This week:
Why do we venerate action and vilify reflection?
Here’s a reason to revisit this social conditioning…
Scientists Show How Gratitude Literally Alters The Human Heart & Molecular Structure Of The Brain:
Gratitude is a funny thing. In some parts of the world, somebody who gets a clean drink of water, some food, or a worn out pair of shoes can be extremely grateful. Meanwhile, somebody else who has all the necessities they need to live can be found complaining about something. What we have today is what we once wanted before, but there is a lingering belief out there that obtaining material possessions is the key to happiness. Sure, this may be true, but that happiness is temporary. The truth is that happiness is an inside job.
- The Facts: Scientists have discovered that feelings of gratitude can actually change your brain. Feeling gratitude can also be a great tool for overcoming depression and anxiety. Furthermore, scientists have discovered that the heart sends signals to the brain.
- Reflect On: Every time we struggle with depression, why are we constantly encouraged to take prescription medication when mindfulness techniques actually show more promise?
How to Cultivate Peace of Mind According to Seneca:
15 Pieces of Stoic Wisdom for Inner Peace
What kind of life do I want to live? What truly matters to me? How best can I go after it? What type of person do I aspire to be?
Winning the War on Poverty by David Brooks
The Canadians are doing it; we’re not. According to recently released data, between 2015 and 2017, Canada reduced its official poverty rate by at least 20 percent. Roughly 825,000 Canadians were lifted out of poverty in those years, giving the country today its lowest poverty rate in history. How did Canada do it?
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/opinion/canada-poverty-record.html
Neuroscience shows that 50-year-olds can have the brains of 25-year-olds if they sit quietly and do nothing for 15 minutes a day:
- Neuroscientist Sara Lazar found that people who practiced meditation had more gray matter in the part of the brain linked to decision-making and working memory: the frontal cortex. While most people see their cortexes shrink as they age, 50-year-old meditators in the study had the same amount of gray matter as those half their age. Participants in the study averaged about 27 minutes of the habit a day, but other studies suggest that you can see significant positive changes in just 15 minutes a day…
Thanks this week go to all who practice gratitude, cultivate peace, work hard to eradicate poverty and venerate reflection.
Please pay it forward!
Love,
Neville
Happy Soul Food Friday! 