Uncategorized

Science, spirituality, east, west, the one and the many. All dichotomies are two sides of same coin

September 4, 2023 by Charles Hanford Beall

Science and spirituality have been seen as two separate and distinct fields of study for centuries. However, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the intersection of these two fields. This interest is due in part to the increasing realization that science and spirituality are not as incompatible as they once thought. In fact, there are many areas where the two fields can complement and enrich each other.

One of the most important areas of overlap between science and spirituality is the study of consciousness. Both science and spirituality are concerned with the nature of consciousness and its relationship to the physical world. Science has shown that consciousness is a product of the brain, but it has not been able to explain how consciousness arises from matter. Spirituality, on the other hand, offers a number of different perspectives on consciousness, including the idea that consciousness is not limited to the physical brain.

Another area of overlap between science and spirituality is the study of the relationship between the individual and the universe. Science has shown that we are all part of a vast and interconnected web of life. Spirituality, on the other hand, teaches us that we are all connected to a higher power or source of being. This connection can provide us with a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

The East-West divide is another area where science and spirituality can come together. In the East, spirituality has traditionally been seen as more important than science. In the West, on the other hand, science has been seen as more important than spirituality. However, there is a growing realization that both the East and the West have something to offer in terms of understanding the relationship between science and spirituality. The East can teach us the importance of intuition and experience, while the West can teach us the importance of logic and reason.

The one and the many is another dichotomy that can be understood through the lens of science and spirituality. In science, the one refers to the unified field of all reality, while the many refers to the individual parts of that reality. In spirituality, the one refers to God or the Source, while the many refers to the individual beings that are created by God. Both science and spirituality teach us that the one and the many are not separate from each other. In fact, they are two sides of the same coin.

All dichotomies are two sides of the same coin. This is also true of the dichotomy between science and spirituality. Science and spirituality are not as separate as they once thought. In fact, they are two complementary ways of understanding the world. When we embrace this truth, we can open ourselves up to a deeper understanding of reality and our place in it.

Here are some specific examples of how science and spirituality can complement each other:

Science can help us to understand the physical world, while spirituality can help us to understand the non-physical world.
Science can help us to understand the laws of nature, while spirituality can help us to understand the purpose of life.
Science can help us to understand the individual, while spirituality can help us to understand the relationship between the individual and the universe.

When we combine the insights of science and spirituality, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the world. This understanding can help us to live more meaningful and fulfilling lives.

My first Mysore Class

August 28, 2023 by Charles Hanford Beall

Today was my first time doing a Mysore class. It was really good because I have done some Ashtanga yoga before, but I didn’t know their system and the different poses they use.

It’s interesting to me that they have a system. Systems are helpful in creating structure and focus in all areas of life, not just in yoga. But sometimes, it’s also good to try different things and not stick to just one system. In my yoga practice, I like to learn from different disciplines and try different styles of yoga. There are so many beautiful ways to practice this ancient tradition. I recently read a book by Swami Rama, who learned from many different teachers and they all had something valuable to teach him. I believe it’s important to have a foundation but also be open to improvisation and trying new things. I thought the Mysore class would be for advanced practitioners, and even though I consider myself advanced, I can’t do all the poses perfectly. But that’s okay because I am above average and I can still do my own practice with some guidance from the instructor.

In this class, you learn a specific sequence of yoga poses called Ashtanga. The teacher helps you and it’s like a group practice. After that, I wanted to do more poses on my own, but I had to follow the same sequence. I tried another class from a different teacher to see how it compares. But for me, personal practice is important because yoga is about listening to your body and doing what feels right. I don’t do the same poses every day, I choose different ones based on what my body needs.

Do you have a favorite style of yoga? I want to learn all the styles!

Yogananda, Science, Kriya, Cosmic Consciousness

August 27, 2023 by Charles Hanford Beall

just been reading today in this book “Autobiography of a Yogi” by Paramahansa Yogananda

if you haven’t read it I highly suggest you do

one of the great yogic texts

of this flood of yogic information

Coming to America at this certain time

and I’ll read this little paragraph that

who said in there this is uh his Guru

was

saying to him

kriya yoga the scientific technique of

God realization

he finally said with solemnity will

ultimately spread in all lands and Aid

and harmonizing the Nations through

man’s personal transcendental perception

of the infinite father

a couple things about that

it’s interesting they call it a

scientific I have to study some more

Korea yoga I’ve studied some of it and

and I I like the teachings of yogananda

and when I was in LA I spent a lot of

time in

foreign

Temple out there they had a couple of

Yogananda temples out there beautiful

properties great place to meditate and

get connected

so I’m wondering like if you said uh

this is scientific to certain scientists

I know these scientists would would

adamantly object they would say

something to the effect of

is it peer-reviewed or is it

replicatable so

I do I am curious

about what they say the reasoning is

that this um

yogic method the kriya yoga is

scientific

um but also

it’s interesting that it’s just very

similar in a whole different country in

a whole different culture they have a

similar feeling as

the Christians talking about the

infinite father

being recognized in all lands and

unifying

the people so it’s

I’m wondering if it’s this deep inner

sentiment of of all humans to have this

God Consciousness or or their version of

the infinite mind the

to be accepted in all lands there’s a

certain push for people to be unified

and that goes across to all cultures or

maybe it’s just certain individuals

within that culture

I’m not sure what my audio is I’m going

to read the paragraph again to you

kriya yoga the scientific technique of

God realization will ultimately spread

in all lands and Aid and harmonizing the

nation through man’s personal

transcendental

perception of the infinite father I like

that idea that

you could make God realization

scientific like a specific way to

connect

because a lot of it in a lot of

different

cultures and religions

more poetic and more

metaphorical and

full of different mythologies and dogmas

in their pursuit of the infinite and you

know

ultimately uh

forget what I was going to say

ultimately

the different manifestations of

our search or the Divine take on

different cultural influences

and

it’s all these different colorations of

the same

Pursuit

just uh

man trying to understand

the universe and make sense out of it a

lot of atheists I know would would say

you know there’s

there’s no God this is all

this is all

hogwash I I personally believe in God

and of course my God is different than

everybody else has got this is why I

cultures from India they’re very

open-minded about different people’s

view of God because God Is So infinite

how could there be one Viewpoint and all

the different peoples manifested minds

on the earth you know have their own

colorization of this infinite thing so

if something is so infinite and

inexpressible each different person’s

point of view of it is going to be

colored with the individuals

experiences and

and

my infinite my my finite this little

sand Speck of dust in the universe that

I am

can’t possibly

understand

the the infinite or I can I

I don’t think I have yet

I’m searching for it I want to

understand the infinite

but

I’m just a speck of dust you know

relatively compared to the infinite

great Universal

Consciousness this

the essence of of all things

so my personal experiences color

how I view

the infinite that’s like you know they

say like the mirror like projecting like

people project their own emotions onto

other people

so that we do the same thing with God

and the idea of God the concept of uh

infinite mind God Brahma Buddha Krishna

whatever you want to call it whatever

you want to call it

so it’s more like

you know

they said God created man in His image

well it’s more like the other way

it’s really more like man creates God

and is image

because of our personal experiences

color that thing that we perceive and

this is also being found in uh

you know quantum mechanics you know

a lot of

people are saying you know people are

discovering

way particles and

microscopic atoms move and behave and

stuff and they’re like

are these scientists

discovering the way the universe works

and where these microscopic particles

work

or are

they creating it because they think it

should behave a certain way are their

minds affecting the microscopic

particles to make them behave a certain

way

I don’t know I need to study more

quantum mechanics I haven’t been into

studying it a lot recently

mostly because I came in contact with

with scientists that were greatly

discouraging

so that also uh

uh consider themselves a spiritualist

and they will be my friend forever

but so many scientists

such animosity towards spirituality it’s

amazing like this like violent emotional

violence towards

spiritualism

come on man

a lot of the

this might be a point for another

another

video I don’t know I’ll just go ahead

and talk about it right now and I’m on a

roll baby let’s get let’s get it

wow

I don’t forgot what I was going to say

or I’m going deep let’s see what was uh

oh there’s a butterfly

[Music]

I can go twice as high

yeah

I guess it’s not a one well I’ll

listen to this video again and

and

see whatever I was saying toward the end

there and uh

and

expound upon that for another video

all right

you know the drill

like And subscribe of course I’d like

you to go to my websites and all that

and all that sort of stuff

if you haven’t read it

autobiography of Yogi Paramahansa

Yogananda if any of you have read it

Yoga and Meditation for Seniors

July 31, 2018 by Harry Cline

Photo via Pixabay

Getting Started with Yoga and Meditation:

A Guide for Seniors

One of the best things about yoga and meditation is that almost anyone can enjoy their benefits. These mindfulness-based activities help us relax while improving our sense of well-being. Better yet, yoga is the perfect low-impact exercise that can help seniors gently stretch and strengthen their core muscles. Yoga and meditation help you keep your mind and body in top shape, allowing you to age with positivity and avoid physical injury. Caregivers can even benefit from adopting a personal yoga practice. Here’s how to get started.

The Benefits of Meditation on the Mind

Meditation is commonly recommended for people who are suffering from stress. But, meditation is good for everyone, even people who already feel great. Specifically for seniors, Forbes claims that meditation can help preserve the aging brain. Meditation seems to prevent brain volume loss and can even strengthen areas of the brain involved in learning and memory.

Like seniors, people in addiction recovery may also suffer from a rapidly aging mind as a result of substance abuse. Meditation can be a valuable tool in recovery. Specifically, studies have found that meditation can reduce blood pressure and boost the immune system. It’s also great for relieving pain associated with drug withdrawals and can help people deal with depressive symptoms. Meditation may even be able to help enhance sleep in people who suffer from insomnia. People in recovery need to have a solid relationship with both their physical and their spiritual self. Yoga and meditation and valuable tools for this purpose.

The Benefits of Yoga on the Aging Body

Yoga has tons of benefits for seniors. The most well-known of these is improved flexibility with an enhanced range of motion. As a result, yoga can help reduce the pain and immobility that comes from diminished flexibility in aging. Yoga also has the potential to help seniors build strength as they hold up their own body weight in certain poses. These poses focus on core strength and balance, which can help people avoid injury from falls in the future. Yoga is especially good for people with joint or back pain as it strengthens the muscles around joints and reverses spinal compression.

Basic Poses for Seniors

If you’re ready to get stretching, start with these gentle yoga poses recommended by DoYouYoga. Caregivers can encourage seniors to try these poses 3-4 times a week to keep their bodies strong and resilient. First, mountain pose is ideal for practicing balance and holding a healthy posture. Tree pose is a little trickier but is great for hip mobility and abdominal strength. Bird dog is done from the hands and knees, supporting the strength of the spine and back muscles. Similarly, downward dog is perfect for joint strength and flexibility. Other beginner poses include sphinx pose, cobbler’s pose and Savasana.

How to Avoid Injury

Though yoga is a gentle, low-impact form of exercise, seniors still have to be careful. Older adults are especially prone to yoga injuries since they tend to have more fragile bodies. To avoid injury, stick to beginner’s yoga classes and don’t jump into an advanced class just because you practiced when you were young. Perhaps you want to seek out yoga classes specifically for seniors by qualified instructors. More importantly, never move in a way that causes pain. Talk to your doctor before starting yoga since there may be certain poses you should avoid. If you have certain injuries that prevent you from safely doing yoga altogether, you can still benefit from the calming and pain-reducing effects of meditation.

Although you can follow yoga videos online, you’ll benefit the most from an in-person yoga instructor. Instructors will help you avoid injury and find the ideal poses for your body’s needs. On the other hand, guided meditation videos available online can be very useful to people starting out with meditation for the first time. These can help you tune into your body and learn how to focus on the breath. Try different yoga and meditation techniques until you find those that make you feel the best!

Harry Cline is creator of NewCaregiver.org and author of the upcoming book, The A-Z Home Care Handbook: Health Management How-Tos for Senior Caregivers. As a retired nursing home administrator, father of three, and caregiver to his ninety-year-old uncle, Harry knows how challenging and rewarding caregiving can be. He also understands that caregiving is often overwhelming for those just starting out. He created his website and is writing his new book to offer new caregivers everywhere help and support.

Do Yoga, End Child Abuse

September 14, 2017 by Charles Hanford Beall

SCREAMS of abused young children coupled with the loud thunder of a belligerent, misguided father, pierced my paper thin walls.

I am a very gentle spirit. Aways looking forward to a peaceful meditation. The sounds of violence were like an electric fence wrapped around my mind. I kept getting shocked. My neighbors behavior was in sharp contrast to my personal way of being. I felt great sadness for this family.

Have you ever had to confront an abusive parent?

Have you witnessed or experienced these horrors?

Please share with us in the comments section below

Struggling with how to handle this situation, I wanted dearly for the children to live happy lives. I also longed for the pleasant sanctuary of my own space. I once had quiet. Since these new neighbors moved in I switched my meditation room to the other side of my house. Now my meditation space was as far from their adjoining wall as I could get it. This was better, but the boom of the fathers voice could travel 5 miles.

Being a musician I am very sensitive to sound. I am in the habit of listening very intently. It is second nature. I have spent years training my ears. Violent noises are upsetting. While digging into my standard multiple hour meditation practice I would be jolted out of serenity. I had to do something to protect these children and preserve my sanctuary.

What is the best way to confront the father?

How violent is this person?

How do I ensure my own safety while attempting to help this family?

Chris, the youngest child, would eagerly await my return from teaching yoga class. His mother told me I was like a part of their family. She informed me he would watch out the front window. When he saw me pull up in my Scion xB he would cheerfully announce my arrival.

“Charlie’s home! Charlie’s home!”

The abuse was probably less when I was home. The father, no doubt, self corrected, because I would confront him or notify the authorities. I had to be careful when dealing with this family because I was afraid for my own well-being as well as that of the poor children. The father once even threatened me directly for interfering. I’ll never forget his exact words,

“People live longer when they mind their own business.”

How awful?!?!

I had visions of being struck from behind with a crowbar. I was afraid of walking outside my own house and being assaulted while my back was turned. That way he could continue living this nightmare. I quickly discovered that it is very difficult to get serious action to take place concerning child abuse in Baltimore County. The authorities kind of sweep it under the rug. I suppose they feel they have more urgent needs to attend to. What they may not realize is, that it is more likely that those abused children grow up to be even worse violent offenders.

You can imagine the difficulty of maintaining a spiritual practice under these circumstances. Particularly since I had not yet studied Seneca and the stoics at this point. Perhaps if I was aware of these teachings I could have dealt with the awfulness a little better.

I continued working on my music and making recordings. I had to throw out several peaceful tracks on my album because you hear violence in the background. I was, however, able to complete a few tracks while living there. These songs represent a triumph over pain and suffering. I did what I could to protect these children, attempting to understand the tormented history of the father. Protecting myself and maintaining my creative projects, and spiritual practice, is also important.

Eventually I moved away from that neighborhood to start a spiritual center with a buddy of mine. It was the most curious thing. While I was moving some boxes onto my front porch, the father came out specifically to talk to me. He requested that I pose for a photograph with the youngest child. He wanted a picture for Chris to remember me. That bit of tenderness touched me. It also confused me. I suppose that, even though they were resistant, they inevitably were grateful for my intervention and influence on the family. Over the course of a couple years the physical abuse lessened to almost nothing. That is a win. However the hollering and verbal abuse never seemed to end. I can only hope that this particular father was a little better than his father and the one before him. I assume he was abused as a child. The abused often become the abusers.

Do you have an experience with child abuse or abuse in general? Sharing your experience may help shed light on other peoples lives. Have any insights that can help make us better humans? Please share share it in the comments section below.