SPIRITUALITY

TRUTH ABOUT SPIRITUALITY

In this piece “Spiritual wisdom” (Spectrum, Oct. 26) Randeep Wadhera writes, “you can be spiritual without being religious.” I can’t agree with this as one can’t be spiritual without being religious. An atheist , a disbeliever in religion, a savage or any person who despises religion can never be spiritual.

Such person may acquire high moral qualities but these are just natural conditions, which may be possessed even by those who deny the existence of God or hate religion. Many animals have a gentle disposition, and can be trained to become wholly peaceful and not to react savagely to chastisement, and yet we cannot call them human.

In the same way, a person who is entirely misguided and even has certain vices can exhibit good moral qualities. But in no way can be called a spiritual person. Hypnotism or mesmerism is not a synonym of spiritualism. Those who are transported into a trance by artificial means think that they have experienced spiritualism. Such people are utterly ignorant about spirituality.

Spirituality means enlightenment of soul and heart. It means realization of self and immersing one’s soul in the ocean of love of God. Spirituality minus God is only ritualism. So, mere acquisition of moral qualities does not bestow spiritual life upon a person. Spirituality can be attained only through the use of every moral quality in its proper place and on a proper occasion, and through treading faithfully on the way shown by God and through being wholly devoted to him.

I have borrowed these ideas about spirituality from the writings of the founder of the Ahmadiya Muslin Jamat Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (Punjab), India..

As all oscillatory motions are periodic but all periodic motions are oscillatory, so all spiritual persons are religious, but all religious person are not spiritual or an irreligious person can never be spiritual though he may possess high moral qualities.

Belief in God is pre-condition to attain spirituality.

(A Letter by BILAL AHMED SHAMIM, QADIAN, PUNJAB (India) to the Editor of The Tribune published on November 16, 2008)

BREATHING

ALPHA- BREATHING

FOR RELAXATION

SIMPLIFIED PRANAYAM AND IMAGINATION

Alpha breathing is combination of imagination and a simplified version of Pranayam (Yoga of breath). It is a technique of deep regular breathing.

Deep breathing is important for 3 reasons.
1. The brain needs a lot of oxygen to function at high level of intelligence.
The brain is about 1.5 kilogram, which is about 3% of your body weight.
But the brain uses 20 to 25 percent of the total oxygen intake. Deep breathing
helps satisfy the oxygen demand of your brain.

2. Second, deep breathing relaxes you.
3. Third, breathing with a natural breathing cycle is one of the easiest and most
effective ways to increase alpha content of your brain waves.

This helps in learning.

Alpha-breathing:

Here are the steps for alpha-breathing. Use this technique NOW before reading any
more. Use this technique regularly for relaxation.
· Repeat the following steps 4 times.
· Breathe from your diaphragm. Breath in through your nose for a count of four
(saying to yourself one, two, three, four)
· Hold your breath for a count of four. While holding imagine that oxygen is relaxing your brain and body.
· Breathe out through your mouth for a count of four. While exhaling, imagine that all stresses and tensions in your body/mind are going out with the breath.
· Do not pause. Immediately repeat the above steps.

(Source: Raj Bapna’s book “Mind Power Study Techniques” www.MindPowerIndia.com)

HOW TO SLEEP WELL

How to Sleep Well

Sleep is essential. During sleep, your body recuperates (repairs itself). You also dream while sleeping. Many scientists say that it is during dreams that the whole day’s memory is recognized in the brain.

Your sleep happens in cycles. These are 90 minute cycles. Your sleep process repeats after 90 minutes. During these 90 minutes the brain waves change representing change from awareness to deep sleep. In each cycle there is a period for REM (Rapid Eye Movement). During this period, there is rapid circular movement of the eyes. Now scientists have found that REM sleep represents dreaming.

For good sleep, go for following:

• Keep your room quiet and dark. If you do not have a separate room, you may not be able to do this. At least you can request the other members of your family to try to be quiet.
• Avoid coffee, particularly after lunch time.
• Eat less of sugar, salt, fats (oils and ghee), difficult-to-digest foods, particularly at night.
• Physical exercise helps, preferably in the afternoon, but not in night.
• Take time to slow down. If you are doing something very active and suddenly you go to bed, you may not get sleep. So spend the last hour or so doing relatively non-stressful activities.
• Try to go to the bed at the same time every night.
• Do not read or watch TV when in bed. Use bed for sleep only.
• Learn and do relaxation exercises.


(Source: Raj Bapna’s book “Mind Power Study Techniques” www.MindpowerIndia.com)