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Category: Culture

  • Return Gifts Culture in Weddings

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    Getting married is an important part of anyone’s life and there is no better way of appreciating friends and family with the best return gifts. Return gifts is a tradition that has been around for many years now for purposes of thanking those who attended your special day and ensure that they were indeed satisfied.

    Gifting itself is a tradition in many cultures. These are offered during baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. They express deep appreciation and gratitude. Today, it is very common to see return gifts after the celebrations. It does not matter what the occasion is. This kind of present is always appreciated and helps people to remain connected. The fact that they have to be purchased in large numbers, it is hard to settle for the most appropriate one for the list. They can be personalized items, utility items, gift cards, décor items, and so on.

    Why give this kind of present

    When you give presents, it will show guests that you appreciated their presence and the fact that they celebrated with you. The guests also feel honored and appreciated. As such, they feel that they were a part of the special moment. This makes them feel your happiness and gratitude towards them.

    There are cultures where the present is an ideal way of the wife or husband to share happiness and good luck after the wedding.

    Things to consider when selecting the best

    When you are making a present choice, it is important to be practical. This should be something that people can be able to see and care for from time to time. This is the way to remind them that they were indeed a part of your day. Great choices include bottle openers and saplings.

    You may also pick a thing that will have meaning to the guest. The fact that they attended your day means that they do have a connection with you and therefore you may know each other on some levels.

    You may consider where you are based. When you are in a certain geographical setting, you may choose a present that has some significance culturally. There are some places where a lucky elephant or a gold idol is a great choice. Other cities appreciate candles and small pictures.

    If you are not sure about the present, then you may choose something that is edible like baskets of chocolate or dried fruits.

    Go for the products that are eco-friendly. This allows your appreciation to be seen and create a greater environmental consciousness.

    Handmade products are an amazing choice too. You can go for paintings, carvings, or hangings. These can be a bit on the expensive side and are only a choice when the budget can allow it. It can be a great choice if you had a small guest list.

    It is very important to explore the market, as there are many options that are available. There are many choices that you can end up with regardless of your own personality or that of the guest list. Your budget will also determine what you should go for. This is an amazing way to appreciate your guests.

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    Source by Shalini Madhav

    Views: 0

  • Unravelling the Phad

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    As the sun makes its sojourn downward, the delicately folded Phad is unraveled. A Phad is a 15-20 foot horizontal piece of cloth on which an entire folk tale is depicted. The stories commemorate deeds of local heroes. Usually the stories revolve around 2 main folk heroes – Pabuji and Devnarayan-ji.

    Devnarayan-ji was a 10th century A.D hero and was known to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. His story is said to be very similar to that of Krishna’s. Pabuji, on the other hand, was a 14th century A.D hero. He was a local Rajasthani who abandoned his wife at the marriage pyre to keep up his promise of helping a woman from the Charan community save her cows. During his attempt to save the last calf, he died in the battle. According to the folk tale, Pabuji is said to have ridden his horse for close to 10km after his head was slain. A temple was erected where his body finally fell dead. Both the men are titled as ‘Cattle Heroes’ who vehemently fought for the cows of their community and ended up giving up their lives in the attempt. Cattle heroes are collectively called Bhomiyo. Only some Bhomiyo become famous and achieve divine status.

    Today, renowned Phad painting artists like Prakash Joshi, are expanding and exploring the art form further by creating Phad paintings that narrate tales of Durga, Sati, Ramayana, Mahaveer, Buddha and even the Krishna-Leela series.

    Till date the origin of the Phad remains a mystery. This is because once a Phad becomes old and worn out it is destroyed by ceremoniously submerging it into the sacred lake of Pushkar. This is ritual is known as Thandi Karna. Hence the earliest specimens of Phad paintings remain unavailable to us. The oldest Phad painting available today belong to the late 19th century.

    A Phad is ideally only painted during the monsoon season. This is done with the belief that the folk lords are asleep during this time. Traditionally it is painted only by people of a special cast – Chippa, also called Joshi. Ideally only vegetable colors are used as paint for the Phad. This is because the natural colors remain fresh for a long duration. However, today the scarcities of these natural dyes compel Phad artists to use artificial or synthetic colors. While painting a Phad, only one color can be used at one time. Only once the complete usage of this color is done can the next color begin to be applied.

    The initiation of a Phad painting is marked by a ceremony dedicated to Goddess Saraswati. Once a rough draft of the folk tale is drawn and perfected on the khadi cloth, all the figures are given a base color of yellow. This is called kachcha. Finally, the youngest virgin girl of the artist’s family is summoned. She makes the very first stroke on the Phad. This ritual is followed by a distribution of sweets.

    Every available inch of the khadi cloth is covered with figures. Although the characters are harmoniously painted across the cloth, the significance given to each character depends on the social status and the role that the character plays in the story. Another intriguing feature of a Phad is that, the characters never face the audience. All character represented on the cloth face each other.

    A Phad painter does not paint the eyes of the main figure until he hands it over to the Bhopa. The Bhopa is the performer-priest who uses the Phad to perform the tale depicted on it. At the time of handing over of the Phad to the Bhopa, the painter draws the eyes of the main character and adds the name of the Bhopa to the Phad.

    Traditionally, the art of painting a Phad was never taught to girls. The painters feared that the skill would stray out of their family when women who were taught the art were sent after marriage into other families. The men would pick up the skill as they would be handed paint and cloth while they were young to experiment and learn with. Most young boys would spend a lot of time around their fathers and thus automatically be gifted with a flair for the art.

    Once the Phad is handed over to the Bhopa, the exquisitely painted Phad is brought alive with music, dance and narration. The Bhopas belong to the Bhopa caste and are the men who perform the tale depicted on the Phad. The Bhopa usually adorns a red baga (Skirt), Safa (Turban), a red bagatari (A long Shirt) and ties Ghunghroo(anklets with bells) to his ankles. He uses traditional instruments like the ravanhatta or jantar to sing the folk songs. He is assisted by his wife, the Bhopi, who holds an oil lamp and illuminates different parts of the Phad as the Bhopa sings and dances. Using the intricately designed Phad the Bhopa, the performer priest begins the Phad Bachna – ‘Narration of the legend’. The Bhopa usually begins the narration by singing the lura, which refers to hymns of the folk hero. The performance begins once the sun sets and continues till sunrise. It takes up to 4-7 nights of performances to complete the narration of a single tale. Traditionally the Bhopa and Bhopi used to travel from one village to another, pitching their Phad at a central location in the village and performing it for locals.

    Unfortunately, today India is left with only about 13 traditional Phad painting artists. People do not understand the value or the intricate work that goes into making a Phad. Prakash Joshi is currently the best known Phad artist in the world. He hails from one of the only surviving families of Phad artists – the Joshi clan. In 2009, he received the National Award (President Award) for his contribution to the dying art form. Prakash Joshi dedicates his time to teaching this traditional art form at Joshi Kala Mandir in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. He travels to 5-6 cities in a year to conduct exhibitions and workshops. Most Phad artists today earn income from exhibitions, workshops and classes. Artists like Prakash Joshi are heartbroken at the current social value of Phad paintings. He believes that the government must put more effort in the form of funding and sponsorship to Phad artists. Phad artists are often called by the government to conduct 3-4month workshops in teaching the art. However, these artists are bound for this time period by a contract that restricts them to take up any other external work in terms of workshops or exhibitions. Prakash Joshi claims that this arrangement is not financially viable for Phad artists as most of their income and networking happen during exhibitions and workshops.

    Also, the market today does not give sufficient exposure to the Phad art form. For most consumers the cloth becomes a mere add-on accessory to the interiors of a room. “Majority of my customers today select a Phad based on whether it matches their wall colors or not. I teach my students this sacred tradition in a hope to revive the art in its true sense”, claims Prakash Joshi.

    It is a pity to note that such a rich cultural legacy is vanishing at such a rapid rate. The creation and presentation of the Phad is more than just an entertaining activity. The entire procedure from the first stroke on the cloth to the last step of the Bhopa is done undertaken with a spiritual dedication. During the performance of the Phad the Bhopa becomes a priest and the Phad becomes a mobile shrine.

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    Source by Nidhi Suresh

    Views: 0

  • Creating an Inclusive Environment and Workplace Culture

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    For great leaders to be equally concerned with their people as well as their product or service, it must be generative in nature, so it must rise internationally in order to be expressed externally. Generating this care and concern comes from a strong sense of self-identity. Having a strong sense of self-identity can create a closed system in a static state of being, but what I am saying is that when someone is comfortable with who they are as a person and the content of their own character, they will be more likely to reach out to others and develop a sustainable bond of friendship. Creating an inclusive environment for other people must go beyond the surface words of asking how people are doing, and that requires intentional listening to what another person is saying and a genuine respect for human dignity.

    If people have the impression that they are not cared for nor respected then why would they want to be a part of an "inclusive environment strategy?" Creating an inclusive environment starts with action and appropriate behaviors that follow the words uttered; so a need must be recognized and then organizing a strategy to get from 'here' to 'there' will begin to set in motion inclusive awareness. One key area for creating an inclusive environment for employees in the workplace is: (1) setting high standards of inclusiveness, (2) communicating those standards to everyone clearly, and (3) to embody those standards by consistently expressing those ideals on all levels . Going through the rote motions of saying, "Hi, how are you" can foster an outer veneer of inclusiveness with the aroma of shallowness. Thus, by digging deeper and discovering more about another person can become exciting, and where people feel at home and can give their best not out of competition, but from a heart that cares and is cared for.

    Therefore, the work of a great leader is to be a wayshower for modeling the desired inclusiveness by being inclusive. Certainty and congruence must be expressed when communicating a new shift in an organization, because if you do not believe in what you speak-you will radiate that from yourself and it will become apparent through your non-verbal signs. Framing the intended change in a way that uses language codes that people can understand without feeling that their world is coming to an end will be a useful skill for leaders who seek positive change.

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    Source by Ra Lovingsworth

    Views: 0

  • Omega 3 Fish Oil Supplements – The Good News For Depression Blues

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    A depressed person feels sad, helpless and hopeless. It is estimated that in the United States alone, there are 12 million adults suffering from this mental disorder. Depression can affect anyone regardless of their race, culture or social class.

    The basic symptoms of depression include irritation, loss of focus or concentration, sleep disturbance, feelings of guilt and worthlessness, headaches and body aches. People with severe cases of depression are known to have thoughts of suicide. It is important that when you have these symptoms that you immediately consult your authorized health provider.

    Antidepressants and other prescription drugs are known to cause severe side effects, which can usually discourage many patients from taking their medications. Recently, however, leading medical researchers have released journals that demonstrate that most people suffering from depression or similar symptoms are deficient in essential vitamins and minerals, particularly Omega-3 fatty acids.

    Based on the same white papers, nutritional supplement treatment may be appropriate for controlling major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety disorders, eating disorders, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), addiction, and autism. Researchers have also noted that the frequency of psychological health disorders have increased in industrial countries in tandem with a deterioration of essential Omega-3 fatty acids in modern diets.

    The good news is that fish oil that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids is now available as a dietary supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are nutrients that our body needs but can not produce. A study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison noted that supplementing your diet with just 3 grams of fish oil per day can help to alleviate mild to moderate symptoms of depression.

    When selecting a fish oil capsule for your dietary supplement, you must ensure that it is pharmaceutical grade. Pharmaceutical grade Omega3 fish oil supplements are obtained through the process of molecular distillation. Only reputable manufacturers have adapted this process because it is more expensive to the produce fish oil capsules. But the difference in quality and the beneficial effects for your body and mind are beyond dispute.

    These specially manufactured capsules contain pure fish oils that are high in Omega-3. They are free from the harmful contaminants that most fish are exposed to in oceans around that world that are exposed to pollutants. One of the best sources of pure fish oil is obtained from the Hoki fish that thrives in the crystal-clear deep waters of southern New Zealand

    Hoki is a very good source of Omega-3 fatty acids because it naturally contains high levels of DHA and EPA fatty acids that our body requires in order to stay healthy. This is the same fish oil for depression that I take every day and give to my family to maintain a healthy body and mind.

    Omega-3 fatty acids also contribute to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They are known to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Along with improving blood circulation and lower triglyceride and serum cholesterol levels. Fish oil also improves the condition of poor and dry skin by making it shinny and glowing. It is also very good for treating various skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, itching and redness of skin, skin lesions, and rashes.

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    Source by John L. Johnson

    Views: 0

  • Speaking for Motivation: Top Traits of Successful Motivational Speakers

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    This article will do 2 things for you:

    1. Briefly talk about some common (but pretty funny) stereotypes of motivational speakers. We’ll take a look at a few real-life examples from the huge variety of motivational speakers on the circuit today.

    2. Give some great tips on how to give your own motivational speeches by exploring the top 6 key ingredients that successful motivational speakers have in common.

    The end goal of this article is to help empower you to create and deliver your own inspiring motivational speeches so that you can go forward and help others make positive changes in their own lives.

    SPEAK IT OUT LOUD

    When someone starts talking about motivational speakers, most people either:

    1. Bring up their own favourite speakers and share how said speaker(s) changed their life, or

    2. Roll their eyes and groan.

    … More often than not, people do the latter.

    When it comes to stereotypes, motivational speakers seem to get the blunt end of the stick. Often perceived as frantic, loud, and in-your-face, this type of public speaking commonly gets dismissed for being, well, all talk.

    However, there is a very definite (and growing) fan-base for motivational presentations. After all, the words of inspiration and insight that a truly good motivational speaker shares can create the kind of “a-ha” moments that truly resonate!

    Inciting positive changes for everything from kicking bad habits to pursuing your dreams and living the life you’ve imagined – quality speakers can motivate their audiences to realize the inner potential for success that lives within all of us.

    The fact is that a strong motivational speaker can be a real force to be reckoned with, regardless of what your own personal opinion of them may be!

    DIFFERENT SPEAKERS. DIFFERENT APPROACHES. SAME POINT.

    Truly good, established motivational speakers command some pretty decent coin – Tony Robbins, for example, charges at least $100,000 per engagement.

    The rationale for this is that good motivators can impact the lives of thousands in a single presentation, creating a literally exponential return on investment.

    But the tactics they use to inspire are often drastically different, so how do they all end up achieving the same impact?

    Let’s take a look at the very different styles of 3 top motivational speakers to figure this out.

    – Tony Robbins: Energetic Motivation

    Tony Robbins’ high-energy, high-volume, and high-audience participation presentations have inspired millions to pursue their dreams. He literally gets attendees out of their seats, hyped up and boldly yelling out affirmational mantras of success together.

    The end result is a crowd of inspired go-getters who are ready to “ask better questions, and as a result get better answers” – answers that will (hopefully) help them navigate the path to success and happiness.

    – Dr. Roberta Bondar: Intelligent Inspiration

    Other speakers, like the amazing and super smart astronaut Dr. Roberta Bondar, choose to share their motivational public speeches with more intimate audiences in specific niches and settings.

    Dr. Bondar’s approach is noticeably very different to Tony Robbins’; her presence and spoken words are significantly calmer and her talks tend to keep the decibels at more ear-friendly levels. But her message consistently inspires people to pursue their “peak performance potential” as she drops pearls of wisdom and dishes out food for thought.

    – Steve Rizzo: Hilariously Helpful

    Yet other speakers rely on comedy to deliver their message, like the hilarious Steve Rizzo. Having walked away from his career as a comedian who shared the stage with greats like Jerry Seinfeld and Rodney Dangerfield, Steve uses his sharp comedic timing to deliver messages of perseverance through adversity that inspire crowds to “live the dream.” For Steve, laughter is the best motivation.

    When you boil it all down, successful motivational speakers come in all shapes and styles – but they all manage to inspire their audiences to make positive, impactful changes in their lives.

    They do this by finding their own presentational style and playing to it. In figuring out what works best for them and using it to their advantage, they successfully add an air of authenticity to their talks. And this authenticity is crucial.

    After all, nobody wants to listen to someone who doesn’t earnestly, 1000% believe in what they’re preaching!

    Like top motivational speaker booking agent, Rich Libner of MCP Speakers, says when talking about his own roster of speakers on the circuit,

    “It’s important to remember that motivational speakers like Tony Robbins, Roberta Bondar, or Steve Rizzo are not much different from the rest of us. They all have fears, failures, difficulties, and dirty dishes.”

    So if they can speak to and inspire crowds of people, then you can too!

    WHAT TO SAY AND HOW TO SAY IT

    Believe it or not, there is a basic recipe for creating and delivering a successful motivational speech.

    No matter if you decide to use the over-the-top energetic approach of Mr. Robbins or the comedic delivery of Steve Rizzo, following these key ingredients will help you on your path to motivational speaking success.

    1. Tell a good story, and tell it well.

    Our evolutionary history has predisposed us to loving a good story.

    Consider this: Every known culture in human history has stories. From sitting by a fire and listening as elders tell stories of gods & monsters to buying a movie ticket and immersing ourselves in some epic cinematic experience – we, as a species, absolutely love a good story. We always have.

    Tap into this love to get and keep your audience’s attention. A good story uses a recognizable pattern to convey meaning, with the most common pattern being the classic failure-epiphany-struggle-success plot…

    Know it. Love it. Use it.

    1. Be clear with what you’re talking about.

    Nobody likes to hear someone yammer on with no easy-to-spot point. Much like Charlie Brown’s teacher, public speakers that drone on with no clear intent or purpose quickly lose their audience’s attention and become background noise.

    Keep it snappy and on-point. Let your audience know within the first 2 minutes why you’re talking to them and what you’re talking about. After that, make sure that every anecdote, story, and tip you tell directly relates back to your purpose for being there.

    In other words, give them a roadmap for what to expect from your presentation – and stick to it!

    1. Create your own buy-in.

    Picking up on point number 2, a good way of creating your own buy-in is to let your audience know what to expect from the get-go. Tony Robbins is a master of this, often starting his speaking presentations with the following formula:

    Today, I will talk to you about _______. I’m talking to you about it because ________. My goal at the end is to motivate you to ________ so that you can ________. [-> Enter engaging but simple question to cap your intro and spur audience participation here.]

    You don’t have to copy that exact formula, but hopefully you get the idea.

    After setting out your roadmap, one of the best ways of further fostering audience buy-in is by encouraging participation. There are more ways to encourage audience interaction than this article can list, but a key point is to make sure that the participation is guided and relevant (and safe!)

    For ideas on ways to foster positive audience participation, just Google “audience participation”.

    1. Stay positive.

    The #1 very best way to alienate your audience is by being a downer. This includes singling out someone to pick on throughout your presentation, relating horrible things that happened to people without providing a positive spin or ending, and generally being a low-energy Debbie downer.

    The key to motivation – especially motivational speaking – is to stay positive. People are paying attention to you because they’re after some sort of positive change, so stay positive with your motivational messaging!

    1. Offer a different way of looking at things.

    A fundamental ingredient to creating positive change is to alter the way you look at things.

    Like famous motivational speaker Wayne Dyer once said, “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.”

    … Pretty deep, right?

    It’s also 100% true. Psychologists and marketers alike have known for decades that the biggest way to effect positive change is foster a positive perspective. From addiction treatments to brand allegiance, the power of altering a person’s perspective is undeniable.

    Inspire your audience to look at things differently by sharing a different (and positive) lens through which to view life’s challenges and hardships.

    1. Practice. Practice. Practice.

    … Then practice some more.

    Polished motivational speeches don’t happen overnight and even top-notch motivational pros still flub every-so-often. Practice makes perfect though, so practice for perfection!

    MOTIVATING SUSTAINED MOTIVATION

    In the end, the most motivational part of any inspirational speech is what the audience chooses to do with what they’ve just heard. So help them make the right choice by using the above 6 tips the next time you decide to get up and speak sweet words of inspiration!

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    Source by Elizabeth McKeown

    Views: 0

  • Hotels in Bhubaneswar With a Swimming Pool

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    Bhubaneswar is a prosperous and rapidly developing city on the eastern coasts of India that is also known for its great heritage. Bhubaneswar also abounds in luxury hotels that have all the necessary amenities and also provide a great number of extra facilities like swimming pool. Read on to know more on the city and also check out some good hotels in Bhubaneswar with swimming pool.

    The beautifully maintained city of Bhubaneswar serves as the administrative capital of the state of Odisha. It is most commonly known as the City of Temples for its myriad temples that reflect the rich cultural heritage of the city. Bhubaneswar was one of the earlier fully planned cities of India and its wide and well paved roads bear testimony to its continued prosperity as a business destination. It is the largest and most popular city of Odisha and is very well connected with the rest of the country by roads and railways. The domestic airport connects it with the four metropolis and many important cities of India. Bhubaneswar is also known as a popular tourist destination and combined with Puri and Konark creates the Golden Triangle of Odisha Tourism. The prime attractions of Bhubaneswar are its numerous sentences that according to legends were said to have numbered over five thousand. Some of the major courts of Bhubaneswar are the Lingaraj Temple, Mukteshwara Temple, Rajarani Temple and Kedar Gouri Temple, etc. Most of these times are of ancient origin built around the 11th century by rulers of the realm. Some of the other important tourist attractions of Bhubaneswar are the Khandagiri and Udaigiri Caves, Sanchi Stupa at Dhauli, State Museum, etc.

    Bhubaneswar is a prosperous capital city and has numerous luxury options to stay. Most of the Bhubaneswar hotels of luxury category have all the major amenities at the guest's disposal and they also provide many luxury facilities such as multi cuisine restaurants and most importantly swimming pools. No luxury hotel is complete without a nice swimming pool for the guests to lounge or have a quick dip in a hot afternoon. One can easily find many good hotels in Bhubaneswar with swimming pool such as Empires hotel or Swosti Premium, etc. Check out these luxurious Bhubaneswar hotels for a comfortable stay.

    Luxury Hotels in Bhubaneswar with Pool

    Hotel Empires is one of the finest luxury hotels in Bhubaneswar and it is located in a busy commercial area of ​​the city. A highly recommended property, it is among the leaders of the hospitality industry in Bhubaneswar. The hotel offers a fine multi cuisine restaurant / bar and a swimming pool on the rooftop. The rooms cost Rs.6000.

    Hotel Swosti Premium is another of the luxury hotels in Bhubaneswar with swimming pool. The hotel is also known for its elegance and its great number of facilities that make for a very comfortable and luxurious stay. The hotel has a fine restaurant / bar, coffee shop and a swimming pool and Jacuzzi. The room rates start from Rs.4500.

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    Source by Karan Mishra

    Views: 0

  • Arguing In Favor Of Yoga

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    I have been looking into health and fitness for nearly half a century, and writing on the subject for the last decade.

    One area of interest which I have encountered again and again is yoga.

    So, I was not overly surprised recently, when, while reading an article on several things that anyone could do for good health, yoga was mentioned.

    The surprising fact, not for me, but, perhaps for you, is that, after specifically discussing the value of exercise, nutrition, and managing stress, the article gave the subject of yoga its own special section.

    You see, I have learned over the years that yoga has so many potential health benefits and spans so many health related subjects that it almost has to have its own discussion.

    In many other cultures than that of the U.S. and Europe, and for many people, yoga is more than just a fitness routine… it is a way of living. As such, it includes both mental and physical exercise, meditation, diet, and stress reduction. Even the most shallow practitioner of yoga not only reaps the superficial health benefits of yoga, but, seems to absorb some of the other aspects through some form of psychic osmosis.

    To some extent, opting to accept yoga as exercise is a bit of a buy-in to many of the other health benefits of yoga.

    As a stand-alone exercise program, yoga can combine both strength and some aspects of cardio. While it lacks the heart pounding results of running, or similar forms of aerobic exercise, doing the movements properly requires proper breathing as well. The body, and the mind, learn how to bring oxygen into the body more efficiently, and distribute it effectively throughout the body.

    When done properly and regularly, yoga can produce a condition similar to, or, for some, damned near the same as, meditation. Meditation, and exercise (see previous paragraph), both help to reduce stress. In case you are one of the twelve people on earth who are not aware, stress is probably the most dangerous, and most common, health risk for nearly every health issue which you might encounter.

    Eating properly is also a major factor for good health. While those who really “get into” yoga go out of their way to alter their diet for the good, even those who intend to adopt it as a physical fitness regimen tend to alter their eating for better health. This is probably due to the “osmosis effect” I mentioned earlier. Also, it is not uncommon for a person adopting one aspect of a healthier lifestyle to adopt other aspects as well.

    However, stress is also a factor in overeating and poor digestion. Exercise in general, and yoga specifically, helps relieve stress and encourages people to make better decisions about their diet and eating habits. A regular practice of yoga also seems to assist with the digestive process itself.

    So, while opting for a healthy lifestyle by exercising regularly, relieving stress, and eating properly is a good thing to do, an easy way to get all three in one package is to practice yoga… which is easier to do than most people think.

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    Source by Donovan Baldwin

    Views: 0

  • Psychological Safety and Workplace Unity

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    The process of creating psychological safety within an organization is designed to meet the global demands and needs of today and the future, especially as multiculturalism becomes a dominant feature in the workplace. The process is designed to meet the needs of stakeholders and to create an internal community and culture that recognizes the dignity and honor that is due to each individual. The epistemological notification underscores that when individuals feel psychologically safe in groups, teams, and in their organization – higher commitment and better performance are the result. The primary premise is to build many concepts into the training program to expand the tool set and skill set of individuals while placing them in environments where a new mind set can be cultured.

    The systemic assessment of developing and creating psychological safety representations a construct model that requires the intervener to have a sense of appreciation, love, honor, dignity, and respect for life and others in order to create the space wherey psychological safety can flourish. By coupling the internal state of the intervener with the processes and sources of psychological safety it is the organizational context where this takes place as the social system begins to function effectively as a social system. Therefore, a distinction must be made within the dynamics of systems, because an organization is in fact a social system yet it can function as a mechanical system using Newtonian methods by treating people (employees) as parts. The Newtonian mindset utilizes people to fuel economic empire building by discarding employees without fully considering what that means to the employee as an individual, their family, and the community they belong to. Thus, a more holistic approach should be utilized that focuses upon how effective the functional interrelationships are between all employees, leaders and stakeholders.

    One aspect of creating psychological safety is that no one is penalized if they admit a mistake or ask for help. In the competitive marketplace where one-upmanship is usually the social norm – people are less willing to take risks that transcend these bounds. However, by fostering an organizational culture of respect, unity, and mutual responsibility – the perceived risk in creating social bonds that are actually healthy and edifying is lowered so allowing an individual greater likelihood to fully commit and contribute to their organization with the help of proper support systems.

    The need for leadership will be evident in the creation of psychological safety as a change initiative. The type of leadership needed in the 21st century will be an emergent type, similar in nature to the contingency approach and systematic leadership articulated by Hersey and Blanchard while being aligned with the new sciences and Otto Scharmer's idea of ​​learning and leading from the future as it emerges. Emergent leadership will draw upon the rich knowledge base and form an integral unity of mindfulness; appreciative inquiry; emotional intelligence; various coaching methodologies; servant, spiritual and transformational leadership principles; systems thinking; and strategic intervention. The development of the field of leadership will in essence require leaders to develop followers into self-led leaders and inspire followers to tell truth to power and to hold others accountable.

    Creating self-led leaders is about personal mastery where individuals become committed and mindful about their thoughts, emotions, words, and actions and thus seeks to create integrity within their lives. This integrity is formed by aligning their espoused theories with their theories-in-use, as developed by Chris Argyris. Closing the integrity gap in mind, heart and will is about being response-able individuals. This awareness when coupled with a commitment to creating the process for psychological safety to flourish is necessary, because intent representations a core driver for change, according to Boyatzis' model of ICT. Therefore, when an individual or group is intentally focused on creating the space for trust, openness, honesty, and respect-the collective dynamics of the interconnections ripple out generating emotional contagion to take root as people sense, appreciate, and reflect upon the emerging social field.

    This essentially means that reality from a sociological perspective is socially constructed when people dialogue together, because meanings of the immediate reality are formed, shaped and constructed by what people focus upon. The future organizational environment calls for open and honest cooperation and dialogue among all stakeholders, and in order to create positive and healthy communication, stakeholders must hold the space of appreciation, respect and dignity-which extremely leads to psychological safety in a turbulent world. Although there is constant change and complexity taking place in the world, there should be a "relationship constant" in the workplace where people can come together in unity to solve problems, address the rate of change in their marketplace, resolve conflict quickly, develop strategies for a desired and shared future, and build community.

    Therefore, creating psychological safety within an organization is tailor to individual and group needs built around the promise of deepening the social awareness of others and their needs, and how to work with an empathetic and generative heart to address the needs of stakeholders. Below are some basic steps for creating psychological safety.

    1. Be humble, empathetic, humane, and authentic
    2. Acknowledge the value of other people's contributions
    3. Acknowledge the dignity of each person as an individual
    4. Be accessible and committed to forming a community
    5. Have the ability to be open, honest, and take risks-both psychologically and socially
    6. Work within the framework and skill of inclusion, collaboration and dialogue
    7. Radiate love, appreciation, respect, caring, and curiosity to others, as well as yourself
    8. Confront unjust actions-speak truth to power
    9. Acknowledge the risks in making the first steps to build community and appreciation another, and be courageous enough to take the risk
    10. Create dyadic groups and small groups to build coaching communities
    11. Do not show arrogance, deceive, break commitments, shift blame, or avoid helping others
    12. Seek first to understand, then to be understood – Steven Covey's The 7 Habits.
    13. Encourage everyone's contribution
    14. Listen deeply together for patterns and insights
    15. Acknowledge the interconnections and interdependency
    16. Learn the process of suspending, redirecting, and letting go / letting come – Otto Scharmer's Theory U

    The process of creating psychological safety is not simply the implementation of a laundry list, but it results from an open mind, heart, and will that appreciates and respects life in general, and humanity in particular. The above steps are presented as basic requirements that create and hold flexible space for people to access deeper more authentic levels of themselves as they work together in relationship-in all social contexts. Creating coaching communities and organizations with a culture that is psychologically safe takes time and risk taking. However, the dyadic group and larger group formation is designed to speed up the process as people dialogue together. This dialogue consons of what honesty, trust, honor, dignity, respect, appreciation, caring, and love mean in the workplace and how these qualities can be amplified in the organizational culture to deepen commitment, gain greater competitive advantage, and work together in unity as change and uncertainty abound.

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    Source by Ra Lovingsworth

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  • Developing Organizational Values ​​Through Collaboration

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    Within the framework of the organization of the future, there should be a certain level of consistency within the understanding of expressed values. In order for a discipline or competency to be embodied and expressed as a natural organic way of being within an individual or an organization, a criterion of values ​​must be in place that in one way or another is extracted into the forefront of consciousness so as to be on the upper-levels of priority. Because, we generally have and do things that are deemed important according to our standards. As humans we have in certain ways that we have deemed right and proper according to our experiences and our processing filters of perception. In order to treat anyone, especially employees, with dignity and respect an environment needs to be created within the organization that encourages growth and personal development for long-term success.

    Jim Kouzes in a speech given for Google (Leading @ Google on YouTube) presents that one of the most important keys to success is remaining in a state of love. By virtue of the leader being in a state of love, an intention is set for desiring the best for all concerned that is aligned with respect, care, and a yearning to serve. Living in integrity, empathy, confidence and service are all buzz-words that only achieve the meaning we associate to them.

    Each of us understand integrity and confidence in different ways, so being able to dialogue about our intended meanings within given communication settings will prove to be helpful in the context of: (a) knowing more clearly the frame of reference of another person, (b ) develop more openness and trust in the organizational culture, and (c) learning more about one's co-workers. The organization of the future must be willing to examine the human condition and find out the 'how' to implement key skills, and the 'why' for even desiring to have the skills or behavioral qualities implemented. Knowing what a company stands for is the prerequisite for implementing the values, attitudes, skills and learning that that makeup the company's criteria of beliefs which in turn are necessary for long-term success.

    The relationship between engaged employees and an organization maximizing productivity, innovation, and growth is a sense of shared vision. The idea of ​​maximizing productivity can carry overtones of overworking employees, but it does not need to carry that meaning; because maximizing productivity can be accomplished when employees are functioning at peak performance where they feel loved, appreciated and respected for the work they produce.

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    Source by Ra Lovingsworth

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  • How To Win Back A Leo Girl

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    A relationship with a Leo girl will be a passionate affair, full of love, intensity and warmth. The lioness wears her heart on her sleeve and all too often will be easily hurt. A wounded lioness will be a challenge to any mortal, but fortunately, her huge heart is a forgiving one. To win back a Leo girl, tread very carefully and you may get her back.

    When it comes to relationships, Leo’s are probably the most loyal of all the star signs, and will stick with you through thick and thin. The Leo female will place trust and loyalty above all else, and will give her all in love, but make no mistake, she will expect the same in return.

    Love is supposed to be selfless, but with a Leo, if they don’t feel, or more importantly, see, like they are getting the same as they are putting in, they will feel hurt and under appreciated. The Leo girl needs to know that you care, she needs to be told and shown that her efforts are not in vain.

    Getting your Leo girl back is going to be tough, as Leo is a fixed sign and therefore as stubborn as they come. The best way to get back in favor with your ex girl is to show her how much you care. The Leo girl will measure your affections by the effort and time that you put in to the task. She will expect you to go through hell and high water to show how much you care and how much she means to you. As a general rule, Leo’s love gifts of any kind, and a tasteful gift symbolising your love will get her attention. Leo’s have lavish tastes, so avoid anything trashy.

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    Source by Richard Breban

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