15th Sep 19 | Beauty

Prudence Wade reviews the sequin-obsessed designer Ashish Guptas spring/summer 2020 collection.

Ashish catwalk shows tend to be one of the biggest parties of London Fashion Week, full of disco vibes and lots of sparkles.

Sequins, clashing patterns and bright colours still made up much of creative director Ashish Guptas latest show, but it definitely felt more subdued than previous seasons.

Gone were the tongue-in-cheek slogan clothes from previous collections, replaced with a more reflective collection quite literally, as many of the outfits were covered in tiny circular mirrors.

It seems the designer showcased something of a spiritual awakening, too.

According to singer Ella Eyres Instagram Stories, model Neelam Gill walked the runway holding a branch of palo santo aloft a type of wood popularly used in South America for ceremonial purposes, as its believed to have healing properties.

Gill was fitted out in a long, almost religious-looking robe but as this is still Ashish were talking about, it was fuchsia and covered in sparkles.

The show notes also featured a quote attributed to the controversial Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh saying: A little foolishness, enough to enjoy life, and a little wisdom to avoid errors, that will do. You might recognise the Indian spiritual leader, otherwise known as Osho, from Netflix documentary Wild Wild Country.

The show held in the art deco Seymour Hall in London also saw a mini concert of musicians playing soft wind chimes, bells and conch shells.

The clothes themselves had a Sixties flower power vibe, with some models wearing actual flowers in their hair. But dont think this is a hippy collection theres always an edge with Ashish, and the beauty look by Isamaya Ffrench involved eyes heavily ringed with kohl. Hair by Sam McKnight opted for messy braids and the occasional pop of colour.

Billy Porter, Ella Eyre and Paloma Faith all appeared on the front row. Pose actor Porter is always one to watch on the red carpet he most famously wore a Christian Siriano tuxedo gown to this years Oscars so hopefully well see him in one of Ashishs latest designs soon.

It feels like something of a new era for Gupta; more pared back and contemplative. Luckily, the colourful, sparkly essence of the brand remains, but it certainly feels like Ashish is delving further into the spiritual than the meme-able than ever before.

Press Association 2019

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The Best True Crime Shows And Movies To Watch If You Loved Hulu's 'The Act' - Pulse Ghana

Last December I ascended Pedro Point in Pacifica with Catherine Chang, mostly looking for mushrooms. We hadnt had much rain so didnt expect full-on mycological glory, but Chang was consoled by the prospect of lichens. Stopping short on the trail, she declared, Festuca californica, right in front of us! I looked around for some seemingly invisible circus. Her attention was trained on a plume of delicate blue-gray leaves I would have tromped right past. To the initiated, the sight of a native grass like this growing among exotics is cause for celebration. It doesnt have much competition here, she noted, brandishing her smartphone and taking its picture. Soon we stopped to examine a dead branch crowded with a tangle of delicate light green, dark green, and oxblood websa color bomb of multiple textures. Together they create a landscape, noted Chang. Now, who ever thought about lichens that way?

A few hours with Chang and her keen attention and deep knowledge kicked my sense of this familiar landscape into 3-D. My eyes were bugging out. I was humbled by the complexity I so frequently and easily overlook. And yet its only in her spare time that Changa landscape architect by dayhas accumulated so much insight into the natural world. She is an amateur, fulfilling that words Latin root: amare, to love. In this she exemplifies what might be called a revival in the age-old practice of the naturalist.

Homo sapiens have been entranced with observing and documenting nature since we became a species, but the term naturalist generally refers to the 19th-century heyday of amateur discovery. During that time, in America and Europe, tens of thousands of botany enthusiasts, birdlovers, and butterfly hunters joined societies and clubs dedicated to their subjects. The outdoors was a place of adventure and community for these people. But as the 20th century progressed, academic science along with state and federal agencies like the U.S. Forest Service increasingly claimed provenance over the natural world and dictated professional protocols for how to understand it. Naturalists and the types of knowledge they pursued vastly declined.

Today, however, we are seeing a resurgence in the observational practice of the naturalist. Not just in the Bay Area, but all over the globe, people like Chang are reconnecting with nature for personal reasons and to help augment what we know about the myriad denizens of the planet. Todays nature nut is likely to be at least partly driven by an awareness that was just dawning in the 19th century and is reaching something of a desperate pitch right now. Earlier this year an unprecedented scientific consensus was published by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), an independent intergovernmental body. The report called out natures dangerous decline and warned that species extinction rates are acceleratingcurrently, up to one million species are threatened with extinction.

As the natural world is in many ways unraveling, part of the trouble is our lack of connection with and appreciation for how it works. Luckily, we have plenty of eyes and new tools for taking a fresh and productive accounting of nature. This past April, for example, thousands of people representing 159 cities and every continent but Antarctica, documented their local biodiversity during the City Nature Challenge 2019. Together more than 35,000 participants made more than 963,000 observations of species in nature, using technology to augment the age-old quest to see whats out there.

Contemporary naturalists have much in common with their historical predecessors, but there are epochal differences in their aims and approaches. The 19th-century naturalist was contributing to a heady expansion in the store of Western European knowledge. Todays naturalist is still focused on revelation: of an approximate 10 to 12 million species on earth, only 1.2 million have been named by science. But yesterdays naturalists had their eyes trained on what they thought was a fixed universe and were motivated by a wish to better understand God through His works. Todays naturalists may find transcendence in nature but understand this within a context of accelerated change. As ecosystems are highly impacted by the engines of global development, naturalists today are frequently seeking to help create a better understanding of whats at stakenot so much investigating how God put this world together, but how human activities are taking it apart. Todays naturalists are aided and abetted by smartphone technology and training programs like UC California Naturalist Program. In the Bay Area we are particularly blessed with opportunities to learn more and do more for nature. Bioblitzesin which people make nature observations in a particular area for a set time periodhave become a favored outreach tool at local parks and preserves. Institutions like the California Academy of Sciences offer regular monitoring projects and invite participation. Myriad volunteer opportunities include seasonal bird and butterfly counting expeditions near home.

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The Judeo-Christian tradition is often decried as creating a fatal delusion for humankind, ranking us far above the lowly beasts of the earth, and yet the first European forays into understanding nature were religion-inspired. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Christian monks trying to parse what exactly happened to the biblical Garden of Eden sent expeditions to far-flung places to bring back pieces they thought must have been scattered after the Fall. These were organized by relationship in plant beds, dirt-based analogues to todays digital databases. Faith and facts were deeply entwined in a system of reference resembling the model of an encyclopedia. In the 1700s, Carl Linnaeus established the binomial system of naming still used today to sort out relationships among species, establishing an eventual platform for studying evolution. As the Age of Exploration, when Europeans began traveling the globe in search of trade routes and wealth, expanded the worlds horizons, Linnaeuss spreadsheet became critical for grappling with an avalanche of discoveries and helped to make sense of them.

By the 1800s, industrialization had provided at least some people with the novelty of free time, and tens of thousands of amateur naturalists charged forth into nature. A growing number of middle- and upper-class ladies and gentlemen traipsed with enthusiasm and nets into meadows and fens, husbanding their quarry in the curiosity cabinets that were common in Victorian homes. The distinction between amateur and professional was blurry in those days, even as new institutions like the California Academy of Sciences were being established to better codify and understand life on earth. The Academy was founded in 1853 by a group of men, many of whom had medical degrees but were not biological scientists. The business of creating a collection of specimens proceeded in a hodgepodge way. At an early meeting, Dr. Albert Kellogg furnished a living owl, caught near Point Jackson on San Francisco Bay; at the next meeting it was reported that the owl was lost. The general public contributed specimens as well. In 1854 a Mr. W. J. Steene presented a curious specimen of cabbage. At the same time, it was widely recognized that although much of the new world had been traversed by Europeans, the unique topography, flora, and fauna of California were revealing a new set of wonders to add to the store of general knowledge. The towering figures in botany at the time, including John Torrey, Asa Gray, and eventually Willis Jepson, maintained vast networks of laypeople with whom they regularly exchanged information and physical materials. The comprehensive surveys they produced would not have been possible without the contributions of an army of naturalists who took an equal interest in what the botanists were doing.

Many 19th-century nature-seekers wanted to improve their souls by investigating Gods revelation in plants and animals. Going out and collecting, for many, was an act of piety and self-improvement. Ironically, the work of perhaps the ur-naturalist of all times, Charles Darwin, dealt a crippling blow to the project of the amateur with the publication of his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. Demonstrating that, in fact, life forms dont issue from a spiritual ideal but from generations of reproduction and gradual change, Darwin excused God from fieldwork.

The rise of professional science coincides with the percolation of Darwinian ideas through study of the natural world. To prove evolutionary mechanisms, scientists turned increasingly to experiments and away from field observation. They also sought to purge science of inherited belief and excluded stories like Genesis from consideration. By the beginning of the 20th century, academic science was consolidating its authority and separation from other kinds of institutions, particularly the church. Now competing for status and pay, professional scientists laid claim to special knowledge. Despite the fact that hobbyist birders, for example, began avidly cataloguing observations that currently fuel databases like eBird, the tradition of the amateur naturalist mostly faded from view. That is changing today.

Last December I sojourned with Constance Taylor and Ken-ichi Ueda up South Park Drive in Tilden Regional Park. The regional park district prohibits cars on this stretch of road from November to March to protect the seasonal migration of the six-inch California newt, which lumbers along on rubbery appendages, headed to breed in Wildcat Creek, and would otherwise itself be smushed under rubber. We moved slowly, as if we were newts ourselves, leaf by leaf, transfixed by mushrooms, lichen, hawks, and songbirds in the winter landscape. Ueda and Taylor frequently recorded their observations in notebooks and on smartphones.

Ueda is one of the creators of the web-based platform iNaturalist, which he co-directs at the California Academy of Sciences with Academy scientist Scott Loarie. Users upload photographic and/or audio observations of nature to the platform; these are then vetted by other users for identification and eventually uploaded to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, a clearinghouse of digital natural history observations in use by scientists and natural resource managers all over the world. iNaturalist joins platforms like eBird that are essentially taking Linnaeuss format digital. iNaturalist hangs its observations on the tree of life first organized by Linneaus, Loarie explains. Were using the taxonomy he provided, building on a structure thats already there. The scientific use of our data is in the areas of biogeography and conservation. With it people can ask the fundamental questions of natural history: what do species look like, and how are they changing?

Another distinguishing feature of the 21st-century naturalist is a willingness, even an eagerness, to explore nature in less than pristine settings. Damon Tighe works on behalf of the mostly Oakland-focused California Center for Natural History, which Taylor co-founded. Once part of the team that sequenced the first whole genome of a single cell, he now, in his day job, helps educate teachers about tools they can use with students to take DNA samplings, for example, in the field. Tighe exemplifies a maker spirit in some of todays naturalists, who not only observe nature with pencil, paper, binoculars, and smartphones, but experiment with building their own tools of perception. With CCNH he has made a series of pop-up aquariums at Lake Merritt (you read that correctly), showcasing to passersby the variety and strangeness of many things just below the surface.

I spent an afternoon walking around Lake Merritt with Tighe, who commented that it really should be a national heritage site, because in 1870 the tidal lagoon was designated the first wildlife refuge in the United States. Today, Lake Merritt is refuge for human life as well, with homeless encampments tucked into the built structures around it. Tighe called Lake Merritt an Anthropocene environment because the lake is full of introduced species, brought in by the ballast of ships from all over the world. A lot of the native species are gone and the invasives have stabilized, he says. At the organism level it reflects the human community around itpeople from all over the worldin a working, social environment.

Taylor, Tighe, and Ueda may seem light-years away from Philip Henry Gosse, who in his 1853 bestseller A Naturalists Rambles on the Devonshire Coast mused that the sea anemone evidenced Gods love, since the exquisite tints with which they are adorned are the pencillings of his almighty Hand. Yes, O Lord! Gosse motivated thousands to look into the tidepools not only to ogle Gods artistry, but to refine their own souls to better earn His grace. A quest for self-improvement and transcendence is perhaps not as evident in todays naturalists, who typically arent looking for God, per se. But they are keenly interested in understanding an infinitely complex system that is threatened and vulnerableand in finding solace and deep self-development by engaging directly with nature.

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The New Naturalists - Bay Nature

Mind, Heart, & Soul: Intellectuals and the Path to Rome by R.J. Snell and Robert P. George is a collection of sixteen stories of individuals who have converted to Roman Catholicism.

The interviews are conducted by intellectuals who are Roman Catholic converts, and as the title of the book suggests, each convert interviewed is a public intellectual and notable expert and/or leader in his or her field of study. Each interview recorded in this book provides insight into the converts religious backgrounds, personal experiences that led to conversion, the intellectual hurdles or obstacles faced in the journey towards embracing the faith of the Roman Catholic Church, life after conversion and post-conversion struggles, and suggestions of resources for other intellectuals who might be considering the next step on their own path towards Rome.

There is no doubt that the individuals selected to provide a testimony in this book are to be considered brilliant minds, members of the elite intellectual class within Western culture. Each chapter begins with a biography of both the interviewer and interviewee. Immediately the reader is met with impressive resumes of the people offering their personal stories of conversion to Roman Catholicism. These are the conversion stories of leading theologians, a former megachurch pastor, philosophers, ethicists, a novelist and syndicated journalists for major news outlets, political analysts and theorists, historians, legal scholars, constitutional lawyers and policy creators, and even an accomplished astronomer. The majority hold post-graduate level degrees from the most prestigious universities in the West, such as Harvard, Oxford, Princeton and Cambridge where many serve as faculty members and leaders of various university programs. They are no doubt scholars of the highest caliber and undoubtedly influential intellectuals who have demonstrated a commitment to life-long learning and engaging culture in the public square.

Mind, Heart and Soul is an apologetic work. The testimonies within this book demonstrate that faith is not an enemy of reason, intellectual fervor or a threat to scientific innovation, but they do so, for the most part, without diving deeply into the details of the theological, philosophical and intellectual arguments these converts wrestled with. Regardless, these stories demonstrate that faith involves the rational mind in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.[1]What is also evident in every testimony is that these intellectuals were not left alone in their quests for spiritual truth, but were aided through the contributions of those who had come before them. The works of other intellectual Catholics served as powerful resources in capturing these converts minds, hearts and souls for the Roman Catholic faith.

Intellectuals mentioned within these testimonies have successfully convinced countless others to embrace the Roman Catholic worldview. For example, the work of John Henry Newman (1801-1890), the once Anglican priest who became a Roman Catholic priest and who will soon be canonized as a saint in the RCC, is mentioned time and time again in these conversion stories as one of the major influencers on decisions to cross the Tiber.[2]

Other intellectual influencers mentioned throughout these conversion stories include the theological and philosophical works of Joseph Ratzinger and Peter Kreeft, the literary works of Flannery OConnor and Oxford inklings such as G.K. Chesterton, Tolkien, and while not a Roman Catholic, C.S. Lewis. A reading of the Church Fathers and the intellectual tradition of Thomas Aquinas played a significant role in convincing many of the converts that the Roman Catholic Church is correct in claiming to be the one true, historic and Apostolic Church.

The richness and influence of the Roman Catholic intellectual world is undeniable in these stories, thus providing a useful list of resources for those on similar journeys. But it was not only the brilliant minds throughout history that are seen to have influenced conversions. There is also the influence of community and a sense of belonging. Many of these testimonies describe a positive experience within a community of like-minded, intellectual Roman Catholics who lived a lively faith, or participation as students in Roman Catholic university clubs. But perhaps the most attractive sense of community came from belonging to a church that claims a doctrinal unity visible under the authority of the Pope, the head of a single, historic, and seemingly unified church.

The religious backgrounds vary among the converts. The majority of the testimonies come from individuals whose religious background was a form of nominal Protestantism. Of particular interest are the testimonies given by those who either grew up in a family with an evangelical religious background, or whose initial experience in the Christian faith took place within an evangelical context. Therefore, this book serves as a useful read for evangelical leaders, scholars, and pastors in seeking to understand common themes or potential weak points that might help to understand what influenced an evangelical intellectual to cross the Tiber and embrace the Roman Catholic Church.

EXAMPLES OF EVANGELICAL CONVERSIONS TO ROME

Ulf Ekman[3]

Former evangelical Megachurch pastor, Ulf Ekman, helpfully summarizes his attraction to Rome using four words: historicity, apostolic continuity, authority, and sacramentality. Ekman admits that in his camp there was a general lack of knowledge regarding church history and at times even an open scorn for the long history of the church (50). Ecclesiology was defined, not through a noted historical connection to a global and universal church sharing a common confession of faith, but through isolated independent congregational churches that held a pragmatic look at the present and a futuristic eschatology (Ibid).

As Ekman studied church history, he discovered a church with a much higher ecclesiology claiming apostolic continuity and unity under the Petrine authority of the pope. In the midst of liberal protestant developments, Ekman was attracted to a historical tradition of Rome that held an unwavering commitment to her traditional dogmas. He began to realize that his Protestant prejudices towards Rome stemmed from a lack of knowledge regarding the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and he ultimately rejected the Reformation doctrines stating that,

I used to believe the four sola tenets of the Reformationmore or less out of Protestant habit or tradition. Step-by-step I started to see how the Protestant mindset has an overriding attitude of either-or while the Catholic mindset, as well as the Hebrew, is more of both-and (56).

Yet of the aspects of Rome that attracted Ekman the most, it was the sacramental element of the Catholic Church that began to draw him into the Tiber.

Matthew Schmitz[4]

Matthew Schmitz grew up as an evangelical, believing that Catholics were probably not Christians and that the Church of Romes teaching was at odds with Christianity. As a child he participated in the Gothard Seminar, a program designed by evangelical Bill Gothard in which biblical morality is taught and encouraged. What Schmitz encountered was a very legalistic form of American Christianity that did not seem to demonstrate grace.

By the age of seventeen, Schmitz had rebelled against this legalistic program but not against the evangelical faith. While on a summer work assignment in Washington, DC, he began attending Capitol Hill Baptist Church. The pastor, Mark Dever, introduced Schmitz to Calvinism by gifting him a book written by J.I. Packer. Soon the young Matthew considered himself among the young, restless and Reformed, although he confesses never making it past page 70 of Calvins Institutes. Regardless, this newfound identity led Schmitz to begin reading anything that would be considered both solidly Christian and undeniably great (122). He began reading both post-Reformation authors as well as some older Catholic things, such as Augustines Confessions.

Augustines allegorical interpretation of Scripture was very appealing to Schmitz, helping him to overcome one of his biggest intellectual problems regarding the Christian faith, evolutionary theory. The literal interpretation of Scripture Schmitz had been taught did not allow for evolution, unlike the allegorical reading of Scripture used by Augustine. He began to embrace a Roman Catholic hermeneutical approach to Scripture. Schmitz was,

...ceasing to be a Protestant, at least to be a pure kind of Protestant. I was becoming a more complicated kind of Protestant, or a more Catholic kind of Christian. I was looking for ways of reading Scripture, which, though I wouldnt have put it this way at the time, were more traditional and ecclesial (122).

Then while studying at Princeton, Schmitz was faced with the emergence of the gay rights movement. In seeking to defend a traditional Christian understanding of sexuality, he read Roman Catholic Elizabeth Anscombes essay titled, Contraception and Chastity. What Schmitz discovered was a powerful defense for the Christian worldview on sexuality within the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. This surprised Schmitz because he had always considered the Church of Rome as having erred in so many things. The discovery of a certain truth within Catholicism led him to begin looking more seriously at the Roman Catholic faith. Schmitz states that eventually his reason was well disposed towards the Roman Catholic Church and he ultimately became Catholic, just by beginning to view things in the way Catholics viewed them. All I had to do was relinquish my opposition (126).

Joshua Charles[5]

Charles crossing of the Tiber began with his doubting the doctrine of sola scriptura, which he ultimately rejecting it 2015. While studying Scripture, Charles came to view the recorded words of the living authorities captured in Scripture as problematic for the doctrine of Sola Scriptura. He reasoned that the words of God spoken by men in the Bible (e.g. Moses, Elijah, Jesus, Peter, Paul), words that were later written down as Scripture, had to have been authoritative when spoken and therefore indicated a living authority outside of the Scriptures. Charles then found himself trying to identify which living authority should be trusted, and therefore which biblical canon was correct. Was it the Protestant canon, or the Roman Catholic canon? He asked himself,

Who do I trust to get that canon correct? Who is the divinely ordained authority by which we may be certain that we have the correct canon? Myself? Scholars at universities? The Jesus Seminar? I concluded that my appeal must be to nothing more and nothing less than the authority we see exhibited throughout the Scripture, but particularly in Acts 15, and that is the Living, Authoritative Church that began at Pentecost (102).

It was at this point that Charles set out on a quest to read the Church Fathers. In doing so, he was absolutely slapped across the face by church fathers such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons. According to Charles, these early leaders of the faith seemed to have a more Roman Catholic understanding of theology and practice than did the evangelical tradition in which he grew upan American Evangelical/Protestant Christianity he claims seemed to be in chaos (102).

Upon reading the Church Fathers, Charles claims to have discovered strictly Roman Catholic teachings such as the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the Eucharist as sacrifice, the authority of the bishops, and apostolic succession (104). Charles even states that in reading the Church Fathers, there was an absence of any distinctively Protestant doctrines among their writings, and the presence of a great deal of distinctively Catholic Doctrines (106).[6]

Charles claimed to have found continuity. Namely, that while Roman Catholic doctrine has developed and been refined over time, it is fundamentally still the same, something that Charles states cannot be the said for the thousands of Protestant denominations (111). And yet, while he had recognized various problems within the Protestant tradition, Charles had never previously considered Catholicism because he never properly understood it. He states,

In short, what I thought I knew about Catholicism just wasnt true. I realized that the Catholic intellectual tradition is extremely powerful, and I studied what the Church actually said about herself and her own dogmas rather than seeing them through an oftentimes erroneous and misunderstanding Protestant lens (117).[7]

Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP and Douglas M. Beaumont[8]

In his first years of college, Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP began to explore metaphysical frameworks offered by different religious traditions. While reading Flannery OConnors Letters to A, White encountered the name of Karl Barth. He then went to the library, located and read Barths Introduction to Evangelical Theology in one sitting. On that day White claims to have received the gift of faith and was soon after baptized as a Protestant, even though he had not yet determined to which church he would belong.[9] Realizing that there were many expressions of Christianity, White set out on a journey to understand his new faith by studying its history.

White enrolled in a Church History course at his university and begin reading the writings of Origen and Augustine. He then read Introduction to Christianity by Joseph Ratzinger, whose emphasizing the combination of philosophy and theology was very appealing to White. He began reading more modern Roman Catholic theologians such as Balthasar, Rahner, de Lubac and John Paul II, in whose writings he found a deep continuity with the Church Fathers. Then during his senior of college, White read John Henry Newman, came to view the Roman Catholic Church as the historic faith and converted to Roman Catholicism.

White began pursuing his MPhil in patristic theology at Oxford where he discovered Aquinas and was trained in Aristotelian and Thomistic thought. White describes Aquinas as a deeply grounded philosophical realist, a deeply grounded theological realist, and a mystic; its a very powerful combination (70). For White, Aquinas offered a unified system for understanding all of reality within the context of the Roman Catholic Church. According to White,

St. Thomass philosophy of nature, metaphysics, understanding of the human person, epistemology, logic, and ethics make sense even independently of divine revelation while being deeply compatible with it. He also articulates an understanding of revelation which assimilates his realistic philosophical approach to the world (71).

In other words, for Fr. White, Aquinas' philosophical and theological framework offers a unified system for understanding all of reality and that can be fully experienced within the sacramental economy of the Roman Catholic Church. A complete package rooted in an ancient intellectual tradition is very attractive to intellectuals on a quest for spiritual truth.[10]

This was especially true for Douglas M. Beaumont. Beaumont did not grow up in a religious environment, and although he had attended vacation Bible schools as child, it was not until college that he began his faith life (233). He admits to having strong sentiments against the Roman Catholic Church prior to his conversion, but without truly understanding it. The more he began to study Catholicism though, the more he began to view shared foundations with Protestantism that had really only diverged in application.[11] While studying apologetics at Southern Evangelical Seminary, Beaumont was introduced to the writings of Thomas Aquinas through Professor Geisler, who often assigned the reading of Aquinas to his students. Aquinas natural theology was influential in professor Norman Geislers classical approach to apologetics. Beaumont immediately came to appreciate Aquinas philosophical, careful and systemic thinking.

Beaumont continued to study Church History as part of his role as research assistant to Norman Geisler, who at the time was working on his Systematic Theology series. Beaumont was tasked with finding quotes from Church Fathers that would support Geislers beliefs, but he found it very difficult to identify continuity with the early Church Fathers when it came to an Evangelical ecclesiology and eschatology. The longer Beaumont studied Church History, the more he began to agree with John Newman, that to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant. Ultimately, Beaumont embraced the long intellectual tradition of the Roman Catholic Church, her claim to apostolic unity and continuity with the ancient Church, and a sacramental system structured around a Thomistic intellectual tradition and metaphysical understanding of nature and grace.[12]Dozens of other seminarians from Southern Evangelical Seminary have since followed in his footsteps.

COMMON THEMES AND WEAK POINTS NOTED IN EVANGELICAL CONVERSIONS TO ROME

Each of these converts above was attracted to one or more of the four words mentioned by Ulf Ekman: the historicity, apostolic continuity, authority, and sacramentality of the Roman Catholic Church. There is only one word missing that must be noted, intellectuality. The previous conversion stories are not isolated. Many other examples can be found elsewhere, e.g. Beaumonts book, Evangelical Exodus: Evangelical Seminarians and Their Paths to Rome. A very helpful analysis on evangelical conversions to Rome has also been provided by Kenneth J. Stewart in his book, In Search of Ancient Roots: The Christian Past and the Evangelical Identity Crisis.[13]

What repeating themes do these evangelical conversion stories reveal that should be noted by evangelical pastors, leaders and scholars? This section does not attempt to provide an in-depth theological analysis of the arguments given by evangelical converts for their crossing of the Tiber. For an excellent psychological, theological, and sociological analysis on what has beenlabeled, "Convertitis", check out the new series by the Davenant Institute titled, "Why Protestants Convert". What weare addressing below are common themes and weak-points identified in testimonies of those who have had a case of convertitis. Our desire is to continue a conversation as to why Roman Catholicism becomes so attractive to some evangelicals and what can we do about it.

1. Weak ecclesiology with no or little historical formation or depth

Every single testimony seems to indicate a weak ecclesiological background. Converts describe evangelicalism in terms of isolated evangelical church expressions with no connection to a historic and global Christian faith. There was no mention of intentional discipleship and theological formation taking place within the context of the local church. In these testimonies, a study of Church history usually took place independently or through Evangelical Bible Schools and Seminaries. In Beaumonts case, his seminary did not even offer a Church history course for graduate level students, not even as an elective! How is this possible? Our own research has found that many seminaries lack courses on Roman Catholicism. The result is a generation of evangelical leaders who, like majority of the converts in this book, did not really understand Roman Catholicism.

What needs to be done in our institutions to help raise awareness of church history and the evangelical connection to the historic Christian faith? More importantly though, what needs to be done in our churches? Helping evangelicals to grasp and identify with a historic and biblical faith should not be left to Bible schools and seminaries alone. Perhaps there could be a regular recitation during times of worship that include not only Scripture but historic creeds and confessions stretching from the Apostles Creed, to the reformed confessions such as the Westminster Confession of Faith, the Heidelberg Confession of Faith, etc., to even more modern global evangelical confessions such as those created by the Lausanne Movement.

2. Superficial and individualist expressions of faith

We cannot ignore the American consumeristic and individualistic cultural influence on those who attend our churches or seminaries. Unfortunately, this cultural influence can also be seen within many Evangelical church models today. Many churches have been designed to deliver an experience, having created attractional means in which the attendee can experience their faith, be entertained and consume religious content without being a contributing member or participating in the life of the church. This allows for the development of a shallow, individualistic and consumeristic expression of faith.

When one becomes aware of the superficiality of the experiential expression of faith found in many evangelical churches, a Christianity that provides a way to have an experiential faith through a mystical sacramental system rooted in an ancient, historic and global tradition that claims to be united becomes very appealing. Additionally, when one sees an apparent lack of unity resulting from isolated inwardly focused congregations, the global, ancient and seemingly unified nature of Rome becomes very attractive.

3. A Gospel-less Evangelical/Protestant church experience

Looking back to the testimony of Matthew Schmitz, it appears that his experience within a very legalistic (fundamental) evangelical context played a factor in his journey towards Rome. Others experienced a liberal form of Protestantism which also indicates a lack of the biblical Gospel.

Those growing up in a more legalistic context, like Matthew Schmitz, seem to be attracted to the Church of Romes commitment to its historic doctrines maintained under the authority of the Pope and the teachings of the Magisterium. This was in contrast to an apparent Protestant pick-and-choose or have it your way menu of churches. These converts found solace in a unified, non-democratic and traditional dogmatic system defined by the Church.

Something that is important to note in these conversion stories is that while there was much positivity regarding the unity of the Roman Catholic Church contrasted to a divided Protestantism and Evangelicalism, there was very little discussion about the divergent theological expressions within Roman Catholicism, both historically and currently at odds with one another. Some of the conservative converts who were put off by the liberalization of many Protestant denominations, often leading to splits and the creation of new denominations, seemed to lack any previous conversion knowledge of the various movements within Roman Catholicism that are at odds with one another. This is also true for the more progressive-leaning converts. For example, in chapter 6, Kirsten Powers openly shared about her post-conversion crisis of faith when she discovered a conservative/progressive divide within Catholicism that is marked with infighting (94-95).

4. Attraction to Roman Catholic intellectual tradition and a lack of biblical discernment when reading the Church Fathers, Church History, and Catholic intellectual giants

There is always a need to recognize our presuppositions on the quest for truth. For evangelicals who hold to the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, we understand that the Bible is the starting point through which truth claims are to be examined. This equally applies when reading, or leading others through a reading of the Church Fathers, Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, Chesterton, etc. It is not sufficient to take a merely philosophical approach or a realist approach, evangelicals must take a biblical approach. When it comes to reading these ancient intellectual giants and Church Fathers, is there is a need for greater evangelical scholarly assessment of church history carried out with a greater discernment and theological alertness?

What scholarly work is still left for evangelicals to do in order to address this weak point? What scholarly and literary works have already been done using a heightened theological alertness based on the authority of Scripture to evaluate the writings of the Church Fathers, Church councils and growingly popular intellectual traditions? Has there truly been enough work to study, recognize and indicate where our earliest brothers deviate from Scripture? This kind of work always carries the risk of being labeled historical revisionists, but evangelical scholars must be willing to take that risk and boldly identify where Church Fathers influenced a decision, made a decision or wrote a statement that set a trajectory towards what would ultimately result in unbiblical theology and practice.

Another question we must ask is: How does the local church address this weak point? In Schmitz testimony, it is not even clear whether or not he returned from his Summer stent in Washington DC to a local church that could have or would have helped him practice discernment. Was he left to himself as he began reading Augustine and embracing a Roman Catholic hermeneutical approach to Scripture? There is no mention of anyone helping him in this process.

5. Atomistic or no understanding of Roman Catholicism

Every evangelical testimony in this book claimed to have known very little about Roman Catholicism prior to their conversions. There were at times atomistic approaches to understanding Catholicism, only seeing Romes teachings as isolated doctrines having minor or isolated disagreements with Protestantism. However, there seemed to be a complete lack of understanding Roman Catholicism as a complete theological system prior to conversion. It is only after crossing the Tiber that some of the intellectuals recognized the systemic nature of Catholicism, and by then they had already rejected the Reformation doctrines that would undermine such a system.

It would be interesting to conduct a poll to see how many of our Evangelical Bible schools, seminaries, and missionary training centers actually offer courses on understanding Roman Catholicism as a theological system, and if any of them do, if they would be required courses in the training of evangelical scholars, leaders, and pastors. I am afraid we already know how the results would look.

What is evident through a reading of these testimonies is that there is much work to be done. It can be unsettling for evangelicals when considering that this book is one among many. However, the crossing of the Tiber is not only unidirectional. We at the Reformanda Initiative have been encouraged time and time again by stories of Roman Catholics who convert to the evangelical/biblical faith of salvation by God's grace alone, through faith alone, in the work of Jesus Christ alone. Most recently, we were encouraged by the testimony of Onsi A. Kamel, Catholicism Made Me Protestant, recently published byFirst Things. Read it and be encouraged.

Our prayer is that God may provide the resources and people who would dedicate their lives to humbly work together in identifying, uniting, equipping, and resourcing evangelical leaders to understand Roman Catholic theology and practice, to educate the evangelical church, and to communicate the biblical Gospel of salvation over and against attractive yet deviating narratives. Will you pray with us?

Clay Kannard is an evangelical pastor in Rome, and communications director of the Reformanda Initiative.

Bibliography

George, Robert P., and R. J. Snell. Mind, Heart and Soul: Intellectuals and the Path to Rome. TAN Books, 2018.

NOTES

[1] Kristen Powers, states in chapter six that, One of my struggles with Christianity was that I thought it was anti-intellectual...I really thought all intellectuals were skeptics too, 89.

[2] Newmans Apologia Pro Vita Sua and The Grammar of Ascent are mentioned throughout this book as one of the most influential works that helped converts overcome intellectual challenges towards the Christian faith, and to embrace the Roman Catholic Church as the one true church.

[3] Ulf Ekman was born in Sweden where he was ordained as a Lutheran minister. In 1983 Ekman founded the charismatic evangelical church, Word of Life, which eventually grew into a Megachurch having an expansive outreach and global influence. In his thirty-plus years of ministry, Ekman founded several Bible schools and a seminary, organized and led conferences around the world, and authored over 40 books that have been translated into over thirty languages. Ekman valued the evangelical emphasis on reading and teaching the Bible, having a personal relationship with Jesus and the charismatic experience of faith.

[4] Matthew Schmitz is a senior editor of First Things and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Spectator and more. He holds an AB in English from Princeton.

[5] Joshua Charles is a historian, writer, and speaker. He holds an MA in government and a law degree. As a writer, he has written many articles for publications such as Fox News, The Federalist, and the Jerusalem Post and has authored and co-authored bestselling books on Americas Founders, Israel and the Bible. His testimony provides very little insight into the specifics of his previous religious experience, other than it was within a non-denominational Protestant Christian upbringing.

[6] Then on page 108, Charles gives an example, stating that every single Church Father believed in baptismal regeneration.

[7] As Evangelicals, even the works of the earliest Church Fathers must be read in light of Gods Word as our ultimate authoritySola Scriptura. In Charles case, he had already denied the doctrine of Sola Scriptura.

[8] Fr. Thomas Joseph White is the director of the Thomistic Institute at the Angelicum in Rome, professor of theology and a convert himself. Douglas M. Beaumont holds a Ph.D. in theology from North-West University and an MA in apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary. At Sothern Evangelical Seminary Beaumont served as assistant to President Norman Geisler and taught Bible and religion for many years. He is also the author of several books, including Evangelical Exodus: Evangelical Seminarians and Their Paths to Rome.

[9] More details are needed, but how is one baptized by a church without yet having decided to what church one would belong to? What was the understanding of baptism by the church who administered this ordinance? Was there any evaluation of Whites claim of faith or any attempt to catechize him?

[10] It is important to note that while Fr. White would present a Thomistic understanding of the Roman Catholic faith, as a comprehensive theological system where everything is interconnected, most of the converts never had this understanding of Roman Catholicism prior to conversion. Rather, Roman Catholicism was approached or thought of through the typical atomistic approache.g. doctrine by doctrine. For more on this read Dr. Leonardo De Chiricos dissertation, Evangelical Theological Perspectives on Post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism Evangelical Theological Perspectives on Vatican II and Gregg Allisons book, Roman Catholic Theology & Practice: An Evangelical Assessment.

[11] Beaumont provides examples stating, immoral popes were no more of a problem than was St. Peter. The evil of Israel no more made it cease to be the people of God than evils committed by those in the Church made it cease to be the Church. These discoveries made me realize that often it was my inconsistent application of shared principles that made Catholicism seem as far off as I had been led to believe it was. (226). Beaumont states that during his time at SES, Church History was not even taught for any of their graduate-level degrees, even as an elective (227).

[12] Beaumont understands very well the difference between Evangelicalism and Roman Catholicism, from the systemic nature of Catholicism to recognizing that while we often use the same words (e.g. evangelize, works, grace), we have completely different understandings of them. See his concluding remarks on page 237.

[13] See chapter fifteen of his Stewarts book, titled Why Are Younger Evangelicals Turning to Catholicism and Orthodoxy?, specifically the section titled Reasons Behind the Drift.

Read more here:
Intellectuals And The Path to Rome: A book review - Evangelical Focus

Borderlands 3 is one of the most bizarre gaming experiences of this generation, a highly-anticipated, long-awaited sequel clearly feeling the pressure of living in its predecessors enormous shadow. Both beholden to its past and searching for its future, Borderlands 3 is a strange amalgamation of abundantly familiar elements and a few new ideas, most of which never truly find harmony with each other during the games lengthy campaign.

In its attempts to look forward and backward at the same time, Borderlands 3 ends up feeling like a series of half-measures, a collection of systems and story beats that, in the few moments theyre able to take evolutionary steps for the franchise, feel like theres still room for the now decade-old series to grow. Unfortunately, across the 50+ hours Ive spent traversing, shooting, and constantly marking items for junk in my inventory, Borderlands 3 hasnt offered those moments nearly enough, too often falling victim to its old habits, using its legacy as a crutch, rather than a device to propel the franchise into its (admittedly uncertain) future.

It doesnt help Borderlands 3 front loads some of its worst writing; the opening act of the game is gratingly awful, hammering away at the same few punchlines for its characters as players embark on the series of fetch quests that comprise the games opening hours. Beginning some unidentified amount of time after Borderlands 2, Borderlands 3 opens on a war-ravaged Pandora enraptured by its inhabitants latest obsession: the Calypso Twins, who have seemingly galvanized the majority of the Crimson Raiders in their quest to well, well talk more about the Calypso Twins, and their role in the story, a bit later.

Early on, Borderlands 3 is desperately trying to prove to the audience it is still the same ol Borderlands, interrupting its genitalia references to break the fourth wall and acknowledges that yes, were once again beginning with a series of annoyingly spread-out fetch quests to introduce characters and establish tone. But the delivery of the games typical blend of meta humor and pop culture references feels stale on arrival; the lengthy fetch quests just feel like simplistic mission design, and big dick energy jokes just dont hit like they used to in 2019.

(Theres also an entire plot line built around Ice-T as a sentient teddy bear, who calls his in-game wife a bitch constantly, in between dick jokes. Its as terrible as it sounds.)

Borderlands 3 quickly establishes these abundantly familiar rhythms and then, surprisingly, doesnt do much to expand upon them through the rest of the games main campaign. Though Gearbox has called this title the big one in the past, it doesnt feel like a major step forward in any sense of the word and at worst, Borderlands 3 occasionally feels like a regression of what it does best, a slow burn of slight disappointments which add up to a confounding experience.

Theres also Borderlands absolute dismissal of Twitch culture; as the introductory chapters of the game catch players up on the Calypso Twins sudden accrual of power, Borderlands 3 has a strangely old man yells at cloud feeling to it (to myself borrow an overused meme for a moment), an odd feeling for a game that prides itself on its own (debatable) edginess and camp.

The Calypso Twins are built around the stereotypical cult of personality associated with the biggest streamers of the world and boy, does Borderlands 3 not spare an ounce of vitriol for the admittedly complicated, often disturbingly regressive world of streamer culture (though they do have a weapon that is a direct Dr. Disrespect reference, and also feature some of the most elaborate Twitch integrations of any modern game). But Borderlands 3 admonishes creator and follower alike with an empty dismissal of the influencer in a rather bleak application of its signature nihilism, it buries any kind of interesting exploration of the Twins- as either characters or societal critique under a thick layer of cynicism.

It never really even contemplates their place as unifers in a galaxy full of corporations addicted to war profits, under a thin, cynical veneer of disregard for their place in any culture, Pandorian or human its critique of streamer culture ultimately just feels empty. At times, it even feels hypocritical; unsurprisingly, Borderlands 3s consistently been one of the most-watched games on Twitch since before its public release last week (plus again; there are multiple streamer-related references sprinkled through the game). Its contradictory at best and when considering how thin the public personas of Troy and Tyreen are actually defined outside of shitty streamer people and their shitty followers, it just feels weird.

Like the story, the shooting and looting of the game is immediately familiar, though it is a much more welcoming feeling: the single biggest improvement to Borderlands 3 is the shooting, which feels tighter and heavier than it has the previous three entries in the series. If theres a truly transcendent evolution of the games formula, its found here: the shooting is simply magnificent from the word go, especially with the new traversal elements of mantling and power sliding, movement options that do wonders to bring life to the games many, many, many, many engagements with massive groups of enemies, hidden baddies, and massive (-ly lengthy, though mostly well-varied) boss encounters.

The class selection is also fantastic; theres a distinct rejection of Borderlands 2s semi-linear class system, with each of the games four characters featuring multiple unique skill trees players can utilize to create an impressive diversity of builds with. There are hints of old characters in Fl4K, Zane, Amara, and Moze, but those elements are welcomely remixed and expanded upon, in creative ways I just wish the rest of Borderlands 3 would take a hint from; Ive never had so much fun switching between characters in a previous game, experimenting with the intersections of their diverse ability sets, and seeing how the games Legendary and Anointed equipment rarities can further those builds is easily the most satisfying part of the game (though admittedly, all four classes take until about level 30 before they truly unlock their mechanical potential).

It is worth noting the games technical performance is as inconsistent as its narrative; for a game thats been in development for so long, Borderlands 3 feels particularly unpolished for a finished product hell, between writing and editing this review, I lost a collection of 50 legendary items out of my storage bank because of a widespread bug, kind of an unforgivable mistake for an entire game built around loot hunting.

Outside of the major performance issues widely-reported since the games release including the virtually unplayable Resolution mode on Playstation 4 Pro Borderlands 3 is ripe with the glitches of the past: broken mission objectives, inconsistent AI companion pathing and, as an added bonus, the expected bevy of Unreal Engine quirks (like falling through the map multiple times). Though it seems like a small complaint, waiting 5-7 seconds for your in-game menu to load in every few minutes in a 2019 video game quickly becomes frustrating, one of many examples of Borderlands 3s many rough edges.

(Playing as Moze in multiplayer was a particular low light: from the gravitational physics of my character completely breaking, to glitches that rendered my player utterly unmovable, Borderlands 3s co-op modes are frustratingly janky, to the point split-screen co-op is almost unplayable in its current state.)

But the most frustrating part of Borderlands 3 is (outside of the character classes, of course) how risk-averse the entire affair is; in terms of mechanics and systems, it is mostly an integration of Borderlands 2 and the new elements of The Pre-Sequel, with a couple of light improvements around the edges. For example, there are now gear scores attached to every item a player picks up; theres still no way to effectively manage an inventory, or even a consistency to how the scores are formulated, but hey, at least theres kind of a way to compare gear (which one will do constantly, since inventory management is a still a hot mess).

For every tiny improvement, theres a concession attached to it; a great example is the games map and mission tracking systems. While the map now shows the topography of each area, a useless mini-map and a thoroughly aggravating menu UI make juggling multiple missions an absolute chore (even though one can switch missions on the fly with a touch of the button, theres no way to see multiple objectives on the map, or even switch between them while in the map menu).

This persists across the entire Borderlands 3 experience: and as the tale of the Calypso Twins and the Great Vault lurches through its interminably lengthy second and third acts, it begins to wear on the experience. For better or worse, Borderlands 3 further entrenches itself in the habits and rhythms of Borderlands 2 which, after seven years, begins to feel stale in areas, frustratingly reluctant to change, or even reflect on its well-established sensibilities (or on itself; there are literal jokes made about CEO Randy Pitchfords many controversies, which are uncomfortable at best). And while the game certainly demonstrates the effectiveness of carefully refining its (rightfully celebrated) mechanics, its absolute reluctance to take creative risks begs the question of why it took so long to bring this game together (or, at the very least, begs the question of whether Gearbox really wanted to do a Borderlands 3 at all, and only green lit the project after the overwhelming failure of Battleborn).

As the game moves through its middle chapters, it just feels lacking in a way Borderlands 2 never did, even with its predecessors own inconsistent humor and pacing. Though ostensibly a journey spread across the galaxy, featuring a massive cast of familiar and new characters, so much of Borderlands 3 feels small and isolated. Every area of the game is broken up into tiny segments, covering small areas of these seemingly massive planets an experience itself constantly broken up by lengthy loading screens and regular back tracking, which doesnt exactly vibe with the games epic, world-hopping scope.

The absence of the player-characters in the central narrative is another head-scratching omission; despite the inclusion of unique dialogue for every character throughout the game, the four main personalities of Borderlands 3 feel underdeveloped a problem that persists considering how little theyre seen during the most important moments of the game. Theyre explicitly excluded from so many of the games cinematic moments, they almost feel absent from the games actual story (despite the inclusion of unique dialogue for every character throughout the game, an experiment that pays off to mixed results).

I think about the ending of Borderlands 2, and how much potential it held for the future of the series: the promise of exploring entire planets with friends, finding Vaults and hidden pop culture references was almost breath-taking in its ambition. With its series of linearly-designed, stunted zones and limited planet selection at launch, Borderlands 3 never really harnesses the long-gestating potential for growth; and as the story begins building towards its climactic moments, it only further highlights the creative dissonance that plagues so many aspects of the game.

The clearest distillation of Borderlands 3s identity crisis is found in the games story, which struggles to justify itself as something more than just another Borderlands game. It is torn between its desires to attempt something new (at least, at times), and the emotional attachment it knows the audience has with the characters, rhythms, and memorable moments from the first three games of the series. It leads to a story that often follows a template: travel to new area, meet familiar old character for a mission, fight through a series of gently-guiding corridors while constantly staring at the map, rinse, and repeat for thirty-five hours.

Save for the occasional interlude and amusing side story though that often finds itself stuck in its own loop, with a collection of ancillary characters who either wants to remind you how funny poop is, or how much people in this world enjoy murder and death to the point its cynical nihilism is no longer humorous, and eventually becomes exhausting.

Sure, there are a couple new characters introduced, but theyre left to the fringes of the main narrative, which is, for all intents and purposes, a retread of Borderlands 2s major beats. Yes, it occasionally attempts to subvert expectations, but mostly by presenting a mirrored version of the series previous events where Borderlands 2 was about an evil father manipulating their disgruntled child and the Vault Hunters, Borderlands 3 is basically about mad children manipulating their father and the Vault Hunters but it is satisfied to simply just be that story, and not much more (and at times, even becomes wholly illogical remember The Watcher and their foreboding warnings? Neither does Borderlands 3, apparently).

There is one particularly strong section of story, however, and it comes in an unexpected place: after serving the role of enigmatic mission giver (and named member of the Borderlands 2s lamest DLC), Sir Hammerlocks arc in the middle section of Borderlands 3, while disappointingly divorced from the central events of the game, is emotionally propulsive in ways none of the other story is, a moment where Borderlands 3s themes find their voice for a too-brief amount of time.

Part love story, and part exploration of the intersections of family and legacy, Borderlands 3s tale of Hammerlock and the Jakobs family is so satisfying,the one time Borderlands 3 stops screaming at the player in its desperation to be funny or surprising. For a few hours,the overwhelming nihilism of Borderlands eternally cynical world view melts away, and the series truly offers something akin to hope and possibility in its world. It represents the beautiful essence of Borderlands expansive set of characters, companies, and legacies, and is the rare moment where Borderlands 3 finds harmonic brilliance between its shooting, looting, joking, and genuine attempts at emotional beats.

But like most of the other familiar faces in Borderlands 3, Hammerlocks story is contained to his few chapters on his home planet; for a game that ultimately turns on a story of family and shared purpose, theres so much of Borderlands 3 that just feels like it is missing the mark, or ignoring it altogether. Outside of Lilith and Claptrap (and for a brief time before her quickly-forgotten disposal, Maya) none of the games previously playable characters factor into the narrative in any way hell, most of them, like Axton, Gaige, Salvatore and Krieg, dont appear or are barely mentioned at all, which kind of takes away from the games attempts to be an all-encompassing adventure through the history (and theoretical future) of its surrogate family of bandits, adventurers, scientists, and adventure seekers.

Instead, theres a lot of focus put on a handful of underwhelming new characters (including Ava, the games single biggest missed opportunity relegated to Whiny Teen tropes), only occasionally interjecting those sequences with familiar faces: multiple major characters of the series have precisely one mission dedicated to them through the story, which again feels like Borderlands 3 lacking confidence in its own identity, unable to commit to forging new paths, and instead peppering serotonin-laced doses of nostalgia across the story as a half-measure to cover up that Borderlands 3 really has nothing new to say about its world, its people, or the story its been telling now for a decade.

Borderlands 3 is perfectly content to just be more Borderlands, with all the expected thrills and frustrations one would expect from that philosophy. That doesnt make it an abject failure, of course: its still a game Im going to play for hundreds of hours with my friends, thanks to the sheer diversity of gun play and character builds (it is a sequel to one of my favorite games of all time, after all) but theres a distinct feeling Borderlands 3 couldve been so much more than well, just more of the same Borderlands. Seven years after its last mainline entry (and five after its forgettable, under cooked pre-sequel), just being Borderlands one more time makes it feel like a series stuck in the past, retreating to safe waters by simply remixing the old game with a strangely newfound (and ultimately, superficial) hatred of streamer culture layered on top to feel relevant in 2019.

That allegiance to the past ultimately comes at a cost; it makes the few moments Borderlands 3 tries to evolve stand out in stark contrast to the rest of the game, complete 180s in emotional tenor that are never met by equal risks taken in gameplay design, or the construction of the main narrative. When the dick jokes and meme references subside, there is an emotionally satisfying core deep inside Borderlands 3, one that highlights the spaces in between the games consistently enjoyable shooting and looting gameplay loop (theres a particular photo I discovered in the games later moments that literally brought me to tears, a quietly poignant and beautiful moment this game desperately needs more of).

But that version of Borderlands 3 only comes out in fits and starts, often hindered by the series allegiance to its old identity, one that time, and most of the gaming industry, has passed by (at least, during the main story; Ill be back next week with thoughts on the post-credits/endgame experience). There is a great version of Borderlands 3 somewhere, a more driven action-RPG with a tighter campaign experience, a more ambitious, fully-formed story, and a true expansion of its celebrated mechanics to marry to the games wonderfully diverse class set and enhanced movement options. Its just not this inflated, safe iteration of the series, one that drowns its few iterative innovations in a sea of repetitive familiarity.

Go here to see the original:
Could Apple Arcade Be the Best Gaming Subscription Service Yet? - Goomba Stomp

Food holds places in our lives beyond just fuel and is on our minds in so many different contexts. With all the nutrition news, facts, myths, fears, aversions, allergies and unique needs out there, it can feel like somewhat of a mine field to navigate as an endurance athlete. I mean, are starches even good or bad for us? Theyre like the Walter White of the nutrition world! Complex indeed, those carbohydrates.

Im not a nutritionist, and most of you arent professional runners, but I can share my thoughts on the strategies Ive used to stay relatively healthy through years of hard miles and what Ive learned so far about marathon nutrition.

My general nutrition strategy for the last decade has been specific to my lifestyle as a professional runner. I focus on targeting food that fuels distance running rather than eliminate food groups or label anything as off limits.

At the top of my priority list, I need a lot of red blood cells (cue iron and B vitamins), glycogen replenished (lets go, carbohydrates), muscle repair (care of amino acids and protein), a good immune system (good work, vitamins), solid bones (thanks to minerals), and to maintain hormonal health (well done, good fats and enough calories). I try to hit these targets every day and work around that framework as far as squeezing in extra things for enjoyment, convenience, catering to any food sensitivities, and general health.

Some great resources for runners of all ages and abilities that Ive been using lately are Elise Kopeckys and Shalane Flanagans series of cookbooks as well as Roar, a book by exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist Stacy Sims, with Selene Yeager, that addresses female athletes unique nutritional needs.

These have been helpful to me because the cookbooks provide creative, enjoyable, and nourishing meal suggestions catered toward endurance athletes, and Roar helps me understand when and how to focus on one aspect of nutrition over another in order to maximize recovery and performance while inhabiting an ever-changing body.

I have some scientific and nutritionist-backed information at my fingertips, thanks to my relationship with Gatorade Endurance. I met with the lab team of scientists and nutritionists to dial in my training and race-day fueling for three of the four marathons Ive run, and I regularly search the GSSI database when I have specific questions. Here is what Ive taken away about nutrition during my marathon build-ups. (Ill devote a separate article to race-day fueling later.)

In the lab, I did a day of treadmill testing while they measured my fuel consumption and sweat rate at a given temperature range, which was really interesting and helpful. I know this isnt something available to everyone, but I noticed my results did fall into the range of what is suggested for the average person, which is about 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour when at marathon race pace. The sweat test showed moderate fluid and sodium loss, which recommended a certain rate of fluid and electrolyte replacement to prevent losing more than 2 percent of your bodyweight in sweat, after which performance will decline.

Roar actually recommends a more dilute race-day carbohydrate solution of 7-9.4 grams of carb/8 oz, which is roughly half of the amount I take in training and racing. If taken every 5K as per my fluid stops, I take about 20-32 grams of carbs per hour. In training, I take about 20 grams of fuel every half hour or so on long runs that are longer than two hours to keep from getting too depleted. On tempo runs, I take that amount every 5K, or about 17 minutes, to get used to taking in fuel while moving fast.

I also got a few helpful tips from dietitian and lead R&D scientist Lisa Heaton at Gatorade Endurance, who viewed a three-day segment of my diet and saw that, despite my efforts, I still needed to take in more carbohydrates, liquid, and calories per day. This was especially true when I had added not only the extra volume of training but was doing so at altitude for half of the buildup.

To address the hydration/carbohydrate shortage in one nutrient packed go, I added a fruit smoothie per day, or switched some of my water to juice. I also tried to add an extra serving of potatoes or rice to my lunch and was happy to have an excuse for maintaining my doughnut a week habit. These were simple tips, but over the months they keep me just above the line of fluid and carb depletion, whereas before I was unaware of being just shy of enough and feeling less consistently good on runs.

Another thing I rely possibly too much on in a marathon buildup is coffee. The caffeine by way of a cup of coffee or double espresso has always been a welcomed boost of energy to my longer morning run, but has now also appeared before my evening run amidst the fog of tiredness that happens in the middle of the marathon buildups.

I like to have about one cup of coffee an hour before any run or workout. If I wait much longer than two hours after the coffee to work out I risk feeling a slight caffeine crash that can make me feel sluggish at the start of the run. If I drink too much more than a cup I feel dehydrated and jittery. (Thats meindividual reactions to caffeine are unique.)

The 4 p.m. coffee is usually a guilty trade-off where the desperation for immediate energy wins over that nights sleep quality. Like the Seinfeld joke says, that 4 p.m. coffee is morning guys problem. Sometimes Ill add an espresso shot to my post-workout recovery snack as well, because I looked for an excuse to drink more coffee, and this paper said it helps you restock your glycogen faster.

One side effect of marathon nutrition I did notice is that the sugar that is welcomed by your hungry muscles on long runs and after workouts isnt so much loved by your teeth, so brush them after every workout where you take on drinks gels or chews!

[Build your personalized and adaptive training plan for FREE with Runcoach.]

In marathon training, I notice a benefit from being more aware of the timing of my meals.

I always knew this to be true, but thought it only applied to hard workout days. However, with marathon mileage, sometimes a regular run day has you on your feet for 90 or more minutes. I felt I would gradually sink into a hole of depletion if I didnt make an effort to refuel within 30 minutes of quite a few of my regular runs.

When I refuel within 30 minutes of workout or a longer recovery run, I feel consistently better in my next few runs. The benchmarks to aim for are 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio or about 20 grams of protein total (depending on your size and workout type).

As an aging athlete (Im 35), Im trying to be more mindful about maintaining muscle. One strategy is to have some of your daily protein intake at bedtime, as a lot of muscle repair happens as you sleep. Another night time snack Ive been trying that addresses aging bodies and recovery is tart cherry Jello. The collagen in gelatin is supposed to be good for maintaining tendon health and elasticity, and tart cherry juice has good antioxidant-based recovery properties, as well as natural melatonin to aid sleep. Its also helpful as a source of vitamin C, which is suggested to pair with the collagen to aid its synthesis in your body. Another helpful trick is to mix collagen into your orange juice in the morning, as its also recommended to take it an hour before exercise.

Another adjustment I had to make was to get more creative with my carbohydrate sources and more strategic with the kinds of protein I chose in the marathon buildup.

I love bread, but I felt like I got into a wheat rut with my daily diet. Variety is important in getting a more comprehensive nutritional milieu, so I forced myself to branch out to new carbohydrate sources.

This sounds obvious, but it took some planning to actually stick to the idea. When Im tired and hungry, its common for me to just grab anything or have Doordash carry a pizza to my couch. I still do that sometimes, but I also try to make a large batch of rice, quinoa, potatoes, fruit salad, teff pancakes, etc. so that the ideal option is there when I need it.

After considering that not all protein is the same and that some amino acids are more important in muscle building than others, Im currently working on targeting those certain amino acids in my post-workout recovery snack. Some essential (not made by your body) amino acids like leucine are harder to find enough of than others in whole foods. Whey protein was recommended in Roar as a really efficient source of this muscle-building block, especially to older athletes. If you dont have any allergies to it, finding a brand you like could help your body repair and maintain those running muscles you worked so hard to build. Its also noted that animal-derived sources are the most complete sources of protein.

The scientific nature of marathon nutrition can be as dry and bland as a mouthful of rice cakes, but that doesnt mean there isnt room for enjoying a meal mainly to please your taste buds. Like I said, its more about setting a general pattern of nutrition in place so you dont inadvertently fall below what you need while taking on so many miles.

Watch: Saucony unveils another Dunkin' collaboration.

That doesnt mean you need to be constantly strict or rigid with meals throughout the multi-month buildup. After the race, burgers and beers may be a part of the celebration as cheers to the awesome way your body can convert food into actual, amazing feats. But you dont need to wait until youve run a marathon to earn thatyou can do it because your family is in town, youre on vacation, or just because its Wednesday. Theres definitely room for your preferred fun food items in moderation while chasing down a marathon-sized race goal.

Whether youre trying to max out over 26.2 or get to the finish line at a more leisurely pace, the unique distance of the marathon commands attention to specific fueling strategies. To train enough to make it through the race, you are likely putting more specific nutritional demands on your body than you have before, all while living a life outside of running. Fueling for the marathon is something that just takes a little planning and practice, so when you get to race day, like your PR or proud finish, you can execute it automatically through the emotions and fatigue of the event without any (metaphorical at least) hiccups.

Read the rest here:
How Molly Huddle Fuels Her Marathon Training - Runner's World

Are you smitten by six-pack abs of celebs on TV?Do you envy people with perfect cuts and abs?

Are you planning to buff up your muscle mass?

If yes, then it goes without saying that you are already started your research on protein powders and how to get the most of it. To get the perfectly chiseled body like celebs you might know that eating right and working out regularly is not enough. In fact, using the right protein powder is crucial to maximizing the results of your workout. Protein powders help the body to cope with heavy workouts and get the desired results as quickly as possible in a healthy manner.

Here are some of the most common protein powders and their benefits[1]:

Protein is the building blocks of the body and is essential in building muscle

Protein in the concentrated form (concentrated protein) helps the muscles to recover quickly from heavy exercise as it is absorbed quickly by the body

The best protein powders are rich in digestive enzymes maximizing protein absorption

Protein powders prevent muscle injuries from workouts

Due to all these benefits and more, protein powders are an irreplaceable component of bodybuilding. However, not all protein powders are worth the money as they do not provide the right combination of nutrients and supplements needed by the body post-workout.

Interestingly, with the number of protein powder brands and products increasing in the market, it has become difficult to identify which type of protein powder is the best. Most people do not know how to choose the best protein powder and end up getting the wrong one. However, looking at the list of ingredients and understanding the benefits of the base protein powder used in the product can give you a clear picture and help you pick the best protein powder.

How to Choose the Right Protein Powder?

To save you some time and trouble, we have compiled a list of the different types of protein powders along with its benefits and reasons for making it to the list.

Whey Protein

Whey protein is also known as the complete protein as it contains the nine essential amino acids that the human body cannot make on its own. Whey protein is made from cows milk and is the fastest among all other proteins to get absorbed into the bloodstream. Furthermore, it has the highest concentration of leucine, an amino acid, which is best needed to build muscle and is highly beneficial for people who workout regularly. Whey protein powder includes both whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate which are lactose, high-protein powder with the ideal amount of carbohydrates and fats to ensure maximum muscle gain[1].

Ideally, the best time to consume whey is within an hour after a workout with an ideal dosage of 20g[2]. However, this dosage is for people that have the training or exercising regularly. Consult a doctor to ascertain the perfect dosage for you based on your routine, diet and body type.

Casein Protein

Casein Protein is the primary protein present in milk. Unlike whey protein, casein has a slow absorption rate which acts as a deterrent to building muscle quickly[3]. Nevertheless, its main advantage is that its effects on the body last for a longer duration compared to whey protein. Therefore, it is widely used as meal replacement shakes such as some people consume it for breakfast to fuel their daily routine or have it just before sleeping.

Soy Protein

Soy protein is a vegan protein; therefore, it is perfect for people who are lactose intolerant and those who are vegan. Defatted and dehulled ground soybeans are the main ingredients of soy protein. However, soy protein too, like casein protein, is not absorbed quickly. Instead, the digestion rate is even lower than that of casein protein. Nevertheless, soy protein contains the amino acids arginine and glutamine in greater quantity compared to other types of proteins. Regarding supplements for maintaining or building muscle derived from plants, it is considered highly effective.

Pea Protein

Yellow pea is the source of pea protein. One of the best attributes of pea protein is its digestibility compared to other proteins derived from plants. Therefore, it is an excellent option for someone with a weak digestive system, who is lactose intolerant or has problems with soy.

However, despite the advantages of pea protein, it also has a few glaring drawbacks. One of the most glaring drawbacks is that it does not have all the essential amino acids that casein protein and whey protein have. Therefore, it is not identified as a complete protein[3]. Nevertheless, combining pea protein with other proteins derived from plants will transform it into a complete protein.

Egg White Protein

As the name suggests, this protein powder is made from dried egg whites. One of the main qualities of egg white protein powder is that the digestion rate is higher than casein protein but lower than that of whey protein. However, egg white protein is less effective regarding the synthesis of muscle protein when compared to casein or whey protein. It is effective as a meal replacement substitute, especially before bed. Furthermore, egg white protein can be combined with another protein powder to ensure additional benefits. However, it is recommended that you consult a doctor before doing so to ensure that you have the perfect combination according to your body, diet, and routine.

Rice Protein

Rice Protein is a useful source of protein, especially for vegans. It may be surprising, but rice protein is an effective source of protein that not only helps in boosting muscle growth but also in reducing weight gain. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine[3] suggested that the unique peptides present in brown rice protein help in reducing weight gain even more than soy protein. A common stigma attached to rice protein is that since it is made from rice, it is bound to be full of carbohydrates with minimal protein content. Interestingly, brown rice is an alternative to whey protein and contains essential amino acids in addition to 37% total protein[3]. However, brown rice protein does not contain all of the essential amino acids; thus, it has to be used with another source of essential amino acids to ensure that it provides maximum results.

Get Quality Fitness Supplements Exclusively At 1mg

Hemp Protein

Hemp Protein is a protein that is sourced from plants and is well-liked by vegans. However, people tend to prefer other protein powders over hemp protein. The reason that hemp protein is at the proverbial bottom of the shelf meaning the protein content of hemp protein is the lowest when compared to other protein powders such as whey, casein, and soy. But hemp protein powder offers the advantage of providing a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber[3]. Thus, it can be combined with another protein powder to make it a complete protein powder. Hemp protein is particularly useful in completing your nutrient intake rather than boosting your protein intake.

To Whey or Not To Whey

The different types of protein powder might have given you enough idea to understand which protein powder will work best for you. There are a plethora of options when it comes to protein powders and other post-workout supplements, but not all benefit the user equally. As every protein powder has its own benefits and shortcomings, select the one that suits you the best based on your body, workout routine, and goal.

Most companies are simply trying to capitalize on the fervor of gym-enthusiasts by selling the dreams of the perfect body without talking about the work that goes into it. Simply taking protein powders is not enough! A rigorous workout routine is also important to get the best results. A combination of post-workout supplements along with regular exercise and weight lifting is essential to achieving the body of your dreams.

As far as choosing the best protein powder for yourself is concerned, you need to pay attention to every ingredient and what it does for the body to make the right choice. Each powder has its combination of helpful nutrients, but not every configuration of ingredients applies to everyone. For example, whey protein powder is more beneficial to someone who is actively looking to increase muscle growth, but if they are vegan, then they have to reconsider their choice. The bottom line is that you can find the best protein powder for you by doing thorough research of the ingredients present in them and knowing clearly what you need. You can even ask your nutritionist or dietician to help you choose the one that fits your body. Some trial and error might be required but it would not take too long to figure out the perfect protein powder for you!

Comment below and let us know which type of protein powder has served you the best and what were the results.

References:

View post:
Types of protein powders and their benefits - Times of India

Ah, to be twenty-something able to eat whatever we want, survive on minimal shut-eye, and let exercise fall by the wayside without too much fallout.

Then we hit our thirties, forties or fifties and suddenly health and fitness is a far more complex beast.

It's clear there's no one-size-fits-all approach to staying in shape, so how do we ensure we're looking and feeling our best with each passing decade?

Nutritionist Dr Joanne McMillan and fitness expert Wendy Smith (The Healthy Mummy) know all too well the evolving nature of maintaining health and fitness as we age. Together, they've carved out some nutrition and fitness guidelines to make staying on top of your health at any age a breeze. Here's what they recommend.

You could be short on time and sleep due to career progression, a growing family or social commitments. And that's where these clever nutrition and fitness shortcuts come in handy.

In your thirties you want your diet to contain plenty of slow-release energy foods what McMillan refers to as "smart carbs". But forget slaving away in the kitchen she suggests stocking up on a range of ready-made healthy supermarket staples.

"I love these microwavable wholegrain rice packs. I've been buying this kale slaw it's fantastic with a sort of yoghurt-y dressing ... Canned beans, canned tuna all of these foods are great," Dr McMillan tells Today.

In the fresh produce department, you can't go wrong with low-GI veg like sweet potato and legumes.

"That's going to help you to control your appetite and really help to keep your energy up while you try to control you weight."

In the fitness department, Smith says if you're lacking in motivation (but not in excuses to avoid exercise) tracking your diet and activity levels on a phone app can help make you more "accountable."

Once you're ready to get active, Smith suggests a core workout involving rotating knee lifts particularly for women who've given birth.

"It's all about abs, butts and thighs. As a new mum you want to close the gap between the abdominal muscles. Some people might have diastasis recti [abdominal separation after birth] or sore back problems. It's really good for the core."

This decade is all about protection, good fats, and eating according to your exercise output, according to McMillan.

"What tends to start happening as we head towards menopause, and particularly around menopause, you might find you're getting more fat around the middle, and that's the hormonal changes," she says.

Upping your level of foods containing mono-unsaturated fats, like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds, can even help with portion control.

"Get plenty of fruits and veggies in there, as that's also when we start needing our antioxidants so we're ageing as well as we possibly can."

This is also a decade in which risk of injury sky-rockets, family demands increase, and self neglect takes a toll on your energy levels like never before.

If you're short on time, Smith recommends this exercise.

"Lunges this is a really good one. Lunges are great because it's working pretty much your whole body, and your abs, your butt, your thighs the core areas that we really want to focus on."

The other thing that happens when you go through menopause is your bone density takes a big drop, McMillan says.

The solution? Healthy, calcium-rich foods.

"Dairy foods are fantastic for calcium. If you're trying to avoid dairy then look for calcium-fortified plant based [foods]."

If dairy isn't an option, the nutritionist also swears by salmon or sardines with edible bones as a great source of calcium.

Things like oily fish, anti-oxidant-rich berries and fruit and veg can also reduce inflammation which can be a huge issue as we get older.

For exercise, walking can be a great way to safely get exercise and reduce risk of injury and doing so in the sunshine has an added bonus.

"Get outdoors and walk and then you get your vitamin D."

Watch the full Today segment above, or to catch up on the latest episodes visit 9Now.com.au/Today

Continued here:
How to stay motivated and healthy in your 30s, 40s and 50s - 9Honey

All of us feel tired sometime or the other. A hectic lifestyle, late nights, long work hours and stress can bring down your energy levels as can certain health disorders. But if you are unduly tired at all times, the fault may lie with your unhealthy diet. Nutritional deficiency can cause chronic fatigue and leave you listless and drained of all energy. In other words, if you are not eating healthy, you will have a low energy level.

A proper balanced diet is essential for overall health and optimum energy levels. It is important to eat nutrient dense foods that contain fibre, healthy fats, carbs and proteins. Antioxidants, vitamins and minerals are essential if you want to maintain your energy levels throughout the day. These foods can infuse you with energy and keep you going till bedtime. Keep away from processed foods and carbonated drinks and beverages. Caffeine can give you an energy boost but too much can leave you feeling sluggish.

Let us take a look at some deficiencies that can bring down your energy level.

Any deficiency in this mineral can bring down energy levels. It can also leave you feeling depressed. Magnesium is essential for musculoskeletal health and it rejuvenates the nervous system and boosts energy production. Avoid stress and exercise regularly. This will boost the absorption of magnesium by your body. Green leafy vegetables, nut and seeds and legumes are good sources and you must include them in your daily diet. You may also go for magnesium supplements but do so only after consulting a doctor. You can also go for Epsom salt baths. Here your body is able to absorb the magnesium through your skin.

Lack of enough vitamin D is one of the main reasons why people are so tired these days. Most people hardly have the time or the inclination to get outdoors and soak in the sun, the main source of vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle fatigue in people and this can make them tired all the time. This has actually sapped the energy of many people today. Hence, it is important that you push yourself to go for a walk and spend some time in nature.

You can also source it from fatty fish, egg yolks and fortified foods. Supplements are another option. But, if you can replenish the vitamin D levels in your body naturally, why go for supplements? Keep that as the last option.

According to the World Health Organisation, iron deficiency is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world. This deficiency can leave you drained of all energy. It may also make you anaemic by slowing the production of haemoglobin. This affects cellular growth and repair. This deficiency is very common in people following a vegan lifestyle and menstruating women. Be sure to eat more of green leafy vegetables, meat and poultry and legumes as these are a good source of iron. You may also go in for fortified foods like cereals and drinks. Also include vitamin C rich food in your diet because this vitamin helps your body to easily absorb iron. Or, you can take supplements after consulting your doctor.

Researchers from Duke University Medical Center have identified a mechanism that allows cells starved of iron to shut down energy-making processes that depend on iron and use a less efficient pathway involving glucose. It shuts down the energy hub of the cell, the mitochondria, which takes glucose and turns it into cell energy fuel, or ATP. If you are low on ATP, you will become tired and lethargic.

This vitamin is usually found in animal products. Hence, vitamin B12 deficiency is more prevalent among people who follow a vegetarian or a vegan diet. This vitamin is essential for the level of energy in your body. It actually absorbs the energy from foods that we eat. It maintains the health of your nervous system stay healthy and stimulates the formation of red blood cells. It also leads to better integration of folic acid in your body.

An under-active thyroid gland may leave you feeling tired all the time. If you have this condition, your thyroid gland is not producing the required amount of thyroxine. This leads to hormonal imbalance, a slowing down of the metabolism and low energy levels. There are medications to treat this condition. You may also try to deal with your condition by adding selenium rich foods to your diet. Have a lot of nuts and seeds, eggs, meat and green leafy vegetables. Avoid broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage as these foods can adversely affect thyroid function.

Chronic insomnia may also lead to very low energy levels. If you cant sleep at night despite being tired, you may need to see a doctor and find out why. This is not natural, and it will keep you devoid of any energy during the day. It will affect your normal routine and bring down productivity. This could be due to certain health complications. So, it is better if you see a doctor and find out the root cause of your insomnia.

This is certainly contradictory, but if you rest throughout the day, you will only feel more tired by the end of it. So, get out and get some exercise. This will energise you and also improve your mood and make you fit. This is true even for people suffering from chronic fatigue.

Published: September 20, 2019 9:07 pm

Read the rest here:
Low energy level - It may be due to deficiencies - TheHealthSite

Anyone who says they don't like yoga hasn't tried it yet or is lying straight to your face. That's because a yoga workout can be super lazy, crazy hard, really long, or, like, five whole minutes. My point is: Errbody can dance to the beat of their own yoga flow...or something like that. So what's not to love?

You'll need to BYOGoat to get in on that goat yoga situation, I hunted down 14 other kinds of yoga Youtube videos that you can do at home no matter your vibe (but I highly recommend the bed yoga, FWIW). Scroll on through to find your new fave workout for when you just can't class today.

1If you run this town (literally)

This video has everything: An instructor with a British accent, soothing beats, and a 30-minute flow focusing on your hips and hammies. Excuse me while I say "achilles" like I'm from London all day for no reason at all.

2If it's your birthday (HBD!)

Apparently, birthday yoga is a request Yoga with Adrien's Adrien gets allllll the time. Here. For. It. Follow this 27ish-minute flow of "easy, breezy, beautiful birthday yoga." You can expect a lot of cat and cow poses, pigeon, and a few warriors. Nothing crazy. HBD, gal!

3If you want a tough workout

It's about to get sweaty! This hour-long sesh is all about that core werk with boat poses, single-leg balances, and planks on planks. If you're not great at balancing, you might need a couple of blocks, just FYI.

4If chakras are a thing you care about

ICYMI, chakras are energy points along your spine through the crown of your head, according to the Chopra Center. In the Hindu tradition, each point is associated with certain organs and even emotions. This 40-minute workout focuses on your root chakra, associated with security and stability. We get a little woo woo here, but getting weird is fun and Andrew Sealy's voices is kinda dreamy.

5If you're new to yoga-ing

It's ya girl Adriene again (and her really, really cute pupper). This one goes out to the newbs with lots of standing poses, a few warrior poses, and lots o' stretchingall in 20 minutes.

6If you just need a solid stretch rn

Um, hello dream plant aesthetic. During this 15-minute full-body workout, Maddie takes you through basic stretches as well as yoga poses like crescent moon pose, standing forward bend, cat and cow, and more. Get loose.

7If you like amazing sex and want more of it

This 30-minute slow flow hones in on tight hips and breathing to help you chill the hell out and get some blood flowing to all those organs important for the sex. You know the ones. This class could be super awkward in person, but I'm pretty sure your computer isn't judging you.

8If your neck is basically effed

If you're human, your neck is probably messed up at little bit. So for the next nine minutes, follow along with Yoga by Candace as she walks ya through poses that stretch your neck and shoulders out real nice and deep like. Best part: You just sit the whole time, so you can do this probably anywhere you plant your butt.

9If you like yoga but also want to do other things today

How cute is this lil montage with the Tone It Up girls? Anyway, you'll engage allll of your bod with poses like planks, warriors, chair poses, and a killer ab sequence to cap things off in 15 minutes. Ta-da, you done.

10If you just have 10 minutes this morning

Have a long-ass day ahead of you but want to do something nice for yourself before the sh*t hits the fan? This is a good one. You'll do lots of bendy things like hip openers, downward dogs, forward folds, and sphinx pose to stretch your shoulders and back. Damn, I feel good just typing that.

11If you had a really, really bad day

When your brain is one giant UGH, tap this super chill, 30-minute yoga sesh that requires zero standing or balancing. You'll stretch it out with happy baby pose, spinal twists, and finish it off with a bomb-ass shavasana.

12If you're sick of basic yoga

Does holding a pose forever (ever) sound appealing to you? Don't do this. If you like to keep it moving, you'll like this 15-minute flow by Candace which quickly runs through poses including chair pose (love to hate you, chair), a bouncy goddess pose, and the warrior poses you know and love.

13If you're not getting out of bed today

Yoga. In. Bed. I feel like that's the only thing I need to say to sell you on this, but if you need more details:

- All the poses are sitting or lying down.- You'll hold each pose for a while to get extra stretchy.- This instructor kind of sounds like Shailene Woodley (take that as you will).

14If you're in the pursuit of abs

Just to mentally prepare you: You're about to do all the planks. This quick eight-minute burner will destroy your abs after your regularly scheduled workout or whenever you want to make sure your core is still there.

Go here to read the rest:
14 Best Youtube Yoga Videos Channels Youtube Yoga Workout Videos For All - Cosmopolitan