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This is Where AYA's New Ashram Will Be
published on Fri. Aug. 29th, '08 by Swami AtmaPosted in: Yoga - Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Border Yoga Across the US/Mexico Fence
published on Wed. Aug. 27th, '08 by Swami AtmaThis nice article tells of the yoga classes being held across the disgraceful fence/wall dividing the US and Mexico - keeps on reminding me of the Berlin wall.
The rusty fence may divide the beaches of U.S. and Mexico, but it can't break up a yoga class.
Posted in: Yoga - Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Christian the Lion
published on Tue. Aug. 26th, '08 by Swami AtmaThis is an exceptional video clip. True story of a rescued cub's reunion with his human caretakers. Worth the watch.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Announcing Sita's New Blog
published on Tue. Aug. 26th, '08 by Swami AtmaOm Namah Sivaya!
We haven't yet announced that Sita has started her own new blog a little while ago.
I'm subscribed to it and I recommend it.
Posted in: Positive News - Yoga | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
The Upside of Aging
published on Fri. Jun. 13th, '08 by Swami AtmaThis story will make you feel better if you belong to those of us who are over the hill.
It starts strong ...
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.
... and it just gets better.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Little Actions that Make a Difference
published on Wed. Jun. 11th, '08 by Swami AtmaHere is a great web site. Many of us want to make this world a better world but feel overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of the problems the planet faces. We tend to feel powerless on the individual level.
The we are what we do web site empowers its visitors to do small actions, which carried out by a large number of folks, brings about big results.
Suggested by Maria.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
What Makes Finnish Students Best in the World?
published on Sat. Jun. 7th, '08 by Swami AtmaIt seems when you compare countries on many factors Northern Europe in general and Scandinavia in particular seem to always fare very well.
This trend is true again as far as education is concerned. What's funny about it is the methods they use. Instead of overworking the kids they give them plenty of free time and freedom. What a concept!
High-school students here rarely get more than a half-hour of homework a night. They have no school uniforms, no honor societies, no valedictorians, no tardy bells and no classes for the gifted. There is little standardized testing, few parents agonize over college and kids don't start school until age 7.
So what makes us think their educational system is so good?
They earned some of the top scores by 15-year-old students who were tested in 57 countries.
This excellent story from the Wall Street Journal explores the many factors that lead to such outstanding results. Read it. It's a lot of fun.
I filed this post under politics because while all politicians talk a big game about schools and education I think the budget ratio education vs. defense department (read attack department in some cases) speaks volumes more than empty words.
Posted in: Politics - Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Generating Electricity with Molten Salt
published on Tue. Jan. 15th, '08 by Sita ChaitanyaA new company called SolarReserve has developed a more efficient way to use solar power to generate electricity. Historically, the main drawback of solar power is that it doesn't work at night or on cloudy days.
This new method gets away from that problem by using mirrors spaced all over the ground that are pointed at a central tower. The sun's rays bounce off the mirrors and heat up the contents of the tower. The interesting thing is that the towers are filled with salt. When the salt gets hot enough it turns to liquid and is pumped to a steam generator that turns a turbine that creates electricity.
all the mirrors on the ground pointing at the salt towers
It turns out that salt is the most efficient fluid to transport the sun's heat and that it can store heat really well.
This product is more predictable than water reserves, the supply is free and inexhaustible, and the environmental impact is essentially zero.
another view
It sounds like a really good thing. You can read the original article here.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Man's Bottled Message Found After his Death
published on Sun. Jan. 6th, '08 by Swami AtmaEleven years ago, a then 10-year-old Joshua Baker wrote the message nestled in an empty vanilla container, his mother, Maggie Holbrook said. He died last February following a motor vehicle accident in California. He had recently returned home after serving in the Middle East as a U.S. Marine.
So he sent the message when he was 10 years old and the message was found only 11 years later.
See fill story.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Punk Kid Saves Man
published on Mon. Nov. 19th, '07 by Swami AtmaThe title of this post sounds over the top but it's the literal truth.
"I jumped down on to the tracks, lifted him off the ground and put him on my shoulder - he was heavy but there was enough adrenaline rushing through to help me," said Julian, who is in year 9 at Lisarow High School and plays guitar in punk rock band Checkered Fist.
Mark O'Dwyer with his 14-year-old saviour Julian Shaw
I highly recommend you read the whole story
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Improve Your Vocabulary & Feed The World
published on Thu. Nov. 15th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis is one of my new favorite sites. Through a clever system supported by un-obstructive ads you can improve your vocabulary and for each word you are tested on ten grains of rice are donated to people suffering from hunger.
You start at a certain level of difficulty and as you answer well the difficulty climbs, when you fail you go back to another level. The site keeps track of the global stats for each word and determines the difficulty accordingly.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
World Vegetarian Day
published on Thu. Sep. 27th, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaComing up October 1 is World Vegetarian Day. Started in 1977 by the North American Vegetarian Society, its popularity has grown over the years and now there are events and celebrations held throughout the month of October all over the world.
For those new to vegetarianism, it serves as an enticement to give meatless fare a try (even for a day) and learn about its many benefits. And, of course, it's the perfect occasion for vegetarians and those already moving towards plant-based diets to celebrate their healthy, compassionate food choices.
The main goal of Vegetarian Awareness Day and the following Vegetarian Awareness Month is to promote the benefits of being vegetarian, through community events, outreach materials, and sponsorships.
The simple act of choosing vegetarian meals is a powerful force for positive change — impacting ourselves, other people, animals and our Earth home.
beautiful vegetarian food
Posted in: General - Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Sea of Pink
published on Sun. Sep. 23rd, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaHere is an uplifting story about two 12th graders at Central Kings Rural High School in Cambridge, Nova Scotia, who fought back in a peaceful way against the bullying of a 9th grade boy who wore a pink shirt on the first day of school.
They went to a nearby discount store and bought 50 pink shirts, including tank tops, to wear to school the next day.
Then the two went online to e-mail classmates to get them on board with their anti-bullying cause that they dubbed a "sea of pink."
But a tsunami of support poured in the next day.
Not only were dozens of students outfitted with the discount tees, but hundreds of students showed up wearing their own pink clothes, some head-to-toe.
No one has heard from the bullies since. Just shows what an impact peaceful protest and working together can have.
picture of the two 12th grade boys
Posted in: Positive News - General | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
The Value of Organic Food
published on Wed. Sep. 12th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis story from bbc.co.uk is interesting on a number of levels.
First it demonstrates quite conclusively that organic food has some definite health advantages.
A ten-year study comparing organic tomatoes with standard produce found almost double the level of flavonoids - a type of antioxidant
Then it becomes almost comical. There is obvious bias of both the scientists and the BBC writer to not acknowledge that organic food is superior. In order to get to their ends they just ignore logical thinking altogether in a maddening way.
Here is the excerpt starting with the bold heading 'conflicting evidence':
Conflicting evidence
Flavonoids have also been linked with reduced rates of some types of cancer and dementia.
The Food Standards Agency says there is some evidence that flavonoids can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and they are currently carrying out a study to look at the health benefits in more detail.
However, a spokesperson said there was no evidence that organic food was healthier.
So here is the thinking process of the article:
- Scientists have proven that their are more flavonoids in organic food
- It's proven that flavonoids can reduce high blood pressure and lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Flavonoids have also been linked with reduced rates of some types of cancer and dementia.
- Studies so far do not show connection between organic diet and better health.
- That's a conflict of evidence.
There is no conflict at all. They should just start new studies right away to make that connection which is more than likely and strongly encourage folks to eat organic food.
Instead, just to make sure that the status quo is not threatened, they come up with the following:
Our long-standing advice on organic food is there can be some nutrient differences but it doesn't mean it's necessarily better for you.
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Salt Water as Fuel?
published on Tue. Sep. 11th, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaThis is an interesting story about John Kanzius from Erie, Pennsylvania who invented a radio-frequency generator, and by accident was able to burn salt water in a test tube, producing a whole lot of energy.
Dr. Roy said the salt water isn't burning per se, despite appearances. The radio frequency actually weakens bonds holding together the constituents of salt water -- sodium chloride, hydrogen and oxygen -- and releases the hydrogen, which, once ignited, burns continuously when exposed to the RF energy field.
A lot more research is needed to determine if this method could be an efficient energy source to power things like cars. If it can, the implications are enormous.
"This is the most abundant element in the world. It is everywhere," Dr. Roy said of salt water. "Seeing it burn gives me chills."
Let's hope the politicians don't mess this up. Original article here.
Posted in: General - Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Go To Sleep in 1988. Wake Up In 2007
published on Wed. Sep. 5th, '07 by Swami AtmaRailwayman Jan Grzebski fell into a coma after he was hit by a train in 1988, the private channel Polsat said.
During his 20 year coma his wife kept taking care of him and he now says he's very grateful.
She's the one who always took care of me. She saved my life," he said.
Obviously things have changed quite a bit since he was last conscious, while his native country Poland was ruled by the communists.
"What amazes me today is all these people who walk around with their mobile phones and never stop moaning. I've got nothing to complain about," said Grzebski
Please read the whole story.
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A Complaint Free World
published on Tue. Jul. 24th, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaAt Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, Missouri, a program called "A Complaint Free World" was started to try to make the world a better place. The theory is that complaining is habitual for each of us, and they wanted to bring awareness to just how much we do this every day and try to change this very negative habit.
The way it works is you wear a purple bracelet that you get from them. When you find yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing you switch the bracelet to the other wrist. If you can make it 21 days without complaining you have formed a new habit and, in their words,
You will find that your entire life is happier, more loving, more positive and more abundant.
To date, the Christ Church Unity has been requested to ship almost 6 million bracelets to eighty different countries. The most amazing thing is that the whole operation is done completely with volunteers and by donation. The bracelets and shipping are free and no profit goes to the church.
A novel and simple idea that can only help to make the world better for all of us. Much good luck to them.
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Flower Essence Therapy
published on Mon. May. 21st, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaIn England during the 1930's, Dr. Edward Bach developed Flower Essence Therapy. This healing therapy captures the vibrational essence of whole flowers in pure water by using sunlight and fresh air.
Trained as a medical doctor, Dr. Bach came to believe through his practice that certain negative emotional states of people seemed to correspond with certain diseases, and that homeopathic treatments were better able to help the mental state of the person than could traditional medicine.
To understand how flower essences work requires a recognition that the human being is more than a physical body, but also incorporates a "body" of life energy, a "body" of sensitivity and feelings, and a spiritual essence or Self. Flower essences are energetic imprints of the life force of plants which interact with these subtle bodies of the human being, and evoke specific qualities within us. fesflowers.com
Generally, flower essence therapy is designed to help people work with mental and emotional issues. By studying the form and function of flowering plants, Dr. Bach was able to determine a corresponding relationship to various mental and emotional states in people.
He found that the vibrational essence of certain flowers resonates with these mental and emotional states, so if you administer the appropriate flower essence a person can rectify personal patterns of imbalance in their lives, replacing negative mental and emotional states with positive ones and curing or preventing disease.
Cerato - flower essence for intuition, self-confidence
Over the course of many years work, Dr. Bach was able to identify 38 flower essences which are still being used today. They cover a whole range of emotional and mental states such as trust and confidence, tolerance, patience, spiritual surrender, selfless love, joyous service, etc.
There are many websites where you can get more information, such as The Original Bach Flower Essences and the Flower Essence Services who have gone on to develop a number of additional flower essences using the same techniques as Dr. Bach. Over the years there are many people who claim to have benefitted from this therapy.
The understanding of the Unity of all things: that the Creator of all things is Love, and that everything of which we are conscious is in all its infinite number of forms a manifestation of that Love, whether it be a planet or a pebble, a star or a dewdrop, man or the lowest form of life. Dr. Bach, Heal Thyself
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Zero Carbon Is the Goal for Woodstock
published on Thu. May. 3rd, '07 by Swami AtmaI think we live in a historical time. In the last couple years the majority of people have truly become aware of the necessity of preserving the environment or stopping its destruction.
This message, by the way, was clamored by ecologists since the 1960's but they were laughed at by most. Of course some countries and societies were faster in terms of understanding the problems and working on solutions to solve them.
The next step is for society as a whole, which means for the great majority of individuals, to actually take steps that involve self sacrifice in most occasions, in order to remedy the problems.
Here is a great example of this.
The goal might sound as unlikely as stuffing smoke back into a smokestack. Even sympathetic experts call it challenging. It likely would require many of the town's roughly 6,200 people to install solar panels and geothermal hookups. But it's tough to find a resident who doesn't support the project.
Alan Carey said he switched to compact fluorescent bulbs, burns more wood and tries to drive less.
''I don't know if we can do it,'' Carey said, ''but we're going to try.''
Please read the whole story.
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Where Are The Happiest Children
published on Wed. Apr. 25th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis serious study has been exploring what's the country with the happiest children.
The study by the UN children's organisation, Unicef, looked at relative poverty, educational and health standards, sexual behaviour and the children's relationship with friends and parents.
And the winner is ...
The Netherlands
He says he is not surprised by the report. "On the one hand you have objective indicators in the report like health, income and education. The Netherlands is a very rich country. On the other hand, and perhaps more importantly, are the subjective indicators, young people's own subjective sense of well-being."
The whole article is very interesting. Especially the interviews of teenagers.
Rutt Veenhoven, professor of social conditions for human happiness at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, says he was unsurprised by the report's findings.
"Small affluent countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark are very democratic and very free. There is also a very good education system. People can use that freedom and education to make the right choices," he says.
Posted in: Positive News - Nice Photos | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Scientists Try to Predict Intentions
published on Tue. Apr. 24th, '07 by Swami AtmaThe last couple decades and even years have seen a huge advancement in scientific understanding of the brain. It's a fascinating field which, unfortunately, I don't have the time or brain power to follow.
However every so often it's fun to see some of the experiments that are going on.
In the past, scientists had been able to detect decisions about making physical movements before those movements appeared. But researchers at Berlin's Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience claim they have now, for the first time, identified people's decisions about how they would later do a high-level mental activity — in this case, adding versus subtracting.
''The fact that we can determine what intention a person is holding in their mind pushes the level of our understanding of subjective thought to a whole new level,'' said Dr. Paul Wolpe, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania, who was not connected to the study.
See the whole article
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Happy Birthday x 2
published on Sat. Apr. 21st, '07 by Sita ChaitanyaThere are two notable birthdays to celebrate today, April 22.
Sri Sankaracharya
Today is the Jayanti, or Hindu celebration of the birthday of Sri Sankaracharya, according to the spiritual calendar of the Divine Life Society.
Adi Sankara.
Among a number of other things which were all quite notable, Adi Sankara is the exponent of the great philosophy of advaita vedanta and the organizer of the ten Swami orders, whose lineage can be traced through the years directly to Swami Sivananda. You can read more of the highlights of his life and philosophy here.
Om Sri Sankaracharyaya Namah!
Swami Atma
Today is also the actual birthday of our own beloved teacher, Swami Atma. Happy Birthday Swamiji!!! Hope you have many, many more birthdays and years of wonderful sadhana and spiritual illumination.
Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You-ou, Happy Birthday to You … and many mooorrre.
For anyone who would like to send a birthday greeting to Swami Atma go here.
PS. Nicole-Shakti and Sandra-Sarada wish you Happy Birthday.
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Heart-warming Story
published on Mon. Apr. 16th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis illustrates how little gestures can truly have a formidable impact.
Winnipeg is about 8 or 9 hours and an border crossing away from our home, so it was a non-trivial jaunt for a sporting event. For us, it was a novel adventure.
To this day I am still astonished by the man's anonymous generosity and can't help but reflect on how that simple act affected the perception of folks from Winnipeg and perhaps Canadians in general.
I really recommend you read the whole story.
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107 Year Young Starts Blog
published on Fri. Mar. 9th, '07 by Swami AtmaYes, you read right, Olive Riley is 107 and she started a blog last February.
Since she has problems seeing she actually dictates to somebody. Obviously she's got lots of stories to tell and she seems to have a fun spirit.
Since her blog got written about in a number of places it achieved a success nobody would have foretold starting with her.
Good afternoon everyone. This is Olive here. First, I want to thank all of you who visited my blob. Gerard says there’ve been 192,000 visits but that can’t be right.
One more nugget here.
Mike: It’s a blog, Ollie. Not a blob.
Olive: Oh, really?
Mike: Anyway, blob is fine. Call it a blob if you like.(For those of you joining us for the first time. Olive is 107, lives near Sydney, Australia and I’m Mike, the helper/typist.)
Check it out yourself.
Posted in: Positive News | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Folding Chair Like You Have Never Seen Before
published on Thu. Mar. 8th, '07 by Swami AtmaCheck out this video about a revolutionary type of chair, armchair, sofa.
Posted in: Positive News - Jokes & Fun | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
'Idiot' Gets Rich
published on Wed. Mar. 7th, '07 by Swami AtmaI guess it worth the insult
He told Iowa Lottery staffers he didn't think to check the results until a couple days afterward, when a chamber receptionist pointed out an article in the local newspaper.
"She said, 'Read this article about the idiot that hasn't claimed his ticket.' So I read it and noticed where the ticket was bought," O'Neill said. "I thought, 'Gee, I better look at my ticket.' That's when I said, 'I think I won."'
Here you can read the whole CNN article
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Modern Farm
published on Mon. Mar. 5th, '07 by Swami AtmaDriving or even walking through the country side here and it's not rare to see modern wind mills and farms with plenty of solar panels on the roofs.
Posted in: Positive News - Nice Photos | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Paraglider Caught in Tornado Survives
published on Mon. Mar. 5th, '07 by Swami AtmaAnother amazing story. She got the ride of her life.
A German paraglider was encased in ice and blacked out after being sucked into a tornado-like thunderstorm in Australia and carried to a height greater than Mount Everest. She survived.
“The glider kept climbing, climbing and I couldn’t see anything," recalled Ewa Wisnerska. "Then it got dark."
The 2005 World Cup winner was lifted 32,612 feet (9,940 meters) above sea level by the storm near Manilla
Believe me I feel like quoting the whole article, but that does not make sense. Do yourself a favor and go read the whole story.
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Innovative Clock
published on Thu. Mar. 1st, '07 by Swami Atma
I think you need to go there to really get it.
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Vegetarians Are Smarter, Says Study
published on Wed. Feb. 28th, '07 by Swami AtmaThat's a study we won't complain about. Who are we to argue with scientists?
Frequently dismissed as cranks, their fussy eating habits tend to make them unpopular with dinner party hosts and guests alike.
But now it seems they may have the last laugh, with research showing vegetarians are more intelligent than their meat-eating friends.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers say it isn't clear why veggies are brainier - but admit the fruit and veg-rich vegetarian diet could somehow boost brain power.
Please read the whole article.
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Scott Adams Recovers Voice
published on Tue. Feb. 27th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis a true feel-good story.
Scott Adams is the author of the 'Dilbert' funnies but that's not the point of this post. He wrote an article that retraces how he came to totally lose his voice and then to gain it back.
This is an inspiring example of a 'small miracle' born out of positive thinking, common sense, courage, tenacity and a few other qualities.
Why do I consider this a 'small miracle'? Because of this quote:
I asked my doctor – a specialist for this condition – how many people have ever gotten better. Answer: zero.
My family and friends have been great. They read my lips as best they can. They lean in to hear the whispers. They guess. They put up with my six tries to say one word. And my personality is completely altered. My normal wittiness becomes slow and deliberate. And often, when it takes effort to speak a word intelligibly, the wrong word comes out because too much of my focus is on the effort of talking instead of the thinking of what to say. So a lot of the things that came out of my mouth frankly made no sense.
How did his recovery come about?
The day before yesterday, while helping on a homework assignment, I noticed I could speak perfectly in rhyme.
Or maybe it’s just plain catchy. I enjoyed repeating it more than I should have. Then something happened. My brain remapped. My speech returned.
It makes more sense when you read his whole post.
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Another Take on Global Warming
published on Mon. Feb. 26th, '07 by Swami AtmaThis is my second post pointing to a study or article that recognizes that the best thing people could do for the planet and to combat the greenhouse effect would be to become vegetarian.
"The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." It turns out that raising animals for food is a primary cause of land degradation, air pollution, water shortage, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and not least of all, global warming.
This whole article is very well written.
Posted in: Positive News - Yoga | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Birds Do Grammar!?!
published on Sat. Feb. 24th, '07 by Swami Atma
The more it goes and the more scientists discover how much more involved than we think animals are.
This is a stunning example
Starlings learned to differentiate between a regular birdsong "sentence" and one containing a clause or another sentence of warbling, according to a study in Thursday's journal Nature. It took University of California at San Diego psychology researcher Tim Gentner a month and about 15,000 training attempts, with food as a reward, to get the birds to recognize the most basic of grammar in their own bird language.
Please read the whole story.
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Female Nobel Laureates Launch Peace Bid
published on Tue. Feb. 20th, '07 by Swami Atma"After the revolution, we were informed that women could not be judges anymore and women judges were demoted to administrative levels," she said in an interview Tuesday. "I became the clerk of the court in which I had been the judge. Of course, I couldn't tolerate that and I got early retirement."
Ebadi became a human rights activist and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2003. Now she has a new goal: She's teamed up with other women laureates to launch a campaign to promote a peaceful solution to U.S.-Iran tensions.
Please read the whole story here.
Posted in: Positive News - Politics | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
Swami Saradanandaji's 60th Birthday
published on Sun. Feb. 18th, '07 by Swami AtmaDuring the 7-month publishing interruption, I have collected a number of interesting links.
Understandingly some of these posts come quite late but I think there are worthwhile anyway.
For yogis the 60th birthday is particularly significant because the planets, since the higher applications of jyotish aka vedic astrology is regarded highly by yogis and sages, are aligned in a very similar fashion than at one's birth time.
Swami Saradanandaji was the focus of a traditional Jubilee celebration. Very interesting. A facet of yoga most are not familiar with.
Feel free to see the online photo album
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Magician David Copperfield Gets Robbed... Yeah Right
published on Mon. Feb. 12th, '07 by Swami AtmaCopperfield had to use all his magic to avoid being robbed.
Two armed robbers allegedly got out of the car and demanded the group's belongings. One woman handed over $400 from her pockets and the other gave up her purse with 200 euros, $100, her passport, plane tickets and a cell phone. Copperfield refused to empty his pockets, the report said.
Please read the whole story here to find out how he did it.
Posted in: Positive News - Jokes & Fun | comments disabled (?) | Permalink
100-year-old Decides It's Time to Retire
published on Sun. Feb. 11th, '07 by Swami Atma
Arthur Winston - 100 years old
But for Arthur “Deke” Winston, turning 100 is no big deal. Not going to work from now on is what will take some getting used to.
“I'm flabbergasted,” says Winston. “I'm happy, I'm nervous.”
Feel good story.
Please read the whole story here.
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Prepare To Be Amazed
published on Sat. May. 20th, '06 by Swami AtmaI had heard about these experiments for a long time but I had never witnessed any before.
You need the sound turned on to watch this video.
These are salt patterns crystallized by sounds.
Found it at digg.com.
I think this video alone is worth the trouble of being subscribed to this blog. Unfortunately I was unable to do a screen capture. To see the results please go to the site.
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Students Spend Break Rebuilding Gulf Coast
published on Mon. May. 8th, '06 by Swami AtmaOk here is another issue that leaves me conflicted.
A few years ago while learning more about global warming and one of its consequences, the rising of the oceans, I learned that many coasts around the world will become submerged and therefore many cities will be destroyed in the process.
Some tough times ahead for sure.
When the Katrina hurricane came, I thought "oh no!" that's the beginning of it.
Turns out most of the city is below city level, which is a bad spot to be these days.
In light of the above I'm a bit surprised that everyone is rushing to rebuild the city without at least a debate about it. Of course billions and billions of tax US$ have already been sent that way and I'm not sure it's the wise thing to do.
This being said the area and the people do need help and there are many heart-warming stories about the charity and benevolence of many good folks.
Behind her, a dozen or so students hauled flooring and insulation to the curb with large shovels and wheelbarrows, tossing it onto a large pile of ruined furniture, clothing and other debris.
Please read the whole story here.
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Businesses Trying To Be More Ethical
published on Wed. Apr. 12th, '06 by Swami AtmaEthical labor and environmental practices are being enforced by visionary CEOs who see that responsibility and integrity is good business.../blockquote>
Of course it's easy to be skeptical about this but it's a step in the right direction.
Today, Harvard University is among more than 30 business schools offering courses on social responsibility.* This is illustrative of many postive trends in business, ...
Please read the whole story here.
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A Very Good Web Site
published on Tue. Apr. 11th, '06 by Swami AtmaI recently discovered, or more exactly rediscovered, the 'Smithsonian Magazine' web site and I have been very impressed.
It's one of those web sites which have it all. Very rich content, sattvic in nature, beautiful design, easy and clear navigation.
Essentially a model for all web developers and a good destination for yogis and other sattvic folks.
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Can You Do That?
published on Wed. Mar. 29th, '06 by Swami Atma
This 15 year old student, Gaurav Rajav, recites 8,784 digits of Pi.
Gaurav began memorizing Pi while a student in Gooding's class. Gooding holds the competition every year, and said she expected students to learn about 40 digits. Gaurav recited nearly 2,990 the first time.
Please read the whole story here.
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Vandal Leaves $200 To Fix Car Windshield
published on Wed. Mar. 29th, '06 by Swami AtmaPapenbrock, a "Winter Texan" from Blue Springs, Mo., was dismayed to find that the rear windshield of her 2004 Buick was busted.
"Initially, I was upset," she said in Tuesday's online edition of the Island Breeze. "It was really smashed in. There was glass everywhere."
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Amish Neighbors Rebuild House in 15 Hours
published on Tue. Mar. 28th, '06 by Swami AtmaI'm becoming more aware that there are many positive and 'feel good' stories out there. I've got a bunch of them lined up to share with you in this space.
However this one is my favorite because it is so meaningful on so many levels. For example the Amish exemplify the best side of religion and spirituality, East and West together as it applies to daily life.
So here it goes, a powerful twister (tornado) took out this fellow's home completely. His life was in shambles.
Chris Graber didn't know what his family's future would be Sunday night when he saw a "dark spot" come barreling over a hill and take dead aim for his modest home in eastern Webster County."I never thought we'd be rebuilding the next day. I thought we'd be getting ready for a funeral," he said late Tuesday afternoon.
And this is when this "miracle" took place:
But in less than 15 hours, the Grabers were back in a new home rebuilt on the same spot — a peaceful valley south of Missouri 38 about 10 miles east of Marshfield — by more than 100 men and boys from neighboring Amish homesteads near the Grabers."By 2 p.m., we were mopping the floors," he said.
building, building, building ...
In some ways you could say the Amish are one of the most civilized cultures on earth. Most would define civilized in relation to technological advancement but caring about one another should really be what civilization is all about.
built by the end of the day
I found some interesting comments about this story in this thread.
Among them:
from WIki on insurance:
Some people erroneously consider insurance a type of wager (particularly as associated with moral hazard) that executes over the policy period. The insurance company bets that you or your property will not suffer a loss while you put money on the opposite outcome. The difference in the fees paid to the insurance company versus the amount for which they can be held liable if an accident happens is roughly analogous to the odds one might expect when betting on a racehorse (for example, 10 to 1). For this reason, a number of religious groups, including the Amish and Muslims, avoid insurance and instead depend on support provided by their communities when disasters strike. This can be thought of as “social insurance,” as the risk of any given person is assumed collectively by the community who will all bear the cost of rebuilding. In closed, supportive communities where others can be trusted to step in to rebuild lost property, this arrangement can work.
(looks like it does in fact work)
Comment by Allen on 3/16/2006 @ 2:53 am
These people also keep their building skills up to date, instead of having someone else build their houses! Whenever someone in the community needs a house, it’s the community that builds it. Therefore it can be done faster, as they are all experienced builders!
Way to go, a great example for the rest of us living in 'normal society'.
Comment by Miguel on 3/16/2006 @ 4:33 am
Note: nowhere in the original article does it say that the Grabers are Amish; the Amish community were being good neighbors. The rebuilt house has aluminum siding, which probably wouldn't be found on an Amish home. Hopefully the Grabers will help someone else in turn.
Comment by Floyd on 3/16/2006 @ 11:36 am
Hey, preparing this post made me feel good.
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Young Tuba Player is First Woman for Orchestra
published on Thu. Mar. 23rd, '06 by Swami AtmaAs the worst performer of 'jaya ganesha' ever, I have a special admiration for musicians, especially talented, classical ones.
Now that's a good story I enjoyed reading about.
Almost one year later, after beating out 195 other musicians during an arduous tryout process, the 21-year-old University of Michigan senior is the first woman _ and perhaps the youngest person ever _ to earn a tuba seat with a top-five U.S. symphony.
The article goes on explaining how she got there. Very inspiring. Here is another quote:
Although she plays an instrument normally reserved for men due to their larger lung capacity, tuba professors say it doesn't matter.
"You still have to be efficient," said Don Harry, associate professor of tuba at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. "She's the most efficient person, probably on the planet."
Carol Jantsch at a rehearsal
Please read whole story here. Highly recommended.
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They Found the Little Buddha
published on Wed. Mar. 22nd, '06 by Swami AtmaIf you don't know what this post's title refer to you need to first read this post.
They found the young boy who is an intense meditator. He is ok and just wanted to find a quieter place to do his meditation.
The media had also created huge hype when he disappeared suddenly without letting anyone learn about it. Now again the news of his reappearance and statement have created same hype as he is repodely claimed to have seen by the search party.
They took a video of him. He says again that he wants to do his 6-year meditation and ask people to leave him alone.
Bomjan himself denied being called the next Buddha or something like that when people(devotee) began rushing to him for worshipping and quenching their thirst . Ever since he has been a great mystery to the people and juicy challenge to the science.
Please read the whole story here (previous link was broken so this one goes to a different story).
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Tofu, Oatmeal Lower Cholesterol
published on Wed. Mar. 22nd, '06 by Swami Atma
After a year, the group who stuck faithfully to the new eating plan lowered their cholesterol by an average of 29 percent. Jenkins said the rate was comparable to results from participants who had taken a statin drug for one month before starting the diet, as well as general studies of patients on such drugs.
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Ethanol - A Gazoline Alternate
published on Wed. Mar. 22nd, '06 by Swami AtmaScientists at the University of California-Berkeley say there's a 20 percent net energy gain by using fossil fuels to make ethanol compared to gasoline.
Ethanol producers say the study should be enough to convince skeptics that cleaner-burning ethanol is good for both the environment and the economy.
It feel as in the last couple years most people in most countries are finally ready to acknowledge we do need to find an alternative to fossil fuels.
If the human race really decides to focus on decreasing pollution and on stopping to ruin the planet altogether I'm optimistic some very good things will happen.
The study results are especially positive for supporters of E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.
Currently, very few vehicles on Iowa's roads are built to burn E85, but advocates say the alternative fuel has too many positives for its use to remain small-scale.
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Software for Colorblindness
published on Sun. Mar. 19th, '06 by Swami AtmaNew software help colorblind folks use their computers and get more out of the internet. Seems like an interesting project and worth looking into for anybody colorblind you might know.
And so the 48-year-old electrical engineer was eager to try eyePilot, a new program that gives colorblind people several ways to filter multichromatic images on their computer screens.
It's kind of refreshing that somebody's looking at it," said Rogers, who lives in Andover, Mass. EyePilot "has enabled me to do some things that I have not been able to do before.
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Little Buddha - Young Boy Puzzles the World
published on Sat. Mar. 18th, '06 by Swami AtmaWhen I was in France last month I saw this show on TV about the young boy (16 years old) which some are calling 'little buddha' or 'the buddha boy'.
The gist of the story is that this boy, named Ram Bahadur Bomjanw, was fairly ordinary in his early years, although some of his play friends and family members claim he always had a very sweet and compassionate nature, started a continuous meditation a few months ago.
Ram Bahadur Bomjanw
Born in Nepal in a buddhist environment he went to a monastery to receive spiritual teachings. In May 2005 he decided to go to the thick jungle to meditate deeply.
Some people found him and the word spread that he may be the Buddha himself since he was spending all day meditating at the bottom of pipul tree. Furthermore he seemed to not move all day, to never eat and to never drink!!!
Before you know it more people started coming, they cleared the forest made a 50-yard 'no-enter zone' to leave him some peace and quiet and recently thousands and thousands of pilgrims came to visit him.
Obviously there are many skeptics out there. Seeing the show I came out with the impression that he is a genuine, advanced yogi. This is also the opinion of many buddhist monks of the area. They said that he is not buddha but doing tapas (austerities) and that people should just leave him alone doing his meditation.
Only one person really approched him and that's his brother who also said that we should just pray for him to help him reach his goal of enlightenment.
You can read more in this article including this quote:
Last November, he briefly emerged from his meditation to announce: "Tell people not to call me the Buddha, I do not have the Buddha's energy, I am only at tapaswi level." A tapaswi is a sage who practises austerities."
Then an astonishing turn of event took place. After 8 months of continuous meditation under the tree the boy disappeared, as explained in this article from CNN.com.
He may have just fled the crowds, or being kidnapped or any other scenario. It's everybody's guess. As they say, this news story is developing.
We will keep you posted.
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Former Opera Singer Does & Teaches Yoga
published on Sat. Mar. 18th, '06 by Swami AtmaSo many interesting people teach yoga these days.
Her study of yoga, which began in 1952 with basic meditation and breathing, has never ended.
80-year young Patricia Byron
Some of her students are newcomers; others are longtimers. Kim Lukat, a registered nurse and licensed midwife, rarely has missed a class in five years.
"A lot of the gyms have yoga instructors who literally take a weekend class and they're certified," said Lukat, of Palm City. "Pat lives it, breathes it. She is yoga. I love her.
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Study finds: Cruciferous Foods Help Prevent Certain Types of Cancer
published on Sat. Mar. 18th, '06 by Swami AtmaThat's a good one for vegetarians, especially those of us who like cabbage and sauerkraut. Incidentally sauerkraut is probably tamasic food but I have some occasionally.
A Georgetown University study published this week in the latest issue of the British Journal of Cancer expands upon many other cancer studies by identifying and describing the cellular process which gives cruciferous foods, like cabbage and sauerkraut, a strong cancer-fighting response in the human body.
And according to Downs, naturally fermented sauerkraut may be even stronger in fighting cancer than raw cruciferous vegetables. A Finnish study completed in 2002 found the fermentation process that turns cabbage into sauerkraut breaks down the cancer-fighting chemicals in cabbage into simpler substances, which are even easier for the body to use.
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Businesses Trying To Be More Ethical
published on Sat. Mar. 18th, '06 by Swami AtmaEthical labor and environmental practices are being enforced by visionary CEOs who see that responsibility and integrity is good business... and lead to profitability.
This makes me feel a bit skeptical but it's a step in the right direction.
Today, Harvard University is among more than 30 business schools offering courses on social responsibility.* This is illustrative of many positive trends in business, ...
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A Nice Example of Karma Yoga
published on Fri. Mar. 17th, '06 by Sita Chaitanya
Here is a great article about a woman in Virginia who gave a huge, really huge, tip to a pregnant 19 year-old waitress instead of spending the money at the mall. Just reading about it makes you feel good.
It is a nice example of the spirit of karma yoga which is to give even when you get nothing in return.
They left $1,000 to cover a bill of $26.35 and a note saying "Keep the change. Have a great day."
You can read the full article here.
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Effects of Different Placebos - Some Are More Powerful Than Others
published on Thu. Mar. 16th, '06 by Swami AtmaLike many people I have been fascinated by the topic of placebos. Most know about it. A placebo is a medication somebody takes and which has no physical, medical benefits whatsoever. However the interesting observation is that in most clinical trials the placebos are responsible for more people getting well than the medication itself.
For example in a typical study:
1) the control group who did nothing improved by 5%
2) the placebo group (those who took the pill with nothing in it) improved by 43%
3) those who took the actual drug improved by 58%
So you can deduct that from these 58% only 15% benefited from the actual potency of the drug.
Everyone knows that but few truly understand the mechanics of it. Furthermore most lay people and doctors tend to dismiss this phenomenon as a quirk of nature and taking it as a sign of weakness of one's mind.
Our modern society tends to put too much emphasis and importance on the conscious mind and its rational abilities.
Yoga, like but may be even more so than Western psychology, considers that the bulk of the human power dwells at the subconscious level. The key to life is to harness this subsconscious power.
The placebo effect should be studied in depth in order to devise techniques of healing less dependant on drugs and other modalities which can be dangerous and/or very costly.
One such study is the object of this article. In it the researchers compared the effects of a placebo pill with a sham, placebo acupuncture treatment. One was more efficient than the other. Can you guess which? How is this for a teaser to lead you to read the whole article? :-)
While researchers usually use placebos in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of a new treatment, this trial pitted one placebo against another. "It's upside down research," said Ted Kaptchuk, assistant professor of medicine and associate director of the Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies and the Osher Institute at Harvard Medical School. "We investigated whether a sham acupuncture device has a greater placebo effect than an inert pill."
This study also explores the secondary effects of a placebo, the patients having been warned of those potential consequences. Fascinating.
The results also provided evidence that what doctors tell patients about side effects directly influences their experience of them. Prior to participating in the study, doctors provided informed consent forms alerting the patients as to the side effects they might experience: temporary soreness for acupuncture and fatigue and dry-mouth for the pills. Of those receiving placebos, 25 percent of sham acupuncture and 31 percent of placebo pill patients reported experiencing the very side effects suggested to them even when nothing was administered to cause them.
This confirms my gut feeling that the laundry list of potential negative effects of every drug you take, which by law must be mentioned time and time over in commercials and on the drugs' labels, probably creates more harm than good.
Please read the whole story here.
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Can You Do That?
published on Thu. Mar. 16th, '06 by Swami Atma
He did not beat the world record, but it's still quite something.
Fiftten year old student, Gaurav Rajav, recited 8,784 Digits of Pi!
Gaurav began memorizing Pi while a student in Gooding's class. Gooding holds the competition every year, and said she expected students to learn about 40 digits. Gaurav recited nearly 2,990 the first time.
Please read the whole story here.
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On Bone Density & Osteoporosis
published on Wed. Mar. 15th, '06 by Swami AtmaGood informative article and practical tips.
Most Americans understand perfectly well that osteoporosis is a serious medical problem," said Susan L. Trimbo, GNC Corporation's Senior Vice President for Scientific Affairs. "Less well understood, however, is the wide range of things that can be done well in advance of the onset of osteoporosis to maintain healthy bone density.
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Habitat for Humanity in KwaXimba
published on Wed. Mar. 15th, '06 by Swami AtmaYou've got to love this type of stories. It's nice to see that in our modern world a lot of positive actions such as this one are taking place.
An iron pot resting on a few burning embers in the center of their home, contained a meager meal for a growing and hungry family. The floor had huge ruts in it which when it rained, would allow the rain water to collect as it seeped through the holes in the wattle. Jiko told me how they would have to use bowls to collect the water and throw it out of the door. No one slept when it rained.
This is but one of the countless projects 'habitat for humanity' has been involved in.
One month later, my prayers were answered and Habitat for Humanity with their first volunteers, broke ground on the first house to be built for orphans in KwaXimba. Jiko Mchunu and her family would be the first beneficiaries!
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Austin Center - Grand Opening Week
published on Mon. Feb. 27th, '06 by Sita ChaitanyaAYA Yoga and Meditation Center Austin Center
Grand Opening Week
March 13-19
the actual house where the classes take place
We are pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the AYA Yoga and Meditation Center located in Austin, TX.
In order to open our doors in welcome to as many people as possible, we are offering free asana (postures) classes throughout the whole week of March 13-19.
Times of these free asana classes are as follows:
- Monday, March 13 9-10:30 am
- Monday, March 13 6:30-8:00 pm
- Wednesday, March 15 9-10:30 am
- Wednesday, March 15 6:30-8:00 pm
- Saturday, March 18 10-11:30 am (*)
(*) This class will be followed by a vegetarian lunch, $5, pre-registration required.
Be sure to arrive a few minutes early and do not eat for at least 2 hours before class.
In addition to these free classes, Swami Atma will be teaching a few classes/workshops during this week as well:
- Thursday, March 16 - 6:30-8:15 pm - Advanced Asana Class - $20
- Saturday, March 18 -1:00-4:00 pm - Advanced Hatha Yoga Workshop, Awakening the Kundalini Power - $30
- Sunday, March 19 - 10:00 am - Satsang with Swami Atma - free, donations accepted
For details on these events with Swami Atma please see the upcoming events web page
We hope that many of you will be able to join us in celebrating our Grand Opening.
For more information on the Austin Center and upcoming events, please visit our web pages or call 512-388-1162.
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John McEnroe Beats Younger Players
published on Mon. Feb. 20th, '06 by Swami AtmaIn the series 'nothing is impossible' John McEnroe decided to play again an ATP double tournament and this at the ripe age of 47 years old and after having retired for over 10 years.
He, and his partner Jonas Bjorkman, actually won the tournament!!!
The match ended with a vintage piercing McEnroe backhand volley up the middle between Paul Goldstein and Jim Thomas. He was light on his feet all match long, smashing overheads, slicing serves and poaching for volleys.
He said that he decided to un-retire in order to give a boost to the double game which is not as popular these days as it used to be. The irony is that his victory may just highlight the problems the field is facing as far as level is concerned.
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Modern Child Prodigy
published on Sun. Feb. 19th, '06 by Swami AtmaWhen you think 'child prodigy' drums is hardly what comes to mind. This 12-year old may change your mind.
Watch the amazing 8 minute video here.
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Scientists discover dozens of new species
published on Sun. Feb. 19th, '06 by Swami AtmaThis has been in the news lately. It's quite remarkable that we still find places on earth unknown to man.
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High School Female Wrestler Wins State Championship vs. Boys
published on Thu. Feb. 9th, '06 by Swami AtmaA girl power story.
She scored an escape with 16 seconds left to beat Boss for the second time in as many weeks. Family and friends mobbed Hutchison as she walked away from the mat with a bloody nose, while the crowd rose in a standing ovation.
Please read the whole story here.
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Running a Marathon For a Good Cause
published on Tue. Feb. 7th, '06 by Swami Atma
Many of you know Jamie Shiffner. He's a good student of mine and, incidentally, we are working on writing a book together. The book project is nearing the end of first draft but that's not the point of this post.
Unfortunately Jamie had a stroke last year and fortunately he recovered fully and quickly.
In fact he recovered so fast that he's now preparing to run a marathon in support of the American Stroke Association!
That is amazing.
If you would like to help Jamie fight the big killer which is stroke, please go to his page and donate some money. Remember he's going to run 26.2 miles (over 42 kilometers) in your name.
Those who know Jamie know that he's very funny and the descriptive on his web page has of course a very good joke. I won't reveal it here to give you an extra incentive to visit his page.
And by the way, for those who don't know Jamie, the picture on his page in not Jamie's but Tedy Bruschi's who is an American football player who had a stroke a year ago and went back to play pro football less than a year later.
Below is part of the e-mail I got from Jamie:
I'm training to run a 26.2 mile MARATHON to help the American Stroke Association.
Through the association's Train To End Stroke program, I have a coach, a team, training schedules, and special clinics and I'm raising thousands of dollars for stroke research and education programs. That's important, because someone suffers a stroke every 45 seconds and someone dies of one every 3.1 minutes. And 29 percent of people who have strokes are under age 65.
I'm asking for your support through your good thoughts and a generous contribution to the American Stroke Association. I am especially proud to run on behalf of many who've had a stroke and desperately need our help. You can run with me in spirit.
P.S. Your tax-deductible contribution, sent as soon as possible, is greatly appreciated! Every dollar makes a difference toward stroke research and education. If your company has a matching gift program, please send me the matching gift form along with your check and potentially double your donation.
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Birthplace of Impressionism
published on Mon. Jan. 23rd, '06 by Swami Atma
Impression: Soleil Levant by Claude Monet. Enlarge
Okay, here is the deal. Since my hometown is quite ugly, having been 90% destroyed at the end of World War 2 and then being hastily and cheaply rebuilt, it's quite fashionable to put it down and I do that myself quite often. But there is always a bright side to every story and I'm trying to focus on it in this blog. So guess what!
My birthplace is also the birthplace of 'impressionism'. Not bad huh. The story goes that it all started with this painting of Claude Monet. He named it 'Impression: Soleil Levant, which translates as 'Impression of the Rising Sun'.
This prompted snobby French art critic Louis Leroy to make some sarcastic comments in the line of: "I got so impressed by this painting that I thought some impression would be involved".
Anyway, the rest is history, more people remember Monet than Leroy.
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Health Advice from ...
published on Sun. Jan. 22nd, '06 by Swami Atma... Google !?!
You never know what Google is going to come up with these days and I found this interesting post about health factors in the Official Google Blog.
The reduction in mortality from coronary artery disease is the same if not better with lifestyle or dietary changes as it is with medications. Other things to consider (but not analyzed in this study) are that lifestyle changes, such as more physical activity, don't produce bad side effects -- well, maybe a little sweat, but all medications may have some side effects. And certainly the cost of exercise vs. medication is lower too.
A port crane in Le Havre, my birth place, where I've just arrived yesterday for a short visit
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The Miracles of Medicine & Restoring Sight
published on Sun. Jan. 22nd, '06 by Swami Atma
Zuhra at last met an Indian doctor in Afghanistan who suggested she visit India . In India, Zuhra consulted Dr. Sanjay Dhawan who operated on her using Lasik technology on her right eye as well as lens implant procedures on both eyes at Max Eye Care in New Delhi.
Post-surgery, the sight of the clock on the wall was an immense relief. For someone who once could not tell the time on her own, this was liberation of a new kind.
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Customized Wheel Chairs
published on Thu. Jan. 19th, '06 by Swami Atma"It used to be a chair was something you wanted to hide underneath you. This is a chair you can go out and be seen in," said Lasher, showing off one of his latest designs _ the "BT Tribal" with flame-inspired metal cutouts and an anodized purple, teal, green and gold finish to the aluminum frame.
"My ultimate goal is to have someone wake up and say, 'Cool _ there's my chair,'" he said.
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Promoting Good Things
published on Wed. Jan. 11th, '06 by Swami Atma"These five gasoline-electric hybrids stood apart as most worthy of consideration for the 2006 Green Car of the Year distinction," says Ron Cogan, editor and publisher of the Green Car Journal. "While hybrids represent but one type of vehicle expected to be finalists in future Green Car of the Year award programs, they clearly dominate the field at this point in time."
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Folic acid could help reduce birth defects
published on Tue. Jan. 10th, '06 by Swami Atma
Good sources of folic acid or folate, which occurs naturally in food, include: enriched grain products, such as bread and pasta; fortified breakfast cereals; beans; green leafy vegetables; and orange juice.
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Inmates Skip Lunch to Help Relieve Starvation
published on Tue. Jan. 3rd, '06 by Swami AtmaMost of Kenya's estimated 50,000 prisoners gave up their ration of beans and corn porridge on the day President Mwai Kibaki declared the food shortages caused by drought a national disaster in an effort to speed up relief efforts, officials said.
A lesson in sharing. Read Whole story here.
Grey Heron in the margins of Lake Naivasha, Kenya.
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Climbing the Himalayas at 8 Years Old!
published on Tue. Jan. 3rd, '06 by Swami Atma
Aidan with the guide
Aidan climbed 20,300-foot mountain with his father and several guides in November. His father, Warren Gold, said members of the Nepal Mountaineering Association told him Aidan is likely the youngest person to make the summit.
Inspiring story. Read Whole article here.
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A True Karma Yogini
published on Tue. Dec. 27th, '05 by Swami AtmaHere is a true karma yogini, a Christian who must make Jesus happy.
Her neighbors are no longer Hollywood stars, but murderers, drug runners and human smugglers. They know her as "angel de la carcel" _ the prison angel.
She walks through the prison with a beaming smile, waving at inmates and guards and kissing many on their cheeks. She address them as "mi hijo" _ "my son."
"Everything eventually ends _ your money, your sickness, your family, your time in jail," she tells about 20 inmates dressed in gray sweatsuits, speaking in flawless though American-accented, Spanish. "The only thing that won't end is Christ's love for you."
Sister Antonia Brenner
The only sunlight in her tiny cell filters through two small windows with a view of a guard tower and a barbed wire fence. A white sheet serves as the door to a cramped bathroom with a cold-water shower.
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Less Discarded Batteries is Good For Environment
published on Thu. Dec. 22nd, '05 by Swami Atma
Check out this article about solar-panel powered handbags.
The purse is designed to power any small device that uses an USB port, including cell phones, personal digital assistants, iPods, global positioning devices, voice recorders and small cameras.
Eventually there could be quite a few such items and we could use less and less batteries.
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A Truly Great Site
published on Tue. Dec. 20th, '05 by Swami Atma
As explained in this old entry, I have been having problems finding good sources for news with a positive slant. Well Sita found a very good one.
It's called HappyNews.com and they are providing exactly what I was looking for.
I added it to my RSS client so I should be linking to it on a regular basis from now on.
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Harvard Athletes Take Up Yoga
published on Fri. Nov. 11th, '05 by Swami AtmaFull article from "The Harvard Crimson".
A college tennis player at Harvard and now the founder and director of Core Yoga, Deborah Cohen customizes her yoga sessions for the Harvard women's tennis team.
Depending on the sport, I emphasize different poses. Tennis players have tight hamstrings and shoulders, so we work on loosening these areas†. Yoga, she says, also helps bring the body into overall alignment by encouraging full range of motion.
Even more than the physical benefits, however, Cohen cites the mental benefits of yoga for increasing awareness, In America, there is a misconception that yoga is just stretching, but it's not just that. First and foremost, it is a mindfulness technique to quiet the mind through the lens of the body.
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Dalai Lama Focuses on Science, Not Politics, During Washington Visit
published on Wed. Nov. 9th, '05 by Swami AtmaIt's always refreshing to read something about the Dalai Lama.
"So, science and Buddhists, I think both are actually trying to find reality," the Dalai Lama said.
The conference's main sponsor is the Mind and Life Institute, a non-profit organization that promotes dialogue between modern science and contemplative traditions, such as Tibetan Buddhism.
Mind and Life Institute chairman Adam Engle compared meditation to exercise, saying a healthy mind is as important as a healthy body.
"So, in the same way that you've got a myriad of physical exercises to help your body, there are a myriad of mental trainings. And this is not well known. Most people, when they think about meditation, they think about turning your body into a pretzel and zoning out somewhere," he said. "But it is really just a word for mental training."
The Dalai Lama's ex palace in Lhasa
It's noteworthy that some scientists would rather stay between themselves and are not welcoming his input:
Not all scientists agree with the Dalai Lama, though. More than 500 brain researchers signed a petition urging the Society for Neuroscience to cancel his lecture to the group's annual meeting. Many of those who signed the petition believe the field of neuroscience risks losing credibility if it mixes science with spirituality.
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Inspiring Story
published on Thu. Sep. 29th, '05 by Swami AtmaHere is an inspiring story, very well written as well.
There are many different ways to beat Betty Eisenstein in a tennis match. For starters, you can overpower her. Serve big to the wings or kick it over her head—she’s only 5-foot-2. Hit heavy groundstrokes deep into the corners. Take advantage of her powder-puff serve. When she gets into trouble, she likes to throw up defensive lobs, so move in and put away the easy ones. Whatever you do, do not let her back into a point. Every extra shot she makes you hit tilts the odds toward her favor. Keep the pressure on, and expect to run.
Not many women ...
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Zero-energy Homes
published on Mon. Aug. 8th, '05 by Swami AtmaIn the past year or two, while planning the acquisition of the AYA ashram, I have become more and more aware of the concept of environment-friendly construction and especially the ability to live off the grid or at least to generate one's own power.
Here is a good article from MSNBC.COM/Newsweek about zero-energy homes.
The rest of the energy savings comes from the solar units. Set flush with the roof tiles, the two-kilowatt photovoltaic panels unobtrusively turn the sun's rays into AC power with the help of an inverter in the garage. An LED readout shows the system's electrical output. Just looking at it can give owners a warm feeling. "When I pull into the garage, sometimes I just like to look at the Sunny Boy [inverter] to see how much power we've generated," says homeowner Kurt Gonzales, whose family bought a 2,200-square-foot house.
I sincerely hope the starting costs will come down very soon so that the enthusiasm for energy efficient homes match the one demonstrated towards hybrid cars.
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Early Study on Yoga & Pregnancy
published on Sat. May. 21st, '05 by Swami AtmaComig from this Reuters.com article
The practice of yoga during pregnancy seems to improve birth weight and reduce prematurity and overall complications, Indian researchers report.
Dr. Shamanthakamani Narendran, from the Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, and colleagues studied 169 pregnant women trained in the integrated approach to yoga and in 166 "controls" who received routine ...
As time goes on there will be more and more studies validating the ancient practices of yoga and their numerous benefits.
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She Throws Like a Girl ...
published on Fri. May. 20th, '05 by Swami Atma... in this case, it means much better than boys!
Katie Brownell isn't just the only girl playing on her Little League team. She's dominant.
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Yoga Helps Alleviate Eating Disorders, Says Study
published on Tue. May. 17th, '05 by Swami AtmaWomen Quarterly reports that mind-body exercise, such as yoga, is associated with greater body satisfaction and fewer symptoms of eating disorders than traditional aerobic exercise like jogging or using cardio machines. Yoga practitioners reported less self-objectification, greater satisfaction with physical appearance, and fewer disordered eating attitudes compared to non-yoga practitioners.
...
"Through yoga, this study suggests that women may have intuitively discovered a way to buffer themselves against messages that tell them that only a thin and 'beautiful' body will lead to happiness and success,"
Despite the seriousness of the subject many jokes could be made about some of us.
Anyway feel free to read the full article
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A Vaccine Against Smoking Habit in the Making?
published on Sun. May. 15th, '05 by Swami AtmaThe least we can say is that modern medical research is creative. Hopefully some good results will come out of this.
The world's 1.3 billion smokers soon might have a powerful new way to kick the habit: a vaccine against nicotine ...
... The data clearly suggest that antibodies against nicotine are effective in helping people quit smoking, Cornuz said. 'This confirms the concept of vaccination (against smoking).'
Full article at fortwayne.com.
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Fruitful Cooperation of East & West
published on Sun. May. 8th, '05 by Swami AtmaM. D. Anderson announces collaboration with India's largest yoga research institution
"The ancient Eastern practice of regulated breathing, gentle movement and meditation has long been ascribed anecdotal healing benefits," says H. R. Nagendra, Ph.D., vice chancellor of the Swami Vivekanada Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana. "We are pleased to partner with M. D. Anderson to answer key cancer questions and expand yoga research to produce more tangible results that the scientific community would view as solid medical evidence of the benefits of these types of mind-body interventions."
Another proof of the vitality of Yoga in Texas.
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New Food Pyramids - continued
published on Fri. Apr. 22nd, '05 by Swami AtmaFollowing up on an earlier blog entry about the new food pyramids, I found the web site to determine one's own food pyramid according to US government. The site is at: http://mypyramid.gov/
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Evolution of Mainstream View on Diet
published on Wed. Apr. 20th, '05 by Swami AtmaWhen Swami Vishnu-devananda arrived in North America in 1959, a lot of his lectures were aiming at educating the masses about a healthy lifestyle according to yogic principles.
He would talk at length about health, the beneficial effects of a vegetarian diet, and many other topics as well such as the negative effects of tobacco. It's hard to believe nowadays but he faced a lot of resistance. There was a complete lack of awareness in those days.
If you want to understand how backwards our modern medical science was as far as nutrition is concerned, even in the 80's, you should check out this book: "Recalled by life" by Dr. Anthony Sattilaro.
The good news is that things are changing and the US department of health has changed its views quite a bit, including replacing the infamous food group pyramid by a number of more individual alternatives.
If you are interested, please read this interesting article from the Olympian Online site.
The U.S. government on Tuesday unveiled 12 new individualized food pyramids to replace the one old one.
The pyramids feature vertical bands representing different food groups instead of horizontal bands as well as a person climbing a set of steps on the outside of the pyramid.
More interesting links from the US government's web site include:
Although not vegetarian in nature, this diet has got many principles which are awfully close to the yogic diet.
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$125,000 Annual Goldman Environmental Prizes
published on Tue. Apr. 19th, '05 by Swami AtmaThis is exactly what the world needs: rewarding people for positive contributions to the world. Most of the time the opposite is true.
Article from MSNCB.com
Through grassroots efforts, these heroes motivated entire nations, communities and international organizations to fight against corrupt governments, violent drug lords, independent militias and unlawful business interests.
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330 lbs. College Football Lineman Takes Yoga
published on Mon. Apr. 18th, '05 by Swami AtmaArticle from the St. Cloud Times, Online Edition
Laugh at the visual of Plautz doing yoga if you will, but the coaching staff has been impressed by what they've seen this spring.
"He's by far and away, our most improved player since last fall," Huskies head coach Randy Hedberg said. "He's come a long ways and he's feeling as good as he has since he's been here.
"He's a high character guy, highly intelligent and really committed to this program. He's moving much better and his quickness is improved."
Another indication of how yoga can help myriads of individuals.
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Recycling Innovation
published on Wed. Feb. 23rd, '05 by Swami AtmaRecycling's next frontier: Poop as paper
Can't think of anything clever to say.
Inspired by elephant dung, an Australian company plans to use kangaroo poop to make stationery and other paper products.
Creative Paper Tasmania is looking for 200 to 400 pounds of dung, following in the footsteps, so to speak, of pioneers like the Thai Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang, Thailand, where dung-based paper products help fund conservation programs.
"We came up with the idea after reading an article about how elephant dung paper was a huge tourist product in Africa and Asia," manager Joanna Gair told The Advocate newspaper in Tasmania. "I also discovered that in Scandinavia elk poo paper is the stationery of choice in most offices."
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