Carl Jung ‘Active Imagination’ and Meditation: A Creative Way of Confronting What’s Within

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The Swiss psychologist Carl Jung made many incredibly important discoveries, such as the anima, the shadow, the persona, and the influence of archetypes in our daily lives. Another of his discoveries was a technique of psycho-spiritual meditation and development that he called “active imagination.†The purpose of active imagination was to better understand the contents of one’s psyche, by using the imagination and the images conjured there, arising from the unconscious.

Jung developed this idea in 1913, and realized that it was a way to derive the meaning of latent unconscious drives and desires by activating the imagination and allowing the wellspring of images from the collective unconscious to spring up into the imagination. Then, these scenes are able to act themselves out in a way clarifying for the student.

Active imagination is extremely similar to many things we do in meditation in that one uses the image making faculty of the imagination in each in order to distill conscious meaning from the unconscious contents. They are also extremely similar in that they occur because of a basically free-flowing, spontaneous function of the mind at ease.

Jung thought that when engaging in the process of active imagination, we must temper our desire to control the outcome of the situation by imposing our own meanings or explanations onto them, at least for a time. Jung said that people should wait to extrapolate meaning from their active imagination practices until after they have observed the impact of them. Both depend on an image-making instinct we all possess, and which interestingly both provide insight into our deeper drives.

One way to utilize this activity is to compose something like a play, by automatic writing or by drawing, or purely in the imagination, whereby the impulses which are warring within us can have a stage, an arena, a frame within which to come to fruition, to experiment with outcomes, to experiment with the truth of one’s instincts. The imaginative faculty is the stage, at least in the beginning, especially when trained with simple yogic exercises of maintaining concentration.

An Example of Active Imagination

If you were in a situation where you wished to emotionally unbind yourself from a past lover, in order to move on and continue your life in a healthy way with someone else, you could use active imagination to tap into the deep complexes that are holding you back, and get to the root of the problem. One way would be to imagine yourself facing the person you are wishing to detach from, and then, moving away from them, watching them get smaller and smaller until they are a speck, and then invisible on the horizon. You can address the idea of moving permanently away from this person emotionally and psychologically, by focusing on this guided meditation in the form of a lucid dream, of purely own creation or aided by others.

This is only one example of how to use the technique of active imagination in our lives, and there are an infinite amount of ways to do this. Sometimes, the arts allow us to experience active imagination vicariously, such as in the connection to a character in a story, or a movement in a piece of music, or a scene in a film. The arts also allow us to experience this collectively, which can have a powerful affect on individuals and cultures.

Active imagination and meditation can be practiced together, and both work to the same end, which is our psychological, spiritual, psychic reorganization through symbol, the image-making faculty of the mind, and the practical experiment with a technique.

Anyone can engage these methods, at any time, in any place. They do not require deep knowledge of the mechanisms involved, but simply patient practice and a desire to heal emotional, psychic, or psychological wounds and weaknesses, which once appropriately cared for, turn into our most cherished assets.

 

About the Author
Benjamin Norris is a journalist from Bristol, UK, who spends his days lecturing Indian Cultural History at one of Europe’s leading Architecture Universities. He is particularly fascinated by global spiritual cultures and practices, and by many subjects of an esoteric nature. His writing often reflects these interests, and he enjoys little more than delving deeply into unknown worlds of research. You can find more of Benjamin’s work at Omharmonics.com.
Please check out his recent articles on meditation techniques for anxiety.

 

Dealing With Daily Anxiety? A Daily Yoga Practice Can Change That

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It goes without saying that in our globalized world, with twenty-four hour news of financial, natural, and political catastrophes, problems at home, work, or school, anxiety can overwhelm our lives, sometimes to the point of prohibiting ourselves from doing the unique things we were put here to do.

The pharmaceutical companies have made billions in profits off of anti-anxiety drugs which, although they help many people live more manageable lives and have their place in many cases, don’t really get to the root cause of our anxieties. To get rid of a weed from your garden, you have to get it from the root, or it will just sprout again the next day. It would be nice if we could do that with our anxieties.

Yoga and meditation can help immensely with reducing anxiety as well as giving us the opportunity to find what is underneath our anxieties, in order to find their root and pull them out.

A Simple Practice

Chakra healing can teach us the importance of taking a moment to connect with our breath, and we will look at some ways to do that below.

A great way to start is to give yourself some time everyday, even if its just five minutes, where you can be alone and undisturbed. Try and make it the same time everyday, if you can, so that the routine becomes a consistent part of your life. Sitting with your back straight, on the floor or a chair, breathe deeply and regularly. This has a powerful influence over your heart rate, and slows your entire body down after just a few minutes.

Let your thoughts fly where they will, but observe them. Pretend that you are perched at the bank of a river, watching the river of your thoughts flow past you. You can realize that there are two things there- your thoughts, and you, observing them. This is step one in realizing the awesome power we have over our minds.

Sitting still, breathing regularly, with your eyes closed, watch your anxieties flit about in your mind. Gradually, allow your mind to settle, like the surface of a lake. This takes practice, like anything else, but it isn’t all that difficult.

When your mind is calm, you can begin to repeat an affirmation or mantra to yourself, which expresses the peace you desire in your life. Imagine a lake with a surface so calm that the moon can be clearly seen reflected in it. That is the kind of peace we want in our daily lives, the kind of equanimity that allows us to deal with the days’ problems and stubbed toes with a greater degree of patience and calm.

Another practice to ascertain the source of our anxiety is spoken of in the root chakra teaching, which asks us to ask ourselves these questions: can you talk to your family members free of getting triggered or charged up, or every time are you pulled in?  Are you pulled in by your families’ stuff? Are you focused on them every day: mom, dad, brother, sister, is that where your energy is going?

Pranayama

Pranayama is a yogic breathing practice that should be learned from a teacher. I have found it to be very helpful as a daily practice to alleviate anxiety and to clear it from my auric field. It consists of breathing in and out of each nostril individually, repeatedly, which cleanses what the yogis call the ida and pingala, or the energy channels which spiral like a double helix up around our spine. It is a powerful breathing exercise and has a wide array of health benefits, and the assuagement of anxiety is definitely one of them.

Sitting in a meditative posture, plug one nostril and inhale through the other for ten seconds. Then, switch nostrils and exhale out of the other for twenty seconds. When you have expelled all the air in your lungs, breathe back in through that same nostril for ten seconds. Switch nostrils, and exhale for twenty, then inhaling through same nostril for ten, then switching, exhaling for twenty, etc. The idea is to inhale and exhale completely. This is practiced best with a clock with seconds on it so you can be precise with your times. It takes time to get into the rhythm, but it will happen. This opens up our lungs dramatically as well as expels old air that may have been in our lungs for too long.

Again, seek a teacher for practices such as these, because they can be harmful if done improperly.

Doing practice like these once a day for five to ten minutes consistently, ideally at the same time everyday, will do much to give those who practice them a more balanced and stabilized way to deal with our anxieties.

 

About the Author

Benjamin Norris is a journalist from Bristol, UK, who spends his days lecturing Indian Cultural History at one of Europe’s leading Architecture Universities. He is particularly fascinated by global spiritual cultures and practices, and by many subjects of an esoteric nature. His writing often reflects these interests, and he enjoys little more than delving deeply into unknown worlds of research. You can find more of Benjamin’s work at Chakra Healing.
Please check out his recent articles on how to balance your Chakras.

 

Meditation For Anxiety

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In this modern world, it seems there is no shortage of reasons to feel anxious. We are under a huge amount of pressure all the time, pressure from work, pressure from family and relationships, pressures regarding money, our material successes and our futures. We have lost over time the ability to feel satisfied in our lives, and this isn’t entirely our fault – we are constantly being told by the world around us that we should expect more, we should want to own more, and we should want to be more. The result of this, of course, is that so many of us feel as though we are ‘not enough’, that we are inadequate in so many ways, and that we are stuck in situations we desire to get out of. This has led to a severe identity crisis in the western world, and has resulted in people all over Europe and the United States turning to medicines and therapies to try and lift their mood, their self esteem and rid themselves of this ever pervading anxiety we feel.

Furthermore, who wouldn’t feel anxious in modern society? It is little more than a hectic, rushed, competitive and noisy place. In order to rid ourselves of anxiety, we need to feel wanted, safe, secure. Unfortunately, this isn’t an easy thing for most of us to feel – stuck in unforgiving jobs in cities filled with supposed dangers, it is hard enough to relax and unwind in the safety of our own homes, let alone rid ourselves of anxiety altogether. But rid ourselves of it we must, as this pandemic is having a disastrous effect on too many people. Hope is being lost, and stress and anxiety related illnesses and health conditions are rising steeply: high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and heart diseases, obesity, sleeplessness and migraines are all now commonplace, and are all symptoms of a society at war with itself, and filled with people unable to relax, pull back, and enjoy life for the beautiful thing that it is.

Natural Solutions

Thankfully, there are solutions. Right at this moment, millions of people around the world are taking natural steps towards solving their anxiety and are looking back to simpler times and ancient wisdoms for relief from the stresses and strains of modern living. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years as part of a religious lifestyle in countries such as India, Nepal and Tibet, and yet it can help each and every one of us today improve the quality of our lives and escape from the pressure and pain of anxiety. When we meditate, we pull back from the world around us. We empty our minds of troubles, of attachments or desires. We float in the peaceful ocean of our minds, and we remind ourselves of our true nature – a million miles away from worries about love or money or work or the future. Meditation is an escape from the material world around us that comes at no cost, and by practising as little as twenty minutes per day, scientists have proven that we can greatly reduce our blood pressure, relieve depression and anxiety, and regain an important sense of perspective.

How Do I Use Meditation For Anxiety?

Of course, the next question is, what is the most effective form of meditation for anxiety? There are hundreds of different ways to meditate, and hundreds of different reasons why you might wish to do so. Depending on the source or nature of your anxiety, it may well be worth your time to explore a few different methods or options. However, for most people, meditating and repeating positive affirmations is a good place to start.

Firstly, you must find somewhere quiet and comfortable in which you can relax and not be interrupted. Some people even incorporate meditation audio into their meditation sessions to increase focus and relaxation. Take a few moments to sit down and relax, and begin breathing deeply and steadily, following your breath as it travels through your body. As you begin to relax further, picture yourself floating in an endless black space, comfortable, warm, safe and free from any pressure or danger. As you slip deeper and deeper into a state of relaxation (often counting down from ten can help massively here), begin repeating to yourself meditation mantras, such as ‘I will not let money rule my life’, ‘I am strong and confident’, ‘I am no longer anxious or afraid’ – or whatever you wish to tell your subconscious mind. Continue to relax, to breathe deeply and focusing on removing negativity from your mind. Before long, you’ll be in a state of deep meditation, happy, calm, and free from all worries.

About the Author
Benjamin Norris is a journalist from Bristol, UK, who spends his days lecturing Indian Cultural History at one of Europe’s leading Architecture Universities. He is particularly fascinated by global spiritual cultures and practices, and by many subjects of an esoteric nature. His writing often reflects these interests, and he enjoys little more than delving deeply into unknown worlds of research. You can find more of Benjamin’s work at Omharmonics.com.
Please check out his recent articles on meditation techniques for anxiety.

Using Music For Meditation

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We all need to relax more. There is no doubt about this – as a civilization we are making ourselves progressively more ill through overwork and stress. It seems for so many of us, stress and anxiety have become normalized; have simply become another aspect of life we need to deal with. We are encouraged to work harder and longer than ever before, we are told by the ever-pervasive media that we never have enough possessions, or that we are never desirable enough, or that we are in some way inadequate. This has led to a society in crisis, where people are spending money that they don’t really have on things that they don’t really need, and are making themselves sick with worry. Heart disease is on the rise, high blood pressure is nothing unusual any more. More and more people are living deeply unhealthy lifestyles due to the fact that they have forgotten the importance of relaxation, and have forgotten just how to relax and let go of their worries and anxieties.

A Sea of Change

However, something exciting seems to be happening in popular and modern culture which suggests these troubles may well soon become a thing of the past. As life and the world grows ever more detached from its spiritual side, and wishes to deny the existence of the spiritual body and its needs, millions of individuals across the western world are holding back, and demanding something different. Over the past couple of decades, we’ve seen a monumental interest in the benefits of meditation, energy healing, altered states of being and other such esoteric practices. Of course, meditation itself is nothing new – it has been practiced without pause in the east for thousands of years, but for western people, it is needed now more than ever.

What is Meditation?

To meditate is to float in a sea of nothingness, detached from the material world around us. To meditate is to cut oneself off from anything that may be causing stress or anxiety, and to enjoy the silence and stillness that comes from within. When we meditate, we heal ourselves, we learn to truly relax and gain another perspective on our lives and those things which are stopping us from enjoying the simple things we have. As such, meditation is a vital practice to undertake these days – it has proven medical benefits, and it can help us understand and learn more about our true nature, our true selves. However, meditation is not always easy. It can actually be quite difficult to train yourself to switch off your buzzing mind, to pull back from the world we inhabit and enter a state of true relaxation. For many, it takes years of practice before anything truly profound comes about. Surely there must be a way of making it easier?

Benefits of Meditation Audio

Thankfully, modern sound technology has found the answer. We all recognize the emotional power of music, and how it has the most remarkable ability to induce a deep sense of relaxation within us. Somehow, music manages to speak to our very souls – we read it in a way which effects the very nature of our being. It can conjure up lost memories, it can make us laugh or cry. It is, undoubtedly, a highly powerful medium. Thanks to the latest music and aural technologies, music can now help us learn how to meditate, and can quickly and effectively put us into a state of deep, relaxed meditation. Intelligently designed sound software is now capable of lulling you in a state of deep relaxation and meditative bliss within minutes, with the use of atmospheric soundscapes, hypnotic melodies and what is known as ‘binaural beats’.

These binaural beats are specifically produced to help people gain a sense of meditation and float in an aural sea of deep relaxation. All that is required are a quiet, comfortable spot in which you won’t be disturbed, and preferably a good set of stereo headphones, so the music can be enjoyed and take its effect in the most powerful way. Of course, a little effort may be required in order to get the best effects, but most of the meditative music packages which are available to buy online simply require you to concentrate on deep, healing, revitalizing breathing whilst the soundscapes wash over you and allow your soul to set itself free. One of the great things about using meditative music is that it can easily become part of an effective, relaxing daily routine in which you can really learn to let go of all your worries and anxieties, and can even be a great gateway for other meditative techniques. Why not try it today?

About the Author

Benjamin Norris is a journalist from Bristol, UK, who spends his days lecturing Indian Cultural History at one of Europe’s leading Architecture Universities. He is particularly fascinated by global spiritual cultures and practices, and by many subjects of an esoteric nature. His writing often reflects these interests, and he enjoys little more than delving deeply into unknown worlds of research.  You can find more of Benjamin’s work at Omharmonics.com.

Please check out his recent articles on music for meditation.

 

How To Achieve Spiritual Growth

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Spiritual growth is a product of working with our deepest inner problems, conflicts and barriers to rise above them. For some as we work along our chosen religious or spiritual path, our job is to look inward and to overcome our personal fears, aversions, and desires. For others, the result of the true religious path is unity and closeness with God. The challenge then, is to live as God wants us to, do His will, and avoid sin. Growth constitutes coming closer on one’s journey to God or transcendence, or gaining new understanding and insight into the nature of God or the Universe.

In order to have spiritual growth, we have to overcome our lower nature. Whether it is referred to as sin, evil, or our animal selves, it all has to do with our more selfish and base attachments and desires. Unless we can control our minds and emotions and turn them, always toward serving us and our spiritual or religious path, we cannot hope to make progress or experience true growth. This leaves the question of how can we actually take control of our minds so that we can turn our thoughts to toward God or spirituality, keep ourselves from being distracted or disturbed, and focus on and eliminate our inner demons?

Most of our religion say we must do just that, and may give certain instructions on how to live and be in the world in order to grow spiritually, but if we want the tools to actually transform ourselves into spiritual beings by changing our thoughts and taking hold of our emotions, we can all benefit from the Silva Method. The Silva Method is not intended for any one religion, nor is it religious. It is a self-growth technique designed to make us smarter, more perceptive and relaxed. It does this by giving us power over our own mind. We learn how to choose our mental state so that we become more in control of ourselves, and, in some mental states, we are more spiritually open and aware.

Silva mind-control is the art of taking hold of our mental states. This means we can make ourselves more focused and calm instantly, no matter what situation we are in. We can become immediately more perceptive and keep ourselves from getting caught up in negative thoughts, emotions or temptations. It is though we learn to switch to a higher consciousness, and, when we consistently live out of that consciousness, we consistently become more and more powerful when it comes to working through our own barriers and limitations.

For the Yogi, this means coming closer to union, for the buddhist, it means deeper, stronger meditation, and for others it means a closer walk with God. All because, finally, we have the ability to control our mental states instead of letting them control us. We gain the the Ability to choose what we will think and where our minds will wander. We can easily slip in and out of transcendent states, and, as we learn to use the Silva Method for mind control, we also learn self-discipline and we systematically remove negative thoughts and beliefs that might makes us feel separated, sinful or lonely, because we realize we have been given the power to change these things about ourselves.

The spiritual path is also the path to self-discovery, self-actualization, and self-becoming. It is really about looking inward and dicovering who we are and what our real purpose is. Any spirituality or religion will tell us we are not our bad thoughts or feelings, and we are not the things that hold us back. We are something far more, and far greater. This means those negative things inside us are completely removable and totally withing our control to accept and remove. It just takes the right tools for self-growth, spiritual growth, and self-control.

The Silva Method is that tool. It gives us complete power over our own mental states, makes us more disciplined and can actually help us use our minds to reach states of deep meditation, union, and transcendence. No longer are we slaves to our material, shallow, or selfish concerns. We can eliminate selfish thoughts and become stronger in our spiritual paths when we choose to use discipline to change our mental outlook, our ability to focus and our handle on our own emotions. This is how to have spiritual growth and the path to ultimate spiritual satisfaction.

About The Author

Jill Magso is a personal development articles writer and customer happiness manager for Chakrahealing.com and SilvaMethodLife.com

Please check her latest articles on how to grow spiritually 

The Secret to Having Balanced Chakras

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Keeping the chakras balanced, and getting them to become balanced in the first place, is some of the most important work of our lives. It is spiritual work which defines our characters, and ultimately it helps us to be happy, healthy people.

There are many things which affect our energy centers. Some of them are things like grief, loss, or encounters with negative people, which we have no external control over. What we can control, however, is how we react with and interpret the events in our lives.

When we move through life with the idea of keeping the chakras balanced and open, we see that each new experience can open us further and provide insight, or it can cause us to close up and experience blockages in one area or another. Realizing this, we are reminded to be gentle with ourselves and others, and to engage, regularly, in activities which nurture our inner, spiritual oneness. There are many things we can do to either, work with a specific chakra, or, to cleanse and balance all of them.

Activities for Nurturing the Chakras:

English: Chakra picture produced by AuraStar20...

English: Chakra picture produced by AuraStar2000TM bio-energy sensor (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yoga and meditation are the most popular forms for working with the energy centers, and for good reason. Nothing else combines the physical, mental and spiritual in quite the same way as Yoga, which includes posture practice as well as meditation and breathing techniques. Its popularity grows daily, and many have already discovered the incredible healing it can provide. We encourage you to start your own practice, combining breath, posture and meditation.

There are other, less popular, but incredibly effective ways of working with the chakras, which can be therapeutic and balancing. Art is one of them. Painting, drawing or coloring involves intense concentration and total immersion. If we use this correctly, say, by working with certain shapes and colors, we can stimulate and balance the chakras.

The energy centers are wheels, which is why working with mandalas, either creating them or coloring them, is a perfect exercise, but there is no need to use traditional designs. Any object or shape can be thought of as a continuation. All colors have powerful affects on the energy centers. The beauty of art is that we can set our intentions, let our intuition and inner knowing guide our designs, and allow the healing to happen.

Another surprising method for chakra balancing is music and sound. Most already know about certain syllables, such as LAM, HAM, and OM, for each energy center, but music can have a profound affect as well. Music can exact certain tones which resonate with each vibration in our subtle body, and which can actually help tune those vibrations to the perfect frequency. This means opening and balancing the energy centers.

Chakra balancing CDs can be found anywhere, but, truly, it is better to find music which is healing and soothing for you. It can be music with lyrics or without, but, if you find it refreshing or renewing, it is likely emitting the vibrations you need. Try combining listening with art or meditation. Go deep into the sounds of the music- move past the words and listen for each instrument and tone.

In addition, some rocks and minerals are said to have a special effect on certain energy hubs. Quartz crystal is one which works well for all the chakras, where other minerals are said to be best for certain centers. For instance, tiger eye is known for specific powers over the base chakra, whereas amethyst is best for the third-eye chakra. Other examples include carnelian for the sacral chakra, moonstone for the solar-plexus, rose quartz for the heart, sapphire for the throat and clear topaz for the crown. These are just a few of the many rocks and minerals which have special properties. Working with these includes holding them while meditating, holding them to specific areas on the body corresponding to the energy centers, or carrying them on the body in the form of jewelry.

Conclusion:

By using a number of methods and approaches, we make it possible for ourselves to live in a way which keeps our spiritual and emotional well-being at the center. We work, daily, on improving our sense of unity and our connection with our higher nature. This means, as we go out into the world, we carry that peace and wholeness with us, and we are able to touch and influence others, set examples, and deal with difficulty in healthier and more loving ways. This is how we do our part in making the world a better, more genuine and kind place.

About The Author

Jill Magso is a personal development articles writer and customer happiness manager for the ChakraHealing.com. You can find her latest articles on chakra balancing here and chakra meditation here.

How to Judge a Person’s Feelings by Their Eyes

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When someone shouts, cries or laughs, it is easy to read their emotions by hearing them speak or watching their body language, but what about their eyes? Generally, the expressiveness of the eyes is demonstrated by the eyelids; open wide in amazement or narrowed in concentration. But by looking closely at the pupil at the centre of the eye, it is possible to recognise slight changes in size, which can be indicative of emotions.

The pupil acts as a shutter, opening and closing to control the amount of light entering the eye. So naturally, when entering bright light, our eyes automatically squint whilst the pupil adjusts to the sudden excess of light entering. Similarly, if suddenly exposed to darkness, pupils dilate to increase the amount of light taken in.

In addition, pupils tend to decrease in size when the brain registers an emotion of anger or sadness, and dilate during physical and psychological sensations of pleasure or excitement. The study of pupil size changes is called pupillometrics. Eckhard Hess, a bio-psychologist from the University of Chicago first coined the term in 1965 when his wife noticed his pupils had become particularly enlarged when looking at a book of pleasing animal photos. Hess then decided to test a developing theory about the correlation between pupil dilation and pleasure on his assistant. When shown images of female nudes, the assistant’s pupils dilated, thus confirming Hess’s idea that pleasure triggered pupil dilation.

Pupil dilation has since been closely linked to physical attraction. In the Middle Ages, dilated pupils were considered more attractive, so Italian women would consume the berry juice of a plant called ‘Belladonna’, which was known to trigger the effect of pupil dilation. ‘Belladonna’ is in fact derived from the Italian term for ‘beautiful woman’. Eckhard Hess confirmed the assumption that larger pupils were more attractive in an experiment on men asked to compare their opinions of photographs of women. Consistently, the men ranked the women with dilated pupils as more attractive than those without. Often, it is easier to notice pupil dilation in people with blue or green eyes. Therefore, blue-eyed people can be seen as better potential mates because it’s easier to determine whether they are interested or not.

The science behind these changes can be attributed to the brain functions. When someone feels attraction, the brain releases the hormone norepinephrine, which then stimulates the eyeball’s dilator muscles.

So of course, pupil dilation may not guarantee finding a perfect partner… but it certainly helps.

Written by Victoria for Direct Sight. Buy glasses online here.

Trying Different Lucid Dreaming Techniques

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If you’re an avid lucid dreamer, or even if you’re just starting out trying to teach yourself to have a lucid dream, you need to know that there are a variety of lucid dreaming techniques out there to help you dream. If that makes you feel slightly overwhelmed, you needn’t worry. These techniques have been developed for your own benefit.

People learn to do things in different ways – this applies to absolutely everything. Think back to when you were a child in school. There may have been some kids in your class who didn’t seem to be smart. Years later you might have met them and been totally shocked at what they “turned into.” Yes, those kids in your class who didn’t seem so smart became successful. They may simply have a different learning style, preferring to do things in a hands-on way as opposed to listening to a lecture.

Before we get off topic, the point here is that there is no set route to learning how to have a lucid dream. Many people will find that certain methods simply don’t work for them. Others will struggle to even use the most popular methods, while less well-known methods will produce the desired results. You needn’t be alarmed if you try some of the more popular techniques and find that they don’t work for you. Although it’s best to try each method a few times to get in the swing of things, sometimes a particular route just won’t work.

When that happens, it’s best to try to move on and keep trying. Find a new way, or develop your own way to have a lucid dream. You’ll be surprised to realize that since lucid dreaming is a highly personalized skill, knowing yourself is often the best way to go about preparing to have a lucid dream. It’s a lot easier to recognize when you’re having a dream if you are in tune with your subconscious mind and actively involved in your dream life.

Another important thing to remember is that lucid dreaming is more likely to occur after you try a technique a few times. Sometimes the change in routine inherent to trying something new can throw your body off and prevent you from identifying it when you are in the dream state. Staying determined to induce a lucid dream is the best way to ensure that you have one – don’t give up.

As you engage with different lucid dreaming techniques, keep in mind that others can help you. By talking about lucid dreaming and hearing what other people have to say about their lucid dreaming methods and routines, you can gain a better idea as to how personalized this ability really is. You’ll notice that no two lucid dreamers have the same routine. What’s more, you’ll enable yourself to break away from the restrictions your mind has created with regards to lucid dreaming, making it easier for you to actually have a lucid dream.

Keep at it and happy lucid dreaming!

Brain Hack the 7 Deadly Sins

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The Seven Deadly Sins have haunted humanity for centuries, as our base tendencies have clashed with our desires to live a moral life. Teachers, religious experts, and even Hollywood have told us to avoid these behaviors, but rarely have we been given easy ways to improve. As our understanding of the brain has grown, we are able to study why humans fall victim to the seven deadly sins and how we can protect ourselves.

Becomecareer.com’s newest infographic shows how to hack your brain and redirect bad behavior. Simple tricks teach how to avoid lust, gluttony, pride, sloth, vanity, greed, and envy. Eye-catching graphics make it easy to study and remember the information, even if you struggle to deal with sloth. Becomecareer has combed through neurological research to teach you easy ways to break out of your mental ruts. It may take six weeks to form a new habit, but it will take less than six minutes to read through this infographic and improve your mental habits.

Click the graphic to see it full-size:

Brain Hack the 7 Deadly Sins: Self Improvement Infographic
From: BecomeCareer.com

5 Tips for Getting on With Your Children

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A recent vogue among young parents is to try to become “friends” with their children. But most child psychology experts are bound to warn that children have enough friends and parents should be parents to their children.  But this does not mean that we cannot get along with them.  A few tips will help you to make life pleasant for both parents and children.

Listen to them.  Children are just small adults, and so, like most adults, really want to be heard. Nothing is so frustrating to anyone of any age than to feel as though your opinions count for nothing.  This does not mean that your children dictate what happens in your home and family; it does mean that each of your children is allowed a voice that is sincerely and honestly heard.

Work with them.  Especially at a young age, children want nothing more than to show cooperation and willingness.  Encourage this natural born instinct by drawing out their favorite things and finding ways to do them together.  You didn’t forget how to ride a bike when you gave birth; spend fun times with them.  How about making the bed together each morning and using the time to chat about the upcoming day?

Be an example.  This is a biggie. Live a life that your children can be proud of. If you drink excessively, smoke, take drugs, drive too fast and engage in other dangerous lifestyles, expect criticism and disrespect from your children.  Yes, adults should and do have privileges that are not yet open to children, but when behavior borders on the edge of the law or health, you cannot expect to have a healthy, open relationship with your children.

Be consistent.  Set parameters with your children that will let them know what is expected of them. This really makes it easy to get on with them.  If bedtime is 8:00 for the 7 year old and 9:00 for the 10 year old, make sure the 7 year old is in bed at 8:00. What’s the point of reaching a milestone when every can cross it? The 7 year old, on the other hand, knows that in three years he will stay up until 9:00 and you will probably have very little fuss about it.

Love them. What do all humans, young and old crave? Love. Knowing someone loves and cares for you, that you are important to them, that they can’t wait for you to come home so they can see you and hear about your day, that they worry and care about your wellbeing is the surest way to make sure they feel the same way about you.

It’s hard to spend the appropriate amount of time with your children if you or your spouse has been arrested. Bail bonds nation can provide you with the money you need to pay your bail and be a family.