The Four Yogas

Everyone has feelings, so everyone can be on the path of feelings. The same is true for thinking, acting, and being. So, the vision of Yoga is simply that Unity is possible for anyone, starting from wherever you happen to be. Unity is secretly present in every moment in daily life. Nothing can happen to me that is outside the one reality., nothing is wasted or random in the Cosmic design.

In the Vedic tradition, each person can choose four paths that arise from feeling, thinking, acting, and being. Each path is called a Yoga, the Sanskrit word for "union," because Unity - merging with one reality - was the goal.

Over the ages, the four Yogas have come to define specific paths that suit the kind of temperament a seeker has, although in truth you can follow several or all at once:

Bhakti Yoga., leads to Unity by loving God. Karma Yoga., leads to Unity through selfless action. Gyana Yoga., leads to Unity through Knowledge. Raj Yoga., leads to Unity through meditation and renunciation.

It's not necessary to think of the four paths as being Eastern. These Yogas were the original seeds, the means that brought Unity within reach. Literally translated, the fourth path, Raj Yoga, means "the royal way to union." What makes it royal is a belief that meditation transcends the other three paths. But the fourth path is also inclusive: By following it you are actually following all four at once. Your meditations go directly to the essence of your being. That essence is what love of God, selfless action, and Knowledge are trying to teach.



Adapted from The Book of Secrets, by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 2004).

Aromatherapy & Essential Oils

Definitions of Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the inhalation and application of essential oils to restore or enhance health, beauty and well being. This holistic treatment can help you to relax, rejuvenate or energize your body, calm your mind and lift your spirit.

The term "aromatherapie" was coined by the French chemist, Rene Maurice Gattefosse in 1928. He was convinced that the essential oils had antiseptic properties and other important healing abilities. While conducting an experiment in distillation he burned his hand and needing to cool it down, put his entire hand into a vat of pure lavender essential oil. The pain was gone almost instantly. Over the next few days his burn healed with no blisters, scars or infections. Thereafter he continued his research of this incredible phenomenon and uses of essential oils for other possible medical uses.




History of Aromatherapy

Combinations of resins, oils and fragrant plants were used in some form - for ceremonial, medicinal, or pleasurable reasons - in most ancient civilizations. In fact, perfumes and aromatic plants were the basis for many of the early trade routes. Some of the earliest documented uses of aromatherapy were in ancient Egypt. There, 3000 year old papyruses have been discovered containing remedies for many types of illnesses; some of the methods of application are similar to the ones used in aromatherapy today. The ancient Egyptians used aromatic plants and their essential oils to create massage oils, medicines, embalming preparations, skin care products, fragrant perfumes and cosmetics. There are other written accounts of aromatic oil use in ancient Africa, Mesopotamia, Greece, Babylon, India and China.




What are Aromatherapy Essential Oils?

Essential Oils are highly concentrated and potent oils extracted from plants, leaves, flowers, fruit, bark and roots by distillation with either water or steam, by mechanical processing of citrus rinds, or by dry distillation of natural materials. It takes at least one pound of any given plant to create one drop of pure essential oil and are most expensive. Synthetic fragrance oils have little or no therapeutic effect and are often mixed with petrochemicals.





How do Aromatherapy Essential Oils work?

Inhalation of Essential Oils - The effects of essential oils can be felt simply by breathing in the aromatic vapor. Smell triggers psychological and physiological responses in the body. Smell receptor cells transmit impulses about the smell to the olfactory area of the brain in the limbic system, which is linked, to memory, emotions, hormones, sexuality and heart rate. These impulses trigger neurochemicals and endorphins that can bring about a mental and a physical change.

Absorption of Essential Oils through the Skin - The second way for essential oils to penetrate the body is through the skin. Essential oils can stimulate circulation, encourage cell regeneration and the formation of new skin cells. Some essential oils calm inflamed or irritated skin, release muscle spasms, and relieve muscular tension. The positive effect of essential oils on blood circulation is well known. Studies have found that basil, tea tree and thyme essential oils can encourage the production of white blood cells and boosting the immune system of the body.





Interesting Facts

It takes 6,000 pounds of jasmine pedals to produce one pound of jasmine essential oil. In addition, jasmine can only be picked 3 months out of the year between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. It takes 4,000 pounds of rose pedals to produce 1 pound of rose essential oil. Roughly translated that means it takes about 30 roses to produce 1 drop of essential oil.

Gather Us In

Gather us in, Thou Love that fillest all;
Gather our rival faiths within Thy fold;
Rend each man’s temple veil, and bid it fall,
That we may know that Thou hast been of old.

Gather us in—we worship only Thee;
In varied names we stretch a common hand;
In diverse forms a common soul we see;
In many ships we seek one spirit land.

Thine is the mystic life great India craves;
Thine is the Parsee’s sin-destroying beam;
Thine is the Buddhist’s rest from tossing waves;
Thine is the empire of vast China’s dream.

Thine is the Roman’s strength without his pride;
Thine is the Greek’s glad world without its graves;
Thine is Judea’s law with love beside,
The truth that censures and the grace that saves.

Some seek a Father in the heav’ns above;
Some ask a human image to adore;
Some crave a spirit vast as life and love;
Within Thy mansions we have all and more.

The Healing Power of Salt

Although you may not realize it, simple table salt has a great number of uses other than simply seasoning your food. The following list will give you many uses of salt. Many of which you probably did not realize.

Soak stained clothing or material in salt water before washing.

Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.

Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.

Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.

Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them., they will last longer.

Boil clothespins in salt water before using them. They will last longer.

Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour.

Add a little salt to the water when you cut flowers. They will stand in for a longer life.

Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet., let the salt soak up the stain.

Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on a damp cloth on the ironing surface.

Adding a little salt to water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.

Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.

To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.

Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.

Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.

Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.

Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.

Eliminate excess suds in your laundry wash with a sprinkle of salt.

A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea., whether brewing hot or chilled.

Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.

Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.

Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.

Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.

Add a pinch of salt to whipped cream to make it whip more quickly.

Remove leftover odors from cooking in the oven and on the stovetop by using a solution rinse of salt and cinnamon.

Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.

Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass to grow.

Remove rusty odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt and water.

If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled off.



~ Robin Ann

Wisdom Emotion

Take with you words, strong words of courage.,

Words that have wings!..

Take with you words, words that know you.,

Words that are sacred as healing waters,

Pure as Light, and beautiful as morning,

Take with you tall words, words that reach up,

And growing words, with deep life within them.

Take with you words, words that know you.

There is nothing I can give you which you have not,

but there is much that while I cannot give you,

you can take:

No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find

rest in today. Take Heaven.

No peace lies in the future which is not hidden

in this present instant. Take Peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow.,

behind it, yet within reach, is joy. Take Joy.

We search the world for truth, we cull

The good, the true, the beautiful,

From graven stone and written scroll,

And all old flower-fields of the soul.,

And, weary seekers of the best,

We come back laden from our quest,

To find that all the sages said

Is in the book our mothers read.

* What lies behind us and what lies before us..

are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. *

*NOTE*

~ All phrases, quotes and poetic emotion are the works of others, but their names need not apply simply because that is not the point in sharing at this moment., it is the messages within them that matters the most. I would never take credit for any of them although I would be lying if I said I was not inspired by them. Which I am very much so inspired by each and every one for individual reasons. ~

Blessings all and always keep safe

Love, Courage, Peace xo

~ Robin Ann @,~>

Poetry Emotion

The Wind
e.e.cummings

the wind is a Lady

with bright slender eyes

who moves at sunset

and who - touches the hills

with any reason

i have spoken with this

indubitable and green person

"Are You the wind?"

"Yes"

"Why do you touch flowers

as if they were unalive,

as if They were ideas?"

"because, sir things which

in my mind blossom

will stumble beneath

a clumsiest disguise, appear

capable of fragility and indecision

- do not suppose these without any reason

and otherwise roses and mountains

different from the i am who wanders

imminently across the renewed world"

"to me," said the wind "being a Lady

in a green dress, who

touches the fields

at sunset"

The Parable of The Rock

Once there was a Rock, filled with countless atoms, protons, neutrons, and subatomic particles of matter. These particles were racing around continually, in a pattern, each particle going from "here" to "there", and taking "time" to do so, yet going so fast that the Rock itself seemed to move not at all. It just was. There it lay, drinking in the Sun, soaking up the rain, and moving not at all.

"What is this inside of me, that is moving?" the Rock asked.

"It is You," said a Voice from afar.

"Me?" replied the Rock. "Why, that is impossible. I am not moving at all. Anyone can see that."


"Yes, from a distance," the Voice agreed. "From way over here you do look as if you are solid, still, not moving. But when I come closer - when I look very closely at what is actually is happening - I see that everything that comprises what you are is moving. It is moving at incredible speed through "time and space" in a particular pattern which creates You as the thing called "Rock". And so, you are magic! You are moving and not moving at the same time."


"But," continued the Rock, asking, "which, then, is the illusion? The oneness, the stillness, of the Rock, or the separateness and the movements of its parts?"

To which the Voice replied, "Which, then, is the illusion? The oneness, the stillness, of Light, or the separateness and movements of its parts?"


Upon this Rock, for this is the Rock of Ages. This is the eternal Truth that leaves no stone unturned. This is the Cosmology.

Time To Spread The Wings

Spring is finally here and in the Garden State as birders on a long winter hiatus from their favorite warm weather pastime, are now taking their binoculars out of storage. The thought of warblers in breeding plumage and the beauty of their favorite bird songs are dancing in their heads, fostering a need to get out into the field, ASAP. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Birding can still be slow now as birds begin to trickle in with migration in earnest not occurring for another few weeks or so. Early warblers such as palm, pine, yellow-throated and Louisiana waterthrush have already arrived with black-and-white, northern parula and yellow not far behind. The ubiquitous yellow-rumped warblers that have been around all winter in their drab attire are now looking quite spiffy in their breeding plumage. The vanguard of the remaining New Jersey arriving warblers will take place before month's end with the exception of Cape May, bay-breasted and mourning warblers, all strictly migrants that arrive here in May. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two excellent locations in your search for warblers this spring are Sandy Hook and Garret Mountain Reservation in Woodland Park, with Belleplain State Forest in Cape May County, a great place to drive south to meet spring in late April. Belleplain has nesting yellow-throated, prairie, prothonotary, worm-eating, Kentucky (occassionally) and hooded warblers as well as summer tanager, a difficult bird to find in North Jersey. Nearby Jakes Landing can offer great marsh birding to cap a great day in the field. ******************************************************************************* ******* What's Been Seen * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * Here are some sightings from the New Jersey Audubon Society's weekly "Voice of New Jersey Audubon" rare bird alert (732-872-2595): ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

*Sandhill crane, Sandy Hook

*Red-headed woodpecker, Clark

*Yellow-headed blackbird, Sandy Hook

*Eurasian wigeon, Kittatinny State Park

*Louisiana waterthrush, Garret Mountain Reservation, Woodland Park

*Short-eared owl, Forsythe (Brigantine) National Wildlife Refuge

*Black-headed gull, Bayonne

*Glaugous gull, South Amboy

*Cliff swallow, Sandy Hook

*Caspian tern, Forsythe (Brigantine) National Wildlife Refuge

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On The Lookout

The Sandy Hook Bird Observatory will sponsor these birding field trips:

*April 17: Garret Mountain Reservation, Woodland Park

*April 17: Sandy Hook Beginning Birders, free

*April 30: Belleplain State Forest

There is a fee for these events, unless otherwise noted. For more information or to register, call the Sandy Hook Bird Observatory at: (732) 872-2500

This article post was written by Pete Bacinski and Scott Barnes of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Sandy Hook Bird Observatory. Questions or comments should be directed to them at (732) 872-2500. or shbo@njaudubon.org

Love Is a Natural Emotion

by Neale Donald Walsch

Love is a Natural Emotion. When it is allowed to be expressed, and received, by a child, normally and naturally, without limitation or condition, inhibition or embarrassment, it does not require anything more. For the joy of love expressed and received in this way is sufficient unto itself. Yet love which has been conditioned, limited, warped by rules and regulations, rituals and restrictions, controlled, manipulated, and withheld, becomes unnatural. Children who are made to feel that their natural love is not okay--that it is wrong to express it, and that, in fact, they shouldn't even experience it--will have a difficult time appropriately dealing with love as adults. Love that is continually repressed becomes possessiveness, a very unnatural emotion. People have killed because of possessiveness. Wars have started, nations have fallen.

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People love to be in love. Yet "love" is a big word. It is the biggest word in the language. Any language. What is love, really? Conversations with God has a lot to say on this subject. Among other things, it says that love is a decision, not a reaction. That may be one of the most important things anyone could ever say on the subject. True love is never the result of how another person looks, behaves, or interacts with us. It is a choice to be loving no matter how that other looks, behaves or interacts with us. This does not mean that true love requires us to stay in a relationship that is abusive.

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Do not confuse the words "love" and "relationship." We are not proving that we love someone by staying in a relationship. Indeed, there are instances when we may be proving we love them by leaving. So it is not true that love demands that we accept abuse from the one that we love. If a person is abusive to us, it is abusive to that person to allow their abuse to continue. For if we allow their abuse to continue, what do we teach them? Yet if we make it clear that the abuse in unacceptable, what then have they learned? Of course, it is true that no one can ever really "get out" of a relationship. We are always in relationship with each other, and the only thing that changes is the form the relationship takes. You cannot end a relationship, you can only change it. So do not think in terms of ending your relationship, think in terms of changing it. You may wish to change its form, or you may wish to hold onto the form, but change its characteristics within that form. Choosing to love someone --- truly love them --- is a very high act. It is the mark of a Master.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Loving someone as a "reaction" is a somewhat less elevated experience. It is the mark of a student. The danger of loving someone as a reaction is that the one we love may change. In fact, it is a certainty that they will. They may gain weight, or lose it. They may alter their personality. They may change their ideas about something important to us. And if we are in love with what others bring to us in relationship, we could be headed for enormous disappointment. So we come to the second big truth about all this: love is not about what the other brings to you, it is about what you bring to the other. Indeed, the purpose of all love relationships is to provide us with an opportunity to decide and to declare, to be and to express, to become and to fulfill, Who We Really Are. This is perhaps another way of restating the first truth, because Who We Really Are is a choice, not a response. It is a decision, not a reaction - although it is true that most people think it is the other way around. When I talk to young people about love, I tell them that there are two questions having to do with life and relationship that everyone would benefit from asking. 1. Where am I going? 2. Who is going with me?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It is important to ask these in the right order. Many people switch them around --- and suffer for it the rest of their lives. First they ask, who is going with me in my life? Then they ask, where am I going? Often, the choice of destination is conditioned and compromised by the choice of companion. This can make for a very rough journey. I remember how at one of our spiritual renewal retreats (we have one coming up in July, called The Conversation School--a 7-day event with only 18 participants ) one young woman in her twenties asked sadly, "What does it feel like to be in love?" I told her I could not answer for anyone else, but I know what it feels like to me. It feels like there is only one of us in the room. When I am with my beloved other, Em, it feels as if there is no place where "I" end and "she" begins. When I look into Em's eyes, it is like looking into my own. When I sense that Em is sad, it is as if the sadness pierces my own heart. When she smiles, the heart of me smiles with her --- as her. I wish I could feel this way about everyone. That is what I am working toward. I am feeling it with more and more people very day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Course in Miracles says, "No special relationships." In other words, no one person should be more special to us than another. That is how God experiences love. There is no condition, and no one is more special than another. It is difficult for most people to understand that. How can God love us all equally, the "good" and the "bad" alike? It is because God does not see any of us as "good" or "bad." We are all perfect in God's eyes, no matter how we are behaving. Human beings have a long way to go before they can claim that. Most of us place condition after condition on our love, and we are very fast to withdraw it when those conditions are not met.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So the third great truth about love is that it knows no conditions. There is no such thing as "I love you IF..." in God's world. The fourth great truth about love is that it knows no limitations. Love is freedom, experienced. Total and absolute freedom. And so one who loves another never seeks to restrict or limit that other in any way. This is a tough one for many people. For many, love translates, roughly, into "ownership." Not that this is ever expressed, of course. It is simply felt. It is a felt sense of "you're mine." Of course, in true love nothing could be further from the truth. And in true love, such ideas or thoughts are never part of the paradigm. No one owns anyone, and no one acts as if they do. This has major implications, as one might imagine. So now I am going to list the fifth, and perhaps the most "controversial," truth about love that I know. Love never says no. Not to persons of equal maturity and intelligence. (We are not talking about children here. Let's limit this discussion to adults.) No matter what the request of the beloved, love says yes. This does not mean that personal opinions are not expressed, nor personal preferences announced. But, in the end, a request from the beloved is never denied. Again, that is difficult for many people to grapple with. Yet this is the way that God loves. I am fond of saying in my lectures and retreats that God has only one word in Her vocabulary. God always says yes. No matter what you want, no matter what you choose, He never says no. This idea can be reduced to two-words: God allows. Since Conversations with God teaches that the words "God" and "love" are interchangeable, you could then say, "love allows." In the end, that is what love does. Love allows. It never restricts, it never limits, it never stops, it only allows. In true love relationships, you get to have what you want.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sixth truth about love is that it always renews itself. It never runs out. As a regular ritual in our marriage, Em and I exchange our wedding vows every year on our anniversary. We have a whole wedding ceremony, with a minister, invited guests, the dinner and cake...the whole nine yards. Now some of our married friends have told us that they love this idea and that they are now doing it on their anniversary! ;o) It's so rewarding when we see something like that happen!

It's as if Love Itself has multiplied Itself, with us as the instrument. And you, too, can be, equally, an instrument of Love's Multiplication. With every thought you think, with every word you speak, with every action you take. Love is a natural emotion. When we are allowed to express it fully in every day in every way, we come alive, through the direct experience of Who We Really Are.

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© 2011 ReCreation Foundation - http://www.cwg.org - Neale Donald Walsch is a modern day spiritual messenger whose words continue to touch the world in profound ways. His With God series of books has been translated into 27 languages, touching millions of lives and inspiring important changes in their day-to-day lives.

Meditation on the Heart

Adapted from The Path to Love, by Deepak Chopra (Three Rivers Press, 1997).

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/meditating-on-the-heart.html#ixzz1GseUOWAb


Sit comfortably in a quiet room by yourself, choosing a time when you feel settled and unhurried. Early morning is best, since your mind will be alert and fresh. Close your eyes and focus your attention on the middle of your chest, where your heart is. (The fact that the physical heart is off to the left is irrelevant here – the spiritual heart center lies directly behind your breastbone.)
Be aware of your heart as a space. Don’t try to hear your heartbeat or any other sound you think a heart makes as it pumps blood. The heart center you want to find is a point of awareness where feelings enter. In its pure form it is empty, pervaded by weightlessness, absence of care, peace, and a subtle light.

This light may appear as white, gold, pale pink, or blue. Don’t strain to find a light of any kind. You are not trying to sense the purity of the heart center right now; all you need to feel is whatever is there.

Letting your attention rest easily there, breathe gently and sense your breath going into your heart center. Here you may want to visualize a soft pastel light, or a coolness pervading the chest. Let the breath go in and out, and as it does, ask your heart to speak to you.
For the next five or ten minutes, sit and listen. Your heart will begin to release emotions, memories, wishes, fears, and dreams long stored there, and as it does, you will find yourself paying attention.

Let the experience be what it will be. If you daydream or drift off into sleep, just bring your attention back to your heart center. You will notice as you continue this exercise that three things are naturally coming together: meditation, purification, and attention.

You are learning to be with your heart in order to heed its spiritual meaning – this is meditation. You are letting repressed material come up to be released – this is purification. You are listening to your heart without judgment or manipulation – this is attention.