To know who you really are, you have to detach yourself from the world and turn to your consciousness.
The world around us looks so real, and to proclaim that it is only an illusion may seem sheer nonsense. How can it be? Yet, it is possible to accept this idea. I believe you agree with me, if I say that the body is some sort of an extraordinary machine. It is made up of a combination of materials, but it functions as a unit. Can you say confidently that you are the body? Are you the hair that is cut and thrown away when you go to the hairdresser? The body changes through the years, are you this changing form?
Can you say that you are a particular thought? Many thoughts pass through the mind each day. They are like a movie that passes in front of your eyes. Sometimes the movie is interesting, and sometimes it is boring. Sometimes it engenders happy feelings sometimes it causes the rise of sadness or anger. Do you remember a thought that you thought an hour ago? Yesterday? How can these thoughts be the real you? You think of them, but you are not them.
The same thing goes for your feelings. It is not true to say, “I am angry”, “I am sad”, and “I am happy”. It is truer to say, “I am letting now a feeling of anger, sadness or happiness to occupy my consciousness for a while”. You, the basic you, stay the same, while feelings come and go. You are not your feelings, which change constantly.
THEN WHO ARE YOU? The mind cannot describe what is beyond it, because it has not been there. It can understand mental descriptions, which only give it a clue of the reality beyond it. To know who you really are, you have to transform your awareness beyond the mind. You are beyond the physical body, feelings and thoughts. You are the eternal, impersonal consciousness that created and infused life into this conglomeration of body, feelings and thoughts that you call “me”.
This homogeneous, indivisible, complete consciousness manifests in everything. It is the life principle of the manifestation that you consider to be yourself. The manifestation, which is the combination of body, thoughts and feelings, is nothing without this life principle. We can certainly say that the consciousness is the only real thing, and every manifestation is just a creation, and therefore not permanent, eternal or real in the sense that it can exist by itself.
Can you become aware of this great consciousness? Yes, of course. You are it. You are letting thoughts and feelings cloud it. If you constantly pay attention to the outside world, then it becomes very real for you. If you find a way to detach yourself from it, and turn your attention within, to the consciousness beyond the mind, you can tear off the screen of illusion, and live consciously in this great consciousness.
Silence of the mind is the prerequisite to awakening spiritually. Only when the mind is silenced and there are no thoughts, you realize who you really are — the vast, eternal consciousness.
This is what has been called spiritual awakening or enlightenment. This is what yogis, saints and seekers on the spiritual path seek. It is here and now. All you have to do is change the way you view the world. You have to learn to dis-identify yourself with your body, feelings and thoughts, and develop true detachment. Through constant meditation the mind is made quiet. Then, from deep inside will raise a great silence, peace, life, consciousness and being. This is the real you. This is enlightenment.
When you are spiritually awakened, your life will probably go on as before. You will still have to eat, sleep and take care of the physical life, though you know through your experience that everything is just an illusion. If you view a movie with detachment, you may enjoy it, yet you will not be moved by what happens in it. You know it is just a movie, the projection of light and color on a screen. You see it, but it does not cause thoughts or feelings to arise. It is the same with the world. The world is not real. You, your real “I”, live in an undifferentiated eternity, yet the body seems to continue to live in a created world.
When you are spiritually awakened nothing can influence you anymore. You are beyond life and death. You will still have to provide food, clothes and a house for the body, yet, whatever you do, you will do with inner detachment. You may go on acting intensively in the world, yet remaining uninvolved in consciousness, as if outside of the world.
When you wake up to your real consciousness, and manage to stay in it more or less permanently, you may disregard the power of the mind, or you may use it to mold your illusion — your world, though by now you stop believing in its reality.
Going beyond the mind, beyond the illusion of the world, and awakening spiritually, puts a great power and responsibility in your hands, for then you have the power to influence the world.
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These common aches and ailments could very well be nothing. Or something far, far worse. Here are 24 warning signs that you need to take seriously, and what you should do if you experience them.
#1 The Warning: You feel short of breath and you’re not even exercising.
What it May Signal: Pulmonary embolus
Quick, rush to the Emergency Room. Feeling short of breath after exercise or while sitting could be due to exertion or anxiety, but if you experience sudden onset shortness of breath, it could be pulmonary embolus, a potentially life-threatening blood clot in the lungs.
Other conditions that could make your breathing to suddenly become rapid or uncomfortable, or give rise to the sensation that you aren’t getting enough air, are heart attack or heart failure, both of which require immediate medical attention.
#2 The Warning: Your ticker is racing even though you’re sitting still.
What it could be: Heart attack
Call your doctor. Though it could just be anxiety (watching the Indian cricket team crawl through the score line is enough to set any heart racing), palpitations also could indicate a heart attack or arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm).
#3 The Warning: You feel dizzy when you get out of bed.
Likely Cause: Low Blood Pressure
Lightheadness in the morning is called orthostatic hypotension, which can be due to conditions such as dehydration, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, heart failure, or medications, including diuretics and blood pressure medicines. Another possibility is benign positional vertigo, which is caused by a disturbance within the balance organs of the inner ear. See a doctor.
#4 The Warning: You’re leaking.
Possible Cause: Take your pick from the choices below
Urinary incontinence (leaking urine) is not a part of the normal aging process. It could signal a urinary tract infection (UTI), a problem with your prostate, nerve compression, or diabetes. See a doctor.
#5 The Warning: A persistent pounding in your head.
What it could be: Brain Haemorrhage
Rest assured that in a majority of cases it’s a symptom of migraine that can be relieved with painkillers and rest. However in rare instants, headache could be a sign of tumour or brain haemorrhage, esp if the pain is on one side of your head, sudden, severe and lasting and associated with nausea, vomiting and watery eyes. Rush to the hospital.
#6 The Warning: Your eyes have swelled to the size of walnuts.
What it could be: Optic Neuritis Optic neuritis
It is a medical emergency that affects the nerves in the eyes, either due to an infection or allergic reaction. If detected in the earlier stages it can be treated with proper medication, and you may save your vision.
#7 The Warning: Your ear hurts and you’re seeing double of everything.
Likely Cause: Middle ear infection Ear infections
These are particularly treacherous and are known to worsen abruptly and take a serious turn without warning.
Run to the doctor if pain escalates and/or is accompanied by giddiness, headache, vomiting, double vision, drowsiness, neck stiffness, swelling behind the ear, high fever and paralysis of the face.
#8 The Warning: You’ve dropped pounds without even trying.
What it may Signal: Cancer
If you haven’t been eating any differently, a shift in weight, viz. unintentional weight loss, could be due to a malignancy. Other possibilities are an endocrine abnormality such as a thyroid disorder, depression or diabetes. All require immediate medical attention.
#9 The Warning: Sudden groin pain.
Likely Cause: Testicular torsion
Testicular torsion is a relatively common congenital defect. One of the spermatic cords is twisted, which cuts off the flow of blood to the testicle. Not as severe as a shot to the crotch, but pretty close. The pain is sometimes accompanied by swelling.
If you catch it in 4 to 6 hours, you can usually save the testicle. But after 12 to 24 hours, you’ll probably lose it. Another possible cause of the pain in your pants: an infection of the epididymis, your sperm-storage facility. Antibiotics can stifle an infection.
#10 The Warning: A tingling feeling under your feet.
What May Mean: Neuropathy
A recurring tingling feeling anywhere in your body could be the result of nerve compression, hyperventilation, or neuropathy (a nerve disorder). Call your doctor as soon as possible.
#11 The Warning it takes forever for a bruise to disappear.
What’s Ahead: Diabetes
Slow healing of cuts and bruises may be a sign of diabetes. (Other warning signals include itchy skin and tingling in your hands and feet.) You don’t need a doctor to tell you to shed extra pounds (even a 10 per cent loss will make a diff to blood sugar levels); exercise, and monitor your diet.
#12 The Warning: Your tooth tingles when you eat chocolate.
What’s Ahead: Gingivitis
One of the first signs that a cavity may be forming is sensitivity to sweets. Other early signs of tooth decay are a discolored tooth and odor when you floss. A laser technique called quantitative light fluorescence can identify early tooth decay and remove bacteria before a cavity forms.
#13 The Warning: You have a 42-inch waist.
What’s Ahead: Impotence
You may not have a problem now, but according to a Harvard study, erectile dysfunction could be in your future. Why? Over¬ weight men often have clogged arteries, and that can inhibit the blood flow needed to get an erection. So buy yourself a 34-inch belt and don’t stop exercising until it fits you. Losing weight can help ensure that the softness of your gut doesn’t spread to other parts of your body.
#14 The Warning: You go blind - but just for a second.
What it May Mean: Stroke
The common risk factors for stroke include blood pressure above 140/90 and total cholesterol higher than 200. But numbness in one side of your body and a temporary blackout in both eyes are the most significant warning signs; sudden numbness, slurred speech or a loss of balance may be evidence you’ve had a TIA, or transient ischemic attack. That’s a mini-stroke that almost always leads to a full-blown one. See your doctor immediately if you’ve had any of these symptoms.
#15 The Warning: It feels as if you have heartburn.
What it could be: Angina
On-and-off chest pains that last for hours are what doctors call “unstable coronary syndrome.” The pain is caused by blood clots forming on the inside wall of a coronary artery - at a site where plaque breaks off. About 50 per cent of people who experience unstable coronary syndrome will have a heart attack within the next 6 months. It’s evident you have a plaque buildup that - when it does break off - could lead to a cut in the blood supply to your heart. Anytime you have chest pain, go to a hospital.
#16 The Warning: Severe back pain.
What it could be: Aneurysm
Similar to the kind of agony you’d expect if you’d just tried to clean-and-jerk a wardrobe. The usual remedies - heat, rest, OTC painkillers - offer no relief. If it’s not related to exercise, sudden severe back pain can be the sign of an aneurysm. The pain subsides after your body’s main artery bursts. A less threatening possibility: You have a kidney stone.
A CT scan reveal the size and shape of an aneurysm. Your doctor will prescribe blood-pressure medication or surgery to implant a synthetic graft.
#17 The Warning: You wiggle around in your office chair.
Likely Cause: Tight back muscles
If you often change positions, it’s a sign your back muscles are tensing ¬which over time, can lead to painful lower-back strain. The slumped C shape that you sit in for hours at work forces your muscles to contract - which leads to muscle cramps, tightness, and soreness. To un-slump, pretend a string is attached to the middle of your chest, gently pulling your breastbone upward. This small change positions your head correctly on your spine, which minimizes muscular stress in your neck, shoulders, and lower back.
#18 The Warning: Your dad’s been diagnosed with hypertension.
What’s Ahead for You: Ditto
Since moderately high blood pressure doesn’t have outward warning signs, it’s important to be tested once a year, especially if high blood pressure runs in your family. In one study, highly stressed men who had parents with high blood pressure were several times more likely to have it themselves. If you have a reading higher than 140/90, exercise more, lose weight, cut sodium from your diet, eat heart¬-healthy fish, and get more vitamin C. Studies show that people who get the most of the vitamin have the lowest blood pressure.
#19 The Warning: You arms start shaking in the Military Press move.
Likely Cause: Muscle fatigue
If you haven’t been to the gym in a couple of months, your muscle shakes are probably because your muscles are fatigued; it’s your body’s way of telling you that you’re going to throw up if you do just one more set. Some gym returnees have been known to hurl during their first day back in the gym because they work too hard, too soon. Stop when you feel your muscles shaking a sport. Give yourself extra time between sets on your next visit to the gym.
#20 The Warning: The party is swinging but you aren’t.
Likely Cause: You’ve had one too many
Alcohol is a central-nervous-system depressant. So if you drink too much, every part of you connected to the central-nervous-system is depressed¬ your judgment, your mood, your coordination and balance, your pain sensitivity, your sexual performance. One sign that you’re headed for blotto-¬land: Your mood starts to sour. For most men, that’s when the blood alcohol concentration is around 0.06 per cent, just short of being labeled legally drunk. That’s usually two to three drinks over about 2 hours.
#21 The Warning: Persistent foot or shin pain.
Likely Cause: Stress fracture
Bones, like all the other tissues in your body, are continually regenerating themselves. But if you’re training so hard that the bone doesn’t get a chance to heal itself, a stress fracture can develop, that presents itself as a nagging pain in the top of your foot or the front of your shin that’s worse when you exercise, but present even at rest, and is impervious to ibuprofen and paracetamol.
Radioactive dye reveals the fracture in the x-ray, and you’ll be told to stop all running until the crack heals. Worst case, you’ll be in a cast for a few weeks.
#22 The Warning: Sharp pain in the abdomen.
Likely Cause: Take your pick from the choices below
Since the area between your ribs and your hips is jam-packed with organs, the pain can be a symptom of either-appendicitis, pancreatitis, or an inflamed gallbladder. In all three cases, the cause is the same: Something has blocked up the organ in question, resulting in a potentially fatal infection. Exploding organs can kill a person. See a doctor before this happens.
#23 The Warning: Leg pain with swelling.
Likely Cause: Deep-vein thrombosis
Just sit in one place for 6 or more hours straight and wait for the blood that pools in your lower legs to form a clot (a.k.a. deep-vein thrombosis, or DVT). Next thing you know, that clot will be big enough to block a vein in your calf, producing pain and swelling. Unfortunately, the first thing you’ll probably want to do - rub your leg - is also the worst thing. It can send a big clot running up to your lung, where it can kill you (See Pulmonary embolus).
A venogram, in which dye is injected into the vein and then x-rayed, is the definitive way to diagnose DVT. They’ll try to dissolve the clot with drugs, or outfit vulnerable veins with filters to stop a clot before it stops you.
#24 The Warning: Painful urination.
What it could be: Bladder cancer
Relieving yourself has become an exercise in expletives. Also, you could swear (and you do) that your yellow stream has a rusty tint. The pain and the blood in your urine are symptoms of this, the fourth most common cancer in men. Smoking is the biggest risk factor. Catch the disease early and there’s a 90 per cent chance of fixing it. Bladder infections share the same symptoms.
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There are two basic principles to keep your brain healthy and sharp as you age: variety and curiosity. When anything you do becomes second nature, you need to make a change. If you can do the crossword puzzle in your sleep, it’s time for you to move on to a new challenge in order to get the best workout for your brain. Curiosity about the world around you, how it works and how you can understand it will keep your brain working fast and efficiently. Use the ideas below to help attain your quest for mental fitness.
1. Read a Book
Pick a book on an entirely new subject. Read a novel set in Egypt. Learn about economics. There are many excellent popular non-fiction books that do a great job entertaining you while teaching about a subject. Become an expert in something new each week. Branch out from familiar reading topics. If you usually read history books, try a contemporary novel. Read foreign authors, the classics and random books. Not only will your brain get a workout by imagining different time periods, cultures and peoples, you will also have interesting stories to tell about your reading, what it makes you think of and the connections you draw between modem life and the words.
2. Play Games
Games are a wonderful way to tease and challenge your brain. Suduko, crosswords and electronic games can all improve your brain’s speed and memory. These games rely on logic, word skills, math and more. These games are also fun. You’ll get benefit more by doing these games a little bit every day-spend 15 minutes or so, not hours.
3. Use Your Opposite Hand
Spend the day doing things with your non-dominant hand. If you are left-handed, open doors with your right hand. If you are right-handed, try using your keys with your left. This simple task will cause your brain to lay down some new pathways and rethink daily tasks. Wear your watch on the opposite hand to remind you to switch.
4. Learn Phone Numbers
Our modem phones remember every number that calls them. No one memorizes phone numbers anymore, but it is a great memory Skill. Learn a new phone number everyday.
5. Eat for Your Brain
Your brain needs you to eat healthy fats. Focus on fish oils from wild salmon, nuts such as walnuts, seeds such as flax seed and olive oil. Eat more of these foods and less saturated fats. Eliminate transfats completely from your diet.
6. Break the Routine
We love our routines. We have hobbies and pastimes that we could do for hours on end. But the more something is second nature, the less our brains have to work to do it. To really help your brain stay young, challenge it. Change routes to the grocery store, use your opposite hand to open doors and eat dessert first. All this will force your brain to wake up from habits and pay attention again.
7. Go a Different way
Drive or walk a different way to wherever you go. This little change in routine helps the brain practice special memory and directions. Try different side streets go through stores in a different order anything to change your route.
8. Learn a New Skill
Learning a new skill works multiple areas of the brain. Your memory comes into play, you learn new movements and you associate things differently. Reading Shakespeare, learning to cook and building an airplane out of tooth picks all will challenge your brain and give you something to think about.
9. Make Lists
Lists are wonderful. Making lists helps us to associate items with one another. Make a list of all the places you have traveled. Make a list of the tastiest foods you have eaten. Make a list of the best presents you have been given. Make one list every day to jog your memory and make new connections. But don’t become too reliant on them. Make your grocery list, but then try to shop without it. Use the list once you have put every item you can think of in your cart. Do the same with your “to do” lists.
10. Choose a new skill
Find something that captivates you that you can do easily in your home and doesn’t cost too much. Photography with a digital camera, learning to draw, learning a musical instrument learning new cooking styles, or writing are all great choices.
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