that learning to meditate as a teenager was a major
turning point in my life. It changed everything
dramatically. My good fortune accelerated once I learned to
relax and meditate on a regular basis. I fully believe that
meditation opens the door to a fortunate and lucky life.

In most studies, I’ve read on psychological well being,
those who meditate regularly (at least three times weekly)
are less nervous, anxious, depressed, and much less
irritable, controlling, or inhibited. They are, overall,
more sociable and self-confident, and felt positive about
themselves and the future. They tend to be emotionally
stable and self-reliant individuals, when compared to the
non-meditators in the study.

I hope you’ll re-read this article many times and let the
truth contained within it, sink deep into your subconscious
mind. This will help change your attitude and attract more
opportunities and greater good fortune in your life.

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Explore my website for great relaxation resources and to
help you focus the power of your mind and visualize better.
Sign up for my free weekly Soul-utions quotes. Try my
guided meditation CDs.  For beginners I recommend, The
Rainbow Meditation, Art of Going Within: How to Meditate
and/or  Escape from Stress.  Visit my site at
http://www.RelaxationMeditations.com .

History of Mother’s Day

Although the dates may vary, most countries around the world have a special day of the year for a celebration of motherhood. In the United Kingdom the day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, three weeks before Easter Sunday, and may also be known as Mothering Day. Most westernised countries celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May. Other countries may use a different day, depending on local traditions.

In the UK, the practice is believed to have Christian origins and started in the 16^th century. It was a day chosen for all Christians to visit their mother church, which resulted in families being reunited with their mothers annually. It’s believed many apprentices and servants were released for the weekend to have time for visiting families.

In the United States, the day is believed to have it’s origins after the American Civil War. Julia Ward Howe wrote the “Mothers Day Proclamation” as a call for peace and unity for women against war. However Ward failed in her attempt for formal recognition of a Mother’s Day for Peace. In 1907, Anna Jarvis began her crusade for a formal day in recognition of women, with the first such day being held in the state of Virginia on the 10^th May, 1908. From there, the custom caught on and quickly spread to the states and then to other western countries. In much of the world this special day for women has become heavily commercialised.

Gift Ideas For Mother’s Day

In recent times, Mother’s Day has become a time for pampering the family matriarch. Breakfast in bed is a common practice followed by gift giving. Common gift ideas include flowers, chocolates, jewellery and perfumes. Some other gift suggestions are as follows

• a gift hamper, put the hamper together yourself for a more personal touch

• fashion accessories, such as handbags, scarves or shoes

• scented candles or incense

• a special experience such as a balloon flight, bungee jumping or skydiving

• a visit to a spa or beauty salon

• appliances

• a professional massage

Whatever gift or method of celebrating is chosen, most of us only have one mother. This is their special day, make it one to remember

This is so much better than just a map of Stonehenge. You can actually go there. Visit the site from the comfort of your desk. I’m talking about a full 360 degree panoramic view from within the famous stone circle. You can zoom in or out, up or down. Get in close and personal with the monumental standing stones. This can be run full screen and is really impressive. Even if you’re not a history buff, you can use this just to impress your friends. If you are a fan of ancient sites and technology, you will enjoy this even more. Take a look for yourself here Stonehenge 360 degree view

I’m looking forward to the upcoming release of the new X-Files movie on July 25th. Little information is available on the net regarding the plot but it does appear the movie will be in the form of a stand-alone supernatural story. I’m a long term fan of the tv series and first movie. Six years without a Mulder and Scully fix is way too long.

Currently the film is being referred to as “The X-Files Movie Untitled” or by it’s production name “Done One”. The series author, Chris Carter originally planned to begin production of this movie after the ninth season. Due to various delays in production, writing, negotiation etc it’s taken a bit longer but now the wait is finally over. Hopefully there will be more such movies to look forward to after this one.

Being a stand-alone story, audiences won’t need to be familiar with the mythology of the series. You can see more on the official movie site here. However, for a reminder of just some of the mystery and appeal of the original X-Files episodes, check the clip below.