Archive → April, 2011
A Perfect Circle’s Thirteenth Step details journey to peace
Ilchi Lee believes that brain wave vibration is a key to purifying the mind so that it is easier to access positive energy which will make it easier to grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Simply vibrating one's body and focusing on each thought can be an amazing way to tap this well of inner strength.
The alternative rock band A Perfect Circle's concept album, Thirteenth Step, describes a similar journey from the very beginning to the end. The first song, The Package, captures the journey of a man who is addicted to drugs and at rock bottom, having completely forsaken his connection to humanity.
"Eye on what I'm after / I don't need another friend / smile and drop the cliche… If you need me to pretend," singer Maynard James Keenan says in a menacing and desperate tone.
Throughout the album, the man slowly recovers – first by going to a hospital for treatment and then graduating to a clinic. The last song on the album, Gravity, speaks of the difficulty and uncertainty of transcendence, but also the importance of striving for that goal.
"I am surrendering to gravity and the unknown / Catch me, heal me / Lift me back up to the sun," Keenan slowly chants during the chorus.
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Technology can be a distraction from personal development
Technological advancements have powered significant economic and cultural progress in recent years. However, some experts are voicing concerns that the vast amount of information available at any given moment may be taking a toll on individuals' brain health. This may stifle personal development.
"This is something people complain about all the time – brain overload and mental fatigue,'' Dr. Stephen Peters, a neurologist at Associated Neurologists in Danbury, Connecticut, told the News Times. "We think our brain should handle everything now and handle it well. We are overloaded beyond what our brain can process.''
He added that feeling over-stimulated may lead to feelings of irritability, impulsivity and distraction. This can cause the brain to feel like it has frozen up.
The best way to eliminate these negative feelings is though meditation and other mind healing practices. Ilchi Lee says that they may be able to help individuals clear their minds of useless or negative information and allow them to continue to work toward personal development. An uncluttered mind is far more capable of responding to new information and experiences.
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Jordan: A place to contemplate civilization and history
Considered a land where some of the earliest civilizations developed, Jordan is a place where most travelers experience a spiritual growth while vacationing there.
Whether it's the stunning architecture, heroic stories from centuries ago or the peaceful nature of the citizens there, something about Jordan is simply wonderful.
The best places to visit can be found along the nation's western border stretching down to Saudi Arabia, starting with sites just north of Amman, the capital of Jordan.
"A little southwest of Amman is Mt. Nebo – the spot where Moses first saw The Promised Land," states Bob Schulman, a travel editor for WatchBoom.com.
Along the Dead Sea coast is where many travelers find popular wellness-oriented resorts and retreats, according to Schulman. The area is the lowest point on the planet, dipping 1,312 feet below sea-level.
"From [the Dead Sea], the highway runs through stretches of flatlands peppered with Bedouin tents, biosphere reserves, moonscape-like deserts and rugged mountain ranges."
The road stops at Aqaba, made famous in the film "Lawrence of Arabia."
All of these destinations are steeped in history and are sure to make one stop and consider the marvels of human civilization.
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Social activity can preserve mental function in seniors
There are many ways that Ilchi Lee says a person can preserve their brain health as they age. Meditation and mind training programs can all help seniors stay mentally sharp. Now, a new study has shown that simply being more socially active may also serve to protect the brain from decline.
Researchers from Rush University reported in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society that older individuals who engage in more social activities tend to have healthier brain function than more socially isolated seniors.
The researchers speculated that social activities force individuals to use diverse areas of their brains, which may serve to preserve neural networks and contribute to a sharp, focused mind. The study showed that social activities as simple as going to church or eating at a restaurant can be enough to preserve mental function.
When these activities are added to meditative programs or other initiatives specifically designed to improve mental function, seniors may be able to remain lucid and avoid cognitive decline for many years to come. Lee says that mental health is one of the most important areas of overall health.
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India’s palace that asks: how’d they do it?
Lucknow, India, has one of the world's strangest man-made structures ever discovered.
A massive palace constructed in a maze format, the Bara Imambara has a pretty mesh of European and Arabic architecture and more than just a few secrets.
During the 1700's, a ruler named Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula created the complex, which displays the true force of human potential thanks to its gravity-defying ceiling.
"Bara Imambara's magnificent central arched hall – which stretches 50 meters long and about three stories high – is held up, amazingly, without any pillars, girders or beams," reports MSNBC Travel. "Instead, the hall was constructed solely with interlocking brickwork."
In addition, the palace's intense labyrinth of 1,000 stairway passages is incredibly complicated. Built to deter any possible invaders, many of the stairways drop off suddenly or end up as dead ends.
Travelers can explore the maze with a guide and also enter the nearby mosque and gardens.
While wandering around the gardens, visitors can enjoy the quiet solitude the natural surroundings afford. Or, if they choose to explore the arched hallway, they can consider how amazing of an engineering feat it took to build such a thing.
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Researchers uncover underpinnings of meditation’s benefits
Mindfulness meditation has been shown to reduce pain and improve a person's memory. New scientific findings indicate that these benefits may stem from the ability of the practice to regulate particular brain waves in order to eliminate distracting stimuli.
A team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported these findings in the journal Brain Research.
Their findings showed that individuals who practiced meditation had faster modulation of alpha rhythm brain waves when switching tasks, which improved their ability to maintain focus and process new information. These brain waves are involved areas of the brain that process sights and sounds.
"Our discovery that mindfulness meditators more quickly adjusted the brain wave that screens out distraction could explain their superior ability to rapidly remember and incorporate new facts," said Catherine Kerr, who led the study.
The findings confirm Ilchi Lee's teachings that brain wave vibrations can be harnessed by individuals in order to improve their mental ability. Meditation may be one of the most effective ways for a person to attain these neurological benefits.
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Music lessons shown to support brain health
Ilchi Lee says that brain potential is nearly limitless and that there are many ways that individuals can support healthy mental function throughout their entire lives. One method may include taking music lessons.
A new investigation published in the journal Neuropsychology has shown that individuals who participated in music lessons as children may be less likely to suffer form cognitive decline later in life.
For the study, researchers surveyed 70 healthy adults between the ages of 60 and 83 about their experience with music after asking them to complete tasks to measure their cognitive ability. The results showed that those who had previously taken music lessons were less likely to show signs of mental decline.
"Musical activity throughout life may serve as a challenging cognitive exercise, making your brain fitter and more capable of accommodating the challenges of aging," said Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, who led the study.
The findings show that Ilchi Lee's thoughts on the ability of individuals to enhance their brain are largely accurate. He has regularly spoken about how techniques such as meditation and other methods can help support strong brain health.
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Important to keep resume up-to-date
While one's career may not define his or her personal growth, it certainly represents a major aspect of one's life.
As such, it is important to keep one's resume and other important documents up-to-date at all times, as you never know when a new opportunity could present itself.
Although a person may feel comfortable in his or her job, one's career can generally always reach new heights, so maintaining an updated resume with the most recent, relevant experience is absolutely critical.
This is particularly important because new job opportunities may come and go quickly, meaning candidates need to jump at the chance and submit an application right away in order to be considered.
If the person needs to re-work his or her resume based on recent accomplishments or experience, this can take valuable time away from applying for the position and giving the prospective employer an opportunity to evaluate one's qualifications.
Finally, having a cover letter template in place and being able to quickly adapt it to specific positions is also critical, as this can save time and effort when it comes to submitting one's application.
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Research uncovers importance of mental flexibility
The degree of a person's mental flexibility may be strong predictor of their ability to learn and of their brain potential, according to a recent study from a group of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
The researchers said that everyone has different degree of mental flexibility. Those whose brains are more plastic may be better able to adapt to and process new information.
For the study, the researchers took brain imaging scans of participants while they completed tasks that involved processing various volumes of information. Individuals whose brain regions were more interconnected – a measure of flexibility – performed better on the tasks.
The findings could have major implications for learning and mental development. A person's brain flexibility is not set. There are processes through which individuals may be able to improve their ability to adapt to new experiences.
For example, Ilchi Lee says that Brain Education programs can help a person clear their brains of less important thoughts to make room for deeper thinking. This may also improve a person's mental flexibility.
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Inspire passion to get most out of employees
While information meetings and performance reviews are critical ways to keep one's workers focused, motivational stories can ensure that the employees remain passionate about their job and strive to do the best work they can.
Keeping one's workers motivated and keeping the daily activities fresh can make sure that the employees perform tasks with passion on a day-to-day basis.
According to a recent article on Entrepreneur.com, employers need to make sure that they keep their workers aware of their role in the grand scheme of things. Helping a worker to connect the dots and understand that their position is crucial to the success of the company can go a long way in making sure one's employees stay the course.
Additionally, it can be smart for managers to reward the employees who go beyond the call of duty and branch out from their specific responsibilities to help the company achieve success. By doing this, more workers will be inspired to go the extra mile, keeping the business constantly headed in the right direction.
Motivation is also critical during the job search, as it can be difficult to constantly submit resumes and receive rejection letters.
