Body – Page 2 – Health Edited

We are Such Stuff that Dreams are Made On; Lucid Dreaming and Metacognition

A January 2015 study published in the prestigious Journal Neuroscience established a firm connection between metacognition and lucid dreaming. Metacognition is the brain’s ability to think about thinking. Lucid dreaming is a state of dreaming where the dreamer is aware that she/he is dreaming. Not only is the dreamer aware that he or she is dreaming, but the dreamer can actually steer the dream in a direction that he or she wishes to go by manipulating conditions in the imaginary confines of that dream. Sounds like a science fiction movie, doesn’t it?

A buzzword in recent times, metacognition is emphasized for success in the world, all the way from classrooms to boardrooms. A 2012 blog post in the Harvard Business Review proposed that metacognition was a skill that every global leader needed. Educational psychologists stress that higher order thinking and metacognitive abilities lead to successful learning. A metacognitive learner is more conscious, perceptive, reflective and aware of her/his progress along the learning path.

The fascinating study done by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry reported that lucid dreamers had both a bigger anterior prefrontal cortex, and also higher levels of activity in that area of the brain. The anterior prefrontal cortex of the brain is responsible for complex cognitive processes, such as self-reflection, which is basically the ability to think or meditate upon about one’s thinking, behavior and actions, also known as metacognition. Commenting on the results of the study, lead researcher Elisa Filevich said, “Our results indicate that self-reflection in everyday life is more pronounced in persons who can easily control their dreams.”

An earlier study from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom concluded that lucid dreamers were more insightful and better at problem solving. The researchers said, “This suggests that the insight experienced during the dream state may relate to the same underlying cognition needed for insight in the waking state.”

Artists, Metacognition and Lucid Dreams

Artists have intuitively known that the shape of their dreams has a profound effect on the shape of their art and life. Reflect on these quotes that were said or written at least decades before the above-mentioned studies were conducted.

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams, awake.” – Henry David Thoreau

“You’re never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true,” – Richard Bach

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” – Vincent van Gogh

“To concern ourselves with dreams is a way of reflecting on ourselves-a way of self-reflection.”- Carl Jung

“We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” – William Shakespeare

To Sum it Up

Our sleeping and wakeful states are inextricably linked. It may seem like a no brainer but it has to be said, awareness during wakefulness translates to awareness while dreaming. Conscious focus is a hallmark of both of these states. If lucid dreaming leads to metacognition, metacognition in turn leads to lucid dreaming. Our nighttime meanderings inform and illuminate our daytime paths. Lucid dreams may be key to bringing ‘you’ back to yourself.

So can you teach yourself to lucid dream? The Internet is full of tips and techniques, but the first tip is already available in the above-mentioned study, start reflecting on your thoughts when you are awake. It helps “to sit on a rock … and ask, ‘Who am I, where have I been, and where am I going?”(thanks Carl Sandberg)

Paying attention to your dreams and keeping a dream journal also help.

Sweet (lucid) Dreams!

Sources:

Journal Neuroscience; Metacognitive Mechanisms underlying Lucid Dreaming.
Medical Daily; Lucid Dreaming Associated With More Pronounced Self-Reflection In Everyday Life
Medical Daily; Lucid Dreamers Benefit From Insightfulness, Have Better Problem Solving Skills
Harvard Business Review; A Skill that Every Global Leader Needs
Goodreads; Dreaming Quotes

A Hug can Prevent the Flu!

We are in the thick of the flu season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that the flu activity in the United States peaks between the months of December and February. According to health experts, this year’s flu vaccine was based on the A-H3N2 virus strain that originated in Texas. However a more resistant strain of flu that surfaced in Switzerland, a little later, began to spread across the world, rendering this year’s flu vaccine (in the United States) only 23 percent effective. The CDC, however says, “While some of the viruses spreading this season are different from those in the vaccine, vaccination can still provide protection and might reduce severe outcomes such as hospitalization and death.”

Whether you choose to take the flu shot or not, there is a more pleasant way to keep the flu at bay. It turns out that a simple hug, even just one hug a day, might keep the flu away. An aww-inducing December 2014 study done by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University discovered that hugs could help the participants in the study stay well, even when they were directly exposed to cold and flu viruses. The study was based on the premise that people experiencing ongoing conflicts were more susceptible to catching the cold and other viruses. The researchers chose to study hugs as a modality because they had a hunch that hugs packed a powerful anti-disease punch in two ways.

Hugs indicated social support
Hugs involved touch.

The study recruited 400 people and assessed their levels of social support based on their answers to a questionnaire. For two weeks the participants were asked two questions.

Have you been hugged today?
Are you experiencing conflict or tension with people in your life?

The researchers then arranged for a week-long hotel stay for the participants and gave them nasal drops that were dripping with either the flu or cold virus. They were monitored daily for symptoms during the hotel stay.

The results of the study showed that even though everyone in the study was exposed to one of the two viruses, only 78 percent of the participants got infected, and only 31 percent actually got sick and presented physical symptoms of the illness! And even among the one third of the participants who got sick, the ones who got hugged had less severe symptoms than the people that did not.

Commenting about the study results in a Time magazine write-up about the study, lead researcher Seldon Cohen said, “There’s a lot of evidence out there suggesting that touch might be really effective at protecting people from stressors,- it’s a communication to people that you care about them, and that you have a close intimate relationship with them.”

Previous studies have demonstrated that hugs have the ability to reduce anxiety and other psychological conditions. The Carnegie Mellon study is one of the first ones to show that hugs work on physiological conditions too. It has been said that hugs are universal medicine and that the effects of one last long after you let go. So go ahead, add hugs to your flu protection arsenal, along with washing your hands frequently, eating nourishing meals and exercising. I have a hunch that embracing hugs (pun intended) will do much more than protect you from the flu, whether it is the A-H3N2 strain or the deadly Switzerland strain or some other deadlier future strain. Hugs will not only not discriminate between flu strains, they will also help heal every malaise, past or present, real or perceived, physiological or psychological.

Sources:

CDC; What you should Know for the 2014-2015 Influenza Season
Mercury News; Deadly flu season spurs some Bay Area hospitals to restrict visitors
Time; Here’s How Hugs can Prevent the Flu
Association for Psychological Association; Hugs Help Protect Against Colds by Boosting Social Support
Quotegraden; Hugs
Image Credit; Freedigitalphots.net

Walking, Wordsworth and Creativity

Can walking turn you into a poet or an artist? Can it bring forth the innate creativity that lives in you? It just may, says a Stanford April 2014 study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition. The study was performed by recruiting 176 participants comprising of college students and other adults and was divided into four experiments. Led by researchers, Marily Oppezzo and Daniel Schwartz, the participants completed standard tests of creative thinking such as coming up with alternate uses for common objects and thinking of complex analogies for sentence prompts.

The four experiments took place in four different conditions. As a part of the first condition, participants walked indoors on a treadmill facing a blank wall. In the second, they sat indoors facing a blank wall. The third condition involved walking along a selected path in the Stanford campus. The fourth one included being pushed on a wheelchair (for a sense of visual movement) along the same selected path in the campus.

The study findings reported that participants were a whopping 60 percent more creative in ‘divergent thinking’ (in a test to come up with alternate uses for common objects), when they were walking as opposed to when they were sitting. In the experiment where participants had to come up with novel analogies, 100 percent of the walking participants were able to come up with at least one novel analogy as opposed to 50 percent of the sitting participants! Both indoor and outdoor walking worked equally well in this study and the effects of the walking lasted for a while after the activity stopped.

Commenting on the research conclusions, lead researcher Dr. Oppezzo, in an interview with the New York Times explained that walking may have a role in redirecting energy that would otherwise be spent on raining on one’s own creativity parade. Essentially, walking helps you get out of your own way and “may allow the brain to break through” some of its own, hyper-rational filters”, she said.

Walking, the channel for William Wordsworth’s Transcendental Poetry

William Wordsworth is said to have walked around 175 thousand miles during his lifetime. Whether it was the epic twenty thousand miles he walked along with his class-fellow Robert Jones (instead of studying for his Cambridge University exams) to the Alps, or the daily 12 mile walk from Dove Cottage to the ‘post’, or the pacing back and forth in the premises of his own garden muttering the words “bum, bum, bum, stop” in his latter casino online years, walking was a way of being for the poet.

In a paper titled Poetwalker, author Polly Atkins writes that for Wordsworth, “the act of walking is indivisible from the act of making poetry. One begets the other.” His poems were a “rhythmical creation of beauty” (thanks Edgar Allan Poe) that he felt during his walks.

From The Prelude

“The earth was all before me. With a heart

Joyous, nor scared at its own liberty,

I look about; and should the chosen guide

Be nothing better than a wandering cloud,

I cannot miss my way.”

From The Solitary Reaper

“I listened, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill,

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.” – The Solitary Reaper

Wordsworth’s walking was integral to his poetry. Walking was poetry and poetry was walking for him.

What is Left to Say

To walk is to experience the sacred. To walk is to walk towards joy. To walk is to walk away from the cares of the world. To walk is to connect with the earth. To walk is to become a part of the landscape. To walk is to shed your identity. To walk is to feel oneness. To walk is to heal. To walk is to be.

Sometime late last year I started going on long 6 mile walks on a nearby nature trail with my husband on Sunday mornings. When I look back on 2014, those long walks have been some of my most cherished times of the year, they were sometimes intense, sometimes serene, but always wonderful. I noticed that I wrote more during that time. Who would have thought that the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other would bring such joy, peace and creativity?

This is my first post in the New Year. I don’t make resolutions but this year I have a prayer, I pray for chances to walk more. Hikes, short strolls, long walks, slow walks, fast walks, challenging steep uphill walks, tumbling down the hill walks, and even pacing up and down my garden (or my living room) muttering, “bum, bum, bum, stop” will all be considered blessings.

Happy walking and creating. Have a wonderful 2015!

Further Resources:

Courageous Creativity; Walking as Creativity

Sources:

The New York Times; Want to be more Creative? Take a walk.

Stanford University; Stanford Study finds Walking improves Creativity

Brown University; The Legs of William Wordsworth

Academia; How Did Walking Serve as an Integrative Activity for Wordsworth?

Poemhunter; William Wordsworth

Curcumin, the Active Compound in Turmeric and its Potential to Heal PTSD Symptoms

There is yet another feather in turmeric’s heavily decorated healing potential cap. Along with Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, Crohn’s disease, depression, heart disease and mesothelioma, brand new, not yet published research reports that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, helps relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In a study done in the Psychology Department of Hunter College, researchers reported that curcumin weakened the creation of fear memories after a traumatic event. In a press release Glen Schafe, a professor of psychology and the lead researcher of the study said that when rats were fed a curcumin-enriched diet they were less traumatized by memories of fear.

In addition, according to Dr. Schafe, curcumin not only inhibited fear memories that were newly acquired, but also memories of fear that had been reactivated. He said, “We also showed that rats with a pre-existing fear memory can lose that memory when it is recalled while they are eating a curcumin-enriched diet.” The researchers concluded that while this study was by no means definitive, it had, “important clinical implications for the treatment of disorders such as PTSD that are characterized by unusually strong and persistently reactivated fear memories.”

Turmeric: The Sacred Golden Goddess

Turmeric has long been revered in traditional Indian medicine and culture. Dr. David Frawely, founder and director of the American online casino Institute for Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico says, “If I had only one single herb to depend upon for all possible health and dietary needs, I would without much hesitation choose the Indian spice Turmeric. There is little it cannot do in the realm of healing and much that no other herb is able to accomplish.”  

It may be an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer and anti- fill in the blank any other disease in the research world, but for most Indians and people of many other Asian cultures it is the most beloved spice in their kitchen. It is also the most important, the most holy, the most gorgeous and the most healing one in their kitchen cabinets. A symbol of purity, fertility and prosperity, turmeric is a part of prayer and wedding rituals. In fact the Sanskrit names for the Goddess and for the spice are the same! Such is the communion and fellowship between nature’s most beautiful spice and the divine feminine that the names Kanchani and Gauri in Sanskrit are names for both, turmeric and goddess Parvati.

So inextricably is the spice tied with Indian food and culture, that we use clinical amounts of it in our everyday life. We buy it by the pound, we use it for prayer, we use it instead of Neosporin to heal cuts and burns (Band-aids in India come built-in with turmeric), we use it as a beautifying agent and we use it liberally in our cooking.

A lasting (at least until now) consequence of a traumatic event, PTSD is often characterized by reliving thoughts and memories of the event that caused the trauma. That turmeric (curcumin) is responsible for selective blocking, erasing or reframing memories of PTSD that no longer serve, is a matter for marveling. The ancients who declared the spice holy, did not have access to research labs or funds to conduct elaborate studies, but they intuitively knew that the spice had such astonishing abilities to heal that it was a blessing, that it was divine. They knew that the spice aligned us with a higher consciousness and allowed our innate and intense healing potential to surface when we cooked with it. These days, labs all over the world are busy proving that our ancients were right. Now that makes for some divine news, doesn’t it?

Sources:

Neuropsychopharmacology; A Diet Enriched With Curcumin ImpairsNewly Acquired and Reactivated Fear Memories

Medical Daily; Curcumin, Compound In Turmeric, Found To Impair Fear Memories And Ease PTSD Symptoms

Ratna Rajaiah; How the Banana Goes to Heaven

The Healthier Life; Revisiting the Benefits of Turmeric

Greens 101: Debonair Dandelion

When people think of dandelions, they think of bright yellow flowers ruining a pristine lawn. Ella Wheeler Wilcox must have had the dandelion plant in mind when she said, “Every weed is but an unloved flower”. Not only is the glistening yellow flower of the plant gorgeous, but also the roots and leaves of the dandelion plant are brimming with phenomenal healing prowess. If eating kale makes you feel virtuous, munching (or juicing) on dandelion greens will leave you in a blissed out state of leafy liberation. Here are three reasons why you should make dandelion greens a part of your diet, ASAP.

Le Pissenlit

The contemporary French name for the dandelion is pissenlit, literally meaning ‘piss-in-the-bed’. If you think that the name has to do something with the green”s diuretic abilities, you are absolutely right. Herbalists and folk medicine healers have long prescribed dandelion greens as a diuretic for liver problems such as jaundice and cirrhosis and for high blood pressure. A 2009 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine confirmed that the dandelion fresh leaf “increases the frequency and excretion ratio of fluids in healthy human subjects.” Whether it is the dreaded PMS bloat or I ate too many salty foods bloat, dandelion greens will help you get rid of all the extra fluids and have you looking svelte in no time.

Fantastic Nutrition

Vitamin K is the new Vitamin D. We all know that Vitamin K helps with blood clotting, but emerging studies suggest that along with Vitamin D, the fat-soluble vitamin builds bone and remineralizes teeth. You can essentially heal a cavity in your tooth with the help of these two vitamins! As if that were not enough, it best online casino also helps prevent neuron damage in the brain and it may prevent certain cancers. Dandelion greens contain a whopping 535 percent of the RDA of Vitamin K! In addition, the greens also contain significant amounts of vitamin A, C and B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium and manganese and zinc.

Delectably Bitter

I find that there is something inherently truthful about a bitter green. It helps me pay attention to what I’m eating. Have you noticed how easy it is polish off an industrial sized bag of potato chips? You can consume unbelievable amounts of salty or sweet foods without being mindful, but try doing that with bitter foods. Each bite, bites back. You pay attention, you focus and you slide into that angelic zone of mindful eating.

Paradoxically, bitterness increases the delectableness of food. Use fresh dandelion leaves in salads or add them to your morning green smoothies. Sautee the leaves with fat and add them to your vegetable, grain or egg scrambles. Not only will they make these foods more digestible (bitters stimulate digestion and increase bile production), but they also will add a touch of intensity and sophistication to your everyday dining. You can Michelin Star yourself.

Sources:

The Imponderabilia of Actual Life; Pissenlit and Dandelions
Goodreads; Elle Wheelar Wilcox
Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine; The Diuretic Effect in Human Subjects of an Extract of Taraxacum officinale Folium over a Single Day
Dr. Mercola; What are Dandelion Greens Good for?
University of Maryland Medical Center; Dandelion
Featured Image Credit; Graphics Fairy

Six Tips for Getting Soft Shiny Hair without Chemicals

Whether you have thick or thin hair, long or short hair, straight or curly hair, shiny hair is a wonderful thing to have. Shiny hair, not only, instantly enhances your appearance, but it is also a reflection of your internal health and wellbeing. Since time immemorial women (and men) have spent huge amounts of time and effort in trying to unlock the secret to healthy, shiny hair. Cleopatra of Egypt and Queen Anne of England were said to have used honey, and oils to keep their hair healthy and shiny.

There is something magical and angelic about shiny, gleaming, bouncy hair. Don King, the boxing legend said, “My hair is God’s aura.” Several indigenous cultures, especially Native American, place great emphasis on hair-care as they believe that it tied to our intuition and nerve health. In these cultures, hair is considered an extension of our nervous system. In certain yogic traditions, hair care is seen as a way to raise our kundalini energy. Hair is seen as a blessing and caring for it, a spiritual activity. If healthy nerves and good internal health can contribute to healthy hair, the reverse can also be true. Hair care can calm your nerves, nourish the crown chakra, raise your energy, improve your intuition and contribute towards vitality.

Some of us have turned to commercial products laden with alcohol and chemicals for quick results and (fake)glossy hair. Lackluster results (pun intended), and allergic reactions from chemical laden products have us looking for easier and more natural methods. Whatever your final goal is, vanity or spirituality, here are some easy and natural ways to bring the luster back to your ‘God’s aura’.

Things you”ll need:

Natural bristle hair brush
Gentle shampoo
Coconut oil
Avocados
Honey
Jojoba Oil

Wash your hair every other day instead or even once in three days instead of every day to preserve the natural shine of hair. Shampooing everyday strips hair of the very natural oils that are responsible for shine. Also, shampoo and even plain water swell up the hair cuticle and make it look duller.
Avoid heat to retain the natural shine of hair. Avoid using hot water to wash hair, and the hot setting on a hair dryer to dry and style hair. Use a ceramic ionic hair dryer (only if you must) as a safer and gentler way casino online to blow-dry hair.
Use a pre-conditioning coconut oil or olive oil treatment (for at least 20 minutes) before shampooing. Take the time to massage the oil into your scalp, whenever you feel inclined to spend the extra time in taking care of your hair.
Consider indulging in a weekly homemade deep conditioning treatment using common kitchen ingredients. Not only does it add shine and gloss, but it also relieve stress. The embedded link has some deep conditioning treatments that can be whipped up using common kitchen ingredients like avocados, honey, and jojoba oil.
Rinse hair with lukewarm or cold water is to seal the cuticle and add shine to hair. A final rinse with cold water is an excellent way to revive both hair and add a metabolic boost to the body. As a further boost for stressed out tresses, consider a final rinse with diluted apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Finally, eat a diet that contains plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, walnuts, and flax is reported to promote hair health and shine. Omega-3 fatty acids act like internal moisturizers to heal dry skin and add gloss to dull hair.

Further Tips

Use a natural bristle brush and take the time to comb your hair.
Use a gentler ph balanced shampoos, that don”t contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
Commercial hair dyes and hair color can dry out hair and make it look dull and lifeless.

Sources:

Homemade Beauty; Natural Homemade Hair Conditioner Recipes
3Ho; Hair Care
Skeptical Inquirer; Geronimo”s Hair
Image Credit; freedigitalphotos.net

The Healing Power of a Bath and an Autism Study

In her 1963 book, The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath wrote, “There must be quite a few things a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.” Her words ring true even today; a hot (or warm) bath is a cure for pretty much anything that ails you. While showers are easy, practical, quick and eco-friendly, baths win hands down when you want to take a journey within and reclaim your serenity and peace. That leads me to this fascinating study linking autism and hot baths.

A December 2013 study presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) Annual Meeting reported that a soaking in a hot bath reduced repetitive behaviors and improved social communication in children with autism.

For the study, Dr. Eric Hollander, a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his team recruited 15 children on the autism spectrum. The children spent 30 minutes on alternate days soaking in tubs with water heated to 102 degree Fahrenheit versus in a tub heated to 98-degrees. The children showed improvement on the days that they soaked in the hotter water of 102 degrees.

The study was based on the theory that autism is a pro-inflammatory condition. People on the autism spectrum may have overactive immune systems and high levels of inflammation in their bodies. Explaining the findings of the study, the researchers say, that the high temperatures of the bathtub mimicked fever in the body. Raising the body temperature through the means of a hot bath tricked the body into thinking that it had fever and triggered the release of anti-inflammatory signals that alleviated the behavioral symptoms.

I found this study insightful and think that the potential of triggering anti-inflammatory signals in the body, through something as simple and inexpensive as a hot bath, is immense! Inflammation plays havoc in our bodies in numerous ways, ranging all the way garden-variety aches and pains to arthritis to cancer. What if a daily bath prevented or alleviated the symptoms of some of these conditions, in addition to calming anxiety, promoting sleep and reducing stress? Sounds wonderful, no?

Furthermore, the urge to take baths is a primal one. We have been hooked on water ever since we were a collection of teeny-tiny cells. Before we were land creatures, we were aquatic ones. As fetuses, we bobbled around in the warm, dark amniotic fluid of our mother’s wombs for nine months. In the warm, watery environment of the bathtub, we return to our embryonic states.

Draw yourself a bath, light a candle or two, throw in some epsom salts and add some essential oils if you wish. Skip the artificially scented fake bubbly stuff, they just dry out your skin. Adjust the temperature of the water (I cannot handle very hot water) and soak. Twenty (or thirty) minutes later, when you emerge from the bathtub, you will feel like a newborn without a name, innocent and radiant, seeing the world with fresh eyes, for the very first time.

Sources:

American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP)
Goodreads; Sylvia Plath
Image Credit: Freedigitalphotos.net

Friday Five: November 28th, 2014

Today I”m pleased as punch to bring you a Friday Five guest post written by a precious friend from architecture college days. Reshma Rao Beeranthbail lives in Dubai, runs marathons, practices yoga and pursues minimalism. She also takes extraordinary pictures. Her photographs, especially her people portraits, are bold and evocative. I have walked around for hours with a lump in my throat after viewing some of them. I hope that you enjoy reading these five inspirational thoughts and ideas from her world.

Kongos

Rolling Stone magazine described their music thus: “A Balkan accordionist, a Burundi drummer, an American slide guitarist, and a British rock star walk into a bar. High-octane folk-pop ensues.“

I haven’t felt so much excitement for a rock band in decades! The Kongos are a talented South African band based in Phoenix, AZ. The 4 brothers have been in the music scene since 2007 but were recently signed by Epic Records. They have charmed audiences everywhere with their distinctive style, strong rhythm and catchy tunes. When was the last time you heard the rich sounds of an accordion in a rock band?! Some of their musical influences include Coldplay, The Beatles, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Yes!), Paul Simon, and Pink Floyd. I have enjoyed every track in their ‘Lunatic’ album. These guys are the real deal and will go places! Check them out!

Panacea

Isn’t it wonderful when your biggest weakness happens to be one of nature’s greatest gifts? It’s affordable, perfectly legal and available without prescription. Packed with antioxidants and happy chemicals, it offers many health benefits. If someone refutes these lofty claims, I don’t want to know. I love dark chocolate!

Among popular brands, my recent discovery has been Lindt Excellence Roasted Sesame. The chocolate bar, according to the product description is, “a perfectly balanced blend of intensely dark chocolate and delicate pieces of roasted sesame seeds. The nutty earthiness of the seeds enhances the roasted character of the cocoa, while the crunchy texture creates the ultimate taste sensation.” I couldn’t have said it better! What makes it exceptional however is the caramelized sesame. It tastes just like sesame ladoos! It’s more “Indian” than any chocolate I’ve had.

Om Advantage

Phil Jackson put the Knicks through mindfulness training. Yoga was the secret sauce of the 2014 Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks. In her new book, Arianna Huffington draws on latest scientific research to show the transformative effects of meditation and mindfulness. Mindfulness has finally gone mainstream. I’ve been practicing yoga for 2 years and it has made all the difference in the world. The most basic of poses require adjustments of stance, balance and breathing, and the intricacies can take a lifetime to master. But the benefits even for a beginner are immense. The smooth movements are synchronized with conscious breathing. I can’t grunt or fight or beat myself up because the only way to get deeper into a pose is to relax into it. Yoga (and Pilates too) is my insurance against other hard workouts I put my body through. My ego sulks next to my flip-flops in the far corner of the room. There’s no place for it in yoga. In that little space on the yoga mat, I tune in to my body and mind without judgment. I’m still a work in progress but I know that in yoga I have found an ally.

Road to Somedayville

I created my first ‘Life List’ about 5 years ago. It’s a categorized, color-coded (don’t judge me!), itemized list of all the things I wish to do in my lifetime. The list is a nudge to anchor my dreams instead of letting them drift aimlessly towards Somedayville.

Over the past year, my family has practiced “Attitude of Gratitude” every night. It’s not a wishful prayer. Rather, we quietly reflect upon all the things, big and small, that we’re thankful for. It’s a nice way to put the day to rest. It occurred to me that perhaps, some Enterprise free data recovery software Management and Big free data recovery software Enterprise free data recovery software Management (EDM) is an important process for understand- ing and controlling the economics of data in your enterprise or organization. of our best experiences are not always what we plan diligently for, but those that magically happen. I wouldn’t have dreamed of drifting in a hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey in my wildest dreams. But there I was last April, marveling the surreal landscape and spectacular views at sunrise.

So, I revisited my list and added in all the beautiful “Shoulda been on my life list” moments that had already gone by. I wish I had the discipline to keep a daily journal, but a ‘Gratitude Life List’ is the next best thing. It maps my past, plots my current path, and holds a compass to guide my way ahead. It’s a happy place that holds so much gratitude and promise.

Letting Go

Earlier this year, I was intrigued by the idea of becoming a minimalist after chancing upon a blog challenging readers to live with 100 items or less. 100 things seemed too extreme, but it was the beginning of my journey towards minimalism. I cleared our house and our life of “stuff”; stuff that carry so much weight and drag us down. I had held on to things long after they’d lost their value or purpose. Interestingly, my minimalist path permeated into other aspects of my life. I reevaluated everything with a critical eye. My physical space, digital world, time commitments, relationships, and even my mind, the biggest hoarder of them all! The “stuff” had to go. Purge, delete, cleanse! Imagine a clogged drain finally unplugged. That feeling of sudden “Whoosh!” made my spirits soar! I could feel the lightness of being.

In the declutter process, I found my old Minolta film camera in a box under my bed. Its previous owner was a WWII veteran who belonged to my Photography club. When he passed away, his family wanted his prized possession to go to a good home. During our move, I had forgotten all about this metallic camera with its intricate hand-embroidered strap and shiny buttons. This camera with many untold stories in its wear and tear finally found its rightful place in my living room. I’m going to treasure it.

Letting go was never about giving up. It was about creating abundance for what I truly love, value and cherish.

Sources:

Image Credit: Reshma Beeranthbail Photography

Friday Five: November 21st, 2014

Today, I’m delighted and thrilled to bring you our very first Friday Five guest post! Written by my dear friend, Seema Ramakrishna, this post is a personal exploration on the ideas and thoughts that are presently resonating with her. Seema is a mother to one, friend to many, a ball of passion and energy, and Head of Interiors of the well-known Brigade Group in Bangalore, India.

Morning Reflections
I particularly love that window of time, every single day, between 8 am and 8-30 am when I coordinate what I should wear. It is absolutely “ME” time. To choose from a wardrobe that houses a collection of clothes across 20 odd years, is no easy task. Surprisingly though, it does seem easy. Because I don”t care much for what might be the current trend or what impact my appearance would have on others.

I strongly recommend that every person should spend some time assessing oneself in front of the mirror. The mind will behold all that the soul has to bare. And voila! You will know exactly what you need to wear to lift the spirits. Wear makeup if you must but also wear the right amount of the right attitude!
Armed with all of the above, I for one, walk out of my home with a spring in my step, ready to face the world.

Indian Mantra
There is this tried and tested Indian way of handling difficult situations and that is to simply place the problem on the back burner. Father Time is the wholesome ingredient that resolves the concern on hand. Anger or any other negatively strong emotion is best managed by putting off a reaction on an immediate basis and paving the way for a response instead, all in good time.
It took me this long to realize this home truth but it sure works.

Sole mate – Size Matters!
The size of my feet has faced the brunt of many digs. One such was while I was getting a pedicure done, the therapist squealed with amusement that I have such tiny feet and I retorted with a, “What may thus be the discount?” And so when there are those freak moments that I chance upon the right fitting pair of shoes, the necessary measure of adrenalin pumps in and it becomes my coveted asset.
Sole searching is also very good for my soul!

Eat, Sleep, Live
My grandmother ate all that she fancied and lived all of her 83 years. She had casino online diabetes, high BP and what not but that did not deter her from indulging in food. The key to keeping her metabolism in check was to eat in moderation and at regular intervals and take her medication religiously. She took a nap every afternoon and slept well at night. Every meal, every chore was by the clock. She read novels before she went to bed. I have inherited her culinary skills on a willing note and her lack of height on an unwilling note. Am at that bend of the road when my metabolism is slowing down and nevertheless, I need to inherit her ways on a compulsory note.

Annual Pilgrimage
I work hard and I party hard. It is driven by external forces and I go with the flow, striving hard to meet work and home deliverables, as life would have it. And then comes that time of the year when I fall off the face of the earth for two weeks. I prefer to travel alone to seek peace in being with myself, on my terms. I always return home feeling a better person. Am sure my folks think so too in addition to thinking that I truly am a sweet person since I bring back a whole lot of chocolates local to the region of visit!

A trip like this reinforces me for what seems like a lifetime but it lasts exactly a year. And off I go, wanting to be with myself year after year. A pilgrimage of sorts to revive the mind, body and soul.

Savory Turmeric Beverage/Soup

Turmeric (the powdered kind) has always held a special spot in my spice cabinet and recently fresh turmeric root also has been getting some serious veneration in my kitchen. Containing ostentatious amounts of anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and immune building compounds, the spice recently graced the pages of the prestigious Wall Street Journal. Dubbed ‘snow day superfood’ by the journal, turmeric makes a great addition to your spice cabinet (if it is not already in there) for the upcoming winter season. Whether you are almost sick, already sick or far from sick drinking a cup (or two) of a beverage laced with the spice is an excellent idea. If you are sick, it will make you well and if you are well, it will make you thrive.

Delicious and warming, turmeric milk is an age-old Ayurvedic and home remedy to cure the chills. It is usually sweetened with sugar or honey, but I wanted to try making a savory version incorporating both powdered and fresh turmeric root and other warming spices such as ginger, cumin and black pepper. You can have it in a cup and call it a beverage or have it in a bowl call it a soup. Your wish.

Here is what you will need.

A cup of unsweetened almond or coconut milk
½ teaspoon of turmeric
½ inch slice of fresh turmeric root cut into small pieces
½ inch slice of fresh ginger root cut into small pieces
Black peppercorns
Roasted cumin powder (Just toast a few cumin seeds in a pan and grind into a fine powder)
Salt to taste (I used Himalayan casino online salt)
Steamed vegetables (optional)
A dab of coconut oil or pastured butter (optional)

Here is how you will make it.

Warm a cup of almond, hemp or coconut milk on the stove-top.
Add half a teaspoon of turmeric to the milk and stir till the turmeric is completely dissolved. At this point the milk in the saucepan will look bright yellow. Bring the milk to a gentle boil and turn off the stove.
Crush 4 peppercorns in a mortar and pestle and add to the milk. Black pepper is said to increase the bio-availability of turmeric. Skip this step if you are making the turmeric milk for a child or for a person with a severe cough.
Pour the milk (with turmeric) into a cup or a bowl and add the fresh and powdered spices. Add salt to taste
Add steamed vegetables, herbs, and a pat of coconut oil or pastured butter if you want to turn the beverage into something more substantial.

Drink this hard-core turmeric beverage to rock the Winter of 2014! The flu or any other virus will have nothing on you.

Sources:

Wall Street Journal; Snow Day Superfood

Planta Medicine; Influence of Piperine on the Pharmacokinetics of Curcumin in Animals and Human Volunteers