1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Commerce without morality
5. Science without humanity
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principle
—Mahatma Gandhi
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ghandi's Seven Blunders of the World
1. Wealth without work
2. Pleasure without conscience
3. Knowledge without character
4. Commerce without morality
5. Science without humanity
6. Worship without sacrifice
7. Politics without principle
—Mahatma Gandhi
Monday, August 24, 2009
Take It From Benjamin
In 1723, seventeen year old Benjamin Franklin arrived broke as can be in Philadelphia. Success after success followed in the form of inventions, business ventures and political esteem. He was later able to retire at the age of 42 as a very wealthy man. Franklin claimed that his great success was owed to practicing and religiously following thirteen principles. These principles are:
- Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
- Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversation.
- Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have it's time.
- Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
- Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing.
- Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
- Sincerity: Use no harmful deceit; think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.
- Justice: wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
- Moderation: Avoid extremes; forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
- Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
- Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, nor at accidents.
- Chastity: Be chaste in matters with the opposite sex.
- Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Body-Mind Balance Connection
An interesting connection has recently been found by researchers at Tel Aviv University between physical balance and anxiety disorders. Dr. Orit Bart and her associates have analyzed children diagnosed with anxiety disorders and discovered that the majority of them also suffer from problems with balance and coordination. Moreover, Bart claims that physical therapy targeting and improving physical balance problems has been shown to also help resolve anxiety issues.
Bart's research shows that while not all children with anxiety also have balance problems, all children with balance problems do exhibit anxiety. After a twelve week sensory-motor intervention, children in Bart's research group had markedly improved balance skills. With this new balance came heightened self-esteem, and eventual return of previous anxiety to normal levels. This is a direct example of treating the mind through the body.
When the body is in balance, the mind is in balance. When we lack balance, we feel anxious about the control we may or may not have over ourselves and therefore doubt the effectiveness of our minds. But when we work to obtain greater balance, our confidence increases and we are empowered to trust our minds' abilities more. Thus we are engaged in a cycle where power begets power and struggle begets struggle.
Therefore we must work to increase our balancing ability, and we may rest assured that it is easier than we may think. This is because with the knowledge that we may use the physical realm as a means of ensuring a higher degree of mental wellness, there are a host of tools and techniques at our disposal that we can see, touch and feel. We are not limited to the abstract, or to cognitive approaches which for most can seem elusive and difficult.
Because of the power we have over the physical, we can use our own operational thinking to the advantage of our minds. For example, an operation---or action---as simple as cleaning your desk. My desk is so cluttered right now that I feel anxious about all this stuff I have to do. Everything is a mess before me and I don't know where to start. But if I take a few minutes and organize my desk, stack the papers in the right places with the most important documents on top, throw away trash, take my empty yogurt and cups to the kitchen and a quick wipe clean with a sponge, I will definitely feel more in control of the situation.
I can even make a list of what I need to do, of my priorities, and set it neatly in front of me on the desk. At that point I will know all that I need to do, and I won't have to remember it---it is right there on the list. There is no clutter clouding my vision of the tasks at hand. What can be done is done at the moment. Then I can continue to write this with a clearer mind, with more confidence, with more BALANCE. That is the connection between the physical and the mental/emotional. Between the body and the mind.
Balance is about effectiveness, and ultimately, about happiness and contentment with our selves and the world around us.
What can you do today to increase the balance of your body or of your physical world? How will this affect the state of balance in your mind? Will you feel better? Accomplish more? Have less anxiety?
Bart's research shows that while not all children with anxiety also have balance problems, all children with balance problems do exhibit anxiety. After a twelve week sensory-motor intervention, children in Bart's research group had markedly improved balance skills. With this new balance came heightened self-esteem, and eventual return of previous anxiety to normal levels. This is a direct example of treating the mind through the body.
When the body is in balance, the mind is in balance. When we lack balance, we feel anxious about the control we may or may not have over ourselves and therefore doubt the effectiveness of our minds. But when we work to obtain greater balance, our confidence increases and we are empowered to trust our minds' abilities more. Thus we are engaged in a cycle where power begets power and struggle begets struggle.
Therefore we must work to increase our balancing ability, and we may rest assured that it is easier than we may think. This is because with the knowledge that we may use the physical realm as a means of ensuring a higher degree of mental wellness, there are a host of tools and techniques at our disposal that we can see, touch and feel. We are not limited to the abstract, or to cognitive approaches which for most can seem elusive and difficult.
Because of the power we have over the physical, we can use our own operational thinking to the advantage of our minds. For example, an operation---or action---as simple as cleaning your desk. My desk is so cluttered right now that I feel anxious about all this stuff I have to do. Everything is a mess before me and I don't know where to start. But if I take a few minutes and organize my desk, stack the papers in the right places with the most important documents on top, throw away trash, take my empty yogurt and cups to the kitchen and a quick wipe clean with a sponge, I will definitely feel more in control of the situation.
I can even make a list of what I need to do, of my priorities, and set it neatly in front of me on the desk. At that point I will know all that I need to do, and I won't have to remember it---it is right there on the list. There is no clutter clouding my vision of the tasks at hand. What can be done is done at the moment. Then I can continue to write this with a clearer mind, with more confidence, with more BALANCE. That is the connection between the physical and the mental/emotional. Between the body and the mind.
Balance is about effectiveness, and ultimately, about happiness and contentment with our selves and the world around us.
What can you do today to increase the balance of your body or of your physical world? How will this affect the state of balance in your mind? Will you feel better? Accomplish more? Have less anxiety?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A Balanced Diet
Eating a balanced diet is probably the single most important thing that you can do for yourself. When we are properly nourished, we think clearer, feel better, and can contribute more. When we are improperly nourished the effects can be severe, and sometimes we don't even recognize it.
If your body has all it needs it can function the way it's supposed to, making all of the chemicals it needs to keep you running smoothly. This sounds obvious, but at times the negative effects of less-than-ideal nutrition can accumulate subtly over time without us being fully aware of them.
Being tired, feeling depressed, not sleeping well---these can all be related to your nutrition. And it isn't even all about avoiding junk food---more often than not, we are more negatively affected by what we don't eat than what we do.
No carbs, low fat, no sugar, no dairy, no red meat, you name it. The list goes on and I'm sure that all of us at one time have been at least tempted to consider these "diets" as effective. But what they say is true---if you deny yourself, you will have cravings. These cravings are your body's way of telling you what it needs.
Our brains run on glucose, a sugar. Carbohydrates are our fuel. We need fat to make lipids, which make up the very shape of our cells. And we need the amino acids which come from protein to make up the hormones that are our body's communication system. Leave any essential components out of your diet and you are asking for trouble.
So eat balanced meals! That means a little of everything. Variety is the only way to assure you are taking in all of the essential nutrients you need to function at your optimal level. This idea of a little of everything, and everything in moderation should guide us in all of our choices in life. Balance is the key to success.
If your body has all it needs it can function the way it's supposed to, making all of the chemicals it needs to keep you running smoothly. This sounds obvious, but at times the negative effects of less-than-ideal nutrition can accumulate subtly over time without us being fully aware of them.
Being tired, feeling depressed, not sleeping well---these can all be related to your nutrition. And it isn't even all about avoiding junk food---more often than not, we are more negatively affected by what we don't eat than what we do.
No carbs, low fat, no sugar, no dairy, no red meat, you name it. The list goes on and I'm sure that all of us at one time have been at least tempted to consider these "diets" as effective. But what they say is true---if you deny yourself, you will have cravings. These cravings are your body's way of telling you what it needs.
Our brains run on glucose, a sugar. Carbohydrates are our fuel. We need fat to make lipids, which make up the very shape of our cells. And we need the amino acids which come from protein to make up the hormones that are our body's communication system. Leave any essential components out of your diet and you are asking for trouble.
So eat balanced meals! That means a little of everything. Variety is the only way to assure you are taking in all of the essential nutrients you need to function at your optimal level. This idea of a little of everything, and everything in moderation should guide us in all of our choices in life. Balance is the key to success.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Welcome to The Natural Balance Blog!
Welcome to The Natural Balance Blog, presented by Emily's Beauty In Balance. Here we can create a community of helping one another by sharing ideas about the creation of more balanced lifestyles.
Balance is an essential quality that can be very difficult to achieve. It must be practiced with concentration and persistence. Imagine what a challenge it must have been to stand up and take those first steps as a baby---falling, getting back up, falling, and getting back up again! But we all did it, and likely without much instruction or prompting.
As time went by we got better at walking, falling less and less. Soon it felt completely natural and we could no longer remember what it had been like to stumble and struggle. The human body takes to balance, as does the mind. We all have an innate inclination to strive toward it.
Once something new is learned and balance has been obtained, it seems that balance was always there inside just waiting to be discovered. Like the baby learning to walk, child learning to ride a bike, or gymnast learning to perform superhuman feats, once we find a center and acknowledge it as a part of us we cannot lose it but only build upon it. Our foundation is only strengthened.
Balance is at the heart of every great achievement of humanity. Without stabilizing one level of success we cannot move on to the next with confidence or competence. But with the patience and determination to learn and cultivate the sense already within us, the possibilities are endless. We have great potential as well as the tools necessary to bring our greatest dreams to fruition. And it all starts at the center.
This is where I find Beauty in Balance.
Where do you find it? And what does balance mean to you?
Thank you so much for visiting The Natural Balance Blog. I think we will have a good time here, and can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Sincerely,
Emily Rachel Boege
Founder, Emily's Beauty In Balance
emilysbeautyinbalance.com
Balance is an essential quality that can be very difficult to achieve. It must be practiced with concentration and persistence. Imagine what a challenge it must have been to stand up and take those first steps as a baby---falling, getting back up, falling, and getting back up again! But we all did it, and likely without much instruction or prompting.
As time went by we got better at walking, falling less and less. Soon it felt completely natural and we could no longer remember what it had been like to stumble and struggle. The human body takes to balance, as does the mind. We all have an innate inclination to strive toward it.
Once something new is learned and balance has been obtained, it seems that balance was always there inside just waiting to be discovered. Like the baby learning to walk, child learning to ride a bike, or gymnast learning to perform superhuman feats, once we find a center and acknowledge it as a part of us we cannot lose it but only build upon it. Our foundation is only strengthened.
Balance is at the heart of every great achievement of humanity. Without stabilizing one level of success we cannot move on to the next with confidence or competence. But with the patience and determination to learn and cultivate the sense already within us, the possibilities are endless. We have great potential as well as the tools necessary to bring our greatest dreams to fruition. And it all starts at the center.
This is where I find Beauty in Balance.
Where do you find it? And what does balance mean to you?
Thank you so much for visiting The Natural Balance Blog. I think we will have a good time here, and can't wait to hear your thoughts!
Sincerely,
Emily Rachel Boege
Founder, Emily's Beauty In Balance
emilysbeautyinbalance.com
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