Buddhism and poetry in Japan during the Nara Period

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

Yamabe no Akahito belongs to the world of eighth-century Japan when Nara was the cradle of high culture in this nation. In truth, the jigsaw of his life is extremely difficult to piece together. Hence, his relationship with the devoutly Buddhist Emperor Shmu is of major importance.

Indeed, much of the poems that endure the passages of time are related to Shmu. This relates to Yamabe composing poems during the journeys of the Emperor. Therefore, one can imagine privilege, high culture, meeting people of influence, and visiting the holy places of Buddhism and Shintoism.

In a lovely poem by Yamabe, he gracefully writes:

When lily-seed dark Night has fallen, By the red-oak growing Along the clear rivers edge The plovers constantly call

By reading such words of simplicity but full of grace one can imagine the serene view that was bestowed on Yamabe during his travels. So images conjure the mind based on such lovely words and one can only imagine a blissful still night by the river.

In a past article, I comment, His fifty surviving exquisite poems written between 724-736 enabled this poet to become one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals. These poems were written in the Manyoshu an ancient anthology that contains his sublime work. Of the fifty poems, thirteen are choka (long poems) and the other thirty-seven are tanka (short poems).

The poem below, says more about the values of the time and how faith and nature naturally overlapped. Immediately, you can feel the past of Shintoism and the current trends of the impact of Buddhism. Therefore, the poem titled All-Knowing speaks more to the historical soul and sheds light on the mysterious properties of nature influenced by Shintoism.

All-knowing, My great lord: From the eternal palace, Wherein we serve, On the field of Sahiga, Looking back At the isles far offshore: Where on the fresh, clean shoreline With the blowing of the wind, Breakers roar And with the ebbing of the tide, They go cutting jewelled seaweed: From the age of gods An awesome, Jewelled mountain isle.

Turning to Emperor Shmu, his legacy is multiple in relation to Nara and encompassing the whole of Japan. This notably relates to the provincial temples system that entrenched Buddhism to a much greater degree. Shmu also commissioned the spring and autumnal equinox to be observed under the ohigan holiday. Also, after abdicating, Shmu became a holy Buddhist priest the first emperor to retire and take up Buddhist robes. Interestingly, Shmu is venerated in Nara at a memorial belonging to the Shinto faith. Therefore, the fusions of Buddhism and Shintoism in life followed equally in death.

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/lily-seed/ Lily-Seed by Yamabe no Akahito

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/all-knowing-the-eternal-palace/ All-Knowing by Yamabe no Akahito

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Buddhism and poetry in Japan during the Nara Period - Modern Tokyo Times

Fri, Jan 3, 2020, 07:10 Updated: Fri, Jan 3, 2020, 09:45

U Dhammaloka dressed in the traditional attire of a Burmese monk in 1902. Photograph: The Buddhist Society

The first Irish people to set foot in what is now Argentina were two cabin boys from Galway, William and John, who were brothers but their surnames were not recorded. The pairsailed with Ferdinand Magellan during the first successful expedition to circumnavigation the world in 1520. Francis ONeill, a young emigrant who also served in such a capacity aboard a transatlantic sailing vessel would later go on to become chief of police in Chicago and a man who, more than any other, helped to preserve Irelands rich traditional music heritage. In the early 1870s another Irish-born cabin boy arrived on the shores of the eastern United States and began a remarkable journey that would take him across two continents and into the history books.

Likely a native of Booterstown in Co Dublin our mysterious emigrant appears to have gone by many names. At one time or another he referred to himself as Laurence Carroll, William Colvin or Lawrence ORourke alongside a number of other aliases. Once in the US he effectively became a migrant labourer and worked a series of odd jobs all across the country that eventually took him to the west coast. Having been effectively homeless for over a decade he often found himself an adversary of local lawmen and railway security alike, the latter because of his habit of sneaking aboard freight cars and riding the rails for free. Were told he also had a propensity for violence and a predilection for alcohol, and may have immersed himself in trade unionism, anarchism or another form of anti-establishment radicalism. By the early 1880s he was once again working at sea, this time aboard packet ships in the Pacific before staying behind in Yokohama in Japan, perhaps against his will.

From Japan he made his way to south-east Asia eventually arriving in the British-controlled region of the recently truncated Kingdom of Burma prior to its complete annexation by the British Empire in 1885. Having initially worked in Lower Burma as a tally clerk in the port of Rangoon (Yangon) he met many Burmese monks and began to take a keen interest in Theravada Buddhism, the dominant local religion in the region. He ended up living in the Tavoy monastery and soon decided to become a novice monk himself. After a five-year novitiate he was ordained a Bhikku or full monk, and adopted the name Dhammaloka. It is most likely that this ceremony took place prior to 1899, which would mean he may potentially hold the distinction of becoming the first westerner to become a Buddhist monk.

After a brief period teaching students and novices at the monastery he embarked on a speaking tour across the country and further afield visiting and founding schools and associations in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Singapore, Siam (Thailand), Japan, Malaysia and even Australia. He soon began to speak out against the activities of Christian missionaries and denounced their attempts to undermine the Buddhist faith of the Burmese people. His speeches frequently rebuked British colonials for failing to respect the religious and societal norms of the locals and his criticisms of the work of the proselyting Baptists, Roman Catholics, Anglicans and others were often merely veiled attacks on imperialism itself. His campaigns should be viewed within the context of the wider pan-Asian Buddhist Revival primarily sparked by western colonialism and modernity taking place across the continent at the same time that he played a key role in.

He quickly attained celebrity status and his position as a white European who nevertheless actively resisted the colonial system meant he was uniquely positioned to communicate the plight of the Burmese people internationally, and even to challenge the proclamations of the missionaries themselves on theological grounds. The British administration grew frustrated with his efforts to undermine their authority and fearful that his vitriolic public speeches would enflame the large crowds who came to hear him speak and rouse them into open rebellion. He was charged with and found guilty of sedition in a celebrated trial and following a failed appeal against the sentence in early 1911 appears to have left the country, possibly moving to Bangkok.

This firebrand Irishman, who won the respect and admiration of the Burmese people, was widely forgotten in his native country for most of the 20th century. However thanks largely to the efforts of an international research network led by Dr Laurence Cox of Maynooth University, Dr Alicia Turner of York University in Toronto and Prof Brian Bocking of University College Cork we now know a great deal more about the enigmatic migr Dubliner.

This Extraordinary Emigrants article was written by Nathan Mannion, senior curator of EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublins Docklands, an interactive museum that tells the story of how the Irish shaped and influenced the world.

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The mysterious Irishman who was the first westerner ordained a Buddhist monk - The Irish Times

Beijing saysactivities carried out within the Bodhi Institute of Compassion and Wisdom are"illegal". For the Tibetan diaspora, the goal is to reduce the religious and moral influence of the founding monk, a disciple of the Larung Gar academy.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Beijing government has closed a network of Tibetan Buddhist centers in Sichuan. This was reported by the director of the centers, Khenpo Sodargye, founder of the Bodhi Institute of Compassion and Wisdom, with various offices in the Chinese province.

According to the authorities, "illegal activities" are carried out within the centers. NGO International Campaign for Tibet (Ict), broke the news claimingthe goal instead isto "limit the religious and moral influence" of the monk, a disciple of the famous Tibetan study center Larung Gar, who has been targeted by Beijing for several years.

The founder of the Institute declares that all prayer centers have been closed since 30 December. In his interview yesterday with Ict, a Washington-based association that defends the Tibetan cause, he stresses that "he will continue to love the nation as well as religion." Then he asked people to ignore any fundraising requests made on behalf of the Institute.

The Sodargye network is affiliated to the Larung Gar center (in Garze, western Sichuan). It is one of the most important Buddhist academies built in the 1980s thanks to the commitment of the monk Jigme Phuntsok, who attracted tens of thousands of faithful and monks around him to deepen their faith and study the sacred texts of Tibetan Buddhism.

Since 2004, the year of the founder's death, the center has been run by a group of authoritative monks, chosen democratically. Subsequently, since 2017, the Sichuan prefecture has entrusted the management to six Tibetans, all members of the Chinese Communist Party. The hill on which the academy stands was also targeted by the authorities: in 2016 an urban restructuring was ordered, which in fact destroyed many homes and chased away most of the residents.

According to Radio Free Asia, between 2017 and 2018 the Chinese authorities removed at least 4,820 monks and nuns, forcing them to return to their countries of origin, depriving them of the opportunity to deepen their religious formation. In addition, since 2001 they have destroyed about 7 thousand monastic residences. According to Ict, the expulsions and demolitions in Larung Gar and Yachen Gar, another Buddhist center in Sichuan, are part of "a political strategy in progress", aimed at controlling the influence and growth of "these important centers of study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism ".

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CHINA Sichuan, the government closes a network of Tibetan Buddhist centers - AsiaNews

His heart was beating as if it would burst through his chest. He had trouble breathing.

It felt like the world was ending, he said.

Harris grew up in Newton. His mother was a pathologist at Mass. General. His father was the chief of radiation oncology at the Brigham. Harriss first stop was a doctor, who concluded the panic attack was the result of his using cocaine and ecstasy, sporadic self-medication that began after spending several years covering war in the Middle East.

He had a disturbing realization. He liked the adrenaline rush he got from war reporting. He was using drugs to re-create it.

I knew I had to change things, he said.

By coincidence, Peter Jennings, his boss and mentor at ABC, put him on the faith and spirituality beat. Just by doing his job, he got interested in meditation.

A lifelong agnostic, he brought along a healthy sense of skepticism, wary of the gurus in flowing robes and New Age sloganeering.

One of his ABC colleagues, Felicia Biberica, recommended a book by Eckhart Tolle, a German-born spiritual author. At first, Harris dismissed it as hippy codswallop. But Tolle triggered something, if only the realization that we all have a voice in our head, a voice that often tells us to do the things we regret.

Harris interviewed Tolle, finding him correct, but not useful. He tells us how our minds work, but not what we can do about it.

Harriss wife, a physician, responded to that complaint by giving him a book by Mark Epstein, a psychiatrist who writes about the overlap of psychology and Buddhism.

The Buddha had something you can do: meditation, Harris said. I had two thoughts: I should start doing this, and its a good story.

Harris read a lot. The books helped, but they also left him thinking he could make all the flowery language and emerging science more accessible, less intimidating to a much wider audience.

I spent five years writing a book, he said.

He got the title for it when another colleague, Chris Sebastian, expressed astonishment that he went on a meditation retreat in Barre, in central Massachusetts.

It makes me 10 percent happier, Harris told her.

Harriss 2014 book, 10% Happier, was a New York Times bestseller. He resisted a publishers suggestion to up the percentage in the title.

There are no silver bullets, he said, meaning you have to do the work, which for him was meditating up to two hours a day. Joseph Goldstein, the teacher who had the biggest impact on Harris, still lives at the Buddhist center in Barre.

Harris acknowledges that as a natural skeptic, he is the most unlikely meditation evangelist. But the science, and even his wife, tells him meditation can make him happier and, as he likes to put it, less of a jerk. Hes wary of calling himself a Buddhist.

I dont view Buddhism as a religion, he said. Theres an expression I like: Its not something to believe in, its something to do.

He created a free Ten Percent Happier podcast with ABC, which produced its 220th episode this week, and a paid subscription app that he runs himself with a staff that works out of a nondescript office in downtown Boston.

I wonder, would I keep going on retreats and practice and read if it wasnt my job? he says. My sense is I would. Its something Im deeply drawn to. Its useful that I get paid to do this. But at the end of the day, Im a storyteller and this is constantly fueling the content.

Kevin Cullen is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at cullen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeCullen.

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After you have a panic attack on live TV, being 10 percent happier is a good start to a changed life - The Boston Globe

DONATION OF TRIPITAKA TABS TO MAHA SANGHA: President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa donated Tablet PCs containing the Tripitaka to the Maha Sangha at the Vibhajjavada Dhamma Sangayana event held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Saturday. Picture courtesy Presidents Media Division.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said that religious freedom within the country will be ensured only if Sinhala Buddhists are protected.

A unitary state, safeguarding the Buddhists and Sinhalese are all combined together. When we go back in history, it is clearly visible that religious freedom within the country will be secure and strengthened only if the Sinhala Buddhists are protected.

The Sinhala Buddhists are capable of ensuring the freedom of other religions, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister was speaking at an event held to donate Tripitaka and Atta Katha in digital format to 5,000 members of the Maha Sangha at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium last Saturday (4).

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa further said that even though new technology is misused in several ways, the importance of technology is highlighted in meritorious acts like this.

In order to protect and nurture Buddhism , Labunoruwakanda Aranya Senasanaya under the guidance of Dharmacharya Ven. Mankadawala Sudassana Thera organized this event to donate Tripitaka Dhamma scripts, Atta Katha, Pali-Sinhala dictionaries in digital format to 5,000 monks.

It is not practicable to print huge number of books including Tripitaka Dhamma scripts and Atta Katha.But with the technology we can guarantee that every Buddhist monk possesses Tripitaka Dhamma scripts and Atta Katha, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister further said that the Tripitakaya is an important part of the worlds intellectual heritage.

Eventhough the origins of Buddhism are not initiated from Sri Lanka,we are the protectors of Theravada Buddhism. New technology must be used for the propagation of Buddhism. Buddhists across the world should appreciate the efforts taken by the Labunoruwakanda Aranya Senasanaya for safeguarding Buddhism, he added.

The Prime Minister said that when considering the results of the last Presidential election it is clearly visible that any force that moves against Buddhism is rejected by the general public.

We also must think twice regarding the fate of Buddhism, if the forces that moved against the Sinhalese and Buddhists came into power. We must be strong after facing all these challenges. The Maha Sangha played the most pivotal role by helping to save the country, Prime Minister Rajapaksa said.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa also pledged his fullest support for the uplift of the Buddha Sasana and considered that donating tablets containing the Tripitaka, Atta Katha and Pali-Sinhala dictionaries is a great move to uplift the entire nation.

The Vibhajjavada Dhamma Sangayana organized the ceremony to donate Tripitaka Dhamma scripts to 5,000 monks for the continued sustenance of Buddhism.

The concluding ceremony of the event was held under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This Dhamma Sangayana was organized by Labunoruwa Aranya Senasana under the guidance of Dharmacharya Ven. Mankadawala Sudassana Thera of the Labunorukanda Aranya in Anuradhapura and Sasanadhipathi Shashrapathi Rajakeeya Panditha Ven. Kothmale Kumara Kassapa Thera.

The event included orations and an open discussion with the participation of members of the Maha Sangha to discuss ways and means of preserving the original teachings of the Buddha.

The meritorious act of presenting Tripitaka and Atta Katha in digital format to 5000 members of the clergy was also held.

The President and the Prime Minister presented Tripitaka tabs to Maha Sanga.

The 10-year Vibhajjavadee Plan for the uplift of Buddhism and the proposal to set up Theravada Dhamma Script Donation Fund to provide Tripitaka Dhamma texts to temples around the country free of charge were also presented to the President and the Prime Minister.

The Maha Sangha including the Maha Nayake Theras of the Tri-Nikayas and Anu Nayake Theras, former President Maithripala Sirisena, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, Ministers and MPs participated on this occasion.

Read more here:
Protection of Sinhala Buddhists will ensure religious freedom - PM - Ceylon Daily News

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

Wymeswold, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/06/2020 -- A reputable company rendering a variety of training courses, PTP offers finance and planning training courses in various locations across the UK. Simple and easy to learn, these courses are conducted in groups of 10 or less to ensure that each participant get more of it. The training courses can be tailored according to the exact needs of the customers. The company provides various training options including In-house training, Public courses, U-Choose and 1-2-1 training.

The company provides a plethora of finance and planning training courses including business friendly finance, business skills for administrators, credit control, finance for marketing and salespeople, advanced credit control - customer focused, finance for non-finance managers, financial development programme for non-financial managers, interpreting financial statements and many more. If you're looking to attend these courses, you can contact the team at PTP for more information.

PTP is one of the most renowned names in the market and has been actively operating in the industry for many years. The company has gained a massive customer base across the UK for its top-quality training courses at competitive prices. In addition to finance and planning courses, PTP also offers other courses, including management training, personal development training, customer care training and much more.

Talking further about their finance and planning training courses, one of the representatives from the company stated, "Our finance and planning courses are designed specifically for the client and are very interactive and practical. As with the training company, our courses are never run as seminars and the average group sizes are kept to 10 or less. However, tailor-made courses for individual companies can be managed for larger groups, depending on the type of training required."

About PTP PTP provides hundreds of half-day, one-day and two-day courses in management training, sales training, customer care training, project management training and personal development training. PTP has been exhibiting at the CIPD Exhibition for over 10 years and the latest was a tremendous success. A record for inquiries into management training and sales courses and number of visitors to our stand.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ptp.co.uk

Contact Details: PTP House, 102 Brook Street Wymeswold, UK, LE12 6TU Email: info@ptp.co.uk Phone: 01509 889632

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/ptp-offers-finance-and-planning-training-courses-in-various-locations-across-the-uk-1269817.htm

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PTP Offers Finance and Planning Training Courses in Various Locations Across the UK - Press Release - Digital Journal

The U.S. airstrike ordered by President Trump that killed Gen. Qassem Suleimani, the powerful and shadowy head of Irans elite Quds Force, marks a major escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions and raises concerns about renewed conflict in the Middle East.

Here are some significant facts about Suleimani, his role in the region and what his death means for the U.S.

Who was Suleimani, and why was he important?

Suleimani was the longtime commander of Irans Quds Force, an external wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Suleimani played an important role in Irans national security decision making process including weapons sales, training and financing armed groups in other Middle Eastern nations and reported directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Suleimanis strong influence and relationships with various militias and terrorist groups which allowed Shiite-dominated Iran to build a network of non-state Shiite allies helped expand Irans role in the region. His death, analysts said, is likely to result at some point in bloody retaliation.

Commander of the Quds Force for more than two decades, Suleimani earned his stripes while serving as a Revolutionary Gard divisional commander during the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s.

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Treasury sanctioned the Quds Force for supporting the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. But there were also moments when the U.S. found itself on the same side. Shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, for instance, Iran reportedly gave the U.S. information to help forces overthrow the Taliban.

Suleimani also played a prominent role in the fight against Islamic State militants. In 2016, he was placed in charge of leading the Quds Force against Islamic State militants in Iraq.

Despite operating out of the spotlight, Suleimanis popularity in Iran grew over the last decade, and he emerged as one of the countrys most popular figures. A recent poll conducted in Iran by the University of Maryland revealed that Suleimani was ranked more favorably than President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.

How was he a regional power player?

Suleimani was well known for his ability to cultivate personal relationships with various militia groups in the Middle East, including Shiite militias in Iraq, Hezbollah in Syria and Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.

In doing so, Suleimani has been credited by Iranian officials with being instrumental in building armed networks across the Middle East to help extend Irans regional influence. Starting in 2005, for instance, Suleimani coordinated Iraqi Shiite militias to fight against U.S. forces.

Why did Trump want him killed?

Trump told reporters Friday that he ordered the killing to prevent future attacks on Americans. The Department of Defense said in a recent statement that the reclusive commander was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.

The Pentagon stated that Suleimani was behind an attack on a Kirkuk military installation in late December that resulted in the death of an American contractor and the wounding of four American troops.

Still, the question remains about who benefits from an attack that killed such a high-level figure.

The answer lies in Suleimanis role in cultivating proxies over the years, which have at times provoked and worked against American interests in the Middle East. For instance, the U.S. Central Command declassified documents in 2015 that showed that under Suleimanis leadership, Iraqi Shiite militants killed over 500 U.S. service members in Iraq between 2005 and 2011. Most recently, pro-Iranian militia members were behind the storming of the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad.

Consequently, killing Suleimani sends Iran a warning to stop theprovocations. Even though Suleimani was not the sole decision maker when it came to Irans foreign policy objectives, said Ariane Tabatabai, a Middle East expert at Rand Corp., the death of a military figure who was instrumental in helping cultivate Iranian proxies sends a symbolic message to Iran.

Why is Suleimanis death a big deal?

Suleimanis death could quell the Islamic Republics ability to continue cultivating its network of militia groups and terrorist groups in countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon, analysts say. At the same time, it could eventually if not immediately result in retaliation.

Although Trump said Friday he disagrees that his decision to kill Suleimani would increase conflict in the already volatile region, analysts arent so sure. Tabatabai said Suleimanis death introduces a new level of risk.

This is unknown terrain that we are now going to discover as we deal with the situation, she said.

Was Trumps ordering of the U.S. airstrike that killed Suleimani legal?

Under the United Nations charter, there are three legal avenues that a country can use to justify military force against a foreign country.

Based on statements the U.S. government has so far released claiming Suleimani intended to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq, various international law experts have different interpretations of whether the attack was legally justified.

Hina Shamsi, national security project director for the American Civil Liberties Union, said that under the White Houses initial justification that Suleimani was in the process of planning an attack on Americans working in Iraq the airstrike would not have met the threshold under international law of an act of self-defense against an imminent attack.

She added: After almost two decades of expansive presidential claims of authority to use force abroad, Congress needs to robustly exercise the oversight and restraining powers that are integral to our system of checks and balances.

Jonathan Miller, a professor of international law and constitutional law at Los Angeles-based Southwestern Law School, has a different perspective.

The U.S. can justify force against Suleimani if it feels that Iran was behind attacks on U.S. forces. The situation becomes more complex given that Iran often operates through proxies, but Iran is responsible for the conduct of its proxies if those proxies carry out attacks under its instruction, he said.

Of course any use of force in response to an armed attack must be proportional, but in this case we are talking about a very limited strike that focused on an individual whose command responsibilities directly involved him with the Shiite militia who were attacking U.S. forces.

Are we on the path toward World War III? And how unlikely is the reinstitution of a draft?

The short answer: no and no.

Recent events might have some young people worried that the U.S. is marching toward war with Iran World War III started trending on social media after Suleimanis death was announced.

But the reality is that a direct conflict remains unlikely; even though the risk of miscalculation by the U.S. and Iran might be higher these days than in the past, neither side wants to end up in a direct conflict, Tabatabai said.

The same goes for reinstitution of a draft.

The U.S. has fought in at least three major wars since the Vietnam War, when the U.S. military draft drew to a close. In order for a draft to be reinstated, Congress would have to pass a law that would then be signedby the president.

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Who was Qassem Suleimani of Iran, and what will his death mean? - Los Angeles Times

January 06, 2020 09:00 ET | Source: FlexIt

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FlexIt, the app that enables users to work out at gyms by paying only for the time they use (down to the minute), today announces the incorporation of FlexIt Training and FlexIt XR. FlexIt Training brings on-demand personal training to select gyms on the FlexIt platform, while FlexIt XR brings virtual reality to the fitness industry in never before seen ways, including revolutionary extended reality services.

Launched at CES 2019, FlexIt experienced rapid growth in its first year and is now integrating these new features to both improve the app experience and take user engagement to new heights. Meeting the demands of consumers and gyms, FlexIt continues to evolve, delivering best-in-class experiences.

Since launching a year ago, we have experienced incredible growth, as we have brought over 1,500 partner gyms onto the platform, across 20 states. As we continue to go deeper in our existing markets and expand into new markets, it is imperative that we deliver strong engagement for existing and future users and partners alike, said Austin Cohen, Founder and CEO of FlexIt. Based on the feedback that weve received from fitness enthusiasts and club owners and operators, its clear that consumers prioritize optionality and customization, which is exactly why we launched these new features.

PERSONAL TRAINING

FlexIt Training is an all-access personal training app nested within the core FlexIt app. The incorporation of personal training access into the FlexIt ecosystem affords consumers hyper a-la-carte accessibility, which benefits users, trainers and gyms alike.

With FlexIts new personal training feature, users can now access personal training sessions at participating FlexIt partner gyms. These sessions allow users to only pay for the time they spend with the trainer (available in increments of 15 minutes). Previously, personal training packages were only readily available and feasible in three ways: as a member of a gym, outdoors or at home. And historically, sessions are typically available in bulk packages.

Users can select trainers that have a proficiency in his or her desired training skillset and check-in and check-out using the trainers personal QR code on their phones, just as users would to access a gym using FlexIt. Now users can try out personal trying before deciding whether to join that gym as a member.

EXTENDED REALITY

Starting in 2020 and available on a waitlist basis, FlexIt is rolling out its extended reality arm, FlexIt XR, which benefits both FlexIt users and gym partners.

AUGMENTED REALITY

FlexIts augmented reality (AR) debut incorporates AR into the individual facility pages of gyms of select partners on the FlexIt platform within the core FlexIt app. The inclusion of AR in the app enables users to take immersive tours of gyms, familiarizing users with the gym layout prior to entering the facilities to offer users a new level of comfort.

In-app, virtual tours provide insight into the layouts of FlexIt partner locations, including details down to specific brands and details of equipment and workout machines. This technology permits users to survey the equipment offered (ellipticals, squat racks, rings, seated leg presses, etc.) before their first visit to the club. Using AR tours, users can remotely plan their workouts and feel comfortable navigating facilities upon arrival.

VIRTUAL REALITY

FlexIts virtual reality (VR) debut includes a multi-phase roll-out, starting in 2020 with cutting-edge VR fitness technology. The first phase includes VR Pre-Tours, which allows gyms to exhibit a future facility to potential new members. Akin to condo sales galleries employing VR-visualizations to sell real estate, these VR Pre-Tours can assist in the membership pre-sales process.

VR Pre-Tours are so detailed that users can even pick up the weights in the gyms they are touring (virtually) and lift them with analogous haptic feedback to simulate lifting weights, with heavier weights bearing the illusion of added resistance. VR Pre-Tours will be available at FlexIt pop-ups, FlexIt events, and viewing centers and pre-sale showrooms. VR Pre-Tours enables users to visualize and walk through highly detailed facilities to mirror the actual, in-gym experience.

All three of our new integrations are a result of responses from those we work with and serve. These features offer more flexibility than ever before, so users can make empowered decisions on their own time and gym owners and operators can best market and serve these new customers, said Justin Turetsky, Founding Team and Head of Operations. With various technologies trying to keep consumers in-home, we believe that the future of fitness is inside fitness clubs themselves.

FlexIt is currently available for download in the App Store and Google Play, and the team will be demoing the new AR/VR features at CES 2020. To learn more about FlexIt, visit: http://www.flexit.fit.

About FlexIt FlexIt Inc. is the mobile app that quickly and seamlessly enables users to access fitness clubs wherever and whenever they want, and only pay for the amount of time that they are in the facility. Available in over 1,500 fitness clubs across the country, FlexIt offers consumers the flexibility that they expect, while generating leads and enhancing profitability for fitness clubs. FlexIt provides club access to users while simultaneously providing clubs with access to a large network of prospective members. FlexIt is available for download on iOS and Android in their respective app stores; for more information, please visit http://www.flexit.fit.

Media Contact: Lauren Cozza Uproar PR for FlexIt 321-236-0102 x233 lcozza@uproarpr.com

Link:
FlexIt Experiences Massive Company Growth in its First Year, Launches New Engagement Features in Personal Training and Extended Reality for 2020 -...

PILE on the pounds over Christmas? Wallet taken a battering along the way?

There are ways to shape up without splashing serious cash. Today, Mr Money runs you through the best affordable options.

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If gyms arent your thing, save hundreds of pounds by working out at home instead.

Turn on your smart TV to find thousands of YouTube fitness videos, which have taken the place of workout DVDs. Popular channels include the Fitness Marshall, Popsugar Fitness, Blogilates and FitnessBlender.

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Kathryn Wright, chief exec of discountvouchers.co.uk, said: You can find some great workouts on YouTube for free. Or to follow a set programme for targeted workouts with a desired result, why not try a yoga course from the Udemy site? Its just 10.99.

Remember, you dont have to splurge on kit to see great results.

Poundland is launching a new home fitness range including floor roller wheels (5), yoga mats (4) and skipping ropes (2), plus water bottles for 1.

Want a personal trainer? Save hundreds more a year by getting your phone to do it for you.

The NHSs Couch To 5k plan is designed to get beginners off the sofa and running 5km within nine weeks.

Podcasts offering guidance and reminders can be downloaded via iTunes or you can install an app on your phone.

All you need is a pair of headphones and your running gear. Then you are ready to go.

Other free apps include My Training and Daily Workouts Fitness Trainer.

The latter is a great way to start if you are new to working out. It lets you pick which area of the body you would like to focus on during your 30-minute session.

HERE are three of the best apps for getting you started. All are free, but with in-app purchases, on iPhone and Android.

Nike Training Club THIS app is sensational. It has lots of workouts of different challenge levels and timings, including some that focus on using your body weight instead of using gym weights.

Seven 7min Workout HIGH-Impact Interval Training (HIIT) is about short, sharp workouts to get your heart rate into a training zone. Even the busiest among us can find seven minutes a day, surely?

Strava THIS running app is hugely popular and when you try it, you will see why. It shows your run (or cycle ride, or swim) on a map. You can aim to beat your own best times or get involved in challenges with your mates.

If you are dead-set on joining a gym, make sure get the most suitable deal for your lifestyle.

Money.co.uks Salman Haqqi said: Gyms can be worth the money if you use them regularly and have a strict routine and fitness goal.

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But they can be expensive if you dont make a commitment to go every week. You would need to work out three times a week to make a 50-a-month contract pay.

There are plenty of cheaper options. PureGym, the Gym Group and Better Health & Fitness all run deals for under 16 a month.

Shop around to find a contract with no joining fee and no fixed term. Watch out for those pricey cancellation fees, too.

You can often get a better rate if you turn up in person and haggle and sign up at the end of a month, as sales staff at some gyms have monthly sales targets they need to hit so they are more open to negotiating.

Or if you dont feel ready to commit to membership, why not buy pay-as-you-go passes? Hussle.com offers bundles of five-day, ten-day and unlimited monthly+ passes that will get you access to more than 1,200 gyms around the country.

Lacking motivation? Set up a running group with some pals to spur each other on.

Also, look out for events taking place in your community.

Salman says: Its worth joining your local Parkrun. These are free, weekly 5k runs organised in many towns and cities across the UK. The runs are timed, so you can track your performance to gauge whether youre improving.

Finally, why not combine achieving your fitness goals with doing your bit for charity?

Sign up for free and raise vital cash for the MS Society by biking across Britain at biketheukforms.org.

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From cut-price gyms to training apps, here are affordable ways to get fit in January - The Sun

According to a study conducted by Harvard Business Review, salespeople need two essential qualities to be successful: empathy and ego drive.

But how exactly can a sales professional sharpen these skills? Wouldnt it be nice if the answers and tools we needed to skyrocket our success were hand-delivered to us with a bright shiny bow?

Even though experts narrow down the idea of how to be a good salesperson down into two simple skills, mastering these skills can be a complex and timely process.

Here is our guide to how to be a better salesperson in 2020.

In sales, there is so much emphasis put on what we want to say and the results we want to get, that it can be easy to forget that listening is one of the most critical parts of the sales process.

If you dont listen to your customers needs, wants and what they are really saying, they will notice. Listening is what makes the difference between just another salesperson, and a professional colleague.

Listen to your customers, find a common interest, and have a genuine interest in them as a person. If the last time you spoke with them they mentioned that their child was sick, ask them how the family is doing. Listening helps you get to know a person, which helps build relationships and gets to a persons core values.

People expect to find a wolf in sheeps clothing in every salesperson, so show them something they dont expect. In a profession dominated by facts and figures, it can be hard to remember that emotions are an important aspect of sales.

But 95% of purchasing decisions are emotional. So how you make a person feel is essential to maximizing sales and generating qualified leads. Emotional intelligence is also growing as dominant trait employers, professionals and people in general value in others.

Adding small habits to your routine to improve your empathy can go a long way. Consider reading about active listing and nonverbal communication. Or start practicing mindfulness habits that will help you be more present with others.

Every good salesperson knows that not every person likes to be approached the same way. Not every person is easily penned into a customer category, so know that successful sales will rely on your ability to adapt to the customer.

Mirroring can bring even the most unalike people into agreement. The key here is to let the customers behaviors and attitude lead the interaction.

People like people who are like them. As a salesperson, you want to be liked. A great way to make someone feel like you are one of them is to mirror them. Consider how the person is standing or sitting, what their tone is like, or other behaviors they engage in. Use this to set the tone for how you behave.

According to Chris Voss, a former FBI agent and the author of Never Split the Difference, using open-ended questions can subtly steer the conversation favorably while giving the person you are negotiating with a sense of control.

He notes that asking questions like What about this works for you? or Does this look like something you would like? Make the person you are negotiating with feel heard. It also provides a salesperson with valuable insights into a leads needs.

Once you listen to a clients response, the next step is to follow-up with a question that shows you listened to them, and empathize with them. Its also important that this question is positioned to have your lead agreeing with you.

Start your response with phrases like It seems like, It sounds like, and It looks like to lead a person to emotionally agree with you.

Ideas like vision boards and manifesting the reality you want through thought can seem a little far fetched, but there is some serious science that backs up the power of visualization.

Simply imagining things wont close sales, but adding visualization techniques on top of a disciplined, focused lifestyle can enhance your ability to be successful. How exactly? There have been multiple scientific studies that prove its power.

Over time your brain struggles to tell the difference between real and imagined memories. Visualizing vivid scenarios of closing deals and success will start to pile up in your memory over consistent use.

Think of your mind like a garden that needs to be cared for. The weeds need to be picked out for fresh, colorful produce to grow. When you fill your mind with positive memories about success, you will indirectly build confidence and an improved mindset.

There are also studies that suggest that simply visualizing yourself with a skill, like reading body language or being more empathetic, can help you learn skills faster. Again, youre biohacking your brain to believe it knows things that it technically doesnt yet.

To really be successful at the tips mentioned in this blog so far, like executing calibrated questions and being an active listener, youve got to prepare. Winging sales meetings and hoping for the best doesnt cut it.

If youre preparing for a meeting of any kind, consider using note cards to map out the key points of your conversation. Seasoned negotiators wont be an easy sell. Dont underestimate the people you are dealing with.

Consider all of the possible responses to your questions a lead might have, both good and bad, and practice how you would respond. What you say is just as important as how you say it, and what you look like saying it. So practice in front of a mirror and out loud to yourself.

While the fundamentals of sales seem to hold true over time, demographics, best practices, and technology are always changing. Education doesnt end at graduation for effective salespeople, its a lifelong commitment.

Consider making a commitment to attend at least one new sales training event or conference in 2020. Ask your company if they support career development and will cover the cost of attendance.

Investigate the most relevant certifications and training programs in the industry, and make time to undertake at least one in the new year.

Education can also be as simple as reading a new book and listening to a podcast. Make it a goal to listen to a sales podcast or YouTube channel every week.

Research the books that are disrupting how the industry operates and set a reading goal in the new year.

Think outside the box with continued sales education too. If you lack confidence and need help breaking the ice, join a local improv group to overcome your fears. Business etiquette classes can be beneficial for selling to different cultures and can help polish how you present yourself if youve recently been promoted and are dealing with a higher level of clientele.

Voice lessons can help dissipate bad speech habits and help you better articulate yourself. Investing in a stylist or a personal trainer can improve the way you present yourself, and how you feel about yourself.

Sales software is not optional for efficient pros in 2020. How to be a better salesperson is often made easier or more difficult based on the technology available to you.

Automation, multi-experience customer journeys, distributed cloud accessibility and having an empowered edge are essentials for sales professionals achieved through technology.

But could you really do more with less technology?

Sales technology has created more tools for lead generation, new customer experiences along their journey, improved sales enablement, and extra ways to connect. But between tools to manage leads, create presentations, optimize trade show experiences and digital marketing, the number of tools available can feel overwhelming.

Upgrading your technology to a single platform that has it all is a major pro move for 2020. Whatever technology platform you choose, become an expert at it. This will not only maximize your investment but taking the time to learn the software will enhance your overall sales strategy for how to be a better salesperson.

Taking your success to the next level in 2020? Click on blog in the toolbar to check out more articles about business and professional development.

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How to be a Better Salesperson in 2020 - KAKE