i love the look of an infinity edge pool. the sharp and clean lines of the pool, in combination with the ethereal nature of floating in water that appears to be balanced precariously, creates this magical landscape. there is a lot of technical skill that goes into creating an infinity pool, but the finished product is more than worth it, no?
if you haven’t picked it up already, the concept of the desert and how it relates to spirituality absolutely fascinates me. to me, it represents many traits. the desert can be solitude, peace, comfort, solace. the desert can be refreshing, calming, still. the desert can be alive, moving, touching. i love the imagery a desert oasis creates of this lush paradise found amongst the arid and hot environment.
How wonderful it would be if one could only
be worthy of hearing the song of the grass.
Each blade of grass sings out to God
without any ulterior motive and without expecting any reward.
It is most wonderful to hear its song
and worship God in its midst.
The best place to meditate is in a field where things grow.
There one can truly express his thoughts
before God…..
The best place is to meditate is in the meadows outside the city.
One should meditate in grassy field, for grass will awakent the heart
ahhh, sleep. that perpetual piece of goodness out of reach on some nights, and within easy grasp on others. the study of sleep really fascinates me and as research into that field grows, alongside with what is associated with it like dreams and and how our body refreshes and rebuilds itself during the hours at night, the more scientists see that there is still so much to learn.
here are some statistics:
Sleep problems are reaching epidemic proportions, estimated to be the #1 health related problem in America – CNN, May 1997.
Sleep deprivation costs $150 billion each year in higher stress and reduced worker productivity—National Commission on Sleep Disorders, 2003.
Mayo Clinic: Almost all adults don’t get enough sleep and most struggle to get up in the morning. “If we got enough sleep at night we wouldn’t need an alarm clock to wake us.”
Lack of sleep leads to health problems; fatigue, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, shortened lifespan, suppressed immune systems and depression.
Recent studies implicate sleep deprivation in diabetes.
We sleep on average 6.9 hours/day, almost an hour less than a few decades ago.
Parents of young children lose an extra hour of sleep each night. NSF 2004.
Childhood insomnia is a high risk factor for adolescent alcohol and drug abuse—children with sleep problems are twice as likely to abuse drugs when teenagers. Univ. of Mich. April 2004 sleep study.
43 percent of respondents reported that daytime sleepiness interfered with their normal daytime activities, including work. NSF 2000.
30-40% of heavy truck accidents are due to driver fatigue.
Establish a regular bedtime and wake up time and continue this on weekends. Make your sleeping environment comfortable, quiet, dark, cool and well ventilated.
Use your bed for sleep and sex, not watching TV or eating.
Place your clock out of sight to avoid anxiety about the time.Use an alarm clock to ensure a scheduled wake up time.
Take time to relax before bedtime. Engage in quiet activity: read, journal, practice focused breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
Take a warm bath or shower 30 – 60 minutes before bedtime.
Avoid beverages with caffeine for at least 6 hours before bedtime. Caffeine is a strong stimulant and its effect lasts hours.
A light protein snack before bedtime may be helpful.
Limit fluids just before bedtime.
Avoid alcohol in the evening. Alcohol is a poor sedative.
Avoid naps in the daytime.
Exercise regularly.It’s best to exercise early in the day, before dinner.
Stop smoking. This eliminates the stimulating effects of nicotine.
If you do not fall asleep after 30 minutes, get up and do something relaxing with low impact lighting, such as listening to music or looking at a magazine, or something totally boring, such as reading a book about something that does not interest you. Return to bed when you feel sleepy.
antelope canyon is one of those places that is so beautiful, it almost could be unreal. located near Page, Arizona on the Navajo Native American reservation, it is one the most visited and photographed slot canyons in the Southwestern United States.
santorini is in my opinion one of the most gorgeous places in the entire world. i imagine the magic and tranquility that emit from the photos are minuscule in comparison to seeing it in person.
