A study suggests exercising on an empty stomach can in fact promote more favourable changes in body fat.

Research carried out by the University of Bath studied 10 overweight men by asking them to walk for 60 minutes at 60 per cent oxygen consumption, first on an empty stomach and then after eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

Blood and fat tissue samples were then taken before and after exercise for analysis.

The researchers found two genes (PDK4 and HSL) increased when they walked on an empty stomach but decreased when they had eaten the carbohydrate-rich breakfast.

The rise in the genes suggests that exercising on an empty stomach burns fat as energy.

Previous research has supported this idea, but other studies on weight loss suggests eating breakfast is essential in shedding the pounds.

Milton Stokes, R.S., author of Flat Belly Diet! For Men, told Mens Fitness: Its like putting logs on a wood-burning stove. You need that initial input to get your metabolism going for the day.

The aim should be to intake around 400-600 calories within an hour of waking up.

Stokes advised focusing on protein, healthy fats and fibre, as these will leave dieters feeling fuller for longer.

There are a few meals to try in the morning that cover all of these ideals.

Jorge Cruise, author of The Belly Fat Cure, advised eggs with avocado/

He said: Avocados are nature's ideal fruit for weight loss. They replace sugar with appetite-curbing good fat."

If you prefer a quick shake, then choose one with whey protein.

David Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life said: Whey is rich in branched chain amino acids, which stimulate muscle growth.

The more muscle you have, the greater the fat-burning capacity of your metabolism.

Finally, a simple yoghurt topped with fresh fruit to make it interesting and sprinkled with high-fibre cereal is another option.

See the original post:
Weight loss diet: Eating THIS before exercise could affect how your body burns fat - Express.co.uk

"Game of Thrones" star Emilia Clarke.Jordan Strauss/AP

Emilia Clarke may be fighting for power on "Game of Thrones" as Daenerys Targaryen, but she embraces her trainer and cookbook author James Duigan's approach to health and fitness.

Duigan, the author of "Clean and Lean for Life: The Cookbook," has been giving interviews recently that reveal how the mother of dragons stays in such great shape, as first spotted by The Daily Mail. Here's the approach he takes to keep her fit and make Emilia's kitchen "very happy."

In an interview with Whimm, Duigan advocates for sustainable and realistic healthy eating practices. "The only thing that works is balance," he said. "The minute you begin to weigh your food, count your kilojoules, or beat yourself up for going out for dinner, it's over."

He suggests not fighting your cravings and "making it a battle." Instead, he recommended ditching the diet mentality and focusing on what works for you and your body, a principle he highlights in his book.

Clarke credits it in an Instagram post: "Allow me to introduce the key to my very happy kitchen. This book. And this dude [that] wrote it."

Celebrities like Clarke are always traveling and have packed schedules. This isn't an excuse to not workout it's an opportunity to get creative. "This means that we need to tailor the training to be super-efficient as well as achievable anywhere in the world," Duigan said.

He recommends easy to pack gear like resistance bands when traveling. He's also a fan of lifting weights but notes that they aren't often available. That's when body weight movements requiring no equipment, like planks and push ups, come into play.

Duigan spoke with Healthista about how his workouts are designed to help the body feel good, not push people to injury like some other workout programs. "The pay off of exercise is to energize you and make you feel good, you don't want to be dragging yourself out of a class with a sore knee," he said.

"Let's just say for argument's sake someone wants to lose weight, the best way of doing that is focusing on your health and looking after your body, not punishing and working against it because your body will slow down and hold on."

Cooling down after a workout helps your body recover from your sweat session and allows your muscles to repair. This is often forgotten or pushed aside after finally completing your workout, but you shouldn't be so quick to do so.

"One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to not warm-down after a workout," Duigan said. "A cool down will help to gradually push the lactic acid out of the muscles, whilst allowing the blood to circulate throughout your body and carry important nutrients and oxygen to your muscles and cells and assisting in the growth and repair of muscles."

This tip speaks to Duigan's overall approach to health. Focusing on treating your body with kindness and compassion is refreshing compared to the hard core workouts and strict plans that have been popularized over the years. While this plan might be out of character for Daenerys, Clarke herself seems to be loving it.

View post:
Emilia Clarke's trainer reveals what she does to stay in such great shape - INSIDER

Sharing before and after pictures on Imgur, user clockworkindigo wrote: A lot of you have been asking about what I have done to lose the weight.

My biggest tip is to stop eating just because something tastes good.

For example if you are thinking about having ice cream, think about how you are benefiting from it.

In that case you are not benefiting and it will just make your job harder. Simple thoughts like that go a long way.

Going into specifics, he continued: Also try cutting out most of your carbs and drink lots of water (instead of soda or beer)!

I go to the gym four to five times a week and really pay attention to what I am eating. Eating my body weight in grams of protein, limiting carbs and more healthy fats.

His original post went viral, with hundreds of comments. He then shared an update nine months later and showed his impressive physique.

Explaining how he got such defined abs, he wrote: It is a very hard process and diet is a main factor in seeing good results.

For my cut I did Jim Stoppani's Shortcut to Shred. A six week program that has you doing cardio instead of resting.

This is one of the best feelings. You work so hard for this and to finally see it after the work it is so rewarding.

He also revealed he did not count calories to achieve his dream body, and said: I am doing this to show everyone what a real transformation looks like. I don't count my calories with an app, I estimate each day.

This is to show everyone that it IS possible to make a change for the better and that IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME! You have to be willing to put in the time and be PATIENT!!!

But clockworkindigo also revealed he finds it difficult to accept his size now and struggles with body image.

He shared: There are a lot of days where I will beat myself up and tell myself that I am not getting anywhere.

There are days when I think that I am still overweight and it destroys my confidence. It's very hard on someones mind to go from overweight to an average size.

The man has shared his weight loss story as it has been revealed what you eat before a work out can affect how the body burns fat.

Read more from the original source:
Weight loss: Man loses over three stone by swapping fizzy drinks for THIS - Express.co.uk

Sales performance

Constant change has always characterized the business world. Looking in the rear view mirror has never been a recommended strategy for determining future direction. However, from time to time the nature of the change takes on a different look. The scale and speed of the changes during these periods can truly be labeled disruptive. In the early 19th century the Industrial Revolution changed everything.

Lets fast forward to the present and ask the question are we now in such a period? If you are a VP of Sales, a sales manager or a salesperson, where you come down on this question will dramatically impact what you do as the future unfolds.

The folks at McKinsey answer the question in the affirmative in their recent book No Ordinary Disruption. The authors summarize their answer as follows: Today our world is undergoing a dramatic transition due to the confluence of four fundamental disruptive forces (urbanization, technology, aging population, and global connectivity) any of which would rank among the greatest changes the global economy has ever seen. Compared with the Industrial Revolution, we estimate that this transition is happening ten times faster and at 300 times the scale, and roughly 3,000 times the impact. Although we all know these disruptions are happening, most of us fail to comprehend their full magnitude and the second-order effects that will result.

In Sales, these forces will alter in a fundamental waywhat customers buy, how they buy, and what they are willing to pay for it. If you are on the sales side of the table, the resulting changes will produce a new set of winners and losers. To be on the right side of that binary choice, sales leaders must up the bar as to the acceptable standard for sales performance.

There are a number of looking glasses through which this reexamination can be viewed. Here, lets explore the notion that average is over from the perspective of the individual salesperson. What can they do given that superior performance is the new black?

The good news is there are more ways and means to accomplish this feat than ever before. Some suggestions: blogs (list of top rated sales blogs) work better than books and self-directed online training (Udacity, Udemy, edX, Coursea) can augment formal company-based training.

To support this idea sales leaders need to emphasize self-motivation both in terms of the selection and ongoing management of salespeople.

Here again there is good news. Today, there are more innovative sales training companies and the training is more customized and creative than ever before today sales training is being redefined and the new ideas are exciting and they actually work.

Sales leaders need to divorce from old notions like: the only time we can do sales training is at our national meeting or we trained all our people two years ago so were okay.

The good news exciting mobile-based coaching software is coming online to support coaching efforts so that coaching can be better, faster and cheaper than in times of yesteryear.

To support this idea sales leaders should put in place a rigorous talent management effort for their front-line sales managers. The development of a superior sales team will always be a bridge too far if the selection, training and retention of front-line sales managers is not a top priority.

If you found this post helpful, you might want to join the conversation and subscribe to theSales Training Connection.

2017 Sales Momentum LLC

Technorati Tags: biotech sales training, sales coaching, sales performance

Read more:
Sales Training Connection | Innovative Training Ideas Blog

Strategy

Learning organizations are under constant pressure to prove their value to the enterprise. And learning leaders must design budgets that deliver performance gains while being defensible and justifiable from a business standpoint.

This requires careful planning, a considered approach and a transparent process that illustrates exactly where and how they intend to spend company funds.

Before learning leaders can secure the funding needed to deliver on business objectives, they first need to make budget requests that are justifiable and defensible. The learning function must deliver performance gains and measurable ROI both of which require careful planning and a transparent process illustrating exactly where and how funds will be spent.

Dont just cross your fingers and hope the dollars come through take a more strategic approach to budgeting.

First and foremost, understand who ultimately controls the purse strings, what kinds of information they need and want to know and the optimal timeline for submitting budget requests. If the request involves an outside vendor firm, get ahead of the master services agreements approval process to avoid getting tripped up by red tape.

Additionally, lay a little political groundwork. Identify and court supportive business stakeholders who can champion your efforts. Where possible, tie your pitch to their own pet interests and priorities. Youre much likelier to get a sales training initiative funded if the vice president of sales is an active proponent of the project, for instance.

When discussing project proposals with business unit stakeholders, share cost information with them. Karen Freedman, vice president and manager of enterprise learning for FM Global, a large commercial and industrial property insurance company, recalled the time a stakeholder discussed a learning budget request with another business leader.

Freedman had previously made the case for training including insight into the cost so, lo and behold, the business leader defended the budget request and it eventually went through.

Its all about communication and relationships and making sure they understand what we do, she said. Dont wait until budget season to do that.

Do Your Research

Its tough to ask for money if you cant clearly articulate how it fits into the overarching learning strategy. Before building your budget, account for the various projects, deliverables and initiatives that are in progress and on the horizon along with their anticipated ROI.

Know whats happening elsewhere in the industry by reading research reports, benchmarking surveys and trade publications. This valuable intelligence can be used to provide context and support to frame your own budget requests.

Determine how much comparable organizations are spending on similar projects, what your project headcounts should be and what technological advancements are needed to remain competitive. Likewise, use industry data to compare your learning organization to high-achieving counterparts that you aspire to match and to determine alignment to accepted best practices and standards. If you do your research right, even assumptions and forward-looking guesswork will be rooted in reality.

Of course, it doesnt matter how well the budget is supported by evidence if stakeholders dont understand how the learning initiatives will deliver on the business case. Make sure that executive management sees the connection between L&D operations and corporate aims.

Learning organizations that have well-defined and carefully considered learning strategies aligned to enterprise goals and objectives are far likelier to achieve budget fulfillment.

The reason is obvious: Business leaders have a clear understanding of exactly what the funds will be used for and why it matters in the bigger picture.

Be able to explain in some detail the thinking and analysis behind each budget request. To this point, its critically important to have the right metrics and measurements in place ahead of time in order to clarify how the budget will ultimately add value back to the business.

Gregg Spratto, vice president of operations for the global customer service organization of California-based software company Autodesk, said when learning budgets are rejected, its often because the request was either too ambitious or the organizational payoff was unclear.

Pretty frequently, people go after too much budget right away, he said. Go after the low-hanging fruit first. Solve that show that ROI and say, If we can apply that technique across everything, here is the ROI we could get.

Illustrate the Alternatives

Theres the cost of training but theres also the cost of not training.

If your budget requests are indeed defensible and justified, then there will be a tangible negative impact if funding fails to come through. Lay out the implications of a funding shortfall, making informed projections where necessary. Aim to explain in measurable terms the ill effects of subpar training. That could mean estimating a dollar figure for a given customer service mishap or calculating the lost productivity of workers taking outdated and inefficient training.

Dont assume that business stakeholders fully understand these implications make them understand. Its up to you as a learning leader to make sure theyre working with a complete view of the situation.

In some cases such as compliance and regulatory matters, the cost of training may be dwarfed by potential penalties that could arise from poorly trained workers. For such mission-critical endeavors, it may be worthwhile to take a more heavy-handed approach.

Draft a risk assessment statement that details the knowledge and skills gaps that will persist if the training doesnt take place and the ensuing liabilities and business challenges that will result from inaction. Then insist key decision-makers sign it. Beyond documenting your efforts to get needed training funded, this bold tactic effectively forces stakeholders to personally accept the risks associated with not moving forward with training, which they may be reluctant to do.

Or they may stand by their decision. Executives making budget decisions likely have a more complete view of the organization, including goals, outlook and finances. Freedman advises learning leaders not to give up when a budget request is refused.

When a budget gets cut, it may not mean, No, we wont do that, Freedman said. It could just mean, Not now.

Tell a Story

When framing a budget request, craft a through-line: Start with the business problem, explain the identified solution, illustrate how the L&D initiative will achieve that solution and paint a picture of the desired end state. In other words, tell a story.

Every budget needs a story, Freedman said. Otherwise its just numbers on a page and people just want to cut the numbers.

There are two basic methods of building a budget. The first is top down, in which total categorical expenditures are given spending limits with costs divvied among line items. The second is bottom up, where departmental subunits and managers make allocation requests which are then totaled.

Both approaches have benefits and drawbacks, which is why its best to use one method to cross-check the other. If you choose to start from a top-down approach, apply real world hypotheticals to the numbers to make sure they are workable and plausible. If starting from the bottom up, compare the categorical totals to past years actual data, trimming the fat where possible and taking budget requests down from a dream scenario to a more realistic level.

Prove Your Successes with Metrics

An L&D organization that lacks an effective metrics and measurement program is going to have a difficult time proving its business value and that in turn means budget requests may not be taken seriously. Comprehensive learning metrics help L&D gain respect and trust from business leaders and it goes a long way toward getting talent development initiatives funded both now and in the future.

When establishing a metrics and measurement program, its critical to measure training ROI but also important to measure things like a learners intent to apply the training, transfer of knowledge and whether desired performance change is taking place.

Take a strategic approach to budgeting and make this the year your learning organization achieves its true business potential.

Gary Schafer is president of Caveo Learning, a consulting firm that delivers ROI-focused strategic learning and performance solutions. He can be reached ateditor@CLOmedia.com.

Tags: budget, budget planning, learning and development, learning budget

Read the original here:
Designing a Learning Budget You Can Defend - Chief Learning Officer

WALTHAM, Mass., Aug. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Brainshark, Inc., delivering SaaS-based sales enablement and readiness solutions, today welcomed Colleen Honan as chief sales officer. In this role, Honan will lead sales team initiatives worldwide, as Brainshark continues to help new customers on their paths to better sales training, coaching and overall effectiveness.

Over the course of her 20-plus-year career, Honan has specialized in selling software and services that support the B2B sales community. She was most recently vice president of worldwidesales at SiriusDecisions, where she led the firm's business development, customer support, sales enablement, sponsorship and worldwide sales teams.During her nearly three-year tenure, SiriusDecisions saw rapid revenue growth and expansion globally. Previously, Honan also served as senior vice president of global sales and service for Avention.

"Colleen comes to us with a wealth of executive leadership knowledge, having had experience in almost every facet of the sales world," said Brainshark CEO Greg Flynn."We're thrilled to have such an accomplished and talented sales professional join our team, as we continue to move Brainshark into an exciting new era of innovation and growth."

Brainshark continues to build on its position as a leading innovator in the sales enablement technology space. Over the past few months, Brainshark has released a host of new product enhancements, won multiple industry awards, and publicly launched its research and innovation incubator, Brainshark Labs. The company welcomed more than 25 new customers in the second quarter of 2017, as more organizations choose Brainshark to effectively prepare their teams to reach new levels of sales productivity and results.

"Brainshark has shown tremendous momentum in the rapidly growing sales enablement software market, as companies crave new ways to improve sales effectiveness and achieve growth objectives," said Honan. "As a former Brainshark customer myself, I know first-hand the value it provides to sales organizations. I'm excited to join this team of passionate professionals and help Brainshark continue to cement its position as a market leader."

About Brainshark, Inc.Brainshark sales readiness software equips businesses with the training, coaching and content authoring capabilities to achieve sales mastery and outsell the competition. With Brainshark, companies can: prepare sales teams with on-demand training that accelerates onboarding and keeps reps up-to-speed; validate readiness with sales coaching that ensures reps master your message; and empower sales organizations with rich, dynamic content that can be created quickly and accessed anywhere. Thousands of companies including more than half of the Fortune 100 rely on Brainshark to identify and close performance gaps, and get better results from their sales enablement initiatives. Learn more atwww.brainshark.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Brendan Cournoyer

Stephen Oakes

Brainshark, Inc.

LEWIS

781.370.8255

781.418.2472

class="prnews_a" rel="nofollow">bcournoyer@brainshark.com

class="prnews_a" rel="nofollow">brainshark@teamlewis.com

http://www.brainshark.com

http://www.teamlewis.com

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/colleen-honan-appointed-as-brainshark-chief-sales-officer-300510376.html

SOURCE Brainshark, Inc.

Originally posted here:
Colleen Honan Appointed as Brainshark Chief Sales Officer | 08/29 ... - Markets Insider

ST. PAUL, Minn. Summit Brewing Co. has named Paul Jacobus its new Regional Sales Manager and Brandon Bland its new Metro Sales Team Manager. As members of Summits management team, Jacobus and Bland will be responsible for developing and implementing sales plans and training efforts to promote sales growth, territory strength, brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, and overall market share.

Jacobus, a 30-year industry veteran, started his career just down West 7th Street at the Schmidt Brewery in St. Paul, Minnesota. His resume highlights 12 years spent with G. Heileman and Stroh Brewing Company, 3 years with a Rochester, Minnesota, beer distributor, and 10 years with Mikes Hard Lemonade, where he was Regional Vice President of Sales. Jacobus also spent time at Miller Corp., and was recently National Sales Manager for Wild Ginger Brewing Co. out of Nashville, Tennessee.

After starting my career just down the street from Summit Brewing, its a pleasure to come full circle, Jacobus says. Ive long admired Mark [Stutrud, Founder and President of Summit Brewing Co.] and what this brand is about quality, pride, and real Minnesota values. Summit has been doing it better, longer, and people know it, but we cant take that history for granted. We have to make new history. Im excited to join Summit and hit the ground running.

Bland, a 16-year industry veteran, began his career with a Denver, Colorado-area Miller distributor. After working 9 years on the distributor side of the business, Bland moved to the supplier side and worked in sales management with Red Bull, Mikes Hard Lemonade Co., and, most recently, Oskar Blues Brewery.

Im passionate about coaching and developing teams, Bland says, and I take a lot of pride in my work. Mark [Stutrud] and the rest of the Summit team are proud of their legacy, and Im looking forward to contributing.

Summit Brewing Company

Founded in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in 1986, Summit Brewing Company has remained close to its roots, refreshing thirsty folks throughout the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions. Currently available in five states, Summit now produces seven year-round premium craft beers, seven occasionals, four seasonal brews, and the limited-release Unchained Series and Union Series. Since our inception, weve been a consistent pioneer in the craft beer movement. For everything Summit Brewing, visit summitbrewing.com.

View original post here:
Summit Brewing Company Names 2 New Sales Managers - Brewbound.com

We're creating viewer supported news. Become a member!

It seems that mankind has come up with a multitude of stories and rationalizations in order to explain the reason and purpose of our existence. The traditionally endorsed answers to existential questions tend to come from either religion or atheistic science. Religion generally dismisses a large number of scientific facts, while usually promoting a spiritual savior figure, guidelines, and an ultimate reward and punishment system. Science, on the other hand, studies no further than the material world, and praises coincidence, rather than acknowledging a consciousness or purpose behind the existence of life.

While humanity has largely divided itself into these two mindsets, the only alternative that seems to be left out of the loop is the merging of both science and spirituality. Could they be linked to one another, or are they bound to contradiction? Without referring to another dogmatic and deity-based theology, could an essence of consciousness possibly be involved in nature? Or is life nothing but a purposeless phenomenon in the midst of a universe of dead matter?

Lets take a moment to reflect on the galaxies, the solar system, the ecosystem, the fauna, the flora, the cells, DNA, or any other ingenious mechanisms that make up our reality. Ever wondered why snowflakes show flawlessly geometrical patterns, or why plants know when to bloom and birds when to migrate? Ever wondered why you even have the conscious ability to witness such phenomena?

The most incomprehensible thing about the world is that it is comprehensible.Albert Einstein

It is obvious that science is simply a tool assisting us in understanding the already conscious mechanics of nature. We attempt to learn about it, yet it already existed in perfect harmony before we tried to. However, many scientists insist in describing such a rich, conscious and lively existence as a mere coincidence, with no intelligence involved in its inception. The only intelligence or consciousness that mainstream science seems to acknowledge is the intellect of our brain.

CONSCIOUSNESS BEFORE THE BRAIN, OR AFTER THE BRAIN?

To this day, we read in most science books that consciousness is merely an outcome of chemical processes in the brain, as if it emergedby coincidenceout of brain tissue. But does this claim make any sense?

If consciousness only exists in the brain, then how could unconsciousness create a brain that is not only conscious, but that has a capacity for complex subjective experience? Did superficial brain processes invent the brain itself, the body, the earth, and the entire universe? Why do conscious and experiencing beingssuch as useven exist in the first place? WHY is there consciousness?

Such questions are undoubtably a problem that the scientific community seems to ignoreperhaps to avoid a more metaphysical perspective.

How is it that something asunconsciousas thematterof thebrainevergives riseto something asimmaterialas anexperience? () Scientists find themselves in the strange position of being confronted daily by the indisputable fact of their own consciousness, yet with no means to account for it. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Physics, biology, chemistry or any other sciencedespite their success in analyzing the material worldsimply cannot explain the purpose of it all, or where it all really came from. They cannot account for the fundamental essence that makes us conscious individuals with a deep sense of self and of subjective experience. Our spark of beingthe one that makes us creators, thinkers and observers with such a rich and multifaceted inner worldis undeniably beyond the bounds of mainstream science.

In one way or another, they are trying to accommodate the anomaly of consciousness within an intrinsically materialist worldview. Like the mediaeval astronomers who kept on adding more and more epicycles, the underlying metaparadigm is seldom, if ever, questioned. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Such observations are generally avoided in our society. After all, how relevant are mysterious existential questions in a system in which mindlessness, material consumption and financial success are the primary focus? However, this book is not meant to abide with either preconceptions nor popular stances. We are not going to address the cause of a celebritys weight gain, recite bible verses, talk about politics and economics or inform you of sport statistics. We are going to delve into the realm of the unresolved.

In order to understand who we are and why we are here, we have to explore the deepest level of our reality. What are we made of? What is the very source of all that exists?

My studies in mathematics and quantum physics explained how the entire material universe could have evolved from the simplest of the elementshydrogen. Yet the most fascinating question for me had now become: How had hydrogena single electron orbiting a single protonevolved into a system that could be aware of itself? How had the universe become conscious? Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

REALITY BEYOND THE BRAIN

When basing our understanding on a three-dimensional experience, our automatic reasoning will surely be that reality is made up of matter. Not to mention that the word real is mostly tagged upon all that is perceivable through our 5 senses. However, quantum experiments and neurological studies have proven this impression to be inaccurate. Reality is actually quite different from the images filtered by the brain.

The mind may find it ridiculous to even consider that what it so clearly perceives is not exactly as it seems. But who is to say that the human brainwhich only serves as a decoder of abstract electrical signalsis the ultimate point of reference as to what is real and what is not?

Remember how electrical currents and unseen waves were laughed at? The knowledge about man is still in its infancy. Albert Einstein.

As much as Cartesian minds may conquer, it is primordial to set aside the scientific ego and open ourselves up to a path of uncertainty. Because the first step to understanding the fundamental construct of reality is to accept that it is quite unlike our minds perception of what is out there. As the great physicist Erwin Schrdinger stated, Every mans world picture is and always remains a construct of his mind, and cannot be proved to have any other existence.

There is indeed no evidence, which could prove that the reality we experience out there is not a mere reconstruction of information/codes received and filtered through our nervous system.

As a matter of fact, studies show that the world we perceive through our eyes is merely our brains interpretation ofelectrical signals derived from light.

Lightis scientifically referred to as electromagnetic radiation, or simply as energy. We often think of light as the brightness we can see with our eyes, yet visible light is but a very small portion within a vast range of light frequencies.

The light frequencies known to the scientific community have been categorized and labelled in what is called the electromagnetic spectrum.

Visible light is a range of frequencies that project our three-dimensional reality. As these light frequencies enter the eye, it triggers chemical reactions in the retina, which produce electro-chemical impulses. These travel along nerve fibers to the back of the brain, which is where vision is interpreted. The brain then analyses the data it receives, and recreates its own picture of what is out there. However, what is out there is quite unlike the coherent and conceivable world we experience through our senses.

Consider our experience of the colour green. In the physical, there is light of a certain frequency, but the light itself is not green. Nor are the electrical impulses that are transmitted from the eye to the brain. No colour exists there. The green we see is a quality appearing in the mind in response to this frequency of light. It exists only as a subjective experience in the mind. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Even though we have labelled certain light frequencies with names such as ultraviolet or gamma rays, they are all justlight/energy. There are no definitive breaks or boundaries when it comes to light, but only a continuous range of energy, which can lower or raise its vibration speed. It is within this ocean of light, that our ingenious brain is able to translate a specific frequency range into what we call our visible reality.

THE SECRET OF THE QUANTUM WORLD

What we have calledmatteris energy (light), whose vibration has been so lowered as to be perceptible to the senses.There is no matter. Albert Einstein

Everything is inherently made of light in different frequencies, and this does not exclude solidity. Just as light can manifest itself in a frequency range that is visible to our senses, it can also manifest itself in a frequency range that is touchable to our senses. It doesnt mean that the objects we experience are solid by nature; it only means that our brain interprets them as solid.

Of course, the thought of matter being immaterial will seem farfetched to the mind, because its only reference point is the human senses. But lets not forget that all of our senses are the product of an ingenious computer called the brain, whichagainis only a decoder of electrical signals. Our 5 senses will never give us an accurate picture of what is truly out there, because they can only experience what they are designed to experience. Without a brain programmed to transform light into electrical signals, and electrical signals into visible shapes, colors, sounds and sensations, there is only light of different frequencies and vibrations. As the great inventor, electrical engineer, and scientist Nikola Tesla stated, If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration..

Are not millions and millions of blobs of energy and light, photons and electrons? They make up this imaginary three-dimensional solid world, which does not exist at all according to Relativity or Quantum Mechanics. () The only realities we know are the ones our brain manufactures. A brain receives millions of signals every minute. And we organize them into holograms which we project outside ourselves and call it Reality Dr. Robert Anton Wilson

As the quote above states, blobs of energy or light are terms that would best describe the smallest, most elementary particles that make up the material world. Most linear minds would hope to find proof of their solidity, but the truth turns out to be more puzzling than the easy to grasp concept of size and mass.

We all know that matter is composed of atoms. Yet studies now reveal that each atom is composed of 99.9999999 % empty space. They are nothing like the solid balls that science has used to describe them for two thousand years. The remaining 0.0000001% of the atom represents the elementary particles that are hundreds of thousands times smaller. This means that if we enlarge an atom to the size of a football stadium, the nucleus of the atom would only be as large as a tiny grain of rice, and so are the electrons orbiting around it.As the early twentieth-century British physicist Sir Arthur Eddington stated, Matter is mostly ghostly empty space..

The discovery that matter is mostly immaterial seemed too uncomfortable for the minds of physicists to grasp. Therefore, in an attempt to at least ascribe solid properties and measurements to the elementary particles of matter, physicists have encountered another so-called anomaly within the quantum world. Experiments show that elementary particles can behave and look like particles, but are not solid in essence. They are truly and inherently waves of potential existence.

With the advent of quantum theory, it was found that even these minute subatomic particles were themselves far from solid. In fact, they are not much like matter at allatleast nothing like matter as we know it. They cant be pinned down and measured precisely. They are more like fuzzy clouds of potential existence, with no definite location. Much of the time they seem more like waves than particles. Whatever matter is, it has little, if any, substance to it. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

The reason for this abstract description is precisely because what appears to be elementary particles behave in a most abstract manner. They are inherently spread out as waves of lightwithout a defined and measurable substance or location like we would expect solid particles to have. However, this light carries all potentialities for manifestation. In other words, light has the potential to manifest itself in many ways, which would explain whydespite there being only lightwe experience a world of many particles, textures, colors, sounds, and so forth.

This isnt the world of electrons. Its the world of potential electrons.John Hagelin, Particle Physicist, Ph. D.

According to quantum studies such as the double slit experiment, that which defines what potentiality the wave will choose, is the presence of a conscious and observing mind. Physicists can now say for a fact that the very presence of a conscious mind observing and intending to define or measure a particle, consequently determines the aspect and location in which it takes form. The only question our science cannot answer is WHY light defines itself as a particle the moment we observe and define it. This quantum anomaly is scientifically known as the measurement problem.

The measurement problem is this: an atom only appears in a particular place if you measure it. In other words, an atom is spread out all over the place until a conscious observer decides to look at it. Prof. Jim Al-Khalili

And anytime we attempt to look at particles beyond a certain level, the very act of observation changes (their) lanes. Dr. Dean Radin

To put it simply, the fundamental nature of reality is originally open to all potential outcomes, yet our very consciousness is intimately hooked to the one that shall be experienced. As the physicist Dr. York Dobyns stated, Without us, (conscious beings) there would just be this expanding superposition of possibilities with nothing definite ever actually happening.

MYSTERIOUS LIGHT

Any exchange of energy between any two atoms in the universe involves the exchange of photons. Every interaction in the material world is mediated by light. In this way, light penetrates and interconnects the entire cosmos. () Although all we ever see is light, paradoxically, we never know light directly. The light that strikes the eye is known only through the energy it releases. This energy is translated into a visual image in the mind, and that image seems to be composed of lightbut that light is a quality of mind. We never know the light itself. Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

For the rest of my life I want to reflect on what light is. Albert Einstein

Days could be spent studying the behavior of the quantum world, and more problems and anomalies could be discussed. Yet these so-called quantum anomalies all involve the dimensions and behaviors of light.

Modern science is not in the business of asking what this light, this energy, this empty space or this wave of potentiality isall terms aimed at describing the fundamental construct of our reality. It aims at describing the way things work, but barely ever questions what or why it is this way.

Some claim that answering these questions is a job for philosophers, not physicists. However, everyone agrees that quantum theory works, but most of those who study it are not quite sure what it means.

If you are seeking the Infinite, what instruments do you have to seek the Infinite? Only sense organs, isnt it? So through your sense organs, if you are seeking the Infinite, it is like wanting to go to moon with a bullock cart. Isnt it so? That is the plight of humanity, right now: with a limited perception, they are trying to grasp that is which is beyond. Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

SUMMARY

We have learned that

1. The universe was already conscious and intelligent before humanitys attempt to study it.

2. The reality we perceive through our senses is the result of the brain acting as a decoder of light frequencies.

3. Light is the all-encompassing source of this intelligent realitypermeating and interconnecting everything in existence.

4. Light acts as a wave of many potentialities, while the mind defines the potential.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

It is simple really. The universe is conscious and intelligent, because its essence is CONSCIOUSNESSnot matter. Light is consciousness, and consciousness is the singular force that projects this entire reality in many levels of frequency.Below is a flowchart that demonstrates how quantum physicists have been led to this truth.

The tighter physics have tried to grasp on to physical reality, to understand what its really made of, what are the core building blocks of life at the basis of it all life, the universe, slips through your fingers. And you come up with something thats increasingly abstract, to come to the realm of pure abstraction. And thats what the unified field is; pure abstract potential. Pure abstract being. Pure abstract self-aware consciousness, which rises in waves of vibration to give rise to the particles, the people, everything we see in the vast universe. John Hagelin, Particle Physicist, Ph. D.

The truth is obvious. However, dogmawhether spiritual or scientificseem to have clouded a truth that does not require adversity, with the desire to prove ourselves right and others wrong. But once we set aside our egos and allow our consciousness to expand beyond the beliefs we cling to, we will begin to wonder how we could have missed the obvious.

The parallels between the light of physics and the light of consciousness do not contradict each other, for they are each other.Both are immaterial. Both cannot be pinned down through senses or technological devices. And both are the fundamental construct of our reality, permeating everything in existence. From a scientific perspective, light is the source of everything we experience. And from a spiritual perspective, consciousness is the source of everything we experience. Both perspectives lead to the same truth: Light is consciousness. Light is all there is. Light is God.

I am the light. And so are you. And so is every sentient being in the universe.Peter Russell(M.A., D.C.S., F.S.P.)

Matter is Energy. Energy is Light. We are all Light Beings. Albert Einstein

This singular consciousness has divided itself into many fragments of light, which are what we call souls. The soul is who we truly are. It simply embodies a projected physicality designed to decipher this light show into an experiential playground. Why? Simply so that our consciousness could experience its creation in many ways, shapes and forms, allowing itself to play,become experientially rich, and evolve towards the complete remembrance of itself.

The knower and the known are one. Simple people imagine that they should see God as if he stood there and they here. This is not so. () The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me. My eye and Gods eye is one eye, and one sight, and one knowledge, and oneLove. Meister Eckhart

We are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Bill Hicks

And why do our minds define the potentialities in which life takes it course? Because as consciousnessthe creatorwe are collectively co-creating our reality, moment by moment.

You are never who you were in the last moment. You are continually creating yourself from the field of infinite possibilities. You are, in every moment, born again. And so is everyone else. () The time has come for you to look at things in a new way. This is the moment of your rebirth, as an individual and a society. We are all One. Everything we are doing, we are doing in concert with each other. Neale Donald Walsch

This is an excerpt from a book that I have been working on for quite some time and hope to release in the near future. Hope you enjoy!

Your life path number can tell you A LOT about you.

With the ancient science of Numerology you can find out accurate and revealing information just from your name and birth date.

Get your free numerology reading and learn more about how you can use numerology in your life to find out more about your path and journey. Get Your free reading.

See the rest here:
An Answer Existential Questions: Science & Spirituality ...

We're creating viewer supported news. Become a member!

After over a century, mainstream scientists finally got around to acknowledging something that has been completely obvious to most animals are conscious beings.

A year ago at the Francis Crick Memorial Conference, evidence of this obvious conclusion was presented by self-congratulatory scientists, despite the fact that only one of them had actually bothered to do any field research into wild animals and that field researchers had already made the same conclusion years before. As Michael Mountain at the Nonhuman Rights Project, which seeks to change the common law status of some nonhuman animals as things, stated:Science leaders have reached a critical consensus: Humans are not the only conscious beings; other animals, specifically mammals and birds, are indeed conscious, too.

Two of the primary reasons why it has taken so long for the scientific establishment to come to such self-evident conclusions is the nature of the study of psychology and consciousness itself, and the historical cultural values towards animals in the Western world.

The rise of behaviourism at the turn of the twentieth century as the dominant psychological model for the study of human nature represented an outright rejection of conscious and subconscious actions, reducing psychology to a strictly scientific discipline based solely on observable behaviour. Consciousness, it seems, was proving to be too problematic for the fresh-faced psychologists who were desperate for their field to be taken seriously by other scientists, with John B. Watson one of the strongest early advocates of behaviourism stating in his 1913 paper,Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It:

Behaviorism claims that consciousness is neither a definite nor a usable concept. The behaviorist, who has been trained always as an experimentalist, holds, further, that belief in the existence of consciousness goes back to the ancient days of superstition and magic.

While behaviorism doesnt have the tight grip on the academic psychological community it once had, the dominant scientific consensus still has a tendency to reject any unorthodox views on the nature of consciousness. David Lewis-Williams described this as the consciousness of rationality, describing this in his book,The Mind in the Caveas follows:

The contemporary Western emphasis on the supreme value of intelligence has tended to suppress certain forms of consciousness and to regard them as irrational, marginal, aberrant or even pathological and thereby to eliminate them from investigations of the deep past.

This suppression has manifested itself in a number of distinct ways. The study of emotions has been frequently ridiculed, for instance whenU.S. Senator William Proxmire rallied against researchers in the 1970s who were studying love and deemed the work as a waste of taxpayer dollars, issuing them his first Golden Fleece Award. The subjective nature of emotional states by definition precludes them from investigation by an ideological model rooted in empirical data.

More recently, Graham Hancock found himself under attack from the scientific community and censored by the TED organization for his talk,The War on Consciousness his major crime against established consensus was to reject thematerialistic view which relegates consciousness to nothing more than the product of electrical impulses in the brain rooted entirely in our physiology, and suggest that the use of shamanic visionary plants can teach us that we are immortal souls temporarily incarnated in these physical forms to learn and to grow.

Given the inability for any form of consensus on the nature of human consciousness, it is little wonder that the scientific community has taken so long to concede that animals, particularly birds and mammals, are conscious too.

Another problem derives from cultural values. Historically throughout the West, non-human creatures have been relegated to the status of dumb beasts incapable of love or happiness, pain or suffering. Aristotle viewed the function of animals as serving human beings as natural and expedient, and the Bible states that animals are there to be used by mankind while this was originally not intended as a license for abuse, history has demonstrated that as a species humans have failed to adhere to the proverb,A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel. It goes without saying that the contemporary factory farming model represents the total reduction of animals to unthinking, unfeeling commodities.

Philosopher Rene Descartes, adopting the mechanistic view of the world, infamously described creatures other than humans (lacking, as he saw it, the body-mind duality which made humans uniquely conscious) as animal machines, while in the nineteenth century theZoological Journaldeclared that all behavior which appears to resemble characteristics of consciousness were actually little more than reflex actions. Often, people who exhibit violent or unreasonable behaviour are described as behaving like an animal, with specific creatures asses, mongrels, pigs and so on functioning as pejoratives.

All of this can be seen as an effective way in which humans have historically absolved themselves of responsibility for the manner in which they have historically exploited the animal kingdom for their own ends the reluctance on the part of the scientific community to acknowledge that animals are indeed conscious can be viewed as a continuation of a willful collective blindness.

Yet the study of emotion in animals should have cleared up the question of consciousness in animals some time ago. As the dictionary defines it, emotion is:

An affective state of consciousness in joy, sorrow, fear, hate, or the like, is experienced, as distinguished from cognitive and volitional states of consciousness.

Numerous species of animals have been seen to demonstrate sorrow. Elephant families are so closely knit and live for so long that the death of one of their number can be devastating. They are known to bury their dead and attend the corpses in what appears to be a mourning ritual; they have even been known to bury humans with thesame attendant behaviour.

Death rituals have also been observed in dolphins, and a number of primates many of whom we know to have complex social structures also show clear signs of mourning. Magpies have been observed conducting rituals similar to those of elephants Marc Bekoff wrote in his book,The Emotional Lives of Animals:

A few years ago my friend Rod and I were riding our bicycles around Boulder, Colorado, when we witnessed a very interesting encounter among fivemagpies. Magpies are corvids, a very intelligent family of birds. One magpie had obviously been hit by a car and was laying dead on the side of the road. The four other magpies were standing around him. One approached the corpse, gently pecked at it-just as an elephant noses the carcass of another elephant- and stepped back. Another magpie did the same thing. Next, one of the magpies flew off, brought back some grass, and laid it by the corpse. Another magpie did the same. Then, all four magpies stood vigil for a few seconds and one by one flew off.

Other rituals more commonly observed relating to courtship and mating. In addition to the elaborate displays of birds of paradise, hermaphroditic flatworms engaging in penis fencing; male giraffes take a mouthful of the females urine then proceeds to stalk her sometimes, when the female is particularly interested is a certain male she will pursue him and rub her neck against him in an effort to get him to rub her rump so she can urinate in his mouth. Porcupine mating rituals also involves urination, this time with the male peeing all over the female (once she has given him her approval after a bout of nose-rubbing). Male hippos prefer flinging excrement to attract the attention of a female. Some animals deal with sexual rejection in much the same way as some humans, for instance the male fruit fly, who will often turn to alcohol.

Other emotions have been observed in various species. In 2007, a 4 year old Siberian tigertook revenge on three menwho had apparently been taunting her the tiger left her enclosure and ignored hundreds of other visitors to San Francisco Zoo before attacking the men, killing one of them. A similar fate befellRussian tiger poacherVladimir Markov after shooting and wounding a tiger and taking part of its kill, the tiger found his cabin and waited for his return before dragging him into the woods and eating him.

University of Chicago neuroscientists have observedcompassionate behaviour in rats. Placing one rat in a restraining device while allowing another to roam free, the latter will attempt to release its companion, ignoring any treats available. Professor of psychology and psychiatry Jean Decety said,

There are a lot of ideas in the literature showing that empathy is not unique to humans, and it has been well demonstrated in apes, but in rodents it was not very clear.

Perhaps, given the number of psychopaths amongst the human population, rats are actually more compassionate than ourselves.

A recent book by University of Miami philosopher Mark Rowlands has suggested that animals exhibit human-like traits which go beyond displays of emotions.Can Animals Be Moral?discusses the idea that social animals know right from wrong and can choose to be good or bad. Male bluebirds sometimes beat their mates if they catch them with another bird; monkeys refuse to electric shock one another even when it means missing out on food; a female gorilla by the name ofBinti Jua rescued an unconscious 3-year old boy who had fallen into her enclosure, protecting him from other gorillas and calling for human assistance; there are many cases where dolphins have rescued humans from shark attacks.

These small samples of evidence clearly pointing to the rich emotional lives of animals indicates that the recent declaration by scientists regarding the conscious status of animals is a case of stating the obvious science, it seems, often struggles with basic common sense.

What this sense of superiority and reluctance to acknowledge the capacity for other animals to experience emotions as conscious creatures highlights is an aspect of mankinds unfailing arrogance. Many of the positive traits exhibited by animals are sorely lacking in our own species. One example might be an incident in my own city, where a young girl on the roof of a shopping mall was goaded by onlookers before jumping to her death a stark contrast to the respect shown by elephants and other animals. And while it is true that some species of animals are known to commit suicide, there is no evidence that other members of their species look on with a perverse, callous pleasure.

It is the differences between human behaviour and that of other animals which should be the focus of scientific scrutiny. We display a number of negative traits rarely witnessed in the animal kingdom which if anything mark us as emotionally inferior: we lie, cheat, steal and get pleasure from bullying and cruelty, both psychological and physical. In fact, our propensity for violence for the fun of it is believed to be as strong as our drive for sex and food. While aggressive behaviour is observable in a variety of species, most often this relates to defense of territory or mates.

These negative emotions and behavioural characteristics have achieved a kind of supremacy in the contemporary Western world and are most obvious in the upper echelons of society, where greed, power and corruption dominates the elite cliques who shape the ideologies which have the most negative impact on humanity. Cultural and political institutions reflect the psychopathic tendencies of those in charge andthe general population, through a form of mass conditioning on behalf of mainstream media and superficial popular culture, becomes infected with the value system of the rich and powerful. In daily life this manifests itself in bullying on the school playground, road rage, vicious serial killers and hierarchical street gangs.

Continuing down the path of negative behaviour, with its vast potential for destruction of both the species and the planet itself, is clearly untenable. But fortunately, the prognosis isnt all doom and gloom. While the powerful elites continue their drive towards total domination over both the people and the planet, greater numbers are standing up and demonstrating that love and compassion can work as a powerful tool in reclaiming our lives from those who seek to oppress us. Peaceful protests and movements for positive social change are emerging every day as the flimsy facade of democratic political institutions crumbles, revealing the authoritarian underbelly ruled by oligarchs and tyrants.

As Graham Hancock demonstrated in his TEDx talk, the old psychological models which allow us as a species to justify our destructive impulses on the planet and everything which lives on it are now facing rigorous challenges. Rather than being viewed as something barely worthy of consideration, consciousness is increasingly considered as something fundamental to all reality; an interconnected web which ties humanity intrinsically to all life on the planet, and indeed, the universe itself.

REFERENCES:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201208/scientists-finally-conclude-nonhuman-animals-are-conscious-beings

Animals and Ethics

http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/40/6/847.full

http://www.livescience.com/24802-animals-have-morals-book.html

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions

http://news.discovery.com/animals/rats-empathy-111209.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3818833.stm

Your life path number can tell you A LOT about you.

With the ancient science of Numerology you can find out accurate and revealing information just from your name and birth date.

Get your free numerology reading and learn more about how you can use numerology in your life to find out more about your path and journey. Get Your free reading.

View post:
Mainstream Science Finally Recognizes The Consciousness of ...

NEW DELHI:India is working on developing a roadmap for implementation of Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and has constituted a committee and six thematic sub-committees involving key ministries and departments.

At the Business and Climate Summit 2017 organised by FICCI here today, Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said to achieve the goals, the Government was implementing the National Action Plan on Climate Change which encompasses eight national missions representing multi-pronged, long term and integrated strategies for achieving key goals in the context of climate change.

On the Governments ambitious target of 175 GW renewable energy by 2022, the Minister said the country so far had already achieved 58.3 GW.

He said the Government had also distributed energy efficient appliances including 23.39 cr LED, while more than 2.8-cr LPG connections have been released to women below poverty line under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana.

The Minister said the International Solar Alliance which was jointly launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Government of France provided a common platform where global community, including bilateral and multilateral organisations could make positive contribution to the common goals of increasing utilisation of solar energy in meeting energy needs of ISA member countries in a safe and sustainable manner.

Stressing on the need for protecting the environment, the Minister said, We have only one planet and humankind must become accountable on a massive scale for the wanton destruction of our collective home and protecting our future on this planet depends on the conscious evolution of our species.

Pointing that global nature of climate change calls for a collective response Dr Harsh Vardhan said India was engaging actively in multilateral negotiations under the UNFCCC, in a positive and constructive manner to establish an effective cooperation and equitable global approach based on principles of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities enshrined in the Convention and the Paris Agreement.

Appreciating the initiatives taken up by the private sectors the Minister said, the Indian industry had participated in voluntary carbon disclosure programmes whereby they report their carbon management strategy and Green House Gas emissions.

He said as the world moved forward on implementation of Paris Agreement, he was hopeful that the incoming COP 23 Presidency of Fiji and UNFCCC Secretariate would host a successful meeting with an outcome agreed upon by all parties. (AGENCIES)

Related

Share With

Here is the original post:
India working on developing roadmap for NDC implementation: Harsh Vardhan - Daily Excelsior