Mind Body Messenger
Issue #14, June 2004

Keeping Up with Heather

What influences our world today more than the media? Print, film, music and television programming and advertising are the most powerful and well-used forms of information, education, entertainment, and manipulation over people of all ages today. As well as influencing our choices, beliefs and our idea of what is happening in our world, these mediums also reflect changes in our world. When we experience changes as individuals and as a community, whether it is changes in politics, weather, finance and fashion, or deeper changes in belief systems, lifestyle needs, family structure and spirituality, these changes can be reflected in our media. Need an example? Imagine ‘Temptation Island’ being aired in the 1960’s.

When our tastes, values and interests change, we learn in the media. When a new slang is invented on the street, we hear it first in our music. When a political upheaval causes strife in a foreign nation, we depend on our daily newspaper to keep us informed. When a study reports findings of health risks to a new drug, we don’t expect our doctor to give us a call, we depend on our media to inform us of these risks. But, how much of this media is reporting and reflecting, and how much is creating and coercing?

I recently heard a piece on CBC radio about the Hip Hop world of music, fashion, and lifestyle. They disclosed that the song “Pass the Courvoisier’, penned and sung by Puff Daddy and Busta Rhymes was not an originally inspired idea, but in fact a promotional campaign paid for by the lagging cognac industry. And, it was an effective campaign. After the song was released, bartenders throughout North America started answering to non-stop requests for this pricey and somewhat obscure drink. As one mixologist reported, “They didn’t even know what it was they were asking for, they just knew they wanted it”.

This example leads me to wonder whether the tail is wagging the dog here. A fashion magazine throws together a few pages on men wearing paisley patterned shirts in soft pastels, and suddenly it’s the metro-sexual revolution. Then, a few Hosers from Canada turn the tables with some flannel shirts and ball-caps, and it’s the anti-metrosexual movement. Are we just keeping the economy running here frantically shopping around trying to keep up with fashion?

Why am I writing about this subject? It just occurs to me to ask the question, how much is the media reflecting where I am at in my life, in my beliefs, and in my personal growth. How much does the media relate to me, personally, my fears, needs, wants, beliefs and goals? And, how much am I influenced by the media. Are my goals for career, family, finance and health ‘mine’? Are my goals a product of my families’ belief systems? Or, are these desires I have for success, health, love and fulfillment a process being influenced by the corporate messages around me?

Imagine yourself reading a fashion or health magazine, how do you feel after you read it? Are you feeling fit, stylish, and successful? Or, are you feeling too fat, too old, too poor and too dull to fit in? If you dial up your hairdresser to touch up your colour after closing the pages, you might want to take some time to think about what kind of influence the media that you choose to engage is having on you. Keep in mind, there are very bright people working around the clock trying to figure out how to make us think we need their products, in just 30 seconds, in one image, in one brand concept. We cannot imagine for a second that we are immune to these influences. However, there is a cure. There are new magazines, television programs, and films out there that will have you thinking about your value and your potential rather than about your deficiencies. In these forums there are advertisers who are still selling you…but selling you on a product that perhaps touches a part of you that has deeper, more globally minded goals. These forms of media engage you to think outside the box, to consider your world as a community of like-minded people, and to come from a place of empowerment, rather than a place of fear or insecurity.

Where am I going here? Just a few thoughts that I’m pondering, and I encourage you to do the same. Perhaps you will take some time over the next few weeks to observe your reactions to different forms of media and their messages, notice how you respond to them, and then make an effort to surround yourself with messages and programs that support you and your goals, rather than making you feel not good enough, that your world is getting out of control, and that you just need (fill in the blank) to make your life a success. That’s not to say that you should avoid looking at images of people younger, thinner, more attractive, or more prosperous than you, or stay informed of what is happening in your reality. However, be sure that these images draw you forward to your future self, to a positive future for your world, rather than push you back into the quagmire of self-doubt, criticism, division, and self-indulgence.

As always, I look forward to receiving your thoughts on this subject.
Namaste, Heather!

From the Desk of… Christopher

Greetings to those on either side of the globe, I hope this issue of MBM finds you happy and well. After a few month’s hiatus, I'm back at my desk again, and Part 3 of ‘2004 the Year of Dreams and Commitment’ will appear next issue along with a new segment where I'll be offering some simple relaxation tips for those who are looking to feel more relaxed and responsive in mind and body. In the meantime, to keep you updated on course offerings, I will be running a few workshops over the coming months, including:

• Past Lives: a 1-night workshop to be held on June 7th and July 1st .
• Meditation the Basics: a 2-night workshop held June 22nd & 24th.
• Bioenergetics/Metamorphic Technique: a 1-night program, TBA.
• Self Mastery: a 7 evening program commencing on the 28th of June

Our website will be updated with programs soon, so keep posted at www.mind-body-mastery.com.

Finally, in this issue I’ll share with you a piece on ‘Past Life Regression’ with the Christos Technique. If you’ve always wondered what takes place in a past life regression session, read on for a brief glimpse at this powerful healing practice. Please keep in mind that your first experience with past life regression should be done with an experienced facilitator.

Cheers, Christopher.

Past Life Regression with the Christos Technique

The Christos Technique was developed in Peth, Australia by the Open Mind society in the 80’s. It is a safe and dynamic method that allows participants to experience & interact in past incarnations from the perspective of a silent observer. It may be best likened to a cosmic flight simulator that allows participants the ability to peer back, forward and move parallel through time and space with amazing presence & clarity. It is not hypnosis.

This method requires three people. One who will be regressed, a principle guide who takes up a massage position at the head, and a third person who assists with a foot & ankle massage before moving to the head later to assist the principle guide with the regression. The person receiving lies down, preferably on the floor, with a cushion to comfortably support the head. A massage is applied to the area of the pineal gland or third eye centre. It is thought that primitive man could 'see' (telepathically) through this gland, but as language developed we lost the need for a sixth sense and the function of the pineal gland became dormant.

The 3rd eye massage should be done in a circular movement with the first 2 fingers and thumb. This is thought to stimulate the pineal gland and restore imaginative ability. This centre should be massaged until it is literally buzzing. At the same time, the ankles and feet of the subject should be massaged briskly to draw the attention away from the head. After 5 minutes, the receiver is guided through a series of visualizations.

The ‘principle guide’ asks the subject to imagine both of their feet expanding like balloons to about 10cm in diameter. When acknowledged that this has been achieved, they are then asked to feel them shrinking back down to normal. Next, the subject is asked to imagine their head is expanding 10cm in diameter, and again, when this is successfully acknowledged, they reverse the visualization and their head shrinks back to normal. This procedure is repeated twice more by having the feet and head stretch to 50cm back & forth then by 1 metre. Both the feet and head remain expanded after the 1metre level is reached while the body also expands to reach the same proportion. You can imagine yourself being inflated like a balloon.

At this point the massaging ceases and the assistant guide moves to the head area to assist with the regression. The subject is asked to visualize themself standing outside their own front door and describes in detail, every aspect of what they see. Eg; door handle, colours, textures, roof, letterbox, basically as much as they can see. After this, they are then asked to feel themselves floating into the air from that point - first 50 metres, then 500 metres and finally 1km. At each point the subject is to indicate when they have reached each stage with a clear calm response. Get them to describe what they see as they peer over their home & or city. Encourage them to respond by asking what the subject can see in front of them. Ask whether its night or day, summer or winter etc. This helps the person’s psychic vision and set the tone for the regression.

After a moment or so, ask the subject to imagine shooting upwards very rapidly out of our atmosphere to a place beyond time & space that appears as a dark void. It is from here where they will come back down to Earth to enter a past life. Spend a couple of moments here before you guide them back down to Earth to what will be a past incarnation. Have them descend towards the Earth passing through the various layers of our atmosphere until they touch down safely somewhere back through time. At this point the regression begins.

Guide the person gently without any fuss but also be direct and firm with your questions too. The guide’s are in control here so the idea is to be very conscious of what the person is experiencing and be sure to move them forward in time to the next significant event if nothing is happening.

It is a good idea to start the regression with the person simply looking at their feet and describing what they can see immediately beneath them; style of shoe, clothes, texture of ground, colour of skin, what era they appear to be in etc. All questions must be open and inquisitive but with an effort to not lead or prompt the person in any way. Try to see through their eyes as you get them to move about in the experience like one would in an adventure game. After this particular life has been sufficiently explored, usually culminating with how this lifetime ended (your death) you will begin to bring the person back.

Just as you guided them there, you reverse the process (less the expanding visualization) performed at the beginning. The person is brought back up into the void for a moment before landing back in the present in front of their front door. They enter back into the room, lie back down in their body and gently open their eyes. A brief break is recommended before swapping around to do the next person.

Remember it’s all happening within you so have fun.

A continuing series offering yoga postures for men, women, and children to practice at home, school, on the road or in the office. With special thanks to Ross Pottinger of Wink Photo Design in Brisbane, Australia for the photos and the support in this project. And many thanks to Louisa Dick for inspiring and taking part in the project. If you have a posture that you would like to see in this column, or a general question about Yoga, I welcome your suggestions, comments, and queries. Namaste, Heather!

The Bound Angel ... printer friendly version

A gentle stretch that helps to lengthen, stretch, and relax the hips, groin, and inner thigh. Ensure that you maintain a long, slow, deep breath into your abdomen and low back as you practice this posture.

Bound Angel

Beginning in a sitting position, bring the bottoms of your feet together and draw your feet in towards your groin. You can move the fleshy part of your buttocks back to feel your sit bones connecting with the ground. Holding your feet with your fingers curled under the outside of your foot, focus on stretching up through your spine to create a long, flat back, and stretching out through your thighs, and allowing them to relax into the ground. As you relax into this stretch, breath deeply into your belly and low back, and draw your knees toward the ground. If your knees are quite a distance away from the ground, you may like to place a small cushion or rolled blanket under each thigh to support your thigh and knee.

Modified Bound Angel

From the Bound Angel, shift your buttocks back from your hips 18-24 inches. Take a deep breath to lift your ribcage, pressing your hips back slightly and slowly bend forward to walk your fingers out in front of your shins, maintaining a flat back, then exhale and relax into the stretch. Fingers are spread, spine is long, hips and knees are pressing down towards the ground as you feel the stretch through your hips and buttocks. Keep your chest elevated slightly to maintain a flat back, and breath deeply into your lower abdomen to relax deeper into the stretch. If you find it difficult to lengthen your spine in this position, try placing a cushion or folded blanket under your hips. To intensify this stretch, you may hold your toes and draw your elbows to the ground.