Sunday 28 October 2012

The Pineal Gland: A Doorway to Other Dimensions

The Pineal Gland: Interface Between the Physical and Spiritual Planes? 
Waking Times. January 30, 2012. 

Function

* Causes Feeling of Sleepiness
* Converts Nervous System Signals to Endocrine Signals
* Regulates Endocrine Functions
* Secretes the Hormone Melatonin

Overview: the Pineal Gland Center of the Physical Brain

If anything could be called the center of the physical brain, it would have to be the Pineal Gland. This solid cone-shaped structure located at the roof of the posterior third ventricle is about the size of a grain of rice and weighs approximately 100 – 180 milligrams.

The gland has also been referred to as the epiphysis, parietal eye, and in spiritual realms as the third eye. The pineal appears to be involved in synchronization of bodily functions(s) with the environment as a “regulator of regulators”

Supernatural Powers

Philosophers and Spiritual Adepts have long contemplated the function of the Pineal. For example, the Ancient Greeks believed it to be our connection to the realms of thought and French philosopher Renee Descartes referred to it as the seat of the human soul. Most mystical traditions and esoteric schools have known this area to be the connecting link between the physical and spiritual worlds and consider it a powerful source of ethereal energy initiating supernatural powers. Thus, the hormones released by this gland play a part in the stimulation of the higher-mind and the development of intellectual pursuits. Toxins in this gland indicate the spirit is weak due to lack of will combined with an invasion of the psyche.

Function

On a physiological level, the Pineal is activated by light, and controls the various biorhythms of the body through the secretion of the hormone melatonin. It is integral to the life cycle and sends signals to the reproductive system set a child’s birth in motion. Working in harmony with the Hypothalamus Gland it directs the body’s thirst, hunger, sexual desire and biological clock which determines our aging process. Edgar Cayce said, ‘Keep the pineal gland operating and you won’t grow old – you will always be young!’ 

Pineal Gland Chakra

The Third Eye and the Pineal Gland

To activate the ‘third eye’ and perceive higher dimensions, the pineal gland and the pituitary body must vibrate in unison, which is achieved through meditation and/or relaxation. When a correct relationship is established between personality, operating through the pituitary body, and the soul, operating through the pineal gland, a magnetic field is created.

Read more:

How to Clean up the Pineal Gland 

Open Your Third Eye and Awaken Your Pineal Gland With These Simple Exercises

 

Natural Health: Anti-bacterial Herbs & Foods

Top Antibacterial Herbs and Food for Preventing Infection

Antibacterial by nature, these foods and herbs can help prevent infection. 

Susan Melgren, November/December 2012, Mother Earth Living. 

Long before the discovery of penicillin in the 1920s, cultures around the world turned to plants for their antibiotic needs. Ancient Egyptians used honey on wounds to help heal and prevent infection, and everyone from the ancient Romans to the early Americans relied upon garlic to treat infections. With the advent of conventional antibiotics, however, Western medicine began to leave medicinal plants behind. But today, with growing concerns about the overuse of antibiotics and the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, interest in plant medicines is being restored. 

Unlike antibiotics, which wipe out all bacteria in the body regardless of whether they’re harmful or beneficial, plants can be used to target an infection while leaving the body’s supply of good bacteria intact. Although medical professionals don’t suggest avoiding antibiotics altogether (many bacterial infections are serious enough to warrant their use), in many cases, antibacterial herbs and foods can help prevent infection and work synergistically with antibiotics to treat infection. Always talk to your doctor—and be wary of taking antibiotics for upper respiratory infections, many of which are caused by viruses and therefore will not respond to antibiotics. 

Fabulous Fruits

It’s a long-held belief that drinking cranberry juice is good for bladder infections, and research backs that up. A 2006 study from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute showed that cranberries and cranberry juice can prevent urinary tract infections by preventing E. coli bacteria from adhering to bladder walls and beginning an infection. In a clinical trial of women with urinary tract infections, researchers also found that women who drank one cup of cranberry juice a day were less likely to have recurring infections than those who took Lactobacillus, a beneficial bacteria, or those who took nothing. 

Cranberries work better as a preventive measure than as a treatment. To help prevent infection, drink one cup of unsweetened cranberry juice (sugar feeds the growth of bacteria) daily or take 400 to 500 milligrams (mg) of cranberry extract capsules twice daily.

Pomegranate is another powerful antibacterial. Although the antioxidant activity of this superfood has been well-documented, recent studies have also been diving into pomegranate’s antibacterial properties. In a study published in the International Journal of Microbiology, pomegranate extract showed antibacterial activity against bacteria such as E. coli, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, a clinical trial of kidney disease patients on dialysis found that those patients who drank pomegranate juice three times a week for one year were less likely to be hospitalized from infection.
Although the juice provides some antibacterial effects, of the parts tested, the fruit’s rind showed the strongest inhibitory effect against bacteria. To make a tea from the rind, cut its peel into nickel-size pieces, lay them in the sun to dry, then steep 4 to 5 pieces in boiling water. You can also drink one cup of pomegranate juice daily. 

Antibacterial Herbs: Healing Honey

Various studies have shown honey to be useful for fighting many forms of bacteria that infect the skin and wounds. A clinical trial of goldmine workers in South Africa found honey just as effective at treating shallow wounds and abrasions as the conventional pharmaceutical treatment, and at a fraction of the cost. Additional trials and studies have shown that honey can help heal wounds quickly, relieve pain and decrease rates of infection. 

Honey is most often used externally to treat conditions such as burns, ulcers, bedsores, and infected or fungated wounds. For minor burns and wounds, apply honey directly to the site and cover with a sterile bandage. Change the dressing once or twice daily. For more serious wounds, ask your doctor about using honey to help the healing process. This antibacterial can also be consumed to promote healthy immune function and help fight colds, flu and respiratory infections. Take 1 tablespoon three times daily as a preventive, or once every hour for acute conditions. 

Note: Honeys produced from bees allowed access to wildflowers and plants are generally considered more potent in their healing qualities than large-scale agricultural and single-plant honeys (the kind you usually find at the grocery store). Grocery store honeys can also be contaminated with pesticides or made with high-fructose corn syrup. For maximum healing benefits, buy honey from a local source you trust. Never give honey to children younger than 2. 

Glorious Garlic

Long used as a folk remedy for treating coughs, colds and respiratory infections, studies have shown garlic to have antibacterial effects capable of fighting infections. A recent study from Washington State University, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, looked at the garlic-derived compound diallyl sulfide and found it to be 100 times more effective than two conventional antibiotics at killing Campylobacter, a bacterium known to cause many food-borne illnesses, under research conditions. 

Most researchers attribute garlic’s antibacterial effects to the compound allicin. Because heat can chemically change this compound, eating raw garlic provides the most benefits. Cutting or crushing garlic also releases the allicin. Eat one clove of raw garlic daily; if you feel as if you are coming down with an infection, increase your intake to three or more cloves per day. Always talk with your doctor before making any changes to your health regimen, but because of garlic’s potential blood-thinning effects, be especially sure to discuss incorporating garlic if you’re taking blood thinners or if you have an upcoming surgery. 

Antibacterial Herbs

Oregano (Origanum vulgare), a popular Italian herb, has many uses outside the kitchen. In a 2001 Georgetown University Medical Center study, researchers discovered that oregano oil inhibited growth of the Staphylococcus bacteria, as well as the Candida albicans fungus known to cause yeast infections, as effectively as common antibiotics such as penicillin. Researchers think that carvacrol, one of the active chemical compounds in oregano, is largely responsible for this herb’s medicinal qualities. Take 300 to 500 mg in capsuled liquid form. 

In a 2009 Romanian study, researchers found that sage showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus, salmonella and E. coli bacteria. Both the German Commission E and the USDA have deemed sage as antibacterial, and the USDA even mentions white sage (Salvia apiana) as a treatment for sore throats because of its abilities to inhibit bacteria growth. Drink one cup of sage tea (steep 1 teaspoon of dried sage leaves or 1 tablespoon of fresh sage in boiling water for three to five minutes) daily. 


The Problem with Antibiotics 

The rapid rise of drug-resistant diseases has raised awareness about the problem—and overuse—of antibiotics. The problem with pharmaceutical antibiotics lies in their simplicity, says Stephen Harrod Buhner, author of Herbal Antibiotics. “A drug is a single compound, a single bullet or monotherapy,” Buhner says. Antibiotics have just one static means of killing bacteria. Bacteria, on the other hand, are living organisms that have developed evolutionary responses to threats such as antibiotics. 

Because bacteria are constantly evolving, it’s hard for pharmaceutical antibiotics to compete. Plants, on the other hand, are similar to bacteria in the sense that they develop new mechanisms—in this case, chemical compounds—to cope with threats to their survival. Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, plant antibiotics have as many as 200 different compounds that work together to kill bacteria. This multifaceted approach prevents bacteria from developing resistance to the plant’s antibacterial compounds, making them a more effective option for treating disease. To learn more about antibacterial herbs and the rapid rise of antibiotic-resistant diseases, visit Herbal Alternatives to Antibiotics. 

Saturday 27 October 2012

Welcome to Bhakti BC blog

Thank you for visiting this humble blog as you continue along your spiritual adventure. Bhakti BC has been started in seva to spreading the word and love of Bhakti. I am deeply grateful for the blessings of my life and hope to use my gifts to help connect people to devotional information, events and resources. This blog is intended to be a jumping off point in collaborating with others to create an inclusive, expansive and welcoming Bhakti community throughout British Columbia and beyond. As those who walk the path of Bhakti know - we are all One, we are all Love.

Definition of Bhakti

Bhakti
Bhakti (also spelled Bhakthi, Sanskrit: भक्ति[1]) in Hinduism and Buddhism is religious devotion in the form of active involvement of a devotee in worship of the divine. Within monotheistic Hinduism, it is the love felt by the worshipper towards the personal God, a concept expressed in Hindu theology as Iṣṭa-devatā (also as Svayam Bhagavan in Gaudiya Vaishnavism).
 
Bhakthi can be used of either tradition of Hindu monotheism, Shaivaism or Vaishnavism.[2]

BHAKTI YOGA: Bhakti is the approach of pure intense love, devotion to God, and attachment to Him alone. God is to be regarded as the devotee's parent, master, friend, child, husband or sweetheart, each succeeding relationship representing an intensification of love. The devotee has God as the center of his existence. He perceives everything as God and God in everything. It is a path of complete surrender. He hands over the reins of his life to God and never questions the ride.

Bhakti Yoga by Sri Swami Sivananda

The term Bhakti comes from the root 'Bhaj', which means 'to be attached to God'. Bhajan, worship, Bhakti, Anurag, Prem, Priti are synonymous terms. Bhakti is love for love's sake. The devotee wants God and God alone. There is no selfish expectation here. There is no fear also. Therefore it is called 'Parama Prem Rupa'. The devotee feels, believes, conceives and imagines that his Ishtam (tutelary deity) is an Ocean of Love or Prem. 

Bhakti is the slender thread of Prem or love that binds the heart of a devotee with the lotus feet of the Lord. Bhakti is intense devotion and supreme attachment to God. Bhakti is supreme love for God. It is the spontaneous out-pouring of Prem towards the Beloved. It is pure, unselfish, divine love or Suddha Prem. There is not a bit of bargaining or expectation of anything here. This higher feeling is indescribable in words. It has to be sincerely experienced by the devotee. Bhakti is a sacred, higher emotion with sublime sentiments that unites the devotees with the Lord.

Mark how love develops. First arises faith. Then follows attraction and after that adoration. Adoration leads to suppression of mundane desires. The result is single-mindedness and satisfaction. Then grow attachment and supreme love towards God.
In this type of highest Bhakti all attraction and attachment which one has for objects of enjoyment are transferred to the only dearest object, viz., God. This leads the devotee to an eternal union with his Beloved and culminates in oneness.