Email from Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation   Dear John, Some people ask how Meditation is included in the BLTT. For starters, let's talk about what a mantra is. Can you define it? As you'll soon see, a mantra is simply a tool (tra) for the mind (man). But it is so much more... The word mantra is bandied about quite a bit these days. People use it all the time. You hear it on TV. For example, when it comes to political parties an announcer might say their new mantra is such and such. Of course, the word mantra goes back thousands of years to the original yoga and meditation writings of the great sages of India like Pantajali. It seeped into Western consciousness in about 1967 or 68 when The Beatles went to India to study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The word mantra became better known to the general public around 1975 when my mentor, the illustrious Dr. Herbert Benson from Harvard Medical School began studying meditation or what he termed "The Relaxation Response." He revealed that it was the opposite of the stress response. But first, Dr. Benson elucidated the four stages of being: Awake Asleep Dream The fourth state That fourth state is different than the first three because an action is required to enter it, while the first three states happen spontaneously. Benson called this fourth state The Relaxation Response which involves being in a comfortable position, in a quiet environment, using a mental device, such as a breath, a sound or short prayer, or something to focus on, which is a mantra. The focus also means that when other thoughts enter your mind you simply go back to focusing on your tool or your mantra. There, many wonderful things happen, including healing of body, mind, and spirit and the development of high levels of psychological and spiritual well-being. There are many mantras and what we know is a mantra is not simply a word or a sound. It’s not even the meaning of the words that count. A mantra is a permutation and combination of those sounds and the effect they have on the brain, the mind, and the spirit. How does it work? The tongue is like a pen and it writes on the upper palate of your mouth. This sends a message to the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus to release certain peptides and chemicals that then go throughout the body to generate a very specific effect. Moreover, not only is your memory, mood and well-being enhanced, but so is your immunity, genes and general health. The mantra Saa Taa Naa Maa as utilized in Kirtan Kriya works properly when the tongue stimulates the upper palate’s 84 Meridian points and the tongue touches these 84 Meridian points. That’s what sends the message to the higher glands. It also activates certain areas in the brain to boost brain power and activate and improve cognitive function. When you do it, Saa first touches the posterior part of your upper palate behind the ridge of the teeth. Then Taa works behind the teeth and the lips. Each one of those has a powerful connection to the hypothalamus and the pituitary. Plus, when we do Kirtan Kriya, the fingertips in sequence are also touched: thumb to index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinky. This action also perfects the anatomy of the brain and unravels it so that you are connected to your spiritual self. Therefore, we see that Kirtan Kriya utilizes a wonderful mantra and has a complete body, mind, and spirit effect with the touching of the fingertips and sequence as you chant the sound for two minutes out loud, two minutes in a whisper, four minutes perfectly silently and then reverse it with two minutes in a whisper, two minutes out loud. Then you inhale deeply, hold the breath, and circulate the energy. One last thing to share: Kirtan Kriya is the only meditation in history that uses a chant, a whisper, and silence. The chanting part cleanses the conscious mind, the whisper clears the subconscious mind, and when you go deep within into silence, this releases negativity from the deepest part of the unconscious mind. Kirtan Kriya is the only meditation that does this. Mindfulness doesn’t have this effect nor does TM or any other meditation. This is one of the main reasons it is so powerful. We encourage you to develop a routine of practicing Kirtan Kriya first thing in the morning perhaps with some yoga as well. You’ll be so much happier and healthier and, beyond that, you’ll make other people healthier and happier just by being around you. Your presence will make them shine their light. When you register for our newly updated BLTT, you'll discover all this and so much more. You'll be able to claim our reduced launch price! Diet, Yoga, Meditation, Exercise, and Spirituality are all covered very well, as is cutting-edge knowledge on becoming successful. So don't delay. Register today.  Yours in Brain Health, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. President / Medical Director Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation (ARPF) www.alzheimersprevention.org [email protected] Prevention Editor, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease P.S. Remember our Brain Longevity Therapy Training is an awesome experience to undertake and improves your health, well-being, and brain function. When you become a graduate of BLTT, you’ll have so much more to share with other people to help them become healthier, happier and more complete as a human being. Plus, if you’re a teacher, Kirtan Kriya is a great tool and a unique selling point to share with your clients to help them increase physical health, well-being, and financial well-being as well. P.P.S. And now, the first 25 people who register will unlock our F*R*E*E* Brain Longevity Diet Cookbook. Yours free when you register today. Discover more about BLTT here. Become and graduate and really thrive in every way. REGISTER     Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation | PO Box 30783 | Tucson, AZ 85751-0783 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice