The power of the brain!

"Never underestimate the powers of the brain!"...
That's the preaching of many modern lecturers in
the world of the self-help industry.The brain is
called the most complex computer in the world.
It's the one human organ scientists really don't
understand. We only use 10% of it,they say.
And I'm sure they're right.But just for a moment,
I wonder if you could amuse me, as I suggest another
possibility.Maybe, just maybe,your mind is the cause
of all your limitation.You see, it's my belief that
every thought is essentially limiting.

It is the brain that stops an experience being merely
an experience - and reinforces it with labels, such as
"pain" or "suffering.

"It is the brain that remembers that you have a bad habit,
and tells you that you have it -- each time you see another
packet of cigarettes.
It is the brain that links certain situations with feeling happy,
or feeling sad.Well, here's a thought....Maybe you're already
whole and complete and free,but you don't yet realize it.
Maybe -- again, just maybe --
you're absolutely everything you need to be, restricting
yourself by the thoughts you're holding in your mind.

Ultimately, the brain really is the world's most
powerful computer -- but it's only that.A computer.
It records.It plays back. It records. It plays back.
That's great.
Sure, don't underestimate your powerful brain.But don't
overestimate it either.The brain is not you.
You are not your brain. You are not your body.

If you really take the time out to sit back and think about it,
you'll probably sense that there's more to you than your brain
and your physical body.There's a beingness -- an awareness --
that is always present.And when you start to discover that,
you'll discover an eternal freedom that can never be
taken away.
Everything you thought was a problem. Every "bad habit"
you ever had. Every way in which you identify yourself.......
They're all just LABELS created by the brain. They're all
just LIMITING THOUGHTS.

The real you -- the one you know is present and aware of this
text right in this moment -- is always free, and always will be.
It has no other choice.And so, my challenge for today, is to simply:

Be the REAL UNLIMITED YOU.No attachments. No aversions. No labels.

Happy weekend,
T.Draganova

Having a dream

Having a dream............................... Courage.
Visualizing your dream....................... Persistence.

Physically moving towards your dream..........Guts.
Letting go of the "cursed hows"...............Wisdom.

The look on your friends' faces,Reader as they
watch you on "Entertainment Tonight"..........Priceless.

Yeah, that ought to light a fire -
T.Draganova

Forgive and forget?

You know that old saying, "Forgive and forget?"

Well, I think we all know that sometimes that is easier
said than done.But now there's more reason than ever to
make an effort to clear any resentments or grudges that
we may still harbor over someone else's past actions or
old events.

It turns out that according to recent research, such
emotions as resentment, bitterness, anger, and fear all
have physical consequences, like increased blood pressure
and hormonal changes. And when these emotions are not
resolved, it can lead to a state of chronic stress,
leaving the door open to other illnesses.

Forgiveness has actually more to do with freeing
yourself from harmful energies that can affect your
health and well-being than letting someone "off the hook"
or approving of their past actions. As they say,
"Do you want to be bitter or better?"
And it's also important to forgive yourself, if there's
anything you may be blaming yourself for.

One good place to start is to try this simple exercise.
Sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the things
that you consider you have done wrong. Read through the list
and then say, "I did the best I could with what I knew at that
time.I now forgive myself and set myself free." Then burn or
shred the list. Now do the same for any other people who may
have hurt you.Insert each name into the statement: "John did
the best he could with what he knew at that time.
I now forgive John and set myself free."

Something that I draw inspiration from is something that
you might find helpful too. It's called "Discourse on Loving Kindness"
and is attributed to Buddha:

Let your love flow outward through the universe,
To its height, its depth, its broad extent,
A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.
Then as you stand or walk,
Sit or lie down,
As long as you are awake,
Strive for this with a one-pointed mind;
Your life will bring heaven to earth.

Until next time,
T.Draganova

Stretch your imagination

Dear Reader,

Want to know a secret for living a healthier, stress-free life?
Well, it's something you're doing right now – reading! Reading for
enjoyment is a quick "escape" from worries or the day-to-day round.
How else can you travel the world without leaving your armchair,
meet fascinating people, visit the past, and make whole other
worlds come alive?

But reading doesn't only stretch your imagination.
Once you settle into a good book, you actually become more
physically relaxed. You're drawn into another world, and your
breathing regulates and slows. And engaging in reading takes
your attention away from any problems or thoughts that may be
scurrying around over and over in your mind. It can act like
a mental "circuit breaker," literally giving your mind a rest.
I know that, for myself, I like to curl up with a good book as
a way of unwinding at the end of a busy day. Even the phrase
"curling up with a good book" suggests a cozy, relaxing feeling!

As a matter of fact, the National Health System in the UK
believed so much in the therapeutic power of reading that it
instituted a program with local libraries to help promote reading
as a source of relaxation, and a way of reducing stress, anxiety,
and depression.

And just the act of reading helps stimulate the right side
of the brain and becomes a creative experience, because it's
like a dialogue between the reader and the author.
You share in all the emotions evoked – laughing out loud at
something funny, or on the edge of your seat with suspense,
or even having a "good cry."

So, Reader, read any good books lately?

Have a nice weekend,
T.Draganova

What's your mantra?

What's your mantra?
If you don't have one, maybe you'd like to consider
making up one of your own. A mantra is just a word
or a phrase that you repeat several times aloud or
in your mind that helps bring a sense of calm and
peace to you.
"Mantra" literally means "to free from the mind,"
and that's what it does – repeating a mantra helps
banish all those many anxious thoughts or stressful
feelings we seem to acquire throughout the day and
clears the mind.

When you repeat a mantra, it has been shown to
have a direct impact on the body and emotions. In
studies done of people who repeated their mantras
daily, it was found that they had reduced their
stress levels and anxiety and increased their sense
of well-being. So you could think of a mantra as your
"comfort" words.
While a mantra can be a prayer, like saying the "Hail Mary"
used on a rosary or the "om-mani-padme-om" in Buddhism,
a mantra can also be a personal motto, or a phrase that
inspires you or that expresses something you believe in.
It could be something like "go with the flow," "all is well,"
"take it easy," or "love surrounds me."
It's important that whatever you choose is something personal
that has meaning for you.
Saying your mantra daily could even help your heart.
According to a study in a British medical journal, when people
recited their mantras, their breathing became more regular and
synchronized with their heart rhythms. This stable respiratory
rate is beneficial for long-term heart health.
You can say your mantra at any time throughout the day,
for as long or short a time as you wish. You can "think" your
mantra while waiting somewhere or riding public transportation,
or devote some time at home to say it aloud as a form of meditation
when you can sit comfortably.
So, Dear Reader, why not give it a try?
Create your own little oasis of peace throughout the day,
and you'll be the better for it.

Until next time,
T.Draganova

Ten Tips On How You Can Live A Happier Life

1. Nourish your mind, your heart and your body or
else you shall experience sickness and suffering.

2. Nourish your heart with prayer and your mind with meditation.

3. Remember the needs of your body: healthy food, sufficient sleep.
Regular exercise, fresh air and sun.

4. Accept that which cannot be changed.

5. When unhappy, seek those who are happy. They shall share their
happiness with you.

6. Change your old routines, start doing things in a new way.

7. Don't get caught up in useless activities. Stop doing things which
are unnecessary and unimportant.

8. Establish realistic goals that you are able to meet.

9. Find satisfaction in your work.

10. Do something that will make you feel really useful. Being useful
to others will make you feel that you're making a contribution to the world.

This will increase your happiness

Happy Weekend,
T.Draganova

Three Ways of Finding Happiness

Here are three simple ways to find greater happiness in your relationship:
Don’t look forward.
Don’t look back.
And don’t think too much about yourself.
Can three such simple statements really have an affect on our happiness? Let’s take a look at each one.

• Consider “Don’t” number one: Don’t Look Forward. Most of the things we worry about concern the future, right? How secure is our job? Will we get that promotion? Is the economy going to hold? Could that simple cough our son or daughter has be a sign of something more serious? It’s been said that 90% of the things we worry about never come to pass. If this is true, then putting the reigns on some of our unproductive thoughts could free us of a lot of wasted mental energy.

• Now let’s look at “don’t” number 2: Don’t Look Back. Like things we anticipate in the future, we also carry memories of the past. But more often than not these too are overshadowed by the negatives—a comment we mistakenly made to a coworker; selling our house before the market took off; the argument with our spouse that we’re still fuming over—another big energy drain.

• Lastly, we come to the third “don’t,” which deals with that fundamental, but as yet undiscovered center of the known universe—us: Don’t Think Too Much About Yourself. So much of our thinking is turned inward and amounts to little more than random thoughts that produce very little. How do we look? Is that a new wrinkle? Where did those extra pounds come from? What should we wear? Why didn’t our friend call back?

Add to these mental energy hogs the myriad other distractions we face daily, the ringing phone; the blaring TV, the stack of emails we must responded to; the neighbor’s barking dog. Most of us become so preoccupied with distractions that we find scant time to even recognize, much less appreciate, the really good things we have in our lives.

Of course, we’ll never escape completely form this mental equivalent of white noise, but by simply becoming aware of it and not letting it rule our thinking, we can begin to create a little “quiet space” for ourselves, a small garden of mental serenity that allows us to relax and expand our vision. Maybe we’ll notice a sunset on the way home from work, or the flowers blooming in the back yard—or the things we like about our spouse that seem to get buried in the melee.

But negatives are “disempowering,” aren’t they? Some can be. But here they serve a very useful function. They help keep our mind from wandering into unproductive places. Like Do Not Enter signs, they close off our mental escape routes, those wonderful journeys into non-reality that keep us from living in the present. Freedom is wonderful, but unrestrained freedom can be like a runaway horse whose activities involve little more than fighting for survival and reacting to the events of the day. Constraints, good ones, add depth and meaning to our lives.

But what does turning down this chatter have to do with a happy love life? Think of it as a mental vacation. Vacations don’t eliminate our problems, but they do offer us a respite from the headaches of life’s daily pressures and refresh our outlook. Vacations give us time to get back in touch with our feelings and rediscover what’s really important in our lives. Ever wonder why romances blossom on vacations?
One study conducted at the University of Chicago found that many couples improved their marital happiness by taking a breather from their problems and letting things work themselves out; biting issues lost their relevance, financial situations improved, the kids grew up, and so on. Another group of unhappy couples found new contentment by focusing on other aspects of their lives, which took pressure off their marriages. So much of the stress in our lives comes from where we put our attention. So instead of immersing ourselves deeper in our hectic daily routine, why not simply reorient our thinking? You can’t beat the price—it costs nothing!
Another nice thing about the three Don’ts is their simplicity—they slip easily into our frenetic lifestyles. You don’t need to buy a workbook or attend classes to implement them. In fact, you could write them easily on a gum wrapper.

So, in answer to the question, can something this simple really work, the even simpler answer is, why not give it a try? You have nothing to lose—not even the gum wrapper.


T.Draganova