Buddha has been guiding spiritual seekers for over 2500 years. Here 7 things he taught about overcoming suffering.

Posted on Feb 4th, 2016

• Meditation Masters

Buddha has been guiding spiritual seekers for over 2500 years. Here 7 things he taught about overcoming suffering.

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There are very few certainties in life and there are no guarantees that the life we are living today will be the same for us tomorrow.

But one thing that will remain consistent through your life is, you will continually have challenges and problems to overcome and while these challenges will differ from person to person, the solution for any problems can be broken down into 7 key areas for development.

In a sacred text called the Sabbāsava Sutta the Buddha outlines these 7 areas and my interpretation of this text is below. The original text is available to read here in Pāḷi and English

Knowledge/Insight-

We currently live in an age of information and while this stockpile of knowledge can at times be overwhelming it is very useful for overcoming challenges in your life.

When you have a challenge there is always a solution out there, it’s your job to gather the info, syphon the good from the bad and work out a plan for getting there.

It’s not always easy; in fact it’s usually very difficult and depending on the problem you are facing could take some real trial and error.

But if you are determined to overcome a problem you are facing there will always be a solution out there, you just have to find it!

Resistance/Replacement –

When you are making a transition in life there will be times when you will have to call on your resistance to temptation.

If you are starting a new exercise regime, trying to overcome procrastination or trying to get rid of an addiction of any type, there will be times when you will have to resist the temptation to fall back into bad habits. But while this is very important it is really only part of the solution.

To give up a bad habit using resistance alone would be very difficult, so when you are trying to change a bad routine you will find it easier if you consciously replace it with a more productive one.

If you stop smoking, you could start painting. If you stop eating junk food, you could start eating health food. Or if you are going to stop hanging out in nightclubs and getting drunk, you could start going to yoga and drinking raw juice.

It’s very important that you consciously look for a healthy, sustainable replacement to bad habits, because if you don’t you may end up with a worse habit in its place.

Consumption-

Consumption works both ways; you could be over consuming or under consuming.

You could be eating too much or not enough. You could be not drinking enough water or be drinking too much fizzy drinks. You could be buying too much stuff that you don’t need or you could be depriving yourself from the things that you do need.

However it is in your case, consuming more or less of certain things will help you overcome some of life’s challenges.

This lesson really goes hand in hand with knowledge as when you learn more about your need’s as a human being you get more of an understanding of what you need to consume more or less of.

A prime example of this is medicine and when I say medicine I am not just talking about pills, I am also talking about plants, herbs and food medicines.

A lot of us are taking pills for problems that we can overcome naturally and because of these pills we are starting treatment with one problem and the side effects of these medicines are leaving us with more problems all of which need different pills to overcome them.

This is the vicious circle of symptom based treatment and not looking at health as a whole.

Most illness, spiritual, emotional, mental and physical can be overcome naturally. So try your best to find out how you can use nature to overcome your problems before consuming toxic and dangerous medicines.

Consumption also works for the mind to, your thoughts become things. So if you are stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts you may want to try to replace them with something a little more positive.

Patience/Persistence-

You cannot always have what you want, when you want it! This is not a bad thing; just imagine everything you set out to do was completed straight away. You would have nothing to aim for, no goals and no reason to wake up in the morning.

If you have something big that you want in your life you will have to be patient and you will also need to be persistent.

If you work every day towards a goal and that goal is something that you have some control over then the only thing that can stand between you and your goal is time!

One thing to remember here is to try and enjoy the journey, if you think a certain goal will bring you happiness and you struggle to find anything to be grateful for on the way chances are when you finally get there you will still not feel satisfied.

Celebrate every small victory on route to your big goals, be patient and persistent and you will get there in the end!

Avoidance-

Some things in your life will be out of your control, certain people and places will leave a negative impact on you. Sometimes it will not be possible to just walk away from these things, but you can do your best to avoid them.

If someone at work acts negatively and always leaves you feeling down avoid them. If you are making dietary changes and your friends are going to a fast food restaurant don’t go. If your partner happens to love Housewives Of New Jersey and you don’t, go read a book when they are watching it!

Some things in life will need to be confronted, but sometimes the best way to deal with a problem is to just avoid or ignore it.

Removal-

There will be times in your life when avoiding a problem is just not viable. Sometimes in life you have to make tough decisions, but usually the tough decisions result in the biggest impact.

Sometimes friendships and relationships end. Sometimes a career is having such a negative impact on your life that you will have to leave. Sometimes you have to stop relying on will power to help you through your diet and throw out them chocolate chip cookies.

Your life is your responsibility and when certain things have a constant negative impact on you, you will have to make a decision- am I going to accept this or remove it and move on.

This can be one of the hardest things a person can do, but when you take note of things, people and places that impact your life in a bad way and do your best to remove them, your life will change for the better.

Lifestyle-

The first step for lifestyle is finding out what lifestyle you really want, a lot of people go into adulthood without knowing what they want or what they stand for.

Lifestyle will affect your health, wealth and relationships so it’s important if you want to lead a fulfilling life that you know what you want and build a lifestyle around that.

Lifestyle is really a combination of the knowledge you acquire, the daily habits you partake in and what you deem to be acceptable on your journey.

It’s very important that you set strict boundaries in some areas of your life to make sure your life is the one you want to be living.

Let’s face it we all have the same amount of time in the day, yet some people can barely manage to get on top of household chores, While others can run a fortune 500 company and still find the time to meditate, go to the gym and hang out with friends and family in the evening.

It’s very much about viewing your life and seeing what is productive and empowering you and what is negative and disempowering you. Then doing more of the positive and less of the negative!

Thanks for reading; I hope you enjoyed the article! Feel free to like, share and leave us a comment below!

I am Luke Miller the author of this article and creator of Potential For Change. I believe that spirituality is the foundation for good health and like to blend psychology and spirituality to help you create more happiness in your life. You can get a copy of Zen Week my free meditation course by clicking here!

HOW BAKING SODA IS MADE.....

Baking Soda

Background

Baking soda is a white crystalline powder (NaHCO 3 ) better known to chemists as sodium bicarbonate, bicarbonate of soda, sodium hydrogen carbonate, or sodium acid carbonate. It is classified as an acid salt, formed by combining an acid (carbonic) and a base (sodium hydroxide), and it reacts with other chemicals as a mild alkali. At temperatures above 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149 degrees Celsius), baking soda decomposes into sodium carbonate (a more stable substance), water, and carbon dioxide.

The native chemical and physical properties of baking soda account for its wide range of applications, including cleaning, deodorizing, buffering, and fire extinguishing. Baking soda neutralizes odors chemically, rather than masking or absorbing them. Consequently, it is used in bath salts and deodorant body powders. Baking soda tends to maintain a pH of 8.1 (7 is neutral) even when acids, which lower pH, or bases, which raise pH, are added to the solution. Its ability to tabletize makes it a good effervescent ingredient in antacids and denture cleaning products. Sodium bicarbonate is also found in some anti-plaque mouth-wash products and toothpaste. When baking soda is used as a cleaner in paste form or dry on a damp sponge, its crystalline structure provides a gentle abrasion that helps to remove dirt without scratching sensitive surfaces. Its mild alkalinity works to turn up fatty acids contained in dirt and grease into a form of soap that can be dissolved in water and rinsed easily. Baking soda is also used as a leavening agent in making baked goods such as bread or pancakes. When combined with an acidic agent (such as lemon juice), carbon dioxide gas is released and is absorbed by the product's cells. As the gas expands during baking, the cell walls expand as well, creating a leavened product.

In addition to its many home uses, baking soda also has many industrial applications. For instance, baking soda releases carbon dioxide when heated. Since carbon dioxide is heavier than air, it can smother flames by keeping oxygen out, making sodium bicarbonate a useful agent in fire extinguishers. Other applications include air pollution control (because it absorbs sulfur dioxide and other acid gas emissions), abrasive blastings for removal of surface coatings, chemical manufacturing, leather tanning, oil well drilling fluids (because it precipitates calcium and acts as a lubricant), rubber and plastic manufacturing, paper manufacturing, textile processing, and water treatment (because it reduces the level of lead and other heavy metals).

Imported from England, baking soda was first used in America during colonial times, but it was not produced in the United States until 1839. In 1846, Austin Church, a Connecticut physician, and John Dwight, a farmer from Massachusetts, established a factory in New York to manufacture baking soda. Dr. Church's son, John, owned a mill called the Vulcan Spice Mills. Vulcan, the Roman god of forge and fire, was represented by an arm and hammer, and the new baking soda company adopted the arm and hammer logo as its own. Today, the Arm & Hammer brand of baking soda is among the most widely recognized brand names.

Named after Nicolas Leblanc, the French chemist who invented it, the Leblanc process was the earliest means of manufacturing soda ash (Na 2 CO 3 ), from which sodium bicarbonate is made. Sodium chloride (table salt) was heated with sulfuric acid, producing sodium sulfate and hydrochloric acid. The sodium sulfate was then heated with coal and limestone to form sodium carbonate, or soda ash.

In the late 1800s, another method of producing soda ash was devised by Ernest Solvay, a Belgian chemical engineer. The Solvay method was soon adapted in the United States, where it replaced the Leblanc process. In the Solvay process, carbon dioxide andammonia are passed into a concentrated solution of sodium chloride. Crude sodium bicarbonate precipitates out and is heated to form soda ash, which is then further treated and refined to form sodium bicarbonate of United States Pharnacopoeia (U.S.P.) purity.

Although this method of producing baking soda ash is widely used, it is also problematic because the chemicals used in the process are pollutants and cause disposal problems. An alternative is to refine soda ash from trona ore, a natural deposit.

Raw Materials

Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, comes from soda ash obtained either through the Solvay process or from trona ore, a hard, crystalline material. Trona dates back 50 million years, to when the land surrounding Green River, Wyoming, was covered by a 600-square-mile (1,554-square-kilometer) lake. As it evaporated over time, this lake left a 200-billion-ton deposit of pure trona between layers of sandstone and shale. The deposit at the Green River Basin is large enough to meet the entire world's needs for soda ash and sodium bicarbonate for thousands of years.

Because the synthetic process used in the Solvay method presented some pollution problems, Church & Dwight Co. Inc. is basing more and more of its manufacturing on trona mining. Another large producer of soda ash, the FMC Corporation, also relies on trona to manufacture soda ash and sodium bicarbonate. Trona is mined at 1,500 feet (457.2 meters) below the surface. FMC's mine shafts contain nearly 2,500 (4,022.5 kilometers) miles of tunnels and cover 24 square miles (62 square kilometers). Fifteen feet (4.57 meters) wide and nine feet (2.74 meters) tall, these tunnels allow the necessary equipment and vehicles to travel through them.

The Manufacturing 
Process

Making soda ash

• 1 Soda ash can be manufactured chemically using the Solvay process, or it can be made from trona ore. If trona ore is used, it must first be mined. After it has been brought to the surface, the trona ore is transported to a variety of processing plants. There, the ore is refined into a slurry of sodium sesquicarbonate, an intermediate soda ash product that actually contains both soda ash (sodium carbonate) and baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

Making baking soda

• 2 Next, the intermediate soda ash solution is put into a centrifuge, which separates the liquid from the crystals. The crystals are then dissolved in a bicarbonate solution (a soda ash solution made by the manufacturer) in a rotary dissolver, thereby becoming a saturated solution. This solution is filtered to remove any non-soluble materials and is then pumped through a feed tank to the top of a carbonating tower.
• 3 Purified carbon dioxide is introduced into the bottom of the tower and held under pressure. As the saturated sodium solution moves through the tower, it cools and reacts with the carbon dioxide to form sodium bicarbonate crystals. These crystals are collected at the bottom of the tower and transferred to another centrifuge, where excess solution (filtrate) is filtered out. The crystals are then washed in a bicarbonate solution, forming a cake-like substance ready for drying. The filtrate that is removed from the centrifuge is recycled to the rotary dissolver, where it is used to saturate more intermediate soda ash crystals.
• 4 The washed filter cake is then dried on either a continuous belt conveyor or in a vertical tube drier called a flash dryer. The theoretical yield from the process, according to the Church & Dwight Company, is between 90 and 95 percent, and the baking soda manufactured is more than 99 percent pure.

An illustration of the baking soda manufacturing process. A key step in the process occurs in the carbonating tower. Here, the saturated soda ash solution moves from the top of the tower downward. As it falls, the solution cools and reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium bicarbonate crystals—baking soda. After filtering, washing, and drying, the crystals are sorted by particle size and packaged appropriately.

Sorting and storing the 
different grades

• 5 Next, the dried crystals of sodium bicarbonate are separated into various grades by particle size. Standard grades of sodium bicarbonate and special grades are manufactured to meet customers' specific requirements, and particle size is the major determinant of grades. Powdered #1 and fine granular #2 have a wide range of uses in foods, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. Granular grades #4 and #5 are found in foods and doughnuts, cleaning compounds, pharmaceuticals, and many other products. Industrial grade sodium bicarbonate is used in diverse applications, including oil well drilling fluids, fire extinguishing materials, and water treatment.
• 6 Each grade goes to a holding bin wherein atmosphere, carbon dioxide, and moisture content are controlled to "cure" the product. Once cured, the grades are ready to be packaged and shipped.

Quality Control

The quality of sodium bicarbonate is controlled at every stage of the manufacturing process. Materials, equipment, and the process itself are selected to yield sodium bicarbonate of the highest possible quality. According to FMC sources, when the company constructed plants, it chose materials and equipment that would be compatible with the stringent quality requirements for making pharmaceutical grade sodium bicarbonate. FMC also uses Statistical Process Control (SPC) to maintain unvarying daily quality, and key operating parameters are charted to maintain process control. Product quality parameters are recorded by lot number, and samples are kept for two to three years.

All U.S.P. grades meet the United States Pharmacopoeia and Food Chemicals Codex specifications for use in pharmaceutical and food applications. In addition, food grade sodium bicarbonate meets the requirements specified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a substance that is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS).

The Future

At the turn of the twentieth century, 53,000 tons (48,071 metric tons) of baking soda were sold annually. While the population increased dramatically, sales by 1990 were down to about 32,000 tons (29,024 metric tons) per year. Self-rising flour and cake and biscuit mixes have decreased the demand for baking soda as an important baking ingredient. Nevertheless, demand for the product is still significant. Commercial bakers (particularly cookie manufacturers) are one of the major users of this product. One of the most important attributes of sodium bicarbonate is that, when exposed to heat, it releases carbon dioxide gas (CO 2 ) which makes the baking goods rise. Sodium bicarbonate is also used in the pharmaceutical and health industries, and it has other industrial applications as well. It therefore continues to be an important product for today and for the future.

Where To Learn More

Books

Coyle, L. Patrick, Jr. The World Encyclopedia of Food. Facts on File, 1982.

Root, Waverley and Richard de Rochemont. Eating in America: A History. William Morrow & Co., Inc., 1976.

Periodicals and Pamphlets

Grosswirth, Marvin. "The Wonders of NaHCO 3 ," Science Digest. March, 1976.

History of the Arm & Hammer Trademark. Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

Sodium Bicarbonate. FMC Corporation.

Sodium Bicarbonate — Chemical Properties, Manufacturing. Church & Dwight Co., Inc.

— Eva Sideman

Read more: http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Baking-Soda.html#ixzz49h8fXwdx

6 Ways To Detox Fluoride

For years, health experts have been debating about whether or not sodium fluoride is toxic to the human body. Small amounts applied topically may prevent tooth decay, but there is little evidence suggesting that fluoride improves health when it is ingested.

In fact, according to the world’s oldest and most prestigious medical journal, The Lancet, the additive is actually a neurotoxin and is classified in the same category as arsenic, lead, and mercury. Because it is commonly ingested through fluoridated water, certain foods, and commercial toothpastes, researchers believe that the additive is contributing to a worldwide “pandemic of developmental neurotoxicity” that results in disabilities such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments.

The report coincides with 2013 findings by a Harvard University meta-analysis which was funded by the National Institutes of Health. The researchers concluded that children in areas with highly fluoridated water have “significantly lower’ IQ scores than those who live in areas with low amounts of fluoride in their water supply. In addition, the Harvard websitestates that “extremely high levels of fluoride are known to cause neurotoxicity in adults, and negative impacts on memory and learning have been reported in rodent studies.” In addition,“little is known about the substance’s impact on children’s neurodevelopment.”

Despite these findings, fluoride is still added to approximately 60% of the United States’ water supply. This is especially concerning, considering that sodium fluoride was once used as rat poison.

Because the cumulative toxin accumulates in the human body and can manifest in problems over time, including dental fluorosis – or far worse health issues, it’s important every individual follows the steps below to eliminate the additive from their body.

Note: You might experience detox symptoms at first – such as headaches, sluggishness, or aches and pains, but this is a sign foreign agents are leaving your body. Drink plenty of water and follow the six steps listed below to naturally eliminate fluoride from your system.

1) GET ADEQUATE IODINE

Iodine is an important element for the normal metabolism of cells, especially thyroid hormones. It pushes the fluoride from your body via urine. Some good sources of iodineinclude seaweed (nori, dulse, wakame, etc…), cranberries, organic yogurt, potatoes, organic strawberries, and organic navy beans.

2) CONSUME MORE BORON

Boron is a natural element that helps flush fluoride from your body. Boron-rich foods include most nuts, dates, prunes, honey, broccoli, bananas, and avocado.

3) EAT SOME TAMARIND

This African fruit and spice is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine. It can be used in a tincture or tea to cleanse the body of fluoride.

4) INCREASE MAGNESIUM/CALCIUM INTAKE

Most people are deficient in magnesium because the soils have been depleted of this mineral through modern agricultural methods. It plays an important role, however, in the metabolism and synthesis of nutrients within your cells. It also inhibits the absorption of fluoride into your cells. Along with magnesium, calcium seems to help attract fluoride away from bones and teeth, allowing the body to eliminate it.

Both should be taken together, and this can easily be accomplished by consuming dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, organic yogurt, bananas, dried fruit, and dark chocolate.

5) GENERAL LIVER CLEANSE

The most important step to detoxify from excess fluoride may be to cleanse your liver. The liver is responsible for over 400 functions in the body, and when it gets overburdened, a number of symptoms may manifest. Because fluoride isn’t a product found naturally in the body, some sources claim that it may get stuck in the liver.

If you drink lemon water upon rising and eat liver-friendly foods, such as garlic, turmeric, lemons, limes, and avocado, your body will have an easier time removing heavy metals and toxins.

6) SIT IN A SAUNA

Saunas are great for ridding your body of toxins, as they inspire the body to sweat them out. The penetrating heat feels good, as well. Just be sure to drink plenty of water before and after to prevent dehydration. If you have any medical conditions, consult your healthcare provider first.

By adopting a wholesome, plant-based diet, getting plenty of exercise, receiving 15-20 minutes of sunlight per day, thinking positive thoughts, and taking time off to keep your stress levels in check, you’ll find that you feel better and have more energy than before. These additional tips will improve your body’s ability to detox fluoride and other toxins from your system, as well.

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This article (6 Ways To Detox Fluoride – A Known Neurotoxin – From Your Body) was originally created and published by True Activist and is re-posted here with permission. 

The Future of ART -- Hans Ulrich Obrist

There are few in the art world that see more, write more, or speak to more artists than Serpentine Galleries co-director Hans Ulrich Obrist. And, having literally written the book on curating, there are few better positioned to see what shape art will take in the future. So, what is the future of art according to Hans Ulrich Obrist? As he describes below: The Extreme Present. 

A curator cannot predict the future of art. Artists, however, have antennae that are extremely sensitive to impending change and can often detect it before anyone else. And so by sticking close to artists, curators might be granted a glimpse of what is to come. Curating follows art, and in this spirit I have asked many artists (as well as scientists, poets, architects, mathematicians, photographers, philosophers, composers, and other leaders in their field) to complete the sentence “The future will be....” A very short selection of the many hundreds of answers I’ve gathered have been placed throughout this essay.

I address the impossibility of predicting the future in Age of Earthquakes: A Guide to the Extreme Present, the book I wrote with Douglas Coupland and Shumon Basar. The internet is changing the structure of our brains and the structure of our planet in extraordinary ways, so quickly that we haven’t yet developed a proper vocabulary for it. Technological progress has accelerated to the point that the future is happening to us far faster than we could ever have anticipated. This new world is what we call “extreme present,” a time in which it feels impossible to maintain pace with the present, never mind to chart the future.

Installation view of “Filter Bubble,” an 89plus exhibition co-curated by Simon Castets and Hans Ulrich Obrist, at LUMA Westbau, Zürich, until February 14th, 2016. Photo by Stefan Altenburger.

The 89plus project which I co-founded and co-curate with Simon Castets investigates the first generation to have grown up with the internet—a generation that currently makes up half of the world’s population, and whose voices are only now beginning to be heard. The project is not about predicting or creating the future, but rather about bringing practitioners in different fields together through panels, books, periodicals, exhibitions, and residencies to share their insights and ideas. Thousands of artists across the world have answered our open call, uploading information about their respective projects to our platform. Since we started in 2013, we have conducted onsite research in Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Mexico City, New York, Zürich, Stockholm, Dubai, Madrid, and Cape Town, among others, creating public panels out of our conversations with local practitioners.

Through the 89plus research we learned that many are critically addressing the phenomenon of the so-called “filter bubble.” This is an algorithmic mechanism used by companies through which a user’s online experience becomes a static, ever-narrowing version of their own pre-existing preferences. It is a tool by which algorithms select online content that a user might want to see based on pre-existing data harvested from the same user, such as location, search history, and personal information. It guards users against exposure to any content that might contradict their viewpoints, therefore isolating them within a coherent, restricted ideological environment; Eli Pariser, who coined the concept, calls it a “personal ecosystem.”

The filter bubble inspired us to create a show of the same name at Zürich’s LUMA Westbau. It features over 40 artists and writers and translates three years of research with 89plus into an exhibition format. The show functions as an inquiry into the creative practices of a generation who grew up with the internet, investigating its ramifications for public discourse and dialogue. 

The invention of the internet once promised to make knowledge open and accessible to anyone across the world, a perfect, radically open tool that encouraged the sharing of information and knowledge across societies and specialisms. Yet in opposition to the original nature of the web, the mechanisms behind the filter bubble are generating closed systems of knowledge. This is radically harmful to both individuals and societies.

Much of the 89plus research has revealed how devoted young practitioners are to protecting and extending the internet’s capacity to foster new interactions and relationships. And each of the insights to have emerged from 89plus demonstrates how traditional notions of authorship and cultural heritage are changing. By listening to the artists in the “Filter Bubble” show, we might gain some insight into the new ideas and iconoclastic approaches that will transform our relationship to knowledge. Their preoccupations provide us with an outline of the emerging fields for artistic and philosophical investigation—and resistance.

Installation view of “Filter Bubble,” an 89plus exhibition co-­curated by Simon Castets and Hans Ulrich Obrist, at LUMA Westbau, Zürich, until February 14th,  2016. Photo by Stefan Altenburger. Pictured: Hito Steyerl, Liquidity Inc., 2014; James Bridle, Citizen Ex Flags 003 ­ 007, 2015; Ho Rui An, Screen Green, 2015. 

Yollotl Alvarado recognized that the algorithms that guide our interaction with the internet are “political statements” that can “expose the forces at play in our access to information,” while Louise Gagliardi alerted us to the fact that our personal devices, rather than serving as a portal to new information, are in fact “individual mirrors.” For “Filter Bubble,” Crista Siglin & Isaac Wilder contributed a “meditation on intimacy in the age of filtration,” investigating how digital relationships negate signifiers such as eye contact. Felix Melia imagined a nightmarish situation in which “anonymous romantic text messages are sent automatically to a group of mobile phones via a web-based messaging service,” while Urban Zellweger considered the alienating bodily experience of sitting in front of a computer.

Above all, these artists’ practices investigate and challenge the assumption that our future actions should be determined by our past behavior. As with all of the projects outlined in this short manifesto, the basic principle stands that it is urgent for us to overcome the fear of pooling knowledge. We must remain radically open to new ideas. And we must preserve and promote the systems by which it is possible to share, collaborate, and investigate. The future depends on it! 

Portrait of Hans Ulrich Obrist at Serpentine Galleries by 

The ancients saw their universe as multiple, with consciousness existing in myriad of layers, unseen to the eye of the average man; seen only with the inner eye of the seer.

Mary Rivas, Contributor
Waking Times

“How can I know who I am, when I am all this?” he said, sweeping the surroundings with a gesture of his head. – Don Juan Matus, Journey to Ixtlan

Early man, and seers like don Juan, conceived of their reality as multi-dimensional. They knew they held within themselves the very same elements as their surroundings. They knew they were connected with the stones, rain, wind, trees, plants, animals, stars and merged their consciousness with nature.  They communicated with nature and lived by the wisdom of the Spirit that moves through all things.

The ancients saw their universe as multiple, with consciousness existing in myriad of layers, unseen to the eye of the average man; seen only with the inner eye of the seer.

Contrast this with our dominant belief in a ‘one-dimensional’ world view. We are taught the concept of ‘one’ way of being and ‘one’ reality existing at a time. This gives rise to separation from our surroundings and each other, to narrowing our vast talents into a socially accepted groove, to thinking in limited ways–to perceiving life in linear ways…

We can integrate spiritual truths into our daily life to expand our ways of thinking and empower ourselves.  In my audiobook, The Warrior Spirit, I explain how we tend to limit ourselves with linear ways of thinking when it comes to financial goals.

A common trap, for example, is to think and feel that you will be happy only after you achieve your financial goals. This is a narrow-minded view that limits your power to manifest your heart-felt desires.  That way of thinking implies that events have to follow in a certain order–first the financial success then the effect (happiness). The truth is it works both ways. Reality is non-linear. By being happy first, you can actually speed up the process of achieving your financial goals.

Another way we limit ourselves is by living predominantly in a beta mind state.  Most people spend virtually all of their waking hours in this brain frequency state.  The beta mind state restricts you to logical, linear and either/or thinking.

Beyond beta is the sub-conscious mind.  Your sub-conscious mind serves as a bridge between the physical mind and the vast domains that are beyond it.  InThe Warrior Spirit, I explain the various layers of our sub-conscious mind–our “Spiritual Mind”– and how the different mind states are a map to the world of Spirit.

Your “spiritual mind” absolutely can help you in your daily life.  It communicates with you through insights, symbols and other non-verbal ways.  It also helps you in infinite ways to manifest your heart-felt goals.  Your spiritual mind can help you attract the right people and resources, for example.

The average person squanders enormous energy in pursuit of goals.  Fears, regrets, shame and disappointments injure our spirit and drain us of our power by depleting us energetically.  We absolutely need energy to not only achieve our personal goals but to evolve spiritually.  We need to preserve and use our energy to discover just how powerful we really are.

Teachers, like Don Juan, taught that we are more than we think we are!  We must expand beyond our socialized self, our ego or self-importance that is not our only self’, but merely one part of the vastness of who we are.

The teachings of Don Juan inspired me to create The Warrior Spirit.  I am in deep gratitude that I’ve been able to pass on the knowledge that I’ve acquired from him and other sages who teach paths to personal freedom.

Cutting Hair....? “Our hair fashions might be just a trend, but if we investigate, we may find that we have been depriving ourselves of one of the most valuable sources of energy for human vitality.” –Yogi Bhajan

“Our hair fashions might be just a trend, but if we investigate, we may find that we have been depriving ourselves of one of the most valuable sources of energy for human vitality.” –Yogi Bhajan

Consider the possibility that the hair on your head is there to do more than just look good. Man is the only creature who grows longer hair on his head as he grows into adulthood. Left uncut, your hair will grow to a particular length and then stop all by itself at the correct length for you. From a yogic perspective, hair is an amazing gift of nature that can actually help raise the Kundalini energy (creative life force), which increases vitality, intuition, and tranquility.

Cut Hair

Long ago people in many cultures didn’t cut their hair, because it was a part of who they were. There were no salons. Often, when people were conquered or enslaved, their hair was cut as a recognized sign of slavery. It was also understood that this would serve as punishment and decrease the power of those enslaved.

The bones in the forehead are porous and function to transmit light to the pineal gland, which affects brain activity, as well as thyroid and sexual hormones. Cutting bangs which cover the forehead impedes this process. When Genghis Khan conquered China, he considered the Chinese to be a very wise, intelligent people who would not allow themselves to be subjugated. He therefore required all women in the country to cut their hair and wear bangs, because he knew this would serve to keep them timid and more easily controlled.

As whole tribes or societies were conquered, cut hair became so prevalent that the importance of hair was lost after a few generations, and hairstyles and fashion grew to be the focus.

The science of hair was one of the first technologies given by Yogi Bhajan when he came to America.

“When the hair on your head is allowed to attain its full, mature length, then phosphorous, calcium, and vitamin D are all produced, and enter the lymphatic fluid, and eventually the spinal fluid through the two ducts on the top of the brain. This ionic change creates more efficient memory and leads to greater physical energy, improved stamina, and patience.”

Yogi Bhajan explained that if you choose to cut your hair, you not only lose this extra energy and nourishment, but your body must then provide a great amount of vital energy and nutrients to continually re-grow the missing hair.

In addition, hairs are the antennas that gather and channel the sun energy or prana to the frontal lobes, the part of the brain you use for meditation and visualization. These antennas act as conduits to bring you greater quantities of subtle, cosmic energy. It takes approximately three years from the last time your hair was cut for new antennas to form at the tips of the hair.

Kundalini Hair Care

In India, a Rishi is known as a wise one who coils his or her hair up on the crown of the head during the day to energize the brain cells, and then combs it down at night. A ‘rishi knot’ energizes your magnetic field(aura) and stimulates the pineal gland in the center of your brain.

“This activation of your pineal results in a secretion that is central to the development of higher intellectual functioning, as well as higher spiritual perception.” -Yogi Bhajan

During the day, the hair absorbs solar energy, but at night it absorbs lunar energy. Keeping the hair up during the day and down at night aids in this process. Braiding your hair at night will help your electromagnetic field balance out from the day.

Split Ends

Loose scattered hair can develop split ends. Instead of trimming them and losing your antennas, Yogi Bhajan recommends applying a small amount of almond oil to your hair overnight so that it can be absorbed before you wash it the next morning. Keeping your hair coiled on your crown and protected with a head covering during the day will help your antennas heal. If you have long hair, see if your experience is different when it is clean and coiled at your crown, or down and loose.

Wet Hair

One year after Winter Solstice, when Yogi Bhajan was sitting in our living room with wet hair, he explained that he was drying it before putting it up in order to avoid a headache. When you put your hair up wet, it will tend to shrink and tighten a bit and even break as it dries. A better idea is to occasionally take the time to sit in the sun and allow your clean, wet hair to dry naturally and absorb some extra vitamin D. Yogis recommend shampooing the hair every 72 hours (or more frequently if the scalp sweats a great deal). It can also be beneficial to wash your hair after being upset to help process emotions.

Wooden Comb

Yogis also recommend using a wooden comb or brush for combing your hair as it gives a lot of circulation and stimulation to the scalp, and the wood does not create static electricity, which causes a loss of the hair’s energy to the brain. You will find that, if you comb your hair and scalp front to back, back to front, and then to the right and left several times, it will refresh you, no matter how long your hair is. All the tiredness of your day will be gone. For women, it is said that using this technique to comb your hair twice a day can help maintain youth, a healthy menstrual cycle, and good eyesight.

If you are bald or balding, the lack of hair energy can be counteracted with more meditation. If you are finding some silver strands in your hair, be aware that the silver or white color increases the vitamins and energy flow to compensate for aging. For better brain health as you age, try to keep your hair as natural and healthy as you can.

Tagore’s Hair

Yogi Bhajan told us this story about hair many years ago at Women’s Camp in New Mexico: Recognize how beautiful and powerful your hair is—when you keep it, you live a life of fulfillment in this world. When Rabindranath Tagore, the great poet who found God within himself, tried to meet a friend on a steamer ship, the friend didn’t recognize him and so wrote him a letter. “We were on the same steamer, but I didn’t find you.” Tagore said, “I was there.” His friend said, “I understand you are now a God-realized man, and I would like to know what your first action was when you became aware of the Oneness in all.” Tagore said, “When I realized the Oneness of all, I threw my shaving kit into the ocean. I gave up my ego and surrendered to nature. I wanted to live in the form that my Creator has given me.”

When humans allow their hair to grow, they are welcoming the maturity, the responsibility of being fully-grown, and fully powerful. That is why you will find grace and calmness in a person with uncut hair from birth, if it is kept well. The Creator has a definite reason for giving you hair.

It is said that when you allow your hair to grow to its full length and coil it on the crown of the head, the sun energy, pranic life force, is drawn down the spine. To counteract that downward movement, the Kundalini life energy rises to create balance. In Yogi Bhajan’s words, “Your hair is not there by mistake. It has a definite purpose, which saints will discover and other men will laugh at.”

About the Author

Deva Kaur Khalsa trains Kundalini Yoga Teachers and teaches Kundalini Yoga in South Florida. She was a student of Yogi Bhajan for over 39 years. She is co-owner of Yoga Source in Coral Springs, Florida, and can be reached at www.MyYogaSource.com.