Topic: Health & Healing

CHICAGO – A relaxation technique known as Transcendental Meditation may decrease blood pressure and reduce insulin resistance among patients with coronary heart disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Healing Our Wounds by Daniel Gottlieb Author of Letters to Sam

Dear Sam,

Shortly after my accident, an occupational therapist introduced me to an anti-gravity device that would help me gain some use of my arms. The therapist strapped me into slings counterbalanced with springs, so my arms were literally weightless. Splints were attached to my hands. In each hand I held a pencil with the eraser-end pointing down. Using the feeling I still had in my shoulders to move my arms and hands and manipulate the erasers, I practiced turning the pages of a book. As my arms gained strength, the therapist reduced the springs' pressure so I would become strong enough to hold them up without the device. By the end of the week, I was able to turn pages without any assistance. My wife and the therapist were impressed by how quickly I'd been able to master this. "Look how much you've accomplished in one week!"

The fight against aging has received a scientific boost thanks to an innovative study done in part by a University of Alberta spin-off company--research that dispels a hard-held belief about the natural ingredient, beta glucan. The study, published in the current issue of International Journal of Cosmetic Science, is the first to show that oat beta glucan can penetrate the skin despite years of doctors and scientists believing that the large molecule was too big.

WAUKESHA, Wis., Aug. 19, 2005 -- The following open letter is from former smoker Karen Schmidt Renzelmann:

It is possible to quit smoking. I know I've tried many times. Through my interest in astrology, I have read a book called New Moon Astrology (Bantam Dell Publishers) by Jan Spiller. The premise of this book is that it is possible to create positive change in a person's life utilizing the energy of the New Moon.

The Rebbe Nachman of Breslow often said, “Always remember-Joy is not merely incidental to your spiritual quest. It is vital.”

As the years have gone by and I’ve been in the practice of psychology over 20 years, I have become more and more convinced that he was so right, that joy is not an option. When we take away joy and we take away a sense of well-being, a sense that we are thriving, we allow ourselves or seem to find ourselves in circumstances that seem to drain, tire and weaken us. We are no longer the whole human being that is our birthright!

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 10, 2005 -- From her childhood in Poland to her career as an internationally acclaimed animal welfare advocate and veterinarian, Dr. Agnes Van Volkenburgh's life has centered on her connections to animals. Now, in an effort to extend her mind-body healing methods to animals everywhere, Dr. Van Volkenburgh has launched PsychicVet.com

Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old wisdom of life and healing from India. The word “Ayurveda” means ‘wisdom of life’. Ayur means “life” or “living”, and Veda means “knowledge” or “wisdom”. The Ayurveda says that physical body is a manifestation of three energy fields, prana (life-energy), mind, and soul interlaced as one whole system. Soul or atman is the innermost energy field, the Doer and the Perceiver. Soul is also the witness in the field of the Consciousness.

In today's world there are so many wonderful and inspirational books. There are books filled with stories of Divine intervention, miracles happening, special positive moments never to be forgotten and stories of incredible coincidences. They help make us feel in harmony with the universe. They help us fall asleep and have pleasant dreams. They often bring tears to our eyes, reinforcing an inner sense of wisdom that all is right with the world even when appearances say that is not so.

The evolution from human to divine consciousness involves healing duality and its legacy of karma and disease at the cellular and atomic levels. There is no illness that cannot be healed simply through intention. Many of the thousands of documented so-called miracle healings powerfully demonstrate the impact of consciousness on physical as well as emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Mind-body medicine, which is statistically valid enough to be taught in today’s medical schools, offers additional proof of our ability to heal ourselves. Molecular biologist Bruce Lipton’s research further indicates that people can modify their DNA and overcome life-threatening illnesses simply by changing their consciousness.

What is Prana?

Prana is a Sanskrit word that literally means "before (pra) + breathe (an)." In Sanskrit and Hindi, the words for breath, wind, life-breath and life-essence are the same. Prana is both the physical breath and the subtle life energy of the body. In different cultures this is referred by different names: Chi(Qi), Barak, Mana, Logos, Energy, etc.