As we age or become terminally ill, we are confronted by our mortality. Being confronted by our own or another’s death can be a time of accelerated and profound growth and development. Using examples from research and personal experience working in a hospice, this article explores challenges facing our own dying as well as that of clients and family members. It discusses the relevance and...
An on-going process of conscious self-awareness about the body, the mind, feelings, images, thoughts and emotions. Embodiment is commonly understood to be about the mind/body connection, or the presence of the meaty, fleshy, breathing body in the world to some extent. Somatic practices are practices that bring about the integration of the mind/body/consciousness. Although this approach has...
Purpose:To examine the effect of Raja-yoga group therapy on the immediate well-being of psychiatric outpatients compared to a standard method, namely supportive-dynamic group psychotherapy.Methods: Seventy-two psychiatric outpatients, the subjects, with DSM IV-R mood, anxiety and other disorders, underwent group therapy utilizing Raja-yoga treatment.The current Axis V GAF scores of the subjects...
The experimental induction of altered states of consciousness (ASC) constitutes a research opportunity to relate changes in phenomenological states to underlying biophysical mechanisms. A variety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods were reported to induce consciousness alterations in humans, ranging from the consumption of psychoactive drugs to special breathing techniques or...
Journal of Music TherapyJune 7, 2018Shelley Snow, Nicolò Francesco Bernardi, Nilufar Sabet-Kassouf et al.
Toning is a form of vocalizing that utilizes the natural voice to express sounds ranging from cries, grunts, and groans to open vowel sounds and humming on the full exhalation of the breath. Music therapists are increasingly utilizing toning in their clinical practice for a variety of therapeutic aims. Yet the effects of toning are not widely understood, with limited research to date. To gather...
Our body requires oxygen for its activities and the oxygen is supplied to our body through the respiratory system. It is important to increase the efficiency of respiratory system to increase the sustainable supply of oxygen to the body. Preksha Meditation is a procedure by which one can know and observe the main characteristics of consciousness. Covered consciousness looses its capacity to...
In Chapter 7 we introduce the multiple dimensions of a formal A.C.T. Program, including the notion that A.C.T. training is pre-performative (it happens before the acting process even begins), the work is progressive, the effects tend to be cumulative, and there are several types of exercises that may have different functions and effects. We also introduce the concept that meditation practice...
Chapter 8 introduces mantra meditation which moves the object of focused attention away from bodily sensations or the breath to a repeated word or phrase. We discuss briefly the origins and history of mantra practice and introduce the idea that mantra work can be done outside of the formal meditation setting, thus expanding the options for consciousness training into other venues beyond the...
The origin(s) and purpose(s) of consciousness continue to be fervently debated by neuroscientists. A recent unconventional hypothesis put forth by Morsella et al. suggests the primary function of consciousness is the integration, selection, and execution of advantageous lower-level voluntary skeletal muscle behavior on surrounding external environments. However, at main issue is whether more...
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Advancement in the world has brought various health concerns in human life. One of the major concerns is psychological stress and therefore mental disorders. Yoga is applied as an alternative approach to overcome the physical & mental issues. Present study was conducted to find the effect of 6 months regular yoga practice (Asanas, Pranayama and Meditation) on Memory,...