The Importance of Sandalwood Keep Growing

Historical and Current Uses

Sandalwood is one of the oldest aromatic materials, being acknowledged in ancient biblical and in Indian text as well as used in religious ceremonies throughout the ages. Botanically known as a small evergreen in the genus Santalum and family Santalaceae, this modest-sized tree (up to 10 meters) provides a great deal of commerce for India and to some extent Australia and is now being examined by the medical industry for its medicinal properties. There are several species of Santalum, but only a few are used commercially, most notably Santalum album (India) and Santalum spicatum (Australia). Other tress from such places as Polynesia and Fuji are in small numbers and in great decline. Oddly, other plants such as the Bead Tree or Candlewood are known as sandalwood but are not botanically parallel. Sometimes, non-related plants such as Red Sandalwood are used as fillers for the more expensive, genuine sandalwood.

Sandalwood from the Mysore region (known as \”sandalwood city\”) of southern India is generally considered to be of the highest quality sandalwood available, providing great commerce for this region of India. Of the traditional areas in Southeast Asia where sandalwood is found, India has been the front runner in creating plantations in which to continually harvest Sandalwood (The Australian Government has also set up reserves as well). Trade and harvest of Indian sandalwood is under strict regulation and the trees themselves are under government protection; only the government of India is permitted to own the trees. To produce commercially valuable sandalwood with high levels of fragrance oils, harvested Santalum trees are recommended to be at least 40 years of age, but 80 or above are preferred. However, trees at 30 years of age are still harvested but considered of inferior quality.

In order to retain valuable wood and oil found in the larger roots, trees are felled by uprooting, not cutting the truck. Unfortunately, many trees are illegally cut down and smuggled out of the country. In the last five years alone, the price of sandalwood oil has skyrocketed. This is mainly due to increased demand from the aromatherapy and cosmetic industry. The oil is revered by the perfume industry as being an excellent base and fixative for other high grade perfumes. The industry finds that sandalwood oil can blend well with other perfumes and when used as a base does not impart its own fragrance, thus making it a very popular ingredient for hundreds of perfume products.

Such value is found not only in its iconic-making wood, medicinal oil and fragrance but also in it religious and ceremonial value. In the Buddhist tradition, sandalwood incense is a popular offering to the Buddha and its scent is believed to have transformative qualities while in meditation. Chinese and Japanese religions also use sandalwood incense in their worship and various ceremonies. One of the oldest religions, Zoroastrianism (thought to be originally from Iran), burns the sandalwood in their sacred fire temples.

Sandalwood May Help with Antibiotic Resistance

In late December of 2009 a length article by the Associated Press entitled \”Pressure Rises to Stop Antibiotics in Agriculture\” reported on rapidly emerging bacteria that are resistant to current antibiotics from supposed misuse of antibiotics in the agriculture industry. It was all over the internet in a matter of days. The article provides quotes from professors, researchers as well as government agencies all expressing deep concern and even alarm at the rate of microbial resistance to standard treatment. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) web page includes recent studies regarding antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MSRA) (both of which cause great harm to humans and animals alike) linked to heavy uses in food agriculture. This scientifically sound web site also provided a press conference statement (way back in 2001) by Margaret Mellon, Ph.D., director of UCS Food and Environment Program stating that 70% of total antibiotic production is devoted to non-therapeutic uses in the cattle, swine and poultry industry. It seems plausible that over the last nine years since this press release, microbes have developed an armor of resistance to antibiotic treatments.

Concern for antibiotic-resistant microbes is worldwide. A need to find alternatives to conventional antibiotic treatment is rising. Essential oils have been gaining attention by research scientists for their antimicrobial properties. A collaborative study of researchers in Austria and Germany (Flavor and Fragrance Journal 2006 May/Jun; 21(3): 465-468) found that santalols of sandalwood (the main chemical components of sandalwood) in medium and/or high concentrations showed significant antimicrobial potential against the yeast Candida albicans, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, and the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Other Promising Uses

The Australian and Indian Santalum species, found to be similar in chemical composition, are known by aromatherapists to have such therapeutic properties as anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic (reduces fever), antiseptic (as mentioned above), antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasms), astringent, carminative (relieves flatulence), demulcent (reduces irritation), diuretic (soft and soothing to skin), emollient, expectorant, as a sedative and general tonic. Their principle chemical constituents are alpha-santalol and beta-santalol. According to a study conducted by the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and South Dakota University (Anticancer Research 2007 Jul-Aug; 27(4B): 2185-8) application of the chemical compound alpha-santalol prevents UVB-induced skin tumor development in mice. Sandalwood is also thought to help alleviate the symptoms of depression as reported by the University of Maryland Medical Center (www.umm.edu).

Conclusion

It is rather evident that the value of sandalwood extends across centuries and continents. It is revered by various religions, scientists, aromatherapists and perfume enthusiasts alike. What is remarkable is that uses of plants and their essential oils are bringing such world-wide engagement as their promising applications are uncovered in scientific research. A need for alternatives to conventional antibiotics as well as insecticides is clear. As less-than amiable agriculture practices surface and resistance to current antimicrobials increase, it is apparent that humankind will revert back to solutions found in nature and perhaps make a more diligent effort to conserve the very earth that sustains us.

Beyond their use in skin care, essential oils truly have medicinal effects. Aroma-medicine practitioners even prescribe means of using essential oils for the prevention of swine flu.

Lavender Has Fields of Uses

Background

On my friend\’s farm in central Colorado grows rows of lavender, and by mid-summer its flowers fragrantly scent nearby fields. While working on the farm, I find my spirits lifted and happy despite the intense heat and my tiring muscles. It is no wonder that for much of history, lavender has been used in sachets and oils alike to bring pleasure as well s reduce stress and anxiety. Other traditional therapeutic uses include as a sleep-aid, relief from pain and headaches, an anti-inflammatory, treatment for cough and respiratory infection, and as an insect repellent as well as a perfume. Greeks, Romans and Egyptians alike have all recorded using lavender in various remedies. Today, lavender is mostly used in the same way – widely used to dress wounds, induce sleep, ease depression and reduce stress. It can also be found in ingredients of teas and culinary dishes and of course the delightful scent in perfume. Current research is investigating the antimicrobial as well as anti-cancer properties of lavender essential oil.

A general tem of just lavender oil is a bit misleading, for one could misconstrue that all lavender is the same. This is far from the case. The lavenders (genus Lavendula) are characterized as having 39 species of flowering plants (as well as countless variations within individual species) classified under the mint family Lamiaceae. Traditionally indigenous to mountain zones of the Mediterranean, today lavender is also successfully cultivated in parts of France, Italy, England as well as Australia and the United States. Aromatherapists distinguish Lavendula species based upon their medicinal properties and thus their uses. Most noted are species collectively called true lavender (L. angustifolia, L. vera, L. officinalis) which can be grown and distilled at higher altitudes and thus gained a reputation as being the best quality. Properties of the true lavender include calming, sedative, analgesic (relieves pain), antibacterial, immune-system enhancer as well as good for burns. The other two commonly used groups are spike lavender (L. latifolia, L. spica), a high-yielding essential oil used for respiratory infections, muscular aches and pains and as an insect repellent and Maritime Lavender (L. stoechus), used for its mucolytic (expectorant) and antimicrobial properties and known for being high in ketones (characterized as having wound healing properties; derived from an alcohol).

Easing Anxiety Quickly and Easily

Lavender is well established as supporting a reduction in anxiety, mainly due to its high linalool levels. The physiological process of reducing anxiety through the use of essential oils is quite phenomenal. Once the diffused molecules of essential oil enter the nasal cavity, they bind to receptor sites of the olfactory neurons which then trigger a cascade of events. In short, the olfactory neurons send messages to the olfactory nerve and then onto the olfactory bulb (located just three inches from the brain) where messages are initially processed. Within the olfactory bulb are input and output stations, the glomeruli and M/T (mitral and tufted) cells respectively. The olfactory output from the bulb to the brain has several targets, mainly the primary olfactory cortex and the higher olfactory associated areas where olfactory discrimination, perception and memories take place. The other is the limbic system, sometimes referred to the \’nose\’ brain comprising a complex system of 122 regions and associated areas which together is heavily responsible for the expression of emotion. Main structures of the limbic system (LS) are the amygdala, septum, hippocampus, anterior thalamus, and hypothalamus.

Diffused essential oil of lavender has been shown to alter reactions in the limbic system – a system that includes the amygdala and hippocampus, both of with are vital to our behavior, mood and memory. Recent studies have found lavender to reduce levels of cortisol (a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands). High and prolonged levels of cortisol have been shown to have a deleterious effect on the body, such as higher blood pressure, lowered immunity and decrease in bone density. A 2008 study published by the International Journal of Cardiology (Sep 26; 129(2): 193-7)found that lavender aromatherapy reduced serum cortisol and improved coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR ) in healthy men after stress was induced and concludes that lavender aromatherapy has relaxation capabilities and may be beneficial for cases concerning coronary circulation. Another study from the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan (Archives of Oral Biology 2008 Oct; 53(10): 964-8) found that salivary cortisol levels decreased in stressed subjects (via a series of mathematical tasks) after being exposed to air-borne lavender essential oil; cortisol levels did not decrease in the control group. Lavender essential oil has also been found to help babies as well. The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Florida (Early Human Development 2008 Jun; 84(6): 399-41) found that babies bathed with essential oil of lavender cried less and spent more time in deep sleep than babies who were not bathed with the oil.

Other Applications for Lavender

Although lavender is mostly known for its calming properties, it has other valuable offerings as well. With the growing resistant strains of bacteria to conventional treatments, lavender is being investigated as a probable candidate for use in antibacterial products. A study by Thames Valley University, Bentford, UK (Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2009 Mar: 15(3): 275-9) looked at the antimicrobial effectiveness of various species of lavender oil on methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant (MRSA) Staphylococcus aureus; all selected oils inhibited growth on MSSA and MRSA strains by direct contact. A preliminary study conducted by Southern Cross University, Australia (Alternative Medicine Review 2009 Dec; 14(4): 380-4) found that Lavender angustifolia was able to discriminate between beneficial intestinal bacteria and potential pathogens of the human gastrointestinal tract, indicating that lavender might be a possible alternative to common antibiotics that are non-discriminatory.

Concluding Remarks

Lavender, highly regarded for centuries for its medicinal and sedative properties, is finding its way into modern medical facilities. It is encouraging to read of increased laboratory research that is uncovering the active chemical properties of lavender and their possible uses in human healthcare. Yet, it must be duly noted that clinical research often looks at single constituents of an essential oil rather than the synergistic properties of the plant\’s oil as a whole. Also, many research studies are limited to in vitro testing verses looking at the effects of human beings as an entire being (which often is outside the parameters of analytical research analyses). It is recognized here that evidence from promising clinical and laboratory results on uses of lavender is opening doors for modern medicine to look for solutions outside conventional settings. The aromatherapy use of lavender might just be a welcomed addition in many medical facilities in the near future. Centuries-old knowledge and modern laboratory investigations are well to go hand in hand in finding beneficial approaches in supporting health and healing.

The author is a consultant to aroma-therapeutics practitioners around the world. For an excellent chart of essential oil uses, and more on essential oils for skin care, visit The Ananda Apothecary online.

Chakra Clearing And Cleansing – A New You!

The secret of success in todays times is to reinvent yourself constantly keeping in mind that you do not lose heart and keep on motivating yourself and keep moving towards giving your 100%.

There are various other determinants of uninterrupted growth which include the body strength as well as the mental makeup and the passion within the heart of an individual. A fairly crucial part is played by centres of spiritual energy in your body as they help in development of the persona of an individual.

The chakras are the source that can allow your will and desires to process into ability and skill which lead to your achievement of success with the desired results. However if not given proper attention these skills may reach a point of stagnation and hence require constant process of up gradation which is the called chakra clearing.

These chakras are placed at varied points in our body and all of them are related to different types of behavior and character. It is hence quite important that you can work on each one of them individually.

In the process of clearing chakras the body gets rid of the negative energy in you in order to intake positive energy and stabilize it.

Certain moves in the clockwise direction help to get in the positive energies while opposite movements are required in order to get rid of the negativity.

On most occasions people can feel pain at various points however it should not be concerning as it only proves that energy flows in and out.

The chakras collect the energy from the heavenly structures and they use it for the apt functioning of the human skills and abilities.

It is often observed that you reinvent yourself every time with the act of clearing chakras and a lot of people do it periodically though the length of the period may vary from daily to weekly to biweekly.

You would see that after clearing chakras you would be able to develop a better ability to respond to various situations, also you would find yourself discovering newer thoughts and ideas, in fact people are able to see a newer side of their personality often after they have cleared and balanced their chakras.

The process of clearing chakras can start by paying attention to 1-2 of the circles of energy in your body and in the process try to get all your chakras cleared as only then you will be able to enjoy the advantage of your energies. People would be able to experience peace of mind as well as they tend to be relaxed.

The chakras that need you attention can be known by the kind of reaction they give to your body and it will not take years of learning or knowledge to understand the indications, it would happen naturally, once you know you can work on the body part that related to the chakra.

Todays competitive world demands a lot of agility and awareness and without the right approach and the correct balance of all your energies making your abilities count as performance would be quite difficult.

People have realised that inner energies play an important role in their lives, personal as well as professional, and also there is a conscious attempt made by people to understand and utilize its benefits.

The amount of satisfaction and accomplishments that the functioning chakras bring into your life is enormous, it is just the question of how effectively you practise it to achieve a refreshed source of energy.

The author Jai Dahalli is a writer for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To understand how chakra cleansing can change your life and receive twenty nine Free chakra balancing affirmations, hypnosis and special sound frequency audios.

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Chakra Healing A Non-Invasive and Natural Healing Process

What is Chakra According to the ancient Hindus?

A chakra is the human bodys energy axis that receives, interacts with and conveys life force between an individual and his/her environment. Its direct English translation means a spinning wheel. Furthermore, ancient Hindu writings reveal that of the bodys 88,000 chakra points, there are seven which are considered of primary importance.

Located along the spine, the seven key chakras are the root, navel, solar plexus, heart, throat, brow, and crown. These energy axes (chakra) in our body continuously receive and give out energies from their interaction with our environment such as other people, plants, trees, animals and other elements. They are credited with having a direct effect on our physical, emotional and spiritual character.

One interesting aspect of the explanation and characterization of chakras is the uncanny similarity reached by both the Hindus and Chinese that they are an integral part of mans conscious and subconscious experience. Add to this the fact that both civilizations use the same theory for promoting a healthy and successful life of an individual.

The continuous contact of energy points with its host (our body) and the environment regardless of whether we are awake or not, gives them a special power over the our physical appearance and bodily functions, including our health and emotions. A malfunction of one of the seven major energy points results in our feeling ill and weak, both physically and mentally.

Since each of the major chakras corresponds to a particular endocrine gland in our body, any variance in their normal function or behavior directly affects our health as well.

Maintaining the Optimum Functions of our Chakras Using the foundations of the ancient Hindus and Chineses understanding and interpretation of the functions of our bodys energy points, especially the seven major ones, we can safely arrive at the conclusion that not all our illnesses are viral; some are very likely related to the malfunction of one or all of our chakras. Physical symptoms of illness may not be present or minimal at the very least, but our feelings of discontent, stress, excitement are signs that something is wrong with us either on the physical, spiritual or emotional levels.

These factors could be anything ranging from repressed traumatic incidents during early childhood to wrong diet, unhealthy lifestyle and the like. One thing is certain, and that is we have to remove these physical or emotional toxins from our bodies because they affect us greatly.

Benefits of Chakra Healing One important aspect to note is that we have the capability to manipulate our chakras and their functions. By doing so, we are also directly controlling their functions in order to achieve good life.

There are a number of ways through which we can directly influence the functions of our bodys major chakras. From simple techniques such as aromatherapy, breathing exercises, physical fitness, or with the use of crystals and gemstones we can achieve balance and harmony.

Other methodologies of chakra healing are meditation (keeping the mind focused on an object of thought or awareness for a certain period of time), guided visualization (done with the aid of audio tapes or CDs to promote natural healing and relaxation techniques to reduce stress, promote relaxation and harness the power of the mind).

Despite the fact that we can see or touch our energy points, aside from the above there are other ways that we can keep them healthy in order for them to better support our body.

Since our diet affects our body and our system, they also affect the stability and synchronization of our major energy points. The food we eat can either make them work better, slowly or not at all!

Our root chakra thrives on root-type vegetables and protein-rich foods. Sweet fruits, nuts directly affect our navel chakra while our solar plexus chakra is enhanced by a healthy diet of breads, dairy product and cereals.

Our energy points that affect the heart and throat are sustained when we eat green, leafy vegetables, drink plenty of liquid, green tea and fruit juices.

By eating blueberries, grapes and drinking wine or grape juice, we help nourish our brow/third eye chakra which is responsible for making our third eye senses sharper and more attuned to our psychical abilities.

The spiritual and emotional center (our crown chakra) of the human body however does not need nutrients but requires detoxification by means of fasting.

These everyday methods, which admittedly are vey simple since they are an extension of what we already perform daily are some of the basic ways we can heal our energy points so that we can reap the benefits of possessing a healthy functioning chakra for a more productive and healthier life.

The author Anne-Marie Laureaut is a writer for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To understand how chakra meditation can transform your whole life and receive twenty nine Free chakra healing affirmations, hypnosis and special sound frequency audios.

The Seven Chakras – Circles That Change Your Life

With every day passing we are able to discover unknown facts that have supported the existence of homo-sapiens on this planet and have helped them pass through the test of time and reach the point where they have been able to create a civilization. Of these unexplored aspects that is not completely known by us is the impact of the cosmic energy on the lifestyle and the actions of human body. It is believed that seven chakras in our body participate in exchanging energy and hence control a lot of human activities and behaviour.

More than the energy that we actually receive from the kind of food we intake, we need energy that would help us refresh our mind and souls and this energy is obtained by the interaction of the seven chakras in our body and the celestial objects.

The exact purpose and functions of these seven chakras are not entirely defined though there has been a good amount of knowledge that we possess about them. A strong belief suggests that it is the way that you feel that generates the kind of results, in case you are not confident about a particular task and feel very low before even trying you would come back with a negative result only where in if you have always been positive you end up getting the desired results and these things are important even when things are least/most likely to happen.

Each chakra plays its part in controlling and regulating a particular organ or habit that we possess, also the level of impact the chakras would have on their specified body part or behaviour would be different from each other.

All chakras end up influencing various aspects that are important for the well being of an individual, you will be able to understand the impact in detail in the following explanation.

The first chakra that lies towards the end of the spine is known as the root chakra, its impact is clearly visible on the character of the person, while the chakra has positive energy it develops the characteristics of strong will and determination. This chakra helps to control the organs in the lower abdomen, especially the intestine and other organs.

Above the root chakra is the genital chakra, it assists the human attempts to avoid greed, lust and other things that are referred as worldly pleasures as well as helps you to get out of narrow mindedness. If the chakra is inclined towards the wrong end then cruelty and ignorance are features that develop.

The third chakra is the Umbilical chakra, it helps a person to remain calm and stable mentally as well as helps bring out apt responsiveness to any kind of a situation that he/she faces. In case of this chakra imposing negativity the persons behaviour is not stable as he develops feelings of embarrassment and other unstable actions come along. The organs that this chakra regulates include the stomach and other organs which help in digestion.

The fourth chakra from the bottom is the heart chakra that is responsible for the generation of various emotions as well as inspires feelings of liking and admiration. As the name suggests it has firm control over the human heart and if filled with negativity can lead to feelings of hatred and hypocrisy.

Above the heart chakra lies the fifth of the chakras, the throat chakra. This energy circle has an impact of the voice you possess and the kind of language that you speak. The neck and mouth are some of the important parts that are covered by this chakra.

The third eye chakra is the sixth chakra and it helps to pass judgements and perceive things. Positive energy here enhances vision, hearing and smelling powers.

The last chakra is called the crown chakra and it deals with taking ones own self to the divine path and reaching a stage of enlightenment.

The author Jai Dahalli is one of the team of experts who writes for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To understand how knowledge of the seven chakra can enhance your whole life and receive twenty nine Free chakra healing brainwave training balancing and meditation Audios.

Chakra Meditation For Everyone!

Meditation is considered as a powerful form of self-realization and self-healing. There are various methods by which you can meditate, but perhaps, the most potent of all is the Chakra Meditation.

Introduction to Chakra Meditation

Quite simply, Chakra Meditation refers to the process of balancing and energizing all the 7 energy centers (Chakras) in order to align the flow of energy through them. These 7 energy centers, or the Chakras, are:

1. Crown Chakra is situated at the top of the head. It is related to the thought element, which governs our wisdom, knowledge, and consciousness.

2. Brow Chakra, also called The Third Eye Chakra, is situated between the brows on the forehead. It is related to the Light element, which governs our perception, interpretation, and visualization.

3. Solar Plexus governing your metabolism, autonomy and conviction is located just above the naval region and related to the element Fire.

4. Heart Chakra is situated right at the center of the chest. It is related to the Air element, which governs our feelings of love, compassion, and general relationships.

5. Power Chakra, also called the Solar Plexus, is situated just above the naval region. It is related to the Fire element, which governs our will power, metabolism, and autonomy.

6. Brow or The Third Eye Chakra located between the brows on the forehead and related to the element Light. It governs perception, interpretation, imagination, and clear vision.

7. Crown Chakra located at the top of the head and related to the element thought. It governs consciousness, wisdom, and knowledge.

By concentrating and synchronizing these vital energy centers, one can achieve a calming influence on the mind resulting in stress-free existence and a contented life. Chakra Meditation also helps in naturally healing any ailment related to these 7 vital energy centers.

Chakra Meditation Unleashed

Chakra Meditation, essentially, involves three steps or techniques:

1. Grounding Technique refers to the process whereby, your body feels connected with Earth. The visualization involves assuming a root growing from your body and entering into the Earth, thus, transfixing your body to the ground. With some intense focus and determination, you can achieve this state of Chakra Meditation.

2. Centering Technique refers to the process whereby, your body gets prepared to receive the benefits of Chakra Meditation. The actual step involves taking 3-5 deep breaths. And visualization involves the assumption of feeling of relaxation of every body part from toe to head by tightening and relaxing each body part starting from toe, and moving in the northwards direction, till the head. The final act is the visualization of the act of centering a pot on a pottery wheel.

3. Relaxation Technique, which is the final step in Chakra Meditation. There is no hard and fast rule to relax your body. Everyone has his or her own method of relaxation.

Here is one of the most common methods of performing Chakra Meditation:

a) Sit or lie down in a position that is most comfortable for your body.

b) Close your eyes and loosen your clothing. The idea is to be in a natural state without any kind of artificial compulsion on the body and mind.

c) Take relaxing breaths ” neither too fast nor too slow. Just give up your control on the breath, and let it flow naturally.

d) Start feeling every part of your body from toe to the head in that direction. While your eyes are closed, feel the earth you are lying or sitting on, or the bed you are lying or sitting on, feel the aura around you, feel the clothes you are wearing. Feel everything youd have had your eyes been open. Visualize life in darkness!

e) All the negative thoughts and emotions should not be avoided. Let them be! With time and regular practice, these thoughts will disappear automatically. Rather, when no such negative emotion disturbs you, that is the time when you should consider that you have perfected the art of Chakra Meditation.

f) Feel every subtle inner detail and let your awareness travel freely from one body part to the other.

Chakra Meditation can be performed by anyone at convenient hours. There is no rule for the duration of time to perform Chakra Meditation. Suit your comfort levels!

The author Jonathan Benjem is a writer for the popular chakra-balance.com site. To understand how chakra balancing can transform your whole life and to get 29 Free chakra meditation affirmations, hypnosis and special sound frequency audios.

Enjoy Your Life Once Again With Chakra Meditation

Meditation has been around for around two thousand years, it\’s been a way of life for mankind. In fact every religion that is practiced by men uses some sort of meditation as a way of achieving a higher form of spiritual consciousness.

At first meditation was used mostly by religious priests, but through the years meditation has been picked up by ordinary people when they discover just how the various benefits work.

If you are not really aware of what meditation is, basically you intensely focus on sounds, objects, ideas, a breathing rhythm, actions or even movements to be able to allow your perception to intensify, you will cut down on your stress levels, enhance relaxation, and gain personal and spiritual growth.

Although meditation techniques have originally been practiced along religious traditions and beliefs in order to build up spiritual knowledge and awareness of ultimate reality, it can also be employed by anyone in order to relieve stress and pain.

With the latest understanding by Western medical practitioners of the important role of the mind in one\’s ability to cope with health issues, more and more interest in meditation and its function in alleviating some physical ailments has made the practice an adjunct of traditional medical treatment.

It is interesting to note that medical clinics and hospitals across the nation have been offering the practice of meditation as a possible method for patients to improve their health. Meditation is currently employed as a method for treatment of some diseases, as an additional therapeutic process for a comprehensive treatment program and as a means of improving the quality of life of people with chronic, debilitating, or incurable illnesses.

Current health care application of meditation focuses on three particular approaches: transcendental meditation, relaxation response meditation and mindfulness meditation (also referred to as mindfulness-based stress reduction).

Meditation focuses on the seven major chakras, which also correspond to the body\’s major endocrine glands.

If you would practice meditation for at least 30 minutes a day it will contribute to your balanced and harmonious interdependent functions of the major chakras with one another.

You will notice the energy flowing from the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and finally the crown chakras while meditating. Your whole body\’s biological, emotional, and spiritual aspects become more nourished and balance the body cleansing physical, emotional and spiritual toxins.

Since chakra meditation requires deep concentration the uninterrupted flow of energy into the body also gives a boost to the major chakras (and their corresponding endocrine counterparts).

You know how catalytic converters work? Well imagine your chakra meditation as a catalytic converter for your body. It gathers the energy outside of your body and channels it to the useful portions of your body\’s chakra system.

And since your chakras are such a huge part of your body\’s physical and metaphysical makeup, with fine tuning of these items our daily lives are affected either directly or indirectly, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and even spiritually.

You have several ways that you can practice the art of chakra meditation, but no matter how you go about doing the meditation you biggest step in the chakra meditation is to allow the state of focus to go and spread throughout the whole body.

You will not notice an immediate change from practicing chakra meditation, but more of a gradually change that will slowly take over your thoughts to give you a more positive outlook on life. Meditation is believed to help a person live a better life and be happier both physically and emotionally.

The most notable effect of chakra meditation is that a person\’s ability to concentrate and awareness are greatly enhanced even only after a week. Imagine if you are performing chakra meditation for years!

Also other noted benefits of chakra meditation are heightened creativity, better resourcefulness because of better perception. Also another proven benefit of chakra meditation is people tend to sleep much better and deeper, thus they will awake more refreshed in the morning, and overall health will also benefit by getting deeper sleep.

If you practice daily chakra meditations you will also notice a great reduction in the level of stress in all areas of your life. Because you will have better control over your emotions and better patience

Generally, overall health and well-being is greatly improved when meditation becomes a part of your daily routine. It helps to lower blood pressure which in turn can help prevent strokes and heart disease. It can also help reduce the effect of stress on people who suffer from chronic illnesses.

Even if you are only able to practice meditation for half an hour a day you will be able to notice a more healthy and productive life.

Anne-Marie-Laureaut is a writer for the chakra-balance.com website. To discover how understanding chakra meditation will improve your whole life and to get 29 Free chakra meditation healing and balance mp3 audios visit here.

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Breathing, Massaging or Eating Essential Oils? Read This!

The Passage of Aromatic Essential Oils Though the Nasal Cavity

Essential oils are the lipophilic steam distillates of plants, meaning they are “fat friendly” and easily pass through cell walls. This means they get into nooks and crannies of the body fairly readily, and get into our bodies fairly readily too! But many folks who use essential oils only by inhalation often don’t consider how they’re absorbed, the actual physiology, or what happens after they’re absorbed. It’s good stuff…

The essential oil compounds (made up of molecules of essential oils), are first breathed in by the nasal cavity. Inside the nasal cavity there are fine hairs or cilia that sort the medicinal molecules and filter them down into the pharynx. From here the inhaled compounds reach the trachea, into the branched tubes known as bronchi, down into smaller tubes known as bronchioles and finally arrive at microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. Each alveolus is lined with thin epithelial cells that enable gas exchange to take place with capillaries of the pulmonary vein. Once in the pulmonary vein, the compounds are taken to the heart and then distributed to parts of the body that are receptive to their medicinal support.

The details of this process are actually quite fascinating. Once the gaseous compounds of the essential oil is breathed in through the nose, this essential oil-bearing air is filtered and warmed by the cilia (or little hairs) and mucous membranes that line the nasal cavity. They then travel though the pharynx, down the larynx (the upper portion of the respiratory tract), move through the trachea (or windpipe), and finds their way into the two bronchi ? each leading to a lung. Once in the lungs, the molecules move through finer tubes called bronchioles and then dead end at the alveoli which are microscopic in size. The air passes through the epithelium of the alveoli through diffusion and picked up by capillaries of the pulmonary vein which lead to the heart. Once deposited into the heart chambers, the essential oil-rich air is distributed to various parts of the body that have an affinity for its compounds.

A recent study conducted at Georgetown University found a subset of nociceptive nerves (receptors for pain; send pain messages to the brain and spinal cord) that have receptor sights for aromatherapy molecules. Such an insight is further support for the use of aromatherapy as medicine.

Topical Application

Although the skin in not the primary way in which essential oils can reach the blood stream, research has shown that select, highly potent essential oils can penetrate the skin membranes and permeate into the body. The penetration potential of essential oils can be enhanced through heat, such as through the action of massage or through hot water, such as in a bath. And, as will be concluded from above, portions of the essential oil compounds will also evaporate and find its way into the nasal cavity and into the lungs.

Although some areas of human skin are more conducive to applying essential oil, all areas of the skin are permeable to essential oil compounds. The use of heat, such as through massage, and hot water, such as in a bath seems to enhance the penetrability of the oils.

Eating Essential Oils

Ingestion of essential oils tends to be considered hazardous, yet the French have been ingesting oils for years. The important point though is they are prescribed by an aromatherapist, filled at what amounts to a drug store, and taken only 1-2 drops at a time until the condition is cured. Essential oils taken this way are most rapidly absorbed though the tongue and esophagus, and likely don’t make it to the stomach unless taken with water. In this case they’re absorbed by all three of these parts of the body rich with blood supply, and are quickly distributed by the bloodstream.

To lessen your stress, try Lavender essential oil and Rose oil based in the carrier oil of your choice for a wonderful massage.

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Essential Secrets to Chakra Balance

To gain an understanding of chakra balance you must first learn the general concept of chakras. Chakras are the energy centers of our bodies, they play an important role in allowing the bodies aura to breathe the ebbing flow in and out through the energy openings of our body.

One of their main functions is to vitalize our physical body and also to bring about the development of your self-consciousness. Chakras are also associated with our mental, physical, and emotional interactions.

Now how about what chakra’s look like? In most depictions you will notice a chakra is a funnel of sorts, and there are also smaller funnels within the larger funnel. Sometimes chakras have been referred to looking almost like a lotus flower.

Everyone has seven chakras and every chakra has a corresponding color association. Here we will learn of each chakra, the benefit of chakra balance and how they work to relieve stress and enhance your life and well being.

The seven chakras are the root, sacral, solar plexus, heart and throat chakras as well as the brow or third eye chakra and the crown chakra. They line up in the center of your body, beginning at the base of your spine and follow up to the top of your head.

To accomplish a chakra balance you can eat certain foods which help to ground and re-energize your chakras.

The root chakra finds benefit from eating tofu, carrots, beans, potatoes, meats, parsnips, eggs, radishes, garlic and beets.

Sacral Chakra: Almonds, cinnamon, honey, mangos, melons, strawberries and many others.

Solar Plexus Chakra: Cereals, cheese, flax seed, ginger, milk, mints as well as many other foods. These types of food increase your self esteem.

The heart chakra benefits by eating thyme, sage, spinach, basil, broccoli and green teas, since they encourage the healing of emotional upsets.

Next is your throat chakra and to help to speak truth try eating lemons, limes, kiwi, salt , lemon grass, apples, pears, and plums.

Brow Chakra: Black berries, blueberries, lavender, poppy seeds and red grapes encourage the awakening of the sense of the third eye.

For the final chakra your crown chakra, this will help to open and clear spiritual communication try the following incense sage, copal, myrrh, frankincense, and juniper.

This of course, is a partial list of the foods, spices and drinks that are beneficial to the chakra centers, however, to gain a proper chakra balance, you must learn to focus on your own chakra centers.

You can begin balancing your chakras, by starting with the root chakra and working your way up to each ascending chakra, by placing gemstones on each chakra point. When working with each chakra point, you can bring balance to individual chakras by leaving a gemstone on the point for 3 to 5 minutes each, depending on the level of balance you feel each chakra needs.

You may choose to use any type of gemstone, however, you should be aware that some individuals recommend particular gemstones for each chakra center, although the choice of gemstone may vary from one individual to another. You can easily test the theory by alternating gemstones until you find your perfect match. You may notice a humming once you have your gemstones in place on your chakras, or perhaps a feel good feeling when utilizing the best gemstones. If you experience any negative feelings, or the gemstone just does not feel right, remove it and do not use it for chakra work at all.

Experiment with various gemstones until you find the one that provides you with the best feelings and then make a list of the chakra and the type of gemstones you use. For example, you may wish to use a black onyx on your root chakra, which is popular with many individuals, however, it may not be the best choice of gemstone to use for your chakra. Never assume that a suggested gemstone is the best choice for you to use, since what works for some, may not work for others. Experiment until you find your perfect gemstone.

A chakra balance can also be done all at once, put your gemstones on each chakra point at the same time, and then leave them on for three to 25 minutes, again depending on how much your chakra’s need to be balanced.

A new scientific development in audio technology now allows you to achieve a chakra balance just by listening to special sound frequencies.

By listening on headphones, your own chakras instantly start to resonate at the correct frequency!