Monthly Archives: February 2013

We found this post from Rosie on Amazon.  Now, we know perfectly well that this generous description credits a lot to the guided imagery; and that nobody can know for sure what made this experience go so well.  Rosie does mention the importance of diet and nutrition, too.

But then again, on the other hand, we sure do hear a lot of feedback that sounds just like this… We figure that guided imagery is particularly well suited for surgery and other medical procedures – that much we can say with some assurance.  Here’s Rosie’s note:

Wow...thats all I can say.

I was diagnosed with Cervical Cancer 1B2 a few months ago. I underwent a radical hysterectomy combined with femoral hernia repair 10 days ago.

Hello... got a couple of questions I would like you to answer...



1--What, specifically, makes your products "more effective and/or unique" than your competitors?



2--Do your CD's contain any underlying subliminal suggestions?



I sincerely appreciate your response!



Steve

Researchers from McGill University and Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, carried out a random effect meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to determine the efficacy of alternative smoking cessation aids.

Investigators systematically searched the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, and PsycINFO databases through December 201, only including trials that reported cessation outcomes as point prevalence or continuous abstinence at 6 or 12 months.

Fourteen trials were identified; 6 investigated acupuncture (823 patients); 4 investigated hypnotherapy (273 patients); and 4 investigated aversive smoking (99 patients).

This morning I noticed that my extremely hilarious niece, Marjorie Ingall, a columnist for Tablet Magazine, posted this shout-out for Traci Stein’s excellent, new audio program for Procrastinators:

“I'm totally gonna buy it... soon.”

Today, I got from a friend a new paper by some Brown University scientists, offering a framework for understanding why mindfulness meditation can so effectively reduce depression and pain. 

Just to restate for those who are new to this mind-body stuff, mindfulness is a way of training the placement of your attention on present-moment experience, such as body and breath sensations, as well as moment-to-moment thoughts and feelings.  You just keep noticing these things and when your mind wanders, you notice that too, and just redirect your focus back to noticing breath, body sensation, thoughts and feelings. Pretty simple but very profound, and not so easy for most of us to do.

One summer afternoon, many years ago, a colleague of mine confided to me, “I have really, really ugly legs. Bad, bad-looking knees.” We were sitting in the hospital garden having lunch and talking about work, and I wasn't sure I’d heard her correctly. By most accounts, this woman had a bubbly personality, a sunny smile, and a pretty normal looking body (whatever that means). She was also professionally accomplished, had a loving family, etc. etc. To be quite honest, she had worn a skirt to work on a number of occasions, and I had never noticed her legs one way or the other. Quickly I glanced down at them, and then looked her in the eyes. I said, with no flattery intended, “I really don’t see what you’re talking about.” Mind you, I was probably much more aware of my hair at that moment – which was an odd combination of flatness and frizz from the humidity, a stray tendril clinging moistly to my temple. Not exactly my most camera-ready look.  I’ve had lifelong hair angst, but have surrendered to the fact that it will never be thick, lustrous, well-behaved, shampoo-ad type of hair. And at this point, it doesn’t really bother me all that much. Truly. But it did throughout my adolescence and teens and probably through college as well. I tortured it with highlights and perms and had numerous hair disasters along the way.

Hi ~~ What fun to meet you here.  I'm Julie Lusk and a proud member of the Health Journeys family of guided imagery, meditation and yoga enthusiasts and contributors. 
 
You might recognize me from my books and CD's that are offered through Health Journeys.  Books include Yoga Meditations, 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing (2 volumes) and also the Wholesome Relaxation and Power of Presence CDs.  You can see more about my materials here.  We may have met at NICABM in one of the many yoga classes I offered through the years at their annual conferences.
 
Wouldn't it be great to meet in person?  I'd love it!  Let's meet for a 3-day course on guided imagery in the Bahamas in May  at the Sivananda Retreat Center.  We will explore several wonderful types of guided imagery within the context of the seven major chakras (energy centers) and the five koshas (sheaths). We will enjoy the experience of relaxing deeply and activating our energy by the stunning ocean, and surrounded by beautiful gardens and awesome people. There's also yoga, meditation, chanting, delicious food, and so much more!

Hello! I am so grateful to be a part of Health Journeys and all the wonderful products they offer. Sometimes browsing the site feels like being a kid in a candy store for lovers of guided imagery and meditation!

My name is Mellisa Dormoy and I am the writer and voice behind Shambala Teens Cds and founder of ShambalaKids. I love our youth. They are the builders of our tomorrow, the next keepers of light. And so, there is nothing more personally satisfying or encouraging to me than when I hear a parent tell me how their child has been deeply moved and helped by what I do.

I have a degree in Psychology and was trained as a hypnotist in NYC through the National Guild of Hypnotists. I later did a specialization in pediatric hypnotherapy because I love kids so much. I continue my education with CEUs in guided imagery, ADHD hypnotherapy and other workshops that enable me help teens and children even more.  

Having my own children gave me the opportunity to hone my skills, and it is they who continually inspire me to create more. Today, in addition to continually expanding our line of CDs and program offerings at ShambalaKids, I also train others to teach children’s relaxation and meditation. In this way, I continue my great love affair with guided imagery and meditation, and the positive, transformational affects they have on us and our families.

First, hello to all. I find that holidays and the New Year are great opportunities for self-reflection and meaningful change. We may think of this as something that is necessarily dramatic or large, or immediately observable to others, but often the most profound changes involve subtle but important shifts in how we treat ourselves, or how much space we create to accept ourselves in the present moment, even if there are things we’d like to be different. Once we can be more loving and kind to ourselves, the other changes seem to become that much easier.

I had hip replacement surgery 4 weeks ago, using the Successful Surgery guided imagery for 2 weeks before I entered the hospital.

I set it to repeat continuously when I went into the hospital, listening to it until I met the anesthesiologist, who gave permission to use it in the operating room.

After the surgery, I switched to the meditation to Ease Pain, which had the added bonus of blocking sounds & voices from the nurses' station outside my door.

I was released after 2 days, walking on my own with only a cane. I continued to use the Ease Pain meditation every night to help me sleep.  

I was given 2 pain meds but only took the milder med for a couple weeks. By week 3, I was walking without the cane.

I really believe the meditations & visualizations of both CDs helped.
Thank you.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver BC looked at the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for adults with ADHD, while controlling for medication use.
 
Previous studies had not controlled for meds status and included either medicated participants or mixed samples of medicated and unmedicated subjects.  So the objective of this study was to examine whether the use of medication actually improves the outcome of CBT, which is known to be helpful.

The investigators used a secondary analysis comparing 23 participants randomized to CBT and Dextroamphetamine vs. 25 participants randomized to CBT and placebo. Both patients and investigators were blind to treatment assignment. Two co-primary outcomes were used: ADHD symptoms on the ADHD-RS-Inv completed by the investigator; and improvement in functioning as reported by the patient on the Sheehan Disability Scale.