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Central Church Hosting Day in the Park-ing Lot Is Sunday May 30th – b985.fm

Posted: May 22, 2021 at 1:56 am


According to a Facebook event page made by Central Church, is hosting their annual Day in the Park-ing lot Sunday, May 30th. This is a day where Central Church opens its doors aka "Parking-lot" to members from all of their locations and those in the community who are interested in attending a service.

The service will get kicked off at 10:30 am, but the worship service isn't the only thing happening. Central Church will be hosting baptisms, testimonies, and even a free bbq. Outdoor seating will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own chair or blanket.

Day in the Park-ing Lot will be taking place at the Central ChurchAugusta location at 20 Mission Ave in Augusta. Parking for this event will be at Cony High School, located at 60 Pierce Drive, in Augusta. Those unable to make the walk from Cony to Central Church can be dropped off at the Church's door.

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Central Church Hosting Day in the Park-ing Lot Is Sunday May 30th - b985.fm

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:56 am

Posted in Self-Awareness

Self Defense Essentials and the Combat Triad – Outdoor Life Magazine

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Imagine youre new to firearms and want to be armed for self-defense. Youre probably wondering which gun to buy, what type of holster you need, and what kind of ammunition would be best. Some will argue the gun is the most important element because it must work every time. Others will insist the holster matters most because if youre uncomfortable carrying, you wont carry. And then there are those who maintain that ammunition is paramount because ultimately, its the bullet that does all the work. Without question, all these items are important and can contribute to your survival, but what is most important?

Former Marine Jeff Cooper founded what is now known as Gunsite Academy in Paulden, Arizona, in 1976. It is the oldest and largest civilian firearms training school in the world. In an effort to codify the basics of using a firearm to survive a lethal confrontation, Cooper established what he called the Combat Triad. This triangle of guidance consists of mindset, gun handling, and marksmanship. Though the three sides of the triangle are considered equilateral, the base or foundation of the Triad is mindset, for without the combat mindset, your skills and abilities with weaponry and tactics are of little value.

Your awareness, anticipation, concentration, coolness, and self-control are part of your mindset. With the proper mindset you will not be caught off guard. You will be able to unleash your inner monster in order to prevail upon your antagonist. With the proper mindset youre prepared to win. To stay alive and fight kicking, clawing, and screaming until youve expended your last breath. It also means youre prepared to act in a manner that, while not with malice, could ultimately result in the death of your attacker.

The proper mindset for self-defense is not something you can get from a book or purchase online; its a state of mind that must be matured. Good marksmanship and gun handling contribute to the proper mindset because they breed the confidence that you have the necessary physical skills to deal with an attack. The employment of a handgun for self-defense is nothing more than an extension of your will; you fight with your mind; the handgun is just a tool you use.

Gun Handling deals with skill at arms. It encompasses your ability to swiftly access and present your defensive handgun into the fight. It concerns your ability to keep your handgun operational; you must be able to reload when necessary as well as efficiently and effectively deal with any malfunctions or stoppages that might occur. But safety is part of gun handling as well. It represents your commitment to being a responsible gun owner who does not endanger others while handling a firearm, and it deals storing the handgun so that its secure from unwanted access.

Can you present your handgun to the target in less than a second and a half? Can you conduct a reload in two seconds or clear a stoppage in three? Can you holster the handgun safely or move in a crowd without pointing the gun at innocent people? These are all elements of gun handling.

Simply explained, marksmanship is the ability to maintain the proper sight alignment while the trigger is pressed. If done correctly, the bullet lands exactly where you want it to. But as it relates to self-defense, marksmanship it is much more than that. Marksmanship is the ability to shoot with speed while under enormous stress. Its not about trick shooting or little groups, its about being able to hurriedly deliver single or multiple shots into an attackers lethal zone. Marksmanship is not about how well you can shoot on your best day; its about how you will shoot on demand, when the stakes are at the highest.

Read Next: This Rifle Training Program Will Make You a Better Shot in 200 Rounds

Can you execute a critical-zone hit at five yards, from the holster, in less than two seconds? Deliver a head shot at 10 yards in three seconds or less? Can you fire an accurate double tap or perform the failure drill with two good torso hits and one to the head? These are basic marksmanship benchmarks that should be your goal.

If youre aware that when it comes to survival you are your own first responder, you have taken the first step in the development of the correct mindset. Acquiring a firearm and related gear is often the next step. This should be followed by the training you need to develop the skills of gun handling and marksmanship, because they provide the confidence and foundation you need to help cultivate the proper mindset to fight and survive.

While guns, holsters, and ammunition, are a part of the self-defense equation the parts that often get the most attention they are a distant second to what is most important and thats the Combat Triad. Built it and develop it; make it your aim.

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Self Defense Essentials and the Combat Triad - Outdoor Life Magazine

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:56 am

Posted in Self-Awareness

11 health benefits of Ashwagandha (backed by science) – Eminetra

Posted: at 1:56 am


You may have heard people say, Im too tired to exercise. Perhaps this is also our own excuse when others ask why we are not consistently engaged in physical activity. According to the Heart Foundation, this is the number one reason for physical inactivity.

This is a paradox that you need energy to exercise, but one of the major effects of lack of physical activity is low energy levels. This makes it very difficult to get started in the first place. Oxygen is an important source of energy production fuel, and lack of exercise limits the supply of oxygen to our brain and body, causing a dip in energy.

So how does lack of physical activity affect our energy levels?

Low energy levels not only make us dull and unmotivated. The effects of physical inactivity cause concentration, wise decision-making, mood management, building resilience to stress, and the domino effect of overthrowing the ability to perform at best. Basically, its all the basic pillars for maintaining optimal energy levels.

If left unchecked, this can cause dissatisfaction in our own lives and create ripples that affect everyone around us.

But there is good news. You dont have to suffer for hours in the gym, get out of bed for jogging at dawn, or endure this discomfort and change this dynamic yourself.

Here are some of the ways in which the effects of physical inactivity can manifest themselves in different areas of our lives, as well as some simple, painless activities to increase energy levels.

Have you ever felt an energy drain when you were involved in a discussion with your partner, or when your child had a meltdown? Its like someone unplugging and the last drop of your vitality is flushed into a tube.

It turns out that lack of physical activity may be the cause of this phenomenon. According to one study, when people exercise, a cascade of positive interactions with friends and family is created on the day and the next day of the activity.

These benefits increase when we exercise with our loved ones. Next time, when you feel that a family feud is imminent, take a time-out to do physical activity together. When my child was a toddler, he abandoned our plans at the moment of frustration to go out with him and quickly moved the days trajectory to a more positive trajectory, even for just a few minutes. I remember many times. This is still true for teens and pre-teens today. It may take a little more patience these days to persuade you to change gear, but its always worth it!

Play basketball and tennis games. Bicycle around block. Trekk on the nearest trail or green space. Go find creatures in your local park or in your backyard. Not only does this tactic help spread the situation before it becomes unstable, but if you make it a habit, you may notice an overall reduction in these energy consumption moments.

An estimated 40 million adults in the United States alone suffer from anxiety disorders. When we are triggered by a threat, our brains deliver hormones, whether they are real or perceived, and deal with what is known as the fight-escape-freeze reaction. Help to do. The aftermath can feel like a massive depletion of our energy.

Sleep is a great way to recover, but persistent anxiety often makes this difficult. This is exacerbated by the lack of physical activity, which means that you are losing one of the most effective and natural ways to regulate your sleep patterns. Exercise also promotes mental clarity by effectively wiping the mind and body of excess stress hormones caused by anxiety.

Anxiety disorders are not the only thing that holds our energy levels together. Daily stress and mood swings can make us feel stuck on a roller coaster that is exhausted of emotions.

Physical inactivity contributes to the depletion of serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals help to naturally regulate our mood and energy. Physical activity enhances these chemicals and enhances the activity of the prefrontal cortex (the part of the brain involved in higher thinking). This process calms the limbic brain (our emotional headquarters) and automatically shuts down energy-wasting emotional triggers.

Exercise helps us grow Mind and body consciousness While we learn to get out of the logical thinking process. The more we align with our bodies and what they are saying to us, the better we can utilize our inner knowledge. We can stop running out of energy by chasing solutions and verifications that come from outside ourselves.

Our connectivity to space or higher power can also be a catalyst for improving our energy levels. There are several approaches to strengthening this through physical activity. For example, yoga and tai chi are well-known spiritual practices that have been used for centuries to connect the mind, body, and spirit. From a Western perspective, they also help create harmony between our needs for achieved and peaceful energies. Too much focus on both ends of the spectrum can lead to burnout and depression.

Meditation is another spiritual habit that is also a proven energy booster. Unfortunately, sitting still and calming can be a challenge, especially for people with anxiety problems.

Walking meditation is a ritual that facilitates this while providing a combination of powerful energy enhancements for both physical activity and intentional reflexes. The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley describes this as a basic way to develop mindfulness. .. .. This involves a close focus on the physical experience of walking, paying attention to the specific components of each step.

Hiking in nature also counteracts physical inactivity, helping us reconnect with our spirituality by paying attention to the wonders of the world beyond ourselves. Awe-inspiring experiences contribute to positive changes in mood, attitudes and behaviors. This raises our energy level by freeing our spiritual space from overthinking and negativeness. We can trust our own inner knowledge and be devoted to the belief that the universe always has our back.

When your inner critics say you are too weak, too old, or too broken to achieve your greatest goals and fulfill the full purpose of life. How energetic do you feel? It drags you down, right?

When our brain believes in these negative thoughts, it runs out of our energy levels, but fortunately there is an easy way to counteract these lies.

You guessed it exercise.

Physical outcomes change our self-awareness, enhance empowerment emotions, Self-esteem.. For example, the increased agility and flexibility gained by repeated practice of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), martial arts, or metabolic conditioning sessions creates neural patterns in the brain. It takes over our mind and body and rewires for grit, strength, coordination, and resilience in all areas of our lives. What can feel more vibrant than knowing that you are powerful and can overcome any challenge that comes your way?

Our energy levels can also be improved through self-expression activities (eg, dance) by helping to unleash the emotional turmoil that may plague us. You dont have to focus on your appearance or weight to get the rewards of physical activity. Whether its salsa class, your favorite sport, Pilates or Zumba, or just a walk in the neighborhood, youll find what you like and move your body to make you feel better.

We also dont have to dive into the go getter approach that most efforts tend to adopt. We dont even have to think of it as athletic, artistic, or dramatic. What is needed is to take a step forward with a focus on personal progress. Get rid of expectations, self-judgment, comparisons and see yourself bloom.

Globally, one in four adults does not meet the recommended level of physical activity, according to the WHO. It is important to understand the impact of improper exercise on our health and longevity, but this is only part of the equation. There are many more issues here.

Modern life allows us to achieve most of our daily needs with the least amount of physical effort possible. Not only do you not get enough exercise, but you rarely move unless you move from the sofa to the fridge or from the front door to the car.

Physical inactivity is a powerful element that enriches our lives: ourselves, our loved ones, our inner peace, and the deeper universe around us. Take away the connection. Our ability to feel fulfilled and successful in life depends on the link between movement and vitality. Simply put, physical inactivity reduces our energy at all levels.

The breakdown to easily fit the schedule is as follows. Every 5 days a week, do 15 minutes of intense exercise (HIIT, jogging, metabolic conditioning, high-intensity swimming or cycling) or 30 minutes of moderate exercise (HIIT, jogging, metabolic conditioning). Lively walking, dancing, hiking, tennis, or underwater aerobics). And remember, any form of movement is better than nothing.

Featured Photo Credits: Adrian Swan Car via unsplash.com

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11 health benefits of Ashwagandha (backed by science) - Eminetra

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:56 am

Posted in Self-Awareness

Homer Learning App Review 2021: Price, Features And Free Trial – International Business Times

Posted: at 1:56 am


With the onset of COVID-19, we were forced to stay indoors and work from home while our children were required to be homeschooled. Thiscan be challengingto both parents and children giventhe lack of resources and creativity. Fortunately, a number of educational apps and programs are now available to keep our kids stimulated and always ready to learn.

Homer app Photo: learnwithhomer.com

Homer is aproven early learning program that provides the best educational start possible. It offers personalized, funand proven learning products for kids ages 2-8 to help build confidence, masteryand a love forlearning. Homers learning experts have crafted the Homer Method to support parents in delivering knowledge, personal developmentand motivation for lifelong learners.

Homer is the product of parent company BEGiN, an award-winning education technology company that creates engaging and effective learning products to bring the highest quality education to young children everywhere.A New York City-based company, it leverages the best talent in technology, educationand entertainment to create learning programs that cultivate the critical skills children need to succeed in the future. Its team is deeply committed to its members and their children that continually develop a portfolio of early learning products that supportlearning everywhere.

Homer app bundles Photo: learnwithhomer.com

Part of Homers essential early learning program, the Learn & Grow app takes kids on a personalized learning journey that boosts their confidence and grows with them.

It features lessons and activities personalized to age, interestsand skill level for kids ages 2 to 8, plus playful learning across subjects: reading, math, social-emotional learning, creativityand more, to build learning confidence. The app also features ad-free, kid-friendly navigation for independent play and is designed by experts, backed by researchand tested by kids.

Homer has teamed up with Fisher-Price to giveits members the best in learning and play, delighting little learners in games, storiesand songs as they build foundational skills. It is ideal for younger children up to age 3. It lets your children learn through play that teaches ABCs, colors, shapesand more through fun activities led by familiar characters.

The app is expert-designed to support your child through the early stages of learning and development that grows along with your child. It is kid-safe, offering ad-free, thoughtfully-curated content for safe digital learning and play.

These hands-on learning kits bring lessons to life. Homers very own learning experts designed The Homer Method to teach skills in the best format for kids to learn. Homer Explore Kits expand on the skills your child is building with the Learn & Grow app, giving them a chance to apply what they're learning in real life.

Your children will discover ABC Island, where curious critters love to learn. This activity kit lets your childs imagination lead as they build literacy skills through play. This is best suited for children ages 3-6. It developsskills like Letters & Sounds, Language Development, Early Writingand Self Expression.

Each kit includes:

The kitwelcomes your kids to Sumville, where numbers rule. This numbers kit practices math strategies through play to help your child build math confidence. This is best suited for children ages 3-6. It develops practical skills like Numbers & Counting, Operations & Manipulatives, Math Confidence and Self Expression.

Each kit includes:

This kit brings your child to the Feelings Forest where ups and downs are part of the journey. This kit lets your child learn social-emotional skills through play to help him or her practice for real life. This is best suited for children ages 3-6. It develops skills like Identifying Feelings, Self Awareness, Social Skillsand Self Expression.

Each kit includes:

Homer's positive feedback from real parents Photo: learnwithhomer.com

What we love about Homer is that it is very affordable. At just $9.99/month, you can personalize your child's learning journey and build confidence so that he or she is ready for school and life.

Whats even better is that you can explore the program without any costs with their FREE 1-month trial! So what are you waiting for?

Make your childs learning journey memorable andfun with Homers 1-month Free Trial here.

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Homer Learning App Review 2021: Price, Features And Free Trial - International Business Times

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:56 am

Posted in Self-Awareness

Meet the companies that presented at the Future of Behavioral and Mental Health startup showcase – VatorNews

Posted: at 1:56 am


Mantra Health, Floreo, Daybreak Health, Mindset Health, XFERALL, Move This World, and Tiatros

One of the most exciting parts of every Vator event is the startup showcase; we'vebeen showcasing some of the most promising startup companies for many years now, and we've identified some very successful companies early on that have gone on to raise big funding rounds.

At this year's Future of Behavioral and Mental Health event, held on Wednesday, we had seven extremely promising companies present, and they ranged from startups tackling mental health gaps in education and in teens, to those working with HR departments and hospital transfer workers.

The showcase was emceed by Mark Goldstein, Chairman at UCSF Health Hub. Joining us as judges were Kevin Lynch, investor at MGV, and healthcare executive Nico Arcino.

Daybreak Health, a company thatspecializes in providing online counseling services specifically for teens, helping to stabilize their mental fitness.

"We look at the 10 million teens in the US alone that are struggling with mental health needs and that was pre-pandemic. During the pandemic, there have been reports that 50% of parents have reported new or growing needs from their teens with regards to mental health. So, that's the problem we're trying to solve at Daybreak Health,"said Alex Alvarado, CEO of Daybreak.

The company identified three main problems withadolescent care:one being that access looks really different for families.

"The most important thing to understand about access when you're working with teens is that parents have to engage. And, unfortunately, right now, we're in a situation as a society where parents are a little bit behind on the educational awareness curve when it comes to mental health for their teens. And that's the first thing that we need to solve in order to get teens the care they need," he said.

"In addition, funding for adolescents looks totally different than the adult market, and we've heard from a lot of great folks today that are going after the employer space and that doesn't really work when you're trying to reach teens."

Second is the lack of family-centered care models, as opposed to all of the care models for single individuals or adults. And, third, that the adolescent care ecosystem is fragmented, even more so than the adult ecosystem.

"As an adolescent, you might be getting care at school, you might be getting care from your pediatrician, which is most of the time where parents are going to start, you might then go to a therapy office and you might also get referred to a psychiatric office and all of those are not going to be working or coordinating together," saidAlvarado.

To solve these problems, Daybreak is building a digital mental health clinic for adolescents, which includes three layers:family awareness and education, family-centered counseling services, and then medication management.The company offers free classes for parents, as well as digital assessments for teens and parents. The family-centered counseling services include a personalized counselor match, evidence-based treatment plan and measurement based care.Parents are given coaching, and family therapy when its needed.

The company is also solving this through it's go-to-market strategy, which involves building community partnerships.

"I talked about that fragmented ecosystem in adolescent care; it's really, really important to integrate and work well with where kids are already getting their care today, whether that's at the school, whether that's with pediatrics. So, we've built partnerships in both of those areas," said Alvarado.

The second part of that strategy is around how the company is paid, which is different from how adult care is covered.

"It's not just private insurance, it's not employers, you really have to think about public funding, school districts, and Medicaid. 40% of kids are on Medicaid in the United States, and so you really can't build a solution without going down that route and that's the direction Daybreak is heading, building on the great school partnerships that we've built in the early days."

Ultimately,Alvarado said, the mission at Daybreak "is creating a world where every young person benefits from mental health support." Floreois a companybuilding virtual reality tools for people with autism.

The idea for the company came when the son of CEO Vijay Ravindran begandisplaying developmental delays, which led to a diagnosis for autism and then thousands of hours of behavioral therapy to build social and behavioral skills.

"Along the way, a magical thing happened: when he was six, he saw me with an Oculus DK2 and a Samsung Gear VR headset and decided to try it out. His first experience was magical. He started pretend playing for the first time, and that was the moment Floreo was born," said Ravindran.

Floreo create clinically designed therapy content in VR, and delivers that to mobile virtual reality headsets. The company pairs that headset with a coaching console for supervising adults, enabling therapists, special educators and parents to step into active therapy, seeing what the child is sitting in VR, providing coaching and recording data. The coaching console can run either in-person or remotely, as a telehealth application.

"We've built a proprietary process for rapidly creating VR therapy content: we can create new lessons in less than three weeks, and we have used that to create a large catalogue of over 175 lessons that span early social skill development, life situation training, including safety, and emotional regulation content," saidRavindran.

Floreo's first study showed quantified improvement in eye contact after five weeks of intervention, and the company has a partnership with NIHs National Human Genome Research Institute, which is using the platform to co-develop a set of ADHD interventions that will be researched and be available next year.The company also has Medicaid approval today in Maryland, DC, and Wisconsin and is in conversations with a half dozen other states to expand its Medicaid reimbursement.

"As a platform, weve built an ability to create and mix and match content, and part of the investment in the next two years in our product roadmap is a studio product to enable any other organization to be able to take existing therapy lessons as templates, customize those, and build out new areas, including new health indications that we might not be in today," said Ravindran.

"We believe we're building an essential indispensable tool in the era of teletherapy."Mindset Health helps manage chronic health issues like irritable bowel syndrome and anxiety with app-based hypnotherapy.

"Stress, anxiety and depression, not only do they have a mental health impact, but they impact many aspects of our physical health, from amplifying the perception of pain to decreasing immune response and triggering diarrhea and constipation. If you're sick, but you have a positive mindset, your brain is likely to produce chemicals that will boost your body's ability to heal itself; think of the placebo effect," saidAlex Naoumidis, co-founder and co-CEO at Mindset Health.

"On the flip side, negative expectations and mental health conditions can prevent the brain from producing these chemicals, as well as changing how you perceive your symptoms and discouraging healthy behavior."

While hypnosis not a therapy in and of itself, it can makes therapies, like CBT and guided imagery, more effective. However, it's been largely overlooked due to outdated misconceptions and a lack of access to qualified practitioners, as well as a lack of affordable options. Naoumidis likened it to where meditation was seven years ago, "except its focused on health outcomes for specific conditions."

"Hypnosis is uniquely suited for mobile app delivery because even in person, its an audio therapy, which allows users to self manage their condition at home whenever they need, for 10% of the cost of in-person therapy and accessible without a prescription."

Mindset isstarting with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic gut-brain condition that affects between 25 and 45 million Americans and causes symptoms like diarrhea, constipation and pain. It's a condition that has no cure, and most people rely on elimination diets to treat it. Mindset has built anapp called Nerva to specifically target people with IBS and it includes adaily program of hypnosis-based guided imagery, education and breathing exercises that can help people with IBS self regulate their symptoms and address the miscommunication between their gut and brain.

The company plans to build out similar apps for other underserved health conditions from menopause to depression, sleep, and chronic pain.

Were going to be making hypnosis-based therapies accessible for a billion people who have access to a phone, but not good healthcare," Naoumidis said.Mantra Healthis a digital mental healthcare company designed for all university students.

While it's well known that university students are going through a mental health crisis, "whats less known is how colleges and universities are really failing to meet the demand of mental health care for college students," saidEd Gaussen, co-founder and CEO of Mantra Health.

A survey that came out from the Journal of Adolescent Health in 2019 showed that the rates of anxiety and depression amongst college studentshave doubled over the last 10 years . Another one that came out last year shows that 24% of college students are on some kind of a psychiatric medication over the last 12 months, and during the pandemic, one out of four young adults had contemplated suicide during the pandemic.

"What universities are trying to do is, unfortunately, is not enough and they're struggling to provide the care that students need, while the waitlist at the counseling centers can be as long as a semester, and providers are really difficult to hire at the counseling centers, especially in rural areas. So, universities are now moving towards this short-term therapy model, where the available care for students is being reduced and then they get referred out to the community,"Gaussen said.

"With that broken experience and urgency and need, we think there's an opportunity to build a very large digital mental health practice that's entirely focused on the university student population"

To solve this, Mantra has built software called the Collaboration Portal, which allows schools to refer students into Mantra. Students can pick providers that best match their needs; they can interact with providers through video visits and 24/7 messaging.

"One thing we're able to do, as well as deploy on campus, is integrate the campus resources so that we're able to refer students back into in-person services if needed, and its something thats extremely customizable at scale with the universities. We've also built a lot of psychoeducation content, especially when it comes to medication management, to remove the scaries around getting on meds for students that need it," saidGaussen.

Today, the company is deployed on 26 campuses with over 180,000 students enrolled; it has been growing especially fast thanks to COVID, where campuses had to shut down and look for digital solutions overnight.

Mantraworks with payers, including Aetna, Cigna, and Blue Cross, and that will allow the company to increase its market size and make it so it is not necessarily reliant on the university sales cycles and budgets to work with schools.

"We use that as a way to remove some of the financial burdens that the schools have and accelerate the adoption of our program."XFERALL is a mobile application that automates transferring critical care, mental health, and substance abuse patients.

"We have created a behavioral health patient transfer network. So, our use cases are addressing patients in a crisis who are presenting into the ED, who have been assessed, who need to be placed in an inpatient behavioral health setting, whether voluntary or involuntary," saidNathan Read, CEO at XFERALL.

"Right now, when that occurs, hospitals pick up the phone and they start calling behavioral health hospitals. A lot of them just blast faxes out to all the behavioral hospitals in their region. And there's a whole back and forth process of phone calls and faxes that takes place just to accept these patients. National average for placing these patients is eight hours of boarding time in an emergency room, which has a significant cost to the sending hospital."

To solve for this, XFERALL hasbuilt a mobile app that replaces all of the phone calls and faxing, and allows a sender to put in a request that then broadcasts out to the intake departments at qualifying receiving hospitals, and allows them to communicate electronically. The goal isto reduce ED overcrowding, to divert patients from even presenting to the hospital EDs, diverting behavioral health patients from jails, improving access to behavioral health patients in a more effective way, and making sure they're getting the appropriate level of care.

"We're doing that by creating a network of senders and receivers, allowing senders to communicate with one or more receiving hospitals simultaneously. The app clinically matches the patient's needs so a sender will go in and answer a very basic set of questions about the patient. We've built a national database of all the behavioral health receiving hospitals and all of their capabilities and services, and no longer does that sender need to know what each hospital services provide, the application automatically matches that," said Read.

This becomes especially important as new behavioral health hospitals open, or they create new services; for example, if they have created a new program, they don't have to spend money marketing and sending business development out to educate everyone in the community that they now have a new program. Also, the senders don't need to know, since the app does that for them.

"For the senders, we're dramatically reducing ED boarding time, we're reducing harm events for patients and employees. These patients who present ED are high risk to harm themselves, they harm the nurses, physicians and others. We're establishing a transport system of record to help them keep up with regulations, we're tracking their transfer patterns and we're helping divert patients from the ED," Read said.

"For the receiving hospitals, we're improving their intake operations, helping them build better relationships, we're making it easier for their customers to send them patients. We're giving them data at their fingertips, real-time so that they can manage their business, and look at the market as a whole and determine if they need to add certain services because there's a market need. "

The app can only be accessed an authorized user, so employees of a hospital, law enforcement, first responders, or community workers. The product was launched in early 2019 in the panhandle of Texas, and the company now hasa significant presence in Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth. It launched in Georgia in March of last year, just as the pandemic hit, and in Washington DC a couple months ago.

"We're in small community hospitals, as well as large health systems. In a case study of 17 hospital Systems in Houston, their average median time to place patients was nine hours; by January 2020 it dropped to 2.5, so thats 1,200 hours saved a month, which has a real dollar amount to their health system with savings."

Move This Worldisa social emotional learning program that provides PreK-12 students, educators and families with multimedia experiences empowering students to navigate the rapidly-changing realities of their world.

"Like many of us who are parents in the pandemic, we're playing an increasingly active role in our children's education. Pre-pandemic, this was a problem where we had chronic absenteeism and suspensions, incident reports of conflict and violence. Cultures that were conducive to learning. But this has all been further exacerbated by the pandemic; if you weren't prioritizing mental health or social emotional wellness pre-pandemic, you certainly don't have a choice now. It's right in your face and right in your living room," saidSara Potler LaHayne, CEO of Move This World.

"Social emotional learning is the process through which we explore and cultivate self awareness, self management, relationship skills, social awareness, and responsible decision making. These are the critical life skills that help all of us succeed in school and work and in life."

Move This World supports preK through 12th grade students through short form, evidence-based, multimedia, to help kids and adults identify, express, and manage their emotions.The company has over 1,000 multimedia assets.

"The best analogy for this might be eight minute abs, but for social emotional learning, or Peloton but for social emotional health. The same way you, as a yogi, might pull up a short yoga video as you may not be confident in how to move through your yoga class, teachers and parents who arent mental health professionals have this contained and structured support to allow their students to identify, express and manage their feelings, unpack their emotional backpacks, and then move through it so that we can build a more resilient culture wherever we are, whether that's in the classroom, at home, or our entire district," said LaHayne.

The assets provided by Move This World are meant to be experienced, so it's not likeconsuming content in the same way of watching a TV show. Instead, students are meant to get up and move.

"We're connecting our mind, body, so when I'm stressed or when I'm anxious, what's happening? My heart's racing, my palms are sweating, my stomach's in knots, and being really able to connect that visceral psychosomatic experience through techniques from expressive arts therapy. So, we shake our stress, we tighten and release our muscles, we focus on our breath, we embody our feelings, and that looks a little bit different for younger students,"LaHayne said.

"There's a little bit more play and music and movement, but older students are also embodying and playing and using techniques like free writing and group poetry to explore their emotions in deeper ways."

Move This World has impacted one and a half million students to date, over 2,500 school communities. It is currently working in 89 districts and has currently implemented programs in 38 states in the US.

We are in a moment in time that we're experiencing as educators, as families, as citizens, recognizing that if we don't have the foundational skills to identify, express, manage emotions, and move through conflict and move through challenges and unexpected things, like a pandemic, not much else matters.

Tiatros provides tools for HR departments and benefits groups to better manage mental health challenges.

"Tiatros makes it possible for the first time for millions of people to access highly effective and portable mental well-being and social services. Our multidisciplinary team of expert clinicians and technologists collaborated with thought leading providers and employment benefits, workers comp, and health insurance experts to create a versatile platform where millions of people can access services that rigorously adhere to the latest evidence-based, psychotherapeutic and social learning practices," saidKimberlie Cerrone, founder and CEO of Tiatros.

The platform uses technology enabled high-impact community interaction, where users engage with their peers, working asynchronously but together, sharing experiences and practicing social skills and behaviors.

"This uniquely social approach to mental well-being is a critical innovation because loneliness and social isolation are epidemic now, and they're deadly," saidCerrone.

The company's clients include provider systems, the American Heart Association, and Fortune 500 companies, including Salesforce, whereTaitros showed that it reduced stress-related physical symptoms by over 30%, which immediately reduced Salesforces healthcare provision costs as a self insured employer.

"We also empirically documented sustained behavioral changes that correlate with increased productivity, higher employee retention, more effective teamwork, and increased innovation across their workforce. That's why Salesforces CFO and President of HR made a value-on investment driven decision to roll out Tiatros services to their entire global workforce a year ago."

Another client is Metro National Public Schools, which piloted Tiatos last year. Over 94% of the over 220 pilot users completed the entire Tiatros program, and 100% of them materially increased their mental and physical health. This led the teachers union asking for Tiatros to be added to their insurance plan as a 100% paid benefit.

"Were prioritizing integrating Tiatros services into chronic disease treatment protocols to address, for the first time, the economic impact of comorbid chronic and mental health conditions on a population health scale. We've partnered with the American Heart Association to integrate Tiatros into diabetes, heart disease, obesity and stroke plans," saidCerrone.

"Our first jointly created program for cardiac rehabilitation was successfully piloted at UCSF. Our UCSF collaborators wants us to roll this program across the statewide University of California health system this year."

Tiatros' social approach to mental well-being is designed to meet users where they are today, and guides them towards their personal growth and health goals.

"Everyone works at their optimum level of emotional depth, preferred pace, and schedule on the Taitros platform, choosing the specific interventions, content and tools that will help them achieve their own mental health goals and strengthen their mental well being. This is how we achieve mental and physical health improvements across diverse user populations that are consistently comparable to expert in-person services,"Cerrone said.

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Meet the companies that presented at the Future of Behavioral and Mental Health startup showcase - VatorNews

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:56 am

Posted in Self-Awareness

Moon thanks Buddhist community for solidarity in virus fight – The Korea Herald

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About 50,000 colorful lotus lanterns light up the courtyard at Samgwang Temple in Busan, 453 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sunday, three days ahead of Buddha's Birthday. (Yonhap)

"Last year's listing of Yeondeunghoe as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage marked a big joyous occasion. It's natural wanting to celebrate the feat, but the Buddhist community decided to cancel this year's lantern festival and hold an online event instead," Moon said in the message posted on social media.

Yeondeunghoe, South Korea's lantern lighting festival held as part of the Buddha's Birthday celebration, was officially inscribed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO in December of last year.

Moon also thanked Buddhist leaders for providing support for the nation's medical and quarantine workers, small business owners and self-employed workers going through tough times due to the pandemic.

"While suspending ceremonies and events for the sake of antivirus measures, Buddhist monks have opened their temple doors wide," Moon said.

Moon added that the Buddhist community "provided a sense of peace and rest to medical and quarantine workers and those in the travel industry, small business and arts and culture sector by opening up temple stay programs for free." (Yonhap)

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Moon thanks Buddhist community for solidarity in virus fight - The Korea Herald

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:55 am

Posted in Buddhism

Photos of the Week: Buddha’s birthday; vaccine drives – Religion News Service

Posted: at 1:55 am


(RNS) Each week Religion News Service presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. This weeks photo gallery includes the Buddhas birthday, religious vaccination efforts and more.

Note: RNS is expanding Photos of the Week to include reader photos. Please submit current photos of your practice of religion, spirituality or beliefsHERE. We are especially interested in capturing what it looks like as houses of worship reopen as pandemic restrictions ease. See our first installment below.

Buddhists attend a ceremony to celebrate Buddhas birthday, while maintaining social distancing as precaution against the coronavirus, at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Buddhists visit temples across the country to celebrate the Buddhas birthday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A health worker administers a dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine to a Buddhist monk at Priest Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 18, 2021. Thailand on Friday said it had detected its first locally transmitted cases of the coronavirus variant first found in India, even as it announced the formal rollout of its national vaccination plan for next month. (AP Photo/Anuthep Cheysakron,File)

A visitor takes pictures in front of lanterns on the eve of the Buddhas birthday at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

Buddhists arrange desks during a cleanup ahead of Buddhas Birthday, which falls on May 19, at Jogye Temple in Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

A woman holds out her arms as she prays during a religious march in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Saturday, May 15, 2021. Hundreds of Haitians marched on the streets of Port-au-Prince after church services on Saturday to collectively pray outdoors for peace and an end to the wave of kidnappings that have victimized the citys residents. (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn)

People visit the archaeological site of Templo Mayor in the historic center of Mexico City, Tuesday, May 18, 2021. The Templo Mayor, or The Greater Temple in Spanish, was the main temple of the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan, now Mexico City, which fell to Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes after a prolonged siege 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Mourners pray over the bodies of 17 Palestinians who were killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City, Sunday, May 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Sanad Latifa)

Rabbi Abraham Cooper, center, of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, speaks in front of civic and faith leaders outside City Hall, Thursday, May 20, 2021, in Los Angeles. Faith and community leaders in Los Angeles called for peace, tolerance and unity in the wake of violence in the city that is being investigated as potential hate crimes. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Emily Baumgartner, left, and Luke Finley, second from left, join friends from their church group in a birthday toast to one of the members during their weekly Monday Night Hang gathering at the Tiki Bar on Manhattans Upper West Side, Monday, May 17, 2021, in New York. Most of us live alone and we need community, she said. During the pandemic, we started hanging out in the park (Central Park) once a week. Once bars and restaurants reopened, we started coming back to Tiki Bar afterward. Under the latest regulations, vaccinated New Yorkers can shed their masks in most situations. Restaurants, shops, gyms and many other businesses can go back to full occupancy if all patrons are inoculated. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Health workers inoculate residents with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine inside the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish church in Quezon City, Philippines, on Monday, May 17, 2021. The church was used to speed up the vaccination process to residents in the area. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Reader Photos

People attend an outdoor service at Stanwich Congregational Church in Greenwich, Connecticut, May 14, 2021. Photo by Nathan Hart

Caroline Perez Hartzel, 8, of Dallas, lets off some pent up energy after her First Holy Communion, Tuesday evening, May 18, 2021. Caroline had just attended Mass for the first time since the pandemic, a special, socially distanced Mass for communicants who studied online all year at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in East Dallas. Caroline developed a deep love of God in her Family Formation classes, but she also has developed a strong love of soccer that has come roaring back as COVID-19 restrictions end. Photo by Tony Hartzel

Archive Photos

Three American Dominican priests cross Freedom Bridge to Hong Kong from Red China, where they were kept under house arrest in Foochow, Fukien Province, circa 1955. Italian priest father Ambrose Poletti, from left, greeted and escorted fathers Joseph E. Hyde of Lowell, Mass., James G. Joyce of Clinton, Mass., and Frederick A. Gordon. The three were among the first group of American clergymen freed by the communists under the Geneva Agreements. With them on far right is Police Superintendent A. L. Gordon, who was in charge of the British side of the border. The trio was pale and had lost weight, but they were in good spirits. RNS archive photo. Photo courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.

American sailors, far left, attend a service in a typical Protestant Bamboo Church in Port Moresby, the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea, circa 1948. RNS archive photo. Photo courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:55 am

Posted in Buddhism

Yoga is another one of those dumb-in-Alabama stories – al.com

Posted: at 1:55 am


I love my adopted state, where I have lived for more than 40 years. For all of its warts and problems, theres something about Alabama that gets inside your mind, your heart and your soul, and stays there.

For starters, its a beautiful place, with the Gulf of Mexico on the south end and the foothills of the Appalachians in the north and east. Its people are friendly and their voices are mellow; and if some Alabamians are suspicious of outsiders -- i.e., folks from other geographical regions, especially the North -- they generally will welcome transplants from other Southern states.

If you marry an Alabamian, as I did shortly after relocating from Louisiana, your welcome is even warmer, and before you know it, four decades will have passed and youll barely remember the times when you lived elsewhere.

Except when your politicians -- and after 40 years, they are yours -- do dumb stuff and you know that in a day or two, youll be reading about the dumb stuff in the New York Times and other national publications. Most recently, Alabamas dumb-stuff-story du jour came courtesy of the state Legislature.

Alabama Lifts Its Ban on Yoga in Schools, the New York Times reported the other day, explaining that nearly 30 years ago, in 1993, the state school board had forbidden schools to teach yoga. Why?

Its complicated, but Ill try to simplify: Yogas roots are in India, you see, and yoga emphasizes exercises and mental reflection, and there are a lot of Hindus and Buddhists in India, and Hindus and Buddhists arent Christians, and if our public schools teach yoga, then before you know it, all of our kids will have converted to Hinduism or Buddhism.

Or something like that.

But wait, you say. In its 2021 session that just wrapped up, didnt the Legislature reverse that ban and say that school districts can offer yoga as an elective? And didnt the governor sign the bill? Whats dumb about that?

Again, its complicated. Certainly, the Legislature did the right thing in overturning the ban, and Gov. Kay Ivey did the right thing when she signed the bill. And certainly, the dumbness originated with Alabamas elected state school board back in 1993.

But this years Legislature couldnt just say to its public schools, Its OK if yall want to offer yoga classes. No, lawmakers had to make double-double sure that their constituents wouldnt think they were condoning Hinduism/Buddhism/whatever-ism, so they spelled it out: All poses shall be limited exclusively to sitting, standing, reclining, twisting, and balancing. All poses, exercises, and stretching techniques shall have exclusively English descriptive names. Chanting, mantras, mudras, use of mandalas, induction of hypnotic states, guided imagery, and namaste greetings shall be expressly prohibited.

And you thought yoga classes were for people who want to exercise, stretch and improve their ability to concentrate.

I have never taken a yoga class, but its not because I fear losing my religion. What I fear is that if I tried one of those twisty, stretchy poses and toppled over, paramedics would have to load me into their ambulance in pieces. My fear aside, however, Ive known all sorts of people whove taken yoga classes, and Ive read news articles about its physical and mental health benefits. And like other people, Ive seen stories about sports teams that use yoga exercises to improve players flexibility.

What I havent read is a slew of articles or news reports about yoga fundamentally changing peoples spiritual beliefs.

What Id like to read one day is a series of national news reports about how Alabama is focusing its political energy on improving public education, and how its involving business and civic leaders in its schools, and how its well-paid and well-trained teachers are successfully preparing todays children for tomorrows world.

Im not sure when, how or whether well get to that point in the state that I love so much, but of this I am pretty certain: When and if it ever happens, the existence or absence of yoga classes in our public schools will be irrelevant.

Frances Coleman is a former editorial page editor of the Mobile Press-Register. Email her at fcoleman1953@gmail.com and like her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/prfrances.

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Yoga is another one of those dumb-in-Alabama stories - al.com

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:55 am

Posted in Buddhism

Vesak Day 2021: 4 Things to Know About This Special Day – Tatler Singapore

Posted: at 1:55 am


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Buddhists all over the world will celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha next week on May 26, a day that is also a public holiday in Singapore.

However, Vesak Day this year will be a lot more muted once again considering the rise in community Covid-19 cases in Singapore that led to the Phase 2 Heightened Alert that is currently in place till June 13.

Related: Hari Raya Puasa 2021: 5 of the Grandest Mosques in Singapore

Many public places, including places of worship, have had to stop in-person events and reduce their occupancies significantly. This means that many of the rituals, processions and temple visits that normally happen on Vesak Day will not be able to go on as planned.

Despite the changes, Vesak Day is still an incredibly special day for Buddhists. If you are unsure about what Vesak Day is all about, read on to find out everything you need to know about it.

Related: Your Favourite Vegetarian Foods for Delivery in Singapore

Vesak Day, or the day of the full moon, is a sacred day to millions of Buddhists worldwide. It marks the day that Buddha was born, attained enlightenment and then passed away in his eightieth year. It is a time for quiet reflection on Buddha's teachings, joy and peace.

The day that it is celebrated changes each year in accordance with the first full moon of the lunar month of Vesakha. This usually falls between May and early June.

Related: This Astrology-Inspired Dating App Could Help You Find Love Based On Your Star Sign

Buddhism is a religion that is present in many countries and cultures such as in India, Thailand, Singapore and Korea. As a result, each Buddhist culture tends to have its own unique traditions to honour the day.

However, typically, Buddhists will go to the temple at the crack of dawn to participate in the singing of hymns to honour Buddha, his teachings and his disciples. They will also raise the Buddhist flag while singing these hymns. Some Buddhists will even stay at the temple all day and night.

On this day, many Buddhists also participate in good deeds because it is believed that performing good deeds on Vesak Day will multiply one's merit a number of times over.

It is also common to see some Buddhist families decorating their homes with lanterns, taking part in processions and wearing special white clothes. They will also typically only eat vegetarian meals on this day.

Of course, with the new Covid-19 regulations, processions, sadly, will likely not be taking place.

Related: Hari Raya Puasa 2021: All the Shows to Binge-Watch on Netflix This Public Holiday

On Vesak Day, it is common to see people putting up offerings of flowers, candles and joss sticks at the temples.

The point of using these items as offerings is to acknowledge the transient nature of life. Candles and joss sticks will burn away and flowers will eventually decay.

On Vesak Day, one of the most common rituals you will see being performed is that of the 'bathing' of Buddha. This is where Buddhists collectively gather around and pour water over the shoulders of Buddha.

This practice reminds believers to clear their minds of negative thoughts and hatred as well as to commemorate the birth of Buddha. It is a very sacred ritual that is carried out by Buddhists yearly.

Related: Earth Day 2021: The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Tasting Menus to Try in Asia

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Vesak Day 2021: 4 Things to Know About This Special Day - Tatler Singapore

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:55 am

Posted in Buddhism

The Sting of a Wasp – Tricycle

Posted: at 1:55 am


Life is precious, so I am determined to protect lifenot only the lives of human beings but the lives of other species. Thich Nhat Hanh

The bus was about to depart Libourne one August afternoon when a passenger noticed a wasp inside, crawling at the top of a window. The passenger alerted us all to the wasp and then alerted the driver. Another passenger stood and demanded the driver open the door, not to free the wasp, but so that she, the passenger, could get off the bus. She refused to be on a bus with a wasp.

There seems to be a fear of wasps in France, perhaps because of stories in the newspapers about a few people who have died from allergic reactions to stings by the invasive Asian hornet. The invasive Asian hornets sting is no worse than the native European hornets sting, but perhaps seems doubly invasive.

Im allergic myself, so I remember from childhood the fear of stinging insects, from before I learned that bees and wasps would really rather not sting us at all. As with most animals, danger is avoidable with respect.

Regardless of its lineage, this particular wasp presented no danger that I could see. It did not want to be in the bus. It showed no interest in the passengers. It was at the top of the window looking for a way out. There may have been a lot of dangerous animals on that bus, but the wasp was not one of them.

Nonetheless, the driver attacked, first trying to crush the wasp with a roll of paper towels. The wasp fled into a crevice between the window and the drapes.

I thought I should do something to capture the wasp and free it outside. With a cup I could have caught it when it was on the window, but now that it was hidden that would be more difficult. Nor did I have a cup. Perhaps I should have asked if anyone else had a cup. But the bus was already late. Certainly people would object if I suggested we capture the wasp.

So I did nothing.

The driver unsheathed a ballpoint pen and attacked again, stabbing at the wasp where it hid. It fell to the floor, either killed or seriously wounded. The bus proceeded toward Sainte Foy La Grande.

The passenger who reported the wasp seemed satisfied with herself for resolving this perceived threat. The passenger who had demanded to get off the bus returned to her seat.

I regretted that I had done nothing to save the wasp, that I had allowed it to be killed.

But it was only one wasp on one bus on one day, right? Another dead bug, no big deal?

That seems true until we consider the human multiple: there are 7.7 billion humans on earth, most of whom share the attitude that we can kill for our convenience. So take this attitude, multiply it by 7.7 billion, acculturate and industrialize it.

Then its easier to understand why 40 percent of insect species are in decline, including those that provide the invaluable service of pollinating our crops.

Its easier to understand how humans have eliminated 83 percent of wild mammals on earth and half of plants. How only 4 percent of the worlds mammals are wild. How extinction has reached unprecedented rates for this age, with a million species threatened.

We can only address the ecological crisis weve created if we transform our relationship to the rest of the natural world. We can only prevent the suffering looming for all species, including our own, if we stop killing for convenience.

In thoughts like these, the wasp haunted my days at Plum Villages New Hamlet, one of the monasteries in the Dordogne Valley founded by the Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hahn.

Many of the people on that bus were also going to Plum Village, a place devoted to peace, including the woman who raised the alarm about the wasp. In the early days there I would pass her on the path, near the Lotus Pond or the Meditation Hall, and I would think, with chagrin and indignation, Theres that wasp killer!

One might expect that people going to Plum Village would already know not to killBuddhisms first precept.

How would Thich Nhat Hanh regard the wasp? Its not difficult to imagine, for he is the teacher who said:

People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we dont even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a childour own two eyes. All is a miracle.

For those who dont like the word miracle, certainly one wasp is a brilliant culmination of 3.7 billion years of evolution, the earths natural intelligence. To snuff out its life is a triumph of ignorance.

But my indignation was tempered by the persistent feeling that indignation itself was incongruous with the peace cultivated at Plum Village.

A few days later, we would hear Thays elaboration on the first precept, what he calls The First Mindfulness Training, Reverence for Life:

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life.

Notice it is not enough to not kill, we must also prevent others from killing.

My own experiencefailing to speak up for the wasptaught me that reverence for life takes courage, the courage to stand up to convention, to culture, to industry. To stand against the norm and say, let life live.

This should not be a radical act.

But it is. And it also has to be a mindful act. The First Mindfulness Training has a second paragraph:

Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.

At Plum Village that August, the teaching on the First Mindfulness Training came from Fatima Tamayo, a Spanish psychologist whose commitment to the practice has inspired her to develop demonstration projects on sustainable living.

Tamayo reminded us that even as we oppose killing, we must aspire to tolerance, openness, and non-attachment to views. She advised us to realize that often those who kill also believe they are doing the right thing.

On the bus, those who killed the wasp doubtless believed they were protecting themselves and their fellow passengers.

It was only I who had failed to protect.

The needless death of one wasp may have been incremental, but it was an increment advancing a cumulative tragedy: killing has become routine.

Perhaps over tens of thousands of years humans developed an indifference to life that facilitated our survivalmuch as fire facilitated our survival. For tens of thousands of years we needed fire for cooking, for heat, for energy. But where theres fire, theres smoke. The consequences of using fire, compounded by the human multiple, have now compelled us to find cleaner ways to cook, to heat, to make energy.

Likewise, the days are gone in which our survival depended on routine killing. Were entering a new day in which, to survive, we must have the courage to revere.

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The Sting of a Wasp - Tricycle

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May 22nd, 2021 at 1:55 am

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