How do you choose the best meditation music? Baroque music is often recommended, and particular pieces may have the right number of beats-per-minute to alter your brainwaves. But more on that in a moment. The science isn’t that settled in this area yet, and you may find that any music which you don’t enjoy will just distract you rather than help your meditative state.

Personal experimentation is called for then. You can start with baroque if you like. Compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach are commonly recommended. Try “Prelude from Cello Suite” or “Allemande” (Cello Suite 3). Frederick Handel’s music works well for many as well.

But you don’t have to limit your experimentation to classical music. Meditation music can include Jazz, guitar and Indian sitar compositions too. Gregorian chants are used by some, as are CDs with the sounds of nature mixed in with the music. We’re all unique enough that different things will work better for each of our meditation practices.

However, there is one element that can really improve meditation music. It is the addition of “binaural beats.” These are cyclic pulsations caused by having the same notes or sounds on an audio recording, but slightly out of tune with each other. The effect is to “entrain” your brainwaves, meaning they begin to follow the beats. This technology of “brainwave entrainment” has been around for a couple decades now, but it is being used more often now.

The idea is that the beats in the music will slow your brainwaves down so you go from the normal waking or “Beta” state of consciousness (14 to 30 hertz) to and “Alpha” brainwave state (8 - 14 hertz) or deeper. The alpha state is one of relaxed alertness, and is considered a light meditative state. The “Theta” state (4 - 8 hertz) is one of deeper meditation - if you stay awake (drowsiness is common).

Do this kind of meditation music work? My wife and I have tried several different products, and yes, brainwave entrainment works. My meditation CDs quickly put me into a relaxed meditative state, and the ones designed to synchronize brainwaves to the theta range (4 - 8 hertz) either facilitate deep meditation or, if I am laying down, put me to sleep. My wife found greater self awareness and less stress as results of listening as well.

So which is the best meditation music? Many kinds may work well. But what is added to the music may be the most important thing.

If you browse through the New Age section of any music store you are bound to come across a selection of meditation music. While the quality of meditation music may vary from artist to artist, the purpose of the music remains the same. That is, meditation music is designed to greatly help those looking for an aid to their meditation sessions.

Towards a Calm Mind?

Meditation may look easy, but it really is not. Now, some may think that this is a hyperbolic statement because when one looks at a person meditating, it would seem that the person is merely sitting in the lotus position and thinking. This is partially accurate and it assumes facts not in evidence. That is, while one can clearly see that an individual is sitting in the lotus position meditating, we can only assume what the person is thinking or, more accurately, we can only assume HOW the person is thinking.

That is to say, a spectator automatically assumes that the person meditating is having a grand old time because the meditation seemingly appears to be going quite well. Again, we can not answer that question in the affirmative based on an assumption. In order to properly meditate, the person needs to have a quiet mind and if the mind is distracted and in a state that is removed from calmness, then the meditation time will not be fruitful. This is where meditation music comes in handy as it can aid in calming the mind of the person involved.

Meditation Music Enters the Fray

When meditation music enters the fray, the fray ends. That is, the distractions and lack of calmness in the mind will dissipate as the music seeks to sooth that which is troubling. This is why meditation music avoids being overly loud or hyper. This type of music is essentially an aid for those who are struggling with meditation and what must be pointed out is the fact that there is nothing inherently wrong with struggling.

In other words, no one can have a perfect day all the time and no one can perform perfectly in any skill one hundred percent of the time. This is why training aids or tools designed to improve performance come in handy and in the case of meditation, music specifically designed to help with meditating is a tremendous aid. So, if you are unable to calm your mind for proper meditation it may be a wise move to invest in a few new CDs.

One of the most popular methods of relaxation is by using meditation to help de-stress from the busy situations that life thinks we can cope with on a day to day basis.

There are several different easy ways you can meditate that can be performed whether you’re at work, in your house or even traveling by car.

These meditation methods are proven to quickly relax without taking hours and hours pushing yourself to “relax harder”.

In fact, they’re so easy that there is no reason to create a specific place, or sanctuary before you begin to meditate.

While some people have the luxury of being able to set aside a room in their home, meditation really can be performed anywhere.

All you have to do is find a room that will be quiet, or place where there are no distractions. So you’ll need to keep your children occupied, turning off the television, and maybe darken the room. And remember to turn off your cell phone as well - these have an annoying habit of ringing just at the wrong moment!

Some meditation teachers will say that in order to meditate properly you must sit ramrod straight in a chair and bend your knees at a right angle. If you’re comfortable sitting this way, you can. But many other people find it easier to carry out their meditation whilst the lie on the bed, or sitting down in their favorite chair. The choice is yours and unless the instructions for your chosen meditation say otherwise, experiment to see which is best for you.

Next, all you have to do is take some long, deep breaths and begin concentrating fully on those breaths until your mind is clear.

Remember that you shouldn’t try to force yourself to focus on one thought,but instead you should begin to let your thoughts just flow. After a few days or weeks of practicing it’s simple to begin to meditate in different places and at different times.

Meditation can help people focus their mind, clear their thoughts , and simply de-stress after a hectic, busy day.
Discover the best meditation method for you at Meditation Reviews

How do you choose the relaxation music that works best? You can certainly start by experimenting with many different types. After all, it seems likely that what one person finds relaxing another will find irritating. But is it all just a matter of personal preference?

Actually no. Though ones personal tastes enter into the equation, there are reasons that some types of music are more relaxing than others. For example, both science and the experience of many people point to the usefulness of baroque music for relaxation. Studies have shown that baroque music at 60 beats per minute causes your brain to produce more alpha brainwaves. Why does that matter? More on that in a moment. For now, here are some specific examples of good relaxation music.

“Harpsichord Concerto in F Minor,” by J.S. Bach

“Concerto No.10 in F Major from Twelve Concerti Grossi,” by A. Corelli

“Winter” from “The Four Seasons,” by A. Vivaldi

“Canon in D,” by Pachelbel

“Adagio in G Minor for Strings,” by Albinoni

Often it’s just a passage from these that has the most relaxing effect. In the first three examples above, the movements referred to as “largo” work best.

What other types of music help people relax? Light jazz (try Luther Vandross) works for some. Eastern music, like that which uses the Indian Sitar, is another favorite (try Ravi Shankar). Generic easy listening music with sounds of nature mixed in is a common choice as well.

Any of the music in these examples is relatively inexpensive. Even the best “sounds of nature” and “easy listening” relaxation CDs are usually no more than twenty-five dollars. However, if you’re willing to spend a bit more, there is a more scientific approach to using relaxation music.

Altering Your Brainwaves

Some types of music work better than others because of what they do to our brainwaves. Our brains primarily produce brainwaves at 14 - 30 hertz (cycles-per-second) during normal waking consciousness. In this frequency range they are referred to as “beta” waves. Frequencies from 8 - 14 hertz are “alpha” waves, which are present when we are more relaxed. Around 4 - 8 hertz is the “theta” range, accompanied by a deeper meditative or drowsy state. Finally, during deep sleep delta waves (below 5 hertz) are produced.

Meditation stimulates the more relaxing states of consciousness especially if it is regularly practiced. The good news, if you don’t have the time nor inclination to meditate, is that music which has been embedded with certain beats works in the same way. This is the basis for the newest brainwave entrainment technologies, based on decades of research. Simply listen to these CDs or MP3s with headphones and they alter your brainwaves, causing a quick relaxation response.

In other words, if you’re willing to spend a little more, you get true relaxation technology. Also, these products generally have pleasant music for a background too (though some use rain or wave sounds). That makes them the best kind of relaxation music in my experience.

Using a breathing meditation technique is probably the easiest meditation technique that you can learn. You're already breathing. Which means all you've got to "learn" is how to actually focus and notice the breaths you take.

Begin your breathing meditation by finding a quiet place. If at all possible, make sure that you won't be disturbed. Whilst it's not the end of the world, it's frustrating to be interrupted whilst you're learning something new.

Maybe an unused room in your home. Or a tranquil park or garden near your home or place of work. Anywhere that's reasonably quiet. Once you're comfortable with doing breathing meditations, you will find that even the "quiet place" isn't actually necessary. With practice, you will find you can relax absolutely anywhere, whenever you want.

You can practice breathing meditation sitting or standing. Unless the method you've chosen dictates otherwise, it's your choice.

Initially, just notice each breath in and each breath out. Are your breaths shallow, regular or really deep?

Next, actually focus on your breathing. Breathe in. Now. Begin to fill your lungs with air. Then hold your breath for a second or so, if it's comfortable for you to do that. And then, breathe out again. Emptying your lungs of as much air as you feel OK doing.

Repeat the process five or more times. As you progress, there's a good chance that your breathing will get deeper. There's a good chance you'll start to feel more relaxed.

One of the best things about using a breathing meditation is that a simple technique like the one above doesn't take very long. And if you want it to be, it's completely "invisible" to those around you. You can perform a breathing meditation almost anywhere.

Congratulations! You’ve just done a simple breathing meditation.

You can discover more about breathing meditation techniques here.

There are certainly many benefits to practicing meditation including having greater peace of mind and remaining in a calm state of mind which is why it pays to have a meditation room that is dedicated for your meditation where you can relax and remain calm and have a sense of freedom every time you enter the room. Having a meditation room instead of any old corner in the room is a good way of being constantly reminded to practice meditation and stick to it as well, and this is especially true when people start to meditate and then forget all about it in a few months time, simply because they start to feel very elated thanks to the benefits of meditation.

Cushions Are A Great Help When Sitting Or Lying On Hard Floors

However, having a meditation room will act as a reminder to continue meditating even after feeling much better so that you can reach even higher levels of consciousness, and so you need to know how best to equip your meditation room to get even better results. First off, you must have plenty of cushions, because many homes have very hard floors which make meditation uncomfortable to perform when sitting down or lying down. Thus, meditation cushions are going to make these activities a lot more comfortable for you especially if you are going to meditate for longer periods of time.

Another item you should have in your meditation room is incense that is wonderful in it as it helps you relax while meditating and there are many great Asian as well as Middle Eastern types of incense readily available from supermarkets, and lavender is especially worth trying out. Next, you must equip your meditation room with a tiny table for praying where you can place the incense and some artifacts and even images of God or Lord Buddha, though if you do not happen to be religious you could just as well place family pictures.

Another important item to place in the meditation room is a CD player on which you can play meditation music which will help you attain the proper state of mind to meditate and it will also make you feel much better. Add to that some candles (seven, in fact) so that you do not have to meditate under harsh electric lights, and when you are sitting or lying down with soft lighting as is the case under the glow of candle lights, which you can even place on the prayer table, you will be more in the mood to meditate and also get best results though you must place the candles in trays so that they do not burn the table down and start off a fire.

Lastly, you could add some flowers to the décor of your meditation room which is also very conducive to relaxation as well as feeling calm, and the perfume fragrances from flowers will add to that of the incense and thus becalm your mind and make it possible to meditate deeply.

Hundreds of meditation researches have been conducted over the years. These meditation researches were conducted based on different hypothesis. The good news is that most of these meditation researches pointed out that doing meditation is indeed beneficial to the body. Based on the results of these meditation researches, many medical professionals are now adopting meditation exercises to help their patients cope with their illnesses. Many medical professionals who are dealing with people who are chronically ill now offer meditation techniques to their patients to help them feel more comfortable without resorting to drugs.

The shift to a more natural treatment for chronic illnesses has been welcomed by many sectors of society. Note that the use of natural treatment does not only prevent the occurrence of side effects from drugs, it also lowers the cost of healthcare without compromising the well-being of the patient. What is more interesting about resorting to natural treatment like meditation is that according to studies, people who are into meditation may have longer lives compared to those people who do not practice meditation.

Benefits Of Meditation On The Body

According to recent meditation researches, meditation can improve mental abilities, health and social behavior of the patient. Results of several meditation researches showed that people who constantly practice meditation improved their learning abilities and their memory. In most cases, people who practice meditation have higher levels of moral reasoning compared to those who do not practice meditation. In the academic world, people who are into meditation are said to have higher academic achievements compared to their counterparts who do not take time to meditate. According to these studies, the practice of meditation helps the brain assimilate information better and structure the information in an orderly matter. As a result of the enhance functions of the brain, the person who constantly practice meditation achieves higher level of thinking.

Aside improving the mental abilities of the person, meditation can also improve social behavior. According to the results of a meditation research, meditation can reduce anxiety and boost the self-confidence of the person. Since the person is more relaxed, he or she will have higher tolerance level thus he or she is able to relate to others better. Experts believe that meditation can also enhance the personal relationships of people. In a study involving couples, couples who are into meditation have lesser incidents of divorce compared to those couples who do not practice meditation.

Anyone who’s suffered through one wants to know how to respond to anxiety episodes.  A panic attack causes intense physical and psychological distress. 

If the episodes continue they can ruin a person’s enjoyment of life, limiting what they’re willing to do and defining their choices for them. 

In this article I want to give some ideas about how to respond.  If you’ve ever had a panic attack, you want to know: what to do to prevent an anxiety episode to begin with and how to respond if one happens despite your efforts to prevent it.

First, if you haven’t already you should see a physician.

Some physical conditions can cause symptoms similar to severe anxiety.  You want to be certain that there is not a physical problem such as a heart or thyroid problem causing your symptoms.

Visiting a doctor establishes the diagnosis and reassures you that you are physically OK.  Some treatment options use this knowledge to help combat the panic feeling.

It also helps to realize you are not alone.

These days panic are commonplace.  I suppose it’s not too surprising given the stressful times we live in. There are many on-line forums where people share stories and offer advice.

Like anything on-line be sure to use some common sense. I’ve seen some very helpful advice in on-line forums and I’ve seen some terrible advice.

Aside from that many people tell their stories on the forums.  Just hearing what others have gone through and how they’ve dealt with it can be inspiring and instructive.

Another early step is to learn how to do a breathing technique to help with panic attacks known asdiaphragmatic breathing.  This form of breathing is good for your health in general.  It also helps you maintain a relaxed outlook.

Although it usually isn’t enough on its own it can be one of the tools used to bring an early anxiety attack under control.

you also may want to get instruction on the relaxation response.  You can learn this from any number of sources.  No matter how you learn them, you should use the techniques daily, even if only for a few minutes.

Cognitive restructuring is a form of psychotherapy that has proved very effective in treating panic attacks.  You can use this most easily as part of therapy with an appropriate professional but you can also use it on your own.

Finally, if your episodes are extremely troublesome you may need short term use of medications to give you some relief until the other treatments take effect.

People usually come off the drugs after a relatively short period of time. A few will require longer term treatment.

you can read about medications for anxiety and panic attacks that are used in addition to antidepressants.

Of course, if you’re taking medication you need to be under a doctor’s supervision.

This article has given you an idea of what to do about panic attacks.  The main thing to realize is that that you can be free of them before too long.

You can learn about an excellent way to free yourself of panic attacks completely at Panic Away Review.

There are many medications for anxiety attacks available these days.  These treatments definitely bring relief to many people.  If you have anxiety attacks, they may be part of your treatment.

Before I tell you a bit more about medications for anxiety problems  I want to be up-front about a bias of mine.  I believe these drugs are best used for a limited time to help while more permanent treatments have a chance to work.

The good news is that with proper therapy, almost everyone can free themselves from the terror of anxiety attacks.

Commonly, a therapist will recommend a drug to help these issues that falls into one of two classes: sedatives or antidepressants.

Most of the first class of drugs recommended are derived from Valium.  The various medications vary mostl in onset of action and how long their effects last.

The choice of these drugs varies.  Everyone has a different response to a given treatment.  A therapy that works great for one person may not work at all for another.

sedatives have a rapid onset, so they are useful in “taking the edge off” if a person is going into a situation that they have had problems before.

The other major class of drugs is an antidepressant.  The most common antidepressants are serotonin uptake inhibitors.  

Serotonin is a compound in the brain that’s part of the way one nerve cell (neuron) communicates with another.  

Decreased serotonin levels may be a cause of depression and anxiety.  Serotonin uptake inhibitors increase the levels by slowing the return of serotonin into the cells after it has been released.

The drug in this class that most people have heard of is Prozac.  There are many others today.  They all have their own benefits and risks.

Often finding the medication that’s best for an individual is as much art as science.

One thing serotonin uptake inhibitors have in common is that they all take a while to work.  Usually, it takes at least one or two weeks to see a benefit.

Obviously with that type of time framethese aren’t medications to use only when you feel an attack coming on.

There are a few other classes of drugs used, but only rarely.These other drugs either cause more side effects than the ones I’ve mentioned here or they carry greater risks.

Even though the classes of drugs I talked about above usually don’t cause problems, you still should find out about the side effects of antidepressants used to treat panic disorders.  That link takes you to a page with more information.

Again, I want to remind you that it is a good idea to seek other ways of dealing with and anxiety disorder other than taking pills.   Drugs can be useful, but they shouldn’t take the place of learning other coping strategies.

Some people taking these medications develop a psychological dependence.  

As I’ve mentioned, a person will use other forms of psychotherapy as well as the medications.  As they get better, they might think their improvement is due only to the drugs.

This might make them resist stopping the medication for fear of the attacks returning.

This is where it’s important for you to work with the prescribing physician.  

Even before you start taking the medication, talk with your therapist about how long you’ll be on it and how you’ll come off it.

Use drugs to treat anxiety attacks wisely and they can be a great help.

Naturally it’s best if you can get to the point where you don’t need medications.

You can read a review of an excellent way to do just that at Panic Away Review.

Get more information about panic attacks in general and what you can do about them at Panic Attack Release.

by Jason Hundley

Reiki is a wonderful technique that has brought about many amazing changes in my life and the lives of my clients and students but there are times when Reiki seems to be completely ineffective, even after multiple sessions. What is going on when Reiki isn’t working?

I’ve noticed over the years that many people think that, because they are Reiki practitioners, they can fix or heal other people. I believed this as well, for a while. However, I came to notice that no matter how successful my practice was, there were instances where nothing I did seemed to make any difference; Reiki simply wasn’t working. I began to see that the changes taking place in my clients weren't a result of my actions on them, nor were they decisions made by "The Reiki Source". Instead, my experiences were showing me that the client is the one in charge and that he or she determines the level and extent of transformation that occurs.

When Reiki isn’t working, we need to ask ourselves if something might be going on below the surface. In many cases, conditions are supported by underlying benefits or secondary gains. These are belief patterns the client holds that cause him or her to think, on some deep level, having their condition is better than not having it. If your client has an underlying benefit that is not addressed, no amount of work you do will bring lasting change.

To illustrate the concept of secondary gain, I will provide a few examples:

Many of us learn at an early age that we get special attention when we are sick. I have seen several instances where a wife was sick and enjoyed the extra attention she received because of it. “It’s so nice. My husband takes such good care of me. He cleans the house, cooks dinner and waits on me hand and foot. I wish he would be like this more often”, she might say.

Another example is a friend of mine who has been a smoker for over twenty years. When I asked her if she would like to quit, she said she yes. I gave her Reiki for several weeks with no progress at all. Finally, I asked her what the downside to quitting might be and she said it would lead to weight gain and that was a serious concern for her.

I know someone who was addicted to pain medication after being prescribed pain killers for her migraines over a ten year period. Most of the time, Reiki would lessen or eliminate her headaches but there were times she would get one and no amount of energy work helped. Once again, Reiki wasn’t working. Only after she had satsified the secondary gain by getting more pain medication did she allow Reiki to help with her headache.

I continue giving examples but the point I want to make is that our clients either allow us to help them or stop us from doing so, based on how willing they are to release the core issues that lead to whatever condition they are facing. As Reiki practitioners, we must recognize that we only assist our clients in changing and nothing we do can force them to go in a direction they don’t wish to go.

Understanding that many people have underlying reasons for maintaining a certain condition and knowing how to find those secondary gains is invaluable to everyone practicing Reiki or any other modality. Once the benefit is discovered and made clear to the client, a decision can then be made on how willing he or she is to change it. If the client decides the core issue is not something he or she is ready to change at this time, respect the decision and realize that we all grow at our own pace.

If you find that Reiki isn’t working for your client, take some time to ask a few questions about the situation you are trying to help resolve. Questions like, “What’s the downside to changing this?” or “What would you have to do or face if you weren’t dealing with this?” or “What’s the upside to holding on to this problem?” can help answers surface. Your client might be surprised at what comes up. When you have a secondary gain and the client has chosen to release it, and then apply Reiki to the belief by having him or her hold the thought in mind while you use the mental/emotional symbol and any others you feel guided to use.

I hope you find this article helpful on your Reiki path. I wish you all the best!

Find out how you can learn Reiki online at The Online Reiki Course