8 Ways Trusting Your Gut Can Change Your Life

As a health coach and trainer my mantra for every class I teach, every exercise video I film and every private client I work with is “listen to your body.” Why? Because no one knows us better than we know ourselves. Listening to our bodies is also listening to our souls, trusting our guts, and raising our consciousnesses.

Here are eight ways you can start changing your life today by listening to your body.

1. Prevent injuries.

Most of us have aches and pains from time to time. In order to help prevent injuries (or further aggravate an existing injury) it’s important to stay tuned in to the physical self.

Tip: Whenever working out or doing any type of physical activity (gardening, hiking, household chores, etc.) stay tuned in to your body and how it feels. If you have an existing injury, take it seriously. Bottom line: If it hurts or doesn’t feel right, stop.

2. Tuning in and acknowledging the positive moments that pop up throughout the day will help you give and attract more positive energy.

Tip: Take a moment to bask in your victories, whether it’s special time with your child, a big break at work or a delicious dinner with a loved one, being aware and grateful will help you circulate the flow of positive energy.

3. Help your heart.

Most heart attacks begin with subtle symptoms — lightheadedness, nausea/vomiting, sweating, shortness of breath, pain in the back, shoulders and jaw. Many people try to tough it out and ignore these important signs.

Tip: Take a moment to educate yourself about the warning signals. It just might save your life.

4. Trust your instincts.

When faced with decisions, relevant and random thoughts can swirl around in our heads, making it hard to distinguish the mindless chatter from our gut-driven instincts.

Tip: Grab a pad and pencil and doodle. Jot down the pros and cons. Give yourself time to sit with your thoughts for a bit. If it brings you joy or pleasure, tune in and listen. If it makes you feel stressed out, uncomfortable or anxious, put it aside. Trust your instincts and be happy and secure and with the decisions you make.

5. Ease stress and anxiety.

The flight or flight triggers in modern life have never been greater. While we rely on this rush of endorphins to get through hairy situations, staying in a constant state of heightened stress is damaging both physically and mentally.

Tip: Tune into your body's signals: elevated heart rate, heavy breathing and racing thoughts are just a few signs that it’s time to step back, take a deep breath and cut yourself some slack. Give yourself permission to take a break and do something relaxing for yourself.

6. Lighten up.

Am I really hungry or just bored? Do I really need another piece of cake or did it just taste so damn good I think I want more? Am I thirsty because I didn’t drink enough water throughout the day? How will I feel after I eat the cheeseburger deluxe versus the kale salad with grilled chicken?

Tip: THINK before you eat. Choose wisely. Slow down. Chew. Relax. Eat at the table. Give thanks for your meal. Put your fork down between bites. Breathe.

6. Deepen your spirituality.

It's easy to distract ourselves from feeling by filling the space around us with visuals, noise (computers, tv, texting, talking), and/or material things, all robbing us of a deeper connection with ourselves and ultimately with others.

Tip: Set aside at least an hour a day without digital distractions. Read, meditate, stretch, breathe, let go, think. All of these practices will help deepen your spirituality.

7. Feel better.

Get real with how you feel. Are you tired all the time? Are you sluggish? Do you need to move your body? Are you craving fresh air, sunshine, raw veggies, water, a massage? Chances are good that there are a few adjustments you can make today that will have you feeling better ASAP.

Tip: Think about what your body is craving right now. Ex: More water, a healthy snack, grabbing a quick walk, an earlier bedtime, a simple meditation, stretching, etc. Take these cravings seriously and try putting a few of them into effect today.

8. Love yourself.

I get so caught up in doing and caring for everyone around me that I shove myself to the bottom of the list. This approach catches up with us sooner or later and we can end up feeling burned out, disgruntled and lacking in self-love.

Tip: Plan some “me” time. Do something that makes you feel loved and cared for, that makes you feel good. Be patient and gentle with yourself. Honor and respect the loving person you are by loving yourself.

Bottom line: We are phenomenal, unique beings with our brains, bodies and souls responding to every stimulus every second of every day. I believe one of the greatest gifts we can bestow upon ourselves is to cultivate and listen to this communication with the physical and spiritual self.

I may preach it but I still have to remind myself to practice it.

by Laura McDonald

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23912/8-ways-trusting-your-gut-can-change-your-life.html

8 Mystical Meditation Mantras That Raise Your Consciousness

Mantras are like lotus flowers that spring from the murky depths of our minds, and blossom into the purity of being.

For thousands of years all throughout the planet, mantras have been used to quiet the mind, experience inner stillness, promote the development of virtues like empathy, and experience “God.”

Mantras, although simple words and sounds repeated over and over again, are immensely powerful in their ability to raise our consciousness. Not only are words and sounds a manifestation of energy vibrating at different frequencies, but they are also imbued with centuries of meaning. In fact, mantras and chants are so ancient that they are said to be over 3,000 years (or more) old.

If you would like to welcome the mystical influence of meditation mantras into your life, please take some time to consider what you need the most in your life right now. Do you need more love and empathy? Or perhaps you need to invite self-acceptance and forgiveness into your life.

8 Transformational Meditation Mantras

We all have different desires, needs and preferences, which is why it is so important to pick a mantra that personally appeals to you (and not just because it is popular or well-known). Remember to pay attention to each of the following meditation mantras and their underlying meanings. Choose one that appeals to you on a deep level, and one that you desire to have steeped in your unconscious mind.

My personal favorite is “om mani padme hum,” not only because it is easy to remember, but because its meaning resonates deeply with my needs in this period of my life.

I also recommend experimenting with different meditation mantras. Don’t feel pressured to choose a mantra from a different language (i.e. Sanskrit) unless you really resonate with it. In fact, you might prefer to create your own mantra which might be far more powerful than any pre-written one. You will find a few examples below.

1. OM

“Om” is said to be the first sound, and the birth of all other sounds. It is essentially the sound of infinity and is said to vibrate at the pitch of the universe (432 Hertz). This ancient sound can be chanted by itself to help focus, clear and purify the mind, or placed in front of other meditation mantras.

2. Om mani padme hum

This mantra is used by Tibetan Buddhists to invoke Chenrezig, the Bodhisattva embodiment of compassion. Literally, this chant translates to “Hail the jewel in the lotus” but it has also been interpreted in the following way:

Om – This sound purifies pride

Ma – Purifies jealousy and the need for stimulation

Ni – Purifies passion and desire

Pad – Purifies ignorance and prejudice

Me – Purifies possessiveness

Hum – Purifies hatred

This mantra is said to contain all of Buddhism’s principles in a summarized form.

3. Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

This Hindu prayer essentially translates to, “May all beings be happy. May all my thoughts, words and actions contribute in some way to the happiness of all beings.” This mantra helps us to become aware of our irrevocable connection with all of life, and helps us to open our hearts to understanding, love and compassion for others.

4. Elohim / Hamsa / Satnam / Tao / Shiva / Ram

Chanting the name of God/Consciousness/Source is also another powerful type of meditation mantra. Select any name that appeals to you the most and sit with it in silence. Repeat the name in your mind, or out loud. Let the syllables vibrate through you and infuse your mind, heart and soul with meaning, power and significance.

5. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

This mantra, popularized by the Hare Krishna movement (ISKCON), is a form of transcendental vibration that is said to expand our consciousness by repeating the three names of Supreme Being; Hare, Krishna and Rama. When repeatedly chanted, this mantra helps us to taste something known as Krishna Consciousness (purity of being).

6. Ho’oponopono

This ancient Hawaiian word translates to, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.” It is pronounced in the following way: ho-oh-pono-pono. This is an excellent mantra to use when you feel distressed, angry or ashamed. You might like to repeat the word “Ho’oponopono” or its literal translation, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you" as a mantra.

7. Ham-Sa

Ham and Sa in Sanskrit translate to “I am that,” and thus reaffirms our conscious presence and infinite state of undivided Being. Do this mantra by breathing in and saying “ham” (thus affirming your “I am-ness”) and breathing out saying “sa” (thus bridging the gap between self and other, creating oneness).

8. Create your own sacred meditation mantras.

There is no rule that states you must use a word or idea from another language. Why not use a word or concept from English, Spanish, Indonesian, or whatever native language you have? Here are some tips:

• Make the mantra short and sweet (no more than 10-15 words).
• Choose a word that is of great significance to you, or a sentence of deep meaning, e.g. “I am love, you are love,” “I forgive myself,” “Freedom, peace, resolve,” “I change my thoughts, I change my world” etc.
• Ensure that the mantra is framed in the positive (which the unconscious mind can process) rather than the negative (which it can’t). For example, instead of saying “I am not angry,” say “I am calm and accepting.” Or instead of “I’ve overcome my fear” say “I am courageous.”
• Repeat whatever mantra you have chosen or created for yourself many times over. Many people give up after 20 repeats expecting a miraculous change to suddenly materialize. No, mantras must be repeated thousands of times, even hundreds of thousands of times for their effects to be felt. But start slow. For example, dedicate 30 minutes every day to your mantra.

What does your mystical mantra sound like?

What sacred meditation mantras do you love to incorporate into your day? Or if you don't have one yet, which of the above mantras do you plan to use? If you are open to sharing, please comment below.

Photo by: Kristoffer Mendoza and Tote Orozco

http://lonerwolf.com/meditation-mantras/