In the past 40 years, meditation has entered the mainstream of modern Western culture, and been prescribed by physicians and practiced by everyone from business executives, artists, and scientists to students, teachers, military personnel, and -- on a promising note -- politicians. Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan meditates every morning and has become a major advocate of mindfulness and meditation, as he describes in his book, A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit. Despite the growing popularity of meditation, prevailing misconceptions about the practice are a barrier that prevents many people from trying meditation and receiving its profound benefits for the body, mind, and spirit. Here are seven of the most common meditation myths, dispelled.

Myth #1: Meditation is difficult.
Truth: This myth is rooted in the image of meditation as an esoteric practice reserved only for saints, holy men, and spiritual adepts. In reality, when you receive instruction from an experienced, knowledgeable teacher, meditation is easy and fun to learn. The techniques can be as simple as focusing on the breath or silently repeating a mantra. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is that we try too hard to concentrate, we're overly attached to results, or we're not sure we are doing it right. In our experience at the Chopra Center, learning meditation from a qualified teacher is the best way to ensure that the process is enjoyable and you get the most from your practice. A teacher will help you understand what you're experiencing, move past common roadblocks, and create a nourishing daily practice.


Myth #2: You have to quiet your mind in order to have a successful meditation practice.
Truth: This may be the number one myth about meditation and is the cause of many people giving up in frustration. Meditation isn't about stopping our thoughts or trying to empty our mind -- both of these approaches only create stress and more noisy internal chatter. We can't stop or control our thoughts, but we can decide how much attention to give them. Although we can't impose quiet on our mind, through meditation we can find the quiet that already exists in the space between our thoughts. Sometimes referred to as "the gap," this space between thoughts is pure consciousness, pure silence, and pure peace. When we meditate, we use an object of attention, such as our breath, an image, or a mantra, which allows our mind to relax into this silent stream of awareness. When thoughts arise, as they inevitably will, we don't need to judge them or try to push them away. Instead, we gently return our attention to our object of attention. In every meditation, there are moments, even if only microseconds, when the mind dips into the gap and experiences the refreshment of pure awareness. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will spend more and more time in this state of expanded awareness and silence. Be assured that even if it feels like you have been thinking throughout your entire meditation, you are still receiving the benefits of your practice. You haven't failed or wasted your time. When my friend and colleague David Simon taught meditation, he would often tell students, "The thought I'm having thoughts may be the most important thought you have ever thought, because before you had that thought, you may not have even known you were having thoughts. You probably thought you were your thoughts." Simply noticing that you are having thoughts is a breakthrough because it begins to shift your internal reference point from ego mind to witnessing awareness. As you become less identified with your thoughts and stories, you experience greater peace and open to new possibilities.

Myth #3: It takes years of dedicated practice to receive any benefits from meditation.
Truth: The benefits of meditation are both immediate and long-term. You can begin to experience benefits the first time you sit down to meditate and in the first few days of daily practice. Many scientific studies provide evidence that meditation has profound effects on the mind-body physiology within just weeks of practice. For example, a landmark study led by Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that as little as eight weeks of meditation not only helped people experience decreased anxiety and greater feelings of calm; it also produced growth in the areas of the brain associated with memory, empathy, sense of self, and stress regulation. At the Chopra Center, we commonly hear from new meditators who are able to sleep soundly for the first time in years after just a few days of daily meditation practice. Other common benefits of meditation include improved concentration, decreased blood pressure, reduced stress and anxiety, and enhanced immune function. You can learn more about the benefits of meditation in a recent post, "Why Meditate?" on the Chopra Center blog.

​Myth #4: Meditation is escapism.
Truth: The real purpose of meditation isn't to tune out and get away from it all but to tune in and get in touch with your true self -- that eternal aspect of yourself that goes beyond all the everchanging, external circumstances of your life. In meditation you dive below the mind's churning surface, which tends to be filled with repetitive thoughts about the past and worries about the future, into the still point of pure consciousness. In this state of transcendent awareness, you let go of all the stories you've been telling yourself about who you are, what is limiting you, and where you fall short -- and you experience the truth that your deepest self is infinite and unbounded. As you practice on a regular basis, you cleanse the windows of perception and your clarity expands. While some people do try to use meditation as a form of escape -- as a way to bypass unresolved emotional issues -- this approach runs counter to all of the wisdom teachings about meditation and mindfulness. In fact, there are a variety of meditation techniques specifically developed to identify, mobilize and release stored emotional toxicity. If you are coping with emotional upset or trauma, I recommend that you work with a therapist who can help you safely explore and heal the pain of the past, allowing you to return to your natural state of wholeness and love.

Myth #5: I don't have enough time to meditate.
Truth: There are busy, productive executives who have not missed a meditation in 25 years, and if you make meditation a priority, you will do it. If you feel like your schedule is too full, remember that even just a few minutes of meditation is better than none. We encourage you not to talk yourself out of meditating just because it's a bit late or you feel too sleepy. In life's paradoxical way, when we spend time meditating on a regular basis, we actually have more time. When we meditate, we dip in and out of the timeless, spaceless realm of consciousness... the state of pure awareness that is the source of everything that manifests in the universe. Our breathing and heart rate slow down, our blood pressure lowers, and our body decreases the production of stress hormones and other chemicals that speed up the aging process and give us the subjective feeling that we are "running out of time." In meditation, we are in a state of restful alertness that is extremely refreshing for the body and mind. As people stick with their meditation ritual, they notice that they are able to accomplish more while doing less. Instead of struggling so hard to achieve goals, they spend more and more time "in the flow" -- aligned with universal intelligence that orchestrates everything.

Myth #6: Meditation requires spiritual or religious beliefs.
​Truth: Meditation is a practice that takes us beyond the noisy chatter of the mind into stillness and silence. It doesn't require a specific spiritual belief, and many people of many different religions practice meditation without any conflict with their current religious beliefs. Some meditators have no particular religious beliefs, or are atheist or agnostic. They meditate in order to experience inner quiet and the numerous physical and mental health benefits of the practice -- including lowered blood pressure, stress reduction, and restful sleep. The original reason that I started meditating was to help myself stop smoking. Meditation helps us to enrich our lives. It enables us to enjoy whatever we do in our lives more fully and happily -- whether that is playing sports, taking care of our children, or advancing in our career.

Myth #7: I'm supposed to have transcendent experiences in meditation.
Truth: Some people are disappointed when they don't experience visions, see colors, levitate, hear a choir of angels, or glimpse enlightenment when they meditate. Although we can have a variety of wonderful experiences when we meditate, including feelings of bliss and oneness, these aren't the purpose of the practice. The real benefits of meditation are what happens in the other hours of the day when we're going about our daily lives. When we emerge from our meditation session, we carry some of the stillness and silence of our practice with us, allowing us to be more creative, compassionate, centered, and loving to ourselves and everyone we encounter.



As you begin or continue your meditation journey, here are some other guidelines that may help you on your way:

• Have no expectations. Sometimes the mind is too active to settle down. Sometimes it settles down immediately. Sometimes it goes quiet, but the person doesn't notice. Anything can happen.

• Be easy with yourself. Meditation isn't about getting it right or wrong. It's about letting your mind find its true nature.

• Don't stick with meditation techniques that aren't leading to inner silence. Find a technique that resonates with you. There are many kinds of mantra meditation, including the Primordial Sound Meditation practice taught at the Chopra Center. Or simply follow the in and out of your breathing, not paying attention to your thoughts at all. The mind wants to find its source in silence. Give it a chance by letting go.

• Make sure you are alone in a quiet place to meditate. Unplug the phone. Make sure no one is going to disturb you.

• Really be there. If your attention is somewhere else, thinking about your next appointment, errand or meal, of course you won't find silence.


For more information on our Meditation Classes, visit:  https://www.tammybiton.com.au/meditationclasseswollondilly.html



Deepak Chopra is co-author of Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind to Maximize Health, Happiness, and Spiritual Well-Being and founder of The Chopra Foundation source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/meditation-myths_b_2823629.html

There is the age old coaching question:  If you knew you couldn't fail, what would you do?  And if we look at the wisdom of Thomas Edison, he famously shares that he never failed in his attempts to create the light bulb, he just found 100 ways it wouldn't work.

So whilst its great to open up possibilities and begin to consider what you want from life - is what you want important enough for you to learn 100 ways it won't work?    Are you willing to back yourself in the face of what if?  Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and possibly experience a bit of pain in order to gain what you desire?

“By trying, you may fail others. By not, you fail yourself.” 

Once you are clear on what you want, you know that it's important enough and what sacrifices you'll need to make to achieve it - if you still want it, what is left to stop you?

Oh, right!  Maybe those pesky old beliefs?  

It might be a challenge to step away from those old beliefs at first, you might need to step out of the construct of who you belief you are and what you believe you're capable of, step out of your comfort zone.  

Sometimes beliefs are easy to change, simply by becoming aware of them and challenging them with evidence to the contrary, by realising the limitations of that limiting belief.  Maybe it was created back when you were 4 years old, but you're older and wiser now (either that or you're a genius 4 year old reading this article!) ;)   

Sometimes we need to find new beliefs and in this instance, affirmations can be useful (as long as they are believable or you may just spiral yourself into more doubt and insecurity).  It's for this reason I am a massive fan of small consecutive steps rather than MASSIVE leaps.   For example, it might be more effective to believe that you can do something rather than jumping immediately to believing you are world class at it.  If you lack a skill that needs to be learned, believing you now have it may just lead to problems.  It is better to believe that you are ABLE TO LEARN.  Believing "I can" can be more powerful than thinking "I am".  Create some I can beliefs around what you want to achieve.

And then... Fake it 'til you make it.  Acting as if you can do something can shift and change your neurological wiring along with your beliefs.  The mind can't tell the difference between real and imagined, you often hear of actors getting "consumed" by their roles, don't you?  And that's why!  It sounds simple, but it's so effective.

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If you want some help creating a stronger vision of what you want from any area of life, my goal guide can help you assess where things are now, where you'd like them to be, get clear on what's truly important to you and them guide you through setting great goals. 

​If you want to find out more about REDISCOVERING who you're meant to be, want to discuss Coaching or Therapy or simply want to share your thoughts!  I'd love to hear from you!  Message me!  :)  
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Have you ever felt like everyone was about to discover you had no idea what you were doing?  In any given moment, you were about to be discovered as a fraud, an impostor and everyone would find out you really aren't that good?

Albert Einstein described himself as an "involuntary swindler" and believed his work didn't deserve the amount of attention it received.  Acclaimed American poet, storyteller, activist, and autobiographer, Maya Angelou, describes the feeling that she would be found out

“I have written 11 books but each time I think ‘Uh-oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” — Maya Angelou

Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. – Coco Chanel.

Want the secret to happiness? 

​Well, it certainly isn't compare yourself to everyone else!  Comparison can be dream-killing, anxiety-inducing, friendship-destroying and soul-crushing.  And in this modern age of social media and putting our best self forward, often times we are comparing our worst self with everyone else's best.

But it begins with even the most basic judgements about ourselves and the world around us.  In order to "chunk" the world into process-able pieces, we generalise a lot of information.  In order to be able to define things, we need comparison, right?  These two dogs are both dogs!  I am sure they both bark (though one may be more of a yap), they both the DNA for DOG.  And yet, when we put them next to each other, we can start to compare... big / small, tall / short etc.  But without the comparison, they are just dogs.

So when you are making judgements about your appearance, your skills, your abilities, your strengths, your weaknesses... in fact all judgements about yourself.  What are you comparing to?   Are you comparing your expertise to someone who has been in the field 20 years longer than you? Are you comparing your physique to someone who is naturally more muscular? Are you comparing using those SHOULD, COULD, WOULD's?  They can be TOXIC!

And what about when you're making judgements about others?  Remember, if you can spot it, you've got it!  Others are merely just a reflection of us.  That's both good and bad!  So if you see someone else's intelligence, wit, humour, sexiness... you have that within you (maybe its a trait your not currently honouring, but it's there).  And if you spot someone else and are judging them harshly, what aspects of you are they reflecting that you don't like?  I can promise, it's always about you... your own inner filters of the world, your beliefs, values, experiences etc.

And if you're off comparing what others have or do, it takes the gratitude and appreciation off the blessings in your own life and cause discontentment and in-congruence.   Energy flows where your attention goes.  If you're energy is all focused outward and fuelling internal negativity, their grass will only get greener as yours withers.  Instead, if you think the grass is greener, spend some time weeding your own landscape, nurturing yourself and notice how easily your own life will flourish.    

Bring some attention back to you.  Your own unique strengths, your own unique skills and talents, sprinkle gratitude over what you already have and do.    Need a bit of perspective?  If you made $1500 last year, you're in the top 20% of the worlds income earners!  But does that make you happier than them?

Not happy with your body?  What can you appreciate about it?  What about the magnificent marvel of intricate systems that it is that allow you to wake up and move each day?  Your eyes that allow you to read this email, your heart that pumps the blood all around your body.  You are truly amazing!

In Yoga, there is a term, Santosha.  The Sanskrit word santosha is divided into two parts: sam, meaning completely or entirely, and tosha, meaning acceptance, satisfaction, and contentment. Together they create a word that means complete acceptance or contentment. Santosha can be a difficult concept to wrap your head around, particularly if your personal story is filled with negative thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” “I’m too this, or not enough that…”

Does this mean that we should just accept our lives now and not strive to be better? Hell, no!  I am all for growth and betterment!  But it's accepting things as they are now, realising that peace and happiness are within us, that we are so much more than what our ego seeks!  When we rely on things which are external to us to bring us freedom, we inevitably bind ourselves to discontentment even more.   

You are enough.  Right now, as is.  You always have been and always will be.


With nothing to compare yourself to, aren’t you perfect? — Byron Katie



3 tips to practicing santosha in daily life:

1. Get mindful: notice the times you are ‘living’ in the future or the past and bring your conscious awareness to what you are doing in this moment.  
2. Meditate: daily meditation – in whatever form that is for you – helps bring the mind into the now and find contentment in the present.
3. Get grateful: when you find yourself pining for what you don’t have, stop and focus on something you do have in your life that you are grateful for. It’s impossible to be discontent when you are truly grateful. Start a gratitude journal and write down 3 things each day with you are grateful for

So often we set out to do things differently.  We set massive goals and make plans to take massive action.  And yet, nothing changes.  Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Massive action takes massive effort
   Sometimes the shift can be so big, that it's overwhelming and instead of being energised, it leaves you drained.  And sometimes it's just too much change at once!  The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
   
   If this is the case, break down the goal to what is achievable and feels good!
   
   
2. They are trying to consciously make the changes
   As mentioned in the video, if we are fighting or unconscious patterns and programs consciously, we may be up for a challenge!  And it's almost a sure loss for the will-power!  If you keep yo-yo'ing and you're sick of it... get a Coach!  A coach can help you to identify what patterns and programs are running, what beliefs might be holding you back and help you to get out of your own way.
   
   And there may be things like who we perceive ourselves to be, what we believe about ourselves or the goal or life, what we value, our skills and capabilities, old and out-dated programs or just habits that are getting in the way.... but all of these things are stored in the unconscious mind!
   
   
3. It isn't important enough, yet
   Sometimes in life we need to juggle our priorities.  In NLP, when setting goals, we ask, is that goal ecological for you and those around you?  In basic terms, it's asking, will any harm come from achieving the goal?  Are any sacrifices that you need to make feasible?
   
   You may have 6 kids at home or a Mother with dementia or your competing demands are just too big to even allow yourself the time or space right now.  If your goal is causing you a tonne of stress, take the pressure off.  Shift your expectations and set a goal that will allow you to be energised.  Maybe it relates back to #1 and means its a smaller goal!  Maybe it's exercising for just 10 minutes a day or eating 5 serves of vegies, just one step towards a healthier you.  Or maybe it's just to go out and socialise once a week!  
    
   Sometimes we have goals to look better, feel better; but our why isn't strong enough yet.  And in these instances to "chunk up" to find a stronger desire, to build that WANT power.  You can ask yourself, "What will I gain from having that?" and keep asking the question each time you get an answer to keep building that WHY.
   
   
   
4. There is a secondary gain
   So often we are getting something from the behaviour we are doing and so, it's the path of least resistance.  Think of a toddler who throws tantrums and if the Mum gives in, the next time that toddler wants something... what do they do?  That's right!
   
   And every behaviour we have, has a positive intention.  It's our mind trying to get it's desires fulfilled, but sometimes it's still operating from old ways.  Think of the smoker who feels relaxed, or the social drinker who feels confident after a few drinks or the employee who feels they aren't good enough, so in order to feel safe and secure, won't even apply for the dream job promotion!
   
   In these cases, a Coach can help you to explore what the secondary gain is and help to teach the mind new and more productive ways to achieve its desires, ways that are more aligned with what you consciously want to achieve!
   
   
   
5. They have the desire, but not the resources
   I hear it all the time, I know what I need to do, but I just don't think I can do it.  They don't have the confidence or belief in themselves.  Resources can be skills, money, time, attitudes, personal attributes etc and sometimes a lack of access to these means that you'll fall short of achieving the goal.  It is rare that people come to Coaching with a lack of knowledge on the HOW, they usually know what they need to do in order to achieve their goal, but often times there are resources missing.
   
   The truth is; if you can spot it, you've got it.  If there are traits you admire in others or qualities that you display in one area of life, but just can't seem to get them into others... you have those resources there!   A coach can help you to map those across, to set anchors so that you have "resources on call",  to up-skill you with what you need to achieve!
   
   And sometimes the first goal needs to be to get the resources! 

No matter where you're at, if you're ready to explore how Coaching with Tammy can help you achieve your goals; whether it be breaking free from Anxiety & Depression or moving forward on your Health goals or even working on those other areas of life that are impacting you, book in for your FREE 25 minute session to explore your inner world and get a little more clarity and insight.

Sometimes I get so jealous when I see kids with their grandparents (specifically their Grandfather) because my own Dad died before my kids ever got to meet him.  And that makes me angry and sad and a whole spectrum of things.  Now, I could choose to suppress that or to feel it, to continue the grieving process and allow those feelings to wash up over me and through me.  To allow it to process through and begin to shift into love, gratitude and appreciation that I had such a wonderful Dad who would have been an amazing Granddad.  That I have three beautiful healthy happy children.  And to acknowledge that each and every day, the choices that I make about my own health and well-being may well impact whether I get to see my own Grandchildren or not (in many years to come, my oldest is only just about to turn 10).   This morning, I chose the latter.

You see, even our negative emotions have messages for us, communications about what is important to us, what matters and sometimes, triggers us to pull our head in and get back to what really matters.

So when you notice a negative emotion, sit with it for a moment, allow it like a wave to come and wash over you and then let it flow back to nothing, nothing, nothing.   And then allow the room for the new experience of emotions to come!  

Want to practice?  Next time you're feeling an unpleasant emotion, instead of pushing it away, try welcoming, acknowledging and letting it go with the following steps.  It should take you around 10 minutes.

Mindful Emotions Exercise:

1. Notice the emotion you are feeling, acknowledge it
   
   
2. Take a few nice slow, deep breaths - in and out
   
   
3. Scan your body from head to toe and notice what sensations are there, you may notice your heart beating or stomach churning or knotted or there may be an ache in your chest or a lump in your throat... without the need to reason, analyse, judge... just notice.
   
   
4. Find the sensation that is most uncomfortable and explore it with a little curiousity
   
   
5. Notice where the sensation starts and ends, does it have any size or shape? colour or texture? any movement? Does it have any temperature? Does it vary in intensity?  Just be curious and explore
   
   
6. Take a few deep breaths and allow those breaths to surrender with the sensation, allowing it to just be as you imagine your breath breathing in and around that sensation.  Without any need to be 'rid of' the emotion, allow it the space to be there
   
   
7. If your conscious mind begins to think, analyse, reason etc... simply say, thanks mind and come back to observing the sensation
   
   
8. You may find this difficult. You may feel a strong urge to fight with it or push it away. If so, just acknowledge this urge, without giving in to it. (Acknowledging is rather like nodding your head in recognition, as if to so "There you are, I see you") Once you've acknowledged that urge, bring yourself back to the sensation itself
   
   
9. Don't try to get rid of the sensation or alter it. If it changes by itself, that's ok. If it doesn't change, that's ok too. Changing or getting rid of it is not the goal
   
   
10. You may need to focus on this sensation for anything from a few seconds to a few minutes, until you completely give up the struggle with it. Be patient. Take as long as you need. You're learning a valuable skill
    
    
11. Once you've done this, scan your body again, and see if there's another strong sensation that's bothering you. If so, repeat the procedure with that one

You can do this with as many different sensations as you want to. Keep going until you have a sense of no longer struggling with your feelings

As you do this exercise, one of two things will happen: either your feelings will change - or they won't. It doesn't matter either way. This exercise is not about changing your feelings. Its about accepting them

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4 Quick Steps to Emotional Acceptance

1. OBSERVE: Bring awareness to the feelings in your body
2. BREATHE: Take a few deep breaths. Breathe into and around them
3. EXPAND: Make room for these feelings. Create some space for them
4. ALLOW: Allow them to be there. Make peace with them

Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat. When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper. These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus. This is known as the “fight or flight” response and is your body’s way of protecting you.

There is an optimal amount of stress that will in fact help you to stay focused, energetic and alert.  When stress is within your comfort zone, it can help you to stay focused, energetic, and alert. In emergency situations, stress can save your life—giving you extra strength to defend yourself, for example, or spurring you to slam on the brakes to avoid an accident. Stress can also help you rise to meet challenges. Stress is what keeps you on your toes during a presentation at work, sharpens your concentration when you’re attempting the game-winning free throw, or drives you to study for an exam when you'd rather be watching TV. But beyond your comfort zone, stress stops being helpful and can start causing major damage to your mind and body.

There are numerous emotional and physical disorders that have been linked to stress including depression, anxiety, heart attacks, stroke, hypertension, immune system disturbances that increase susceptibility to infections, a host of viral linked disorders including the common cold as well as autoimmune diseases. In addition stress can have direct effects on the skin, the gastrointestinal system and can contribute to insomnia and degenerative neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

But, you are in charge of your mind and therefore your life!  You can chose to adopt simple techniques that will bust your stress in less than 5 minutes!  It can be quick and easy to bring yourself back into balance and I will show you how!  But first, I'd like for you to imagine that you put a pot of water on the stove and turn the heat up.  There are a few scenarios I'd like you to consider.

First, add some low level heat that just allows the water to warm just slightly - you may notice that not much happens... but over time, if you leave the water at that low level, it will eventually evaporate (though it will take quite a while).

Now, turn up the heat and have that pot simmer - not so much heat or pressure that it boils, but just enough to have it at a constant simmer.  This is how many of us live!  The stress of poor nutrition (yes, I mean processed foods and sugars) added to the lack of exercise, the stress of managing a family or being stuck in traffic, the stress of finances or not enough time to do everything, the stress of running a household and the stress of our jobs.  All of that just leaves us simmering on the stove.  And that water, evaporates much quicker than the one at just a low level.

Now, turn up the heat!  Get that water boiling!  Maybe its a sick child or an infection or a deadline at work or you lose your job or someone else you love gets sick and suddenly the pot is boiling over and becomes empty - completely depleted! 

Imagine that water is your ability to cope.  It doesn't matter whether you have it warming slowly or boiling rapidly, if you allow the water to get even close to empty, you may begin to notice overwhelm, exhaustion, illness, anxiety and depression.  But if you just remove the pot for 5 minutes, refill it with water before adding it back to the stove - it will always have enough water in it.  And you will always have enough resilience and the ability to manage your stress.

So, how do you cool that pot and refill it in just 5 minutes?  Take control of your autonomic nervous system in the one way that you can - using your breath!  Long breaths in and short breaths out will increase your stress, long slow breaths out will decrease your stress and nice even breaths will bring you back into balance. 

To begin - take a few nice deep breathes in through your nose and then slowly exhale - letting all of the air out.  Do this for 3-5 deep breaths and then slowly bring your breath back into balance.  Depending on how used to deep breathing you are - you may only be able to breath in deeply for 3 seconds (or up to 6-8)!  If you need some guidance, use the clock below.  Breath in for 3 seconds and out for 3 seconds (or in on the blue, out on the green).  You can also increase the time to 6 seconds and use the blue or green to indicate a change in inhale or exhale.

Just 5 minutes of this balanced breathing can have a massive shift in your internal physiology - reducing adrenalin and cortisol and reducing all of the above mentioned stress related symptoms.   It's even better if you do it a few times a day!

Give it a try and let me know what you notice after just a few minutes!

 Hypnotherapy is a wonderful modality for helping to creating lasting positive change.  But thanks to Hollywood movies and the perception of Stage Hypnosis - there are a lot of myths around it.  So whilst Hypnotherapy has fantastic success rates, there are even more people who could benefit from Hypnotherapy if they were no longer stuck in fear of what are really, just myths!  Let's explore some of the top myths!

1. The Hypnotist will be able to control My Mind
The truth is no-one can control your mind!  One of the prime directives of your unconscious mind is self preservation, so your own mind will not allow you to take on suggestions that are not of benefit to you.  When working with Mind Matters with Tammy Biton, all hypnotic suggestions are based on our first session where we get a detailed insight into where you are now and where you want to be.  What resources (eg confidence, relaxation etc) that you have and / or need to get the changes you are seeking and what interference might prevent you for achieving that goal.

2. I will be made to do silly things like cluck like a Chicken or bark like a Dog
Sure, if you go to see a stage hypnotist and you pass the suggestibility tests and the susceptibility test and you are an extroverted personality who wants to have a laugh with your friends, you may end up on stage clucking like a chicken.  But as mentioned above - only if you want to!  Those that are most suggestible (meaning easily hypnotised) may not be the same people on the night who are susceptible!  You have to have the right type of personality and motivation.  So yes, I am trained to be able to make people cluck like a chicken - but that's not what our goal is in Clinical Hypnotherapy.   

3.  Hypnotists have special powers
Well, not really!  The thought that hypnotists have “special powers” originates from a Hollywood fiction. The truth is that hypnotists do not have any special powers, not even the stage hypnotists you may have seen. We have special skills, a deep knowledge of psychology and the human psyche, experience of working with people, but no special powers. With sufficient effort and practice, most people could induce a formal state of hypnosis in someone else, but only with the person’s permission. Of course, the real skill is in the way we can use the hypnotic state to help people.

3.  Not everyone can be hypnotised
Well, not really!  Whilst it is true that some people are more suggestible to hypnosis, it very often comes down to the person’s motivation, willingness and ability to concentrate. Everyone is suggestible to a certain degree. If you are interested in something and it is something that you want, then you will be open to its effects. It is the same with self hypnosis — if you want it to work and you co-operate, then you will reap the rewards.  The truth is you go into a Hypnotic State at least twice a day!  That moment just as you are drifting off to sleep and just as you begin to wake - your brainwaves are actually in the hypnotic state.   When you get so engrossed in a book that you are visualising the characters or when you begin to cry when watching a movie or even when you drive on autopilot - these are all forms of hypnosis

 Hypnotherapy is a wonderful modality for helping to creating lasting positive change.  But thanks to Hollywood movies and the perception of Stage Hypnosis - there are a lot of myths around it.  So whilst Hypnotherapy has fantastic success rates, there are even more people who could benefit from Hypnotherapy if they were no longer stuck in fear of what are really, just myths!  Let's explore the top 10 myths!

Myth 1. The Hypnotist will be able to control My Mind
The truth is no-one can control your mind!  One of the prime directives of your unconscious mind is self preservation, so your own mind will not allow you to take on suggestions that are not of benefit to you.  When working with Mind Matters with Tammy Biton, all hypnotic suggestions are based on our first session where we get a detailed insight into where you are now and where you want to be.  What resources (eg confidence, relaxation etc) that you have and / or need to get the changes you are seeking and what interference might prevent you for achieving that goal.

Myth 2. I will be made to do silly things like cluck like a Chicken or bark like a Dog
Sure, if you go to see a stage hypnotist and you pass the suggestibility tests and the susceptibility test and you are an extroverted personality who wants to have a laugh with your friends, you may end up on stage clucking like a chicken.  But as mentioned above - only if you want to!  Those that are most suggestible (meaning easily hypnotised) may not be the same people on the night who are susceptible!  You have to have the right type of personality and motivation.  So yes, I am trained to be able to make people cluck like a chicken - but that's not what our goal is in Clinical Hypnotherapy.   

Myth 3.  Hypnotists have special powers
Well, not really!  The thought that hypnotists have “special powers” originates from a Hollywood fiction. The truth is that hypnotists do not have any special powers, not even the stage hypnotists you may have seen. We have special skills, a deep knowledge of psychology and the human psyche, experience of working with people, but no special powers. With sufficient effort and practice, most people could induce a formal state of hypnosis in someone else, but only with the person’s permission. Of course, the real skill is in the way we can use the hypnotic state to help people.

Myth 4.  But, it's only the weak minded or stupid that are suggestible
Well, again, no!  This is an archaic belief that has, in recent times, been proven untrue. It was thought, long ago, that only 50% of the population could be hypnotised. Over the last 40 years, hypnotherapists have developed methods to induce hypnosis in 100% of the population. During your first session, we utilise these methods to determine what type of suggestibility you have, and hence, how to hypnotise you.  And as for your intelligence, in fact, the higher your IQ, the more likely you are to be a great hypnotic subject!

Myth 5. You won't be conscious during hypnosis
It is true that we work with your subconscious mind during hypnosis, but you won't be unconscious!  You will have awareness of your surroundings and still be able to hear my voice (how else would we be able to give you suggestions?).   The level of consciousness that is required is completely dependent on the client, some can be in an extremely light state of trance and some can be very deep!  Just as when you sleep you cycle through different "waves", the same happens with hypnosis so you may even experience varying levels of consciousness within the one session.  The key to the success of the session is your active involvement in the process.  Most people find that no matter what level of consciousness they are at they will feel relaxed during the session.

Myth 6. Hypnosis is a magic wand or miracle cure
It is true that hypnosis is a brief therapy and creates rapid change when compared with other modalities!  But there is no magic wand or miracle cure!  A hypnotist will not be able to fix all issues in a single session.  It takes involvement from you so that we can work in a partnership to get you the positive changes you seek.  Some things like simple habits (nail biting etc may be resolved in 1-2 sessions and other things like Depression and Anxiety require more.  It should be noted that most things can be resolved within 6-12 sessions.  So, yes, it is brief when you compare 12 hours of Hypnotherapy vs 600 hours of traditional psychotherapy.

Myth 7. People will remember everything under Hypnosis
There are certain methodologies (such as hypnoanalysis) that may help a person recall things from their past, if that is going to be useful for them.   But unless it is useful for the outcome of the session, there isn't really a whole lot of reason to do this and remember, your unconscious mind's primary role is to ensure self preservation and safety.  So there are many ways that we can clear old emotion and get understandings and insights without the need to consciously remember traumatic events from our past.

Myth 8.  People get stuck in a trance state
Again, thank you Hollywood.  None of my clients have every been stuck in hypnosis, nor will they ever be.  It is a naturally occurring state that we go into ourselves each and every day.  In fact, if I could rename Hypnosis, I would call it functional awareness!   The absolute worst thing that can happen is that you drift off to sleep and either I wake you or you wake natural and we continue the session.


Myth 9. People forget everything that was said in a session
While some people do consciously forget much of what was said in a hypnosis session, you will likely also remember a lot of the suggestions.  Hypnosis is like daydreaming or night dreaming – often you remember the suggestions that were spoken to you at random times, when you find yourself responding differently to typical situations.  For example, you may have been using hypnosis to lose weight, and notice that you are not even tempted by the plate of cookies that’s been placed in front of you. At that point, you may have a memory of the hypnotist telling you that cookies are unappealing.


There are of course more myths around Hypnotherapy, but these are the top ones that I hear all the time.  If you have any questions around Hypnotherapy, I would be more than happy to answer them.  Feel free to contact me via email at: tammy@tammybiton.com.au or phoning me on 0425 209 677.

In this webinar, Tammy Biton explores how we can use our breath to create coherence and tap into the wisdom of the Head, Heart & Gut brain.

Unlike in traditional hypnotherapy or relaxation - we are not using relaxation breathing!  We use the research of the Heart Math Institute and Neuroscience pulled together by Marvin Oka and Grant Soosla to control our autonomic nervous system with balanced breathing.

This latest video was posted on Facebook addressing some questions asked in a Sutherland Shire group around Hypnotherapy.  I hope it helps debunk some of the myths!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=982354535220779&id=329362577186648
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In order to get the benefits of meditation, you don't have to retreat to the mountains for days at a time or sit cross legged on a cushion (though you can do these things if you want to).  But you can just bring mindfulness to activities that you already do each and every day!

Here are some examples:

* Brushing Your Teeth - this is an activity that you do at least once a day (hopefully... and if not - now is a great time to start), but because you do it everyday - it is something that most people do mindlessly.  Instead, try using your other hand to brush your teeth... focus on each and every tooth, the front, back and top - the taste of the toothpaste, the feel of the toothbrush and the "round and round" motion. 

* Breathing - we automatically breath in and out, it doesn't require conscious effort, but that doesn't mean we can't make it conscious.  Bring your attention to your breath, there is no need to change the way you are breathing - just focus on the feeling as you breath in through your nose and follow that breath down through to your chest and belly and as you exhale - follow that sensation all the way back out again.

* Pause - Breath - Smile:  I love this!  Just stop whatever you are doing... take a moment to take a nice deep breath in through your nose, allowing it to fill your lungs - exhale slowly... then smile.  (It doesn't matter if its a real smile or not... if its not a real smile, hold it for longer and do it again).  There is a cascade of neurochemicals (feel good hormones) that are released when we smile (in fact some researchers found that a smile generates as much brain activity as winning $25,000).

There is a long list of benefits one can get from a good mediation practice, but why don't you try it for yourself... try one or all of these each day for 30 Days (you can do them just once or many times in the day).  I'd love to hear what you notice after the 30 Days.

I wanted to share with your briefly my birth experiences and why it is that I love teaching Hypnobirthing Australia Childbirth Education Classes!

At around 10 weeks pregnant with my first child, I booked into the Birth Centre at my local hospital.  I was having a natural drug free birth - there was no question about it!  But at 41+ weeks when my "big" baby was showing no signs of joining us, I was induced.  From there, it was everything but the natural birth that I had been so focused on and I was absolutely devastated!  I had never even considered "What if things don't go according to plan?"

So when I was pregnant with my second, I started researching and learning and applied that knowledge to my experience.  I was still keen for a natural birth and attempted VBAC, but at 42 weeks when induction was unsuccessful... I experienced an amazing and beautiful caesarean delivery!  We had skin to skin contact in theatre (in fact, my midwife assisted me to have him breastfeed whilst they were still stitching me up).

And that brings me to baby number 3!  I was now a Hypnobirthing Practitioner and although again, it was an unsuccessful VBAC, I did experience spontaneous labour and a positive caesarean!  My beautiful baby girl was born on the 26th August, she shares my birthday!

I am extremely passionate about helping woman to prepare for a Positive Birth experience!  And with the knowledge, tools and techniques we share in the Hypnobirthing Australia course you will be fully prepared for a natural vaginal delivery or whatever turn your birthing may take!

And for those Mumma's who know they have to have a caesarean and want to be empowered with knowledge about birth, bonding and preparing for a speedy recovery, I also run a 4 hour "Preparing for a Positive Caesarean" course.

For more information, contact me on: 0425 209 677

The Law of Cause and Effect states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Every cause has an effect, and every effect has a cause. Cause Causes Certain Effect. (C > E) Your results are the effects of your thinking and behaviour. When I say Results I mean every single thing in your life. There are Reasons (for not getting results) or Results. If you think about it any outcome that you created in your life must have come from a behaviour that you produced. There can’t be more on the effect side than it is on the cause side.

Focus on what you want, i.e. positive thoughts, because by Law that is what will come back to you… cause and effect… Be at cause for what you want, and you will get the effect. All thought is creative, so be careful what you wish for... you will get it.

How empowering is it to be on the Cause side of life and how disempowering is it to be on the effect side. Think about when you’re 90 or 140 years old, how valuable will those excuses be?

Accept responsibility and look for the learning, rather than hide behind your pride and reject the fact that you are the Cause for your behaviour which causes Results in your life. You see the moment you reject the Cause, you close yourself off to the. And you will probably continue to create the same results, until you learn what you need in order to grow and expand.

Learnings means Resources, they are strategies, decisions, beliefs that you can utilize in the future so that whatever happened in the past won’t repeat itself. You need to learn in order to grow; your comfort zone is living in the illusion that you and everything can stay the way it is. In nature nothing can stay the way it is, you’re either busy growing or dying.

Are you on the effect side, with no power to do or change anything? Or are you on the Cause side, where you are in charge of your life and the results that you are creating. You can’t play half way, you are either on the CAUSE side for every single result that you created in your life, and I mean everything. Because the moment you exclude any result you step onto the Effect side. You become a hypocrite, changing the rules where you see fit.

“Which side of the Cause and Effect equation are you on?”

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to spend a day in the kitchen with Chef Alan Brown (Senior Chef Lecturer at Auckland University of Technology) and he taught me some wonderful healthy (and amazingly tasty) recipes.  This one is great for the kids, adults, parties, lunch or dinner!  Give it a try this week!

(P.S. For those of you who didn't know me back then - my hairstyle wasn't a fashion choice... I shaved my head to raise funds for the Leukemia Foundation)

Ingredients:
1 Banana
350g Greek Yogurt (thick)
Zest & juice of 2 limes
Bunch of fresh coriander leaves
Salt & pepper

8 x bamboo sticks of venison/chicken breast 

Step 1: Blend all of the ingredients together (except for the chicken of course)

Step 2: Grill the chicken or venison skewers

Step 3: Serve & Eat

What do you see in this picture?

Our brains receive over 2 million bits of information every second... and we can only process between 5-9 bits of that information.  Our past experiences, beliefs, values, language (what NLP calls our 'filters') determines what information we take in and how we PERCEIVE that information.

So, it can be said that we only ever really see part of the picture or "not the whole story".  When what you are interpreting (or what you see) isn't working for you.  Try one of the following:

1) Imagine stepping into the situation and seeing it from someone else's perspective - what would they see, hear, feel?  What about a fly on the wall?  What picture would they see?

2) Ask yourself, what else could it mean?  Keep asking yourself this question until you get at least 3 or 4 other interpretations of what it could mean..

By the way... did you see both the frog and the horse in the picture above?

Do you know someone who is eternally optimistic?  Do you admire that trait?  The good news is that a positive attitude can be cultivated!  You too can choose to see the opportunities presented in the challenges life delivers and find the goodness in the most difficult of people!  It just takes practice!

Studies have shown that adopting an attitude of gratitude can help you to be more emotionally resilient, boost your mood and improve your general well-being... and there are many more added benefits.

Set a goal to practice gratitude every day for 30 days and see the benefits for yourself!  Not sure where to start?  Try one of the following:

• Share your gratitude - write a thank you note to someone and thank them for something kind that they have said or done or for the positive impact they have had on your life (and then send it or give it to them)
  
• Gratitude Journal - you can choose to write in it every morning and every night (just a few things that you appreciate or are blessed with), you may choose to write just one thing or 5 things each day.
  
• Compliment someone or something- compliment someone else each day, for example, "It's so nice and sunny today, don't you think?"
  
• Meditate - find a quiet space, close your eyes, take a few deep breathes in and focus on your chest / abdomen rising and falling with that breath.  Then bring your awareness to your heart and think of all the things you are thankful for.

Enjoy the benefits!  If you have other ways that you like to express gratitude, please share them with us.

The silly season is almost upon us, a time where we have the tendency to eat too much and drink too much and we're often left feeling less than perfect!

Many people believe that a strict detox diet is necessary for the body to recover.  I completely disagree!

We need to treat our bodies with respect and compassion - and cutting out the majority of food sources is not the way to do this.  Our human body is remarkable and has the ability to heal itself.  So instead of detoxing... focus on eliminating those things that stress the body - sugar,white flour, alcohol, medications (e.g. pain relief, DO NOT eliminate medications that have been prescribed for you) and increase the things that can help your body to cleanse itself.

A perfect nourishing day (in my opinion) reduces the load of the body.  Eliminate processed foods and focus on loads of fresh fruit and vegetables.  You could trr the following:

Breakfast:
* 2 Eggs Scambled with garlic, onion, mushrooms and served with a handful of baby spinach
* Cup of Dandelion Root Tea (with no milk)

Snack:
* 1/2 Cup Greek Yoghurt with a small handful of nuts and seeds and a piece of fruit
* Cup of Green Tea

Lunch:
* Lentil Salad: Lentils, Garlic, Capsicum, Parsley, Tomato, Carrot, Onion, 1 tbs almonds and a dash of olive oil and red wine vinegar as dressing
* Cup of Dandelion Tea

Snack:
* Any fruit and a handful of seeds and nuts
* Cup of Green Tea

Dinner:
* Fish, Lean Meat or Chicken without Skin and loads of vegetables - broccoli, carrot, zucchini, cauliflower, capsicum etc
* Cup of Green Tea

Remember: 
* Drink at least 2 litres of water AND
* Anything that is bitter will help stimulate your digestive enzymes and in turn, assist the liver.  If you can eat or juice raw leafy green - broccoli, kale, dandelion leaves!  Add in some apples (great for cleansing the digestive tract) and some carrots and beetroot!  It's the perfect concoction for helping the body to boost its own cleansing ability!

HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON!