Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 12, 2015

13

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

 Mountain Views News Saturday, September 12, 2015 


THE JOY OF YOGA

WHAT ARE THE CHAKRAS ANYWAY?


The chakras are part 
of our subtle body, or 
the energetic body. 
The first seven chakras 
are described as 
“wheels” of energy and 
consciousness located 
on the central axis of the 
body. Each chakra is an energy center because of the number 
of Nadis or energy channels that run and intersect through 
that region. The chakras underlie every aspect of our physical, 
energetic, mental and emotional body. We can learn about the 
chakras through traditional study of theory, but we can also 
experience them in practice. 

 If traveling up the central axis of the body, the first chakra, 
mulahdara, is located at the root or pelvic floor. This chakra is 
associated with the Earth element and linked to our security, 
safety and self-preservation. Continuing to the sacrum 
and hips, we hit the 2nd chakra, swadhistana. This is often 
called the chakra of desire. When in balance, our trust and 
relationships are stable. We can control our urge for over-
indulgence. Next, at the solar plexus we have Manipura 
chakra. Associated with the fire element, this chakra is linked 
to motivation, confidence, power, and digestion. The 4th 
chakra is Anahata, located at the heart center. Our heart center 
is the place of compassion and love. If our compassion for 
ourselves is rightly placed and others then get an outpouring 
from our abundance. The 5th chakra is Vishudhi, located at 
the throat center. The throat is our place of self-expression and 
communication. When out of balance, we might be at loss for 
words and lack creativity. Next, we move up to our third eye, 
or Ajna chakra. This is an important one. The seat of the mind 
is located here. When our third eye is awakened and conscious 
we can calm our mind and focus on spiritual practice. The last 
chakra (of the initial 7), Sahasrara, is located at the crown. 
This region is responsible for our universal consciousness 
and connection to absolute, all knowing divinity. All of the 
chakras work together as a system. It’s important that each one 
is balanced and clear or the imbalance can affect all others. 

 Take a dip in getting know your subtle body! Beginning 
with a grounding practice with a strong Earth element is a 
great way to get started. Read up and try a few practices with 
your teachers and in your home practice. The reason to know 
about and experience all parts of our being is simply to increase 
awareness. With increased awareness, we can transform our 
lives by igniting our enthusiasm and own empowerment. This 
is a fulfilling, happiness building experience! 

Namaste, 

Keely Totten 

RYT 500,Yoga & Meditation Instructor Yoga Madre


CAN MEDITATION 

CHANGE BRAIN STRUCTURE? 

A study conducted in Massachusetts finds that it can. The study 
documented that meditation produced changes over time in the brain’s gray 
matter. Measurable changes in the brain regions that are associated with 
memory, sense of self, empathy and stress were documented. This study 
was led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital. Participants in 
this study spent an average of 27 minutes a day in meditation for 8 weeks 
which focused on awareness of sensations, feelings and state of mind. The 
8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program took place at the 
University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness. 

 Two weeks before and after the program participants had MR 
images taken of the brain. The images found an increase in the density of 
the grey matter in the portion of the brain that is important to learning 
and memory as well as areas that are concerned with compassion and 
self-awareness. 

 So there 
may be 
more 
benefits to meditation than simply 
relieving stress and helping you to 
achieve a deep level of relaxation. 
It appears that meditation may be 
beneficial in learning, something we all 
want to keep doing as we age. Successful 
aging requires that we eat well, stay 
active and exercise our brains. 

 Meditation does not need to be 
difficult: Find a quiet room and sit 
comfortably, in comfortable clothes 
with your eyes closed. Breathe 
normally through your nose. Relax and 
concentrate on your breathing. Quiet 
your mind and try not to have any 
thoughts. This may be difficult. Some 
people find that repeating the word om (as in dome) in a natural repetition helps in this process. Don’t 
be worried or give up if you can’t keep thoughts out of your mind. This comes with practice. 

Dr. Tina is a traditional 
naturopath and nutritionist 
at Vibrant Living 
Wellness Center


BUSINESS NEWS & TRENDS


FAMILY MATTERS By Marc Garlett


HOW DO I CHOOSE A 
LIFE INSURANCE POLICY 
THAT’S RIGHT FOR ME 
AND MY FAMILY?

 Life insurance products can be complicated, and because 
they often come with high commissions for the people 
selling them, it can be hard to know what to buy and who to 
trust when you are making that decision. The place to start 
is to think about whether and why you need life insurance. 
The most basic reason is if you have an obligation or need 
to provide income replacement for others who depend on 
you. That means if you have anyone dependent on you, 
you probably want some kind of life insurance--as they say, 
“insurance says I love you.”

 The type of life insurance you should buy depends on 
your family goals and circumstances. The two main types 
of insurance you’ll hear about are “term” and “whole life.” 

 Term insurance is in effect for a specific period of time 
and if you do not die during that period, the insurance 
doesn’t pay. For example, you may have a 10-year term 
policy. Each year, you pay your premium and if you don’t 
die during that year, you’ve lost the premium (but gained 
your life, which is nice!) Because it’s 10-year term, the rate 
will remain the same for 10 years, at which point you have 
to re-apply for the insurance, which means full application 
and health exam and a rate increase because you are 10 years 
older.

 In contrast, whole life is designed to be in effect until 
death. That means that no matter when you die, if your 
policy is paid up, your insurance will pay out. Whole life 
policies have an investment component that accumulates 
a cash value while also guaranteeing a death benefit. So 
each year that you pay your premium and don’t die, part 
of the premium you paid is gone, but part of it is allocated 
to the investment part of your policy, which means you are 
building up an investment.

 Here’s the thing about that … sometimes (maybe often) 
insurance is not the best investment vehicle, primarily 
because of how much of the premium goes to pay 
commissions on the policy rather than to your investment 
account.

 But, if your spouse or child or business is going to need 
insurance when you die, you will want to get a permanent, 
whole life type policy. 

 The bottom line with life insurance is to make sure you 
realistically assess your needs and then purchase an amount 
of insurance that meets those needs. I recommend running 
your insurance decisions by a trusted advisor who is 
objective, not paid a commission, and shares the same goal 
as you--keeping your family out of court, out of conflict and 
well-cared for when you can’t be there. 

 I believe in developing relationships with families for 
life. That’s why my firm not only helps identify the best 
legal strategies for you and your family; we also incorporate 
insurance, financial, and tax strategies into our holistic 
approach to estate and legacy planning. 

 Dedicated to your family’s wealth, health, and happiness,

 

 

 

 A local attorney and father, Marc Garlett is on a mission 
to help parents protect what they love most. His office is 
located at 49 S. Baldwin Ave., Ste. G, Sierra Madre, CA 91024. 
Schedule an appointment to sit down and talk about ensuring 
a legacy of love and financial security for your family by 
calling 626.355.4000 or visit www.GarlettLaw.com for more 
information.

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES

You might consider warming up your email 
marketing program with a Birthday or 
Anniversary system. 

 For example, you could send a special offer on or 
before your customer’s Birthday or Anniversary. 
Say you own a restaurant; you could send an email 
that says “Your Birthday is coming up and we 
want to make it special! The next time your are in 
our restaurant, celebrate your special day with a 
complimentary drink.” 

 Constant Contact makes it easy to set up a 
Birthday or Anniversary program. You’ll need to 
figure out a creative way to collect your customer’s 
special dates. You might send out an email to all 
your customers letting them know you are starting 
a Birthday club and if they join, you will send them 
a treat on their special day

 Constant Contact has a feature called “Automate 
Emails” that will walk you through the simple set 
up. Not only can you send a Birthday message but 
you can also send a note, a membership renewal 
or reminder to your contacts that have some type 
of anniversary coming up. With the membership 
renewal, you could start a monthly payments 
system. We like Constant Contact because their 
tools are easy to use and if you can’t figure it out on 
your own, their award winning, friendly customer 
support team is always ready to help you out.

 It’s a challenge to stay in touch and engage 
with your customers. Birthday and Anniversary 
emails are effective in helping you build customer 
relationships.

 About MJ: MJ and her brother David own 
HUTdogs, a creative services business that 
specializes in Internet Marketing strategies and 
Social Media. They offer social media management 
services and help their clients build a strong on-line 
presence. “Like” them on Facebook for trending 
news in social media, internet marketing and other 
helpful tips, www.facebook.com/hutdogs.

 

 Sign up for their upcoming classes, webinars and 
presentations at: www.hutdogs.com/workshops/
schedule 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com