2024 is set to be a historically chaotic year, but you can still thrive and rise above the fear that will undoubtedly be propagandized to us at an increasingly higher level by the corporate mainstream media, which no longer
Read MoreLast night I watch an emotionally compelling movie on Netflix called, “I Can Only Imagine.” It’s about a boy who grew up in Texas in an emotionally abusive home where his mother abandoned him and his chronically angry father (played by Dennis Quaid) beat him and dismissed his passions.
Read MoreI will be the first to admit that New Year’s Resolutions rarely have been fulfilled by me. It’s simple to declare a couple lofty goals that you would like to achieve in the next 365 days, but following through requires a clear plan and inspired action that is scheduled and has measurable outcomes.
Read MoreWe live in stressful times and to combat stress it is a wise idea to have a regular meditation practice in order to calm your mind and your body. After all, meditation has been proven to relieve anxiety, lower blood pressure, relax the mind and increase mental focus.
Meditation is also a great tool for envisioning the life that you desire to manifest. If you are not envisioning the life that you want to create, chances are that you are living in survival mode, working paycheck to paycheck for others and struggling to keep up with your bills. With meditation you will be able to guide yourself to a life of contentment and abundance. It’s all up to you.
Libby Shively McAvoy photographed by Paul Garrett
At the beginning of this summer I joined Danny Morel’s mastermind group called, “The Tribe.” My coaches in this inspiring group constantly emphasize the importance of starting each day with meditation and so I have made this a mandatory part of my daily routine. This practice not only helps me to focus my mind and envision winning my day, it is also helping me to envision the dream life that I am currently working toward and manifesting.
Olympic runners who win gold medals often envision crossing the finish line first. They rehearse the race in their minds and feel the incredible rush and elation that they will feel when they win the race. The unconscious mind does not know the difference between what’s real and what is created in the imagination. By tapping into our subconscious minds, we teach our bodies and our minds how to manifest the win.
I’ve been practicing this method of meditation first thing when I wake up in the morning and a second time just before I fall asleep. Not only does it help me to create my future, it also relaxes me for a good night of sleep.
Meditation is a practice that takes time to master. Many people struggle to calm their minds when they start out and they get discouraged. Stick with it, however, and over time it will work powerfully for you.
I’m currently having great success both meditating and envisioning while listening to the following guided meditation on YouTube titled, “MANIFEST NOW! The Silva Mind Method: Guided MEDITATION [Laura Silva].” You can listen to it by clicking on this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcaP8wbDlHo
What I love about this meditation is that it quickly guides my mind to relax into alpha waves. This is the phase of brain wave activity which is close to sleep, but still awake. In alpha the mind is relaxed and very creative. It is also conducive for tapping into the quantum field of infinite intelligence where you can download new ideas. For me, I feel like it is a form of hypnosis where I can freely envision without mental resistance whatever intention I desire to manifest such as my future custom home.
5 Levels of Brain Waves Activities (click to learn more)
Gamma - Consentration
Beta - Awake, anxiety
Alpha - Relaxed
Theta - Very relaxed and almost asleep
Delta - Deep sleep
Recently I was brainstorming design concepts for t-shirts for the documentary film that I am currently producing about the healing power of yoga, breathwork and meditation. On my own my ideas felt cliché, but in meditation I received several brilliant concepts that were next level. In life we can try to force our creativity on our own, or we can co-create with the help of divine intelligence to conceive more powerful results.
Emily Marie photographed by Paul Garrett
Now it is your turn to try the Silva Mind Meditation Technique while listing to the video that I provided above and bring your meditation practice to the next level.
Lie down on your bed and wear headphones or ear buds to listen to the video. Don’t use any pillows under your head for better breathing, and if there is light in the room, wear a sleeping blindfold over your eyes. Get comfortable and take in a couple deep breaths to start the relaxation process before starting the video. Also think about the intention that you want to visualize for the day or for your life. The key is to allow yourself to relax through your breathwork and also by following the calming instructions in the video. I’m discovering that the more that I do this meditation, the quicker that I go into the alpha brain wave states and the more powerful my visualizations of my intentions become.
There are few winners in this world, because very few people put in the work or have the mental and emotional tools to become high achievers. Meditation is one of those special tools that will help you to tap into your genius, become a high achiever and also manifest your dreams.
Thank you for taking time to read this blog. Let me know if you meditate and if this guided meditation works well for you.
Happy meditating,
Paul Garrett
Most people I’ve asked agree that New Years resolutions rarely work. After all it’s easy to declare that you want to achieve a certain goal or radically change your life, but doing so is rarely easy. What’s missing for most of us who fail to achieve our goals year after year is an understanding of how our minds function and how are old habits work against us.
Read MoreEffective communication is a two way street and if you can become a great listener, others will enjoy talking with you. Most people love to talk about themselves to one degree or another and if you show genuine interest in them, they will become magnetically drawn to you. In addition, you learn way more by listening than you do by talking.
Read MoreLet’s face it, 2020 was one heck of a strange year and yet it also gave us time to think about our lives, our values, our priorities, our health and what we really want to do in the future. In every crisis there is a necessity for innovation and change, which creates new opportunities for us to grow and become abundant.
Read More2020 has had more than its fair share of bad luck so far and I bet that you are feeling the same way. One bad thing has happened after another and we are all wondering when the downward spiral will turn around. The good news is that even when the world is turning upside down, there are things that we can personally do to stop a cycle of bad luck and make the most of any situation.
Read MoreIn my last post I gave you six tips for getting better sleep. Since then I started using the Wim Hoff breathing method just before going to sleep and I am getting fantastic results! It almost always took me more than twenty minutes to fall asleep at night and that was if I was lucky, but now that I’m using this breathing method I am falling asleep quickly and sleeping soundly.
Featuring Aileen Day - Photo by Paul Garrett
Before reading further you should also know that I am taking 400 mg of magnesium (which is good for sleep) in the evening and I have also cut out having a glass of wine in the evening. Furthermore, I have increased the amount of filtered water that I drink each day. All of these adjustments are also contributing to better sleep for me.
Wim Hoff, aka “The Iceman” is an internationally renown extreme sports athlete who holds world records for withstanding extreme temperatures including climbing Mt. Everest in shorts and submerging himself in ice for almost 2 hours. In order to physically and emotionally endure such activities he has pioneered a method that includes breathing exercises, meditation and cold emersion. Through this method he is able to regulate his body’s autonomic nervous system, which regulates the organs and other internal states of the body.
Boost your immune system
Improve your sleep
improve mental focus
Improve your ability to handle cold
Increase your energy
Lower your levels of stress
May help reduce depression and symptoms of PTSD
Featuring Annie James - Photo by Paul Garrett
When I am ready do go to sleep, I prop up pillows behind my back and against the wall for comfort on my bed in a dark room. I then sit with my back strait and my legs crossed in lotus position. Once I am sitting comfortably I play the guided breathing video by Wim Hoff that you can watch below. This video takes you through three rounds, which start with a period of hyperventilation, that is rapidly breathing in and out without ever pausing. On the last exhale you are guided to hold your breath for one minute. Next you are instructed to take a deep breath in and hold it for 15 seconds before starting into round two, in which the breath holding portion is extended to one and a half minutes. During this round do not be surprise if you feel some tingling in your fingers and coolness upon your skin. You may also start feeling relaxation during this period. The third and final round is identical to round two, after which I feel relaxed and my mind is cleared of thought. At this point I continue on with meditation and sometimes fall asleep while sitting up. In the morning I wake up feeling refreshed and grateful for a night of deep, quality sleep.
Let me know if the Wim Hoff Breathing Method works for you. Like anything new, it may take some practice to gain the full benefits from doing it. Stay with it and you will start mastering your mind, your body and your ability to fall fall asleep faster. You can also use this method in the morning to give your mind clarity and to energize your body. Most people breath in a shallow manner that does not properly deliver oxygen to their body. Through this breathing method you improve your uptake of oxygen, which is healthy for you.
Sleep well,
Paul
New Post Every Other Tuesday
Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by to read this blog. January feels like a logical time to start over, level up and become the best versions of ourselves! For the past several years a lot of us have been through some very difficult and even painful challenges, but most people that I’ve talked to lately are feeling really optimistic about 2020 and I feel the same way.
Read MoreDo you struggle with low energy during late fall and winter? We’ve recently had a series of cold gloomy days in the Pacific Northwest and I have to say that they started to take a toll on my mood and my level of energy. The good news is that there are things that we can do to help boost our energy this time of year…
Read More“Fear exhausts life energy.” This is a message that jumped out at me on my morning walk today while listening to the “Insights & Perspectives” podcast by Joseph Rodrigues. Think about how worn down you feel when you are enveloped and overcome by fear in your daily life…
Read MoreLet’s face it, we are living in stressful times. In the past week I’ve read many stories on Instagram about anxiety, stress and resilience and I want to share with you three tools that I use to manage stress in my life. These are called the three M’s, which are:
Read MoreRomantic love is such a powerful feeling that consumes our minds and our hearts when we first fall in love with another person. It sweeps us off of our feet and makes our minds feel floaty and joyful. All that we want to do is be with this person through this period of high vibration and obsession.
Read MoreREAL FEAR - This is when we are actually in danger and our body’s fight or flight system kicks in to give us extra strength to survive a potentially life threatening situation.
Read MoreI'm no stranger to open space. I mean this in the energetic sense - the feeling that comes with being alone. In a foreign place, devoid of familiarity. I've moved cities and countries enough times to have become well acquainted with being by myself.
Read MoreEat healthy food. Eating well is especially difficult when we are rushed or on the road. Fast food is plentiful, but it lacks nutrition and can ultimately make us feel overweight and sluggish.
Read MoreAs humans we are often impatient and anxious about the future. We are uneasy with uncertainty because our egos are designed to be controlling to promote our survival…
Read MoreSometime or another, we all feel stuck in our lives. We reach a point of dissatisfaction, but we don't know exactly why or how to get unstuck. Or perhaps we are dealing with overwhelming stress, anxiety, loneliness, weight problems, health issues, relationship conflicts or jobs that do not satisfy our souls. Some people stay stuck and become miserable in life, while others seek the guidance of coaches, counselors and therapists to help them see the big picture, overcome obstacles and eventually thrive.
Read MoreSince you are reading this blog it’s pretty safe to assume that you are interested in living an extraordinary life. Most people want to make a contribution to this world, to live a life of significance and to feel that they matter, and yet we wonder how how we can rise above ordinary, live our purpose and maybe even change the world for the better…
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Total Soulful Journey is a inspiring blog about living your best life through awareness, acceptance and forgiveness with the goal of elevating our minds, our bodies and our spirits to their fullest potential. This blog will help people find their purpose in life and fulfill the calling of their souls through mindfulness. We'll explore the many aspects of love, health, fitness, yoga, nutrition, cooking, careers, entrepreneurship, travel, and manifesting abundance. Awaken with us on a Total Soulful Journey to becoming the best version of you!
Total Soulful Journey is an inspiring blog about living your best life by Paul Garrett. Paul is a writer, an award winning filmmaker, an internationally published photographer and an entrepreneur who lives and thrives in the Pacific Northwest.
