As a philosopher, writer, and orator, Alan Watts is credited as one of the foremost scholars to bring Eastern philosophies to a Western audience. Born in rural England, his interest in Eastern art and culture began at a young age. As a teenager, his first written interpretation of Zen was published in London; he would eventually write over twenty-five books. After coming to America in the late 30s, Alan studied theology in Chicago, and then relocated to upstate New York where he wrote his first pivotal book, The Wisdom of Insecurity. In 1950, Alan moved to San Francisco and began teaching Buddhism at the American Academy of Asian Studies. Shortly thereafter, he was given his own public radio talk show, and became very popular throughout the area. Alans radio show expanded nationwide and he toured the country, lecturing and growing his audience. Over the course of his life, Alan was married three times, and had seven children who continue their fathers legacy through promoting and protecting his books, videos, and lectures. Alan passed away in 1973 in his home on Mount Tamalpais.

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Alan Watts | Celebrating the Life & Works of Alan Watts

Looking for a little snack inspiration today? We love our Zip Zap Carrot Snack! Find the recipe below...

Zip Zap Carrot Snack

- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped- 2 medium shallots, chopped- 3 ginger, peeled/chopped- 2 T. unpasteurized white Miso- 2 T. olive oil- 2 T. flaxseed oil- 2 T. lemon juice- 2 t. Apple Cider vinegar- 1 t. coconut oil- t. salt

Saut the shallots in the coconut oil until slightly browned and fragrant. Then blend them with the rest of the ingredients in a blender into a smooth, thick dressing. Makes 1 cups. Delicious!

Use as a dip, a spread, or a zesty accompaniment to rice, salad, and avocado.

At The Ashram, we serve it with the following:Celery Sticks, Marys Black Sesame and Seaweed Crackers and Rhythms Naked Beet Chips

Ps. If youre looking for more tasty recipes similar to this, please check out The Ashram Cookbook: The Way We Eat. Its available for preorder.

The Ashram: The Way We Eat

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The Ashram - Home | Facebook

About the Instructors

Barbara Martins Story

Born with the gift of seeing the aura in all its subtleties, Barbara was one of the first to lecture in-depth on the human energy field and is one of the foremost clairvoyants and metaphysical teachers working today.

Barbara is the co-author of a series of award-winning books which include the international bestseller Change Your Aura, Change Your Life, Communing with the Divine, Karma and Reincarnation, The Healing Power of Your Aura (endorsed by medical luminaries C. Norman Shealy and Dr. Richard Gerber).READ MORE

Dimitri Moraitis is an accomplished metaphysical teacher, healer and is co-author of Communing with the Divine, Karma and Reincarnation, The Healing Power of Your Aura and Change Your Aura, Change Your Life.

Originally trained in Film/TV, Dimitri redirected his lifes work to pursue the path of metaphysics. Having worked with Barbara Y. Martin and metaphysics for 30 years, Dimitri has been instrumental in organizing the teaching material and bringing Spiritual Arts Institute to the place it is today.READ MORE

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Spiritual Healing & Evolution Classes | Spiritual Arts ...

From Theden, a translation of a speech given last year by German center-right political activist Manfred Kleine-Hartlage.

It is not automatic, and it does not happen by chance, that people indeed manage to live together peacefully and orderly; it is an astonishing wonder that they do. Every culture is a fine network of thousands and thousands of largely unwritten rules, values, shared memories, shared beliefs. Every culture is a unique, specific answer to the question of how people do it, and when I say unique, then that means inevitably these answers vary: there are cultures in which the family clan and its unconditional cohesion is the basis of society, which protects individuals, and there are on the other hand individualistically-influenced cultures like ours, in which you trust the state and the laws to provide this protection, and which relies on everyone else doing the same. There are cultures in which the ability and willingness to use force has prestige value, and there are cultures like ours in which violence is outlawed. There are cultures in which yielding is considered a sign of weakness, and there are cultures like ours, in which conflicts are regarded as mere differences of opinion, which are at best discharged discursively and at worst in court.Yet these other cultures do not necessarily work worse than ours, but just differently. Islam, for example, does what is needed to provide a cultural system: it organizes the society. But it organizes it differently than our Christian or Western system. The problem only begins where one locks together two, three, four or more different and incompatible cultures in the same country, so they are crammed together, but do not belong together.

In wanting and introducing a multi-ethnic state, society is put in the state of an (at least) latent civil war. In running this, the society falls into a permanent structural crisis that is constantly reinforced with progressive mass immigration, which stirs up conflicts, encourages vigilantism, destroys the social consensus of values, and destroys the conditions of social peace. He who teaches his own children peacefulness does so because of ethical values ultimately rooted in Christianity. Then forcing the thus peacefully behaved people to live together with others who come from cultures married to violencesuch as that Nigerianmakes them specifically and systematically victimized. This invites an endless liability.The 7500 Germans since 1990 who have become victims of immigrant violence are victims of a policy daring enough to destroy society: out of ideological blindness; out of greed for cheap, easily exploitable labor, whose situation is precarious at the same time, for the welfare state will collapse at the point of exhaustion (this one also a quite desirable result of mass immigration for certain circles); out of hatred for his own people, those damn Germans they want nothing to do with; andnot the leastout of lust for power. There is a reason why there are elites in all Western countries who carry out the destruction of peoples and their transformation into mere splintered populations: peoples are in fact solidarities that can also kick their rulers out. The battle cry with which the rule of the SED [the Soviet-installed Socialist ruling party of East Germany] was overthrown 23 years ago did not read We are the population. It read: We are the people! A mere population, consisting of dozens of warring ethnicities, will never overthrow the ruler. They cannot. A democracy needs its demos. A despotism on the other hand, a dictatorship, a totalitarian regimeyes, such a thing needs a population.The destruction of the people is one side of the same coin, to which the other side is the transfer of their rights to supranational institutions: to the EU, the WTO, the IWF, the NATO, the UN and dozens elseall institutions that cannot be controlled from below, but that determine our lives: that dictate to us the rules by which we live, and dictate to us which foods we should eat, which people we have to live together with in our country, against whom we must go to war, and into what inscrutable bank-conglomerate our tax dollars disappear.What is here in the making as understood is a global despotism of elites who resist any responsibility and any control. And the systematically induced mass migration, this largest mass migration in 1500 yearswhen this migration of peoples led to the collapse of Roman civilizationis part of this process.Against todays events it has been argued, the Peoples Mourning Day is dedicated to the mourning of German war victims, and crime victims were indeed not war victims. And I say: They are just that! They are victims of a war that is being waged against all the peoples of Europe, not only against the Germans.

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The Dark Enlightenment

PCOS and Exercise: Weve already looked at the benefits of exercise and have seen that its a really important aspect to managing our PCOS. But just how much exercise do we need and what is the best type of exercise for managing our PCOS?

Before we get into that, lets recap on some of the benefits of exercise. Exercise has been shown to improve (1):

And remember, these benefits are independent of weight loss (you may not lose any weight while exercising but you will still feel the rewards of the above improvements).

To be honest, there hasnt been much research into the specific kinds of exercise that is beneficial for PCOS (or none that I could find after hours of trawling Google Scholar). There is a lot of information on exercise and PCOS as a whole but few suggestions of what kinds of exercises we should be doing. There is also a lot of research related to Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance but these articles don't specifically look at PCOS.

One particular article found that the intensity, duration and type of exercise did not have any impact on the improvements in PCOS symptoms (2). The bottom line is that any form of exercise is helpful.

One of the main ways that exercise seems to help PCOS is the way in which it helps to manage glucose and insulin. Exercise causes glucose to be taken from the blood and moved into the muscles, lowering the need for insulin at that time and improving the bodys sensitivity to insulin.

Remember that if we can manage insulin, we are better able to manage testosterone, the cause of a lot of our PCOS symptoms.

So, we know exercise is crucial, but just how much and what is the best type of exercise?

Ideally, we should be doing a combination of strength and cardio training as both of these types of exercises give us different benefits (3).

Cardio training causes your heart rate to rise and it uses energy, increasing your total calories used, which will help with weight loss. It has also been shown to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with PCOS (4).

Strength training, on the other hand, builds muscle which is important in raising your basal metabolic rate so that you burn more calories while at rest and while you are exercising.

So, bottom line is that we need to do a combination of strength and cardio exercise. But how much of each?

If youre new to exercise, I wouldnt be too worried about doing 150 minutes per week. Just get started! Finding a form of exercise that you enjoy is really important in making it sustainable. Here are some fun exercises you could consider:

The options are endless really.

I have also found exercise DVDs to be really helpful and I really enjoyed Jillian Michaels (she also has PCOS, by the way) 30 Day Shred DVD. Its something you can do at home and although its quite high intensity, the workouts are roughly 20 minutes each and I found I was able to incorporate that into my day.

Whatever you do decide to take up, keep at it and make sure that you are able to stick to it!

Id love to hear about how youre managing t fit exercise into your daily routine and if you have any suggestions of good exercises or DVDs, please share them with the rest of us. Leave me a comment below, Id love to hear from you!

Originally posted here:
PCOS and Exercise: How much and how often? | PCOS Diet Support

Hello and welcome to another exciting series of D'Circle of LIFE , a place where we build a life together. This Month of May, we will be talking about things that affect us as a whole, so therefore watch the space for it. On Today's series we will talking about MENTAL ATTITUDE.

Your Mental Attitude determines everything about you. Don't go through life expecting things to change. Life becomes hard and unfair when we decide to complain about things rather than to change them ourselves. Wake up to the truth that life is not a practice - run, which bring about the discussion about MENTAL ATTITUDE........

At the end of this series, there is a book I will like to recommend to all the youth out there, it is called THE PHENOMENON, This book addresses the youth in all facets of life. Grab a copy now from paystack.com online by clicking here:

https://paystack.com/pay/zv2pqcv-gxhttps://paystack.com/pay/zv2pqcv-gx

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Mental Attitude - YouTube

Rodney Collin (26 April 19093 May 1956) was a writer and thinker connected with the Fourth Way tradition, taught to him by his beloved teacher and mentor, the late P.D. Ouspensky. Before finding the Work, Collin grew up in Brighton, England and attended the London School of Economics. He worked for the British Census Office and wrote for various other publications. The scope of his thoughts and understanding was monumental and synthetic. He arrived at a picture of the sequence of civilizations within world history that included both technological and moral development in humankind. His unique understandings of time and interpretations of ancient mythology and art are also noteworthy. Mr. Collin did much to materialize the aim of his teacher to integrate modern science with ancient wisdom, a process he correlated with the difference and relationship between laws and facts or deductive and inductive reasoning. Rodney Collin passed away in Cuzco, Peru where he and some students had traveled to work on publishing, theatre, and establishing a school on a continent that they believed would be the birthplace of a new spiritual civilization. His legacy continues in his classic and intellectually generous books The Theory of Celestial Influence, The Theory of Eternal Life, and The Theory of Conscious Harmony, published posthumously from the authors notes and letters.

Mr. Collin shared the practical and utilitarian spirit of his instructors in the Fourth Way. Although a brilliant thinker and adept in areas of theory and philosophy, he faithfully connected each aspect of information presented, whether in science, mathematics, etc., with work on oneself. A significant contribution in this connection made by Rodney Collin to the Fourth Way canon was the idea of the triad of self-remembering. In the teaching given by Gudjieff there were two universal laws: three and seven. Each phenomenon, in order to exist, must abide by these two laws. In the case of the law of three, this means that everything in the universe must consist of at least three forces: active, passive, and neutral. Because the state of self-remembering, which is the core practice of this teaching, exists as a definite and measurable psychological condition, it must similarly consist of three parts, although these had not subsequently been formulated. Collin determined that if self-remembering was defined by divided attention, keeping a ratio of ones attention between oneself and the environment, there must be a third force overseeing these two; this he called God and symbolized by the sun. He likened this to the Holy Trinity, as he delicately and articulately connected many ideas from the system of the Work, along with Dr. Nicoll, to Judeo Christian teaching, catalyzed by the particular religious tradition of the West and by Mr. Gurdjieffs auxiliary definition of the Fourth Way as esoteric Christianity.

A symbol introduced by Gurdjieff to the modern West called the Enneagram or nine pointed star (ennea=nine, gramma=written) arranges the digits 1 -10 along a circle while indicating the inner relationships and progressions among these numbers using shapes that represent the laws of three and seven. The law of three states that each event is a combination of three different forces and the law of seven or law of octaves determines the progression of each event in time. The law of seven contains the idea that all phenomena vibrate internally with a certain music that can ascend or descend with exact knowledge of chords that produce harmony. Plato also mentioned this musical idea in reference to the planets and also to the human soul. It is likely that the musical scale itself was originally a formulaic representation of observed planetary movement.Gurdjieff claimed that a deep understanding of this figure would unlock the secrets of the universe and that all knowledge could be stored along its lines and points. Rodney Collin, as Ouspensky, used the enneagram to plot and explain numerous phenomena in nature such as growth in man, the development of human civilization, planetary and solar rotations, and the essence of time itself. He believed that the connections revealed by the internal depths of the numerical relationships on this symbol accounted for and could be used to logistical gaps and processes hitherto deemed mysterious by modern scientific understanding. Essentially, Collin attempted to illustrate the various invisible chords linking events in time and space that either appear to be disparate or conversely seem strangely connected. In this way, he provided a manner of understanding relativity or the view of things in the world from a higher or fourth dimensional perspective.

Additionally, Collin anticipated trends in using logarithmic or exponential calculation to understand speeds in development of organic and inorganic processes and to predict their outcome. He diligently plotted the stages of physical and cognitive growth in humans along a logarithmic scale and sought to alter natural intuition about the linearity of ones lifetime. Processes begun with great speed gradually become slower and slower and are gradually replaced by evolutionary emphasis upon subtler and more intelligent functions. Each step or stage is built upon the last and is dependant upon it successful completion and release of force or energy. Retardations or arrestments in lower functioning due to trauma or insufficient nourishment will cancel possibilities in higher functioning like a damaged seed that cannot bear fruit or an intellect that is too noisy or contradicted to perceive stillness or acquire peace. He arranged the relationships between these separate time scales upon a three dimensional figure consisting of two infinity symbols linked at their midpoints. Each circle represented the complete time of its antecedent contained within one unit of its own progression. Once the passage from one cycle to the next was accomplished, activity in the previous circle was locked and fixed like the form of water when crystallized into ice at the exact temperature where liquid becomes solid.

For the purpose of achieving a meaningful synthetic link with scientific nomenclature Collin assigned these various time scales the terms mineral, cellular, molecular, electronic by virtue of their speed and length of lifetime. Physical processes in man he corresponded with mineral and cellular growth whereas cognitive and spiritual unfolding with that of the molecular and electronic worlds. In a mood of scientific and religious valency that characterizes Collins writings, an analogy between these different material distinctions and the judgement of the soul after death and its journey into the realms of paradise, heaven, and hell was made. As microcosmic man, we technically have access to all these places and levels of density within ourselves and Mr. Collin, as Mr. Ouspensky, always stressed the value of practical methods of developing consciousness in the more rarefied reaches of our internal atmosphere and ecosystem.

Derived from Ouspenskys six dimensional model of the universe and the laws of the Ray of Creation, Collin describes six fundamental processes contained within each complete cosmos. In specific relation to our particular situation as humans, he organizes each process as a different arrangement of the sun, planets, and earth, or life, form, and matter. Mr. Ouspensky, at the end of his life began to explain these six kinds of activity into which every action can be classified, but Collin carried this metaphor much further, looking in detail about what each process means and giving many nuanced examples.

Collin, inspired by medieval alchemy and medicine and also the work of Dr. Berman, linked each gland in the human endocrine system with the influence of a particular planet. By assigning dominant centers of gravity of different people in distinct glandular manefestations, he arrived at six central planetary types and variable subdivisions thereof. This teaching can be quite useful in the task oriented group dynamics that characterize the Fourth Way schools and was developed even more completely in Mr. Burtons teaching.

Schools of the fourth way have existed and exist, just as schools of the three traditional ways existed and exist. But they are much more difficult to detect, because unlike the others they cannot be recognized by any one practice, one method, one task, or one name. They are always inventing new methods, new practices, suitable to the time and conditions in which they exist, and when they have achieved one task which was set them they pass on to another, often changing their name and whole appearance in the process.

Schools of the fourth way were undoubtedly behind the designing and construction of the great Gothic cathedrals, though they had no special name and adapted themselves to the religious organization of the time. For a time the Cluniacs sheltered them, for a time the Freemasons. In the seventeenth century, similar schools were responsible for much of the new scientific and medical research, sometimes under one name and sometimes under another. In the eighteenth century again, fourth way schools borrowed many of the discoveries of Greek and Egyptian archeology to clothe their ideas and their organization, while some of their leaders in order to penetrate the luxury-loving and sophisticated circles where they had work to do might even appear in the guise of fashionable magicians or mesmerists.

In the fourth way, respect for sex and a positive attitude towards it are fundamentally necessary. Ouspensky insisted that nothing negative, either in thought or emotion, should be allowed to touch it; that all higher development began with sexual normality.

In the Fourth Way people have to be disillusioned at home, to go out bravely into the world to find truth, to be illumined there, and then bring light home again.

No one who has really begun to work on the Fourth Way can leave it. They may stop on the way for a short or long time, but they cant leave it. Because it is the most complete truth. And our training in the Fourth Way enables us to go straight to the deepest side of religion. The Fourth Way is the way of harmonising all sides of life, reconciling all truths. If it shows us how to bring conscious understanding to psychology, science, art and all the problems of practical and personal life, does it not show us how to come to religion, which is the highest aspiration of the human mind?

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Rodney Collin | Gurdjieff Becoming Conscious

Our Yoga Alliance Approved 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training intensive immersions at either The Sanctuary at Two Rivers in Costa Ricas Blue Zone or La Selva di Giardino in the Golden Triangle of Tuscany, Italy give you three weeks to focus on your yoga practice with other curious, interesting people from around the world. It is a time for you to enjoy life while learning about the timeless tradition of yoga, cultivating true health and happiness and making new friends.Investing in a Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program is a life enriching experience even if you have no intention of teaching.

Lakshmiis the Goddess of love, good fortune, beauty and prosperity. She blesses those with clear focus, goals and direction; especially on the spiritual path.

Risingmeans to advance, grow or ascend.

Vinyasais the sacred dance of breath and movement.

Yogais integration.

Lakshmi Rising Vinyasa Yoga is an awareness-based practice that includes fluid, dynamic asana, kriya, pranayama, mantra, meditation, dance, wellness, self-care and ritual for health and awakening.

This approach is a revitalizing laboratory for experiencing and expressing our unique Self while mindfully honoring all that exists in each present moment. Our practice cultivates mental, physical and spiritual strength so that we are able to recognize and transform habits, patterns and conditionings that cause suffering in any way. We use the mat as a metaphor to understand what holds us back so that we can eliminate all that is not effective in the unfoldment of our own unique evolutionary process.

Some practices are challenging, vigorous and will require self-discipline. Some practices are slow and juicy with therapeutic space for rest and relaxation. Both styles are valuable, both are important. Lakshmi Rising is the place where sweat, tears,openness and fun meet softness, quiet, introspection and self love.

Benefits include grace, flexibility, strength, balance and well-being in the body andmind. You may also feel a sense of purpose, clarity, creativity, focus, connection, inner peace and confidence.

We are influenced by the Yoga lineage of Sri Krishnamacharya, Classical Tantra from the teachings of Sri Mahendranath, Gabrielle Roth's 5 Rhythms, Shiva Rea and the ageless Wisdom imparted by great sages and artists from cultures near and far. Lakshmi Rising Vinyasa Yoga integrates time tested traditions with modern knowledge and insights designed to awaken and inspire you.

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Lakshmi Rising School for Yoga

Relaxdaily's instrumental background music: slow and relaxing music that can be used as a soundtrack for multiple activities. The CD version is now available exclusively on: https://shop.relaxdaily.net

Use this in your relaxation music playlist, as yoga music or as meditation music. I know, this is not the ordinary music for meditation, but it works for many people. Use it as music while you're studying, doing homework, working mentally or creatively, while reading, writing, while thinking or reflecting, dreaming, reviewing, making future plans. Some use it as sleep music, though there might be even calmer sleep music out there for you....

Call it chillout, ambient, New Age, instrumental, or background music - this is not as much about a genre as it is about a feeling. A way of life. With the relaxdaily project, I try to take a little heat from our (generally) too busy lives. As a soundtrack for you, when you feel the need for some positive, cooling, liberating tunes.

Hope you enjoy the music,Have a great day,Michael (relaxdaily musician and video creator)

B-Sides N1 is a collection of 32 tracks that I created during the first 6 months of this project.

Listen to this mix (B-Sides N1) and more relaxdaily music also on Google Play, Apple Music and Spotify.

My favorite focus music stream: https://relaxdaily.net/focus-music/ My favorite morning music stream: https://relaxdaily.net/morning-music/

Enjoy another light and calm relaxdaily music mix of here on YouTube:Season 3: https://youtu.be/AzqTd73CCrA

Subscribe to my YouTube channel: http://goo.gl/1WLRB (! don't forget to activate notifications via notification bell!)

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Background Music Instrumentals - relaxdaily - B-Sides N1 ...

You are family here!

Greenville's FIRST yoga studio - serving the Upstate for the past 26 years.

We often hear of the question What Is Yoga? But I ask, Why Do Yoga?

When we look at the philosophy, psychology and physical aspects of Yoga, the next question is, Why Not Do Yoga?

My inspiration comes from the many people who have passed through the doors of Its Yoga! Studio. We embrace each of you, loving you and what you share with us as we help you live a life of least suffering. We laugh with you, we encourage you to lift the chest to lift the heart and we lovingly share in discussions as you shift into the beautiful being of you. Yoga is ancient thoughts transformed into meditation, asanas, pranayama, Ayurveda, chakras, and ultimately, Dharma. When you have energy and your health you create a life of living in joy. It is your bank account into your physical and mental humanness.Yoga can be your needed inspiration and your encouragement for life.

It is our passion to offer you the methods and tools for balanced living, empowering you with optimum well-being.

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It's yoga studio