In April 1915, former president Theodore Roosevelt penned a piece for Ladies Home Journal titled The Books That I Read and When and How I Do My Reading. In it, he notes that it would be impossible to try to enumerate all the books I read, or even all the kindswhich is understandable, considering he typically read around a book a day and was often reading several books at a time.

Still, Roosevelt recommends plenty of books in the piece, name drops a few titles hes not so crazy about, and doles out tons of reading tips in the process. Here are a few of them.

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Fathers and mothers who are wise, Roosevelt wrote, can train their children first to practice, and soon to like, the sustained mental application necessary to enjoy good books. He also advised that parents have their children learn a second language, so that at least one other great literature, in addition to our own noble English literature, shall be open to him or her. On both counts, Roosevelt is drawing from his own experience: Confined to the indoors as a young boy because of his asthma, he read constantly. He also read in German, French, Italian, and Latin (although he didnt enjoy reading in Latin; he called it drudgery).

The readers personal and individual taste must be the guiding factor when choosing a book, Roosevelt wrote. I like hunting books and books of exploration and adventure. I do not ask anyone else to like them.

Roosevelt notes that the equation of personal taste is as powerful in reading as in eating; and within certain broad limits the matter is merely one of individual preference, having nothing to do with the quality either of the book or of the readers mind.

He wrote that he likes apples, pears, oranges, pineapples, and peaches. I dislike bananas, alligator pears and prunes at times in the tropics I have been exceedingly sorry I could not learn to like bananas and on round-ups, in the cow country in the old days, it was even more unfortunate not to like prunes; but I simply could not make myself like either, and that was all there was to it.

Roosevelt goes on to say that of the books he had tried to read in the last month, he could read Guy Mannering, The Antiquary, Pendennis, Vanity Fair, Our Mutual Friend, and The Pickwick Papers over and over, but did not care for Fortunes of Nigel, Esmond, and The Old Curiosity Shop. I have no question that the latter three books are as good as the first six, he wrote. Doubtless for other people they are better; but I do not like them, any more than I like prunes and bananas.

And of course, as Roosevelt noted in his autobiography, a reader must not hypocritically pretend to like what he does not like.

Youre the best person to choose what books you want to read. If a man or woman is fond of books he or she will naturally seek the books that the mind and soul demand, Roosevelt wrote. Suggestions of a possibly helpful character can be made by outsiders, but only suggestions; and they will probably be helpful about in proportion to the outsiders knowledge of the mind and soul of the person to be helped.

Or, as he wrote in his autobiography, The reader, the booklover, must meet his own needs without paying too much attention to what his neighbors say those needs should be. And all readers should beware of the booklovers besetting sin, of what Mr. Edgar Allan Poe calls the mad pride of intellectuality, taking the shape of arrogant pity for the man who does not like the same kind of books.

Roosevelt has a lot to say about personal preference when it comes to books, and how that should dictate what someone reads. However, he also has opinions about reading classics versus reading the trashy stuff. If anyone finds that he never reads serious literature, if all his reading is frothy and trashy, he would do well to try to train himself to like books that the general agreement of cultivated and sound-thinking persons has placed among the classics, he wrote. Let man or woman, young man or girl, read some good author, say Gibbon or Macaulay, until sustained mental effort brings power to enjoy the books worth enjoying.

Only when this has been done can the reader trust himself to pick out for himself the particular good books which appeal to him.

Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography that books are almost as individual as friends. There is no earthly use in laying down general laws about them. Some meet the needs of one person, and some of another.

Still, in How I Do My Reading, he wrote that personal preference isnt an excuse for permitting oneself to like what is vicious or even simply worthless. What he means by that, we can ascertain from what follows, are books that deal with sexwhich makes sense, given that Roosevelt was quite proper (some might have called him a prude).

He wrote that If any man finds that he cares to read Bel AmiGuy de Maupassants 1885 novel about a poor young mans scandalous rise to powerhe will do well to keep a watch on the reflex centers of his moral nature. (Roosevelt advised picking up books by French dramatist Eugene Brieux or writer Henry Bordeaux if one finds himself in this particular situation.) Leo Tolstoys Anna Karenina and War and Peace are great books to read, but if his reader prefers the authors 1890 novella, The Kreutzer Sonataanother book that, like Bel Ami, deals with sexhe had better make up his mind that for pathological reasons he will be wise thereafter to avoid Tolstoy entirely. Tolstoy is an exceedingly interesting and stimulating writer, but an exceedingly unsafe moral advisor.

It is clear the reading of vicious books for pleasure should be eliminated, Roosevelt concludes. It is no less clear that trivial and vulgar books do more damage than can possibly be offset by any entertainment they yield.

Roosevelt wrote that he reads in streaks, where he gets interested in a particular subject and reads about it in book after book after book, and probably also [reads] books on subjects suggested by it Even in pure literature, having nothing to do with history, philosophy, sociology or economy, one book will often suggest another, so that one finds one has unconsciously followed a regular course of reading.

You may think that youre too busy to read, but Theodore Roosevelt would disagreehe always found time to fit in a book (or four) every day. He wrote that he could almost always read in the evenings, and if he was otherwise occupied, hed schedule half an hour of reading before bed. But he never limited himself to just the evening for reading. All kinds of odd moments turn up during even a busy day, in which it is possible to enjoy a book, he wrote. And then there are rainy afternoons in the country in autumn, and stormy days in winter, when ones work outdoors is finished and after wet clothes have been changed for dry, the rocking chair in front of the open wood fire simply demands an accompanying book.

Theodore Roosevelt, who traveled quite frequently, knew the value of bringing a good book along on vacation. Railway and steamboat journeys were, of course, predestined through the ages as aids to the enjoyment of reading, he wrote. I have always taken books with me when on hunting and exploring trips. He put Darwins On the Origin of Species in his bag on hunting trips; when pursuing boat thieves in the Dakotas, he brought along a copy of Anna Karenina (he finished it on the trip, then borrowed a dime novel from one of the thieves); and he took 60 booksgiven to him by his younger sister, Corinneon his year-long African safari.

In such cases the literature should be reasonably heavy, in order that it may last, he wrote. Being under these conditions allows the reader to tackle more ambitious books and authors, as you never would if surrounded by less formidable authors in your own library; and when you do reach the journeys end you grasp with eager appetite at old magazines, or at the lightest of literature.

Roosevelt notes that the best critics scorn the demand among novel readers for the happy ending, but he personally didnt see anything wrong with happy endings in novels, especially because real life is tough enough. There are enough horror and grimness and sordid squalor in real life with which an active man has to grapple; and when I turn to the world of literature I do not care to study suffering unless for some sufficient purpose. It is only a very exceptional novel which I will read if He does not marry Her; and even in exceptional novels I much prefer this consummation. I am not defending my attitude. I am merely stating it.

Later, he wrote (and one gets the sense that hes speaking from experience here) that if one is worried by all kinds of men and eventsduring critical periods in administrative office, or at national conventions, or during congressional investigations or in hard-fought political campaignsit is the greatest relief and unalloyed delight to take up some really good, some really enthralling book and lose all memory of everything grimy, and of the baseness that must be parried or conquered.

Roosevelt was widely read, devouring books on everything from history and the military to volumes of poetry and natural history. A man with a real fondness for books of various kinds will find that his varying moods determine which of these books he at the moment needs.

TR also wrote in his autobiography, A book must be interesting to the particular reader at that particular time. So theres no shame in putting a book aside if its not what youre in the mood for at the moment!

If theres one thing youll learn from reading How I Read, its that TR seems to prefer classics to brand-new books. Another matter which within certain rather wide limits each reader must settle for himself is the dividing line between (1) not knowing anything about current books and (2) swamping ones soul in the sea of vapidity which overwhelms him who reads only the last new books, he wrote, adding that the headline books of the week is damning both for the books and the reviewer:

I would much rather see the heading books of the year before last. A book of the year before last which is still worth noticing, would probably be worth reading; but one only entitled to be called a book of the week had better be tossed into the wastebasket at once. Still, there are plenty of new books which are not of permanent value but which nevertheless are worth more or less careful reading; partly because it is well to know something of what especially interested the mass of our fellows, and partly because these books, although of ephemeral worth, may really set forth something genuine in a fashion which for the moment stirs the hearts of all of us.

Roosevelt, whose own library at Sagamore Hill spanned multiple rooms (an accounting of all of the familys books from 1919 was 77 pages long [PDF]), was no fan of best books lists and what he called a 5-foot library. (Hes referring to Harvards 5-foot shelf, a compilation of 51 works of literature. According to Project Gutenberg, Dr. Eliot, then president of Harvard University, had stated in speeches that the elements of a liberal education could be obtained by spending 15 minutes a day reading from a collection of books that could fit on a 5-foot shelf.) There remain enormous masses of books, of which no one man can read more than a limited number, and among which each reader should choose those which meet his own particular needs, TR wrote. There is no such things as a list of the 100 best books or the best 5-foot library. To attempt to create such a library that shall be of universal value is foreordained to futility.

In his autobiography, he wrote that he had no sympathy for either concept, saying, It is all right for a man to amuse himself by composing a list of a hundred very good books; and if he is to go off for a year or so where he cannot get many books, it is an excellent thing to choose a 5-foot library of particular books which in that particular year and on that particular trip he would like to read. But there is no such thing as a hundred books that are best for all men, or for the majority of men, or for one man at all times; and there is no such thing as a 5-foot library which will satisfy the needs of even one particular man on different occasions extending over a number of years.

Roosevelt wrote that books can provide consolation of a non-literary kind. He advised that those who are irritated or frustrated or depressed about the current state of affairs might find reading books that deal with history illuminating or consoling. In some cases, he will be . devoutly thankful that his lot has been cast in the present age, in spite of all its faults.

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Theodore Roosevelt Reading Tips - Mental Floss

Several of the proposals in Bakers bill are not new. Some items legislators have been considering since last years abortive attempt to pass a health care bill are in freestanding bills already filed this year. There seems to be agreement, for example, that its time to address surprise billing and limit the use of hospital facility fees. Those are the charges that show up when a health care provider turns out to be out of network, much to the surprise of a patient who ended up in the emergency room. Ending the practice is overdue.

In another welcome reform, the bill would also require provider directories actually to mean what they say to connect patients to services and clinicians that exist and will accept their insurance, not the ghost networks that too often make it impossible to access care, particularly mental health care. Again, similar bills were filed to make such changes this year.

The governors bill also aims to increase access to telemedicine for consumers by establishing a regulatory framework for those services and requiring insurers to cover them if the same service is covered for an in-office visit.

An especially ambitious part of Bakers bill is an effort to reshape the delivery of services by requiring an increase in spending by hospitals and insurers of 30 percent over the next three years for primary care and behavioral health without increasing overall spending. One astonishing fact stands out in our current system today less than 15 percent of total medical expenses are spent on primary care and behavioral health combined, Baker said.

So, if the measure passes, health care facilities are going to have to think twice about investing capital funds in the newest MRI equipment or orthopedic center and investing more in primary care physicians, geriatric specialists, or mental health clinicians.

Which brings us to one of Bakers other big ideas: fixing a mental health system where 50 percent of practitioners will not accept insurance not MassHealth, not Medicare, not even private insurance. Even though the Commonwealth currently ranks number one in mental health providers available by population (1 for every 180 residents), actually seeing one is out of reach for too many residents.

Provisions in the bill to require one universal credentialing form to be used by all insurers would cut down on paperwork for behavioral health providers something the Legislature should embrace. Anticipated rate increases (by establishing a bottom line for certain services) and a fairer rate system of billing for clinicians in training are also aimed at encouraging more clinicians to join the marketplace.

Some of the most controversial parts of the bill involve the governors attempt to control drug costs, which both the administration and legislative leaders seem to agree is a major driver of overall health care costs. One provision would extend more extensive state oversight to drugs that cost more than $50,000 per person per year even if bought through the private market. A similar provision was added to the state budget this year but only for drugs purchased under the states MassHealth system. This seems a natural extension although even that was subject to extensive lobbying by the drug industry, which remains unhappy with any attempt at price regulations.

That would, of course, make them totally apoplectic about the Baker effort to subject all drugs to a price cap of no more than inflation plus 2 percent. Call it the Epi-Pen provision, after the drug manufacturer everyone loves to hate. No other state has tried it and, indeed, price caps could be a bridge too far: Lawmakers ought to subject the idea to careful scrutiny to make sure its not too blunt an instrument.

The very length and breadth of the bill will make it difficult for lawmakers to get their arms around, as House Speaker Robert DeLeo has indicated. He wasnt unfriendly to many of its ideas, but noted that it will probably have to be dissected by several committees. Senate President Karen Spilka also seems supportive but favors a piece-by-piece approach.

The governor, a one-time CEO of one of the states largest insurers, seems an unlikely health care revolutionary. But who better to tackle an industry that even in this health care mecca or perhaps especially in this health care mecca cries out for a change in attitude and a reordering of how it cares for patients.

Continue reading here:
Charlie Bakers health care bill could make a real difference - The Boston Globe

Social media can have a negative impact on a teens mental health as they start to feel their lives are not as good as those portrayed online. Photo: Pixabay. For illustrative purposes.

Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media are more likely to develop mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, feelings of self-consciousness and low self-esteem.

This is according to research published by American psychiatry journal, JAMA.

During Mental Health Awareness Month, which is October, Fourways-based non-profit Witkoppen Clinic has raised concerns about the impact of social media on teen mental health.

Witkoppen Clinic has raised concerns about the impact of social media on teen mental health. Photo: Pixabay. For illustrative purposes.

Seeing people constantly on holiday or buying expensive things can make young people feel like they are missing out while others are enjoying life. These feelings can promote a compare and despair attitude, which leads teens to search for ways to make their lives more insta-worthy, said Tamsyn Nash, specialist clinic medical officer at Witkoppen Clinic.

Youth from all over South Africa are accessing social media and consuming content that promotes material wealth, and sets unrealistic expectations of what life is supposed to be like.

This can have a negative impact on a teens mental health, as they start to feel their lives are not as good as those portrayed online, said Tamsyn.

Social media use itself doesnt cause problems; Its the side-effects, such as cyber-bullying, the tendency to idolise the lives of others, failure to see friends in real life and lack of sleep which causes problems, she said.

She continued to say social media can cause teens to feel overwhelmed by the pressure to construct a positive image of themselves and their lives.

An example of how young women have attempted to raise their online status is by seeking out blessers older men who buy gifts for them in exchange for sex. For teens struggling financially, this can seem like a viable way to access and imitate the lifestyles they see on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Engaging with blessers opens young women up to sexual predators and increases the risk of teenage pregnancy and contracting STIs such as HIV. Social media can put vulnerable youth at an even higher risk.

At Witkoppen Clinic, we encourage young people to think carefully about what they see on social media. If you feel like its taking a toll on your mental health, take a break for a day or two and remember that social media does not equal reality.

Witkoppen Clinic provides comprehensive healthcare to almost 10 000 patients every month. Their specialist clinic offers counselling and support for people of all ages struggling with mental health issues. Based at 105 William Nicol Drive, Fourways, Johannesburg, the clinic is open from 7.30am to 4pm every weekday. The first visit is free.

For more information on the other services Witkoppen Clinic provides, visit their website at http://www.witkoppen.org.za.

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The impact of social media on teen mental health - Randfontein Herald

Youll know you have a sticky mind when reading the news becomes an exercise in navigating a metaphorical minefield.

Youll be scrolling through your morning news feed, haphazardly glazing your eyes over the days events, only to be met by one of those stories that make you stop still. It might be about a new study revealing the most recent stats on the climate crisis, or a violent crime that stays with you long after youve finished reading. But no matter what it is, you know itll be taking up some real estate in your thoughts for a significant amount of time.

Described by psychologists Dr Marty Seif and Dr Sally Winston as a biologically based trait that is experienced as repetitive looping thinking, a sense of getting mired in worry, a talent for imaginative flights into catastrophic images and thoughts, and a tendency for junk channels of the mind to get loud and insistent instead of simply flowing by, someone with a sticky mind essentially gets stuck on specific thoughts, images and ideas and suffers anxiety as a result.

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What is a sticky mind? Heres how to deal with the symptom of anxiety that could be triggered by reading the news - Stylist Magazine

If winter in Britain is characterised by anything other than train delays and novelty gourd-flavoured coffee it is darkness. And cold. Oh yes, and rain. As autumn slides into winter, mist turns to drizzle and sunset is replaced by mid-afternoon gloom, it can be hard to prepare for the months ahead. What to wear, how to warm up, even how to summon up the energy to get through the season. We asked a range of people whose outdoor work from scaffolding to veterinary medicine makes them experts in winter survival for their tips.

The greatest hurdle to winter living is state of mind. To a greater or lesser extent, all of us will find our mood affected by changes in weather, reduced daylight and a drop in temperature. The secret, says Graham Singer, a scaffolder working across Essex and London, is to give yourself milestones. Ive been doing it since I was 15, so I know its coming, he laughs. Sometimes, you know as soon as you step out of the vehicle that everythings going to be soaked in a few minutes, so you resign yourself to that fact. Just keep in mind that in a few hours, youll be back in the warm. Take it hour by hour dont think about the whole day, but just the next job. Tomorrow cant be any worse.

Issa Robson, a vet who works in Northumberland with large animals, takes it one step further, saying that, with the right protection in place, cold weather can make you feel pretty powerful. I dont think: Oh, its raining, she says. Once Ive got all my kit on I actually feel pretty invincible. We lived on the west coast of Scotland so I learned that, if youre in the right coat, you can do anything. Cold, she says, can also be a question of attitude. As long as your core is warm your neck and chest you can be pretty self-sustainable. Your fingers and feet might be cold, but you dont feel cold yourself.

Professional dog walker Sheila Mathieson has perhaps my favourite motto when it comes to working outside: you can only get wet once. Once youre wet, youre wet thats as bad as its going to get. Nothing changes. Thats your lot, she says. Youve just got to look forward to getting back inside, jumping in the shower and getting dry. Theres no point thinking about what its going to be like out there. Just bite the bullet and get out there. I tell myself I have no choice; the dogs come first.

Once the temperature starts to drop, it is hard to underestimate the importance of movement. Tim Wright, a postman from Oxford, says that if you can keep moving for a quarter of an hour, you can overcome whatever the weather is doing around you. For the first 10 or 15 minutes when you start, everything is frozen. Minus 12C is pretty extreme but when theres a hard frost, as long as you keep going for that first 15 minutes, youre fine. We have to wear fingerless gloves because we need to feel the letters, so the tips of our fingers are freezing. But, like I said, just keep moving. After that: bingo. The key is to keep your body pumping.

When working as a lifeguard at the open-air pools on Hampstead Heath in London, I was advised to do as much exercise as I could during what little daylight we could find. That might mean a bike ride after your shift or, for office workers, a jog during your lunch break. Getting a hit of endorphins on a cold Tuesday in February can make all the difference to your immune system and your mental health.

As anyone who has ever had to play netball in January in borrowed school shorts and a T-shirt can tell you; clothing is important. Everybody I spoke to mentioned base layers. When I was a child, my father, a builder, would go off to work on a roof or digging foundations with a pair of my mums tights under his work trousers. These days, says Singer, everybody from scaffolders to footballers should invest in a pair of thermal joggers and a couple of tops. Start with as many layers as you can. Then, as the day goes on particularly if its a nice, crisp winter day youll be taking one off every half-hour. Mind you, by the end of the day, youll be putting them back on again.

For Robson, the right gear starts from the bottom. Im a fan of big pants, she says down the phone from her unheated kitchen. Pants that dont cover your waist are a waste of time. If you want to stay warm, you cant have that bit of your back exposed. She also recommends thermal leggings and snow gear. When I was working for long stretches in minus 16C, I wore my snowboarding trousers. Theyre insulated and quite waterproof. But her favourite bit of kit is Smartwool mountaineering socks. Its almost like having a carpet in your sock.

Hollie Newton, a writer and fisherwoman living in Dorset, tells me that what you keep in your coat pockets is just as important as the coat itself. I always have a couple of those glove warmers in my pockets, as well as a vacuum flask with a really good hot chocolate. On her feet? On the boat I tend to be barefoot I really do love the cold but in the real depths of winter, I wear bright yellow Dunlop wellies. I actually think if you try not to get wet, youve lost the game before you even start.

For agricultural workers, cold frosty mornings will often coincide with fiddly outdoor jobs such as raising electric fences, filling drinking troughs or attending to livestock. I put on a barrier cream every night because once your hands get chapped, cracked or split particularly if youre working with water it becomes pretty unbearable, says Charles Bennett, an organic farmer who works near Tiddington in Warwickshire. Cowmen have this lanolin-type stuff they put on the cows udders that also protects their hands.

For Kelvin Markham, a builder and maintenance worker based in Oxfordshire, an upbeat disposition and physically active job are all you need. My wife says Ive got rhino skin all the rain, the cold, it just seems to slide off me. Dig in, throw yourself into it and youll soon get hot. Even in mid-winter, when its below freezing, youll still see me in just a jumper after a couple of hours.

While cold winter days can be draining, they are hopefully balanced out by the promise of the long warm days that will eventually come round again. Sometimes, well joke to each other; what the hell are we doing here? Standing out here, in this weather, with our hands around freezing cold metal tubes, on scaffolding boards that are three inches thick with snow, says Singer. But I do enjoy what I do. Even during the winter I wouldnt change it.

Originally posted here:
How to survive the winter: the expert guide to staying warm, healthy and happy - The Guardian

Photographer Nicholas Nixon was visiting his wifes family in Ireland when nonchalantly he asked her and her three sisters if he could take their picture. It was summer of 1975, and a black-and-white photograph of four young women casually posing in summer shirts and pants against a velvety background of trees and lawn was the result.

A year later, at the graduation of one of the sisters, while readying a shot of them, he suggested they line up in the same order. After Nixon saw the image, he asked them if they might do it every year. They seemed OK with it, and thus began a project that has spanned almost his whole career. The series of pictures, which has been shot for the past four decades, is on view at the Museum of Modern Art, Midtown Manhattan, New York City, along with the museums publication of the book The Brown Sisters: Forty Years.

The article on the four sistersForty Portraits in Forty Years (1975 to 2014)appeared in The New York Times recently, catching the attention of readers worldwide. Why so many peoples attention was drawn? Why the four sisters do this?

Because Time is all Powerful! And everyone is attracted to Power. Power is one of the opulences of the all-attractive God along with beauty, fame, knowledge, wealth and renunciation. People get attracted to personalities like Bruce Lee, Mohammed Ali, Arnold Schwarzenegger, et al due to their raw power although that power has limitations. Time, which is an external manifestation of Gods form, is all powerful.

The Lord in Bhagavad Gita 11.32 states klo 'smi loka-kaya-kt pravddho (Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds). So, why shouldnt everyone be attracted to the all-powerful time? Time defeated even Bruce Lee, Mohammed Ali, Arnold and many more puissant personalities. In the Vedic texts, Time is compared to a snake because, like the serpent, it devours the prey slowly but surely. Everyone has to bend down to the cogent Time.

The four sisters portrait series is a resilient-animated lesson for all of us that no one can escape the effects of Time. When they posed for photograph in 1975, they were so young and beautiful. Their skin was smooth and wrinkle-free, their faces bright with great ardour. Life seemed ever fresh like the fresh leaves of the trees in the background of the photograph. That time they surely wouldnt have thought of the scene 40 years later. In 2014, they are old and jaded; skin is full of wrinkles. Faces bear the onslaught of Time. Its a daunting picture of the naked reality of life. And please dont think, Poor sisters, they are undergoing blight! This plight will confront every one of us. Those who are reading this article, and those who arent!

Young and beautiful Siddhartha was a prince. His father, the ruling king, didnt want his son to know the real problems of lifebirth, old age, disease and death. Hence, he kept him within the compound walls of the palace where everyone was young, beautiful, contented and salubrious. But once Siddhartha ventured out, the scene outside mellowed him. There were old, ugly, diseased people and he saw dead bodies being taken in procession for final rites. Actually then began his search for real life. Later, he renounced the world and attained enlightenment under a Bodhi tree. Hence, he was known as Buddhaone who is completely enlightened.

But everyone cannot renounce the world. One may stay in this world without renouncing it but one has to renounce the comprehension that I am the master. Everyone is unremittingly the servant of God. If one understands this, he can be in this world but not of this world. One should be like the lotus, which grows in muddy waters but is unaffected by it. If one serves God and His parts and parcels with such an attitude, one can go beyond Time. Time cannot apprehend the servant who is serving God. In SB 2.3.17, it is stated that Sun decreases the life span of everyone each day except for a devotee who is serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Another thing we observe from the four sisters story is that we are changing body continuously. Modern biologists say every seven years we change all the cells of the body. It is conspicuous from the 40 photographs that the sisters have changed their bodies over a period of time. But the most amazing thing is that they still feel that they are the same persons! We also feel we are the same although our childhood body appears different than the bodies in our youth or old age. This is because the soul has remained unfazed throughout.

We are spirit souls and not ephemeral material bodies. After giving up this body, we will get another as per our mental state. If we give up the present material body thinking of God, we go to His kingdom where there is no effect of timeno birth, no death, no disease and no old age. So climactically, to conquer Time we have to take shelter of a person who is controller of TimeSupreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna.

( The author is a Spiritual Guru at International Society for Krishna Consciousness )

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Conquering the all powerful time - The New Indian Express

SINGAPORE: Earlier this year, our team received a distress call from a client Aysha*.

Her 70-year old mother, Madam Wahidah*, had refused to offer daily afternoon Salah (Islamic prayers) unless she had taken a shower.

Aysha had already given her a shower and reminded her so, but Madam Wahidah did not remember and was unconvinced.

Madam Wahidah, who never misses her daily prayers, grew agitated. In a moment of anger, she locked herself inside her bedroom.

After hours of persuasion, apologies and patience, Aysha finally convinced her mother to unlock the door.

For the rest of the week, this agonising episode repeated with Aysha finally engaging us for professional assistance, since it was compromising her ability to get to work.

The care professional was able to convince Madam Wahidah to open up and freshen herself. She also discovered the root of Madam Wahidahs temperamental episodes.

Madam Wahidahs memory was fading. This acknowledgement was devastating to her. Her repeated insistence was her way of convincing herself that her memory was intact.

But her daughter Ayshas difficulty in understanding her mothers mental anguish, due to the progression of dementia, and the increased dependence on others, gave her greater grief.

DEMENTIAS PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL

Madam Wahidah displayed the earliest signs of dementia - forgetfulness and occasionally repeated behaviour.

As dementia progresses, changes in mood, behaviour and personality become more common. Feelings of withdrawal, communication issues and impaired social behaviour can arise. Persons with dementia may even forget the names of their loved ones and their personal attributes.

They begin to lose a sense of self as their memory and hold on reality fades.

Those living with dementia find their confidence and emotions challenged, and can sometimes lash out because of anger and frustration.

The Alzheimers Disease Association in Singapore (ADA) defines dementia as an illness which affects the brain, causing the brain cells to die at a faster rate than normal - leading to a decline in ones mental abilities, failing memory, deterioration of intellectual function and personality changes.

But the challenge with dementia is also the lack of understanding of its psychological impact on families coming to terms with this disease.

I have observed first-hand the severe emotional toll dementia exacts on family members as the condition progresses, leading to caregiver burnout and familial tensions.

Families often learn to adapt to new physical needs, but do not grasp and remain ill-equipped to deal with the emotional resolve the condition demands.

ACKNOWLEDGING EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES

Acknowledging, accepting and addressing the emotional challenges of this condition faced by persons with dementia and loved ones caring for them, is a critical part of effectively dealing with dementia that frequently goes under the radar.

Families must first acknowledge the physical and emotional hurdles that this condition imposes on a patient and themselves.

Our research drawn from hours of care delivered by Homage across Singapore shows that in the early to middle stages of the condition, individuals might display changes in behaviour.

In the earlier stages, this could include a level of obsessive-compulsive behaviour since routine and repetition are reassuring and can prevent mistakes.

As the condition progresses into the middle stages, individuals might shout, scold those around or even get physically aggressive, because they cannot vocalise their feelings and assert themselves.

Such actions should prompt families to get an early diagnosis done, and look out for signs of memory lapses or withdrawal from social interactions.

More importantly, caregivers should develop an acute sense of the routines, habits and relationships that help their loved one build confidence and a sense of worth.

For most, its the ability to carry out daily living activities we take for granted like grooming, preparing a meal, driving, and socialising, that give them a sense of independence but may require additional support with dementia.

When they begin to experience difficulty in carrying out such tasks, they may feel irritated, confused and in some cases, engage in self-harm.

ACCEPTING AND OWNING THE JOURNEY

Accepting the emotional rollercoaster that accompanies dementia is the second step to overcoming the disease.

Three in four living with dementia feel rejected and lonely, according to a survey of 5,600 people done by ADA and Singapore Management University. More than half feel less competent because of their condition.

Nearly 30 per cent also expressed feeling embarrassed in public while looking after their loved one.

These figures are alarming reminders of the deep-seated stigma our society continues to have against those with personal challenges, making it difficult to seek help in time. Feeling awkward to be seen with a person with dementia, is directly linked to shame, guilt and even depression.

The longer one harbours these feelings, the more difficult it becomes for the person with dementia and their caregivers to manage the condition. Acceptance of the situation allows families to finding better avenues of care and undertake pivotal changes in ones lifestyle.

With Singapores life expectancy reaching nearly 85 years, many youths around us are or will be caregivers in their lifetimes. So why the shame?

The journey is demanding but can be undertaken with clarity and confidence along with the right support and attitude.

ADDRESSING CAREGIVING SUPPORT

Singapores ageing population, smaller families and eventual increase in our dependency ratio will mean more cases of caregiver burnout.

An ageing population also means a higher incidence of dementia - in 2012, about 28,000 people in Singapore aged 60 and older had dementia. The number is expected to soar to 80,000 by 2030.

At the same time, the country is seeing a steadily declining old-age support ratio, from 7.4 in 2010 to 4.5 in 2019.

And in our fast-paced society, heavier professional and personal responsibilities mean less time for caregiving and meeting ones emotional needs.

Most of those weve seen requesting for help are young caregivers. Almost half are aged 44 and below, with 29 per cent aged between 25 to 34 years.

To help our seniors age confidently, we need a stronger respite care support system.

Trained, experienced and motivated caregivers can play a key role by helping, assessing and recognising the needs of seniors, spot symptoms of the onset of dementia, and engage them and their families in customising a care plan based on their unique needs.

The care recipient builds self-confidence through meaningful engagements with others. Loved ones, on the other hand, gain better insight into their collective needs, and get time to refuel.

I often recall the years when my father was living with dementia while my mother attended to him. The physical stress of taking care of his needs created enormous emotional anguish.

His behaviour changed as the condition progressed. I often worried he would forget me too. My mother, siblings and I did the best at that time, but couldnt bridge the distance between us and him that dementia brought.

Now I realise how a professional caregivers support for a few hours each week would have helped.

HOLISIC CARE

With greater awareness, government efforts including the Ministry of Healths Home Caregiving Grant and caregiver programmes under the National Council for Social Service have mushroomed, but more is needed to improve our understanding of dementia and galvanise efforts on the part of the medical, civic, and caregiving community.

As Singapore gives greater attention to the needs of caregivers, we must also strike a better balance in allocating resources between the physical aspects of care and mental wellbeing for the entire family unit when caring for a loved one with dementia.

Like Madam Wahidah and Aysha, many families may not have the tools to handle the challenges associated with dementia.

We all can play a part in improving the quality of life for people with dementia and their families, by recognising dementia not just as a physical condition, but a social challenge that can be managed better with stronger support mechanisms and holistic care.

* Names used are pseudonyms

Melissa Chan is Head of Community and Outreach at Homage. She is also the Founder of Project We Forgot, and a Steering Group Member of the World Young Leaders in Dementia Network, driving the development of innovative dementia solutions across disciplines and bordersin Asia Pacific.

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Commentary: Living with dementia, anguish and guilt plague families caring for loved ones - CNA

Actor Alia Bhatt came out the biggest loser when Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Salman Khan decided to shelve their film, Inshallah. According to a report in The Times of India, Alia had turned down the opportunity to star in a film with Aamir Khan, because she had already committed to being a part of Sanjays film, said to be an epic romantic drama.

A source told the daily that Alia is upset about the situation. Alia was approached for a film with Aamir Khan. However, she had to decline the offer as she had reserved all the dates for Inshallah, the source said.

Alia was looking forward to collaborating with Salman and SLB. The actress is very upset as she gave up on various other projects too during the period, the source added.

The Aamir Khan film that was offered to her could have been the long-rumoured Osho movie that was being discussed last year. Aamir was reported to be playing spiritual guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) in the film while Alia was expected to play his disciple and convicted attempted murderer, Ma Anand Sheela.

At last years Actress Roundtable with journalist Rajeev Masand, Alia even said she would like to play Maa Anand Sheela in a movie. I find that story super fascinating, she said. When Masand pointed out that word around town is that shes already playing the part, she feigned confusion at the question. No but I would kill to (play her), she had added.

Salman announced on Monday that Inshallah has been pushed and will not release on Eid 2020, as previously announced. The film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali is pushed but I will still see you all on Eid, 2020. Insha-Allah, he wrote on Twitter. He later wrote in another tweet that hinted his film Kick 2 would release on Eid 2020 instead.

According to a source close to Bhansali, the filmmaker didnt appreciate the constant interference in his process. It has been reported that Salman had asked for certain changes to be made to the script. The source said, Sanjay Leela Bhansali respects and loves his actors and suggestions are welcome but not if they aim to alter the narrative. Hence, he has taken the decision to shelve the film. However, they are still friends and Sanjay Leela Bhansali has immense love and respect for him.

Also read: Arjun Kapoor-Malaika Arora, Anil Kapoor-Sunita Kapoor holidaying in Austria; Farah Khan has the best joke

Salman later told Mumbai Mirror in an interview, Sanjay was a friend even before we started working on Khamoshi. He had come to meet me through Manisha Koirala. After that, we collaborated on Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. When he came to me with this film, I liked it and we decided to work together again. One thing I can say is that Sanjay wont do gaddaari with his film. I want him to make the film he wants to make. Nothing changes between us as friends and Im sure nothing has changed in Sanjays heart for me. Im extremely close to his mother (Leela) and sister (Bela). I wish him all the best. He and I will still work in future on a film, Inshallah.

Follow @htshowbiz for more

First Published:Aug 29, 2019 17:12 IST

Continued here:
Alia Bhatt may have rejected Aamir Khans Osho movie because she was committed to Salman Khans Inshallah,... - Hindustan Times

As were working on our Empty Moon website we quickly saw a need for a brief overview of the Soto school. The Wikipedia article on Soto is a flawed document, but nonetheless contains much useful information. We used it as a template, cutting anything that felt extraneous to that brief overview, while interpolating critical information that was missing. The text remains a bit rough, but seemed workable enough to share here. The text at the Empty Moonwebsite will continue to be massaged for a while yet.

While not directly relevant to an introduction to Soto, this article also includes a few words about Empty Moon. Feel free to read or skip, as you find appropriate.

May this document be of assistance to anyone hoping to know more about this spiritual tradition both ancient and modern, holding profound insights and presenting disciplines that reveal the true nature of our hearts.

***

THE SOTO SCHOOL OF ZEN BUDDHISM: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

St Zenor theSt school(St-sh)is the largest of the three traditional schools ofZeninJapanese Buddhism(the others beingRinzaiandbaku). It is the Japanese line of the ChineseCodng school, which was founded during theTang dynastybyDngshn Linji. It emphasizes the practice ofShikantaza.

The Japanese school was imported in the 13th century byDgen Zenji, who studiedCodng Buddhism(Chinese:;pinyin:Codng Zng) abroad in China. Dgen is remembered today as the co-patriarch of St Zen in Japan along withKeizan Jkin.

With about 14,000 temples, St is one of the largest Japanese Buddhist organizations.St Zen is now also popular in the West.

The Caodong-teachings were brought to Japan in 1227, whenDgenreturned to Japan after studyingChaninChinaand settled atKennin-jiinKyoto. Dgen had receivedDharma transmissionfromTiantong Rujingat Qngd Temple, whereHongzhi Zhengjueonce was abbot. Hongzhis writings on silent illumination had greatly influenced Dgens own conception ofshikantaza.

Dgen also returned from China with variouskananthologies and other texts, contributing to the transmission of the koan tradition to Japan.

In 1243 Dgen foundedEihei-ji,one of the two head temples of St-sh today, choosing to create new monastic institutions based on the Chinese model and risk incurring the open hostility and opposition of the established schools.

Dgen was succeeded around 1236by his discipleKoun Ej(11981280)..

The second most important figure in St isKeizan.Keizan received ordination from Ej when he was, twelve years old, shortly before Ejs death.When he was seventeen he went on a pilgrimage for three years throughout Japan. During this period, he studiedRinzai,ShingonandTendai.After returning to Daij-ji,

Keizan received dharma transmission from Gikai in 1294, and established Joman-ji.In 1303 Gikai appointed Keizan as abbot of Daij-ji,a position he maintained until 1311. Under Keizan Soto Zen began to become popular.

In time the St school started to place a growing emphasis on textual authority. In 1615 thebakufudeclared that Eheijis standards (kakun) must be the rule for all St monks.This came to mean all the writings of Dgenbecame the normative source for the doctrines and organisation of the St school.Dgen scholarship came to a central position in the St sect with the writings ofMenzan Zuih(16831769), who wrote over a hundred works, including many commentaries on Dgens major texts and analysis of his doctrines. Menzan promoted reforms of monastic regulations and practice, based on his reading of Dgen.

Gent Sokuch(17291807), the 11th abbot ofEihei-ji, tried to purify the St school byfunctionally suppressing koan introspection as a Soto discipline. Prior to this kan study was widely practiced in the St school.

During theMeiji period(18681912) Japan abandoned its feudal system and opened up to Western modernism. One of the significant characteristics of the Meiji reforms was the disestablishment of Buddhism. Its original intent was in fact the eradication of this ultimately foreign religion. In practice it led to some creative reforms. Specifically the Zen establishment sought to modernize Zen in accord with Western insights, while simultaneously maintaining a Japanese identity.

Among these reforms the legalization of clerical marriage is among the most distinctive. It brought together two streams unique to Japanese Buddhism. The first was the substitution of Bodhisattva vows for the Vinaya system used throughout most of the Buddhist world. The other was the temple system where after a period of training single monks would become incumbents of the thousands of temples throughout the Japanese islands.

Records show these monks frequently having female companions. In the Meiji these two things, the ordinals had no specific language requiring celibacy, and on the ground a majority, likely a large majority were living in informal marriages, came to a head. That within five years of lifting of criminal sanction for marriage. fully eighty percent of Soto clergy were married shows this was a long over due reform.

That the terminology for these clerics remained monastic and that prominent clerics rarely appeared (or appearto this day) in public with their spouses andchildrenhas further complicated matters. Despite this there has been a trend toward seeing married clerics more as priests or ministers. This married clergy model has now been introduced to the West, where people are less comfortable with the dont ask, dont tell style of the Japanese culture, and now struggle to find appropriate accommodations for clerical marriage as a part of Zen in the West.

Going hand in hand with this non-monastic clerical leadership was the emergence of a philosophical perspective calledNew Buddhism (shin bukkyo). This perspective, insignificantpart the product of Western encounter, was broadly modernist, holding up the values of lay life, with impulsessupportiveofdemocratic, rationalist, and social engagement. It can be argued everyone who brought Soto Zen to the West was influenced by this New Buddhist perspective, at least in some degree. And practically, it brought a form of Soto Zen that could be recognized in many ways by Westerners.

SOTO COMES WEST

In 1922 the Reverend Hosen Isobe established the first Soto temple on the mainland of the United States, in Los Angeles. Its intent was to serve the Japanese and Japanese American community. Shortly before the Second World War the Reverend Soyu Matsuokaarrivedfrom Japan and began to work with European and African American converts.

But it was withShunry Suzukithat Soto Zen began asignificant mission to the American heart.Suzuki studied atKomazawa University, the St Zen university in Tokyo.

In 1959 Suzuki arrived inCaliforniaas minister ofSoko-ji, at that time the sole St temple inSan Francisco.Suzukis teaching of Shikantaza and Zen practice andopens to converts, led to the formation of the San Francisco Zen Center, one of the largest and most successful Zen organizations in the West.

Suzukis assistantDainin Katagiriwas invited to come toMinneapolis,Minnesota, where he moved in 1972 after Suzukis death. Katagiri and his students built four St Zen centers withinMinneapolisSaint Paul. Another of Suzukis assistants, Kobun Chino Otogawa also become influential in establishing Soto in the West.

It was here in the West that Soto also began to reclaim koan introspection.The lineage, started with Daiun Sogaku Harada, who also has a line that passes more continuously within the Soto school,and through him toHakuun Yasutani, includesTaizan Maezumi, who gave dharma transmission to various American students, among themTetsugen Bernard Glassman,Charlotte Joko BeckandJohn Daido Loori.

The lay organizationSanbo Kyodan, and through thatlineage in an independent organization,Robert Aitken, who had several important dharma successors, including John Tarrant. cemented the place of a Soto reformed koan curriculum in Western Zen practice.

TheAntaiji-based lineage ofKd Sawakiwith its emphasis on shikantaza overall other practices, is also widespread. Sawakis student and successor as abbotKsh Uchiyamawas the teacher ofShhaku Okumurawho established theSanshin Zen CommunityinBloomington, Indiana, and his studentGud Wafu NishijimawasBrad Warners teacher.

Houn Jiyu-Kennett(1924-1996) was the first western female Soto Zen priest.She converted to Buddhism in the early 1950s, and studied inSojiji, Japan, from 1962 to 1963.Formally, Keido Chisan Koho Zenji was her teacher, but practically, one of Koho Zenjis senior officers, Suigan Yogoroshi, was her main instructor.[47]She becameOsh, i.e. priest or teacher, in 1963. In 1969 she returned to the west, foundingShasta Abbeyin 1970.

In 1996 the majority of North American St priestsjoined together to form theSoto Zen Buddhist Association. While institutionally independent of the Japanese Stsh, the St Zen Buddhist Association works closely with it.EMPTY MOON

Our founding teacher and priest is James Myoun Ford. He was originally ordained a priest by Jiyu Kennett, andreceived dharma transmission from her in 1971. He also completed the formal Soto reformed koan curriculum developed by Daiun Sogaku Harada andreceivedInkashomei from Dr John Tarrant.

A long time member of the Soto Zen Buddhist Association, Ford Roshi participated in the first Dharma heritage ceremony in 2004. It was meant to be arecognition ofseniority in Western Soto Zen roughly equivalent to the Japanese zuise ceremony. In 2012 he wasDoshi or chief celebrant at the fifth Dharma heritage ceremony. Ford later served on its board for a three year term.

The Empty Moon is dedicated to theproject of awakening. It seeks to preserve the traditions of Soto Zen cautiously adapted to the needs ofour time and place, while also transmitting the reformed koancurriculum, It alsostands for a radical equality between priest and lay practitioners, the total equality of genders, and the development of a rigorous but pragmatic formation process for priest practitioners.

***

For a brief summation of the core teachings of the Soto school, we recommend the Shushogi, the Meaning of Practice & Verification, compiled out of Eihei Dogens teachings by a team of scholars led by Ouchi Seiran.

For descriptions of Zen meditation we recommend this brief overview, as well as Eihei Dogens Fukanzazengi, Keizan Jokins Zazen Yojinki, and this introduction to koan introspection within the Soto reformed style.

For further reading about the Empty Moon project, here are some links:

Awakening and ZenMy Three Years on the Soto Zen Buddhist Association BoardZen Practice for Everyone

Continue reading here:
A Brief Introduction to the Soto School of Zen - Patheos

Ask any vegetarian with a taste for world cuisine, and theyll attest to how difficult it can be to find suitable Japanese food. Its no wonder as one of the worlds top consumers of seafood, Japan boasts a culinary tradition thats intimately linked with the bounty of the sea. Some of the more popular national dishes, such as sushi, sashimi and tempura, are typically made with seafood, but even seemingly innocuous foods like miso soup or noodle-dipping sauce have animal products in their ingredients.

But vegetarians wanting to explore Japans rich food culture dont need to settle for bland bowls of white rice or plain soba noodles because the country also boasts a little-known tradition of elegant vegetarian cooking. Chef Danny Chu introduces this cuisine to home cooks in his insightful recipe book, Shojin Ryori: The Art of Japanese Vegetarian Cuisine.

Shojin ryori refers to Japanese vegetarian food that gained popularity in the thirteenth century with the introduction of Zen Buddhism. It derives from the fundamental Buddhist principle of not taking a life and celebrates the natural essence of basic ingredients, drawing out the full flavors of vegetables and other plant sources with a minimum of waste.

In his book, Danny Chu, owner of Singapores first shojin ryori restaurant, shares some of his favorite dishes, focusing on simple, satisfying meals that can be made from readily available ingredients. The recipes are straight-forward and easy to follow, allowing the home chef to embrace their own mindfulness while enjoying the creation of appetizing plant-based meals. Although shojin cooking can occasionally include dairy and eggs, Chus selections are entirely free from animal products, making them suitable for vegans as well as vegetarians.

Chu arranges his cookbook seasonally, featuring dishes made from fresh ingredients appropriate for each time of year. The spring menu focuses on the new crop of fruits and vegetables including fare such as braised burdock and carrot as well as daikon rolls filled with watermelon and cucumber while autumn dishes, like nagaimo croquettes and chawan mushi, accent the fall mushroom harvest. The flavors of shojin ryori are delicate but delicious, with the savor of vegetables standing out through the restrained use of seasonings. Although shojin meals are traditionally concluded with a dish of seasonal fruit, Chu includes recipes for deserts such as watermelon jelly and poached pears, which are reminiscent of the elegant confections served in Japanese tea ceremony.

Shojin Ryori is an attractively presented volume, with each of its recipes accompanied by a photograph highlighting appealing serving suggestions. Cooks new to this style of cooking will also appreciate the thorough, illustrated glossary of ingredients as well as the opening pages, which are devoted to the preparation of stocks, garnishes, and other basics of Japanese cooking. The only criticism I have is that eight of the books recipes are repeated twice, although I expect this small oversight will be corrected in later editions.

Danny Chus Shojin Ryori demonstrates that eating a healthy, ethical diet can go hand in hand with enjoying the authentic flavors of Japan. As the impact of animal agriculture on the environment and human health becomes clearer and clearer, theres more reason than ever for people to experiment with the wealth of flavors offered by vegetarian cuisine. For any cook looking to expand their culinary horizons, Shojin Ryori is an easy recommendation.

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Chef Danny Chu's recipe book brings Japanese vegetarian cuisine from the temple to the kitchen - The International Examiner