Holistic Feathers

Stillness Buddy is a revolutionary mindfulness and stress reduction application that helps you to be more present, more relaxed and at peace, while busy at work – we love it, helping us to take a moment out of our busy work schedule and helping us, in turn, to give greater focus and energy to our tasks.

Stillness Buddy is like having a friend that, every now and then, gently reminds you to stop for a moment, breathe, center yourself again and then continue.

How it works (in a nutshell)
Stillness Buddy works by displaying on your desktop screen, short “moments of stillness” and longer “mindfulness pauses”, spread out during the day. These breaks are very brief so they don’t interfere with your work. You choose their duration and frequency to suit your preferences and schedule.

They’ve even made a little video to show you exactly how it works …

For those of you who read this blog via your Smartphone: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3klJFj_J-zA

There are four different versions available to use, with more being added to all the time …

We think Stillness Buddy is excellent value at £23 ~ that works out at about 11 of our favourite Pret mochas. We would love to know what you think of it, too.

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“When you laugh, you change
When you change, the whole world changes”
~ Dr Madan Kataria

World Laughter Day was created in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive manifestation for world peace and is intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. Its popularity has grown exponentially with that of the Laughter Yoga movement now counting over 6000 Laughter Clubs in more than 65 countries.

The first World Laughter Day gathering took place in Mumbai, India, in 1998. Twelve thousand members from local and international laughter clubs joined together in a mega laughter session.

“HAPPY-DEMIC” was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place in the year 2000 in Copenhagen, Denmark where more than 10,000 people gathered at Town Hall Square. It was the largest ever gathering that laughed and bonded together and the event went into the Guinness Book of World records.

Why World Laughter Day
One of Dr. Kataria’s objectives for Laughter Yoga is to promote world peace through laughter. Some people find this idea fanciful, but an understanding of the science of emotions and emotional contagion in particular shows how this might be achieved. The practice of Laughter Yoga causes the body to release certain ‘Feel Good’ hormones into the bloodstream related to feelings of happiness, warmth, unconditional love, bonding, tolerance, forgiveness, generosity, and compassion. Let’s call this a joy cocktail. The presence of this ‘Joy Cocktail’ of hormones and neuro-peptides precludes the production of other hormones and neuro-peptides that correspond with hatred, fear, violence, jealousy, aggression and the emotions associated with war and oppression.

By practicing Laughter Yoga in groups, the level of this Joy cocktail is raised to high concentrations through the multiplier effect: people leaving Laughter Yoga sessions go forth and interact with many people who are in turn affected to varying degrees by this powerful emotional state of joy. They in turn ‘infect’ other people they come into contact with. You can experience this ‘chain reaction’ after your very first Laughter Yoga session. Not only will you cheer up your friends and family but you may also cheer up the bus driver and others on your bus, the people you work with, the staff at the shop and more. They in turn will cheer up others, and so on. By having tens of thousands of laughter clubs all over the world, it will create a positive energy which will change the consciousness of the globe for the better. Actually, the formula for world peace is very simple – one person at a time multiplies it and spread it…

Nowadays, people face enormous stress and are at war with themselves. Laughter is a positive and powerful emotion which helps people to change themselves and to change the world in a peaceful and positive way. Laughter is a universal language which has the potential to unite humanity without religion. It establishes a common link between various religions and creates a new world order.

Celebrating World Laughter Day
World Laughter Day is customarily celebrated on the first Sunday of May every year. This year on the 2nd of May, the world will once again come together to laugh and spread the word of happiness and joy. The Laughter Clubs movement is a global initiative to unite entire mankind through unconditional love and laughter. It is a non-religious, non-racial and non profit organization committed to generate good health, joy and world peace through laughter. This revolutionary idea has changed the lives of hundreds and thousands of people around the world and has helped them to attain a state of complete wellness.

Format
The usual format of WLD celebration is the congregation of laughter club members, their families and friends at some important landmark in their city like big squares, public parks or auditoriums and laugh collectively. They pray for world peace and read out the message from Dr. Kataria.

In India, laughter club members gather in public parks and take out a procession or a Peace march.They carry banners and placards such as -

* “World Peace Through Laughter”,
* “The Whole World Is An Extended Family”,
* “Laugh & Make Others Laugh”,
* “Join Laughter Club – It’s FREE!” etc.

During the march all chant “Ho, Ho, Ha, Ha, Ha” and “very good, very good, yeah!”clapping and dancing. After walking some distance, they stop to do a few Laughter Yoga exercises and then move on. At the end of the march, they assemble on a stage or platform where laughter leaders conduct a brief 10 min laughter session followed by reading of Dr. Kataria’s message for World Peace.

This is followed by a variety entertainment program of music, dance and laughter contests. One can organize contests with prizes like: Best laughing man / woman / child / senior, Horrible singing contest, etc. Winners are those with the most infectious, natural and effortless laughter for no reason.

Visit World Laughter Day to find out how you can get involved!

(c) World Laughter Day

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We would love to share this beautiful meditation with you, which will help you to open your heart and receive love …

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfODJzx7KTg]

This meditation is narrated by Anne Jones and is taken from the CD of healing visualisations and meditations entitled “Opening Your Heart“, which accompanies Anne’s book of the same name

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~ ENTHUSIASM ~

InnerSight
You have chosen to bring enthusiasm into your life, to have clear and positive attitudes to counter any apathy or sluggishness that may be holding you back from enjoying your life to its fullest. Let enthusiasm lift the dark clouds or a heavy heart.

Visualisation
Imagine you standing by a lakeside in the darkness of night. Visualise the dawn with the sun coming up into the sky, bringing pink and golden light that turns the dark waters o the lake lighter and lighter till the sun moves high into the sky and the waters sparkle and shimmer with the sunlight and reflect back to you the blue of the sky. See your own life becoming brighter and lighter as you connect with the sun and the light it brings to the world. Surrender the darkness of your doubts and fears and allow yourself to be filled with this light.

Guidance
Hold the intention to see the positive in all aspects of your life. Allow enthusiasm to be your driving force and let it shine through the negativity of those around you.

Your Ripple Energy Therapy is: Positivity

(c) Anne Jones / Ripple UK Ltd

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A really lovely meditation video from Romancing Your Soul …

With  love and gratitude to my wonderful friend, Pure-Ki, who shared this video with us on the Energy forum

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~ CREATIVITY ~

InnerSight
You have chosen to work with the energies of creativity. Now is the time to allow your creativity to flow. Maybe you feel the need to express your feminine side, to use your creativity that may never have been allowed to flow before. Maybe you are planning to paint or write, plant out a garden or develop a new project. The time is now perfect to start. Your imagination can flourish and your creative energies can flow to their greatest potential.

Visualisation
Close your eyes and visualise yourself sitting on the side of a mountain on a warm and sunny day. You can see for miles and miles – rolling green and beautiful countryside for as far as the eye can see. An eagle soars overhead skimming on the air currents, free and unfettered. Connect with the expansiveness of the landscape. Connect with the freedom of the eagle and let the energies of creation flow through you, empowering and awakening your talents and skills conscious and subconscious.

Guidance
Know that you can do whatever you wish – you have the power of creation within you.

Your Ripple Energy Therapy is: Manifest

(c) Anne Jones / Ripple UK Ltd

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Meditation by Anne Jones, taken from The Soul Connection CD

www.youtube.com/v/r22ml_i_aIs&hl

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