the nucleus of ordinary moments

Have you ever wondered why the way we pay attention to ordinary life plays a critical role in our well being and the well being of others?

Numerous studies have been done detailing the adverse effects of stressful living. The way we eat, the way we work, the way we play and even the way we love can all effect our health in a detrimental manner.

Reading a child a bedtime story can be an ordinary moment that can end fraught with tension or disarmingly simple and meaningful. Why?

What triggers create the two different scenarios?

In terms of health research one of the most common definitions of a stressful situation is one "in which the demands on the individual tax or exceed their adaptive capabilities." Not being able to handle the situation is a primary indicator of stress having a negative impact upon the outcome.

The above example of reading a bedtime story might be perceived by one parent as fullfilling and by another parent as an overwhelming demand in turn making an ordinary event health producing for one person, but unhealthy for another.

And therein lies a problem.

The perception of such an ordinary event is what can be healthy or unhealthy.

As individuals we have certain mechanisms that we depend upon to help us navigate our world. We perceive the world in ways that might elicit a stressful or non-stressful reaction to ordinary daily activities....for some this is known as the fight or flight response.

So, can the way we pay attention in daily life play a critical role in our health and well-being and that of the health and well-being of others?

There are endless books, tapes and seminars available to teach you how to get out of being stuck in a tense, constricted, survival mode that keeps you in a constant state of chronic stress. Most books, tapes etc., focus on the following list that tries to wake you up to what you do while participating in ordinary events. Practicing the below helps you alleviate those daily tensions and enjoy the nucleus of ordinary moments.

Mindfullness
Practicing Peace
Opening your mind and awakening your heart
Harnessing the power of attention
Maintaining a Joyful Mind
Meditating
Practicing Compassion
Accepting yourself
Relaxing in the midst of chaos
Taking a deep breath

i tend to go for the last two as my primary stress reducers. Breathing and relaxing have turned what could have been stressful events into ordinary moments.

You are your own magician, you don't have to agonize endlessly, its really up to you to just pay attention.

You don't need to be manipulated into buying endless books etc. to teach you how to cope....just breath and relax and take it all in....and the rest will follow.

peace creates prosperity

The Institute for Economics and Peace published the Global Peace Index yesterday.

The country most at peace, Iceland, topped the list in the number one(1) spot with Denmark a close second(2), Canada placed eleventh(11), the US placed Ninety-Seventh(97), Israel came in One Hundred and Thirty Sixth(136) and Iraq is last at One Hundred and Forty(140).

If you would like to examine the entire list, the Global Peace Index can be found at http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/home.php

For someone like me this was a wondrous place to examine and explore. It certainly speaks to my belief that the story of peace hasn't had enough supporters throughout history to create an environment where it prevails. For too long war has had the upper hand in the story of human behavior, but now, the economics of peaceful countries and their success has a voice.

A peaceful country creates incentive to invest. Countries with firm legal systems and an investment in the rule of law have stronger and more robust economies. War brings economic uncertainty and hence enhances investment risk causing capital flight (ie the investment dollars go somewhere more stable).

One of the primary individuals, Steve Killelea, at the Institute can be found expounding upon their economic discoveries concerning peaceful countries in a ten minute video.
http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/news/40/video-press-conference-steve-killelea/
He is just one of many devoted humans that adds to the attributes of peaceful behavior over violent behavior.

"The study determined that there is a strong relationship between peace, business and national wealth. Initial research indicates there is a strong relationship between a nation's ranking in peacefulness and the size of its retail sector, stock market and tourism industry. A negative change in peacefulness can be used to calculate changes in market sizes."

The study has found that generally the more peaceful a nation the greater its per capita income and while most business entities don't want to operate in a violent environment, these same business can be more efficient and productive under peaceful conditions, creating more wealth.

The complete discussion of some of the aspects of the study can be found at:
http://www.visionofhumanity.org/images/content/Documents/2008%20GPi%20Discussion%20Paper.pdf

i think peace is a requirement for the furtherance of the human population in the future and it looks like the ability to create wealth and a prosperous life style may also be affected by peaceful conditions.

60 years of war

click here

Last week i couldn't find any time to write so instead i'm calling today a poem day..... so now..... you poor souls a poem by me.

Click here

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Peaceful driving

We all know how statistics can be manipulated to make a point in ones favor. Many times when discussing the atrocities of war those dying in car accidents are used as fodder to justify deaths directly caused as a result of a nations aggression.

We can all point to discussions with friends where the comparison of deaths resulting from our occupation of Iraq are nothing compared to deaths occurring upon our nations roads on a daily basis. The problem with this comparison is that those drivers who were killed chose to risk their lives by driving. All those drivers knew that driving incurs a certain amount of risk but they chose to take that risk to accomplish other goals.

The civilian casualties in Iraq did not choose to risk their lives.

They have no choice.

But this is not the thrust of this piece.

The thrust of this piece is to illuminate the other side of driving.

The peaceful side of driving.

What I have done is gather up the statistics for registered vehicles of all types. This number is approximately 250 million cars, trucks, buses etc. that are legally registered to use the nations roads. On average there are approximately 17,600 accidents a day leaving Two Hundred and Forty Nine Million Nine Hundred and Eighty Two Thousand Four Hundred (249,982,400)vehicles to go about their business peacefully.

Peacefully.

Every day, approximately 249,982,400 moving objects filled with peaceful human beings are on our roads driving orderly.

Think about it.

Hundreds of Millions of vehicles are driving our nations roads without mishap.

Why don't we ever see headlines screaming 249,982,400 moving objects on our nations roads exist without mishap every day of the year?

Every day of the year.
Think about it.

Why don't we hear this good news.
We don't hear this good news because it is better to keep you fearful.

may first

May day today, we are halfway between a solstice and an equinox the beginning of summer for some. To celebrate springs end a poem is in order.

spring soiree

walking hand in hand
to an event made to
mold minds for productive
life

she said

this is the spring
soiree, it is dinner
and a reception with
prizes.

Remember to look for peace today and everyday.