How to Learn About Shamanic Breathwork

How to Learn About Shamanic Breathwork



In many remote areas of the world today, shamans are healers who restore the balance to individuals suffering from illness caused by imbalance. Sometimes this healing involves prayers, songs or chants. The experience is thought to cleanse the recipients of harmful impurities. In some cultures, shamans are believed to be able to travel to other worlds with the help of power animals and spirit guides. Shamanic breathwork combines historic shamanic principles with contemporary breathing guidance to restore balance to the body and release stress. Follow these steps to learn more.







Things You'll Need:





Computer with Internet access









1


Know that shamanic breathwork doesn't necessarily require a shaman to perform the ceremony. Shamanic breathwork attempts to waken the inner shaman healer within the breather. This is a journey inward, where the shaman inside will attempt to release dysfunctional patterns and transform old wounds.





2


Feel safe knowing that your inward journey won't be alone. A facilitator oversees the ceremony. You'll have co-journeyers beside you to help you learn.





3


Be prepared for the physical sensations that accompany shamanic breathwork. During a session, you may be brushed with sage, cedar or sweet grass. Partake in the prayerful invocations and listen to the constant beat of the ceremony drums.





4


Understand the purpose of a shamanic breathwork session. The goal is to release your inner shaman as you learn to control your breathing and enter a dreamlike, altered state. The session will typically last between one and two hours. Sessions during multi-day retreats may last longer.





5


Get all of your questions answered by visiting Web sites like the Venus Rising of AIWP Institute for Shamanic Healing Arts site (see Resources below). They have a comprehensive history and event schedule available, as well as other resources to help you learn more about the techniques and purpose of shamanic breathwork.





6


Find a facilitator online by visiting breathwork directories like the Transformational Breathwork Directory (see Resources below). A Web site is typically listed for each practitioner. This is where you can look up fees and service descriptions.








Tips & Warnings










Shamanic breathwork sessions cost about the same as traditional breathwork sessions, which range from affordable to expensive, depending on the package you select. Some breathwork facilitators offer multi-day retreats that cost as much as a few nights at 4-star hotel. Check with your local facilitator for current rates.








As with all breathwork, there is a danger of hypoxia, or a lack of sufficient oxygen. This is due to the extreme and deliberate changes in breathing pattern that is required by this technique. Additionally, because of the psychotropic nature of breathwork, there have been reported instances of insanity. Make sure you are mentally healthy enough for shamanic breathwork before enrolling.








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2031530_learn-shamanic-breathwork.html

How to Learn About Holotropic Breathwork

How to Learn About Holotropic Breathwork



Holotropic Breathwork is the process of using your own breath to induce a very deep state of consciousness. In this state of deep consciousness, proponents believe you're able to release your inner mechanism of healing. Holotropic Breathwork is based on the principle that we are our own best healer. Proponents use it to address a variety of symptoms and health issues, from physical to emotional to spiritual. Follow these steps to learn more about Holotropic Breathwork.







Things You'll Need:





A partner or a Holotropic Breathwork group




Computer with Internet access







Learn About Holotropic Breathwork on Your Own




1


Read books on Holotropic Breathwork. Start with Kylea Taylor's "The Breathwork Experience: Exploration and Healing in Nonordinary States of Consciousness" (see Resources below).





2


Visit the Web site of the Association for Holotropic Breathwork International (see Resources below). Here, you'll find lists of relevant publications, events and facilitators.





3


Visit the Web site of Stanislav and Christina Grof, the developers of Holotropic Breathwork (see Resources below). Their site has a plethora of information as well as links to other resources.



Learn About Holotropic Breathwork Through Others




1


Sign up for a learning class or training course on Holotropic Breathwork. The Grof Web site outlines a training program available for those with a more serious interest. If you simply want to learn, attend a lecture or workshop listed on the Web site.





2


Search your area for a Holotropic Breathwork organization. You can use the phone book or simply ask existing providers of alternative medicine in your area if they can recommend a practitioner or an organization. Call or email them and request any information they have on resources, classes and other people in the area. You may have an entire network of people and organizations available to you.








Tips & Warnings










Learning about Holotropic Breathwork is, overall, an inexpensive practice. You can purchase as many books on the topic as you feel you need. Most are inexpensively- to moderately-priced.








Serious or chronic medical conditions should be examined by a licensed medical physician. Holotropic Breathwork practitioners are not licensed medical professionals.








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2031525_learn-holotropic-breathwork.html

How to Learn About Chinese Medicine

How to Learn About Chinese Medicine



Chinese medicine uses herbs, massage and acupuncture to treat and prevent a wide range of physical maladies, from insomnia to chronic pain. Its medicinal treatments come form theories of bodily and spiritual harmony and were China's best kept secret for centuries. Now, traditional Chinese medicine is enjoying ever increasing visibility in the West as a viable alternative to Western treatments. Follow these steps to learn more about Chinese medicine.







Things You'll Need:





Computer with Internet connection







Learn the Basics




1


Familiarize yourself with the Chinese cosmological theory of Yin and Yang. This basic theory forms the underbelly of Chinese medicine. An Internet search or a visit to your local library or New Age bookstore will yield a great deal of information.





2


Know that the so-called Five Elements in Chinese thought are wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Many Chinese medical treatments make use of the Five Elements to varying degrees.





3


Learn about the vital energy centers in the human body, known in Chinese medicine as the "Meridian System." Many Chinese medical techniques rely upon improving the flow of energy through these centers.





4


Read up on Zang Fu organ theory, which relates the function of the various human organs to the concept of Yin and Yang.





5


Understand that many Chinese medicine treatments are moderately priced, but may not be covered by your medical insurance.



Find Out More About Chinese Medicine




1


Know the difference between Chinese and Western diagnostic techniques. Chinese medicine relies upon different principles of observation, including hearing, smelling and touching the affected area.





2


Understand the basic treatment methods. Today, herbal treatments and acupuncture are the most visible, but massage, meditation and
martial arts
techniques are also used to treat illnesses and physical conditions.





3


Recognize that there are differing schools of thought beneath the umbrella term of "Chinese Medicine." The Wenbing and Jingfang schools are the most prominent in the modern West.





4


Learn more about the unique diagnostic tools, treatments and history of Chinese medicine at the Los Angeles Chinese Learning Center Web site (see Resources below).








Tips & Warnings










Check with your regular physician before pursuing alternative treatment options. Under no circumstances should you ever self-diagnose and/or self-treat chronic or extreme illnesses.








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2031536_learn-chinese-medicine.html

How to Know if Neuro Linguistic Programming is Working

How to Know if Neuro Linguistic Programming is Working



The true test of any self-improvement program is whether or not it works. Neuro linguistic programming, a series of procedures developed to help people make desired changes in their lives, is no exception. Do the powerful mental visualizations evoked in "The Swish" really help eliminate negative behavior, like smoking? Does "matching" the physical and vocal style of a stranger make him more disposed to buy something from you? There are ways to know whether or not your chosen method is working.







Things You'll Need:





Computer with Internet access







Introduce Yourself to Neuro Linguistic Programming




1


Search the Web for factual sites about NLP. Look for specific principles and methods, how they work and what the result is supposed to be. Richard Bander is one of the founders of NLP, making his NLP Frequently Asked Questions Web page a particularly good place to start your research (see Resources below).





2


Differentiate between techniques meant to work within a single person, such as re-framing, and those that have to do with interpersonal contact, like rapport. You may wish to hone in on one or the other.





3


Seek out case studies and stories from NLP practitioners or from personal blogs that show how the NLP process has benefited (or not benefited) specific people. You can read case studies at the National Federation of Neuro Linguistic Psychology Web site (see Resources below).



Discover What Works for You




1


Try one or two of the NLP exercises, like anchoring or mirroring, for yourself. Be sure you know what it is, how it works and what the end product is supposed to be. You can find a list of methods at the "Free NLP Tips, Techniques, Information & Articles" page of the Pegasus NLP Training Web site (see Resources below).





2


Follow the steps carefully.





3


Pay special attention to requirements for visualization. Be sure your mental pictures are clear and that you can change them as the exercise demands.





4


Notice specifics, especially for operations involving social contact, in which the measure of your success is the reaction of the other person. Look and listen attentively.





5


Jot down your reactions and feelings immediately after each attempt. Mention whether you believe the methods were really working for you.





6


Wait. The only real test of these methods is time.





7


Check your notes from the experience first a few days, then a few weeks, afterward. Is your perception of the experience still the same? If it has changed, in what way? If the changes you were aiming for are still in force, you know NLP is working for you.








Tips & Warnings










Neuro linguistic programming advocates often push the speed with which it works as a selling point, but every person is different. You may need a number of tries at a particular technique or several different techniques to get the results you want.








Working with a neuro linguistic programmer is considered the best way to achieve dramatic, lasting results, but these sessions can be expensive.








There is no accepted scientific research that confirms the effects of NLP. Positive results can be calculated only through the testimony of individuals.








NLP is not a medical or psychiatric procedure. If you have a serious physical or emotional complaint, from acute pain to clinical depression, check with a doctor.








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2031479_neuro-linguistic-programming.html

How to Know If It's Safe to Mix Chinese Herbs and Pharmaceuticals

How to Know If It's Safe to Mix Chinese Herbs and Pharmaceuticals



The simultaneous treatment of multiple medical conditions frequently leads to questions about the safety of overlapping treatments. If your treatment regimen comes to include a mix of both pharmaceuticals and Chinese herbal remedies, don't worry. It's easy to find out how safe specific combinations of herbal and synthetic drugs are. Chinese medicine is an ancient discipline that relies on herbs to treat all types of ailments, from gastrointestinal disorders to infections. Follow these steps to find out if it's safe to mix the treatments you are taking.







Things You'll Need:





Computer with Internet access







Distinguish Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments




1


Know that manufactured pharmaceuticals are intended to replace a very specific chemical deficiency within your body. Substitution of the chemical, not the healing of the mechanism that produces it, is the end goal.





2


Understand that
Chinese herbs
are used with the end goal of correcting the malfunctioning bodily process that's causing your symptoms. It's generally considered gentler and more natural to treat the body using herbs, though their effects may not be immediately apparent.





3


Learn more about the different ways herbal treatments and manufactured pharmaceuticals act upon your body by visiting the Practice Longevity Web site (see Resources below).



Learn if it's Safe to Mix Your Herbal and Pharmaceutical Treatments




1


Consult a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) specialist to see if any of the conditions you're treating with pharmaceuticals can be treated with gentler, more natural Chinese herbs.





2


Double-check with a Chinese herbology expert. Tell him or her what pharmaceutical drugs you're taking. He or she will be able to tell you if there are any potential conflicts with the Chinese herbal treatments you've been recommended.





3


Educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the pharmaceutical medications you're taking. The more you know, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions about what treatment options to pursue.





4


Talk to your pharmacist. She'll know a great deal about potentially dangerous drug combinations, and will certainly inform you if any of your herbal treatments could pose problems with your prescription medication.





5


Realize that some combinations of drugs are technically safe, but render one or more of the drugs ineffective. For instance, the mix of birth control pills and certain herbs can cause the contraceptives to stop working.








Tips & Warnings










Treating chronic conditions using Chinese herbal therapy tends to be less expensive than using prescription drugs. Talk to a qualified practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine to see if herbal remedies can help your condition. Consultation costs are generally inexpensive.








If you experience abdominal cramps, headache, nausea or vomiting as the result of drug treatments (herbal or synthetic), seek immediate medical attention. You could be having a potentially serious reaction to your medication(s).








Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2031549_its-safe-mix.html

How to Dress to Hide Broad Shoulders

How to Dress to Hide Broad Shoulders



Overly broad shoulders are difficult to deal with, especially when they are paired with a very small or very large bustline. You can learn to accentuate the positive and play down the negative, though. Just a little style advice will do the trick.









Step
1



Wear close-cut necklines rather than square or boat neck styles. Necks that are scooped are fine if they have a narrow scoop, and high v-necks that draw the eye away from the shoulder area but don't plunge and accent the bust are also good.




Step
2



Choose jackets that have no details or color changes at the shoulders or upper sleeves. Look for very narrow lapels and avoid shoulder pads or pleats.




Step
3



Look for blouson or blousy sweaters and dolman sleeves that are wide at the top and narrower at the bottom--sometimes called bat sleeves. Necklines should be more vertical than horizontal.




Step
4



Longer garments with simple lines work better as do loose fitting soft form styles that drape the body with lightweight fabrics. Avoid boxy styles and anything that fits tightly across the bustline or shoulders.




Step
5



Select wrap front dresses and blouses that aren't made out of overly clingy fabrics. Avoid puffed sleeves, gathers, detail work such as beading and glitter, ruffles and shirring around the neck or shoulder area. Wide belts are not a good match either and avoid empire waistlines which draw the attention to the the bust and shoulders.




Step
6



Looking great is only a matter of knowing what works best on your body type. A few simple fashion tips will have you looking like you already have the body you always wanted.







Tips & Warnings









Avoiding really bright tops or large patterned tops can also help.



http://www.ehow.com/how_2196412_dress-hide-broad-shoulders.html

How to Dress to Hide a Small Waist

How to Dress to Hide a Small Waist



How to dress to hide a small waist? Are you kidding? A small waist sounds perfect. Who would want to do that? Well, lots of curvy women want to play down their curves a bit, especially at work. Making the lines of the body look straighter is an easy way to do that. Likewise, people who are too thin sometimes want to look a little healthier. Here's how you can hide a small waist.









Step
1



Choose blouses, jackets and dresses with straight, untailored lines. Clingy or close fitting clothing accentuates the overall body type, so wear clothes that fit properly but are not made to cling.




Step
2



Avoid belts or cinching at the waist and wear the types of tops that shouldn't be tucked in. Longer shirts and tops also hide the waist area. If you don't like the perfectly straight look, sling a belt around your hip area instead of at your waist. Details of any kind around the waist area or lines pointing toward that area should be avoided.




Step
3



Choose pants with a low or at least slightly dropped waist. The line that falls closer to the hips will appear fuller than something right at the waist. Keep in mind that this is not a good thing if you have too much tummy to deal with.




Step
4



Wear necklines that draw your eyes to the face or shoulders rather than toward the waist as a long cowl, v neck or plunging scoop neckline will. Choose high crew, boat (a slit neck that reaches beyond the neck on the sides), square, jewel (a high crew neck) or turtlenecks.




Step
5



Choose jackets with a round neckline, avoiding notched collars which draw the eye to the waistline. Sweaters should not cling but fit straight on the body. Find jackets, tops and sweaters that end below the waist at hip or high thigh level, drawing the eye away from the waist. An empire style that ends below the waist is a great choice also as are dropped waist tops and dresses.




Step
6



Choose detail work that is high on the neck or shoulders or at the hemline of dresses or pants. Keep the details away from the center of the body for a fuller look.




Step
7



Look your best in every situation by finding what works for you. With a few tips, you can have the body--at least when you're dressed--that you've always wanted!







Tips & Warnings









Your best friend in the closet is a garment that fits well.








Avoid anything that is too large. Baggy clothes don't hide body flaws--they multiply them!








Avoid anything too small. It accentuates every figure flaw.








Ill-fitting clothes look sloppy and tacky on every body type!



http://www.ehow.com/how_2196416_dress-hide-small-waist.html