Search Results for: wp-content/uploads/2010/08/wholesomeresources.com/2961/twas-the-time-before-christmas/details-yoga-meditations-book-and-cd-set

Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation Research for Memory – Kirtan Kriya

March 20, 2011 by Julie Lusk

I just love synchronicity, don’t you? Right when I was looking for Sa Ta Na Ma meditation research – Kirtan Kriya – Amy Weintraub sent me a copy of her newsletter, LifeForce Yoga. My eyes popped out of my head with delight because she had compiled an excellent review of the literature on this meditation technique that improves memory. She generously said that I could share what’s below with you. I highly recommend Amy Weintraub’s website at LifeForce Yoga: Manage Your Mood. You will also benefit from and enjoy registering for her newsletter and going to her workshops.

Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation Research: Kirtan Kriya Effects Cognitive Function, Memory and Stress

In three separate studies published this year and in one that is on-going, Kirtan Kriya, as taught by the Kundalini master Yogi Bhajan, was shown to increase short term memory, cognitive function and to reduce stress. In separate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and one continuing at the University of California (UCLA), researchers measured cerebral blood flow in the brain (rCBF) using single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to determine which areas are more active and which are less during the practice. One study compared long-term meditators to non-meditators. Another study compared those practicing the meditation with those who listened to a Mozart violin concerto. A third study compared the more active meditation to a relaxation exercise.

Kirtan Kriya is a 12-minute active meditation that include mudra (hand gesture), mantra (out loud, whispered and repeated silently), and visual imagery,

In the on-going study at UCLA, those practicing 12-minutes of Kirtan Kriya meditation are being compared with those using a 25-minute relaxation tape. Preliminary results from the 39 caregivers who have already completed the study (23 practiced Kirtan Kriya, 16 listened to a relaxation audio tape) indicate:

[Read more…]

Chakra Balancing with Sound Healing

How to Balance & Tune
Chakra Energy
Using Healing Sound Vibrations

Page Summary | Chakra Energy | Sound Healing | Chakra Tone Chart

Chakra Energy

Chakras are spinning wheels of subtle energy. The major chakras span from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. They guide the wellbeing of our bodymind and lifeforce energy. You can learn more about chakras and their influences here. Get info related to chakra elements, directions, sounds, senses, and other attributes here.

Chakra energy is often out of balance. It can run too high or too low. This can negatively influence your actions, relationships, as well as your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Use my Chakra Chart to help you in knowing if your energy is balanced, excessive, or deficient. A variety of helpful strategies are given to improve your wellbeing.

There is a lot you can do to gain balance and have better health by either increasing or decreasing chakra energy. This can be supported through intentionally using sound, color, crystals, and mantra. Yoga postures and pranayama (breathwork) influence the chakras. Healthy lifestyle choices make a difference. Meditation, guided relaxation and imagery are very effective. Using hand and finger positions called Yoga Mudras are also powerful.

Sound Healing

Sound healing intentionally uses musical instruments and vocals to help with harmonizing the body, mind, emotions, and spirit into wholeness. A positive impact on wellbeing happens when these dimensions are tuned and in balance.

Sensing calmness, connections, mental clarity, emotional equilibrium, insightful awareness, and balanced energy often happen.

A variety of instruments can be used including Tibetan and crystal bowls, tuning forks, drums, bells, flutes, gongs, chimes, strings, and keyboards. Vocal singing and toning are powerful as well.

The tones, frequencies, and vibrations used in sound healing are experienced both physically and energetically. Obviously, sounds are heard with the ears. Not so obviously, they are experienced and absorbed through the skin, by the cells, and in the energy field.

Sound healing facilitates vibrant health by activating the relaxation response, synchronizing and activating brainwave frequencies beneficially, and supporting heart coherence. It has been shown to regulate the nervous system. Chakra energy is often toned and harmonized. Chakra disharmony is discussed below.

Sound healing is based on age-old teachings and backed up by modern science. It’s interesting, relaxing, and fun.

Chakra Tone Chart

This Chakra Tone Chart can help balance your chakra energy to improve your wellbeing. These sound vibrations are based on ancient Vedic (Yoga) and Tibetan notes and tones, and western music.

Use this Chakra Chart to help you know if your energy is balanced, excessive, or deficient. It gives you a variety of helpful strategies to improve your wellbeing.

Try all the healing sound vibrations to find out what you like and works best for you. Notice your felt reaction to each of these scales, notes, and sounds to determine how your bodymind responds to each vibration.

The Sargam scale from Indian music goes from the lowest to the highest note of any scale (like solfege or do-re-mi). This makes it very versatile. It allows you to start on any note depending on your vocal range or the instruments you have on hand. For example, if you have Tibetan or crystal bowls, start on the lowest tone for the root chakra and play progressively higher tones for ascending up through the chakras.
Yoga (Vedic) tones are based on the western diatonic scale.
Tibetan tones and notes are based upon the perfect 5th interval.
Bija sounds encode the 5 elements into sound. They are used to stimulate and strengthen chakra energy when depleted.
Vowel tones diffuse, connect, and move energy. They are helpful to calm and soothe energy and when energy is excessive.
- Alternate vowels are sometimes used instead of those shown on the chart. Try these variations out on yourself to find out which vowels resonant most for you. They are Root – UH (as in huh). Sacral – OOO (two). Solar Plexus – OH (toe). Heart – AH (awe). Throat – EYE (eye). Third eye – AYE (play). Crown – EEE (speak).

Handy Links

Learn about chakras and their influences | Get your Complete Chakra Chart
Chakra Balancing with Sound Healing. Use the Elemental Chakra Tone Chart to balance your chakra energy by either increasing or decreasing their energy with sound, color, and special mantras. The Vedic (Yoga) and Tibetan notes and tones are given. It’s fun.
How to balance chakra energy with toning and hand & finger movements called mudras.
Get info related to chakra elements, directions, sounds, senses, and other attributes
Chakra Energy Flow Meditation
Understanding OM | AUM
Book a Musical Sound Bath session

Yoga Meditations: Timeless Mind-Body Practices - Book & CD set

Awaken joy, peace and inspiration with this yoga meditations book. Yoga Meditations contains a wide variety of mind-body practices, such as: * Guided relaxation exercises * Breathing practices * Yoga Nidra * Meditations and guided imagery * Affirmations * Yoga postures and meditations for each chakra * Yoga wisdom for contemplation Get a FREE Wholesome Energizers CD in every book! CLICK the blue title link above to find out more...

Chakra Chart

Finally! A complete Chakra Chart with all the chakra names, locations, colors, sounds, yoga postures, breathing techniques, psychological & energetic influences and more. There's handy tips for using the chart on the reverse side. It's 8 1/2 by 14" and laminated. CLICK on the blue title link above to find out more...

Chakra-Based Guided Meditations

Real Relaxation Yoga Nidra takes you into a deeply relaxing and powerful restful state of being fully aware while being in the state of deep yogic sleep. It helps with balancing chakra energy, and can improve immunity, heart health, relieve stress and give you inner peace and balance.

Get it from Amazon, iTunes, Spotify & other online stores

Solving Holiday Stress

November 29, 2010 by Julie Lusk

Solving Holiday Stress

Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, St. Nicholas, Kwanza, Winter Solstice, Navidades, Hanukkah, St. Lucia Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s, the holidays are inherently stressful.

Decide now whether this year will be full of the season’s stressful traps or fulfilling with plenty of treasures to be thankful for. Now is the time to set priorities and make the necessary changes so the holidays are inspiring and energizing instead of a drain. It’s especially important to pay attention to what your needs and wishes are for your body, mind, and heart while finding the balance with sharing with others.

Operating on automatic can add even more stress causing unhappiness, sickness, poor relationships and lack of energy. Why not improve your ability to handle stress by practicing the following effective ways to cope with stress. I DARE you to Relax! Please check out the CD’s down below too. Each provide helpful tools and techniques for renewal. They make excellent gifts too.

DARE to Relax includes: D = Diet; A = Attitude and Awareness; R = Rest, Relaxation and Relationships; E = Exercise.

DIET: Don’t deprive yourself of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can help you reduce the effects of daily stress. Stress uses up your supply of vitamins A, B and C which can lead to feeling irritable and tired. Calcium is essential for your central nervous system to function normally. Without enough, your nerves become frayed. If you consistently eat well-balanced meals, you can fortify your system giving you the nourishment to guard against the harmful effects of stress.

Eat a nutritious breakfast

Choose fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains

Choose baked or broiled food instead of fried

Cut down on too much fat, salt, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, additives and preservatives

Maintain a healthy weight

Choose holiday foods with care. Eat the special things that are delicious and bring you in touch with warm memories. You really don’t have to eat everything to get the taste of the holidays.

ATTITUDE AND AWARENESS: Research shows that as much as 75% of illnesses are the result of experiencing too much stress. Not being able to handle stress properly can decrease the effectiveness of your immune system. Become more aware of how you respond to tension and stress in your life and begin to make adjustments. Are you responding appropriately? Could you be over-reacting? Is it possible to avoid or change a situation that causes you anxiety? By improving your awareness and improving how you react to stress, it might be possible to avoid some of your headaches, stomachaches and other problems. Try laughing. Laughter is like internal jogging. It aids digestion and improves alertness and productivity by sending blood and oxygen to your brain and increases the production of the body’s catecholamines.

Learn to accept situations you can’t change; give in once in a while

Learn to communicate with others; talk your worries out

Take one thing at a time; don’t take on too many changes at once

Manage your time more effectively; don’t procrastinate

Be positive and realistic

Express your feelings in healthy ways

Create variety in your work; do old things new ways

REST AND RELAXATION: It is much easier to handle stress if you are rested and know how to remain calm. Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night is essential. Although recreation and being diverted from stress is helpful (playing a sport, watching a movie) true relaxation is different. It involves giving yourself an honest break from activity and excess stimulation. Breathing deeply, smoothly, slowly and from the diaphragm is relaxing since it too sends a fresh supply of blood to the brain and throughout the body. It oxygenates your system and even slows down the heartbeat.

Plan leisure time; take breaks

Spend time on a hobby; seek new interests

Schedule some quiet time alone every day; meditate; pray

Have fun, play and laugh

Cut down on noise levels at home and work; turn the radio or TV off

Replenish yourself with therapeutic relaxation, guided imagery and affirmations. See the suggestions for CD’s below to feel rejuvenated improve your outlook and help your health.

EXERCISE: When under stress, there is an increase of adrenalin in the system as part of the flight or fight response, which can drain you of energy if not effectively released. Exercise regularly to work stresses off positively. This can improve your productivity and increase your energy. Be sure to choose physical activity that you enjoy.

This may be the year to tamper with holiday traditions so the spirit and meaning of the holidays are once again filled with tidings of comfort and joy.

Help for the holidays. These CD’s will replenish your energy and renew your outlook. They make great gifts too!

Wholesome Energizers CD

Listen often to release stress, refresh your outlook and feel calm. Feel rested, rejuvenated and ready for the rest of the day. Introduction and 3 tracks featuring a relaxation exercise, beautiful guided imagery and helpful affirmations to bring your energy back. CLICK the blue title link above to find out more...

Wholesome Relaxation CD

Experience deep relaxation, inspiring imagery and affirmations to enhance your personal health, increase strength, and improve your overall well-being. This is used by Good Samaritan Hospital, American Heart Assn, American Cancer Society and others. CLICK the blue title link above to find out more...

Price: $16.95

Price: $9.99

Power of Presence CD

Gain the benefits of meditation with comfort and ease. You'll soon solve workplace stress and easily handle personal challenges and health issues. CLICK the blue title link above to find out more... Digital downloads are available.

Real Relaxation: Yoga Nidra CD (Shop @ Amazon / iTunes = We are sold out temporarily)

This takes you into a deeply relaxing and powerful state of being fully aware while being in the state of deep sleep.

Its many benefits include:

Listening for 1 hour equals 4 hours sleep
Improves immunity
Increases heart health
Relieves stress
Brings inner peace and balance

Digital downloads are available.

CLICK the blue title link above to find out more...

Price: $16.95

Price: $9.99

The 12 Best Nights of Yoga Poem

December 19, 2017 by Julie Lusk

On the best night of yoga, my teacher gave to me …

12 Meditations

11 Warrior Poses

10 Oms A-Singing

9 Yogis Sleeping

8 Pigeons Posing

7 Chakras Spinning

6 Standing Stretches

5 Namastes

4 Breaths of Joy

3 Sun Salutes

2 Downward Dogs … and

Balance in a tree pose!

PS. Here’s my rendition of Twas the Night Before Christmas Yoga Poem

Image sources for The 12 Nights of Yoga were compiled by and used with permission from B.L. Barnes : https://tinyurl.com/4hvb9twt, https://tinyurl.com/34vnfcu8, and https://tinyurl.com/5n7fd6xd

Desktop Yoga Workshop

Chair Yoga for the Workplace keeps employees alert and productive during the business day.

Contact Julie Lusk by email for details and scheduling to book her for your Employee Training, Conference, Workshop, and Lunch and Learn sessions.

Simple chair exercises can help prevent chronic problems such as lower back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other repetitive stress injuries.

A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that yoga-based chair exercise and stretches are more effective in reducing carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms than using wrist splints or no treatment (Nov. 11, 1998). Desktop Yoga ™ can also improve morale, productivity, attitudes and attendance.

As the creator and author of Desktop Yoga ™ (Penguin Group, 1998), Julie Lusk has designed ‘do it now ‘ exercises that can be done right at the workstation that are effective, portable and easy.

During a typical session, participants will:

Learn to do self-care chair yoga stretches that can be done at their own desk. Specific stretches are done for the neck, shoulders, wrists, face, back and legs. Sequences are also available to increase energy, improve creativity or to reduce frustration.
Take a “2- hour nap in 2-minutes”.
Receive a brief review on the importance of proper ergonomics.

The Business Courier featured the value of Desktop Yoga in the article “Training the Body to Coast can help with Relaxation.” (pdf)

One of the most effective ways of letting go of work stress before you get home is by taking care of it as it arises, said Julie Lusk, author of “Desktop Yoga ®.” Lusk, president of Wholesome Resources, a stress-management company in Milford, teaches people how to do stretches, breathing and relaxation techniques right at their desks to relieve tension and get on with the day. See this article.

Don Kemper
President, Healthwise, Inc
“Julie Lusk has a unique style of presentation that seems to peer inside each member of her audience. Her wellness workshops in yoga, relaxation, and stress management include an extra dimension that leaves an imprint of peace and mindfulness on each participant.

Medco Employee
Desktop Yoga showed me how to release stress quickly. Easy to remember tips. I feel great!

MedcoHealth

I get neck and back and shoulder pain when I work. It’s already gone after this short Desktop Yoga session. My muscles felt really loose and relaxed after the exercises. It’s great!
Will help with concentration and stress relief.
You can relax at your desk so you will be better able to handle the stress of the day and be nicer to the people you talk to on the phone. Thank you. This should help at work and home.
It will help to ease some of the stiffness and fatigue that I feel when I sit for too long.
I learned how to prevent injury in the future and have more energy.
I now have something positive to do when I need a break from my work instead of bothering my co-workers by talking to them.

Fidelity Investments

95% rated the content as excellent or above average

97% rated the speaker as excellent or above average

97% rated the program as excellent or above average.

I was amazed at how relaxed and comfortable I felt by the end. I enjoyed learning by doing.
Easy to remember tips. I’ll be able to focus more during the day.
I believe this will help me when I’m at work and I get stressed.
I liked learning the relaxed breathing techniques. I felt much more relaxed, at ease and calm after taking the “2 hour nap in 2 minutes.”
I learned how to stop and take a break if I’m stressed and overwhelmed to regroup
How to be more aware of how my body is reacting when stressed and what to do

Ethicon Endo Surgery (Johnson and Johnson)

100% rated the content as excellent or above average

100% rated the speaker as excellent or above average

100% rated the program as excellent or above average.

I learned to release stress quickly. The instructor had excellent content. Very beneficial.
It’s important to take time to relax and reduce stress.
The stress fighting techniques allow me to be more focused and a better team player
The info on the mind/body connection was excellent
Stop being a perfectionist – I am one and it is stressful
You have reinforced the idea that I can do anything I put my mind to!!
Everything was interesting. I learned relaxation tips to gain more energy.

Lenscrafters

98% rated the content as excellent or above average

100% rated the speaker as excellent or above average

98% rated the program as excellent or above average

I learned how to feel rejuvenated at work. It was excellent. I’m glad I attended.
Learned a lot in a short period of time.
I need to learn how to relax. My stress level is out of control. The techniques were easy. I felt so renewed and relaxed afterwards
Great ideas that can be implemented at one’s desk

Book Julie Now

Julie travels from Cincinnati, OH

Julie T. Lusk, M.Ed.
Wholesome Resources
Milford, OH 45150

Greater Cincinnati Area

Click here to email

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