This Unseen Toxin is Killing You!

Spring is the time of year many naturopathic healers educate their customers on the value of detoxification. Over the winter we tend to be a bit more cloistered and less active...and, at least in colder climates, crave warm fattening foods. Much of this food has been raised in toxins that overtime can effect your health. Come spring, toxins have built up in the body and need to be cleansed for optimum health.

Well, there is one toxin that if left to build will erode your quality of life slowly over time, then kill you. It makes your life miserable and snowballs very fast into a variety of medical conditions, such as heart disease, ulcers, back pain, migraines, irritable bowl syndrome and a host of other diseases.

What is this toxin? It is Negative Thinking.

All things are created with Thought. Look around the room you are in right now. Everything in there is a result of one thing. Thought. The chairs, tables, computers, clothes, shoes, books, cats, your own body. All a thought at one time. This includes your health.

Negative thinking breeds negative health, events and circumstances. Positive thinking breeds positive health, events and circumstances. The best way to purge yourself of negative thoughts is simply to be mindful of when you have them. Know what our enemy looks like so you can defend yourself. Many times, negative thinking is like a Ninja sneaking in at night to assassinate you. You don't know it's there until it is too late.

Once you are aware of when, where, and how you think negatively...just accept it...give thanks and then think positive thoughts and image positive results. Be aware of the unseen toxin of negative thinking and defend yourself with gratitude and positivity. It works. You will be healthier, happier and live a life of joy.

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

The 84th Problem

One of my favorite Buddha Stories: The 84th Problem

A man seeking help went to see the Buddha. He told him he was a farmer. "I like farming," the man said, "but sometimes it doesn't rain enough, and sometimes it rains too much. One year we nearly starved." The Buddha listened.

"I like my wife," the man said, "but sometimes she nags too much, then I get tired of her...We have kids too. Good kids, but sometimes they don't show enough respect, and..."the man went on and on like this.

After the man finished, the Buddha sat, thought, then said, "I'm sorry, I can't help you." "Everyone has problems. In fact, we have 83 problems", and he enumerated them, from birth to death, but as he talked the man grew more and more furious until he questioned the very premise of the Buddha's teaching.

"Well," the Buddha finally said, "I may be able to help you with the 84th problem."

"The 84th Problem? What's that?" the man queried. 

The Buddha said, "The problem of wanting to not have any problems."

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen

Dim Mak for Anxiety & Depression

My life is going through a lot of transition lately. My wife took a new job 3 hours away in Madison, Wisconsin and my son and I are waiting to join her when school is out. We are facing the pressures of selling our house in a slower (but getting better) housing market, so we can purchase a home in the Madison area. I face the challenges of joining a private practice or starting my own. I also have lots of writing to do, not to mention a full time job and the stress of managing a lot of multiple competing demands.

So, some times my emotions swing back and forth through anxiety and some depression as life presents itself to me. I had a "aha" moment a few weeks ago after Master Tim Vocke and I began talking about Count Dante, the controversial '60's martial artist who proclaimed himself to be the most dangerous man alive...he claimed to be the master of Dim Mak...well, he isn't. ..I am now!!!

I discovered the Dim Mak, or Death Touch, for difficult emotions!

It's Gratitude.

Now, I've always known and have practiced gratitude and counted my blessings when times get tough, but when I realized it acts just like Dim Mak, I got excited.

Remember, Dim Mak, doesn't necessarily kill your opponent immediately (even tho it can), but mostly it has a bit of a delay to it. Gratitude does as well. While counting my blessings and being thankful, my mood doesn't shift right away to glorious hallelujahs, but slowly transfers the chi of blessings to kill the anxiety, the worry, the depressed mood. Over time, the uncomfortable emotions have been 'killed' and I am feeling better.

Practice more emotional Dim Mak...practice gratitude all day long. Gassho to all things in thankfulness for supporting your life. Your clothes, bed, sink, floor, doors, pots, coffeepot, driveway, garage,...everything supports your life. Give thanks...you are Dim Mak-ing negative forces entering your life...and it feels good!

Research Dim Mak and see how it works...practice Gratitude. You will soon see what I see. It's fun too...and then you will be the most dangerous wo/man on earth!

Hands palm to palm,
Shinzen