Wednesday, 13 November 2013

UPDATED: 162 Documentaries To Expand Your Consciousness

Here is a list of over 100 documentaries you can watch for free online. They are about Science, Consciousness, ETs, you name it. A smorgasbord of fascinating subjects to learn about.

121 Documentaries To Expand Your Consciousness

If you find a dead link please let us know and we will find another to replace it. Enjoy!

1. Home (2009)
2. Thrive (2011)
3. Paradise or Oblivion (2012)
4. Love, Reality and the Time of Transition (2011)
5. Earthlings (2005)
6. Everything You Know Is Wrong (2000)
7. Zeitgeist: Addendum (2008)
8. Zeitgeist: Moving Forward (2011)
9. The Money Fix (2009)
10. The Wikileaks Documentary (2010)
11. Owned & Operated (2012)
12. Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis (2010)
13. Apologies of an Economic Hitman (2010)
14. The Beautiful Truth (2008)
15. The Awakening (2011)
16. What Would It Look Like? (2009)
17. The World According to Monsanto (2008)
18. Esoteric Agenda (2008)
19. Making a Killing: The Untold Story of Psychotropic Drugging (2008)
20. College Conspiracy Scam in USA (2011)
21. The Indigo Evolution (2005)
22. Edible City: Grow the Revolution (2012)
23. Collapse (2009)
24. The Global Brain (1983)
25. The White Hole in Time (1993)
26. The Primacy of Consciousness (2011)
27. Fuel (2008)
28. Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil Crisis (2006)
29. What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire (2007)
30. Resonance: Beings of Frequency (2012)
31. War by Other Means (1992)
32. Endgame (2007)
33. War Made Easy (2007)
34. The War on Democracy (2007)
35. Rise Like Lions: The Occupy Wall Street Documentary (2011)
36. Propaganda (2012)
37. The Secret of Oz (2009)
38. The One Percent (2006)
39. The Shock Doctrine (2009)
40. Iran Is Not the Problem (2008)
41. PsyWar: The Real Battlefield Is the Mind (2010)
42. Vaccine Nation (2008)
43. Psychiatry: An Industry of Death (2006)
44. Flow: For the Love of Water (2008)
45. Kymatica (2009)
46. Pots, Pans, and Other Solutions (2012)
47. Manna: The Psilocybin Mushroom Documentary (2011)
48. What in the World Are They Spraying (2010)
49. Why in the World Are They Spraying (2012)
50. Globalization: The New Rulers of the World (2001)
51. Terrorstorm (2006)
52. Fall of the Republic (2009)
53. Crop Circles: Crossover From Another Dimension (2006)
54. The Day Before Disclosure (2010)
55. 9/11: The Road to Tyranny (2002)
56. 9/11: In Plane Site (2004)
57. 9/11: Press For Truth (2006)
58. The Revelation of the Pyramids (2010)
59. Ancient Knowledge (2012)
60. The Union: The Business Behind Getting High (2007)
61. Money As Debt (2006)
62. Money As Debt II (2009)
63. The Age of Stupid (2009)
64. Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism (2004)
65. Crossroads: Labor Pains of a New Worldview (2013)
66. Human Resources: Social Engineering in the 20th Century (2010)
67. Renaissance 2.0 (2010)
68. Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood (2008)
69. The War on Kids (2009)
70. Palestine Is Still the Issue (2002)
71. Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land (2004)
72. Occupation 101: Voices of the Silenced Majority (2006)
73. Walmart: The High Cost of Low Prices (2005)
74. Big Sugar (2005)
75. The Fluoride Deception (2011)
76. Fluoridegate: An American Tragedy (2013)
77. An Inconvenient Tooth (2012)
78. The Great Culling: Our Water (2013)
79. Shots in the Dark: Silence on Vaccines (2009)
80. I Am Fishead: Are Corporate Leaders Psychopaths? (2011)
81. Capitalism Is the Crisis (2011)
82. Slavery By Consent (2012)
83. The Crisis of Civilization (2011)
84. No Logo: Brands, Globalization, and Resistance (2003)
85. 97% Owned (2012)
86. Culture in Decline – Episode 1: What Democracy? (2012)
87. Culture in Decline – Episode 2: Economics 101 (2012)
88. Culture in Decline – Episode 3: C.V.D. (2012)
89. Culture in Decline – Episode 4: War on Nature (2013)
90. Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds – Part 1: Akasha (2012)
91. Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds – Part 2: The Spiral (2012)
92. Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds – Part 3: The Serpent and the Lotus (2012)
93. Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds – Part 4: Beyond Thinking (2012)
94. ETHOS: A Time for Change (2010)
95. Rich Media, Poor Democracy (2003)
96. Weapons of Mass Deception (2004)
97. Entheogen: Awakening the Divine Within (2007)
98. American Blackout (2006)
99. Uncounted: The New Math of American Elections (2008)
100. Blue Gold: World Water Wars (2008)
101. Big Bucks, Big Pharma: Marketing Disease and Pushing Drugs (2006)
102. The End of Suburbia (2004)
103. Rethink Afghanistan (2009)
104. There’s No Tomorrow (2012)
105. Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers (2006)
106. Priceless (2012)
107. What the Bleep Do We Know? (2004)
108. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (2010)
109. The Century of the Self (2002) - The Rise of the All-Consuming Self
110. The Money Masters (1996) - How Banks Create Money Out Of Thin Air
111. Starsuckers (2009)
112. Awakening the Dreamer: Changing the Dream (2011)
113. Religulous (2008)
114. Sir! No Sir! – The GI Movement to End the Vietnam War (2005)
115. Gasland (2010)
116. Hacking Democracy (2008)
117. Real Estate 4 Ransom: Why Does Land Cost the Earth? (2012)
118. Vanishing of the Bees (2009)
119. Tapped (2009)
120. DMT: The Spirit Molecule
121. Baraka (1992)
122. Samsara
123. Cut Poison Burn
124. The Business of Being Born
125. The Cove
126. Ayahuasca: Ancient Plant Medicine
127. Hempster – Plant the Seed
128. Coca Lives
129. Forks Over Knives
130. Dirty Pictures (The God Father of Ecstasy)
131. All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace
132. SIRIUS – 2013
133. The Secret of Oz
134. Spirit Science 1-15
135. Garbage Warrior
136. Top 10 Eco Films of All Time
137. What Babies Want
138. Ring of Power
139. House of Numbers
140. SiCKO
141. True History of Marijuana
142. Run From The Cure
143. Eye of The Illuminati
144. Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business (2011)
145. Shaman Voyage
146. Libertopia
147. Zeitgeist
148. Stepping Into The Fire
149. The Disclosure Project
150. Secret Ancient Knowledge
151. The Holy Mountain
152. Food Inc.
153. The Silent Revelation of Truth
154. The Obama Deception
155. The Great Culling: Our Water
156. Dreaming Awake At The End of Time
157. The New American Century
158. ZERO: An Investigation into 9/11
159. The House I Live In
160. Black Whole
161. We Are Legion – The Story of the Hacktivists (2012)
162. The 11th Hour (2007)

Credits: OpenBoxThinking & Altering-Perspectives

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Monday, 14 October 2013

10 Ways to Raise Your Vibrations

All your thoughts and feelings are energy, and energy is vibration. Learn to Raise those Vibrations and watch your life change dramatically.

10 Ways to Raise Your Vibrations

1. Find something beautiful and appreciate it.
Beauty is all around us, from the morning dew to the evening stars and everything in between. Most go through life not noticing all the beautiful things that are around them, and yes it's every where, so take the time to notice them, and appreciate them when you see it. Whether it's the scent of a flower or the way rain ripples in puddles of water, appreciate the beauty life has to offer.

2. Make a list of all that you are grateful for.
Making a gratitude list shifts your vibrations from focusing on what you do not have to what is already abundant in your life. There is more to be grateful for than you could possibly imagine. You can start with “I'm Alive!” and expand from there. Gratitude is the Attitude.

3. Meditate.
Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and breath in and out. Too often we rush through our days with a scattered brain leaving us in a state of anxiety and stress, Meditation helps to calm your spirit down and put you in a peaceful state of mind. 10 Minuets of meditation a day can change your life forever.

4. Do something for someone else.
Giving to someone else shifts your thinking from “I don't have enough, to I have more than enough to give to others.” Abundance is a high vibration.

5. Stop complaining and gossiping.
Complaining and Gossip puts you in a very low vibration. Ask yourself “Are the things you are talking about bringing you more of what you want?” if not then, Stop complaining, and start finding ways to rejoice.

6. Move. Exercise. Get active.
Vibration requires movement, the more you move the better your vibrations move. So Get Active! Dance! The happier you feel, the more you will draw happy experiences to yourself because you are operating at a different frequency.

7. Realize that you have more control over your life than you thought.
You are not a victim to circumstance, past, family upbringing, trauma, or anything else. You can change your life in an instant. Just realize this. In many wisdom traditions this is called “total responsibility.” No one is responsible for how you feel right now but you. It isn't a curse. It's a blessing because it gives you your power back.

8. Breathe.
Just sit and try to make your breath longer, fuller, and more relaxed. It has a direct affect on your nervous system and helps to calm you down. A calm vibration is a high vibration.

9. Do Something You're Afraid Of
Fear holds us back from being in a state of love and happiness, and facing those fears opens you up to a greater world of possibilities. Fear of Heights? Go skydiving. Scared of public speaking, say a poem at an open mic. You'll begin to realize your fear was worse then the actual problem, and a sense of relief will wash over you.

10. Have a Meaningful Conversation with a Friend
Rather than gossip or complaining, talk about you ideas. What do you have planned for yourself? what do you think is the nature of reality? Are we spiritual beings having a human experience? Talking about these things with someone helps to raise both your vibrations by thinking big. If you don't have someone to talk to about these kinds of things with, there's a community of higher minded individuals right here. Leave a comment down below and let's chat!

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Sunday, 6 October 2013

10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

Happiness is so interesting, because we all have different ideas about what it is and how to get it. It's also no surprise that it's the Nr.1 value for Buffer's culture, if you see our slidedeck about it. So naturally we are obsessed with it.

I would love to be happier, as I'm sure most people would, so I thought it would be interesting to find some ways to become a happier person that are actually backed up by science. Here are ten of the best ones I found.

1. Exercise more – 7 minutes might be enough

You might have seen some talk recently about the scientific 7 minute workout mentioned in The New York Times. So if you thought exercise was something you didn't have time for, maybe you can fit it in after all.

Exercise has such a profound effect on our happiness and well-being that it's actually been proven to be an effective strategy for overcoming depression. In a study cited in Shawn Achor's book, The Happiness Advantage, three groups of patients treated their depression with either medication, exercise, or a combination of the two. The results of this study really surprised me. Although all three groups experienced similar improvements in their happiness levels to begin with, the follow up assessments proved to be radically different:
The groups were then tested six months later to assess their relapse rate. Of those who had taken the medication alone, 38 percent had slipped back into depression. Those in the combination group were doing only slightly better, with a 31 percent relapse rate. The biggest shock, though, came from the exercise group: Their relapse rate was only 9 percent!
You don't have to be depressed to gain benefit from exercise, though. It can help you to relax, increase your brain power and even improve your body image, even if you don't lose any weight.

A study in the Journal of Health Psychology found that people who exercised felt better about their bodies, even when they saw no physical changes:
Body weight, shape and body image were assessed in 16 males and 18 females before and after both 6 × 40 mins exercise and 6 × 40 mins reading. Over both conditions, body weight and shape did not change. Various aspects of body image, however, improved after exercise compared to before.
We've explored exercise in depth before, and looked at what it does to our brains, such as releasing proteins and endorphins that make us feel happier, as you can see in the image below.

Brain after sitting quietly and after 20 minute walk - 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

2. Sleep more – you'll be less sensitive to negative emotions

We know that sleep helps our bodies to recover from the day and repair themselves, and that it helps us focus and be more productive. It turns out, it's also important for our happiness.

In NutureShock, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman explain how sleep affects our positivity:
Negative stimuli get processed by the amygdala; positive or neutral memories gets processed by the hippocampus. Sleep deprivation hits the hippocampus harder than the amygdala. The result is that sleep-deprived people fail to recall pleasant memories, yet recall gloomy memories just fine.

In one experiment by Walker, sleep-deprived college students tried to memorize a list of words. They could remember 81% of the words with a negative connotation, like “cancer.” But they could remember only 31% of the words with a positive or neutral connotation, like “sunshine” or “basket.”
The BPS Research Digest explores another study that proves sleep affects our sensitivity to negative emotions. Using a facial recognition task over the course of a day, the researchers studied how sensitive participants were to positive and negative emotions. Those who worked through the afternoon without taking a nap became more sensitive late in the day to negative emotions like fear and anger.
Using a face recognition task, here we demonstrate an amplified reactivity to anger and fear emotions across the day, without sleep. However, an intervening nap blocked and even reversed this negative emotional reactivity to anger and fear while conversely enhancing ratings of positive (happy) expressions.
Of course, how well (and how long) you sleep will probably affect how you feel when you wake up, which can make a difference to your whole day. Especially this graph showing how your brain activity decreases is a great insight about how important enough sleep is for productivity and happiness:

Sleep Control - Sleep Deprivation - 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

Another study tested how employees' moods when they started work in the morning affected their work day.
Researchers found that employees' moods when they clocked in tended to affect how they felt the rest of the day. Early mood was linked to their perceptions of customers and to how they reacted to customers' moods.

And most importantly to managers, employee mood had a clear impact on performance, including both how much work employees did and how well they did it.
Sleep is another topic we've looked into before, exploring how much sleep we really need to be productive.

3. Move closer to work – a short commute is worth more than a big house

Our commute to the office can have a surprisingly powerful impact on our happiness. The fact that we tend to do this twice a day, five days a week, makes it unsurprising that its effect would build up over time and make us less and less happy.

According to The Art of Manliness, having a long commute is something we often fail to realize will affect us so dramatically:
… while many voluntary conditions don't affect our happiness in the long term because we acclimate to them, people never get accustomed to their daily slog to work because sometimes the traffic is awful and sometimes it's not. Or as Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert put it, “Driving in traffic is a different kind of hell every day.”
We tend to try to compensate for this by having a bigger house or a better job, but these compensations just don't work:
Two Swiss economists who studied the effect of commuting on happiness found that such factors could not make up for the misery created by a long commute.

4. Spend time with friends and family – don't regret it on your deathbed

Staying in touch with friends and family is one of the top five regrets of the dying. If you want more evidence that it's beneficial for you, I've found some research that proves it can make you happier right now.

Social time is highly valuable when it comes to improving our happiness, even for introverts. Several studies have found that time spent with friends and family makes a big difference to how happy we feel, generally. I love the way Harvard happiness expert Daniel Gilbert explains it:
We are happy when we have family, we are happy when we have friends and almost all the other things we think make us happy are actually just ways of getting more family and friends.
George Vaillant is the director of a 72-year study of the lives of 268 men.
In an interview in the March 2008 newsletter to the Grant Study subjects, Vaillant was asked, “What have you learned from the Grant Study men?” Vaillant's response: “That the only thing that really matters in life are your relationships to other people.”
He shared insights of the study with Joshua Wolf Shenk at The Atlantic on how the men's social connections made a difference to their overall happiness:
The men's relationships at age 47, he found, predicted late-life adjustment better than any other variable, except defenses. Good sibling relationships seem especially powerful: 93 percent of the men who were thriving at age 65 had been close to a brother or sister when younger.
In fact, a study published in the Journal of Socio-Economics states than your relationships are worth more than $100,000:
Using the British Household Panel Survey, I find that an increase in the level of social involvements is worth up to an extra £85,000 a year in terms of life satisfaction. Actual changes in income, on the other hand, buy very little happiness.
I think that last line is especially fascinating: Actual changes in income, on the other hand, buy very little happiness. So we could increase our annual income by hundreds of thousands of dollars and still not be as happy as if we increased the strength of our social relationships.

The Terman study, which is covered in The Longevity Project, found that relationships and how we help others were important factors in living long, happy lives:
We figured that if a Terman participant sincerely felt that he or she had friends and relatives to count on when having a hard time then that person would be healthier. Those who felt very loved and cared for, we predicted, would live the longest.

Surprise: our prediction was wrong… Beyond social network size, the clearest benefit of social relationships came from helping others. Those who helped their friends and neighbors, advising and caring for others, tended to live to old age.

5. Go outside – happiness is maximized at 13.9°C

In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor recommends spending time in the fresh air to improve your happiness:
Making time to go outside on a nice day also delivers a huge advantage; one study found that spending 20 minutes outside in good weather not only boosted positive mood, but broadened thinking and improved working memory…
This is pretty good news for those of us who are worried about fitting new habits into our already-busy schedules. Twenty minutes is a short enough time to spend outside that you could fit it into your commute or even your lunch break.

A UK study from the University of Sussex also found that being outdoors made people happier:
Being outdoors, near the sea, on a warm, sunny weekend afternoon is the perfect spot for most. In fact, participants were found to be substantially happier outdoors in all natural environments than they were in urban environments.
The American Meteorological Society published research in 2011 that found current temperature has a bigger effect on our happiness than variables like wind speed and humidity, or even the average temperature over the course of a day. It also found that happiness is maximized at 13.9°C, so keep an eye on the weather forecast before heading outside for your 20 minutes of fresh air.

6. Help others – 100 hours a year is the magical number

One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others. In fact, 100 hours per year (or two hours per week) is the optimal time we should dedicate to helping others in order to enrich our lives.

If we go back to Shawn Achor's book again, he says this about helping others:

…when researchers interviewed more than 150 people about their recent purchases, they found that money spent on activities—such as concerts and group dinners out—brought far more pleasure than material purchases like shoes, televisions, or expensive watches. Spending money on other people, called “prosocial spending,” also boosts happiness.

The Journal of Happiness Studies published a study that explored this very topic:
Participants recalled a previous purchase made for either themselves or someone else and then reported their happiness. Afterward, participants chose whether to spend a monetary windfall on themselves or someone else. Participants assigned to recall a purchase made for someone else reported feeling significantly happier immediately after this recollection; most importantly, the happier participants felt, the more likely they were to choose to spend a windfall on someone else in the near future.
So spending money on other people makes us happier than buying stuff for ourselves. What about spending our time on other people? A study of volunteering in Germany explored how volunteers were affected when their opportunities to help others were taken away:
Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall but before the German reunion, the first wave of data of the GSOEP was collected in East Germany. Volunteering was still widespread. Due to the shock of the reunion, a large portion of the infrastructure of volunteering (e.g. sports clubs associated with firms) collapsed and people randomly lost their opportunities for volunteering. Based on a comparison of the change in subjective well-being of these people and of people from the control group who had no change in their volunteer status, the hypothesis is supported that volunteering is rewarding in terms of higher life satisfaction.
In his book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman explains that helping others can improve our own lives:
…we scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.

7. Practice smiling – it can alleviate pain

Smiling itself can make us feel better, but it's more effective when we back it up with positive thoughts, according to this study:
A new study led by a Michigan State University business scholar suggests customer-service workers who fake smile throughout the day worsen their mood and withdraw from work, affecting productivity. But workers who smile as a result of cultivating positive thoughts – such as a tropical vacation or a child's recital – improve their mood and withdraw less.
Of course it's important to practice “real smiles” where you use your eye sockets. It's very easy to spot the difference:

Make Yourself Happier - Smiling - 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

According to PsyBlog, smiling can improve our attention and help us perform better on cognitive tasks:
Smiling makes us feel good which also increases our attentional flexibility and our ability to think holistically. When this idea was tested by Johnson et al. (2010), the results showed that participants who smiled performed better on attentional tasks which required seeing the whole forest rather than just the trees.
A smile is also a good way to alleviate some of the pain we feel in troubling circumstances:
Smiling is one way to reduce the distress caused by an upsetting situation. Psychologists call this the facial feedback hypothesis. Even forcing a smile when we don't feel like it is enough to lift our mood slightly (this is one example of embodied cognition).
One of our previous posts goes into even more detail about the science of smiling.

8. Plan a trip – but don't take one

As opposed to actually taking a holiday, it seems that planning a vacation or just a break from work can improve our happiness. A study published in the journal, Applied Research in Quality of Life showed that the highest spike in happiness came during the planning stage of a vacation as employees enjoyed the sense of anticipation:
In the study, the effect of vacation anticipation boosted happiness for eight weeks.

After the vacation, happiness quickly dropped back to baseline levels for most people.
Shawn Achor has some info for us on this point, as well:
One study found that people who just thought about watching their favorite movie actually raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent.

If you can't take the time for a vacation right now, or even a night out with friends, put something on the calendar—even if it's a month or a year down the road. Then whenever you need a boost of happiness, remind yourself about it.

9. Meditate – rewire your brain for happiness

Meditation is often touted as an important habit for improving focus, clarity and attention span, as well as helping to keep you calm. It turns out it's also useful for improving your happiness:
In one study, a research team from Massachusetts General Hospital looked at the brain scans of 16 people before and after they participated in an eight-week course in mindfulness meditation. The study, published in the January issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, concluded that after completing the course, parts of the participants' brains associated with compassion and self-awareness grew, and parts associated with stress shrank.
Meditation literally clears your mind and calms you down, it's been often proven to be the single most effective way to live a happier live. I believe that this graphic explains it the best:

Calming Mind Brain Waves - Before and After Meditation - 10 Simple Things You Can Do Today That Will Make You Happier, Backed By Science

According to Shawn Achor, meditation can actually make you happier long-term:
Studies show that in the minutes right after meditating, we experience feelings of calm and contentment, as well as heightened awareness and empathy. And, research even shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness.
The fact that we can actually alter our brain structure through mediation is most surprising to me and somewhat reassuring that however we feel and think today isn't permanent.

10. Practice gratitude – increase both happiness and life satisfaction

This is a seemingly simple strategy, but I've personally found it to make a huge difference to my outlook. There are lots of ways to practice gratitude, from keeping a journal of things you're grateful for, sharing three good things that happen each day with a friend or your partner, and going out of your way to show gratitude when others help you.

In an experiment where some participants took note of things they were grateful for each day, their moods were improved just from this simple practice:
The gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened well-being across several, though not all, of the outcome measures across the 3 studies, relative to the comparison groups. The effect on positive affect appeared to be the most robust finding. Results suggest that a conscious focus on blessings may have emotional and interpersonal benefits.
The Journal of Happiness studies published a study that used letters of gratitude to test how being grateful can affect our levels of happiness:
Participants included 219 men and women who wrote three letters of gratitude over a 3 week period.

Results indicated that writing letters of gratitude increased participants' happiness and life satisfaction, while decreasing depressive symptoms.

Quick last fact: Getting older will make yourself happier

As a final point, it's interesting to note that as we get older, particularly past middle age, we tend to grow happier naturally. There's still some debate over why this happens, but scientists have got a few ideas:
Researchers, including the authors, have found that older people shown pictures of faces or situations tend to focus on and remember the happier ones more and the negative ones less.

Other studies have discovered that as people age, they seek out situations that will lift their moods — for instance, pruning social circles of friends or acquaintances who might bring them down. Still other work finds that older adults learn to let go of loss and disappointment over unachieved goals, and hew their goals toward greater wellbeing.
So if you thought being old would make you miserable, rest assured that it's likely you'll develop a more positive outlook than you probably have now.

Want to chat about this article? Leave a comment below or send me an email with your thoughts.

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Saturday, 28 September 2013

7 Mind Blowing Facts About Your Body

The human body is even more impressive and magnificent than you can imagine.

7 Mind Blowing Facts About Your BodyWhile we may sometimes look at it and see how weak and fragile it is, we also need to realize the mind blowing wonders we all hold inside ourselves.

When our body works, we do not feel, or even notice it is doing anything special, however, it is.

As we go about our daily lives like nothing is happening, the body is working, using power, and healing.

Here are 7 mind blowing facts about your body.

1. Your brain operates on the same amount of power as a 10 watt light bulb

The human brain uses about 200 kilocalories per day, which equates to approximately 10 watts of power. For comparison's sake, that's about 10 percent of the power that it takes to run a 100-watt light bulb. So the cartoon image of a light bulb over your head when a great thought occurs isn't too far off the mark. Your brain generates as much energy as a small light bulb even when you're sleeping.

2. Every 7 years your body completely replaces itself

25,000,000 of your cells died while you read this sentence. It's okay though, your body made more than 300 billion new ones today. The cells that make up your body are dying and being replaced all the time. This happens so often that about every 7 years you have a completely new body of cells. While this is true for most cells, such as the cells lining the stomach, some of the most important cells in your body (those of your bones, your brain, and your heart) don't regenerate much at all, so treat them with care.

3. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 250 miles per hour

The speed of nerve impulses varies enormously but the fastest travel at about 250 mph. That's as fast as a Formula 1 racing car! However this demand for speed uses a lot of energy and is found only in neurons that need to transfer information urgently. For example, if you burn your fingers it is important that your brain gets the message to withdraw your hand very quickly.

4. There are more cells in your body than stars in the galaxy

Your entire body is made up of around 75 trillion cells. Each one of your cells is like a small city with thousands of different types of complex molecules interacting with each other to keep you alive and conscious. When you compare this to the 400 billion stars in our galaxy, you can understand just how magical your existence really is. So the next time you are feeling down or insignificant, simply remember, you are made of 75,000,000,000,000 cells, and that's far from “insignificant”!

5. There are 100,000 miles of blood vessels in an adult human body

If you took all of the blood vessels out of an average child, and laid them out in one line, the line would be over 60,000 miles long. An adult's vessels would be closer to 100,000 miles long! That means an adult's blood vessels could go around the circumference of the world more than 4 times!

6. The cells in your body react to your thoughts

Ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said: “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions”. Your mind is a powerful machine and controls every function of the body. But the good news is you have the power to control your mind. Experiencing positive thoughts leads to more positive thoughts and an even broader view of everything around us. For example, positive thoughts can strengthen your immune system while negative thoughts can bring it down.

7. You are made of stardust

As Carl Sagan used to say, we are made of “star stuff”. It sounds like a line from a poem, but there is some concrete science behind this statement: almost every element on Earth was formed at the heart of a star. The carbon, nitrogen and oxygen atoms in our bodies, as well as atoms of all other heavy elements, were created in previous generations of stars over 4.5 billion years ago. So next time you're out gazing at stars twinkling in the night sky, remember, we are all made of star dust, we are all one!

Astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked by a reader of TIME magazine, "What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?" This is his answer.


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Tuesday, 17 September 2013

21 Habits of Happy People

“Happiness is a habit – cultivate it.” ~ Elbert Hubbard
21 Habits of Happy People

Happiness is one aspiration all people share. No one wants to be sad and depressed. We've all seen people who are always happy – even amidst agonizing life trials. I'm not saying happy people don't feel grief, sorrow or sadness; they just don't let it overtake their life.

The following are 21 things happy people make a habit of doing:

1. Appreciate Life
Be thankful that you woke up alive each morning. Develop a childlike sense of wonder towards life. Focus on the beauty of every living thing. Make the most of each day. Don't take anything for granted. Don't sweat the small stuff.

2. Choose Friends Wisely
Surround yourself with happy, positive people who share your values and goals. Friends that have the same ethics as you will encourage you to achieve your dreams. They help you to feel good about yourself. They are there to lend a helping hand when needed.

3. Be Considerate
Accept others for who they are as well as where they are in life. Respect them for who they are. Touch them with a kind and generous spirit. Help when you are able, without trying to change the other person. Try to brighten the day of everyone you come into contact with.

4. Learn Continuously
Keep up to date with the latest news regarding your career and hobbies. Try new and daring things that has sparked your interest – such as dancing, skiing, surfing or sky-diving.

5. Creative Problem Solving
Don't wallow in self-pity. As soon as you face a challenge get busy finding a solution. Don't let the set backs affect your mood, instead see each new obstacle you face as an opportunity to make a positive change. Learn to trust your gut instincts – it's almost always right.

6. Do What They Love
Some statistics show that 80% of people dislike their jobs! No wonder there's so many unhappy people running around. We spend a great deal of our life working. Choose a career that you enjoy – the extra money of a job you detest isn't worth it. Make time to enjoy your hobbies and pursue special interests.

7. Enjoy Life
Take the time to see the beauty around you. There's more to life than work. Take time to smell the roses, watch a sunset or sunrise with a loved one, take a walk along the seashore, hike in the woods etc. Learn to live in the present moment and cherish it. Don't live in the past or the future.

8. Laugh
Don't take yourself – or life to seriously. You can find humor in just about any situation. Laugh at yourself – no one's perfect. When appropriate laugh and make light of the circumstances. (Naturally there are times that you should be serious as it would be improper to laugh.)

9. Forgive
Holding a grudge will hurt no one but you. Forgive others for your own peace of mind. When you make a mistake – own up to it – learn from it – and FORGIVE yourself.

10. Gratitude
Develop an attitude of gratitude. Count your blessings; All of them – even the things that seem trivial. Be grateful for your home, your work and most importantly your family and friends. Take the time to tell them that you are happy they are in your life.

11. Invest in Relationships
Always make sure your loved ones know you love them even in times of conflict. Nurture and grow your relationships with your family and friends by making the time to spend with them. Don't break your promises to them. Be supportive.

12. Keep Their Word
Honesty is the best policy. Every action and decision you make should be based on honesty. Be honest with yourself and with your loved ones.

13. Meditate
Meditation gives your very active brain a rest. When it's rested you will have more energy and function at a higher level. Types of meditation include yoga, hypnosis, relaxation tapes, affirmations, visualization or just sitting in complete silence. Find something you enjoy and make the time to practice daily.

14. Mind Their Own Business
Concentrate on creating your life the way you want it. Take care of you and your family. Don't get overly concerned with what other people are doing or saying. Don't get caught up with gossip or name calling. Don't judge. Everyone has a right to live their own life the way they want to – including you.

15. Optimism
See the glass as half full. Find the positive side of any given situation. It's there – even though it may be hard to find. Know that everything happens for a reason, even though you may never know what the reason is. Steer clear of negative thoughts. If a negative thought creeps in – replace it with a positive thought.

16. Love Unconditionally
Accept others for who they are. You don't put limitations on your love. Even though you may not always like the actions of your loved ones – you continue to love them.

17. Persistence
Never give up. Face each new challenge with the attitude that it will bring you one step closer to your goal. You will never fail, as long as you never give up. Focus on what you want, learn the required skills, make a plan to succeed and take action. We are always happiest while pursuing something of value to us.

18. Be Proactive
Accept what can not be changed. Happy people don't waste energy on circumstances beyond their control. Accept your limitations as a human being. Determine how you can take control by creating the outcome you desire – rather than waiting to respond.

19. Self Care
Take care of your mind, body and health. Get regular medical check ups. Eat healthy and work out. Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of water. Exercise your mind by continually energizing it with interesting and exciting challenges.

20. Self Confidence
Don't try to be someone that you're not. After all no one likes a phony. Determine who you are in the inside – your own personal likes and dislikes. Be confident in who you are. Do the best you can and don't second guess yourself.

21. Take Responsibility
Happy people know and understand that they are 100% responsible for their life. They take responsibility for their moods, attitude, thoughts, feelings, actions and words. They are the first to admit when they've made a mistake.

Begin today by taking responsibility for your happiness. Work on developing these habits as you own. The more you incorporate the above habits into your daily lifestyle – the happier you will be.

Most of all: BE TRUE TO YOURSELF.

By: Cindy Holbrook

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Saturday, 14 September 2013

12 Little Known Laws of Karma (That Will Change Your Life)

What is Karma? Karma is the Sanskrit word for action. It is equivalent to Newton's law of ‘every action must have a reaction’. When we think, speak or act we initiate a force that will react accordingly. This returning force maybe modified, changed or suspended, but most people will not be able eradicate it.

This law of cause and effect is not punishment, but is wholly for the sake of education or learning.
12 Little Known Laws of Karma (That Will Change Your Life)
A person may not escape the consequences of his actions, but he will suffer only if he himself has made the conditions ripe for his suffering. Ignorance of the law is no excuse whether the laws are man-made or universal.

To stop being afraid and to start being empowered in the worlds of karma and reincarnation, here is what you need to know about karmic laws.

  1. THE GREAT LAW

    - "As you sow, so shall you reap". This is also known as the "Law of Cause and Effect".
    - Whatever we put out in the Universe is what comes back to us.
    - If what we want is Happiness, Peace, Love, Friendship... Then we should BE Happy, Peaceful, Loving and a True Friend.

  2. THE LAW OF CREATION

    - Life doesn't just HAPPEN, it requires our participation.
    - We are one with the Universe, both inside and out.
    - Whatever surrounds us gives us clues to our inner state.
    - BE yourself, and surround yourself with what you want to have present in your Life.

  3. THE LAW OF HUMILITY

    - What you refuse to accept, will continue for you.
    - If what we see is an enemy, or someone with a character trait that we find to be negative, then we ourselves are not focused on a higher level of existence.

  4. THE LAW OF GROWTH

    - "Wherever you go, there you are".
    - For us to GROW in Spirit, it is we who must change - and not the people, places or things around us.
    - The only given we have in our lives is OURSELVES and that is the only factor we have control over.
    - When we change who and what we are within our heart our life follows suit and changes too.

  5. THE LAW OF RESPONSIBILITY

    - Whenever there is something wrong in my life, there is something wrong in me.
    - We mirror what surrounds us - and what surrounds us mirrors us; this is a Universal Truth.
    - We must take responsibility what is in our life.

  6. THE LAW OF CONNECTION

    - Even if something we do seems inconsequential, it is very important that it gets done as everything in the Universe is connected.
    - Each step leads to the next step, and so forth and so on.
    - Someone must do the initial work to get a job done.
    - Neither the first step nor the last are of greater significance,
    - As they were both needed to accomplish the task.
    - Past-Present-Future they are all connected...

  7. THE LAW OF FOCUS

    - You can not think of two things at the same time.
    - When our focus is on Spiritual Values, it is impossible for us to have lower thoughts such as greed or anger.

  8. THE LAW OF GIVING AND HOSPITALITY

    - If you believe something to be true,then sometime in your life you will be called upon to demonstrate that particular truth.
    - Here is where we put what we CLAIM that we have learned, into actual PRACTICE.

  9. THE LAW OF HERE AND NOW

    - Looking backward to examine what was, prevents us from being totally in the HERE AND NOW.
    - Old thoughts, old patterns of behavior, old dreams...
    - Prevent us from having new ones.

  10. THE LAW OF CHANGE

    - History repeats itself until we learn the lessons that we need to change our path.

  11. THE LAW OF PATIENCE AND REWARD

    - All Rewards require initial toil.
    - Rewards of lasting value require patient and persistent toil.
    - True joy follows doing what we're suppose to be doing, and waiting for the reward to come in on its own time.

  12. THE LAW OF SIGNIFICANCE AND INSPIRATION

    - You get back from something whatever YOU have put into it.
    - The true value of something is a direct result of the energy and intent that is put into it.
    - Every personal contribution is also a contribution to the Whole.
    - Lack luster contributions have no impact on the Whole, nor do they work to diminish it.
    - Loving contributions bring life to, and inspire, the Whole.
Sources: Bliss Returned and Raven Emrys

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Wednesday, 4 September 2013

How Negative Energy Affects Your Life and How to Clear It

You know that like attracts like, right? So here's the deal: Positive people are drawn to positive energy; negative people are drawn to negative energy. We tend to perceive negative energy as something other people have. Sure, sometimes we feel negative – as in, “go away and leave me alone, world!” but did you know that negativity can be so ingrained in you that it goes unnoticed?

That's because negativity sometimes wears a disguise called ‘reality'. It's easy to rationalize that you're ‘just being realistic' in not daring to act on a dream – and believe it!

You may assume that positive people are not being realistic – that they're being naive, that they are in denial with their heads stuck in the sand, that they put on fake smiles in the face of difficulty and so forth. But are they really happy idiots or is there something to their positivity?

How Negative Energy Affects Your Life and How to Clear It

Consider this: since when does ‘being realistic' necessarily mean that things will go wrong and that you have to accept that as the truth?

That doesn't mean that being realistic is automatically negative. When you view the world from a ‘realistic' standpoint, you can't help but be negative IF your version of reality is negative.

If your version of reality is negative, you are conditioned to believe that whatever can go wrong, will go wrong and whatever can go right, will probably go wrong too. Your unconsciously held beliefs make you into a negative person without your being aware of it!

So – if this negativity is so ingrained in you that you don't notice it, how do you determine whether you're stuck in a cloud of negative energy that is attracting the wrong people, wrong situations and wrong feelings? And how can you be sure you're not perpetuating that negativity?

Here's a quick quiz to gauge the level of negative energy within you:
- Do you complain? All the time or just sometimes?
- Do you often discuss what's wrong in the world more than what's right? This includes the ‘terrible' weather, ‘horrible' traffic, ‘idiotic' government, ‘lousy' economy, ‘stupid' in-laws, etc.
- Do you criticize? All the time or just certain people?
- Are you attracted to drama and disaster (can you unglue yourself from the TV when there's a news story of a disaster and can you avoid getting involved in the lives of dysfunctional celebrities?)
- Do you blame? All the time or just certain situations?
- Do you believe that you have no control over most of your results?
- Do you feel like a victim? Do you talk about people doing things to you?
- Are you grateful for what is or will you be grateful when things finally start going right for you?
- Do you feel like things are happening to you? Or do you feel that they are happening through you?

These last two points are important: If you're not grateful except when things go right, you are negative. Gratitude is positive. If you are grateful for what is (including the unpleasant school of life lessons, then you can invite more and more positive energy into your life.

Believing that things happen to you puts you in the role of victim; then it's easy to be negative because it's convenient to give up that power. So consider this alternative: who or what is to blame when GOOD things happen to you? Do you acknowledge that you are responsible for the good things – as in, you worked hard, you earned it, etc… but blame external events or other people for your failures? So how come, when good things happen, they are a result of what you do, but when bad things happen, they are not your fault?

Nobody likes to hear that. It takes courage to accept that you create your life experience!

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you are holding on to negative energy to some degree! To clear your negative energy and raise your vibration, you will need to retrain yourself to choose a positive attitude.

Here's another interesting idea to consider: have you noticed that positive people seem to get what they want out of life, and even if things don't go their way, they still enjoy their lives… while negative people whine and moan about their misfortunes and even the good things in their lives?

To clear negative energy, try this 3 -step process:
1. Take ownership: “When you think everything is someone else's fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy.” – the Dalai Lama

2. Cancel negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. This takes practice, dedication and making a decision to see the world through the eyes of “what can go right” instead of “what can go wrong.” You'll have to catch yourself anytime you are acting out or speaking out your negativity, and immediately change your tune.

3. Use the Love or Above Spiritual Toolkit to clear your energy and bring more light and love into your life; visualize the positive instead of getting sucked into negativity; overcome past conditioning; think intuitively from the soul instead from ‘reality'; create a new, desired reality in your imagination and manifest it in the outer world. Nobody wants negative energy to permeate their lives, yet many of us allow it. But we allow it unconsciously, based on past conditioning that suggests an inevitable outcome to certain situations. When you overcome that conditioning and realize that the future is NOT cast in stone but that you have more control over your circumstances than you believe – then you can begin to consciously design your life.

What's going to happen then? Your positive energy will magnetically attract what you consider to be good and right for you: people, situations, things… and you'll notice a huge, huge increase in your happiness and inner peace.

Why not choose positive energy? Make some changes within, and you'll quickly see positive changes in your life. Enjoy the good feelings and abundance!

Source: LoveorAbove

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Sunday, 28 April 2013

Living Beyond Limits - The Power of Imagination

Amy Purdy talks about the power of imagination. She explains how our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by the choices we make. Imagination allows us to break down borders, to move beyond our circumstances, to create and constantly progress. If you've ever been tempted to give up on your dreams, you’ll surely find this TEDx video inspirational.

“It's believing in those dreams and facing our fears head on that allows us to live our lives beyond our limits... Our borders and our obstacles can only do two things: (1) stop us in our tracks, or (2) force us to get creative.” -Amy Purdy

Amy Purdy has been through hardships that most of us will never face -- or can even fathom. But what makes her story so incredible is not that fact that she lived a "normal" childhood and spent her high school years as a passionate artist and snowboarder, then traumatically lost both her legs at age 19, but how she has persevered, taking implausible challenges and rising above them.

Today, Amy is an athlete; currently the top ranked adaptive female snowboarder in the world. Amy also spends a good amount of time helping others; specifically those with physical challenges get involved with snowboarding, skateboarding, wakeboarding and other action sports through the organization she co-founded Adaptive Action Sports. Challenging herself while making a positive impact on the world is a true testament to Amy's spirit.

“Instead of looking at our challenges and limitations as something negative or bad, we can begin to look at them as blessings, magnificent gifts that can be used to ignite our imaginations and help us go further than we ever knew we could go.” -Amy Purdy
Living Beyond Limits - The Power of Imagination (photo by Phoebe Rudomino)
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge. | Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts.” -Albert Einstein

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Saturday, 6 April 2013

How To Meditate - What is Meditation

A series of six videos on how to practice meditation without the requirement of religious dogma. This video discusses both the meaning of meditation and the foundations of meditation practice.


“You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day, unless you're too busy; then you should sit for an hour.” ~Old Zen adage
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Wednesday, 20 March 2013

13 Year Old Inventor Replicates Fibonacci Sequence to Harness Solar Power

A 13-year old boy, Aidan Dwyer, realized that the fractal nature of trees allows each leaf to get sunlight. Then he wondered why we don't use the Fibonacci sequence in the placement of solar panels to harness energy from the sun and he came up with a little invention to generate the maximum amount of energy.

In the video below, Aidan explains “My design is like a tree, but instead of having leaves it has solar panels at the ends (of the branches).”


“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” ~Greek Proverb

13 Year Old Inventor Replicates Fibonacci Sequence to Harness Solar Power
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Wednesday, 13 March 2013

This Is What Happens When A Kid Leaves Traditional Education


Logan Laplante is a 13 year-old boy who was taken out of the education system to be home schooled instead. Logan had the ability to tailor his education to his interests and also his style of learning, something traditional education does not offer.

Logan said that when he grows up he wants to be happy and healthy. At the TEDx talk below, he discussed how hacking his education is helping him achieve that goal.


“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life.” -John Lennon

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Sunday, 3 March 2013

Jim Carrey - The Power of Consciousness

Jim Carrey like you have never seen him before!

“I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it's not the answer.” -Jim Carrey


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