Innovation + Insight

Recently, I had a quick call with a high school student who has become increasingly interested in blockchain technologies and cryptocurrency projects. He has expressed a lot of enthusiasm around Nano particularly its speed and limited transaction costs. https://nano.org/en/ This brief conversation was recorded for both including as podcast content but also utilizing the meeting notes transcribing platform. https://www.otter.ai Here’s the transcription: Unknown Speaker 0:00 immunity is very active with on creating platforms kind of built on and around nano. Because so it’s completely distributed right now. And the way that in order to have adoption and defeat the purpose trying to get it from an exchange, where you have to pay fees, that defeats the purpose of having instant and Felix, they’re trying to just spread nano around through a bunch of small projects, like the one I mentioned, the Pokemon Go, like one gives out ridiculous amounts of the recent increase. And they haven’t added this yet, but what I suspect they’re going to do because they have a business variant of the app, is they’re going to act as like a medium and right now they’re just trying to spread it around and increase adoption. Unknown Speaker 0:57 Interesting. Yeah, that’s, that’s interesting. Okay, okay. Um, okay. So I get the, the growth and the adoption strategy and get it sort of distributed and utilized or, or in in production, you know, more production. It seems like Transcribed by https://otter.ai As you can tell, the quality of the speech-to-text was limited. Here are the brief points that were discussed. Why isn’t Nano listed on an Exchange? Platforms built around Nano – “Ecosystem” Fee-Less Pokomon Go “Faucet” for currency Increase adoption – Growth Strategy – Distributed The post Discussing Cryptocurrency Nano with a high school student. first appeared on Innovation + Insight.

Quick huddle covering the future of frontend development. Performance Touchpoints and Frontend -Loading and Delivering. Data – Metrics. AI/Machine Learning. Augmented Reality – Conversational and Voice Interfaces. Personalization. React/Vue/WebAssemby/HTML code frameworks.

Podcast from Longecity.

5 Powerful Herbs and Foods for Healing Your Digestive Tract By Truth | The Healers Journal – In the Ancient Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda, digestion is considered the foundation of health and for good reason.  Our digestive tract is where the foods we eat are broken down into useable nutrients by our bodies — if there is a disturbance, problem or deficiency there, we don’t get all the vitamins, minerals and amino acids from our food and we begin to develop nutrient deficiencies which lead to a variety of common health problems… in fact many doctors believe all health problems stem from some type of imbalance in the digestive system.   Why Digestion is so Important   Due to the fact that our soils have been devitalized from overly intensive farming practices in the last 50-60 years, the foods we eat nowadays are not as nutritionally dense as they once were, which already makes it a challenge to get all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need on a daily basis.  If you add dysfunctional digestion to the mix, which is alarmingly widespread, now we are not even absorbing a significant amount of the nutrients we are eating, which, as you can imagine, leads to serious problems overtime.   The Brain in Your Belly: How Your Digestive Tract Affects Your Mood   Did you know that more than 70% of the body’s serotonin is made in the gut, not in the brain? It’s a pretty amazing statistic and one that instantly drives home the fact that we need to seriously focus on our digestive health.  The fact is, our digestion affects much more than the nutrients we absorb from food, but also our mood.  Other powerful neurotransmitters such as dopamine, GABA, and nor-epinephrine are also produced in the gut as well.  For a complete understanding of how our digestion affects our mood, see the article here on the brain in your belly by Marc David.   How to Heal Your Digestive Tract: 6 Powerful Herbs and Foods   1) Ghee   Ghee is a form of clarified butter used in Ayruvedic cooking and healing. Ghee is a butter alternative for lactose-intolerant people. Ghee is useful in balancing and aiding digestion, increases assimilation, and enhances the nutritional value of foods. It increases vital energy, mental clarity, stamina, and longevity. Butyric acid, a fatty acid found in clarified butter, has been known to have anti-viral and anti-cancer properties In addition to ghee’s nutritional value, it is rich with antioxidants and acts as an aid in the absorption of vitamins and minerals from other foods, feeding all layers of body tissue and serving to strengthen the immune system. Ghee is most notably said to stimulate the secretion of stomach acids to help with digestion. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicinal practice to help with ulcers, constipation, and the promotion of healthy eyes and skin. Ghee is used in beauty creams to help soften skin, and as a topical for the treatment of burns and blisters.   Medicinal properties of ghee : 1. Heals the wounds in the mucus lining of the stomach and balances the acid level in the stomach 2. Protects body from degenerative diseases as it has antioxidants 3. Improves immunity 4. Improves mind power like better decision making, memory power, better learning capacity 5. Softens the skin and maintains the beauty of the face   source: RKG Ghee   2) Comfrey   Comfrey is one of the most soothing and healing herbs for the mucus membranes of the mouth and digestive tract. It can be used for any kind of irritation or inflammatory condition of these tissues including inflamed gums, sore throats, laryngitis, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, diverticulitis and diarrhea. For bowel inflammation, such as colitis, it is best to use comfrey once per day as an enema as well, because many of its healing constituents will be absorbed further up in the digestive tract and not make it to the colon.   The primary substances in Comfrey which are responsible for its digestive healing properties are Allantoin and mucilage.   The chief healing element in comfrey is allantoin, a cell proliferant which promotes the granulation and formation of epithelial cells.”  A more simplified explanation is that allantoin “has the property of multiplying healthy cells and not malignant ones.”  Comfrey contains from 0.6 to 0.8 per cent allantoin. Mucilage is also a very important chemical constituent in comfrey, and is found in even more abundance than in marshmallow root.  “Mucilage is a slimy, moist polysaccharide…that moistens tissues.  It is especially useful for mild burns and sunburns.”   “The fluid between your body cells is a muco-polysaccharide hydrogel.  The polysaccharides help strengthen this hydrogel after damage.  It is typically described as an emollient when it is used externally on irritated skin, and as a demulcent when used internally, as for soothing a sore throat.”  The mucilage in the comfrey plant occurs mainly in the root.   3) Slippery Elm Bark   Slippery Elm is an herb native to North America and is derived from the inner bark of the elm tree.    It has long been used by Traditional Cultures in the New World for a variety of ailments, but its use as a digestive aid is probably the most popular.   Slippery Elm is very soothing to the entire digestive tract as it forms a soothing film over any mucous membrane it comes into contact with.    Not that this matters much (to me at least), but the FDA has even approved Slippery Elm as a safe, demulcent substance, which means that it relieves minor pain and inflammation in mucous membranes such as what lines the digestive system.   Slippery elm bark may ease gastrointestinal symptoms of conditions such as Crohn’s disease. Slippery elm’s soothing mucilage effect is also used for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Mucilage is a complex mixture of polysaccharides that form a soothing gelatinous fiber when water is added. The viscous fiber has several beneficial effects on digestion:   (1) it reduces the amount of time digestives remain in the bowel; (2) it absorbs toxins from the bowel; (3) it increases the bulk of stools and dilutes stool materials thereby reducing stool contact with the intestinal mucosa; and (4) it enhances helpful bacteria processes in the intestines. The mucilage resists hydrolysis and digestion by stomachs acids and enzymes, meaning that it maintains it’s soothing action throughout the entire digestive system. The discomforts of heartburn or an ulcer may respond to slippery elm bark.   Slippery elm bark contains, as its primary ingredient, the mucilage, but also contains gallic acid, phenols, starches, sugars, the vitamins A, B complex, C, K, and P. It contains large amounts of calcium, magnesium, and sodium, as well as smaller amounts of chromium, selenium, iron, phosphorous, silicon and zinc.   4) Aloe Vera   Aloe Vera has natural healing and detoxifying powers and works gently within the intestinal tract to help break down impacted food residues and thoroughly cleanse the bowel. It can help ease constipation and prevent continuing diarrhoea, setting a regularity to the bowel. All this helps to reduce discomfort and bloating. Naturally, as these symptoms are eased, so the stress associated with the discomfort is also reduced. The juice is said to be one of the finest body cleansers, cleaning morbid matter from the stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, bladder, and is considered the finest, known colon cleanser. Studies have shown that it is healing and soothing in the relief of indigestion, stomach distress and ulcers. People claim relief from arthritis, bladder and kidney infections; leg cramps, constipation, hemorrhoids, insomnia, and for vaginitis, it is said to be an excellent vaginal douche. An excellent internal tonic for energy and well being Aloe juice may add greatly to the strength of the food fed, digestive tract, skin, and overall good health and happiness.   It is also used to ease heartburn, ulcers, diverticular disorders, and other types of digestive upset. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and may be taken internally as a remedy for certain digestive complaints. European folk medicine calls for using the juice to relieve heartburn and ulcers. Preliminary research has shown promising results. Clinical trials in Japan indicate that certain compounds in the herb reduce the secretion of stomach juices and the formation of lesions.   5) Cabbage   Cabbage has long been used as a folk remedy for ulcers as well as generally restoring the lining of the stomach and intestines. A traditional naturopathic remedy for stomach flu and ulcers is to chop up cabbage, cover it with water in the blender, blend it and let it sit for a couple of days before drinking. This may not sound like the yummiest of concoctions, but it works well enough to look into why it is effective.   The first reason cabbage is so useful for healing the digestion is its high glutamine content. Glutamine is an amino acid; our body makes glutamine but it becomes an essential amino acid during times of illness or high stress. While most of our body, such as our brain and muscles, use glucose, a sugar, the lining of our digestive tract prefers glutamine as an energy source. So when you eat cabbage, you are giving your stomach and intestines the food it prefers to replace and heal itself. Studies utilizing extracts of cabbage have found them to be protective against and healing to ulcers; it is hypothesized that glutamine is at least part of the reason for this. Glutamine content tends to be higher in raw cabbage, though, so the cabbage juice described above would be preferable to cooked cabbage.   The other medicinal element to our blended cabbage has to do with letting it sit for a couple days before eating. Fermented cabbage tends to develop strains of acidophilus and other bacteria that have been shown to function as probiotics; this means they promote the healthy growth of all the bacteria necessary for healthy functioning of the large intestine. Studies on kimchi, a traditional fermented cabbage product from Asia, have been shown not only to function as a probiotic, but also to inhibit the growth of h. pylori, the bacteria that has been associated with stomach ulcers.   - See more at: http://www.thehealersjournal.com/2013/06/24/5-powerful-herbs-and-foods-for-healing-your-digestive-tract/#sthash.29Mpyo2W.d Other notes of important info: probiotics are critical. 80% of immune system is located in teh digestive system.   Honey & other raw foods:   Brain: I have been reading more about food and the brain lately. I just read a review article by Kannappan and colleagues (Molecular Neurobiology 2011) from the University of Texas called “Neuroprotection by Spice-derived Nutraceuticals: You are What You Eat”. The term ‘nutraceutical’ is a coined term from the words ‘nutrition’ and ‘pharmaceutical’. There is some debate as to what a nutraceutical is, but Health Canada defines it as “a product isolated or purified from foods that is generally sold in medicinal forms not usually associated with food. A nutraceutical is demonstrated to have a physiological benefit or provide protection against chronic disease.”   Kannappan and group describe research supporting the concept that compounds derived from spices, particularly Asian spices (turmeric, ginger, clove, ginseng, cinnamon etc), are involved in moderating inflammatory molecules in the body’s circulation and providing protection to the brain . They discuss the finding that many chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s are not as prevalent in Asian countries where the population commonly uses these spices. Although we know that neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis etc) likely have multiple causes, the idea is interesting. Most of the studies cited are in animal models of these diseases with a focus on the spice turmeric (curcumin). There are very few studies that examine the effects of spice-derived nutraceuticals in humans so I am cautious in recommending spice-derived nutraceuticals as treatment for disease. However, the authors present many studies that show that curcumin is neuroprotective (see note below) by suppressing oxidative damage to cells, preventing development of brain plaques associated with dementia, blocking damaging inflammatory processes and reducing cell death.   Note: Neuroprotection is a concept in neuroscience research in which it is thought that some factor or factors like drug compounds, health and lifestyle behaviours or genetics can somehow protect neurons in the brain and spinal cord from damage caused by diseases, injury or toxins. Neuroprotection is likely provided in two ways:   The drug or intervention is an antioxidant that reduces cellular oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a natural response of cells in which the demands on cell metabolism outweigh the cell’s ability to function and rid itself of waste resulting in excessive production of free radicals and cell injury or death. Antioxidants work to block the effects of these free radicals. The drug or intervention is an anti-inflammatory that interferes with the body’s production of inflammatory products that are toxic to cells.   What About Vitamins and Supplements?   There are many books and articles in magazines and on the Internet with tips and ideas for a healthy diet. It is highly recommended that fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, meats and grains are superior to processed foods and build the immune system. In addition, the following list of suggested supplements may help complement and enhance your nutritional intake.   Multivitamins can supply the basic vitamins and supplements that your diet may be lacking. Omega-3 fatty acids counteract free radicals that cause oxidative damage to brain cells and may help improve nerve signal transmission at synapses. Probiotics is a beneficial bacteria that helps maintain a healthy intestine and aides in digestion. Antioxidants which include vitamins C, E, and beta carotene counteract oxidative damage caused by certain foods, and the stress caused by brain injury. Brain Vitale is a product that combines two beneficial brain nutrients which help repair neurons—phosphatidyl serine and acetyl carnitine. Coenzyme Q10 is a natural antioxidant that is necessary for the basic functioning of cells. Phosphatidyl serine (PS) aids in the proper release and reception of neurotransmitters in the brain and helps with memory. Acetyl L-carnitine plays a key role in fatty acid oxidation and is used to improve memory. B vitamins boost metabolism and effect brain and nervous system functioning. GPC — glycerophosphocholine helps to sharpen alertness, reasoning, information processing, and other types of mental performance. Consult a nutritionist or health care provider for an individualized program of supplementation. By eating well, you are developing a good foundation for recovery of your body and brain.   Foods to Avoid   Try to avoid the following foods:   Alcohol Caffeine Salty foods Excessive sweets and candy Warning:   You may find that if you drink alcohol following your injury, it may have a stronger effect than before because your tolerance level has changed. Alcohol may interact with prescription medications. Some people may turn to alcohol or other addictive substances to medicate themselves for physical or emotional pain. “It has been said that there should be no bottom line here. The use of these drugs in an already disrupted physiological system will further induce neurological and cognitive decline. They should be avoided by survivors of TBI.1   berries: cherries apples curry eggs sardines oysters cocoa suplements:

Importance of Creating a life practice. Yoga: What tpe of practice do you want and is it appropriate? When do you practice and how often do you practice? What is your goal of your practice? What is the mental effect? What do you learn from your practice?   In life: Religion is king Intention and focus Can life move through you Can the changes affect you less Life as a practice?

Mantras: (originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation. Mantras (Devan?gar? ??????) originated in the Vedic tradition of India, becoming an essential part of the Sikh and Hindu tradition and a customary practice within Buddh and Jainism. In the context of the Vedas, the term mantra refers to the entire portion which contains the texts called Rig, Yajur or Sama, that is, the metrical part as opposed to the prose Brahmana commentary. With the transition from ritualistic Vedic traditions to mystical and egalitarian Hindu schools of Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra and Bhakti, the orthodox attitude of the elite nature of mantra knowledge gave way to spiritual interpretations of mantras as a translation of the human will or desire into a form of action. For the authors of the Hindu scriptures of the Upanishads, the syllable Om, itself constituting a mantra, represents Brahman, the godhead, as well as the whole of creation. K?kai suggests that all sounds are the voice of the Dharmakaya Buddha — i.e. as in Hindu Upanishadic and Yogic thought, these sounds are manifestations of ultimate reality, in the sense of sound symbolism postulating that the vocal sounds of the mantra have inherent meaning independent of the understanding of the person uttering them. Nevertheless, such understanding of what a mantra may symbolize or how it may function differs throughout the various traditions and also depends on the context in which it is written or sounded. In some instances there are multiple layers of symbolism associated with each sound, many of which are specific to particular schools of thought. For an example of such see the syllable: Om which is central to both Hindu and Buddhist traditions. While Hindu tantra eventually came to see the letters as well as the sounds as representatives of the divine, the shift toward writing occurred when Buddhism traveled to China. Although China lacked a unifying, ecclesiastic language like Sanskrit, China achieved its cultural unity through a written language with characters that were flexible in pronunciation but more precise in meaning. The Chinese prized written language much more highly than did the Indian Buddhist missionaries, and the writing of mantras became a spiritual practice in its own right. So that whereas Brahmins had been very strict on correct pronunciation, the Chinese, and indeed other Far-Eastern Buddhists were less concerned with this than correctly writing something down. The practice of writing mantras, and copying texts as a spiritual practice, became very refined in Japan, and the writing in the Siddham script in which the Sanskrit of many Buddhist Sutras were written is only really seen in Japan nowadays. However, written mantra-repetition (likhita japa) in Hindu practices, with Sanskrit in any number of scripts, is well-known to many sects in India as well. Khanna (2003: p. 21) links mantras and yantras to thoughtforms: Mantras, the Sanskrit syllables inscribed on yantras, are essentially ‘thought forms’ representing divinities or cosmic powers, which exert their influence by means of sound-vibrations.   In yogic Tradition: Powerful tool: definite, tangible, subtle spiritual, meditative: Who gives you your mantra?   Do you know your mantras meaning?   Choosing object or meditation:   Sanskrit vs language   How is it used?   Are there rules for mantra?  

The Ins & Outs of Sleep: Basic function: Sleep is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles.[1] It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli, and is more easily reversible than being in hibernation or a coma. Sleep is a heightened anabolic state, accentuating the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. It is observed in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, and in some form also in insects and even simpler animals such as nematodes.   Physiology: In mammals and birds, sleep is divided into two broad types: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid eye movement (NREM or non-REM) sleep. Each type has a distinct set of associated physiological and neurological features. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) further divides NREM into three stages: N1, N2, and N3, the last of which is also called delta sleep or slow-wave sleep.   Sleep proceeds in cycles of REM and NREM, usually four or five of them per night, the order normally being N1 ? N2 ? N3 ? N2 ? REM. There is a greater amount of deep sleep (stage N3) earlier in the night, while the proportion of REM sleep increases in the two cycles just before natural awakening.   Timing & the circadian clock: Sleep timing is controlled by the circadian clock, sleep-wake homeostasis, and in humans, within certain bounds, willed behavior. The circadian clock—an inner timekeeping, temperature-fluctuating, enzyme-controlling device—works in tandem with adenosine, a neurotransmitter that inhibits many of the bodily processes associated with wakefulness. Adenosine is created over the course of the day; high levels of adenosine lead to sleepiness.[19] In diurnal animals, sleepiness occurs as the circadian element causes the release of the hormone melatonin and a gradual decrease in core body temperature. The timing is affected by one’s chronotype. It is the circadian rhythm that determines the ideal timing of a correctly structured and restorative sleep episode.[20] Homeostatic sleep propensity (the need for sleep as a function of the amount of time elapsed since the last adequate sleep episode) must be balanced against the circadian element for satisfactory sleep.[21] Along with corresponding messages from the circadian clock, this tells the body it needs to sleep.[22] Sleep offset (awakening) is primarily determined by circadian rhythm. A person who regularly awakens at an early hour will generally not be able to sleep much later than his or her normal waking time, even if moderately sleep-deprived.   Amount of sleep: The optimal amount of sleep is not a meaningful concept unless the timing of that sleep is seen in relation to an individual’s circadian rhythms. A person’s major sleep episode is relatively inefficient and inadequate when it occurs at the “wrong” time of day; one should be asleep at least six hours before the lowest body temperature.[25] The timing is correct when the following two circadian markers occur after the middle of the sleep episode and before awakening:[26] maximum concentration of the hormone melatonin, and minimum core body temperature. Human sleep needs can vary by age and among individuals, and sleep is considered to be adequate when there is no daytime sleepiness or dysfunction.   Conflicting studies with regards to appropriate amount and time: many diseases are linked to sleep disfunction. Furthermore, sleep difficulties are closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder.[35] Up to 90% of adults with depression are found to have sleep difficulties. Dysregulation found on EEG includes disturbances in sleep continuity, decreased delta sleep and altered REM patterns with regard to latency, distribution across the night and density of eye movements.   Functions: If sleep were not essential, one would expect to find: Animal species that do not sleep at all Animals that do not need recovery sleep after staying awake longer than usual Animals that suffer no serious consequences as a result of lack of sleep Outside of a few basal animals that have no brain or a very simple one, no animals have been found to date that satisfy any of these criteria.   Wound healing has been shown to be affected by sleep. A study conducted by Gumustekin et al.[50] in 2004 shows sleep deprivation hindering the healing of burns on rats. It has been shown that sleep deprivation affects the immune system. In a study by Zager et al. in 2007,[51] rats were deprived of sleep for 24 hours. When compared with a control group, the sleep-deprived rats’ blood tests indicated a 20% decrease in white blood cell count, a significant change in the immune system. It is now possible to state that “sleep loss impairs immune function and immune challenge alters sleep,” and it has been suggested that mammalian species which invest in longer sleep times are investing in the immune system, as species with the longer sleep times have higher white blood cell counts.[52] Sleep has also been theorized to effectively combat the accumulation of free radicals in the brain, by increasing the efficiency of endogeneous antioxidant mechanisms.   There are multiple arguments supporting the restorative function of sleep. The metabolic phase during sleep is anabolic; anabolic hormones such as growth hormones (as mentioned above) are secreted preferentially during sleep. The duration of sleep among species is, broadly speaking, inversely related to animal size[citation needed] and directly related to basal metabolic rate. Rats, which have a high basal metabolic rate, sleep for up to 14 hours a day, whereas elephants and giraffes, which have lower BMRs, sleep only 3–4 hours per day.   Ontogenesis: REM sleep appears to be important for development of the brain. REM sleep occupies the majority of time of sleep of infants, who spend most of their time sleeping. Among different species, the more immature the baby is born, the more time it spends in REM sleep. Proponents also suggest that REM-induced muscle inhibition in the presence of brain activation exists to allow for brain development by activating the synapses, yet without any motor consequences that may get the infant in trouble. Additionally, REM deprivation results in developmental abnormalities later in life.   Memory Processing: Scientists have shown numerous ways in which sleep is related to memory. In a study conducted by Turner, Drummond, Salamat, and Brown (2007),[59] working memory was shown to be affected by sleep deprivation. Working memory is important because it keeps information active for further processing and supports higher-level cognitive functions such as decision making, reasoning, and episodic memory. The study allowed 18 women and 22 men to sleep only 26 minutes per night over a four-day period.   Dreaming: Dreaming is the perceived experience of sensory images and sounds during sleep, in a sequence which the dreamer usually perceives more as an apparent participant than as an observer. Dreaming is stimulated by the pons and mostly occurs during the REM phase of sleep.   Insomnia is a general term describing difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Insomnia can have many different causes, including psychological stress, a poor sleep environment, an inconsistent sleep schedule, or excessive mental or physical stimulation in the hours before bedtime. Insomnia is often treated through behavioral changes like keeping a regular sleep schedule, avoiding stimulating or stressful activities before bedtime, and cutting down on stimulants such as caffeine. Patients are often counseled to improve their sleep environment by installing heavy drapes to shut out all sunlight, and keeping computers, televisions and work materials out of the sleeping area.   Yoga Nidra: Yoga nidra or “yogi sleep” is a sleep-like state which yogis report to experience during their meditations. Yoga Nidra, lucid sleeping is among the deepest possible states of relaxation while still maintaining full consciousness. Lucid dreaming is the western term used to denote a practice similar to Yoga nidra. The distinguishing difference is the degree to which one remains cognizant of the actual physical environment as opposed to a dream environment. In lucid dreaming, we are only (or mainly) cognizant of the dream environment, and have little or no awareness of our actual environment.[1] The practice of yoga relaxation[clarification needed] has been found to reduce tension and anxiety. The autonomic symptoms of high anxiety such as headache, giddiness, chest pain, palpitations, sweating, abdominal pain respond well. It has been used to help soldiers from war cope with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[2] Yoga nidra refers to the conscious awareness of the deep sleep state, referred to as “prajna” in Mandukya Upanishad.[3] Experimental evidence of the existence of a fourth state of unified, transcendental consciousness, which lies in the yoga nidra state at the transition between sensory and sleep consciousness, was first recorded at the Menninger Foundation in Kansas, USA in 1971.[6] Under the direction of Dr. Elmer Green, researchers used an electroencephalograph to record the brainwave activity of an Indian yogi, Swami Rama, while he progressively relaxed his entire physical, mental and emotional structure through the practice of yoga nidra. What they recorded was a revelation to the scientific community. The swami demonstrated the capacity to enter the various states of consciousness at will, as evidenced by remarkable changes in the electrical activity of his brain. Upon relaxing himself in the laboratory, he first entered the yoga nidra state, producing 70% alpha wave discharge for a predetermined 5 minute period, simply by imagining an empty blue sky with occasional drifting clouds. Next, Swami Rama entered a state of dreaming sleep which was accompanied by slower theta waves for 75% of the subsequent 5 minute test period. This state, which he later described as being ‘noisy and unpleasant’, was attained by ‘stilling the conscious mind and bringing forth the subconscious’. In this state he had the internal experience of desires, ambitions, memories and past images in archetypal form rising sequentially from the subconscious and unconscious with a rush, each archetype occupying his whole awareness. Finally, the swami entered the state of (usually unconscious) deep sleep, as verified by the emergence of the characteristic pattern of slow rhythm delta waves. However, he remained perfectly aware throughout the entire experimental period. He later recalled the various events which had occurred in the laboratory during the experiment, including all the questions that one of the scientists had asked him during the period of deep delta wave sleep, while his body lay snoring quietly. Such remarkable mastery over the fluctuating patterns of consciousness had not previously been demonstrated under strict laboratory conditions. The capacity to remain consciously aware while producing delta waves and experiencing deep sleep is one of the indications of the third state (prajna) out of the total of four states of consciousness described in the Mandukya Upanishad. This is the ultimate state of yoga nidra in which there are no dreams, but only the deep sleep state with retained consciousness/awareness. The result is a single, semi-enlightened state of consciousness and a perfectly integrated and relaxed personality. Guna Cycle and appropriate living with ayurveda: When to sleep and how it works: 6-10am kapha 10-2 amPitta 2-6 pm vata 6-10 pm Kapha 10-2 pm pitta 2-6am vatta   Just as the seasons have attributes of the doshas, so do the hours of the day. At sunrise, or about 6:00 A.M., the day’s cycle begins with Kapha. To take advantage of the Kapha cycle, it is best to awaken between 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 A.M. On awakening, you feel slow, relaxed, calm: all Kapha attributes. Kapha lasts until about 10:00 A.M. Even young children can reap the benefits of the Kapha hours by arising at sunrise. From 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M., it is Pitta time. You are at your most active and efficient during these hours. At noon, or lunchtime, your appetite is at its peak. Eat lunch between noon and 1:00 P.M. to use Pitta to your advantage. Lunch also should be your largest meal of the day. Parents should pack nutritious snacks and lunches for children that include the foods best for their particular mind/body type. This is the best time for children to take tests in school; and it is their most productive learning time. From 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. is Vata time, when you are most alert and creative. A light dinner should be eaten before 6:00 P.M. if possible to take advantage of this energy. The cycle repeats again in the evening hours. From 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. is Kapha time. Sunset brings the body rest and a slower pace. It is best to get to bed by 10:00 P.M. to take advantage of the natural Kapha rhythm of this time. For best digestion, eat dinner at least three hours before bedtime. Younger children who need more sleep should go to bed earlier so that they will still arise at sunrise. Pitta time is 10:00 P.M. to 2:00 A.M., when Pitta keeps the body warm; the body also uses the Pitta heat to digest food and rebuild body tissues. Vata time occurs again at 2:00 A.M. to 6:00 A.M. Vata creativity is expressed as active dreams. At this time, brain impulses are at their most active for the night.

Dealing With Grief and with Loss:   Tribute to 9/11 Show Notes can be found: http://benmorristech.com/featured/podcast-9-grief-and-loss-show-notes/ Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions. While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement refers to the state of loss, and grief is the reaction to loss. Grief is a loss being related to something that the individual can touch or measure, such as losing a spouse through death, while other types of loss are abstract, and relate to aspects of a person’s social interactions   Grieving Process Every step of the process is natural and healthy. It is only when a person gets stuck in one step for a long period of time that the grieving can become unhealthy, destructive and even dangerous. Going through the grieving process is not the same for everyone, but everyone does have a common goal; acceptance of the loss and to keep moving forward.[2] This process is different for every person but can be understood in four or more stages, depending upon the theory that is being used. In the four step model there are: Shock and Denial Shock is the initial reaction to loss. Shock is the person’s emotional protection from being too suddenly overwhelmed by the loss. The person may not yet be willing or able to believe what their mind knows to be true. This stage normally lasts two or three months. Intense Concern Intense concern often manifests by being unable to think of anything else. Even during daily tasks, thoughts of the loss keep coming to mind. Conversations with one at this stage always turn to the loss as well. This period may last from six months to a year. Despair and Depression Despair and depression is a long period of grief, the most painful and protracted stage for the griever (during which the person gradually comes to terms with the reality of the loss). The process typically involves a wide range of feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. Many behaviors may be irrational. Depression can include feelings of anger, guilt, sadness and anxiety. Recovery The goal of grieving is not the elimination of all the pain or the memories of the loss. In this stage, one shows a new interest in daily activities and begins to function normally day to day. The goal is to reorganize one’s life, so the loss is an important part of life rather than its center.   This is the western perspective: obviously this involves a great deal of pain. There is not lots of information on what happens to the the relationship and the social interactions.     Yogic perspective: Yoga is non-dualistic: it is silent to whether there is a God and whether there is a common source. If there is such a thing as a spirit, everyone’s is unique and there are no direct answers as to whether they unite. Different than most religions   Purusa: Eternal, all Knowing and divine; it is unaffected by time, it always has your best interest and is does know fear and it is totally unique on to itself.   Prakriti: all things that fluctuate and are not purusa: this includes your preferences and even your personality.   The goal of yoga is to get closer and closer to purusa. To truly live from purusa and use prakriti for Purusa’s purposes. This is what we describe as enlightenment. Important to know that purusa cannot exist without prakriti. Once we are living truly from Purusa you no longer need the human body.   So what does loss really mean: if we are eternal, all knowing and divine do we ever really die? What do you really have a connection with (What is the full meaning of namaste: the divine light in me recognizes the divine light in you; I see your truth without attachment and without projection only the deepest truth.   If that is true, then the physical really isn’t real and the relationship that we have is infinitely deeper than a superficial relationship. But you must believe  

Upcoming Events  Sept. 22 – 200 Teacher training 1pm – 7pm jorgeluna.com   jorge@jorgeluna.com   Oct. – Yoga Retreat All organic cooking 2 yoga practice Last week we talked about the physical.   Gaining Weight Depression/Anxiety Elevate mood swings Elimination is unbalanced   Disease pulls you out of homeostasis   Example: eating sugar .  pulling you out homestasis   psychological and emotional -unterwoven   stress- pulls us out homestasis.  More awake. More focused the more you put on their plate.   prolonged imbalance new level of homeostasis New Normal – if sick busy all the time – diiring consequences.  short bursts of stress and andreline. Every human body is different. West = working stressed and working harder . Not very good. Becoming intuitive . Being focused. Long lasting impact. Systems. Exhausted. Chronic Fatigue   Grounded Center for a person —Outward substances. Naturally occura Different levels of alignment Without the substance can you survive ? Distraction – Instead of Introspection - Ayurveda – Out of balance – That’s what you are going to crave… The more out of balance you are the more you crave what pulls you out of balance.  More and more needed.   When balanced, centered you don’t want to deviation from the center.   Spritual center of homeostatis –believe that you are part of greater whole –No spirtual growth. —huge level of distractions (media, food, etc) – Melancholy.   Are you happy with who you are ?   Emotional issues kick in THEN physical   Tools: 1.  Check in with your breath — Breathing –Conscious breath and the mental state are connected. –Breath is longer and smoother =Health 2.  What’s your connection to a greater whole?   Your “Service” to universe component.  Fastest way to get us centered.   jorge@jorgeluna.com