How often do we think about death? Death can feel scary to think about. In popular culture, it is often associated with horror and pain. Death is a major symbol of the unknown; what happens after we pass away is a question that people throughout time and in different cultures have deeply engaged with.  It has led to some of the most fascinating stories and rituals known to humans.

One tradition that my family practices repeatedly is visiting the graves of my deceased grandfathers and relatives and praying for them. Each time I go, I am reminded of the fact that this life isn’t forever, and that the many things that may be causing me anxiety and stress in the moment, may not actually matter in the long run.  In my personal experience, death is a strange paradox, yet it is the one fact I know to be true; we all pass away, at least from the physical world.

I was quite young when a certain reality hit me; people can die at any time. They can pass away unexpectedly, like my friend’s 19-year-old brother did. We unfortunately still do not know exactly how he passed away.

Recently, I’ve been learning about what other people have been saying about death. There are some people who say they’ve come back even after seeing what heaven looks like. There are some that have had life-changing near-death experiences. There are some that have been present to the journeys of people preparing to move on from this world.

Today, I’ll be sharing some key lessons such people have chosen to share after their experiences. The honor of knowing these stories can inspire us to live more courageously, and shed comforting light on death as well.

Dr. Christopher Kerr and His Work at a Hospice

At a TEDx event, Dr. Christopher Kerr shares some of his experiences from working at a hospice. I’ve included the link below. Continue reading →

Chi is an ancient Chinese term, which can be translated as energy. Similar to energy the word Chi can be used in both abstract and tangible terms. The word can be applied to both general concepts and spiritual wonders. Basically, the idea of Chi is rather ambiguous. Everyone who channels it finds their own specific meanings and uses.

Chi:

In the most general idea of the word, chi is generally believed to be pervasive and present in everyone and everything, but not equally or consistently distributed.

Chi is able to move freely around the universe. It can take on many forms. There are a few different disciplines that work to channel Chi energy like; Kung, and Feng Shui.

In some models chi is believed to be present in the air. This means it is essentially synonymous with the air around you. Chi circulates around the body, as does oxygen and blood. This is why some people equate their chi to breath or blood.

Martial Arts:

The practice of martial arts uses physical postures which are known to affect circulation, and subsequently chi. The energy has been associated with good posture itself.

Definition of Chi:

Chi is not a specific form of matter like an element or a molecule nor is it a specific expression of energy like kinetic or thermal. These are actually all considered to be specific expressions of chi. Most people believe that Chi and matter are equal. Scientists have accepted this as a truth for centuries upon centuries. They don’t want to mess with the power of Chi.

What is Chi Kung? Continue reading →

 Commonly accepted notions of western medicine note a number of systems in the body that transport a substance from one area of the body to another.

Be this the transportation of oxygen through the body’s circulatory system, or the transportation of food through the digestive system, scientists have largely focussed on those systems that have an immediate physical presence.

However, some eastern cultures have been aware of a completely separate bodily system for over 8,000 years and have used it as their basis for understanding human biology, as well as to treat illnesses, oftentimes noticing these way before they manifest themselves in symptoms that western medicine would recognise. This system is known as the meridian system.

Only now is this ancient understanding of the body starting to gather medical research and recognition by modern scientists.

What Are Meridians?

Essentially, meridians are a network of channels through the body through which energy, or life force (known in traditional Chinese medicine as Qi) is transported. They can be thought of as an ‘energy highway’ bringing life to all of our essential organs and our extremities.

In the traditional Chinese approach, there are 12 paired meridians and two single mid-meridians. These are split into the Yin and the Yang, each balancing the other. While Yin meridians flow up the body, Yang meridians flow down and each of these is more active at certain times of the day. Their balance is essential, and practices such as yoga and meditation have long been held up as ways of restoring and maintaining that balance. Continue reading →

When you’re making your grocery list for the week, Spanish limes probably don’t feature. Well that should change ASAP! Spanish limes (or quenepa) are a South American fruit that can be eaten on its own, be made into jam or even into a beer. They are about the size of an olive, have a hard external skin, but once opened they are extremely soft with an almost jelly-like consistency. 

Within the fruit itself is a multitude of vitamins and minerals that benefit almost every system in your body from circulation to digestion. This article runs through ten health benefits this little fruit gives you and why you should add an additional item to your grocery list this week.

1. Aids digestion

With a high fiber content, the Spanish lime helps the digestive process. High-fiber foods increase the number of nutrients your body is able to absorb and regulates the rate of digestion to prevent constipation and diarrhea.

2. Improves your urinary system

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient for the body’s urinary system. Studies have shown that an increase in vitamin A reduces the risk of urinary infections by over two-thirds. Spanish limes are packed full of vitamin A and are recommended for anyone who suffers regularly with bladder infections.

Continue reading →

 If you haven’t already heard about Pokémon GO, that is totally Onix-ceptable! You must have been living under a rock…

As a kid, watching the Pokémon TV show, playing the video games, and collecting the cards, there was nothing I wanted more than to be able to explore the Pokémon World myself, collecting my very own army of the pocket monsters.

Little did I know that two decades later, my childhood fantasy would become real, with the release of the Pokémon GO app that has changed the game when it comes to technology’s place in the real world.

A New Kind of Game

Through the use of augmented reality (AR) the game has thrown these digital-world characters into the physical world, using the phone’s camera to show the digitally-overlain critters scampering through the undergrowth of your local parks, or across the rooftops of your neighbourhood.

Not only has it shown players a whole new world around them, throwing AR into the mass market, but there is growing evidence that this app is going above and beyond its role as a simple game.

Many have turned to social media and news outlets to declare that Pokémon GO has changed their lives – reducing depression, anxiety and impacting on a range of other mental health issues.

But how likely is it that this is the case? Is it really possible for a game to have such a positive impact on people’s lives? On face value it seems impossible, but there’s a lot more to the game than meets the eye.

The Internet Paradox

In 1998 a group of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, lead by Robert E. Kraut, conducted a study which found that increased internet use actually leads to decreases in the size of participants’ social circles, the amount of time they spent talking with family members in the house, and  increases in depression and loneliness. They termed this phenomenon the “Internet Paradox”.  Continue reading →

Edward Snowden may be one of the world’s most wanted men but that hasn’t stopped him from helping to design a phone case that can tell you if you’re being spied on.

After leaking thousands of classified documents by the US National Security Agency (NSA) back in 2013, Snowden has been seen by many as a true modern day freedom fighter. The leak of evidence that the NSA had been spying on millions of American citizens was lauded by journalists the world over for highlighting such a serious breach of personal freedom.

It may have forced him to live his life on the run but it also re-opened the debate about the difference between doing what is right and doing what is legal. It is therefore unsurprising that a device designed by the man at the heart of such an important debate has been met with such excitement  by those in both the technology sector and journalists.  Continue reading →