How to Meditate in 10 Breathing Cycles

Others call it prayer, or mindfulness practice, or quiet time, or moment of solitude - but these are all forms of meditation that can keep your mind healthy. Hindus or Buddhists practice it to "tame the monkey mind" so they can feel peace, stillness, and bliss.

Now, if you're a beginner, know that meditation is not focusing or concentrating so much so that it strains your thoughts. I've spoken to some people who say they are having a hard time focusing and concentrating that's why meditation is not for them. Actually, if you share the same response with them, all the more you need to meditate.

But let's simplify it so you'd find it easy.

Assume a comfortable position, either sitting down with feet flat on the floor and palms facing up resting on your thighs or the lotus position (or cross-legged on the floor) also with your palms facing up.

Image Source: hindugodwallpapersdownload.blogspot.com

The breathing pattern below is 4-4-4-4:

Inhale through your nose for four counts (1... 2... 3... 4...) (Make sure the air goes down to inflate your diaphragm gently.)
Hold for another four counts (1... 2... 3... 4...)

Exhale gently through your mouth for four counts (1... 2... 3... 4...) (Feel your diaphragm deflating.)
Hold for another four counts (1... 2... 3... 4...)

That's one cycle. Also, close your eyes as you listen to the sound of your breath. Feel the movement of your diaphragm. Do ten cycles or more.

You'll feel relaxed and peaceful inside.

See? It's easy.

There are also varying breathing patterns for this: 6-3-6-3/ 7-7-7-7/ 7-1-7-1/ and many more.

If you find this helpful, please share it. - @junehebrew IG, FB/ #junegiornotv in YouTube

Communicate to Success: How to Communicate to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere, about Anything

It was a fun-filled public opening to see the face of the attendees light up with each of the body language techniques they were taught during the workshop. 

The Communicate to Success Series opened up with its public offering of How to Communicate to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere, and about Anything. It was a hit to the attendees reminding them that the first person they communicate with is themselves and that whatever communication they were used to having with themselves is basically the same kind of communication they would likely get from those around them.

In the workshop, they were taught to use their body language to alter their mood and to alter those of others as well. They were also taught how to carefully plan communication when it is about a pretty sensitive topic. One of the favourites of the attendees was the flirting part where everybody got to experience to flirt and be flirted with. 

More importantly, attendees were reminded that they can be confident wherever they are and with whomever they are. They can also do the same for others by helping them open up simply by shifting their body language and the use of their voice and their words.

Join us in the next run of the workshop on April 27, 2019, Saturday from 230pm-6:30pm. Venue to be announced!

Email junehebrew@gmail.com for inquiries. :)

Do what makes you happy

And help others do what makes them happy. Support them. Be the reason why they pursue their passion.

Sharra Muñiz, little nuggets of appreciation like this keep me afloat to teach and share what I know.

I'm proud to have been a part of her journey as a vocal coach albeit short. I first listened to her and felt so much passion. Her voice sounded shy. It was modest. But I knew there was something inside her that needed a bit of pushing. I knew that vocal power was hiding somewhere.

And voila! I myself am surprised! An hour session and there she was embracing the unique nuisance of her voice and embracing its natural power! :)

We both ended giggling because we both discovered and learned something that day - passion, courage, and commitment work!

Reach me for coaching inquiries here.

#passionproject
#junejourno
#junejournoTV
#livelovelearn
#liveloveleadlearn
#bestlifetrainingacademy
#believeinlove
#breakthrough

Why your activism doesn't work

I've often seen people campaigning for what they believe in. I must say bravo to them for embracing the courage to believe they can make a dent in the society by spreading awareness and taking a stand against the many injustices in our society. For that, they've earned my respect.

However, I've also seen how campaigning for what you believe in could breed conflict instead of harmony. I've seen how relationships were broken by how people communicate their ideas and thoughts. Fortunately, many of these people have good intent. Unfortunately, they're ill-equipped with how to communicate their good intentions.

As I'm trying to slowly influence people around me to choose vegan lifestyle, I've observed what doesn't work. As a proud vegan, I watch and research on the form of protests held by my #kaivegans (vegan friends) all over the world. Let me offer my two cents on why I think they don't work and how they might. Allow me to break down into three the most common negative experience I've had with some people who share their advocacy (vegan or non-vegan).

Image source: Google images

1) Ego-trap. When you judge others for not eating vegetables the way you do, you are in an ego-trap. When you judge others for not caring for animals the way you do, you are in an ego-trap. When you label others as heretic for not having the same belief in God the way you do, you are in an ego-trap. 

Ego-trap happens when you shove down other people's throat what you believe in. You are so attached to being "right" that your brain automatically labels everybody around you as "wrongs". And if this is the message you're sending to others you want to influence, there's less likelihood they would see things from your perspective.

So check your intention. Are you doing what you're doing to prove something or because you really want to help? Often, it's both. But what others see in us or feel when with us is different from what and how we have communicated to them. Instead of coming from the space of judgment, come from the space of compassion. After all, most of us are vegans because of compassion to animals and nature. Humans are not exceptions.

2) Self-righteous resentment. Have you ever been pissed off when someone brings up calories during dinner? (Yes, I have!) Self-righteous people are usually the party poopers who believe that so long as they're right they will say what they want to say no matter what other people feel. They will tell you they want to be honest to you because they care about you. But if you look into their psyche on a much deeper level, they actually resent you for not seeing the things the way they do. They will call you stubborn. They're quick to let you know it's your fault. They're quick to gloat. They're quick to tell you, "I told you so." They're the ones who are very good in patama (if the shoe fits, wear it) tirade.

When you can't convince these people, they would answer you in social media with their views and opinions under the guise of intellectual discourse.

We're only as good as our last performance. How other people remember us when we leave them is important to help them learn about what we're advocating. If what they experience of us when we talk about our advocacy is resentment, there's an even lesser chance we can get them to our side.

Remember, that before you were vegan, you were omnivore (if you weren't born vegan). Look inside you on what made you shift and understand what could make the person in front of you shift as well. Also understand that it's a process to transition from one lifestyle to another. Again, you probably didn't just jump into veganism. You probably had to transition as well bit by bit. Come from the space of understanding instead of being self-righteous.

3) The Entitled Superior. They're the ones who will demand you to treat them as if they have given you handbook or proper orientation before you speak to them. I've witnessed how some vegans berate waiters or even cashiers for not knowing what vegan means. They will throw a tantrum or a temper and insist that you "should" know about these things. But let's accept the reality, a lot of people and establishments don't know. This is when we use it as a teaching moment to spread awareness. We can probably strike a conversation to the manager or ask them to be part of a vegan group to learn more instead of ranting and whining how their restaurant is outdated for not having vegan options in their menu.

These whiners have a sense of superiority for believing they know more. They would often test how much you know so you could be a part of his/her circle. They often say (probably in their head), "Newbie. Neophyte. Freshman." They would engage you in conversations just so they could brag with what they know. 

With this, understand that most often, people who want to be vegans don't want gurus lecturing and preaching to them. They don't want to join a religion. They just want guidance and support.

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These three are interrelated. Often, we get into this cycle of emotional traps. Let's be more aware of how we operate when we talk about our causes. Let's catch ourselves in the act if we're experiencing any of these internal conditions.

Sure, it's not easy. I didn't wake up one day and tell myself I will be compassionate ALL THE TIME because that's impossible. I think it all boils down to knowing that whenever we have an opportunity to share vegan lifestyle to others, we can choose to be compassionate and understanding. Who knows that if their experience of us is that we've become better persons when we've become vegan, they might ultimately choose vegan as well.

Why choose minimalism

Starting as a young professional, I wanted nice things for myself. I wanted a lot of them. When I started living alone more than a decade back, I bought stuff to fill and decorate my studio unit. I bought a set of knives: I've got one for meat, for vegetables, for peeling, for dicing. (I don't even like sharp objects! They scare me!) bought a set of plates. I bought wine glasses. I even had my rags color coded. I had a specific stuff for a specific stuff. As you might've already predicted, I was able to use them probably four times in a span of more than a decade. I piled up on stuff I thought I needed but didn't.

Source: Google Images

I sank into depression a few years back. My anxiety attacks came in frequently. And let me tell you, one of the things that help me overcame my anxiety is by letting go of things that don't serve me anymore. Literally and figuratively, slowly letting go of stuff is one of the best things (aside from being vegan) that I did for myself. As I chose minimalism as a lifestyle, I slowly felt I was having more mental space for the things that really matter. I was able to lessen my spending. I was also able to manage my lifestyle in an uncomplicated manner.

Minimalism is good for your mental health. Each of the thing you possess is a mental representation of something you carry in your head. A lot of times, in my case, I compensate my loneliness for buying things I would need for when I have visitors. Most often, I bought stuff to make sure I had something to entertain my guests with. As you might've predicted as well, I seldom had visitors.

When I started embracing minimalism, I also found myself becoming more disciplined in choosing what I need. I started giving away (or selling) some of my stuff. I realized many of the things I bought I didn't even remember buying or why I even bought them. The things I bought for a specific purpose never really fulfilled their purpose. I mean seriously, who lives alone and needs five knives? I could just imagine how I could've maximized saving by not spending a lot.

I also experience that it's easier to own just a few useful stuff. I like being able to manage my stuff easily. I realize I didn't need fifty undergarments. I didn't need over a hundred pieces of shirts. I didn't need more than ten pairs of shoes. It took a lot of my time thinking about what I would be wearing on a daily basis. Thing is people didn't even notice.

I now understand why Mark Zuckerberg wears the same combination everyday! I get to focus my energy on more important stuff rather than compensating with my insecurity through what I wear or trying to impress others.

If there's one thing I'd like to have more of, it's a fat savings account and choosing minimalism is allowing me to do that bit by bit. Embrace minimalism and enjoy having more mental space, curbing your bad spending habits, and managing your lifestyle.

Why choose to be vegan

I had been vegetarian for quite some time before I finally decided to be vegan.

Being vegetarian, by the way, is different from being vegan. I've got some of my friends confused with the two. Being vegetarian means you are either of the following:

• Lacto-ovo vegetarian - you still eat dairy and eggs but don't eat any form of meat, including fish meat and seafoods.
• Pesco-vegetarian - you still eat fish but don't eat dairy and eggs.
• Pesco-lacto-ovo - (I'm pretty sure you can deduce what this is.)
• Pretend-vegetarian - those who classify themselves vegetarian simply because they eat meat in minimal portion.

If you're vegan, however, it's simple. You refuse to eat any form of meat (red, white, they make no difference, fish meat is well, white meat).  You also choose not to consume any animal-based products or products which have animal contents or products tested on animals.

I chose veganism for one word - compassion. It encompasses compassion to self, others, and nature.

Research shows there's no better diet than vegan diet if we want to prevent illnesses. It's just a fact. Unfortunately, the SAD (Standard American Diet) as popularized by the American meat industry, don't want you to know more about it because of one word - profit. Click to watch Earthling Ed  or What the Health.

It also helps you practice compassion to other beings. Seriously, if you can't butcher your own animal and eat it, why would you do the same to other animals? It's what we call selective compassion. You won't eat your dog, will you? But all animals are the same. They have the same sensory perceptor which means they feel pain just like your dog. If you say you love animals but still eat them, you don't love animals: you love pets. Click to watch Dominion.

Being vegan also enable you to help nature. Animal agriculture is the largest contributor of pollution in the whole world. If you stop consuming animal based products, you are, in fact, doing your part to help protect and save the environment.

I've made many wrong decisions but deciding to be vegan is not one of them. Being vegan is one of the best decisions I've made for myself, others, and nature.

Join our vegan challenge here!

525,600 minutes of 2018

This year, by far, has been a challenging one for me. But I survived 365 days. And I will survive 365 more. :)

The year 2016 is my year of faith. It was when I had my first and (probably) the worst panic attack. This was after people I was supposed to be able to trust betrayed me in ways unfathomable. It was then I realized that certain group of people would be willing to violate one's person just so they could prove their power. I never talked about it (I still don't) because someone or some people need to be protected. This was, so far, the worst event in my life. I must admit that it threw me off balance. Until now, I haven't gained that balance. But God willing, in His time, I will be able to make sense of it as I slowly do.

Source: Click this.

Add to this, the financial pressure from my creditors. I had been fortunate enough to have settled many of them but I was still a long way from zero-debt.

The panic attack would come out of nowhere. I would often get a sudden feeling that death was  after me. My brother and my sister-in-law witnessed how I was slowly being eaten by this blackhole. I would have nightmares in the evening when I was asleep. But the worst nightmares were the ones that happened while I was awake. I prayed at least three times a day. I meditated at least three times a day as well. Whenever the attack would happen, I would hide in the comfort room, and pray, and cry. If it didn't work, I would play some guided meditation using some apps I downloaded. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes, it didn't. But I'm a fighter you know.

Yes. I contemplated suicide too. At the back of my head was a voice saying I would be better off dead. That I would transcend. That I would be at peace. My brain would reason out, "They don't say rest in peace for nothing." What stopped me was the thought of hurting my loved ones. I couldn't hurt them like that. I can't imagine my parents crying. No. Just no. No child should go before his parents. I drowned the voice with affirmations day-in day-out. Until the voice became faint. I decided to seek professional help. And I did. And it helped.

I chose love.

Then 2017 came. It was the year of love. Just before I joined the World Talent Olympics 2018 and was starting to feel that things are falling into their proper place, my contract in a government agency where I used to consult was ended without prior warning. Politics in government offices is something I wasn't prepared for. It was also this year when I came face to face with all my fears - my weaknesses and my liabilities. But this was also the year, when I discovered I had so much love to give. That I had so much strength. That I had what it takes. Albeit the realization of my potential, fear still held me back. I made bad money decisions. Numbers were all scrambled in my head.

Year 2018 is a year of courage for me. Having come from a jobless situation, I needed to knock on doors to get support in one of my endeavors - I've always wanted singing. But the encouragement I got from those who really mattered were "I'm too old". Or questions such as, "What would you do after?". Or "Aren't you ashamed knocking on doors?", "What if you lose?" But then there were also those who loved me unconditionally and see past the obstacles. They rallied behind my back. Pushed me. Told me I could do it. I owe much of this year to them. This year, I made yet another bad money decision. But now, I'm slowly learning about my financial blueprint. I'm slowly learning about my money patterns. And shit! What a wake up call. Year 2018 is also the year when I've learned to say "fuck off" to the negative thoughts and to the people who have got nothing nice to say about me. I'll say it again with a smile, fuck off. :)

I'm talented. I'm smart. The fuck, I am. I am an excellent speaker, writer, singer, and actor. But for some reasons, I couldn't show my talent out there. For fear of being found out of my weaknesses, my struggles. But you see, that's what make this year a year of courage for me. I now understand that courage includes embracing your fear. I now understand that being courageous means acknowledging fear and improving your relationship with it. So fear, I welcome you in my heart. It's fearful to be seen for who I really am - but I will show it nonetheless because that's the only way I could truly love myself. I can't truly choose love unless I am courage.

I am courage.

Don't get me wrong. This is a story of hope and gratitude. As I look back at my life, I realize that from a rate of three, I am now at the rate of seven - from 2016 to 2018 with all the experiences I have gained, and with all my learning. My roller coaster ride in the past three years may have been awesome in other aspects but a large part of what held me back was my lack of understanding of my relationship with abundance. Eight, nine, and ten of my seven out of ten is my lack of understanding of wealth and abundance.

Now this year of 2019 is the year of abundance for me. I slowly feel the seeds I planted last 2018 are growing and growing. Something awakened inside of me. The fear of scarcity attracts scarcity. The fear of abundance results to scarcity.

I now release those that no longer serve the best version of me. I'm tired defending my weaknesses. Yes you can stay, it's your job to humble me but you won't take the driver's seat. You will take the back seat. You will not drive me.  It's time I honor my strength and not be imprisoned by excuses.

So if you cared enough to read until here, let's start this new page with new hope. I can see abundance in the horizon welcoming me as I slowly dismantle old beliefs holding me back.

So 2019, bring it on. I'm ready for you.

I create and manage wealth easily and effortlessly.