Using Magick to Tap Into The Endless Possibilities of Your Brain

Some people (including me) study the power of the mind. You might have been told we humans only use 10% of our mind – so what does the rest of it do? When I wrote the book “Directed Dreaming, Success From the Subconscious,” I had just figured out how to use my mind while I was asleep to solve problems and give me answers to things I couldn’t figure out when I was awake.  I still use these methods on a daily basis.

Actually, the truth is that the 10% mind thing is a big MYTH!  And in fact, Neurologist Barry Gordon at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore says it’s so wrong it’s laughable! We probably are only using the 10% when we are just resting and thinking,”

According to Gordon:

“It turns out though, that we use virtually every part of the brain, and that [most of] the brain is active almost all the time,” Gordon adds. “Let’s put it this way: the brain represents three percent of the body’s weight and uses 20 percent of the body’s energy.”

So there you have it!

Now, there are tricks people can play on the mind, like magicians do when they perform their optical illusions. Magicians are very entertaining to watch as they perform magic tricks that are so real they’re unbelievable. But these are just tricks and sleight of hand movements and really have nothing to do with getting INTO your mind.

Then there are those who are able to access their minds in a subconscious or conscious way to control their destiny.  This is the process that is more up my alley! Some people think that only certain people have the ability to access minds and they have labeled this type of thing “magick.”

But this type of magick is basically “the science and art of using the subconscious mind to make powerful changes in the material world.   In more specific terms, magick is using conscious stimulation (i.e. rituals, symbols, gestures, chanting, lighting, incense, etc.) to harness latent powers within the subconscious mind (i.e. gods, genii, intelligences, angels, daemons, etc.) to make changes in our bodies, our minds, and the world around us.”

I realize that’s quite a mouthful and I try not to do that to you, but basically, because it uses objects and smells for conscious stimulation many people are afraid to even think about this type of awareness. Not to mention the fact that it has been given a bad rap by witches! There are good witches too you know.  But I digress and I think that now I may be rambling.

New Insights For Dealing With Panic Attacks

Millions of people suffer from panic attacks every day. In fact it is estimated that almost 5% of the population suffer from some form of anxiety disorder. If you are one of the unfortunate ones you may feel like there is no help for your condition. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. There ARE some things you can do to eliminate or at least lesson the occurrence of your condition. Here’s what you need to know:

For some, it may be the infrequent panic attacks that only crop up in particular situations-like when having to speak in front of others, while, for other people, it can be so frequent and recurring that it inhibits them from leaving their home. Frequent panic attacks often develop into what medical physicians refer to as an “anxiety disorder.”

There are many ways of coping with an anxiety disorder.  Some may not work for you, but others just might.  It helps to know some of the most common coping techniques for dealing with panic attacks when they begin.

The first step: Recognize when a panic attack is about to begin.  When you have enough of them, you start to really pay attention to the tingling sensation, the shortness of breath, and the disconnection from the real life around you.

Many people I talk to wonder what that disconnection is like.  They have a hard time understanding it.  Those of us who have panic attacks are all too familiar with it.  It’s like you can look at a solid object and see that it is there.  You know it’s there, but a part of your mind doubts that it really IS there.

You may find yourself reaching out to touch that object just to be sure.  You feel like you’re not a part of the world around you.  It’s as if you are just a spectator in your own life with no control over anything around you.
Believe me, this is a horrible feeling.

So how do you start trying to combat your panic attacks?

What if I told you the trick to ending panic and anxiety attacks is to WANT to have one. That sounds strange, even contradictory, doesn’t it?  But the want really does help push it away.

Does this mean that you should be able to bring on a panic attack at this very moment?  Absolutely not!  What it means is that when you are afraid of something – in this case a panic attack – it will more than likely appear and wreak havoc.  When you stand up to the attack, your chances of fending it off are much greater.

If you resist a situation out of fear, the fear around that issue will persist. How do you stop resisting–you move directly into it, into the path of the anxiety, and by doing so it cannot persist.

In essence what this means is that if you daily voluntarily seek to have a panic attack, you cannot have one. Try in this very moment to have a panic attack and I will guarantee you cannot. You may not realize it but you have always decided to panic. You make the choice by saying this is beyond my control whether it be consciously or sub-consciously.

Another way to appreciate this is to imagine having a panic attack as like standing on a cliff’s edge. The anxiety seemingly pushes you closer to falling over the edge.  To be rid of the fear you must metaphorically jump. You must jump off the cliff edge and into the anxiety and fear and all the things that you fear most.
How do you jump? You jump by wanting to have a panic attack. You go about your day asking for anxiety and panic attacks to appear.

Your real safety is the fact that a panic attack will never harm you. That is a medical fact. You are safe, the sensations are wild but no harm will come to you. Your heart is racing but no harm will come to you. The jump becomes nothing more than a two foot drop!  It’s perfectly safe.

Anxiety causes an imbalance in your life whereby all of the mental worry creates a top-heavy sensation. All of your focus is moved from the center of your body to the head. Schools of meditation often like to demonstrate an example of this top-heavy imbalance by showing how easily the body can lose its sense of center.

The key to overcoming panic attacks is to relax.  That’s easy to say but difficult to do.  A good way to do this is to concentrate on your breathing making sure it is slow and steady.  One of the first signs of a panic attack is difficulty breathing, and you may find yourself panting to catch a breath.  When you focus on making those breaths even, your heart rate will slow down and the panic will subside.

Breathing more slowly and deeply has a calming effect. A good way to breathe easier is to let all the air out of your lungs. This forces your lungs to reach for a deeper breath next time. Continue to focus on your out-breath, letting all the air out of your lungs and soon you’ll find your breathing is deeper and you feel calmer.

Ideally, you want to take the focus off the fact that you are having a panic attack.  Try to press your feet, one at a time, into the ground. Feel how connected and rooted they are to the ground.

An even better way is to lie down with your bottom near a wall. Place your feet against the wall (your knees are bent) and press your feet one at a time into the wall. If you can breathe in as you press your foot against the wall, and breathe out as you release it, it will be more effective. You should alternate between your feet. Do this for 10 – 15 minutes or until the panic subsides.

Use all of your senses to take full notice of what you see, hear, feel, and smell in your environment. This will help you to remain present. Panic is generally associated with remembering upsetting events from the past or anticipating something upsetting in the future. Anything that helps keep you focused in the present will be calming. Try  holding a pet; looking around your room and noticing the colors, textures, and shapes; listening closely to the sounds you hear; call a friend; or smell the smells that are near you.

Many people strongly advocate aromatherapy to deal with panic and anxiety.  Lavender can have an especially calming and soothing effect when you smell it.  You can find essential oil of lavender at many stores.  Keep it handy and take a sniff when you start feeling anxious.

Try putting a few drops of lavender essence oil into some oil (olive or grape seed oil will do) and rub on your body. Keep a prepared mixture in a dark glass bottle for when you need it. You can even prepare several bottles, with a small one to carry with you.

Other essential oils known to help panic and panic attacks are helichrysum, frankincense, and marjoram. Smell each of them, and use what smells best to you, or a combination of your favorite oils mixed in olive or grape seed oil.

You may want to prepare yourself BEFORE a panic attack happens.  When you’re not in a panicked state, make a list of the things that you’re afraid will happen. Then write out calming things that tell you the opposite of your fears.  Then you can repeat these things to yourself when the panic starts to come.

Prepare a list of things to do in case of panicked feelings, and it will be ready for you when you need it. Fill it with lots of soothing messages and ideas of calming things to do.  I find this to be a very helpful tool and am never without my small notebook that has these positive affirmations in it.

Panic can be a very scary thing to go through, especially if you’re alone. Preparing for when the panic comes can really help reduce the panic, and even sometimes help to prevent it.

See also: Panic Away – End Anxiety And Panic Attacks

 

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When Bad Things Happen to Good People

when bad things happen to good peopleWhen something bad happens to a person, they may tend to overstress even though they cannot (or could not) do anything about the situation. There are a lot of “ifs, ands, what ifs and why me’s” that can go through your head at a difficult time. But remember, sometimes bad things happen to good people!

Unfortunately, you cannot undo what has been done. The best things to do is move forward and continue to work on what needs to get done at the present time. It’s not always possible to do at first, but if you dwell too much on the past you can never move into the future. This may cause you to have anxiety and panic attacks.

It’s a good idea to try to ward off anxiety before it takes over your life. Otherwise it will become the normal for you and you won’t even know how much it is affecting you.

If you already have anxiety or panic attacks, you should be able to work through them. If you need help, there are a lot of products on the market today that can be help reduce your attacks. However, be aware that it will not be easy. You need to WANT to get rid of your anxiety – and then take it slowly and surely so it doesn’t come back.

People who suffer from anxiety and panic attacks have a hard time living a full life because they’re always afraid that something bad is going to happen. Even if nothing bad happens for an extended period of time, there is still that fear of the unknown.

But have you ever wondered why everybody doesn’t have this fear? Bad things happen to good people all the time; no one is immune to the unexpected as life goes on. Something you don’t like is bound to happen sooner or later. But most people don’t concentrate on the “what if something bad happens.” They just go through life and if something happens they deal with it as best as possible.

Like I said earlier, if you are already suffering from anxiety, it may be a way of life for you now without you even knowing it. You need to start to really concentrate on what you think about every day. Are you thinking negative thoughts throughout the day, or thinking about what bad things might happen today? If so you need to take a step back and start a more positive thinking way of life.

Once you have gotten rid of the negativity and the fear of the unknown, you will be able to enjoy life as it happens and the world will be a better place for you to live in and enjoy.