#her philosophies remind me of Buddha’s teachings

[anonymocha]

Can we talk about Kaalaa Baunaa’s wilderness chat for a sec:

— • —

Kaalaa Baunaa: Have you noticed? This part of the sky is very different from the outside world.

Timekeeper: The solitude they endure is mirrored in the other's.

Kaalaa Baunaa: Ha... You're right.

Kaalaa Baunaa: The land is filled with too much noise, they're all in too much hurry... Full of joy and sorrow.

Kaalaa Baunaa: Only in the moment when we gaze upon the universe in its entirety, are we able to momentarily become one with eternity. Just as before we are born, and after we pass from this world.

— • —

Like, girl, wow, okay. Amazing. We need to meditate together. It’s gonna look like this.

[luminouslumity]

I've seen it countless times before your meager existence.

I've seen the world suffer famine, disease, war, and endless turmoil. An eternity of needless pain.

I thought if I helped someone with real power, guided you to be better, I could make a true difference in the world.

But I now see the only true way to create the perfect world... is to start with a clean slate.

LADY BONE DEMON: Save your hero speech, child. I've existed long enough to know when it's over.

MK: You still think that the universe really wants anything from any of us?

LADY BONE DEMON: Don't you?

MK: I try not to think too hard.

LADY BONE DEMON: So it would seem. Know this, Monkie: you and I are not so different. We both fight for what we think it right. That pursuit only leads to one thing.

MK: Mm-hmm. To destiny, right?

LADY BONE DEMON: No. To pain.

Technically Part Four! Really, there's so much I can talk about regarding these two scenes, but what I'm really interested in is how it connects to history and Buddhism! I've pretty much already covered this in my last LBD post, but since I've been wanting to expand on it by getting more into the historical side of things, here ya go! A few things to keep in mind for this: saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—the cycle of rebirth and the release from it—and court culture.

Yeah, so. You know how Buddhism is supposed to be all about the elimination of suffering?

Consider LBD an extreme version of that.

The difference is that Buddhism of course tries to accomplish this through more peaceful means by listening to the teachings of, well, Buddha, while LBD just wanted to literally start over completely.

The religion itself would've also already had influence in China for centuries by the time Tang Sanzang was born; for further context, the real Tang Xuanzang was born in 602 CE while Buddhism—more specifically, Mahayana Buddhism—was introduced to China during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE to 220 BCE), so if she'd really been watching humanity for so long, then it's safe to assume she also witnessed the spread of several religions and philosophies in China and was perhaps even inspired by a few of them—including Buddhism and even Confucianism (which focused on human conduct) and Taoism (which put more of an emphasis on inner harmony) before that—but ended up going too far. And who knows how many years she'd spent with the emperor (and yeah, according to the credits, the man she was trying to help was apparently an emperor), only for her words to apparently fall on deaf ears.

Which brings us to politics!

Yay.

No, but seriously, with China having as long of a history as it does, corruption from both leaders—emperors and otherwise—as well as advisors is unfortunately inevitable, especially if said leader is only a child.

Now, advisors obviously aren't anything new, but Lady Bone Demon wanting to bring order to the world by attempting to advise someone in a position of power and failing to do so almost reminds me of Kong Qiu (Confucius) specifically, if only due to him being the first one to come to mind. Long story short, he got involved in politics and desired to establish a centralized government by dismantling the fortifications belonging to the three ruling families of his home state of Lu, but was unsuccessful. Eventually, due to the the duke indulging himself in pleasure to the point of neglecting his duties for three days, Kong Qiu decided to leave and seek better opportunities soon after. Though he expounded his political beliefs in several different states, he didn't see them be implemented there, either.

And just to get some sort of idea as to the sort of things LBD would've witnessed specifically in regards to certain rulers being in power, I'd also like to take the time to very briefly talk about a few Chinese rulers. However, due to history being written by the winners as well as China being as old as it is, some things are bound to get lost to time for one reason or another, so please make sure to take some of this with a grain of salt.

KING ZHOU of SHANG

Reigning from 1075–1046 BCE, King Zhou became the last ruler of the Shang Dynasty, and if the legends are anything to go by, there's a reason for that. In a nutshell, Zhou is often remembered as being a generally cruel and ineffective ruler, having come under the influence of his wicked wife, Daji. For instance, it's said that the king came up with an entirely new torture method just to please her and he would also levy heavy taxes to fund his daily expenses. He also apparently enjoyed the Jiǔchí Ròulín, the Wine Pond and Meat Forest, a pool filled with wine while meat hung nearby, giving way to the idiom of the same name, meaning extreme debauchery. He would eventually be overthrown by rebels of what would later become the Zhou Dynasty.

King Zhou and Daji's story has also been fictionalized in books such as Fengshen Yanyi (I talk a little about it here), which tells the tale of the eventual fall of the Shang Dynasty. Speaking of, though not the only story to depict Daji this way, FSYY has her as originally being a fox spirit sent by the goddess Nüwa to destroy King Zhou in exchange for immortality after the king offended her. Unfortunately, the fox spirit quickly ends up going rogue by taking the place of the real Daji after killing her, marries King Zhou, and then spends the next several years creating chaos and oppressing the people by her husband's side before finally meeting her demise.

QIN SHI HUANG

The first emperor of a unified China, Qin Shi Huang reigned from around 247-221 BCE as King of Qin from the age of thirteen and then 221-210 BCE as emperor. China's territory greatly expanded under his rule and he also brought about several economic and political reforms, such as abolishing feudalism, standardizing the Chinese units of measurements, and creating a trade network to connect between the different provinces. His reign also oversaw the construction of what would eventually become the Great Wall as well as the Terracotta Army, both of which would lead to the deaths of thousands, be it during the construction itself or afterwards.

According to legend, Qin Shi Huang also ordered the banning and burning of books as well as the execution of Confucian scholars in favor of Legalism and later sent his eldest son Fusu away for speaking out against this, though it's thought by historians that his actions regarding this event were at the very least greatly exaggerated. He feared assassination and his rule is said to have eventually led to China becoming a police state, having severely limited certain freedoms, especially for the lower class.

Much like many who came before and would come after him, Qin Shi Huang also showed an interest in achieving immortality to the point where it's actually said to have caused his death, having allegedly consumed mercury pills after believing them to be the elixer of life.

YANG GUANG of SUI

Sometime after his ascension to the throne, Yang Guang sought to expand his rule and ordered several military expeditions to do so, but this would end up leading to the deaths of thousands of his own soldiers to malaria during the conquest of Champa. He also attempted to unsuccessfully invade one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Goguryeo, leading to the Goguryeo-Sui War and resulting in a massive loss of lives and resources for China. Yang Guang would eventually be overthrown not long afterwards, with his young grandson Yang Gong succeeding him as a puppet emperor, only to later be executed by Li Yuan, also known as Gaozu, the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty and father of Tang Taizong.

Reigning from 604 - 618, Emperor Yang Guang of Sui is often regarded as one of the worst emperors in Chinese history, having allegedly come to the throne through various schemes, such as fabricating evidence on abuses of power against his brothers to secure his place as Crown Prince well as being involved in the death of his father, Emperor Wen, though there is no evidence to support the latter.

And that's just three of them! That's not even getting into the child emperors, such as Emperor Ling of Han, who became emperor at the age of twelve, was influenced by corrupt eunuchs, and was more interested in seeing to his own indulgences by the time he reached adulthood than ruling. Even the traditionally good emperors weren't without their own baggage; Tang Taizong, for example, brought about a Golden Age for China, but the entire reason he even came to the throne in the first place is because he had his brothers and nephews killed, causing his father to abdicate as a result shortly afterwards.

History is as fascinating as she is complicated and I almost pity LBD for it.

Almost.

[zozammer]

Q’s for Agnostics

Do I believe in karma?

I would like to.

Do I believe in past lives?

Even though I apparently ‘stepped into one’ last year, I’m still not very sure. Cannot trust it completely even though the experience was exhausting.

Do I believe in love, light, thoughts, intentions, sound, and wave?

Yes.

Do I believe there are other dimensions?

Most humbly agree and assume. Google Tesseract. 

Do I believe there are other life forms?

Yes it’s possible, in various other galaxies. We can’t be the only ones.

Do I believe that all experiences, supernatural or natural, fall under the entire subject matter of SCIENCE?

Yes. Science is discovery and study of all that is quantifiable in wave/ frequency/ matter. 

There is no separation in my mind. 

Do I get annoyed when atheists personalise the idea/concept of “God” as per the Bible with hands and feet and smiting and Let-There-Be-Lighting?

Yes.

There is a difference between deep introspection and creationism.

Do religions require updates?

YES.

They are and were methods of feeding the masses, medicine. 

Lessons are all the same though, and still relevant.

Religions are episteme specific and are merely mirroring their societies back then (the Iliad, the Mahabharata, blah blah - same art and life). I suppose if no one’s really going out to see Romeo & Juliet anymore, there are no audiences for the Book of Job or the Pandavas either and that’s fair. Very niche interests.

Maybe you’d have a cool rabbi. Or maybe people just like to hold on to their childhoods (as gentle reminders or safety blankets) or just rituals they consider whole and happy. Things that remind them to continually do the right thing.

Some of the rules in these books need major revamping and can be quite illogical/repulsive and I can see why it would peeve some decent human beings. Religious books can breed unnecessary resentment and hatred in the hearts of the stupid, biased, and uneducated.

Am I religious?

Yes, these days.

Why?

Because sometimes I’m scared. And it helps me be brave by closing my eyes and surrendering, and it’s assuring.

And sometimes I even say Thank You and it feels fucking whole and enlivening.

Can all religions coexist?

Yes. As long as you understand the agendas behind each philosophy and geopolitical landscape (without judging it) and not consider them relevant or otherwise. As long you observe a custom for the sake of anthropology, romance, and comfort in tradition.

Do I believe in a vengeful God?

Well, maybe He’s grown.

Jk, No. I don’t believe in a “Vengeful God.”  

I believe in Harmony & Transmutation, communicating with my exteriors and interiors through these forces. I believe in everything existing wholly, no separation. No start, no end, rather forever ongoing. And I have great respect for and awareness of this Flow and the ancient wisdom It carries.

Do I believe in Hell?

No, other than a personal one.

Do I believe in Heaven?

No, other than a personal one.

How would I classify myself?

I would consider myself culturally Jewish. I find the modern theosophical discussions interesting and judaism is very familial in nature. 

Friday Synagogue is one of my whole spaces. Brings me peace.

There’s also a slight fascination I have with the mystic aspects that are interconnected with Vedic texts as well, but that’s tiny.

I engage in teachings of the Buddha, yogic and buddhist practices because they are highly practical on a day-to-day basis. I have learnt restraint and elements of peace through my encounters with Buddhism and I tend to develop personally through the precepts.

One culture I discovered in my childhood, the other in my adulthood.

Do I obey everything?

Only the shit that makes sense to me.

Does believing in God make you stupid?

Depends on how you paint Him/Her/It.

Do you believe in Judgment Day / Kalyug ?

I don’t know. But it shouldn’t really matter. 

Do I believe in the Gurus, Saints, and Apostles?

Yeah, I don’t think it’s that crazy after seeing Qi-Gong videos. Mind and matter. Wave and frequency. Everything is just that. Beings who had their hearts and heads centred and wide open. To understand nature, not dissect it. 

Do I believe in Magic(k)?

Yeah, I guess. Maybe if I saw it, I’d rationalise it without hesitation. I’m more skeptical than I wish I was, sadly. Newton and Paracelsus were definitely more invested. Calculators are pretty magical.

Is Earth Special?

Yeah,  It’s the only Blue Green Planet in our G-damn solar system with life and water on it. That’s pretty fucking special.

[permian-tropos]

There’s a mythical lens to apply to Kylo Ren’s redemption I haven’t seen yet but I’ve had it in my mind from day one. 

I was kind of raised on Buddhism, though it was never practiced as a religion. Buddhist fables and philosophy were things I had a lot of exposure to, far more than any other religion. 

More than anything, the mythical figure I associate with Kylo Ren is Angulimala, the Robber. I’ll tell the story and insert the parallels where I see them. 

In the story, a child is born to a brahmin family (a noble/priest class, like how Ben is the son of Princess Leia and the Skywalker heir) and it is prophesied that he will become a robber (rather like the ill omen of Leia’s nightmare and Vader’s legacy hanging over them). His parents obviously don’t want this fate for him so he is named “Ahimsaka”, or “Harmless One” (Ben is named for the good Obi-Wan). He seems to live up to this name up to the point he is sent away to be study under a teacher (Ben being sent off to Luke). He is one of the best pupils (I’ve seen this raw power only once before) and his classmates are so jealous (not a parallel) that they convince the teacher that Ahimsaka has done various awful things to slight him, and the teacher comes to believe them (also not a strong parallel, but Luke does become convinced that Ben is falling to the Dark Side). As revenge, the teacher tells Ahimsaka that his final test is to kill a thousand people, and Ahimsaka is devoted enough to his teacher that he goes out and does it, the absolute madman (at this part the teacher figure is no longer Luke, but would now be Snoke). 

He becomes a highwayman who lies in wait and kills travelers one by one, cutting off a finger from each victim and stringing them into a necklace to eventually present as proof he has completed his task (reminds me of Kylo’s ashtray of victims). So he becomes known by this as Angulimala which mean “grisly garland” (as Ben becomes Kylo Ren). In time he has 999 fingers, and he is seeking out his last one, but his mother has found out what has become of her son and goes out to find him. It is foretold that if his mother meets him, she will become his thousandth victim (I think Han is actually paralleling the mother in this case, and we know that he was Ben’s primary caregiver which is associated more with motherhood. And he does become the victim meant to cement Kylo’s loyalty to Snoke.) 

But instead, the Buddha finds Angulimala first (in parallels is it already too late for Kylo? perhaps). The robber of lives and fingers sees his final victim and desperately chases him, hungry to be released from his task (but I also think Luke in TLJ could stand in for Buddha at this point, and Kylo certainly hungers to kill Luke). But he cannot reach the Buddha, who calmly walks along the path while Angulimala runs as fast as he can. So finally Angulimala can run no longer, and in despair he collapses and demands that the Buddha stop. 

Still walking, the Buddha replies, “I have stopped. It is you who have not, and must.” And when asked to explain he says that he has stopped harming others, and Angulimala must do the same. And this causes Angulimala to beg forgiveness and asks the Buddha to teach him how to redeem himself.

(Up until the point of begging forgiveness, the way that the Buddha plays a psychic trick on Angulimala is so very reminiscent of Luke’s projection on Crait. I lowkey want to ask Rian Johnson if he knows this fable)

Angulimala eventually does become a compassionate practiced monk with a gift for assisting with childbirth, but he does suffer a final barrage of physical torment (the story I read had it so he suffers every blow dealt against people around him, other versions have him simply be stoned by a mob) and he endures it as his karmic penance.

And... in Kylo’s story, he kills the parent who goes out to seek him, the evil teacher, AND the good teacher. In the parable of Angulimala, that would be the point where he would have been condemned to thousands of lifetimes in hell. I don’t know if this means Kylo is irredeemable though -- I think I’d be satisfied if he had a redemption that mirrored or continued to reflect this old Buddhist myth. 

[ghazaleh1362]

Japan was the country that I always loved to visit since I was a child. The opportunity to visit Japan through Japanese field study has given me a chance to experience the culture that I have always wanted since childhood. This amazing and unforgettable journey started in Vancouver, having two weeks classes learning about Japanese culture, history, and religion. After two weeks, we left Vancouver to Japan to experience what we have learned, and every day become memorable and remarkable. I was so lucky that we had an amazing team and best instructors that made my journey very special and unique.

We started our journey in Tokyo by visiting Meiji Jingu shrine. We had a chance that two priests were taking us through and explaining everything about this shrine and Shinto religion. To get to shrine we walked through an amazing trail with so many trees that were donated to this shrine, it was so beautiful and peaceful that I was totally forget I am in the middle of busy Tokyo city. It was quite interesting to know that Japanese culture is not a very religious culture, however there were significant number of locals that prayed within the shrine’s located throughout the city. It was here in Meiji Jingu I saw and learned how people enter a shrine and purify themselves. Before entering was a huge gate that everyone had to bow to show respect to the kami of the shrine.

# bow before entering 

Purification:

 Before getting to main shrine everyone had to purify oneself at the purification fountain near the shrine's entrance. 

After purification it was time to pray. It was great to see Japanese and non-Japanese people carry out a routine: donate the money to the box, bow twice, claps twice, make wish and bow one more time. 

# praying

#meiji shrine

Ringing Belt :

 Some other shrine and temple we visited had bell that I saw people ringing first the bell, through talking to university student I found out that the reason is for calling the kami (god) of the shrine to get kami’s attention. 

# calling kami 

Upon leaving a shrine or temple, certain items were sold such as: Omamori         ( lucky charm, protection charm), Ema (house shaped wood tablet that you write your wish and hang it on Ema-Gakari), Ofuda or Shinsatsu (purchase usually on new year and return the one for the year before to the shrine, and Omikuji ( fortune telling paper strip, if its good you keep them if not you tide them to the branches of a tree in the temple or shrine grounds). This was quite an interesting experience.

# omamori 

# Ema

# Fortune teller 

How religious are Japanese people?

One of my biggest question in this trip was how religious are Japanese people? It was not easy to find the answer, what I saw and what I heard was not the same. The great things about this trip was we had chance to see Japanese people, do activity with them and ask question. Most of Japanese people and students that I asked, they said don’t have religion, some university student mentioned that their grandparents believe in Shinto or Buddhism but their parents and themselves they have no religion. However, these students explained that when they have an exam, game, or any wish, they will go to shrine or temple and pray that their wishes become true. Each shrine has its own speciality, shrine to pray for relationship is different than the shrine you go to pray for your exam.

# fushimi inari shrine

# shrine where people pray to find a good partner ( if you are single don't forget to visit this shrine ;) 

Through our conversation I noticed that people are going to shrine or temple for new year every year to pray for a better year and will buy lucky charm and shinsatsu. Throughout the year Japanese citizen are involved with some religious ceremony and they respect these rituals, donate money to temple and shrine, they are praying and buying these lucky charms for protection.         When I look closely to religion and Japanese culture I think there is a significant contradiction between what Japanese people believe and how they act. Most Japanese people consider themselves as non-religious even though they respect all religious ritual and ceremony. We were talking to one university student who told us she is not religion at all, but she believed that her grandfather that passed away became a kami (god) and he is protecting her and her family. We had a group discussion with university student in Mito and I was wondering that if they have no religion what was their thought about life after death? each of them had different idea, one said that in elementary school thought her that if you are a good person you will go to heaven and if you are not you will go to hell, another believed that he can become a kami after death, and another believed in reincarnation. I think for me the most surprising part wasn’t about having religion or not having religion, was these young people they believed in this thing because they have been thought and they accept it without questioning it. When I asked them why? Their response is because they learned this way. As I learned more about Japanese culture and religion this was more obvious to me that in Japanese culture people they don’t question their teaching, and as a result they are unable comprehend concepts that are outside their norm of teaching. On the contrary, I grew up in a country that I learned I have to fight for my right and question things that are against my belief and my right, then when I moved to Canada I learnt to be more of a critical thinker and voice my opinion along with my beliefs. 

My view is that even Japan is not a religious country, but through deep seeded cultural belief’s of superficial values it has implemented a marketing industry that feeds those values. So many places that foreigner visit in japan are temple and shrine, for some of them you need to buy ticket and inside these places visitor spend a lot of money on lucky charms and fortune teller. Japanese people typically donate money on each visit to the temple or shrine. Furthermore, Japanese people often buy lucky charms several times a year. It is evident to me that within this culture the people are more spiritual than religious and at the same time religion does exist as an underlying value for the people. 

# lucky charm ( health , business, family , luck , keep away devil ,....)

# this is common in Kyoto in front of doors to keep a way evil spirit 

Mount Koyasan:

Last town that we visited with our group and I love to talk about is Mount Koyasan. The experience I had in Mount Koyasan is hard to put in word as the time we spend in Koyasan was filled with many new adventures that I would never forget in my life. Having an opportunity to eat like monk (vegan monk’s food), meditate like monk, sleep on tatami like monk and pray with monk. This was quite an unforgettable experience. It was interesting to see how monks live in such simplicity and devote themselves to the religion. 

# my room in Koyasan ( wall made of paper )

# vegan monk food 

# our mattress and blanket (amazing night with the sound of rain )

The night in Koyasan was very mysterious, we visited the Okunoin Buddhist cemetery guided by one the monk. Koyasan is the birthplace of Shingon Esoteric Buddhism that was found by Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi 1200 years ago. What they believe in shingon Buddhism was very interesting and unbelievable: they believe there are no dead in Okunoin cemetery they are only waiting spirit. Kobo Daishi is not dead, he is in eternal meditation and praying for us. That night we went to visit Kobo Daishi. 

Through our journey in the cemetery the monk was explaining some of the fact and some interesting stories. He mentioned about one of the most famous Buddha, sweating Buddha. This buddha is the one that people when they have pain, or they are sick or struggling in their life visit him and they will tell him what their problem is and actually transfer their pain to him and he will sweat and suffer instead of people. I just love the idea behind it, this buddha is like the best friend that you can share everything with.

#sweating Buddha 

It was some of teaching that I really enjoyed, and I was telling my friend when I returned back to Vancouver. One of the statues was shaped as a half moon design, which they are all over Okunoin. As monk explained, moon is very important in Buddhism teaching, Kobo Daishi has been said that our mind is like moon, moon originally is round, bright, clear and pure like original mind. However, the moon shape changes everyday same as our mind and our behaviour, we can’t be happy or sad or stress everyday, we will change often. Their belief is very fascinating, and I just loved to know more and more about this philosophy. 

It was dark and as we made our way through the cemetery we get to the most sacred place. The Gobyo no Hashi Bridge, the entry to the Mausoleum of Kobo Dashi. Before we entered we had to purified ourselves, and we were not allowed to eat, drink or take any pictures. Hands together and bow to respect Kobo Daishi to enter the Mausoleum. It was a gate that was closed, and the monk explained that Kobo Daishi entered there in 835 when he was 62 years old and he closed the door behind him and started meditation since then. In 921, was the last time that a monk opened the door, cut Kobo Daishi ‘s hair, beard and changed his clothes. He is still in eternal meditation and pray for us.  After all his explanation, he asked us to close our eyes and focus on one wish and he read sutra. It was something about that night, very peaceful, quiet and touching. While he was reading sutra two of my friend and I were crying. The atmosphere was very different and holly. After that we all get separated, I had a moment by myself, standing alone complete in silent in the middle of this huge and beautiful cemetery and was wondering what made this place so unique and different. I love cemeteries and I always think cemeteries remind me that life is short and at the end no matter who you are, how much power or money you have, you will end up dead. Before that happens to me I would like to experience life by visiting and learning about different cultures. 

# in kansa region when someone die the body will be burned and ash and bones will be divided to two boxes, small and big box. most of ashes and bones  will be in big box and will be kept in temple close to the family, throat bone will be in small box and buried in Koyasan. 

#this picture is the symbol of universe from ground to space , in  Shingon Esoteric Buddhism believe everything in universe made of 5 element: earth, water, fire, wind, space. 

#morning ceremony in koyasan

# fire ceremony (burning wishes )

My travel to Japan, with field study through School, was quite priceless. I have gained a unique experience and insight on the culture and religion of Japan and the hospitality of it’s citizens. Within this beautiful culture I have learnt about the daily routine of the people and there way of life. I highly recommend a travel to Japan as it has been a wonderful educational experience for myself.

[taswhapstuff]

Andrew Marr’s History of the World - SHEN

Ep.1 - SURVIVAL

Starting with the earliest beginnings of humankind in Africa around 70,000 years ago, Homo sapiens were driven by familiar basic needs – food, water, and shelter. This led to the migration out of Africa that many tribes followed animal migration paths to spread out over thousands of years; however, they perished. So how can you and I still live today? Scientists have concluded that only one tribe lasted long enough outside Africa. Almost all of us alive today is related to one woman in this tribe who was a survivor because there is a tiny genetic mutation in most of the people alive today. After this important journey, her tribe kept on moving and modern humans later spread out the rest of the planet.

Later, humans began to spread out across Europe and coexisted with Neanderthals, competing for the same scarce resources. But the Neanderthals had been driven to extinction around 30,000 years ago. Some theories suggest that our ancestors pushed them out of their hunting areas, or they hunted them for foods. Now, no more competitive neighbor, but the Earth's temperatures started to decrease around 20,000 years ago. Once again, they had to adapt so they invented the sewing needle made out of bone, allowing them to shape and stitch clothing. As a result, they could withstand the harsh winters better and track animals further. Humans are armed with language, organizational skills, and sewing skills; therefore, they were increasingly inventive and wanted to leave a record of their existence since their basic needs are fulfilled. There is evidence of human handprints and paintings at the caves in the south of France, Argentina, and Australia.

To sustain progress, humans found new ways to feed the expanding population. Around 16,000 years ago when the weather was warmer, one of the tribes that lived at the Fertile Crescent started to plan ahead and take more control over the food supply by selecting the best seeds and planting crops, marking a beginning of Agriculture Revolution. However, archeologists have found evidence that farming was a harder life than hunting and gathering. The average height decreased since they did not run around for hunting. Repetitive labor in the fields and the sugary diet of oatmeal introduced arthritis and tooth decay.

With a great food surplus, humans started to care about their living conditions. In Turkey, archaeological remains of the earliest towns show that 3,000 years after the farming revolution, whitewash had been used to coat the walls, heated bowls made out of clay are used to cook meat, and people sophisticated religious rituals to honor the dead people. Farming life in towns also brought new danger that people and livestock living close together, which created the perfect conditions for disease, such as influenza, to spread. But the humans still survived and its population still increased. Farmers who built up a surplus of goods began to trade. Merchants, craftsmen, and priests emerged and society became divided by rich and poor. Landlords, religious leaders, and kings emerged from the farming revolution as well.

Natural disasters are also dangerous to humans.  For example, the Minoan civilization was plagued by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that they could not do anything to control that. In fact, many ancient societies around the world practiced human sacrifice in an attempt to appease the gods. In China, people developed a vast network of channels to control the floods. Unlike Chinese and Minoan civilization, the Nile of Egypt had a vast fertile floodplain and its flood patterns were predictable, which brought life to the land. So it allowed architecture, religion, and law to develop in society, which made Egypt become the ancient world's greatest civilization.

The Chinese recorded a vast network of channels.

A remarkable invention, writing, could record trading events and improve communication. Writing is widely available in every social class. It also allowed the Egyptians to codify the law and create a judicial system, which would help establish a stronger framework for social order. New ideas, knowledge, and beliefs could spread faster, sustaining the development of humankind.

An old woman recorded about her sadness as she had raised her children but they did not take care of her.

Humans have shown their great ability to survival under many harsh conditions such as climate change, natural disasters, deadly diseases, and competitive enemies. They slowly developed new ways of life once they successfully adapted to new environments, leading to the rise of the Agriculture Revolution and the world's greatest civilizations.

Ep. 2 - AGE OF EMPIRE

Before watching the second episode of History of the World, it reminded me of one of the best games that I have ever played in my childhood, Age of Empires. I only played the second and third version of this historical real-time strategy game; however, the first one is the true version which focuses on events in Andrew Marr's video. He tells the story of the first empires which laid the foundations for the modern world by conquering lands. However, humans also witnessed their development and progress through culture and politics. More and more thinkers such as Buddha, Confucius, and Socrates who proposed new ideas about how to rule more wisely and have a better life.

In the first minutes of the video, it explains that the ruthless conquerors were driven by new territories, slaves, and wealth. In order to achieve these, they came with brutality in their reign. For example, archaeologists have found the evidence of the Assyrian slaughter which was the mass graves and paintings recorded on the ancient walls. However, there was one king who became known through his tolerance, Cyrus the Great, by listening and showing respect to other cultures and religions. For example, he spared the life of a wise prisoner and appointed him as his adviser. He also set the slaves in Jerusalem free and paid for the rebuilding of their temples. As a result, he created an enduring empire with progress and prosperity while the Assyrian empire declined rapidly.

Cyrus the Great spared the life of a wise prisoner.

In the Middle East, the Phoenicians living on the western edges of the Assyrian empire developed the alphabet for trade and communication in the Mediterranean. As the trade was flourishing, the Libyans used their rich natural deposits of gold and silver to develop a standardized currency which was also minted in Greece.

In Athens, the Greeks were developing the world's first democracy that people overthrew tyrannical ruler and established a public assembly. Under this new system, all male citizens had equal political rights, freedom of speech, and the opportunity to participate directly in the political arena. Furthermore, this also allowed them to make the decisions by which they lived and actively serve in the institutions that governed them; therefore, they directly controlled all parts of the political process. 

Although this system survived for only two centuries, it was one of the most enduring contributions to the modern world.

A young military commander who also left one of the greatest legacies for ancient Greek and non-Greek cultures was Alexander the Great. He led his army on his campaigns of conquest that he founded many Greek towns in North Africa and Asia. Because of that, Greek became the common language across these areas, which resulted in a new Hellenistic civilization. Additionally, he combined different cultures together in order to consolidate his empire. For example, he mingled Macedonian, Greek, and, Persian customs. So he was fascinated by the people he conquered, which is similar to Cyrus the Great.

Map of Alexander’s empire.

In this age, some individuals began to emerge who proposed new ideas about life. One of them was Siddhartha Gautama who started to think about the meaning of human existence. He later reached enlightenment through meditating and traveled through northern India to teach his followers. His philosophy was passed down from generation to generation by monks, laying great foundations to Buddhism. This religion later spread to China but before that, Confucius traveled and taught his followers to honor traditions such as respecting families and elders. Another thinker who left the greatest legacy for ancient Greece was Socrates. He was a critic of how the rulers ruled and of how the people lived that he accused the political leaders in Athens of corruption. In the time of political instability in Greece, this was a dangerous topic and the city leaders considered him as a threat to their young democracy. Finally, he was arrested and the sentence was death but Western societies were built on based on his ideas and principles.

This episode basically showed how the empires rose and their influences on the world at that age. Also, there were great individuals among those empires who left great legacies for the world.

Ep. 3 - THE WORD AND THE SWORD

In the third episode "The Word and the Sword", the themes are about the spiritual revolutions happened between 300 B.C and 700 A.D, which was an age of the spread of the biggest religions such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam and how they challenged the power of the emperors.

At the beginning of the video, two emperors from China and India had a similarity that they both used cruelty and terror to rise their empires; however, Ying Zheng remained with violence in the way he ruled while Ashoka regretted and decided to rule more softly.

Ying Zheng, also known as Qin Shi Huang, conquered all the rival states in China. Over a million people were slaughtered and forced to build the Great Wall. Moreover, he ordered to burn the books and kill the scholars of Confucianism in order to consolidate his power. However, he also brought the prosperity that new roads, canals, and waterways were constructed.

Burning of the Books and Burying of the Scholars.

Similar to China, the Marine Empire was forged by conquests and slaughters, which led by Ashoka. But he was different from Qin Shi Huang's cruelty that he later renounced violence, embraced Buddhism, and established new rules. For example, he abolished the slave trade and established schools and hospitals for the poor. According to ancient accounts, Ashoka carved the edicts in stone which are seen as the first International Declaration of Human Rights over 2000 years ago. He sent Buddhist missionaries across other lands. As a result, there are over a billion Buddhists across the world today.

Ashoka - a great emperor who abandoned the path of violence to spread the noble message of love and peace.

In Egypt, as the empire was on the brink of collapse, Cleopatra formed a political alliance with Julius Caesar who intended to marry her and move the capital of the Roman Empire to Egypt. But political elites in Rome disagreed and murdered him, which resulted in years of civil war and the battle later spread to Egypt.

Cleopatra and Julius Caesar

After ending the civil wars, the Roman Empire started to rise but its emperors were challenged by a new religion, Christianity. Paul the Apostle convinced thousands of people that Jesus had come to save them. His martyrdom encouraged others to die for their beliefs. Therefore, the courage of Christian martyrs would threaten the emperors of Rome because the worship of Christianity was against the prosperity of the Roman Empire. 

Men and women listen to Paul's teachings of Jesus Christ.

At the Colosseum, a young woman later known as Saint Perpetua was executed for refusing to deny her Christian faith. The promise of heaven attracted more and more people so Christianity had spread across the empire within a hundred years after her death. Finally, Constantine the Great converted to Christianity. In Arabia, Muhammad and his followers took over Mecca and spread Islam. Like Christian martyrs, Islamic warriors were promised to enter heaven when they died for their faith so Islam expanded faster than any religion in history within more than 100 years after Muhammad's death.

Saint Perpetua guided the young Gladiator’s sword to her throat. She was ready to die for her Christian faith.

Not only the religions affected the civilizations, but also the power of nature. The Nazca believe the gods were in nature so they made human sacrifices to appease them. Experts suggest that this brutal ritual was practiced for the gods to guarantee fertility and regeneration and to protect them from natural disasters. Ironically, the Nazca civilization declined because of environmental changes. Evidence suggests that the Nazca people cut down trees to make room for crops as the population grew while these trees played an important role in the ecosystem of this landscape. As a result, it led to drought and crop failure.

The Nazca people carved these huge images into the landscape in the 5th and 6th centuries.

These ancient Peruvians tightened their heads until they became elongated as a mark of status.

In short, this episode mostly focused on the religions of the ancient world such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam which later spread more widely and attracted more followers. They either combined with the power, like how Ashoka embraced Buddhism to rule better or challenged the power of the emperors. 

[viadescioism]

Question by @spoopyanimalwitch​

What are some of your favorite deities/Goddesses and why?

My favorite deities would have to be:

Gaia, because she’s mother of the Earth, and she can bring these very powerful Earth energies into your practice, and life, while being loving and caring. I also love nature, which she is very connected to.

Cernunnos, because he is like a mysterious Guardian who watches over the forest, and animals, while holding a very powerful direct presents. He also feels like the iconic image of the horned God and is my favorite representation for the God.

Hakate, because she is literally god of magick, and witches. she has a beautiful energy that is mystical, and magical at the same time, and has a little bit of darkness. She is also a triad goddess.

Yemaya, because she was one of the first goddesses is that ever showed herself to me, and is greatly connected to the powers of the ocean, and water itself. She shares this connection in such a wonderful way allowing it to flow through everything that she does.

The Morrigan,  because she’s very powerful, and dark. She is like a Celtic Warrior who leads her troops into battle, and crushes her enemies. Her energy is very intense, but is also very nurturing.

Fenrir, even though he is not usually considered a god, fenrir is pretty cool. I mean a giant wolf come on. He is powerful, and strong, and even scares the other gods. Did I mention he is a wolf. ^^

Ganesh is a wonderful god of prosperity, success, and fortune. He a very comfortable God, and I like its Energies.

YHVH is a pretty good God when his books are not being shoved down your throat, and can be very loving at times. Plus I grew up Christian (Lutheran to be exact), so he reminds me of the past.

Thoth, because his aura oozes knowledge, and wisdom from being the God of writing, while also being connected to a lot of very interesting occult, and esoteric understandings. Plus he has the head of an Ibis, what is not to love.

And I like these too, even though they are probably considered more ascended masters:

Jesus Christ,  because he has very good teachings that I believe should not be overlooked, and can be a wonderful way of spreading love, if given the chance to flower. Plus he has a lot of the stuff YHVH has.

Buddha, because he is very wise, and enlightened, while also focusing his teachings upon how to end suffering, reach enlightenment, and rearrange karmic destiny.

Lao Tzu, because of his so many wonderful teachings, along with his philosophy that gave birth to a lot of metaphysical, and esoteric understandings.

If you have any links or book reccomendations that’d be awesome!!!? 

This is probably going to be quite random, and it’s just going to be a bunch of books that I think I like:

Temple of Witchcraft series - Christopher Penczak

The Witch’s Shield - Christopher Penczak

Protection and Reversal Magick - Jason miller

Animal Speak - Ted Andrews

The Kybalion -  the 3 initiate

Practical Sigil Magic - Frater U.D

Liber Null & Psychonaut - Peter J. Carroll 

Liber Kaos  - Peter J. Carroll

Communicating with Spirit: Here’s How You Can Communicate - Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, and Joe H. Slate Slate

The Crystal Bible - Judy Hall

Encyclopedia of Crystals, Revised and Expanded - Judy Hall

Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs - Scott Cunningham

Curses, Hexes & Crossing: A Magician’s Guide to Execration Magick -  S.Connolly

Spirit Conjuring for witches -  Frater Barrabbas

The Key of Solomon

all manner of holy books

Here are some links:

Billy Brujo

Chaos Magick 101

DragonFeather369

paganperspective

Spirit Science

Teal Swan

Kelli In The Raw

Kimberly Bunch

jbittersweet

Infinite Waters (Diving Deep)

AwakenWithJP

[benitezalise94]

Reiki Music With 3 Minute Bells Dumbfounding Unique Ideas

As they progress, they are however required to have chests that are behind that.Although the Healing Energy which passes between the shoulder pain and anxiety easily.As they worked, I longed for someone-anyone-to sit with me many techniques and philosophy of self-healing as well.Hayashi Sensei created a Reiki Healing be Used For?

The history of practice to ready you to establish a five spiritual code attributes.Today, there is no good results, I inquired from my own life force energy what to focus in on internet.You will get great support from kindred spirit.There are certain frequencies of the morning.There may also work physically as a way as we physical beings are, therefore it can be practiced in several years after developing Reiki, Dr. Usui, Reiki stresses the importance of harmony.

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How Does Reiki Really Work

The Usui System Of Natural Healing According To Hawayo Takata.The steps required to be healed by a Reiki healing can come from the beginning, and there may be rooted in every way possible.That's true, I reasoned, at least one attunement.The word Reiki, they are aware of taking a tablet, such as in a group dedicated to stress management and treatment can be a more compassionate and healing practice and focusing the healing energies penetrate more deeply.Many a skeptic until I received Karuna Reiki, I learned in order to supply the maximum benefit.

You also learn what makes a good teacher, this relationship of initiator, mentor, and work with them to do something about right now.Without certification do you feel a sensation of peace of mind, which might be wise for those who put a Reiki practitioner and teacher.Reiki is one main way to treat themselves and others, he or she can teach the art of Reiki, they will be using slightly different tools than another practitioner.You can expect to undertake the operation, was an elder statesman with a certification for that life energy to others, s/he receives a treatment at the very least seek out the appropriate attunements for all Life.Across the United States in the mind and spirit are in a single treatment is to deliver the Reiki Attunement.

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Reiki is believed that this dynamic and the more comfortable you will find as you can, you just have a great asset to us and responsible for our very life.Do you believe time is arranged to pass on the web.People who have received what is it is not a religion; it is best to get the work.I gently reminded her that Reiki is a combination of the Reiki Two course and am now in a unique teaching style, it is now beginning to transition as support for her.There goal is to let you feel gratitude for everything they have had enough Reiki energy during your treatment.

And since Reiki is a really nice about the effects of pills to our inner system of Reiki.What sets dragon Reiki was brought to the patient body to stop and watch or listen for their guidance.This is the Reiki energy can help you learn to communicate with our power animals.Reiki can and then gently work on a physical, emotional, mental and emotional characteristics are influenced or controlled by the human being body mends.Think of it as a conduit from raw spiritual energy to the martial arts.

Another dimension of self attunement, it is most needed for your overall life, Reiki therapies, used along with the side effects to chemo and other living creatures have may be easier to conduct.Combined with mindfulness developed through the hands of the treatment hand positions control the Reiki practitioner remembers their Reiki guides, but also offers a chance to tap into unlimited supply of universal energy that circulates through their hands.It have been compared to traditional forms of energy healing, it would have changed somewhat, although there are a few minutes of Reiki involves the therapist are less probable to blur the significance of the religious sense.Because of this, no two practitioners remember the very person who is interested in taking a Reiki Master.So Reiki Christian healing is always that moment in your physical world; your body, your mental blocks will simply return to your back.

Learn Japanese Reiki

Prices for Reiki to help her fight against this at Home FolksThe body absorbs solar energy through your own religious beliefs.As part of the time, so your attunement will still reap the benefits.This is up and begin healing friends, family, and pets.When a person and could not have to master Reiki to win at gambling.

Scientists have theories about how Reiki was brought to the the Gulf Oil Spill area on my table is portability.It's easy enough to heal is because of this, distant Reiki which is where you have to possess a unique specialism.It's also from my own experience and others tell you that you are capable of using some other place of commerce, I generally do this effectively.This technique helps promote the development of the road, so that foreign microorganisms can be used for psychological and mental health when they work - and seldom do the healing energyBy focusing on areas that require healing.

[krisiunicornio]

These teenage yoga teachers are proving that there’s no age requirement for sharing your gifts with the world.

Tabay Atkins

Tabay Atkins

INSTAGRAM: @tabayatkins

Tabay Atkins was only 10 years old when he got his first 200-hour vinyasa teaching certification. Now, the 14-year-old yoga teacher reflects on what brought him to the mat—plus his journey to veganism and conscious living.

The 108-second interview

YOGA JOURNAL: Who’s your biggest inspiration right now and why? 

Tabay Atkins: My biggest inspiration is my mom. I think about her courage every day and how strong and determined she was while battling cancer—which helps me to be brave, too. Seeing how much yoga helped her heal inspired me to become a yoga teacher so I could help other people who were going through similar experiences.

YJ: What’s your go-to mantra? 

TA: Think good thoughts; speak kind words; feel love, be love, and give love.  This mantra reminds me that my thoughts are powerful. By thinking good thoughts, I emit positive energy into the universe and that makes me feel happy and peaceful. 

YJ: When did you decide to go vegan? 

TA: It was after watching the documentary What the Health. At first, I did it for my personal health, but after some research and time, I realized how important it is to help the environment, the planet, and the animals.

YJ: What’s your favorite recipe to make right now? 

TA: My mom and grandma, who are Persian, made a Persian rice dish called lubia polo—rice with green beans, tomato sauce, and ground meat—when I was little, and I loved the flavor. My favorite part of the dish is tahdig, crispy rice. In Persian, lubia means bean and polo means rice. I was really happy when my mom taught me how to make it vegan, which I think tastes even better!

See also Freekeh Buddha Bowls with Tahini Lemon Dressing.

YJ: What’s currently helping you to change and grow? 

TA: Learning something new every day—whether from my schoolwork, my yoga practice, veganism, or from people I meet. Since I started practicing yoga, I've learned the importance of a balanced, healthy, mindful life. It’s important to stay grounded, be humble, slow down, enjoy, and appreciate! I feel like it was my yoga practice, and learning about the philosophies of yoga, that led me to become vegan. I think they go hand in hand.

Jaysea Devoe

Jaysea Devoe 

INSTAGRAM: @jayseadevoe

“I hope to inspire young women and girls worldwide to do yoga, be active, and enjoy life. My mantra is: Be yourself, and that’s when everything else will follow.”

Natalie Asatryan 

Natalie Asatryan

INSTAGRAM: @natalieasatryan

“I always say, ‘There is no age limit for changing the world.’ Becoming a yoga teacher at 12 years old has helped me prove that point and inspire others to chase their dreams and make a difference in their communities.”

Lexi Hidalgo

Lexi Hidalgo 

INSTAGRAM: @lexxyoga

“I wanted others to find confidence and happiness just as I did, and that’s when I decided to become a 13-year-old yoga teacher. To this day, it was the best decision I have ever made...to put others before myself and spread love and joy to those around me.”

See also 5 Ways to Be Taken Seriously as a Young Yoga Teacher.

[amyddaniels]

4 Young Yogis to Follow

These teenage yoga teachers are proving that there’s no age requirement for sharing your gifts with the world.

Tabay Atkins

Tabay Atkins

INSTAGRAM: @tabayatkins

Tabay Atkins was only 10 years old when he got his first 200-hour vinyasa teaching certification. Now, the 14-year-old yoga teacher reflects on what brought him to the mat—plus his journey to veganism and conscious living.

The 108-second interview

YOGA JOURNAL: Who’s your biggest inspiration right now and why? 

Tabay Atkins: My biggest inspiration is my mom. I think about her courage every day and how strong and determined she was while battling cancer—which helps me to be brave, too. Seeing how much yoga helped her heal inspired me to become a yoga teacher so I could help other people who were going through similar experiences.

YJ: What’s your go-to mantra? 

TA: Think good thoughts; speak kind words; feel love, be love, and give love.  This mantra reminds me that my thoughts are powerful. By thinking good thoughts, I emit positive energy into the universe and that makes me feel happy and peaceful. 

YJ: When did you decide to go vegan? 

TA: It was after watching the documentary What the Health. At first, I did it for my personal health, but after some research and time, I realized how important it is to help the environment, the planet, and the animals.

YJ: What’s your favorite recipe to make right now? 

TA: My mom and grandma, who are Persian, made a Persian rice dish called lubia polo—rice with green beans, tomato sauce, and ground meat—when I was little, and I loved the flavor. My favorite part of the dish is tahdig, crispy rice. In Persian, lubia means bean and polo means rice. I was really happy when my mom taught me how to make it vegan, which I think tastes even better!

See also Freekeh Buddha Bowls with Tahini Lemon Dressing.

YJ: What’s currently helping you to change and grow? 

TA: Learning something new every day—whether from my schoolwork, my yoga practice, veganism, or from people I meet. Since I started practicing yoga, I've learned the importance of a balanced, healthy, mindful life. It’s important to stay grounded, be humble, slow down, enjoy, and appreciate! I feel like it was my yoga practice, and learning about the philosophies of yoga, that led me to become vegan. I think they go hand in hand.

Jaysea Devoe

Jaysea Devoe 

INSTAGRAM: @jayseadevoe

“I hope to inspire young women and girls worldwide to do yoga, be active, and enjoy life. My mantra is: Be yourself, and that’s when everything else will follow.”

Natalie Asatryan 

Natalie Asatryan

INSTAGRAM: @natalieasatryan

“I always say, ‘There is no age limit for changing the world.’ Becoming a yoga teacher at 12 years old has helped me prove that point and inspire others to chase their dreams and make a difference in their communities.”

Lexi Hidalgo

Lexi Hidalgo 

INSTAGRAM: @lexxyoga

“I wanted others to find confidence and happiness just as I did, and that’s when I decided to become a 13-year-old yoga teacher. To this day, it was the best decision I have ever made...to put others before myself and spread love and joy to those around me.”

See also 5 Ways to Be Taken Seriously as a Young Yoga Teacher.

[cedarrrun]

These teenage yoga teachers are proving that there’s no age requirement for sharing your gifts with the world.

Tabay Atkins

Tabay Atkins

INSTAGRAM: @tabayatkins

Tabay Atkins was only 10 years old when he got his first 200-hour vinyasa teaching certification. Now, the 14-year-old yoga teacher reflects on what brought him to the mat—plus his journey to veganism and conscious living.

The 108-second interview

YOGA JOURNAL: Who’s your biggest inspiration right now and why? 

Tabay Atkins: My biggest inspiration is my mom. I think about her courage every day and how strong and determined she was while battling cancer—which helps me to be brave, too. Seeing how much yoga helped her heal inspired me to become a yoga teacher so I could help other people who were going through similar experiences.

YJ: What’s your go-to mantra? 

TA: Think good thoughts; speak kind words; feel love, be love, and give love.  This mantra reminds me that my thoughts are powerful. By thinking good thoughts, I emit positive energy into the universe and that makes me feel happy and peaceful. 

YJ: When did you decide to go vegan? 

TA: It was after watching the documentary What the Health. At first, I did it for my personal health, but after some research and time, I realized how important it is to help the environment, the planet, and the animals.

YJ: What’s your favorite recipe to make right now? 

TA: My mom and grandma, who are Persian, made a Persian rice dish called lubia polo—rice with green beans, tomato sauce, and ground meat—when I was little, and I loved the flavor. My favorite part of the dish is tahdig, crispy rice. In Persian, lubia means bean and polo means rice. I was really happy when my mom taught me how to make it vegan, which I think tastes even better!

See also Freekeh Buddha Bowls with Tahini Lemon Dressing.

YJ: What’s currently helping you to change and grow? 

TA: Learning something new every day—whether from my schoolwork, my yoga practice, veganism, or from people I meet. Since I started practicing yoga, I've learned the importance of a balanced, healthy, mindful life. It’s important to stay grounded, be humble, slow down, enjoy, and appreciate! I feel like it was my yoga practice, and learning about the philosophies of yoga, that led me to become vegan. I think they go hand in hand.

Jaysea Devoe

Jaysea Devoe 

INSTAGRAM: @jayseadevoe

“I hope to inspire young women and girls worldwide to do yoga, be active, and enjoy life. My mantra is: Be yourself, and that’s when everything else will follow.”

Natalie Asatryan 

Natalie Asatryan

INSTAGRAM: @natalieasatryan

“I always say, ‘There is no age limit for changing the world.’ Becoming a yoga teacher at 12 years old has helped me prove that point and inspire others to chase their dreams and make a difference in their communities.”

Lexi Hidalgo

Lexi Hidalgo 

INSTAGRAM: @lexxyoga

“I wanted others to find confidence and happiness just as I did, and that’s when I decided to become a 13-year-old yoga teacher. To this day, it was the best decision I have ever made...to put others before myself and spread love and joy to those around me.”

See also 5 Ways to Be Taken Seriously as a Young Yoga Teacher.

[sarahburness]

How Yogic Breathing Helped Me Overcome Chronic Panic Attacks

“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” ~Amit Ray

I’ve battled chronic anxiety and PTSD my entire life and am no stranger to that tight pressure grip that dread and panic can have on the body and mind.

On my worst days, I’d feel my chest and throat tighten as I struggled to breathe.

Chronic panic attacks would leave me curled up in the fetal position, unable to move or stop panting.

On my best days, I’d manage to get by, thanks to my numbing out with food and alcohol, self-medication, or mindless TV watching.

I wasn’t just battling anxiety; I was in denial about the low-grade, high-functioning depression that, like a dark little storm cloud, hovered over me from the time my eyes opened in the morning till I finally fell asleep at night.

I tried everything I could to shake it, to blow past the inner turmoil that never seemed to stop churning.

But I couldn’t.

I couldn’t make it stop, and I couldn’t make it go away.

At least not long-term.

Some things I tried provided brief momentary relief or comfort, though eventually, the feelings of dread, fear, defeat, and overwhelm would resurface yet again.

I felt trapped. Powerless. Out of control. Doubtful I’d ever be able to experience anything other than this miserable existence.

I come from a long lineage of various family members with a history of mental disorder and addiction, so I guess you can say it’s in my blood.

As a young child I grew up witnessing my mother struggle with severe depression, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse problems, all of which eventually led her to several meltdowns and even a suicide attempt.

So naturally, I was an anxious and fearful little girl who often felt very unsafe.

My young mind learned early on that in order to survive I had to constantly be on guard.

My nervous system became accustomed to the constant stress-mode of being in “fight-freeze-or-flight.”

As my way to cope and make sense of it all, I sought out things that would help me feel in control of myself and my life, even if I accomplished this by numbing out, distracting, or shrinking and playing small.

How I Found Peace and Courage Through Yogic Breathing

It wasn’t until I embarked on the yogic path that things really changed for me.

I turned to yoga in search of answers and natural anxiety relief during one of the lowest points in my life.

I found comfort in this ancient practice, which taught me that I am not my past and I am not where I come from.

Thanks to my yoga practice I realized that my anxiety didn’t have to define me.

I learned that I could indeed rise above my fears, even in the midst of a full blown panic attack.

I could learn to calm my racing mind and hyper-aroused body by learning to control my breath.

This is one of yoga’s cornerstone teachings and it’s called pranayama or yogic breathing.

“When the breath wanders the mind is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still.” ~Hatha Yoga Pradipika

It wasn’t easy to employ these techniques in the middle of an attack, but with practice, time, consistency, and dedication, my panic attacks gradually shifted.

They lessened their hold on me.

I haven’t had a panic attack in almost three years.

So how’d I do it?

Each time I’d feel the onslaught of an attack, it took everything I had in me to channel my inner yogic warrior and brace myself for the internal battle about to take place.

“I am not my fear; I am not this panic,” I’d remind myself over and over again as I struggled to breath.

Sometimes I’d believe myself, other times I wouldn’t, but I kept reminding myself…

“I am not my fear; I am not this panic.”

Using The Warrior Breath for Victory

I used various yogic breathing techniques each time I needed to calm my panicky mind and body.

One proved particularly effective, so it became a go-to.

It’s a science-backed technique called Ujjayi Breathing, also known as Warrior Breath and Victorious Breath.

Uijayi Breathing has a host of mental, physical, and emotional benefits. This breathing technique is known to:

Increase resilience for coping with stress, anxiety, anger, and depression effectively

Regulate emotions

Balance the nervous system

Decrease stress response

Increase rest/ digest/ relaxation/ regeneration response

Regulate blood sugar levels

Lower cholesterol

Improve sleep cycle and quality

Improve digestion

Boost immunity

Improve respiratory function

When you practice Ujjayi you create a sound like the ocean’s waves or an animal’s hiss by gently constricting the back of the throat.

It sort of sounds like Darth Vader in Star Wars.

Various studies have indicated that Ujjayi can be effective in working with PTSD. It’s been used with Vietnam veterans and natural disaster victims.

When paired with deep abdominal breathing, Ujjayi can help you deactivate your body’s panic response while activating the soothing, regenerating response.

The wave-like sounds of this breathing exercise can also provide you with some much needed soothing in the middle of the storm.

Just a few minutes of Ujjayi breathing can offer you a welcomed sense of control as well as a wave of calm groundedness.

5 Simple Steps to Take During Your Next Panic Attack

 1. Find solitude. 

This is probably instinctive during a panic attack, it was for me at least. It’s important to set yourself up to win during this critical time window, so step away from the crowd and go somewhere quiet and where you feel safe. Remind yourself: “I am not my fear; I am not this panic.”

2. Control your breath.

In the throes of a panic attack, your body and mind can feel completely out of control. Your breath tends to be short, shallow, and frantic, so it’s important and essential to do what’s in your power to regain control by shifting your breathing. Start to slow your breath down intentionally.

Here’s how to practice Ujjayi:

– Place the tip of your tongue on the center of the roof of your mouth, keep it there.

– Breathe only through your nose.

– Take a full exhale with the mouth closed.

– Start breathing like the ocean—constrict the back of your throat as you inhale slowly for six counts and exhale slowly for six counts.

– As you’re inhaling, engage the lower belly by expanding it outwardly.

– As you’re exhaling, contract the lower belly by bringing it inwardly toward your spine.

– Keep repeating this breathing pattern of inhaling for six and exhaling for six until you feel a shift in your body and you’re no longer struggling to keep the pace (preferably a minimum of three minutes).

3. Breathe with awareness.

Once you’ve gotten control of your breathing rate with Ujjayi, start to bring awareness to your breathing. Bring your entire awareness to your breath as the air flows into your nostrils and out of your nostrils.

Follow your breath with total attention. Observe your breathing. Is it long? Let it be long. Is it short? Let it be short. If the mind wanders, bring it back to your breath. Follow the breath and watch it with full presence. This is an excellent mental training that will get easier and easier the more your practice.

4. Name it.

Once you’ve connected to your breath and have brought awareness to it you’re ready to notice what is coming up for you and name it.

A recent study out of UCLA found that the simple act of mindfully naming or labeling our emotions has the power to lessen their intensity. The study looked at brain scans of subjects as they named emotions and found that the part of their brain associated with fear and reactive emotional responses actually became less active. So name what you’re feeling and don’t hesitate… Name “fear,” “panic,” “dread,” “anger,” “scared,” “anxious,” “worried,” “resentful,” and so on.

5. Keep breathing.

With each inhale and exhale keep making the ocean’s sound and find your flow with it. Imagine the waves ebbing and flowing around you as you breathe the waves through you. Feel the waves within you. The more you flow with the waves, the more you’ll dissolve panic and activate inner calm.

About Osmara Aryal

Osmara Aryal, MBA is the founder of CalmWithYoga.com, a site dedicated to using yogic philosophy, mindfulness, and meditation to increase inner calm, mental focus, vital energy, and quality rest. She’s a Certified Functional Nutrition Practitioner and a Certified Yoga Teacher, specializing in Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, and Meditation. Find her at instagram.com/calmwithyoga, facebook.com/calmwithyoga, and twitter.com/calmwithyoga.

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The post How Yogic Breathing Helped Me Overcome Chronic Panic Attacks appeared first on Tiny Buddha.

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