Self Help

Life Lessons to Help Yourself

One of the most popular survey’s on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga is Your Biggest Mistakes in Life survey.  Life is really not long enough to make and recover from every possible mistake, so it is very important to learn, not just from your own mistakes, but also, to learn from the mistakes of others.  For this reason, I think this survey is one of the most important ones we have running, and for those really interested in true Self Help, it is priceless.

So, I would like to update you with the results of this ongoing survey, as now more than 160 responses have been processed.  This means we can help ourselves by learn from the experience of these 160 people and help avoid making the same mistakes that they regret making.   This survey really helps us learn some very important life lessons.

Please note, that since multiple answers were allowed for each participant, the percentages will not add up to 100%, but instead reflect the ratio of that response to the total number of participants.

Survey Results of Biggest Mistakes in Life

Lessons Learned to Help Yourself:

Still number 1 on the list is “Delayed Your Spiritual Practice.”  So just don’t procrastinate anymore!  This is the biggest mistake people have made in life, and I cannot emphasize enough the importance of avoiding this mistake if you have the chance.  Start your practice today.  Do not wait for things to be perfect.  Do not wait for the perfect time, place, guru, etc.  Just start, as best as you can, everything else will fall into place.

Once you start your practice, other self help issues will start to resolve themselves.  The insight you will gain from a strong spiritual practice will help you understand relationships better.  It will help you uncover your real passions.  It will give you the heart and courage to take the necessary risks.  And of course, it will improve your health DRAMATICALLY.  Nothing is better for your health and longevity than a good yoga and meditation practice.  So what are you waiting for?  Jump in and let the adventure begin.

Here are some popular self-help articles that explore each of these topics in greater detail.  Find the ones in the category that you feel you need some work on and follow through.  Good ideas are just ideas.  You must implement these ideas in order to grow personally and spiritually.  Make a reasonable commitment and follow through on it.  Your muscles of willpower will grow, as will your intuitive abilities and courage.  Then you will find yourself able to align your life with your passions, and that is the key to living a meaningful and joyous life.

Stop Procrastinating Now:

Golden Rule to Stop Making Excuses and Start Meditation Now

10 Keys for Turning Ideas Into Reality

Understanding Money and Finances:

Money Money Money and the Path to Enlightenment

Role of Money, Pleasure & Career in Spirituality

Importance of Passion in Life:

Stop the Madness of Self-Discipline

Having the Courage to Take Risks:

Osho Speaks on Courage

New Kundalini Yoga Classes & the Courage to Live Dangerously

How to Improve Your Health and Longevity:

Please take a look at the free online classes and the articles on Ayurveda

Free Online Yoga & Meditation Classes

Ayurveda Category

Improving and Understanding Relationships and Love:

The True Purpose of Relationship

Relationship Issues for the Spiritually Inclined

Special Technique for Fun and Healthy Relationships

Final Word on Self Help Lessons:

An important final word I do want to make, is that another purpose of this survey is to ensure you make thoughtful decisions and don’t rush into commitments that are then hard to get out of.  Of course, all challenges are learning opportunities for us, so technically there are no “mistakes” in life, but it is also up to us to live intelligently and try to do our very best always.  The results are, of course, always in the Lord’s hands.

—
Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Important Life Lessons to Learn from Biggest Mistakes In Life Survey
• Survey: What Are the Biggest Mistakes You Have Made in Life?
• Top 5 Mistakes in Establishing a Daily Meditation Practice
• Vast Benefits of Meditation Confirmed by Survey
• 11 Requirements for Becoming a Champion Meditator

Easy Yoga Posture

Simple Yoga for Stretching

During my Kundalini Yoga teacher’s training course, we were required to take yoga classes from different types of yoga, as well as yoga classes taught by other teachers.  One such class was a Hatha Yoga Class, with an excellent teacher.  During this class, one of the poses we practiced was a very simple and easy looking pose, designed to stretch the entire body.  Sure it was an easy yoga pose, but boy did this simple posture end up giving us a great sweat and workout.  Today’s yoga pose is a variation of this very pose and I am sure you too will learn how to use this simple exercise as a great full body stretch.  The pose is called the Palm Tree Pose in Hatha Yoga and the variation we practiced was called Mountain Pose.

One of the first rules of of doing yoga is to make sure you do easy poses first and then after you are nicely warmed up move onto more difficult poses and sets.  Palm Tree Pose is perfect for the warm-up section of your practice.  Since it is a very simple exercise, it is also very safe to do, and in addition, it helps to stretch the entire body nicely, thus preparing it for the tougher yoga that is to come.  For more guidelines on doing yoga properly please refer to the following to articles:

Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice

Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice

I noticed recently that although we have many yoga poses in our Free Online Hatha Yoga Book, our Standing Poses Section needs to be beefed up a little.  Palm Tree pose will contribute nicely towards this section and I will be adding some more standing poses in the near future as well.  In general, the standing yoga postures tend to be easier and simpler than poses from the other categories.  Palm Tree pose will also be added to our Online Kundalini Yoga Exercises e-book.

Below you will find an illustration of this posture, along with practice details, benefits and other related information.

Easy Yoga Pose – Palm Tree Pose

Illustration of Palm Tree Pose

Palm Tree Pose – Easy Yoga Pose:

A. How to Do Palm Tree Pose:

• Stand straight up with feet about shoulder width apart.

• Keep your eyes open and focus on a point in front of you to help you keep your balance. Advanced practitioners can also look upwards.
  
• Interlace your finger, stretch your arms up and have your palms facing UP.

• Now slowly slowly rise up onto your toes and STRETCH UPWARDS.

• Breathe normally and hold this pose for the duration of the exercise.  Keep STRETCHING.  The key to getting the most out of this pose, is to keep stretching upwards.  This aspect makes the pose very effective.

• This pose has a few variations to this exercise and below I give 2 good ones.

• Variation 1: After you reach up, bend to the left and hold, then come back to center.  Then bend to the right and hold.  Repeat stretching gently from side to side for the remainder of the exercise. This is called Swaying Palm Tree, and is also a nice easy way to stretch and warm-up.

• Variation 2: In the version I referred to above, called Mountain Pose, you don’t interlace your fingers.  Instead keep the palm wide open, facing forward with the fingers all stretched and pointing upwards.  Then STRETCH upwards, consciously stretching every joint and reaching towards the sky.  In this pose, you can also stretch left and right if you like.
  

B. Duration for Palm Tree Pose: 15 seconds – 3 minutes.

C. Benefits of Palm Tree Pose:

• Great easy stretch for the entire body.
  
• Helps stretch and strengthen up the joints.
• Helps stretch the ligaments as well.
  
• Stretches the side abdominal muscles and back as well.
• Good for your back and spine.
  
• Good way to feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
• Helps build balance and mental focus.
  

D. Practice Tips and Cautions for Palm Tree Pose:

• This is a nice easy pose which almost everyone can practice without any problems.
• If you really stretch well, you will be able to break a sweat even while doing such a simple pose.
  

Here are some more simple and easy yoga poses to help you develop your practice.

Basic Yoga Poses | Beginner’s Yoga Poses

Basic Yoga Poses for Balance

Basic Yoga Poses for Balance – Tree Pose – Part 2

—
Related Articles at Mastery of Meditation, Kundalini Yoga and Zen:

• Free Online Hatha Yoga Poses Galleries
• Free Online Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Poses & Exercises E-Book
• Best Hatha Yoga Pose for Spontaneous Healing
• Important Hatha Yoga Posture for October Practice
• Lower Back Exercise – Yoga Spinal Twists