Water has long been a sacred element, known for its healing, transformative and relaxing properties. From the ancient Romans who held baths to find relaxation, to Ayurveda Indian medicine that looks to water to balance and harmonize the body, water is a common denominator among traditional healing practices.

To this date, water continues to be a source of clarity, peacefulness, and unity. Everyone can relate to the all­ encompassing calmness and self ­reflection that occurs near or around the water.

As human beings, whether we’re conscious of it or not, it is an innate desire to seek out these moments.

Often times, the mental and physical benefits of being near the water are overlooked. However, it is consistently proven that the benefits you reap by being around the water are not only impressive, they’re real.

Countless research studies have proven the positive correlation between health and coastal living, verifying that there is scientific validity to water’s importance age ­old traditions and customs.

Water Encourages a Meditative State

While we may not be conscious of it, water induces a mildly meditative state of calmness, mindfulness, and awareness. By simply sitting near the water or gazing off into the ocean meeting the horizon, our brains enter a state of fascination, taking in external sensory inputs but not distracted or overwhelmed by them. Continue reading →

You may have not realized that simple everyday objects you see and use everyday can have specific symbolic meanings. Something as ordinary as a knife sitting in a loaf of bread to the fluttering of a blue curtain can hold incredible meaning and significance.

Generations ago, in a society run by a limited number of literate individuals, symbolic imagery was vital in enlightening the masses. Byzantine, Gothic and Early Renaissance paintings are rich in philosophical and Christian symbolism regarding common household objects.

Take a look at the 22 examples below, then take a look around your own home. Which ones pop out to you? Do you see their meaning now?

Religion:

1. A knife in a loaf of bread: Represents holy communion.

2. A club: Symbolizes death. Saint Jude, one of the apostles, was beaten to death with a club.

3. A glowing candle: A symbolic reminder of Christ’s Passion.

4. Glass prayer beads: Symbolic representation of the all­seeing wisdom of God.

5. Coins on top of a Bible: Symbolizes the triumph of the material world over the devout and holy.

6. A red pillow: Symbolizes self­indulgence and corruption of the soul.

7. Nails: The Crucifixion of Christ Continue reading →

The cat world is one that humans have tried to understand for as long as the cat has been domesticated. Their behaviours are typically seen as hostile compared to that of the exuberant and outwardly affectionate dog. Dogs, we know, see humans as the best thing on planet Earth, but cats are a little more resistant to that notion.

To understand how cats see us, we first have to understand how cats think, and more importantly, how cats behave in social situations. Most people assume that cats are solitary animals simply because they seem more aloof, independent than dogs. But, cats are actually not solitary at all. They’re a pack animal.

John Bradshaw, the author of Cat Sense, believes the difficulty in studying social cat behavior is that the cat’s wild ancestor, the northernmost populations of the African Wildcat, basically don’t exist anymore. African Wildcats are so thoroughly interbred with domestic cats that Bradshaw says it’s likely impossible to find a purebred African Wildcat. Feral Colonies: This is when you turn to feral cat populations.

Feral cat colonies are comprised of cats who were born and exist without direct human intervention. By comparing feral cat behaviors to that of the domestic house cat, we can kind of get an idea of how cats perceive their owners.

Continue reading →

Cavities – we hate them! Who actually enjoys going to the dentist? Not many I can assure you.

What if there was an easier less painful way to treat this problem? Moreover, a way to heal cavities! Scientists in the UK may have the answer. Dentin is the hard bone-like tissue that makes up most of the tooth structure. A new material which can be inserted into the teeth is said to actually repair and regenerate this Dentin.

As fillings are inserted into cavities to block off any space where harmful bacteria may want to colonise, this new material is injected into the tooth and hardened with UV light. The major difference is, once inside of the pulp of the tooth, it encourages stem cells to proliferate and grow into Dentin, which basically means we are re-growing our teeth!

“We have designed synthetic biomaterials that can be used similarly to dental fillings but can be placed in direct contact with pulp tissue to stimulate the native stem cell population for repair and regeneration of pulp tissue and the surrounding dentin,” says lead researcher Adam Celiz, a therapeutic biomaterials researcher from the University of Nottingham. Continue reading →

Sugar is a highly addictive substance that can create an acid environment in your body that can lead to inflammation, illness, and chronic diseases. According to one study sugar is 8 times more addictive than cocaine because it stimulates our brain the same way drugs do.

This is why we often get those cravings that lead us to the nearest convenience store and we end up with ice cream, candy bars, or a sugary drink.

Resisting these foods, especially if we have been on them for a good portion of our lives is extremely difficult.

I have struggled with sugar addictions for years and I have learned some things that have helped me not only to control my sugar cravings but set up my life in a way that I almost never want sugar.

Think of your path as a series of baby steps and micro-commitments. If you are trying to go for a dramatic overnight transformation where you don’t self-sabotage after 4-6 days then you really need to look into working more closely with your subconscious and or change your environment completely.

Otherwise, you may not be able to maintain the change.

If you are not ready for an overnight cure but still want to change your life then set tiny goals that you can commit to for 30-60 days at a time until they become part of who you are. You would be surprised how often tiny changes completely transform your life over a year.

Now let’s dive into sugar.

1. Start your day with a glass of warm lemon water.

If you want to help your body change its craving patterns then you need to support it with the right nutrients to ease the transition. Starting your day off with a glass of lukewarm lemon water is a good place to start because it can help stimulate digestion, keep the kidneys healthy, aid in detoxing the body while also keeping the blood sugar levels from spiking.

I like to take half a lemon and squeeze it into a glass of water in the morning and sip it while I am waking up. Yes, it will be a bit tart but just visualize it cleansing your body from head to toe, because it is. Continue reading →

Whether you are the boss or an employee, there are so many ways to create a more planet friendly office space, and they don’t even require much effort or any major changed. We’ve compiled a list of six simple things you can do to help save the earth from your office chair.

Get Real Living Plants

So many offices have synthetic plants, and apart from zero maintenance they do nothing good.

Having real plants in your office will help purify the air all while giving off oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide.

According to The NASA clean air study, 15-18 decent sized plants per 1,800 square foot is a good ratio. Make sure you choose air cleaning and oxygen producing plants such as Aloe, Spider Plant or Snake Plant.

Stop Printing Things

There usually isn’t much real need for printing anymore. We store all data on computers now a days, we don’t even need to print things to sign them anymore, thanks to digital signatures. Continue reading →