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4 Keys to Responding Instead of Reacting

Via Caroline Southwell for Elephant Journal

I have some AWARE friends.

They are exceptional at being present and they are good at being called on their behavior when it is out of line with who they say they are or want to be. They’re also exceptional at doing the same for me.

However in the last two days I had two different, amazing friends of mine tell me over a cuppa that they weren’t happy with something I said. One brought up something that happened over three months ago, that both he and his partner hadn’t liked. Let’s call him Kevin.

Kevin wanted to remind me about something I had said the last time he and his partner were at my place: “I don’t know if I ever told you that, but I wanted to let you know it was inappropriate.”

Interesting. Who decides what’s appropriate or inappropriate? By what standards do we measure this? And surely it’s different for every person? So how does that work with more than seven billion people interacting on a daily basis?

What I realized as I reflected upon this situation, is that two things were happening. First, he was communicating his boundaries to me about how he wants me to behave, particularly around his partner (that’s fair, but three months later?). Second, neither himself nor his partner were taking responsibility for how they’re reacting to what I said.

My view is that they were reacting this way because they viewed my behaviour as “bad” and he appeared to be telling me off the way parents tell off their children. How often we see this dynamic playing out in society between friends, colleagues, spouses and within countless other relationships.

And so I just sat there, somewhat gobsmacked that my friend was still missing this piece. For someone who had taught me so much about being present and not missing the lessons, he was so caught up in the story, he couldn’t see the forest for the trees, and his body language clearly told me it was not up for discussion.

Fast forward to yesterday and I was sitting with a couple of friends of mine. I knew my girlfriend, let’s call her Jesse, wanted to talk to me about something, as we’d been playing phone tag for a couple of days. As our guy friend left to go for a walk, Jesse launched straight into telling me that she didn’t like a text message I sent her, that it made her feel bad.

I hadn’t known what she wanted to talk about, but since we often do coaching and healing session swaps for one another, I figured she’d found some other piece that she wanted help clearing.

So when she said this, it very much came as a surprise. And as Jesse explained to me which words had “hurt her,” I found myself again looking with interest, as I had with my friend Kevin, wondering what the heck was going on.

Why was this beautiful, spirited, present, powerful woman behaving in a reactionary way and getting thrown by a well-thought out, gentle but honest text message? How was she going to cope when people didn’t take time to craft their thoughts before expressing them? How was she going to handle straight out criticism as she becomes more and more well known as a speaker?

I was grateful that Jesse was open, unlike Kevin, to explore why she was feeling the way she was. And in that space we got to look at these powerful questions and she then had the space to work out what she needed and wanted to do differently. She gave me the space to explain why I had use those particular words and what those words meant to me, and for her to express what those words meant to her.

And so we were able to come to a place of mutual understanding and respect through open and courageous dialogue, that my other friend Kevin hadn’t been open or willing to do.

What I came to realise was that in both instances they were working too much and not playing enough. They both felt trapped by their circumstances, particularly with the struggles they were having with money and didn’t feel they were allowed to fully express themselves in the way they most wanted to. This lead to them being tired, and more likely to react rather than respond in a calm, present and curious way.

We all have a role to take in being responsible.

I am responsible for what comes out of my mouth, what’s typed by these fingers and all that these hands touch.

How others respond to what I express is their responsibility. I cannot make anyone feel anything. Likewise for you… all that you think and express in the world is your part and how you react or respond to what others do, that’s your part too. But what comes out of someone else’s mouth and how they react to what you say, that’s their part to play in this game we call life.

So four ways to help you respond rather than react are:

1. Get grounded.

There are many ways to do this, and the trick is to find a way you like to do it. Anything that helps you get in your body (like a form of exercise you love—running, dancing, sex with a loving partner) will definitely help. Consciously taking big deep breaths is probably the easiest and quickest way to bring you back to now, and get you back into your body and out of your head. Of course, getting outside in the sunshine, or the cold, with your feet on the grass (or the snow!) will also help you get in your body again.

2. Notice when you’re over analyzing.

If you find yourself lying awake at night on a regular basis because you can’t switch your mind off, this is a good sign you’re over analyzing (probably a lot of things!). So use the above ideas (or your own) to get grounded. The more grounded you become, the easier it is to get present, and then the more aware you become, the more you’ll catch yourself over analyzing! Once you’re aware of something you can change it, not before.

3. When someone says something you don’t like, take a deep breath before speaking.

This also applies to writing since we have so many conversations via text message, email, Facebook messages and the like… and the idea is to give yourself time to notice how you’re feeling, how you’re reacting internally before you express it externally to the other person or people involved. So often our initial reaction gets us in trouble, it causes the other person or people to also get defensive and react, and then the cycle whirls out of control. You can stop this by taking a deep breath and considering your response, and what the other person might be trying to communicate.

4. Appreciate that everyone is different.

Your friends, family, colleagues, and even your acquaintances you bump into as you go through life will all have had different life experiences to you. The experiences we have and the way we interpret these experiences form our beliefs, our attitudes and ultimately our personality. So the next time someone says something that you totally disagree with and you find yourself feeling out of sorts, ask yourself if you can appreciate that this person is different from you. Not wrong necessarily, just different. Because after all, wouldn’t it be boring if we were all the same?

[elmcitywellness-blog]

Breathing for Life: The Mind-Body Healing Benefits of Pranayama

by Sheila Patel, M.D. for Chopra Centered Lifestyle

“For breath is life, and if you breathe well you will live long on earth.” ~Sanskrit proverb

Breath is essential to life. It is the first thing we do when we are born and the last thing we do when we leave. In between that time, we take about half a billion breaths. What we may not realize is that the mind, body, and breath are intimately connected and can influence each other. Our breathing is influenced by our thoughts, and our thoughts and physiology can be influenced by our breath. Learning to breathe consciously and with awareness can be a valuable tool in helping to restore balance in the mind and body.

Researchers have documented the benefits of a regular practice of simple, deep breathing (1,2,6), which include:

Reduced anxiety and depression

Lower/stabilized blood pressure

Increased energy levels

Muscle relaxation

Decreased feelings of stress and overwhelm

In the medical community, there is a growing appreciation for the positive impact that deep breathing can have on the physiology, both in the mind and the body. According to the research, many of these beneficial effects can be attributed to reducing the stress response in the body. To understand how this works, let’s look at the stress response in more detail.

Pranayama as a Tool to Counter Stress

When you experience stressful thoughts, your sympathetic nervous system triggers the body’s ancient fight-or-flight response, giving you a burst of energy to respond to the perceived danger. Your breathing becomes shallow and rapid, and you primarily breathe from the chest and not the lower lungs. This can make you feel short of breath, which is a common symptom when you feel anxious or frustrated. At the same time, your body produces a surge of hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), which increase your blood pressure and pulse rate and put you in a revved up state of high alert.

With deep breathing, you can reverse these symptoms instantly and create a sense of calm in your mind and body. When you breathe deeply and slowly, you activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which reverses the stress response in your body. Deep breathing stimulates the main nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system—the vagus nerve—slowing down your heart rate, lowering your blood pressure, and calming your body and mind.

In addition, with deep breathing, you engage the abdominal muscles and diaphragm instead of the muscles in the upper chest and neck. This conditioning of the respiratory muscles results in improved efficiency of oxygen exchange with every breath by allowing more air exchange to occur in the lower lungs. It also reduces strain on the muscles of the neck and upper chest, allowing these muscles to relax. In short, deep breathing is more relaxing and efficient, allowing higher volumes of oxygen to reach the body’s cells and tissues.

As well as reversing the physical stress response in the body, deep breathing can help calm and slow down the emotional turbulence in the mind. Breathing can have an immediate effect on diffusing emotional energy so there is less reactivity to our emotions.

4 Deep Breathing Techniques

Beyond the practice of simple deep breathing, the ancient yogis described different types of rhythmic deep breathing techniques that can have differing effects on the mind and body. In fact, many studies document the beneficial effects of yogic breathing in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder), COPD (chronic destructive pulmonary disease), and asthma. (3,4,5) There are also theories that support the notion that by slowing down and controlling the breath, we can improve our longevity.(3)

The basis for all deep breathing practices originates in the science of yoga, specifically the branch of yoga known as pranayama. The word pranayama is derived from two Sanskrit words: prana (life force) and yama (control). By controlling the breath, you can influence every aspect of your life. You can train yourself to breathe in a way that has a positive influence on your health.

Each of the following simple yogic breathing techniques has specific effects on the mind-body physiology.

Complete Belly Breath: With one hand on your belly, relax your abdominal muscles, and slowly inhale through the nose, bringing air into the bottom of your lungs. You should feel your abdomen rise. This expands the lower parts of the lungs. Continue to inhale as your rib cage expands outward, and finally, the collar bones rise. At the peak of the inhalation, pause for a moment, then exhale gently from the top of your lungs to the bottom. At the end of exhalation, contract your abdominal muscles slightly to push residual air out of the bottom of your lungs.

Alternate Nostril Breathing: When you are feeling anxious or ungrounded, practice Alternate Nostril Breathing, known as Nadi Shodhana in the yogic tradition. This will immediately help you feel calmer.

Hold your right thumb over your right nostril and inhale deeply through your left nostril.

At the peak of your inhalation, close off your left nostril with your fourth finger, lift your right thumb, and then exhale smoothly through your right nostril.

After a full exhalation, inhale through the right nostril, closing it off with your right thumb at the peak of your inhalation, lift your fourth finger and exhale smoothly through your left nostril.

Continue with this practice for 3 to 5 minutes, alternating your breathing through each nostril. Your breathing should be effortless, with your mind gently observing the inflow and outflow of breath.

Ocean’s Breath: When you feel angry, irritated, or frustrated, try a cooling pranayama such as Ocean’s Breath, or Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai). This will immediately soothe and settle your mind.

Take an inhalation that is slightly deeper than normal. With your mouth closed, exhale through your nose while constricting your throat muscles. If you are doing this correctly, you should sound like waves on the ocean.

Another way to get the hang of this practice is to try exhaling the sound “haaaaah” with your mouth open. Now make a similar sound with your mouth closed, feeling the outflow of air through your nasal passages.

Once you have mastered this on the outflow, use the same method for the inflow breath, gently constricting your throat as you inhale.

Energizing Breath: When you are feeling blue or sluggish, try Energizing Breath or Bhastrika. This will give you an immediate surge of energy and invigorate your mind.

Begin by relaxing your shoulders and take a few deep, full breaths from your abdomen.

Now start exhaling forcefully through your nose, followed by forceful, deep inhalations at the rate of one second per cycle. Your breathing is entirely from your diaphragm, keeping your head, neck, shoulders, and chest relatively still while your belly moves in and out.

Start by doing a round of ten breaths, then breathe naturally and notice the sensations in your body. After 15 to 30 seconds, begin the next round with 20 breaths. Finally, after pausing for another 30 seconds, complete a third round of 30 breaths. Beginners are advised to take a break between rounds.

Although Bhastrika is a safe practice, stay tuned in to your body during the process. If you feel light-headed or very uncomfortable, stop for a few moments before resuming in a less intense manner.

Contraindications: Do not practice Bhastrika if you are pregnant or have uncontrolled hypertension, epilepsy/seizures, panic disorder, hernia, gastric ulcer, glaucoma, or vertigo. Use caution if there is an underlying lung disease.

A regular daily practice of deep breathing is one of the best tools for improving your health and well-being. Performing one of these breath techniques twice daily for only three to five minutes can produce long-term benefits. You can also use them any time you are feeling stressed or notice that your breathing has become constricted. By training your body with a regular practice of deep breathing, you will begin to breathe more effectively even without concentrating on it.

“Healing is every breath.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh

[elmcitywellness-blog]

People Can Draw Energy From Other People The Same Way Plants Do

by Michael Forrester for Clear Mind, a creation of the mind

A biological research team at Bielefeld University has made a groundbreaking discovery showing that plants can draw an alternative source of energy from other plants. This finding could also have a major impact on the future of bioenergy eventually providing the evidence to show that people draw energy from others in much the same way.

Members of Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse’s biological research team have confirmed for the first time that a plant, the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, not only engages in photosynthesis, but also has an alternative source of energy: it can draw it from other plants. The research findings were released this week in the online journal Nature Communications published by the renowned journal Nature.

Flowers need water and light to grow and people are no different. Our physical bodies are like sponges, soaking up the environment. “This is exactly why there are certain people who feel uncomfortable in specific group settings where there is a mix of energy and emotions,” said psychologist and energy healer Dr. Olivia Bader-Lee.

Plants engage in the photosynthesis of carbon dioxide, water, and light. In a series of experiments, Professor Dr. Olaf Kruse and his team cultivated the microscopically small green alga species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and observed that when faced with a shortage of energy, these single-cell plants can draw energy from neighboring vegetable cellulose instead. The alga secretes enzymes (so-called cellulose enzymes) that ‘digest’ the cellulose, breaking it down into smaller sugar components. These are then transported into the cells and transformed into a source of energy: the alga can continue to grow. ‘This is the first time that such a behavior has been confirmed in a vegetable organism’, says Professor Kruse.‘That algae can digest cellulose contradicts every previous textbook. To a certain extent, what we are seeing is plants eating plants’. 

Currently, the scientists are studying whether this mechanism can also be found in other types of alga. Preliminary findings indicate that this is the case.“When energy studies become more advanced in the coming years, we will eventually see this translated to human beings as well,” stated Bader-Lee. “The human organism is very much like a plant, it draws needed energy to feed emotional states and this can essentially energize cells or cause increases in cortisol and catabolize cells depending on the emotional trigger.” Bader-Lee suggests that the field of bio-energy is now ever evolving and that studies on the plant and animal world will soon translate and demonstrate what energy metaphysicians have known all along — that humans can heal each other simply through energy transfer just as plants do. “Human can absorb and heal through other humans, animals, and any part of nature. That’s why being around nature is often uplifting and energizing for so many people,” she concluded.

Here are five energy tools to use to clear your space and prevent energy drains while releasing people’s energy: 

1. Stay centered and grounded. If you are centered within your spiritual self (instead of your analyzer or ego) you will sense right away when something has moved into your space. If you are fully grounded, you can easily release other people’s energy and emotions down your grounding cord with your intention.

2. Be in a state of non-resistance. What we resists sticks. If you feel uncomfortable around a certain person or in a group, don’t go into resistance as a way to protect yourself as this will only keep foreign energy stuck in your space. Move into a state of non-resistance by imagining that your body is clear and translucent like clear glass or water. This way, if someone throws some invalidation at you, it will pass right through you.

3. Own your personal aura space. We each have an energetic aura surrounding our body. If we don’t own this personal space we are vulnerable to foreign energy entering it. Become aware of your aura boundaries (about an arms length away from your body all the way around, above and below) as a way to own your personal space.

4. Give yourself an energy cleanse. The color gold has a high vibration which is useful for clearing away foreign energy. Imagine a gold shower nozzle at the top of your aura (a few feet above your head) and turn it on, allowing clear gold energy to flow through your aura and body space and release down your grounding. You will immediately feel cleansed and refreshed.

5. Call back your energy. When we have our energy in our own space there is less room for other’s energy to enter. But as we focus on other people and projects we sometimes spread our energy around. Create an image of a clear gold sun several feet above your head and let it be a magnet, attracting all of your energy back into it (and purifying it in the gold energy). Then bring it down through the top of your aura and into your body space, releasing your energy back into your personal space.

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Light Cucumber Salad with a Thai Red Pepper Lime Dressing

from Yin Yang Living with Moon

Serves 2-3

Light and healthy cucumber salad with red onion and scallion, paired with a delicious Thai dressing made with fresh lime, a touch of fish sauce, and a dash of red pepper flakes for a nice kick.

Ingredients:

Cucumber (1 large, julienne)

Red Onion (1/4 of a red onion, julienne)

Scallion (2 stalks, diced)

Dressing:

Rice Vinegar (2 tablespoons)

Honey (1 tablespoon)

Fish Sauce (2 tablespoons)

Vegetable Oil with no flavor, like safflower, canola or  grape seed (2 tablespoons)

Red Hot Pepper Flakes (1 teaspoon)

Lime (juice of 1 lime)

Directions:

1) Prepare dressing.  In a small bowl, add rice vinegar and honey.  With spoon, dissolve the honey into vinegar (make sure all of the honey is dissolved into vinegar).

2) To the honey vinegar, add fish sauce and squeeze juice of 1 lime.  Then add vegetable oil and red hot pepper flakes.  With spoon, mix dressing.  Leave dressing aside.

3) Slice ends of cucumber and slice into 1/3 pieces.  With a mandolin slice cucumber into julienne pieces.  Transfer sliced cucumber into a large bowl.

4) Slice onion in half.  With mandolin, take one half of the onion and slice half of the half onion into thin julienne pieces, so you are just slicing 1/4 of one whole onion. Add sliced onion to cucumber.

5) Dice your scallions and add to cucumber and onion.

6) Add dressing and toss with tongs.

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The Psoas: Muscle of the Soul

by DANIELLE PROHOM OLSON for Body Divine Yoga

I was delighted when I first came across Liz Koch’s amazing work because it confirmed much of what I’d been intuiting on my own. I had begun to open and close my yoga practise with hip opening poses with the specific intention of releasing tension in my psoas and hip flexors. I’d breathe and imagine tension flowing out of constricted muscles to be released as energy into the torso.

It worked, I’d feel my body soften yet somehow grow stronger.

Reading Liz Koch I instantly realized what I was doing – by learning to relax my psoas I was literally energizing my deepest core by reconnecting with the powerful energy of the earth. According to Koch, the psoas is far more than a core stabilizing muscle; it is an organ of perception composed of bio-intelligent tissue and “literally embodies our deepest urge for survival, and more profoundly, our elemental desire to flourish.”

Well, I just had to learn more. Here is just a sprinkling of the research that Liz Koch and others have uncovered regarding the importance of the psoas to our health, vitality and emotional well-being.

The Psoas muscle (pronounced so-as) is the deepest muscle of the human body affecting our structural balance, muscular integrity, flexibility, strength, range of motion, joint mobility, and organ functioning.

Growing out of both sides of the spine, the psoas spans laterally from the 12th thoracic vertebrae (T12) to each of the 5 lumbar vertebrae. From there it flows down through the abdominal core, the pelvis, to attach to the top of the femur (thigh) bone.

The Psoas is the only ‘muscle’ to connect the spine to the legs.  It is responsible for holding us upright, and allows us to lift our legs in order to walk. A healthily functioning psoas stabilizes the spine and provides support through the trunk, forming a shelf for the vital organs of the abdominal core.

The psoas is connected to the diaphragm through connective tissue or fascia which affects both our breath and fear reflex. This is because the psoas is directly linked to the reptilian brain, the most ancient interior part of the brain stem and spinal cord.  As Koch writes “Long before the spoken word or the organizing capacity of the cortex developed, the reptilian brain, known for its survival instincts, maintained our essential core functioning.”

Koch believes that our fast paced modern lifestyle (which runs on the adrenaline of our sympathetic nervous system) chronically triggers and tightens the psoas – making it literally ready to run or fight. The psoas helps you to spring into action – or curl you up into a protective ball.

If we constantly contract the psoas to due to stress or tension , the muscle eventually begins to shorten leading to a host of painful conditions including low back pain, sacroiliac pain, sciatica, disc problems, spondylolysis, scoliosis, hip degeneration, knee pain, menstruation pain, infertility, and digestive problems.

A tight psoas not only creates structural problems, it constricts the organs, puts pressure on nerves, interferes with the movement of fluids, and impairs diaphragmatic breathing.

In fact, “The psoas is so intimately involved in such basic physical and emotional reactions, that a chronically tightened psoas continually signals your body that you’re in danger, eventually exhausting the adrenal glands and depleting the immune system.”

And according to Koch, this situation is exacerbated by many things in our modern lifestyle, from car seats to constrictive clothing, from chairs to shoes that distort our posture, curtail our natural movements and further constrict our psoas.

Koch believes the first step in cultivating a healthy psoas is to release unnecessary tension.  But “to work with the psoas is not to try to control the muscle, but to cultivate the awareness necessary for sensing its messages.  This involves making a conscious choice to become somatically aware.”

A relaxed psoas is the mark of play and creative expression.  Instead of the contracted psoas, ready to run or fight, the relaxed and released psoas is ready instead to lengthen and open, to dance. In many yoga poses (like tree)  the thighs can’t fully rotate outward unless the psoas releases. A released psoas allows the front of the thighs to lengthen and the leg to move independently from the pelvis, enhancing and deepening the lift of the entire torso and heart.

Koch believes that by cultivating a healthy psoas, we can rekindle our body’s vital energies by learning to reconnect with the life force of the universe. Within the Taoist tradition the psoas is spoken of as the seat or muscle of the soul, and surrounds the lower “Dan tien” a major energy center of body.  A flexible and strong psoas grounds us and allows subtle energies to flow through the bones, muscles and joints.

Koch writes “The psoas, by conducting energy, grounds us to the earth, just as a grounding wire prevents shocks and eliminates static on a radio. Freed and grounded, the spine can awaken”…“ As gravitational flows transfer weight through bones, tissue, and muscle, into the earth, the earth rebounds, flowing back up the legs and spine, energizing, coordinating and animating posture, movement and expression. It is an uninterrupted conversation between self, earth, and cosmos.”

So, it might be worth it, next time you practice, to tune in and pay attention to what your bio-intelligent psoas has to say.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

The Locations of the Earth’s 7 Chakras

by Laura Weber for Earth. We Are One.

When I decided to approach the topic of the earth’s chakra points and write a piece about it, I believed it was going to be a very straightforward piece with clear-cut information and I found that assumption quite wrong.  There are a few schools of thought about where the chakra points are located on the earth and how the entire ley-line system works as a whole.

The basic concept is that as the macrocosmic mirror to the human microcosm of the chakra system in the body, the earth, as a living being, possesses active energy centers that are consecutively aligned based on perspectives of consciousness, earth-organ equivalents, and vibrational states and exist in different sacred locations throughout the earth.

The most common way of looking at this concept from what I have found in my research is by overlaying a basic outline of the infinity symbol over the outstretched flat image of the world map; deriving from this basic geometry comes the more complex lines of connection between major vortex points and earth chakras which are the ley lines or song lines.

These would be akin to the energy meridian, acupuncture points, and nadis in the human body which are more numerous and secondary channels of energy that work in concert with the major centers of the chakras to disperse or circulate that energy.

Therefore, in the most popular viewpoint on earth chakras, each point is a super-powered point on the earth that serves as a central place of focus for the perspective of that chakra- for instance the heart chakra center on earth regulates the flow of energies on earth that allow the earth and its inhabitants to experience and relate through unconditional love and compassion whereas the root chakra of the earth would resonate with energies of life force itself, will to live, genesis, and so on.  I found two differing ideas about where these specific locations were, yet interestingly both sets of points involve mostly the same locations on earth, except rearranged.  Here are those two systems:

Robert Coon’s Earth Chakras System

Nearly all of the information readily available online that I was able to find regarding the earth’s chakra points seemed to be directly sourced from this one author- Robert Coon who owns a website called earthchakras.org.  This site is fascinating and offers very in depth information about the chakras of the earth, the earth’s elemental vortices, ley lines and much more.  Whether you take this information as theory or fact, it is fascinating food for though.  In the system provided by Coon, the earth’s chakra points would be located throughout the earth as follows:

Root (1st) Chakra: Mt. Shasta, California.  Red; Raw biological life force energy- precursor to deviation into individual life forms.

Sacral (2nd) Chakra: Lake Titicaca Peru (but also includes Machu Picchu).  Orange; Creation of new species and positive evolution. Specification of pure life force into individuals.

Solar Plexus (3rd) Chakra: Uluru and Kata Tjuta Australia (twin monolithic sites). Golden/Yellow; Maintenance of the vitality of earth and all of its species.  Immortalization of life force.

Heart (4th) Chakra: Glastonbury and Shaftesbury, England.  Green/Pink; Representing the Holy Grail and the Sacred Spear of Purpose, Respectively.

Throat (5th) Chakra: Great Pyramid, Mt. Sinai, and Mt. of Olives, Middle East. Blue; Voice of the earth emerging, listening to the will of the earth needs to be mastered

Third Eye (6th) Chakra: Mobile Chakra, Shifts every 150-200 years, currently coincides with world heart chakra in Western Europe. Purple/Indigo; Moves 1/12th of the way around the world, westward, at the dawning of every new aeon.  Distills gathered wisdom of life on earth for collective advancement of consciousness, aligned with astrological sequences.

Crown (7th) Chakra: Mt. Kailas, Himalayan Mountains, Tibet.  White; Broadcasts the earth’s purpose or true will.

Reflecting on the Robert Coon System:

In the diagram above you can see a visual representation of the locations of earth’s chakra points as given by Robert Coon.  Does anything visually strike you as a bit curious about this particular layout?  I noticed that with this system the arrangement of the chakras seems to be quite random in the sense that there is no recognizable geometric reason to the way the chakra points are aligned.  They seem scattered. This is bothersome because everything in creation flows geometrically within certain mathematic ratios and symmetries.  The chakras in the human body are more or less equidistant from one another in a straight line going vertically up and down the spine as it moves through the center of the body.  I feel that this one reason detracts a bit from the strength of this particular theory.  It seems counterintuitive that the energy grid of the earth would be geometrically precise with the chakra points peppered randomly throughout.

Version 2 of the Ley Line System

I found that the other school of thought out there on this same system of thinking featured basically the same locations but some of them were attributed to different chakras than the system briefly described above.  In this secondary explanation the Root chakra is found in Ulura Australia, the Sacral chakra is located in Lake Titicaca Peru also, the Solar Plexus is found in Mt. Fuji, Japan, the Heart chakra is in Haleakala Hawaii, the Throat Chakra is in Glastonbury England, the Third Eye chakra currently resides in The Himalayan Mountains, and the Crown Chakra, rather than the root chakra, is based in Mt. Shasta, California.  This system was described by Bridget Nielson of HarmoniousEarth.org who visited all these sacred sites for self-exploration and –confirmation.  This perspective on the location of the chakras was also apparently re-confirmed by the well-known teacher of metaphysics, Bashar, as channeled by Darryl Anka.  So which is it?  They are both very compelling systems.

An Alternative Earth Chakra Theory

In my research I came across one last theory about where the chakra points reside and why.  This one is much less widespread, but perhaps more logically satisfying and equally compelling.  It is based on a direct comparison to the human energy system.  There exists a toroidal field of energy around/interpenetrating the human form which pulls in and sends out energy in a self-sustaining current.  In the middle of this energy field dynamic there is the central energy channel, along which the 7 main chakras are positioned vertically.  Taking this layout and superimposing it on a spread-out map of the earth, based on the polarities of the north and south poles, this would put bands of color in correlation to the chakras striped from bottom to top going up the map in horizontal bands.

Within each horizontal color/chakra band, the geographical zones within it would be considered to fall under the resident chakra color in that location.  In other words it creates a map of chakra zones as opposed to acute concentrated points.  So it would roughly break down like this:

Russia would be the better part of the Root chakra/Sacral zone, parts of the Sacral and the Solar Plexus would mostly include the US, China, and Europe and the Middle East.  The zones near the Equator would be the Heart chakra and would potentially include parts of India, a lot of Africa, Colombia, Peru and much of South and Central America and probably Hawaii.  The Throat chakra zone would be South Africa, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and finally then the Third Eye territory and Crown Chakra areas would be the least populated and coldest areas like Antarctica and Greenland.

Intriguing Correlations

Just as the earth is laced with a complex interconnected map of energy lines, invisible to the naked eye, the pieces of information from various sources on the earth’s chakras are lighting up some intriguing connections that only add to the mystery.

For instance, with the first two earth-chakra theories discussed above, we saw that many of the same locations were included in both line-ups, yet as mentioned, they were arranged differently in each one.  What I found to be of particular interest was that in only one of those systems was Hawaii included at all as an actual chakra point.  Yet when I dove a little deeper into the Robert Coon material I found myself swimming in the depths of even more interesting insights.

Coon shares in his essays that the earth’s ley-line or energy grid system includes not only the chakra points but also a whole system of vortexes as well.  According to coon, there are 4 major vortexes, similar to the chakra points in potency or significance.  These four vortexes regulate or energize the four elements of life on our planet- earth, fire, water, and air, and guess what one of those locations is? Haleakala, Hawaii, the power point that was included in the other chakra list.  Could it be that Haleakala is an undeniable power point of some kind that is perhaps being misinterpreted by one school of thought or one that is simply serving multiple purposes?

Certain other pieces of information regarding chakras and how they relate to consciousness also revealed interesting synchronicities.  In the alternative earth chakra theory that I discussed last, the third chakra band contained a major percentage of earth’s current population and the countries and people groups found in the band were the US, China, much of Europe, and possibly the Middle East (keeping in mind that this particular theory is formative and it’s respective zones are approximations).

The connection here is that the third chakra is one of the chakras grouped into the lower three centers of consciousness in the chakra system of the human body.  Lower meaning that they are physical body chakras governing primarily earth experience functions.  The third chakra is the chakra of activity, opinion, intellect and the mental body.  What could better describe the level of consciousness of these industrial nations? Think of the US, China, Europe: primarily male/yang, emotionally immature, caught in dogma and competition, thinking more than feeling, highly political, aggressive, and industrial- very third chakra.

It has also been written by clairvoyants that often the dominant color of the auric fields of Americans is yellow, the color of the sacral chakra.  The indication being that a person experiencing life through the perspective of the third chakra is a person ‘living in their head’.

It also seems very fitting that the heart chakra band would include most of Africa, much of Central and South America and also perhaps Hawaii.  The people and cultures native to these places, in general, feel more generous, earth- connected, and humble as a cultural norm than the people living in the cultures found in the sacral band.

Which Theory is Correct?

Which theory is the correct one?  I truly can’t say.  There is no consensus and nor is there any clear scientific treatment of this topic to help sort it out.  It seems that each theory has some definite validity to it, or perhaps each one is completely valid in and of itself, but also an integral component to a complete idea that has not yet come together fully in a cohesive way.  Perhaps also the constant shifting that is reportedly happening with earth’s magnetic fields and the poles could be causing confusion and affecting these dynamics.

In conclusion, I do not feel that there is any clear cut conclusion at this point. Rather it would seem that the significance to be taken from this discussion is the need to feel deeply into the energetic nature of the earth as living conscious being and to observe ourselves as microcosmic reflections of the great planetary body of which we are an expression.  It would only make sense that if we operate from an energetic chakra system that is orderly, dynamic, and harmonic in nature, then the larger planetary body of which we are a part would form the greater basis that regulates such a system.

We can focus into and bring into resonance any of the chakra bodies from any point on the planet; this is a matter of clear intention.  However, for those deeply drawn to or intrigued by one or all of these power points on the earth, there is certainly a great depth of mystery still waiting to be explored.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

89 Simple Swaps That Could Save Your Life

BY LAURA SCHWECHERL for Greatist

Whole grains for white, quality for quantity, Wii Fit for Mario Kart—just one smart swap can pave the way to a healthier and happier life. We decided to go all out and provide 89 “this for that’s,” so there are no excuses when it comes to making healthier choices!

Fitness

1. Planks for crunches.

Okay okay, have we said this enough? Crunches may not be the secret to six-pack abs. Give planks a try instead to work that wholecore. Extra points for holding it for a minute straight!

2. Interval workout for relaxed run

Congrats on that 26.2-mile marathon. Now try a 20-minute interval run that involves lots of sprinting with some walking recovery. It may kick up the heat even more.

3. Incline for flat treadmill

In a perfect, outdoor world, flat roads rarely exist. (Sorry, midwestern readers!) Add some hills to that treadmill run by cranking up the incline, and feel the muscle-building burn!

4. Zumba for elliptical

Trash that Cosmo-reading elliptical routine and surprise the body with a fun, calorie-burning cardio session. Sure beats staying stuck to a machine.

5. Dynamic for static stretching

Stretching out cold muscles could lead to injury. So incorporate some active movement into a stretching routine—try lunges and arm swings before working out.

6. Warming up for rushing right to it

We know that barbell looks tempting. But before hitting the weight rack, do an active warm-up to loosen up limbs and get the most out of the workout.

7. Standing for sitting at a desk

How often does someone complain about having to sit in a cubicle all day? We have a simple solution (no college degree required)… stand. Use a pile of books to prop up the computer, or purchase one of these.

8. Exercise ball for office chair

Okay, we get it. Some people really don’t want to stand at their cubicle. So stay seated, but on a Swiss ball! It can help with balanceand that six-pack. Fitness at the fingertips!

9. Gym for napping

Falling asleep at the wheel? Pull over. Tired in front of the TV? Hit the gym. It provides a big boost of energy and burns calories.

10. Free weights for machines

Skip the big machines (they’re sweaty anyway) and go for the little guys—free weights are more versatile and allow for a full range of motion in the joints.

11. Pull-ups for bicep curls

Isolating muscles is so 2012. Pull-ups are not only impressive (I can do two, thankyouverymuch) but they work way more than one muscle. Talk about multitasking.

12. Squats for leg press

Forget staying seated to work out the legs. Amp up the training sesh and do some squats to strengthen all the leg muscles, with some gluteus maximus work in there too!

13. Personal trainer for guessing games.

Just when we think we’ve had enough, trainers may help push us through that second set of burpees. Look for a deal online to cut the cost in half!

14. Foam rolling for static stretching

Need to get the knots out? Try using a foam roller instead of sitting and stretching to the toes. It’s almost like a personal massage.

15. Exergames for Mario Kart

Mario may be booking it through the race course, but holding the remote control does next to nothing for our own heart rate. Try outWii Fit or Just Dance—they’re designed to provide light to moderate exercise.

16. Rowing for biking

How often can we row, row, row a boat indoors? Take advantage of the rowing machine instead of the good ’ol bike; it’s a super upper and lower body exercise.

17. Stairs for escalator

We’ve heard the tip a million times, so here it is for the millionth plus one. If the option’s available, go the old-fashion route and climb the stairs to burn some extra calories.

18. Fun workout for dreaded one

Loathe the elliptical? Try the stair-master. Hate the bench press? Do push-ups instead. We can still challenge ourselves without doing exercises we hate.

19. Active date for dinner and a movie

Save a night at that French restaurant for retirement and go on a fun, active winter date with a special someone. Sledding can be just as intimate as duck confit, and it sneaks in a hill-climbing workout, too.

20. Parking farther away for getting a spot up close

There’s no need to circle the parking lot five times looking for the perfect spot. Just park further away and walk the extra 100 feet to Target. (Doesn’t count as a trip to the gym, though!)

21. Walking further for running shorter

New to running? It’s okay. Even if a mile is all that’s possible, keep walking for a good cardio workout. Hold some light weights to up the intensity even more!

22. Working out with a pal for exercising by yourself

Grab that special someone or just a friend and hit the gym; working out with others may strengthen trust. Plus he or she could help motivate us through that final set of push-ups!

23. Hands-free running for holding handles

Hands off! On the treadmill, don’t rely on the handlebars. They take some of the stress off the body and make that workout less challenging.

24. Cherry juice for muscle medicine

Feeling sore? Rather than popping some pills, try drinking a glass of cherry juice. The antioxidants could help keep muscle swelling down. (Take that, Aspirin!)

25. Homemade post-workout snack for a protein bar

Bring a PB&J or another post-workout snack to the gym rather than buying a protein bar. We need some after-exercise fuel, but don’t get it in the form of excess sugar!

Health

26. Cooking for eating out

Even if we try to eat healthy at a restaurant, that pesky bread bowl or sneaky salad may pack more calories than we planned for. Trust those top-chef skills and turn on the (skillet) heat. Cooking at home will more likely result in a healthier meal, not to mention a happier wallet.

27. Whole fruit for fruit juice

A glass of O.J.’s missing the pulp, skin, and full fiber content of an orange. Skip the glass and go with the whole piece of fruit to reap the benefits of this sweet, healthy snack.

28. Pan-fried for deep-fried

Obvious news flash: Deep-fried food is unhealthy. Keep things crispy by pan-frying lean protein or veggies in the skillet with some cooking oil. We promise it’ll be just as tasty!

29. Local produce for supermarket veggies

Take a trip to the farmer’s market instead of Walmart’s produce aisle. According to the USDA, local, seasonal fruits and veggies may be more nutritious. It helps out local economies, too!

30. Oil and balsamic for other dressings

Ever flip that dressing bottle around and see a million ingredients listed? Think “less is more” and lightly dress a salad with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar—no additives included!

31. Raw spinach for iceberg

Let’s be real, iceberg lettuce is boring. Besides, spinach is full of vitamin K, vitamin A, calcium, and iron. Plus, Popeye loves it. Can’t go wrong!

32. Greek yogurt for sour cream

Sour cream can taste pretty good in a burrito. To get that same creamy coolness, add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to amp up the protein and slash the fat.

33. Cinnamon for sugar

Here’s a spicy suggestion: Using cinnamon, rather than sugar packets, in coffee can heighten the flavor without adding extra calories. Try it in oatmeal too!

34. Salsa for cream cheese dips

You say tomato, I say salsa. Dip the chip into this healthy alternative to cheesy spreads. Plus, salsa packs a fiery, flavorful punch!

35. Frozen grapes for popsicles

It may sound a little weird, but hear us out. Stick a bunch of grapes in the freezer and snack on them a few hours later—it’s like eating bite-sized Popsicles with no added sugar!

36. Sparkling water for soda

Need a carbonation kick? Say sayonara to fructose-filled sodas and fill up with sparking water. Try a fun flavor like lemon-lime, or even vanilla. So long, Vanilla Coke!

37. Fresh fruit for syrup at brunch

Every now and then, there’s nothing like a good stack of pancakes. Cut calories by skipping Aunt Jemima and spreading those cakes with fresh fruit.

38. Air-popped popcorn for chips

On a salt spree? Air-pop some popcorn and add a dash of salt—three whole cups is only about 100 calories. That’s way more satisfying than six measly and greasy chips.

39. Red wine or beer for a margarita

Wanna’ stay healthy at the bar? Ask for a glass of red wine or a beer on tap over a sugary-filled margarita. About half those calories will disappear!

40. Brown rice for white

It’s in our manifesto, so we can’t ignore it: White rice is stripped of many essential nutrients (like fiber), so get the full, nutritious benefits of brown rice that’ll also help fill us up!

41. Whole-wheat pasta for white

Just like rice, whole-wheat pasta has a nutty flavor that’s filled with antioxidants and fiber. White pasta just doesn’t do the trick!

42. Oatmeal for sugary cereal

Cap’n Crunch and Frosted Flakes should stay a part of our childhood past. One bowl of cereal can be filled with sugar (and who eats only one bowl?), so choose some heart-healthy oatmeal instead.

43. Biking to work for driving

If the office is a few miles away, skip the Sedan and hop on the bike (weather permitting). A little bike-ride can boost endorphins before the workday starts ! (Paying for gas is no fun, anyway.)

44. Packing lunch for eating out.

Lunch boxes aren’t just for middle school. Pack a sandwich or some leftovers to bring to school, work—wherever. It’ll make that vending machine look far less appetizing.

45. Eating three meals for skipping out

We should only eat when we’re hungry, but being too busy to squeeze in a mid-day meal can leave us feeling tired and grouchy—not to mention depriving us of essential nutrients to get us through the day!

46. Mustard for mayo

For tomorrow’s turkey sandwich, skip the fat-filled mayo and spread some tasty (and naturally fat-free) mustard on the bread!

47. Avocado for butter

Take plain old bread to the next level with avocado spread instead of butter. Add a dash of sea salt and some sliced tomato for a mid-day snack!

48. Lean meats for fatty ones

Bacon is overrated. For a boost of protein when watching fat intake, go after lean meats like turkey and chicken over pork and beef.

49. Marinara for white sauce

We doubt penne ala vodka is made with Grey Goose, and besides, all the extra calories in white sauce aren’t worth it. Choose marinara sauce for that next bowl of spaghetti—the garlic and tomatoes will spice the meal right up!

50. Doggy bag for food coma

How often do we leave a restaurant actually having room for dessert? Forget trying to lick the plate clean, and take half the meal to go. To avoid eating more than planned, ask the waiter to wrap half of it up before serving!

51. Chewing slowly for speed eating

What’s the rush? Slow down and chew food—studies show people who eat faster consume more calories.

52. Eating at the table for chowing in front of the TV

Dining in front of the television can lead to serious over-eating. So forget multitasking and carve out time in the day to enjoy a meal at the table.

53. Eating breakfast for hitting snooze

It may be temping to hit the snooze button more than once in the morning, but allow some time for breakfast—it may help jumpstart metabolism, and at the very least could help some of us wake up before heading to the office.

54. Black coffee for latte

If that caffeine fix is calling, order a simple black coffee. A soy-mocha-extra-shot-frappuccino extravaganza isn’t worth the calories (or dolla dolla bills).

55. Toast for bagel

How often do we eat five slices of toast for breakfast? Well, that’s what a bagel can amount to, so fight that Dunkin’ Donuts craving and enjoy a slice or two of whole-wheat bread.

56. Medium plate for large one

Using a larger plate may have us eating more than planned. Switch to a smaller one (about 8 to 10 inches) and save more than 20 percent of the calories a large plate could pile on.

57. Eating from the bowl over digging into the box

Some mindless handfuls of cereal can turn into more than a bowl’s worth. So portion out food rather than eating straight from the (soon-to-be-empty) box.

58. Hard-boiled eggs for fried.

Who needs extra grease in the morning? Drop some eggs in boiling water and cook them up for a protein-packed breakfast.

59. Chopsticks for forks

Slow down and eat that Pad Thai with some chopsticks. It may be a challenge, but it’ll stop us from speed-slurping those noodles with a fork.

60. Grocery shopping when full for shopping while hungry

Whole Foods may damage our bank account if we head in with hungry eyes. (Wait, how did three packages of all-natural cookies get in the pantry?) Shop when full to avoid buying more than what’s necessary.

61. Stopping when full for cleaning the plate

Sorry mom, but telling us to clean our plates before leaving the table has led to some bad habits. Listen to the body and stop eating when it’s had enough—a plate half-full means more leftovers and fewer calories!

62. Raw nuts for nut butter

Nut butters can sneak in extra fat and sugar that raw nuts don’t have. Plus, eating three spoonfuls of peanut butter may be easier than we think!

63. Power nap for energy drink

For a quick pick-me-up, take a 10-minute snooze rather than grabbing a Red Bull. Energy drinks can pack as much sugar as six Krispy Kreme donuts, while a catnap is always calorie-free.

Happiness

64. Gratitude for complaining

Feeling thankful can actually make us happier and healthier, so don’t forget to appreciate every bit of good in life!

65. Outside for inside

Soak up the sun—even in the winter. Exercising in the cold is safe, and getting outdoors could help battle Seasonal Affective Disorder.

66. Book for television

All those zombie shows may not only freak us out, but also give us nightmares. Get a dose of knowledge and read a good novel before bed. It may help us get better sleep too!

67. Meditation for comfort food

When stress strikes, don’t grab a tub of ice cream for comfort. Try dimming the lights and meditating for as little as five minutes—it’s totally calming.

68. Yoga for Facebook

Got a spare 30 minutes? Those Facebook friends won’t post any shape-shifting statuses. Use the free time to roll out the yoga mat and work on flexibility and strength while alleviating stress and anxiety.

69. Being upfront for acting passive aggressive

Roommate forgot to clean the dishes again? Rather than bottling up that anger, be forthright (but nice!). Working out issues is better than building up inner frustration.

70. Journaling for emotional eating

Sometimes a cookie or two can lift our spirits, but writing down our thoughts can be just as therapeutic—no calories involved.

71. Working at a desk for working in the bedroom

Finish that assignment at a desk rather than between the sheets. Working in bed could make it harder to fall asleep!

72. Fun alarm clock song for annoying ringer

Who wants to be woken from a peaceful slumber thanks to an irritating beep? (Waking up early is hard enough.) Choose a fun little melody on the cell phone to wake up to instead!

73. Fancy silverware for plastic

Let’s get a little classy— even in that shabby apartment. Using some nice forks and knives will add some style to that bowl of ramen noodles, making us feel like real adults.

74. Carpooling for driving alone

H.O.V. lane aside, carpooling with a pal can make a morning commute less boring. Besides, it reduces air pollution and cuts down on gas money.

75. Breathing for bein’ a stress mess

Calm breathing can boost relaxation and calm the mind. Take a long, deep breath to relax the bod rather than stressing out.

76. Smiling for frowning

Even when we’re alone, smiling can improve mood. Try grinning in the shower or on the way to work—it may really make us feel cheerful.

77. Color for drab shades

Science suggests wearing red can boost confidence and self-esteem. So save the black for the Batman costume and brighten up that wardrobe.

78. Keeping the same bedtime for winging it

Setting a bedtime schedule may help us fall asleep faster, so pick a good time and try to stick to it!

79. Little milestones for big goals

Thinking big is great, but huge goals may take time to reach. Don’t forget the small achievements we can make—they’ll also add up to big, positive change!

80. Clean workspace for clutter

Take some time to put away the laundry and organize the paper-piled desk. Having a clean space may make us more organized and eager to tackle the day.

81. Venting to a friend for bottling it up

Sometimes life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. When sad or stressed, reach out to a trusted friend instead of holding in the feelings. Just talking could make us feel better!

82. Self-love for self-criticism

We often focus on our faults rather than our worth. Stop pointing out the negative and focus on all those redeeming qualities!

83. Focus on the future instead of dwelling on the past

Don’t focus on yesterday’s issues. Think of the possibilities and go after that goal!

84. Moderation for deprivation

We can still be healthy without skipping dessert. As long as we regulate our indulgences, they can help keep that smile around. So go ahead—treat yo' self.

85. Planning for procrastination

Got a lot to do? Making a plan, rather than waiting ’til the last minute, helps ensure we get things done.

86. Honesty for excuses

The gym wasn’t too crowded, and the bus actually didn’t come late. Skip the excuses—being honest with others and ourselves is the best option.

87. Comfy shoes for fancy footwear

Blisters and sore soles are never fun, no matter how suave those shoes may look. Better keep it comfy in the foot department.

88. Saying no for over-committing

Sometimes saying no is hard, but agreeing to too much can be overwhelming and bring on sickness. Figuring out what we can realistically commit to will help keep stress away.

89. Calling a friend for texting

Phone a friend rather than shooting them a text. It’s more personal, and hearing a friendly voice may lift the spirits.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

7 Simple Toast Recipes for Any Meal

by Marisa for Lovelyish

What do you put on your toast??

I’m usually in a rush in the morning, so I love breakfasts and lunches that are quick and easy to throw together in minutes. For breakfast specifically, when I’m tight on time, I’ll opt for just toast with maybe bananas and honey. This is pretty simple, but I love it! Recently, I’ve seen posts on what else you can add to toast. Although I thoroughly enjoy my morning staple, I’m definitely wanting to try out other delicious toppings (especially because they look so pretty)!

If you want to cut down on your carb intake, then I definitely recommend trying Ezekiel Bread. It doesn’t contain flour and instead, is made with sprouted grains. It contains lots of fiber and nutrients with zero added sugar. It’ll give you the energy you need to fuel your day.

Here are some some of my favorite toppings to mix up your simple piece of toast!

Pomegranate Toast Ingredients:

Avocado

Feta

Pomegranate

PB & J Toast Ingredients:

Almond Butter

Raspberry Chia Seed Jam

Coconut Flakes

Mediterranean Veggie Ingredients:

Tomato+Garlic Hummus,

Sprouts

Cucumber

Tomato

Feta

Olive Oil

Egg Salad Toast Ingredients:

3 hard boiled eggs

3 tbsp mayo

2 tbsp cream cheese

3 tbsp minced chives

1 tsp dried dill

salt and pepper to taste

Tomato Toast Ingredients:

Cottage cheese

Cherry tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

Avocado Toast Ingredients:

Egg

Avocado

Crushed Red Pepper

Berry Toast Ingredients:

Raspberries

Berries

Cream Cheese

Basil

[elmcitywellness-blog]

The Secret To Fighting Digital Distractions?

by Jena McGregor for The Washington Post 

It's hard enough avoiding online distractions if you're a working professional. The news alert about a favorite sports team, the insistent tug of social media sites, the seventh e-mail from a group of co-workers chiming in about where to go for lunch.

And that doesn't even get to the cat videos.

But consider how much allure such digital distractions have for people studying in an online course. Professionals at least have the threat of job security or losing out on a raise to keep them relatively on task. Students who've opted for a Web-based class, meanwhile — particularly one of the "massive open online courses" (MOOCs) that are typically free to join and have no penalty for dropping out — don't face the same consequences if they get behind. One study has shown that completion rates for such MOOCs are often less than 10 percent.

It's that concentration-challenged group of people that Cornell researcher Richard Patterson opted to study in a working paper recently published on the school's Higher Education Research Institution Website. (It has not yet been published in an academic journal.) Patterson, a PhD candidate in policy analysis and management at Cornell, saw an opportunity to apply behavioral economics research to online education.

"Across the educational spectrum, online students are completing at lower rates than students in traditional courses," Patterson said in an interview. "There’s a real tension between the structure that helps people stay on track and the autonomy that helps people [work] more creatively."

He thought software tools that have proliferated in recent years — to help people block time-sucking Web sites, set up reminders to stay on task, or even cut off Internet access for the hopelessly distracted — might help him see what works and what doesn't. So Patterson reached out to the company behind a tool he'd been using himself, RescueTime, to see whether they'd be willing to customize their software to help him.

They agreed. Using funds from a grant, Patterson paid the company to help him design three customized tools for the study, in which he enrolled 657 students taking a MOOC on statistics hosted by Stanford University. One tool sent students an alert after each half-hour they spent on productivity-killing Web sites. (Each student got an average of 48 alerts over the nine-week course.) Another gave students the option of blocking distracting sites for 15, 30 or 60 minutes each time they entered the online course.

The third let students set a daily cap on the time they'd be allowed to spend on the Web's time-wasters. If they hit their limit during the day, the software blocked the sites, prompting the students to enter a new reason each time if they wanted to unlock the sites. An e-mail was sent each morning reminding students of their time limit and asking whether they wanted to reset it. Students were assigned randomly to one of the three tools; a fourth group was set as a control and didn't use any of the programs.

Students in the reminder group showed no measurable improvement. Meanwhile, the ones who opted to block sites for a period while working in the online course saw slightly positive results, though they weren't statistically significant.

But the results were much more dramatic for the third tool, in which students made a choice in advance about setting future limits, as well as had some wiggle room for letting themselves cyberloaf. Students in that group received higher course grades, spent 24 percent more time working on the course and were 40 percent more likely to complete it.

That tool works off the economics concept of a "commitment device," Patterson explained, in which people try to proactively set limits to help them with future decisions that might stretch their patience or willpower. (Think Ulysses tying himself to the mast to restrain himself from the Sirens' song.) "Increasing the cost of procrastination now can help nudge you to getting back on track" later, he said.

The other two tools, meanwhile, asked the student to either stop doing something now or prevent themselves from using any distracting sites immediately. "That's a really big difference — block yourself now or block yourself later," Patterson said. "People are just more likely to opt in to something that’s not going to be hard right now, but in a little bit." In other words, we even procrastinate about our procrastination.

RescueTime's head of product development, Robby Macdonell, said his company is adopting some of the ideas from Patterson's research into its product. It has begun letting users proactively set a schedule in advance for the times of day when they won't allow themselves to access certain sites. And after seeing the results, it plans to offer more ongoing feedback to its users over time, as well as at the end of the project.

Patterson said he's hesitant to say whether he'd see the same results in an office environment as he did among online course takers. Still, the lesson is valid for an increasingly self-managed workplace where the average employee visits Facebook 21 times a day. (Really.) Setting limits in advance of actually sitting down to do focused work — and then leaving yourself some autonomy to fritter away a little time online — certainly seems like it would apply. "It's kind of 'I can have my cake and eat it, too,' " Patterson said. "I can be a little impatient now but still force myself to get it done later."

[elmcitywellness-blog]

Sit Up Straight: 3 Tips for Better Posture

by Beautifulmess for Lovelyish.com

All timeless beauties come in all shapes, sizes, skin tones, and nationality. But there’s one universally beautiful trait: good carriage.

You’ve heard it before. “Sit up straight!” The pros make it look easy, but it’s not.

Here are some exercises and reminders to keep her body feeling young and alive:

1. While sitting, drop your shoulders down, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Hold for two seconds, and release. Do this five to ten times hourly while sitting. It’ll strengthen your back, and help your shoulders not to slump. (tip: keep your chin tucked in slightly, so as to not hyperextend your neck)

2. While standing, don’t lock your knees. This decreases blood flow, and doesn’t engage your muscles as much while you’re standing. If you’ll be standing for a long time (like at a concert, or at a presentation, try simultaneously clenching your butt muscles and tucking in your lower tummy: this supports your lower back, and prevents your lower back from tilting and cause lower back pain. (This is especially important if you wear heals often)

3. Get a move on! If you’ve been sitting for more than a half an hour at a time, get up and walk a bit. Staying dormant in one position (especially hunched over a desk) is hard on your joints, and encourages poor posture.

Remember, practice makes perfect! It might take a while for you to be aware of your posture, but keep at it. 

[elmcitywellness-blog]

50% of Your State of Mind Is Dependent on Your Posture.

by Waylon Lewis for Elephant Journal

Synchronizing Mind and Body in the Present Moment = Effortless Elegance.

“Let us have good head and shoulders—the basic elegant posture of enlightenment.”  ~ Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Growing up, I studied Buddhism with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche. I can’t tell you how many times he’d remind us that half our state of mind was dependent on our posture.

Rinpoche is a meditation teacher. But he’s also an athlete—and he knows the importance of posture, of yoga, of proper breath. He’d remark that, of course, you can tell when someone is depressed—they slump. Problem is, it’s self-fulfilling. It’s hard to cheer up, mentally, when, physically, you’re slumped.

I remember, too, reading that the Sakyong’s father, Chogyam Trungpa, remarked on how friends would edge to their seats and sit up bolt upright in the movie theater when they were excited. You can see a sort of peace and presence in calligraphy experts—and that physical elegance, whether manifested through art or dance or everyday life—further manifests in our inner and outer actions.

This is such a simple point that it’s easy to overlook how easy, and powerful, a tool this is to keep in mind. When you’re depressed, make an effort to sit up, and relax. When you’re excited, make an effort to breathe.

It’s an easy way to bring your state of mind into a happier place.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

Avocado & quinoa stuffed acorn squash

from Love and Lemons

Ingredients

3-4 small acorn squash, sliced in half

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 4-oz. can of green chiles

1.5 cups cooked quinoa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup chopped scallions

¼ cup toasted pepitas

¼ cup feta cheese, optional

2 avocados, diced

a few squeezes of lime

salt & pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the insides. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast cut side up for for about 35-50 minutes or until your squash is tender in the middle and browned around the edges. (The timing will depend on your squash. If it’s taking too long to become tender, flip it upside down for a portion of the roasting time).

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook the onion until translucent, then add the garlic, cumin, coriander and stir. Add the green chiles and stir again, then add the quinoa, black beans, scallions, pepitas, feta cheese, a squeeze of lime and a more salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove skillet from the heat, let it cool, then stir in the diced avocado. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Scoop the filling into the acorn squashes halves. (note: if you’re not scooping the filling into the squashes right away, scoop the mixture out of the pan and into a bowl and set aside.

NotesMake ahead tip: make the quinoa pilaf up to two days in advance and store it in the fridge. Wait to add the avocado until ready to stuff & serve.

Vegan option: skip the cheese.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

Almond Milk Chai Latte

Author: Jeanine Donofrio for Love and Lemons Serves: 1 large latte

Ingredients

1 black tea bag

2 whole star anise pods

2 cinnamon sticks

4 dried cardamom pods

11oz. container of Orignal Almond Breeze

optional: ½ inch knob of fresh ginger

optional: sweetener (maple, honey, stevia, etc) to taste

Instructions

Place 1 black tea bag and a few whole spices into a mug.

In a separate mug, heat the almond milk in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Pour steaming almond milk into spiced-tea mug and steep for 5 minutes.

Remove the tea bag and let the spices steep for 5 more minutes. (The longer they steep, the more flavorful your drink will be). Taste and add sweetener if you like. Scoop out the spices (or just drink around them).

Note: whole peppercorns are a nice addition, if you’re steeping and straining your tea. If you don’t want to strain anything, skip em.

Another note: skip the honey if you are vegan

[elmcitywellness-blog]

If Your Relationship Is Failing, Here’s Why

by Dr. Margaret Paul for Elephant Journal

If there was one thing you could do to heal your relationships, would you do it?

I’m the kind of person who loves to understand the deeper reasons behind behavior, and I’ve spent most of my life learning about what creates loving or unloving relationships. In the 43 years I’ve been counseling couples, I’ve discovered that there really is one major cause of relationship problems—one issue that if you address and heal, changes everything.

The one cause: self-abandonment.

When you abandon yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, relationally and/or organizationally, you automatically make your partner responsible for you. Once you make another person responsible for your feelings of self-worth and well being, then you attempt to manipulate that person into loving you, approving of you and giving you what you want. The controlling behavior that results from self-abandonment creates huge relationship problems.

Let’s look at the various forms of self-abandonment and how they result in relationship conflict and power struggles, or in distance and disconnection.

Emotional self-abandonment.

When we were growing up, many of us experienced much loneliness, heartache, heartbreak and helplessness. These are very big feelings, and unless we had loving parents or caregivers who helped us through these feelings—rather than being the cause of them—we had to find strategies to avoid them.

We learned four major ways of avoiding these core painful feelings of life, and these four ways now create our feelings of anxiety, depression, guilt, shame and anger, as well as relationship problems.

1. We judge ourselves rather than accept ourselves.

Did you learn to judge yourself as a way to try to get yourself to do things “right” so that others would like you? Self-judgment creates much anxiety, depression, guilt, shame and emptiness, and can lead to many addictions in order to avoid these feelings. Self-judgment also leads to needing others’ approval to feel worthy, and your resulting controlling behaviors to gain others’ approval can lead to many relationship problems.

2. We ignore our feelings by staying up in our head rather than being present in our body.

When you have not learned how to manage your feelings, you want to avoid them. Do you find yourself focused in your head rather than in your body, more or less unaware of your feelings?

We emotionally connect with each other from our hearts and souls, not from our heads. When you stay in your head as a way to avoid responsibility for your feelings, you cannot emotionally connect with your partner.

3. We turn to various addictions to numb the anxiety, depression, emptiness, guilt, shame and anger that develops when we judge ourselves and ignore our feelings.

Addictive behavior, such too much alcohol, drugs, food, TV, gambling, overspending, work, sex and so on, can create much conflict and distance in relationships.

4. We make our partner or others responsible for our feelings.

When we emotionally abandon ourselves, we then believe it is someone else’s job to make us feel loved and worthy. Do you try to control your partner with anger, blame, criticism, compliance, resistance or withdrawal to get him or her to give you what you are not giving to yourself? How does your partner respond to this controlling behavior?

Many relationships fall into a dysfunctional system, such as one person getting angry and the other withdrawing or resisting, or both getting angry or both withdrawing. In some systems, one is angry and the other is compliant, which seems to work until the compliant partner becomes resentful. In all of these systems, each person is emotionally abandoning themselves, which is the root cause of the dysfunctional relationship.

Financial self-abandonment.

If you refuse to take care of yourself financially, instead expecting your partner to take financial responsibility for you, this can create problems. This is not a problem if your partner agrees to take financial responsibility for you and you fully accept how he or she handles this responsibility. But if you choose to be financially irresponsible, such as overspending, or you try to control how your partner earns or manages the money, much conflict can occur over your financial self-abandonment.

Organizational self-abandonment.

If you refuse to take responsibility for your own time and space, and instead are consistently late and/or a clutterer, and your partner is an on-time and/or a neat person, this can create huge power struggles and resentment in your relationship.

Physical self-abandonment.

If you refuse to take care of yourself physically by eating badly and not exercising, possibly causing yourself severe health problems, your partner may feel resentful by having to take care of you. Your physical self-abandonment not only has negative consequences for you regarding your health and well being, it also has unwanted consequences for your partner, which can lead to conflict and power struggles.

Relational self-abandonment.

If you refuse to speak up for yourself in your relationship, and instead become complacent or resistant, you are eroding the love in the relationship. When you abandon yourself to another through compliance or resistance, you create a lack of trust that leads to conflict, disconnection and resentment.

Spiritual self-abandonment.

When you make your partner your source of love rather than learning to turn to a spiritual source for your dependable source of love, you place a very unfair burden on your partner. When your intent in the relationship is to get love rather than to share love, then you will unfairly lean on your partner for attention, approval, time or sex. When you do not take responsibility for learning how to connect with a spiritual source of your own for sustenance, your neediness can create relationship problems.

Spiritual self-abandonment is related to emotional self-abandonment, in that you cannot commit to 100% responsibility for yourself without a strong connection with a spiritual source of love and wisdom.

Learn to love yourself rather than abandon yourself.

Learning to love yourself is the key to a loving relationship. When you learn to connect with a personal source of spiritual guidance and access the love and wisdom that is always within you, you learn to fill yourself up with love. While self-abandonment creates an inner emptiness that relies on others to fill you, self-love creates an inner fullness. Self-love fills your heart and soul with overflowing love so that, rather than always trying to get love, you can now share your love with your partner.

[elmcitywellness-blog]

She let go.

She let go.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgments.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

She didn’t read a book on how to let go.

She didn’t search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all of the memories that held her back.

She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go.

She didn’t journal about it.

She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn’t call the prayer line.

She didn’t utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…

~ Rev. Safire Rose

[elmcitywellness-blog]

Why you should really start doing more things alone

By Roberto A. Ferdman for The Washington Post

On any given Friday night, bars, restaurants and movie theaters tend to fill up with people spending time with friends, lovers, and family. But when the weekend comes, those who find themselves on their own are likelier to be found on the couch, at home, doing something in private.

There's nothing particularly strange here. But maybe we're missing out when we automatically choose to stay in when we don't have social plans.

"People decide to not do things all the time just because they're alone," said Rebecca Ratner, a professor of marketing at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, who has spent almost half a decade studying why people are so reluctant to have fun on their own and how it may lead to, well, less fun overall. "But the thing is, they would probably be happier going out and doing something."

Ratner has a new study titled 'Inhibited from Bowling Alone,' a nod toRobert Putnam's book about Americans' waning participation in group activities, that's set to publish in the Journal of Consumer Research in August. In it, she and co-writer Rebecca Hamilton, a professor marketing at the McDonough School of Business, describe their findings: that people consistently underestimate how much they will enjoy seeing a show, going to a museum, visiting a theater, or eating at a restaurant alone. That miscalculation, she argues, is only becoming more problematic, because people are working more, marrying later, and, ultimately, finding themselves with smaller chunks of free time.

The conclusions stem from five separate experiments. In four of them, the researchers surveyed people about certain activities, probing whether they preferred to participate in them with others or alone. In the fifth, Ratner and Hamilton put the preferences to the test by gauging whether people actually enjoyed visiting an art gallery more when they were in the company of others, compared to when they were alone.

What they found is that people expected to enjoy gallery less when they were alone, but they actually tended to have just as good a time whether they had company or not.

"When you compare an experience that is very similar with or without someone else, like visiting a gallery or going to a movie, you find little difference in enjoyment," said Hamilton. "Going to a restaurant might be a little different, because there's that element of conversation, but that doesn't preclude the reality that going to a restaurant alone is still enjoyable."

Indeed, the question isn't whether we're going to have more fun doing something with friends rather than not. It's about those times when we don't have someone to see a new movie with, or eat at a newly opened restaurant, and there's discomfort about going by ourselves, even though we'd probably have a fine time.

"The reality is that you're foregoing a lot of fun," said Ratner. "We all are."

Why? Ratner says it's mostly because we're overly self-conscious.

"The reason is we think we won't have fun because we're worried about what other people will think," said Ratner. "We end up staying at home instead of going out to do stuff because we're afraid others will think they're a loser."

But other people, as it turns out, actually aren't thinking about us quite as judgmentally or intensely as we tend to anticipate. Not nearly, in fact. There's a long line of research that shows how consistently and regularly we overestimate others' interest in our affairs. The phenomenon is so well known that there is even a name for it in psychology: the spotlight effect. A 2000 study conducted by Thomas Gilovich found that people regularly adjust their actions to account for the perspective of others, even though their actions effectively go unnoticed. Many other researchers have since confirmed the pattern of egocentric thinking that skews how we act.

"If we get people to see that it’s okay to do something for pleasure on their own that’s the way to get rid of the stigma," Hamilton said.

How exactly we might go about shedding the stigma is unclear. For one, businesses could be more accommodating of people doing solo activities.

"Something as simple as adding a second set of tableware instead of removing that second set could set a subtle but important precedent," Ratner said.

Another solution might involve tweaking how people perceive the activities themselves. Ratner and Hamilton found that people are much more likely to pursue an activity alone when it's a learning experience. For that reason, bringing reading material along to a cafe or restaurant tends to shed a new light on the experience. But doing that, too, is often a coy way of hiding your shame.

"It makes it look like they’re occupied and busy, not just that they have no friends" said Hamilton.

But the best way to get rid of the stigma of doing things in public alone is probably for people to just start doing it more.

"We need the norms to shift a little. We need for people to think it’s a gutsy cool thing to have fun on our own," said Ratner. "Someone needs to start the new trend."

[elmcitywellness-blog]

13 Things Anyone Who Loves A Highly Sensitive Person Should Know

by Lindsay Holmes for Huffington Post

When I was in kindergarten, a boy in my class tossed my favorite book over our elementary school fence. I remember crying profusely, not because I was sad to see it go, but because I was so furious that he was such a bully. It was probably one of the first times I expressed my sensitivity to my peers -- a rollercoaster I still continue to ride each day.

Many of my friends lovingly tease me about my emotional reactivity, but it's certainly not like I can control it. Some people are just more sensitive than others, and that's not always a bad thing. I'm also not alone: Approximately one in five people -- womenand men -- can be classified HSP, or as a highly sensitive person, according to HSP researcher and psychologist Elaine Aron, Ph.D. That makes it highly likely you know and love someone with the personality trait.

Below are a few things to keep in mind about your highly sensitive loved ones.

1. We're going to cry. When we're happy, when we're sad and when we're angry. That's because highly sensitive people just naturally feel more deeply and react accordingly.

2. Not all of us are introverts. Introversion does not equal sensitivity. In fact, according to Aron's research, approximately 30 percent of highly sensitive people are extroverts.

3. Decisions make us nervous. Highly sensitive individuals are notoriously bad at making choices -- even if it's just picking out where to go to dinner. This is mostly because we agonize over the possibility of making the wrong one. (What if the food is bad?!)

4. We notice that subtle change in your tone. If you normally end each text message with an exclamation point and lately you've been using a period, you better believe we'll pick up on it. Highly sensitive people are generally more intuitive when it comes to the tiny nuances of our environment and we're more affected by shifts in other people's moods.

5. We're always willing to hear you vent. Don't be afraid to reach out to use us when you need a shoulder to lean on. Our overly-empathetic nature allows us to be excellent listeners when you need it, because when you feel pain so do we -- and we want to do whatever we can to make you feel comfortable. Highly sensitive people make excellent teachers, therapists and managers for this reason.

6. Repetitive and loud noises are the worst. Loud chewing, a barreling train, boisterous co-workers: You name it, we're sensitive to it. That's because chaotic or overstimulating environments have more of an influence on HSPs, according to Aron.

7. Our workplace habits are a bit atypical. Working from home or in a quiet space is a dream for highly sensitive people -- especially because it allows us to focus if we become too overwhelmed. However, don't let our solo work ethic fool you. "Sensitive people can use their observations to their advantage ... They're going to rise to the top," Aron previously told HuffPost. "They know how to bring ideas up without being ridiculed or scorned." HSPs also makeexcellent team players due to our analytical nature and thoughtfulness for others' ideas (just don't force us to make the final decision on a project).

8. Don't ask us to see that new slasher movie. That same high empathy we experience for others combined with overstimulationmakes gory, violent films truly terrible for highly sensitive people.

9. Criticism is incredibly distressing. As a result, we tend to avoid anything that may cause those feelings of shame. This may mean we engage in people-pleasing or self-deprecating behavior more than most of our peers. In other words, we're far from perfect.

10. We're constantly being told we take things too personally. A joke at our expense sometimes just isn't a joke to us. We know it's a little silly to be upset, but what else are we supposed to do with all of our feelings?

11. We have a low pain tolerance. Pass the ice, please. It doesn't matter if it's a broken arm or just a stubbed toe, any injury really hurts. This is because highly sensitive people are more affected by pain than others, according to Aron's research.

12. We crave deep relationships. According to Aron, highly sensitive people tend to get more bored in marriages than non-HSP couples, mostly due to the lack of meaningful interaction that naturally occurs as time goes on. However, this doesn't necessarily mean we're dissatisfied with the relationship -- we just need to find a way to have more stimulating conversations.

13. We can't just stop being highly sensitive. A 2014 study published in the journal Brain and Behavior found that highly sensitive people experienced more activity in regions of the brain associated with empathy and awareness when exposed to pictures of emotional individuals than the average person. In other words, we're neurologically wired to behave the way that we do.

With that in mind, know that the best way to love us is to support us. Try not to shame us for our sensitivity. Tell us it's okay to feel the way we do. And in return, we'll try not to tear up over your kind words (no promises, though).