A No-Nonsense Guide to Meditation: No Gurus and No B.S. | Clay Collins Blog Answers by Rudy Rauben (see here for more info); edited by Clay Collins. [ Editor's Note: There's some controversy in the comments about the "No Gurus and No B.S." statement. For more information about our position, see this comment , and this comment below]. About This Guide Rudy is a good friend of mine who’s been actively meditating for over 20 years. Index of questions addressed in this guide: 1. The simplest answer would be to gain clarity, peace of mind, health and personal development, but I’m not sure these answers necessarily explain a whole lot in and of themselves. We begin meditating by learning to "still" our minds, so our thoughts don’t just run amok. The process of calming the mind and allowing our thoughts to settle out is commonly referred to as "centering." 2. "The mind like water" is the still, centered mind. 3. More regularity with shorter sessions is better than less regularity with longer sessions. 4. Begin by focusing as much attention on your breathing as possible.
Develop Perfect Memory With the Memory Palace Technique The Memory Palace is one of the most powerful memory techniques I know. It’s not only effective, but also fun to use — and not hard to learn at all. The Memory Palace has been used since ancient Rome, and is responsible for some quite incredible memory feats. Eight-time world memory champion Dominic O’Brien, for instance, was able to memorize 54 decks of cards in sequence (that’s 2808 cards), viewing each card only once. And there are countless other similar achievements attributed to people using the Memory Palace technique or variations of it. Of course, most of us are not in Dominic’s memory championship line of business (or in Hannibal’s line of business for that matter). The Memory Palace The Memory Palace technique is based on the fact that we’re extremely good at remembering places we know. 5 Steps to Use the Memory Palace Technique 1. First and foremost, you’ll need to pick a place that you’re very familiar with. A good first choice could be your own home, for example. 2. 3. 4.
The 80 Best Lifehacks of 2008 And so we arrive yet again at the end of another year. 2008 was at best a mixed bag – while the world was electrified by the US election and it’s promise of change, the global economy was shaken to its core as a decade of financial mismanagement and willful blindness finally caught up with us. Gas prices spiked, leading us all to ask some difficult questions about sustainability, efficiency, and consumption – and then plummeted, leaving us feeling somewhat relieved, but baffled by the unpredictability of it all. As we roll into 2009, there is an atmosphere of suspenseful anticipation, of hope mixed with not a little uncertainty. Companies are streamlining to prepare for the worst, even as entrepreneurs look ahead to new opportunities. Overall, it seems that now is a time for shaking off the dust, clearing away the debris of the past, and looking towards the future. Here at Lifehack, we’ve always followed a path of cautious optimism. Communication Fitness/Health Lifestyle Productivity
A New Paradigm of Happiness From the rise of Buddhism, the positive psychology movement and critical thinking of the extreme ways humans look for pleasure nowadays comes new ways of thinking about happiness. If you want to find out what the latest scientific findings have in common with old wisdom regarding happiness, don’t look any further. These books provide all the answers you are looking for. 1) The Art of Happiness He grew out of a culture that studied the art of happiness for thousands of years. “Happiness is not something ready-made. 2) Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment He is the founder of the Santa Barbara for Consciousness Studies and after he trained for ten years in Buddhist monasteries he decided to take up physics and philosophy in which he graduated summa cum laude. 3) The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt is another wonderful book on happiness. 4) Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life’s Most Important Skill
Improve Your Memory by Speaking Your Mind’s Language By learning the language your mind uses, you’ll be able to tap into your mind’s full potential and develop a remarkable memory. It’s easier than you think – and you’ll actually have fun doing it. Your Mind Thinks in Pictures Along its evolution, the brain has become amazingly effective in dealing with sensory data. Among the human senses, sight has become the most sophisticated and developed of all. Imagery is the real language of the mind. If I ask you to think about a horse, what comes to your mind? Visual Thinking and Memory To fully illustrate the astonishing effect that images have on your memory, let’s walk through a basic memorization technique called memory pegging. Before getting to the technique, let me give you a simple challenge: memorize a groceries list of ten items. baconeggswinebatteriesbubble gummilkenvelopesspinachcoffeetomato Learning Your Mind’s Basic Vocabulary Just like when learning any new language, we’ll need to get some basic vocabulary to get started. Ridiculous?
PERFECT MODELA PART 5A - BREATHING EXERCISES Breathing Exercises 1 & 2 Exercise 1: Breathing Meditation Begin by breathing deeply and fully, taking several deep breaths, connecting the inhale to the exhale. As you breathe, become aware of the areas of your body where you feel tense and breathe into those parts, imagining that the in-breath is loosening the tension and the out-breath is carrying away stress and tension, creating space inside you to relax more and more with each cycle of your breathing. Be aware of your body, of sensations and feelings, of the mood you are in as you breathe, relax, and let go. Notice your thoughts as they come and go. Exercise 2: The Rainbow Cocoon This exercise helps you create harmony between the various levels of your being. Visualize the color filling the cocoon. To go back to the list of all the files, please click on this line
How to pick a lock--tips for your characters My husband has all sorts of unique skills, including lock picking. When my main character needed to escape from a tricky place, I turned to my better half to teach me how to get her out. There are all kinds of ways to pick a lock, but today I'll focus on how to do it with bobby pins, a lock pick set, and a bump key. If a pesky lock is in your character's way, here are some tricks she can try: Bobby Pins According to my law-abiding husband, bobby pins work best on old locks. Use two bobby pins, or break one in half. Additional tip: early in the story, I established that my main character wore bobby pins in her hair. Lock Pick Set This wouldn't have worked in my story, because the main character didn't have access to a tool like this. Lock pick sets include several shapes and sizes, so your lock picker will choose what works best for her. She'll insert the prying tool, the L, into the fat side of the lock. Bump Key So there you have it.
20 Amazing and Essential Non-fiction Books to Enrich Your Library | zen habits Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter. I’m an avid reader of fiction and just love a novel that transports me, that is so gripping that I can’t put it down. But I also enjoy a good non-fiction book, from self-help stuff to philosophy to biographies to just about anything that makes me think. After the warm reception of my post on novels (50 Amazing and Essential Novels to Enrich Your Library), a number of people asked for a list of non-fiction as well. I was hesitant to do this as there are so many classic non-fiction texts, from the Greeks to philosophers through the ages to biographies of amazing people to first-hand accounts of surviving wars and much more. But then I decided not to be comprehensive. So this list is far, far from being authoritative or comprehensive. This list is just a few of my favorites. Your Money or Your Life, by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robins. Bonus update — I forgot a few that I really want to add to this list. So what else should be on this list?
9 Simple Ways to Get Rid of a Negative Mindset “A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhi Getting into a negative mindset is far too easy, which invariably leads to unhappiness and depression. To avoid being overwhelmed by negativity we need to make a conscious effort to avoid the experience. When life seems like a perpetual dark tunnel these are some suggestions to change your outlook on life and help you get rid of that negative mindset. 1} Lets NOT Cherish Destructive ThoughtsDrag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~ Mark Twain Often we don’t realise how much we subconsciously cherish negative thoughts. It may seem counter intuitive, but often a negative frame of mind occurs because we won’t let go of the negative thoughts and ideas. 2} Ask Yourself: Do I want to be Happy or Miserable? 4} Don’t Accept Negativity from Other PeopleThere is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. Like this:
What is Mind Mapping? (and How to Get Started Immediately) A mind map is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts. It is a visual thinking tool that helps structuring information, helping you to better analyze, comprehend, synthesize, recall and generate new ideas. Just as in every great idea, its power lies in its simplicity. In a mind map, as opposed to traditional note taking or a linear text, information is structured in a way that resembles much more closely how your brain actually works. So, how does a mind map look like? (click for larger image) This is a mind map about – conveniently enough – mind mapping itself. Benefits and Uses I think I already gave away the benefits of mind mapping and why mind maps work. But what can we use mind maps for? Note takingBrainstorming (individually or in groups)Problem solvingStudying and memorizationPlanningResearching and consolidating information from multiple sourcesPresenting informationGaining insight on complex subjectsJogging your creativity How to Draw a Mind Map Some more recommendations:
Meditation Music That Makes You Blissful Dear Friend, Imagine what it would be like if you could listen to meditation music that instantly melted away your stress and gently moved you into deep states of meditation and bliss. Imagine owning a unique CD that not only could deliver to you incredible states of peace but would also act as an enlightened "tool" that leads you to spiritual awakening, awakening the kundalini & even enlightenment. My name is Kip Mazuy known as the "Leader in Meditation Music Sound Technology." Thousands of people all over the world already enjoy incredible states of meditation while listening to my Shaktipat CDs like Ocean Euphoric and The Calling. Over 10,000 people read my online meditation teachings every week. I'd like to be honest with you about something. It is the reason why most people remain stuck in the merry go round of suffering and also struggle to attain even a superficial experience of peace in meditation. I was 15 when I started meditating. You could experience Skeptical? All for only $97.
Learn How to Stealth Clothing is very very important on how well you're sneaking. Colors of clothing MUST match and also have to match the environment (i.e. you're in a white room, wear white clothing). Also make sure your clothing fits perfectly. Any loose clothing that hangs over your pants is fine AS LONG as you TUCK them into your pants and stretch a little bit to make sure you have enough room to move around quietly. (Note: Sometimes underwear clothing can have a major effect on your pants while sneaking.) (Second Note: Loose objects on clothing can be harmful unless it matches with your clothing, does not make the slightest noise, and does not reflect light.)
100 Time-Saving Search Engines for Serious Scholars While burying yourself in the stacks at the library is one way to get some serious research done, with today’s technology you can do quite a bit of useful searching before you ever set foot inside a library. Undergraduates and grad students alike will appreciate the usefulness of these search engines that allow them to find books, journal articles and even primary source material for whatever kind of research they’re working on and that return only serious, academic results so time isn’t wasted on unprofessional resources. Note: Visit our updated list for the latest in academic search engines. General Start off your research with one of these more general academic search engines. Intute: Use this website’s search tools to find the best and most reliable sites to start your research. Meta Search Want to search it all at once? Dogpile: Search Google, Yahoo, Bing and more at once with this great search engine. Databases and Archives Books and Journals Science Math and Technology Social Science