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Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon - University of The West and Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:29:00 +0000

University of The West and Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods (NIEM) have jointly launched the Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Website (http://www.uwest.edu/sanskritcanon/dp/) for the benefit of the scholastic world. Our goal is to promote research into the vast corpus of Sanskrit Buddhist texts. The scriptures and treatises which make up this collection encompass tens of thousands of printed pages.

Electronic access to Sanskrit Buddhist texts, with its profound possibilities for enhancing the depth, scope and subtlety of research, has been a desideratum of the field for some time. Clearly, the conversion of canonical Buddhist texts into machine-readable format is an idea whose time has come.

In 2003, the University of the West, Los Angeles, under the generous sponsorship of Most Venerable Master Hsing Yun and guided by the initiative of Dr. Lewis Lancaster, began the Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Project (SBCP). The initial grant, covering the input of 50 Mahayana sutras, was completed in 2004.

Our second phase, generously sponsored by Mr. Ching-Tung Tsai and Mr. Ming-Ti Tsai, covering the input of about 100 Shastra titles comprising the works of Acarya Nagarjuna, Arya Deva, Asanga, and Vasubandhu, has already commenced, and will be completed at the end of 2009. We are currently seeking donations for the final phase of the project, which will make over 150 additional sutras, shastras, and other Buddhist titles freely available to all.

Tal Ben-Shahar: Tal David Ben-Shachar happiness tips

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:42:00 +0000

video platform video management video solutions video player

Positive psychology definition: positive psychology exercises, positive psychology articles

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Positive psychology definition: positive psychology is a recent branch of psychology. As described by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: "We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise that achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving in individuals, families, and communities."Positive psychologists seek "to find and nurture genius and talent", and "to make normal life more fulfilling", not simply to treat mental illness.

Positive psychology researchers: current researchers in positive psychology include Martin Seligman, Ed Diener, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Christopher Peterson, Carol Dweck, Barbara Fredrickson, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Kennon Sheldon, Jonathan Haidt,] Shelley Taylor, C. R. Snyder, Donald Clifton, Albert Bandura, Charles S. Carver, Michael F. Scheier, and Ilona Boniwell.

Positive psychology exercises: it is suggested to exercise positive psychology by writing a thank-you letter to someone who made a difference in our lives. This is beneficial both to the sender as well as the receiver, improving awareness about what really counts, creating good feelings and showing our appreciation.

Positive psychology articles: these are some articles about positive psychology

Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103-110. Full text
Economic Downturn: Can Money Buy Happiness? WhyFiles.org
Niemiec, R., & Wedding D. (2008). Positive Psychology at the Movies: Using Using Films to Build Virtues and Character Strengths.Cambridge, MA: Hogrefe.

Tags: positive psychology definition, positive psychology exercises, authentic happiness book, positive psychology articles, authentic happiness inventory

IQ, beliefs and fidelity: Intelligent men 'less likely to cheat'?

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Dr Satoshi Kanazawa and his studies, as reported by The Telegraph:

Dr Satoshi Kanazawa research concludes that more intelligent men are more likely to value monogamy and sexual exclusivity than less intelligent men. But the connection between conventional sexual morality and intelligence is not mirrored in women.

The patterns were uncovered by Dr Satoshi Kanazawa of the London School of Economics and Political Science in a paper published in the March edition of the journal Social Psychology Quarterly. He found that men with higher IQs place greater value on monogamy and sexual exclusivity than their less intelligent peers. The researchers could find no evidence that clever women are more likely than the general population to remain faithful.

As part of the study he analysed two major US surveys which ascertained the social attitudes and IQs of thousands of teenagers and adults. Dr Kanazawa claims that the correlation between intelligence and monogamy in men has its origins in evolutionary development. Sexual exclusivity is an "evolutionary novel" quality that would have been of little benefit to early man, who was programmed to be promiscuous, he argues.

The modern world no longer confers such an evolutionary advantage to men who have several sexual partners - but it is only intelligent men are able to shed the psychological baggage of their species and adopt new modes of behaviour. Other "evolutionary novel" qualities that are more common among people of higher intelligence include liberalism and atheism, his study indicated.

Zen Meditation: Thicker Brains Fend Off Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:35:00 +0000

This study was supported jointly by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Mind and Life Institute Varela Grant. As reported by http://www.sciencedaily.com/ regarding University of Montreal (2010, February 24). Zen Meditation: Thicker brains fend off pain.

Researchers from the Université de Montréal discovered that we can reduce our sensitivity to pain by thickening our brain, according to a new study published in a special issue of the American Psychological Association journal, Emotion. "Through training, Zen meditators appear to thicken certain areas of their cortex and this appears to be underlie their lower sensitivity to pain," says lead author Joshua A. Grant, a doctoral student in the Université de Montréal Department of Physiology and Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. "We found a relationship between cortical thickness and pain sensitivity, which supports our previous study on how Zen meditation regulates pain." "The often painful posture associated with Zen meditation may lead to thicker cortex and lower pain sensitivity," says Grant, noting that meditative practices could be helpful in general for pain management, for preventing normal age-related grey matter reductions or potentially for any condition where the grey matter is compromised such as stroke.

Researchers made their discovery by comparing the grey matter thickness of Zen meditators and non-meditators,and found evidence that practicing the centuries-old discipline of Zen can reinforce a central brain region (anterior cingulate) that regulates pain. As part of this study, scientists recruited 17 meditators and 18 non-meditators who in addition had never practiced yoga, experienced chronic pain, neurological or psychological illness. Grant and his team, under the direction of Pierre Rainville of the Université de Montréal and the Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal, measured thermal pain sensitivity by applying a heated plate to the calf of participants and followed by scanning the brains of subjects with structural magnetic resonance imaging. According to MRI results, central brain regions that regulate emotion and pain were significantly thicker in meditators compared to non-meditators.

Edward Diener: Ed Diener on happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 18:25:00 +0000

Edward Diener was born in 1946 in Glendale, California. The Dieners’ son Robert has collected well-being data in collaboration with Dr. Diener. Because of the exotic groups involved in Robert's research, including the African Maasai, Greenlandic Inuit, the Amish, and slum dwellers in Calcutta, Robert has been called the Indiana Jones of well-being research. He was branded in a rite of manhood by the Maasai. Two other daughters, Kia and Susan, are not psychologists.

Ed Diener is Joseph R. Smiley Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois. He has over 240 publications, and with over 12,000 citations is one of the most highly cited psychologists according to the Institute for Scientific Information. About 190 of these citations are in the area of the psychology of well-being. For more than a quarter of a century he has been doing research on happiness, which has earned him the nickname "Dr. Happiness". Edward Diener is the founding editor of Perspectives on Psychological Science, and was formerly editor of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology and the Journal of Happiness Studies. He is the president of the International Positive Psychology Association, and was formerly president of the International Society of Quality of Life Studies, and of the Society of Personality and Social Psychology.

Edward Diener received his B.A. in Psychology in 1968 from California State University at Fresno. He received his doctorate at the University of Washington in 1974 and has been a faculty member at the University of Illinois for the past 35 years. Professor Diener's research focuses on the measurement of well-being; temperament and personality influences on well-being; theories of well-being; income and well-being; and cultural influences on well-being. Ed Diener has six books in 2008-2009. One of these is a popular book on the science of well-being, authored with his son, Robert Biswas-Diener. The title is Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth. This volume was described by David Myers as “The most authoritative and informative book about happiness ever written.” The work provides an overview of scientific findings on well-being, including the benefits and optimum levels of well-being, as well as some causes such as temperament, money, attitudes, spirituality, and accurate forecasting. The book describes the evidence for the benefits of “happiness” for good health and longevity, social relationships, and work and income.

Edward Diener also has a book on Well-being and Public Policy (2009), which is authored with John Helliwell, Richard Lucas, and Ulrich Schimmack. The book argues the case for implementing national accounts of well-being for public policy. In addition, Diener has a three-volume collected works appearing in 2009, with Volume 1 including some of his major review and theory articles, Volume 2 including culture and well-being articles, and Volume 3 including articles on measurement and new measures of well-being. A final book in 2009 is one edited with Daniel Kahneman and John Helliwell: International Differences in Well-Being.

Professor Diener has educated a number of students who have gone on to become well-known scientists: Randy Larsen (Washington University), Robert Emmons (U California at Davis), Frank Fujita (IUSB), Shigehiro Oishi (U Virginia), Ulrich Schimmack (U Toronto), Richard Lucas (Michigan State U), Eunkook Suh (Yonsei U), and William Pavot (Southwest Minnesota State U), and many others. He has also worked with outstanding post-doctoral students and research students such as Carol Nickerson (UIUC), Richard Smith (U Kentucky), and Michael Eid (U Berlin). He has collaborated in his work with leading researchers such as Daniel Kahneman (Princeton), Martin Seligman (U Pennsylvania), and Joar Vitterso (U Tromso).

Edward Diener books
1 - Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., Griffin, S. (1985). The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 71- 75.
2 - Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95, 542-575.
3 - Diener, E. (2000). Subjective well-being: The science of happiness and a proposal for a national index. American Psychology, 55(1), 34-43.
4 - Time magazine, January 17, 2005.
5 - Diener, E., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2008). Happiness: Unlocking the mysteries of psychological wealth. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. (ISBN 1405146613)

Aaron Temkin Beck: Aaron Temkin Beck's cognitive therapy

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:42:00 +0000

Aaron Temkin Beck is an American psychiatrist and a professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He is widely regarded as the father of cognitive therapy, and his pioneering theories are widely used in the treatment of clinical depression. Beck also developed self-report measures of depression and anxiety including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)[1], Beck Hopelessness Scale, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Youth Inventories. He is the President of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research and the Honorary President of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, which certifies qualified cognitive therapists.

It is possible to identify several recurrent themes in constructivists' work. The psychotherapist M. J. Mahoney has listed five such common themes, which stands out in Aaron Temkin Beck's work as well as the writings of other constructivists.:

- Humans are active agents with the power to effect changes in their own lives. This theme stands in contrast to the view that humans are passively controlled by larger forces.
- Humans are actively engaged in ordering their experiences through assigning emotional as well as intellectual significance to them.
- These processes of ordering are primarily self-referential; that is, they underlie a person's sense of selfhood or personal identity.
- On the other hand, humans are not isolated individuals; they cannot be understood apart from their relationships to other people, larger communities, and symbol systems.
- Humans continue to grow and develop over the entire course of their lifespan.

His work at the University of Pennsylvania inspired Dr. Martin Seligman in refining Seligman's own cognitive techniques and exercises and later work on Learned helplessness.

Aaron Temkin Beck is noted for his research in psychotherapy, psychopathology, suicide, and psychometrics, which led to his creation of cognitive therapy, for which he received the 2006 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), one of the most widely used instruments for measuring depression severity. Beck is also known for his creation of the Beck Hopelessness Scale and the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and has founded the Beck Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in which his daughter, Dr. Judith Beck, works. Beck believed that depression is due to unrealistic negative views about the world. Depressed people have a negative cognition in three areas that are placed into the depressive triad. They develop negative views about: themselves, the world, and their future. Beck starts treatment by engaging in conversation with clients about their negative thoughts.[citation needed] Cognitive therapy has also been applied with success to individuals with anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and many other disorders. In recent years, cognitive therapy has been disseminated outside academic settings, including throughout the United Kingdom, and in a program developed by Dr. Beck and the City of Philadelphia.

Tal Ben-Shahar: Tal David Ben-Shachar happiness tips

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer. He taught the largest course at Harvard on "Positive Psychology" (855 students enrolled in the class, making it the the most popular class of the spring semester) and the third largest on "The Psychology of Leadership"--with a total of over 1,400 students. He currently teaches at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, where he co-founded The Institute for Positive Psychology in Education. Tal Ben-Shahar consults and lectures around the world to executives in multi-national corporation, the general public, and at-risk populations. Topics include happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, mindfulness, and leadership.An avid sportsman, Tal won the U.S. Intercollegiate and Israeli National squash championships. He obtained his PhD in Organizational Behavior and BA in Philosophy and Psychology from Harvard. His undergraduate thesis, completed in 1996, is titled "Honesty Pays: Bridging the Gap Between Moral Theory and Practice." Ben-Shahar is a veteran of the Israeli Defense Forces and is the Scholar-in-Residence at the The David Project, a non-profit, educational organization on Israel.

Tal Ben-Shahar has published several books:
    * The Pursuit of Perfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Start Living a Richer, Happier Life (2009)
    * Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment (2007)
    * The Question of Happiness: On Finding Meaning, Pleasure, and the Ultimate Currency (2002)
    * A Clash of Values: The Struggle for Universal Freedom (2002)
    * Heaven Can Wait: Conversations With Bonny Hicks (1998)

As reported on http://speakingmatters.org/tal_ben-shahar.html these are Six Tips for Happiness from Tal Ben-Shahar:
1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.

2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.

3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?

4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.

5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.

6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.

Tal Ben-Shahar Books with ISBN:
    * Tal Ben-Shahar (2007) Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 978-0-07-149239-3
    * Tal Ben-Shahar (2009) The Pursuit of Perfect: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Start Living a Richer, Happier Life, McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 978-0-07-160882-6
    * Tal Ben-Shahar (2010) Even Happier: A Gratitude Journal for Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, McGraw-Hill Professional. ISBN 978-0-07-163803-6

Martin Seligman on Positive psychology

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:41:00 +0000

Positive psychology, the study of optimal human functioning, is an attempt to respond to the systematic bias inherent in psychology's historical emphasis on mental illness rather than on mental wellness. Humanistic psychologists such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers developed theories along these lines, but without solid empirical support. The pioneering research of a new generation of psychologists has led to a renewed interest in this approach, providing a firm scientific foundation for the study of human happiness and optimal function, thus adding a positive side to the predominantly negative discipline of psychology.

Martin Seligman worked with Christopher Peterson to create the 'positive' counterpart to the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). While the DSM focuses on what can go wrong, Character Strengths and Virtues looks at what can go right. In their research they looked across cultures and across millennia to distill a manageable list of virtues that have been highly valued from ancient China and India, through Greece and Rome, to contemporary Western cultures. Their list includes six character strengths: wisdom/knowledge, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each of these has perhaps a half-dozen sub-entries - for instance, temperance includes forgiveness, humility, prudence, and self-regulation. One of their key points is that they do not believe that there is a hierarchy for the six virtues – no one is more fundamental than or a precursor to the others

Nathaniel Branden: Nathaniel Branden books, Nathaniel Branden wiki

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Nathaniel Branden is a Canadian psychotherapist and writer best known today for his work in the psychology of self-esteem, one-time associate of novelist Ayn Rand, Branden had a prominent role in promoting Rand's philosophy, Objectivism; in 1958, Branden established NBI, Nathaniel Branden Institute as an educational organization to spread the philosophical principles of Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand. Branden offered a series of lectures called "Basic Principles of Objectivism".

Barbara Branden, Nathaniel Branden's spouse at the time, would also contribute to the work of the Institute with a series of lectures on The Art of Thinking. Barbara and Nathaniel would separate in 1965. Barbara's maiden name was Barbara Weidman. In January 1953, Nathaniel Branden and Barbara Weidman were married in White Plains, New York.

The Rand-Branden business partnership lasted till May 1968. Rand announced in the The Objectivist, Nathaniel Branden would no longer be her intellectual heir and ordered all future printings of Atlas Shrugged not to carry his name in the dedication page. At the time, Rand did not reveal she was having a secret love affair with Branden who was twenty four years her junior and he was leaving her for a younger woman who was also an attractive model whom Branden would eventually marry. However, Branden divulged this information in his book, Judgment Day: my years with Ayn Rand. After the rift with Ayn Rand, Branden went on to develop his own school of bio-centric psychology basing his work mainly on the psychology of self-esteem. Branden's brand of Biocentric Psychology is neither Freudian nor behaviorist in nature. According to Branden, "...The establishment of Wilhelm Wundt's experimental laboratory in 1879 is often regarded as the formal beginning of scientific psychology. But when one considers the views of man and the theories of his nature that have been put forth as knowledge in the past hundred years, it remains a moot question whether the starting date of the science of psychology lies behind us - or ahead."

As a psychologist, Nathaniel Branden has elucidated the crucial role of self-esteem in psychological health, and has outlined the volitional practices he has observed to be essential to achieving and maintaining self-esteem. As a therapist, he developed a sentence completion test, a psychotherapeutic tool proposed as useful for making unconscious thoughts and feelings conscious, and to transform limiting beliefs and attitudes. Currently, he tends to use a blend of sentence completion exercises, exercises derived from energy therapy, humor, and "just plain talking" in his therapy practice. Nathaniel Branden continues to write and practice psychotherapy in Los Angeles, California, as well as present seminars and workshops on self-esteem.

California Assemblyman John Vasconcellos discovered self-esteem and became convinced it was the solution to many a social evil. Promoted by Assemblyman Vasconcellos, the state legislature of California formed "The California Task Force to Promote Self-Esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility." After some initial setbacks, including a veto by the governor, the legislation creating the 25-member task force was passed and signed into law in the Fall of 1986. One result of the California Task Force was the creation of NASE (National Association for Self-Esteem) "dedicated to integrating self-esteem into the fabric of American society." Nathaniel Branden is a member of the board. In its 1989 report, the state of California task force on self-esteem concluded: "... Many, if not all, the major problems plaguing society have roots in the low self-esteem of many of the people who make up society." According to some educational authorities, if Branden's concept of self-esteem had been accepted as he proposed as far back as 1969, it would have been a force for good in the field of education. Instead, there was only the acceptance of self-esteem simply as "having a favorable opinion of oneself" regardless of any objective evidence to the contrary. However, in the twenty first century, in 2003, the self-esteem movement suffered a serious setback when it was conclusively proven that in the relation between self-esteem and the education of children, the inculcation of self-esteem in children does not raise grades, better career achievements or produces any other positive effects in the field of education.

In 1969, Dr. Nathaniel Branden studied Karate privately with Joe Lewis who would become the first U. S. and the first world heavyweight kickboxing champion; the two would practice for an hour and discuss philosophy for three.

According to Self-Esteem Guru Nathaniel Branden, "... We have reached a moment in history when self-esteem which has always been a supremely important psychological need, has become an urgent economic need." Global economy "... characterized by rapid change, accelarating scientific and technological breakthroughs and an unprecedented level of competitiveness... also creates new demands on our psychological resources... a greater capacity for innovation, self-management, personal responsibility and self-direction."

In Self-Esteem at Work, Nathaniel Branden wrote: "... We now live in a global economy characterized by rapid change, accelerating scientific and technological breakthroughs, and an unprecedented level of competitiveness. These developments create demands for higher levels of education and training than were required from previous generations. Everyone acquainted with business culture knows this. What is not understood is that these developments also create new demands on our psychological resources. Specifically, these developments ask for greater capacity for innovation, number one, self-management, number two, personal responsibility, number three, and self direction.". "... In the past two or three decades, extraordinary developments have occurred in the American and global economies. The United States has shifted from a manufacturing society to an information society. We have witnessed the transition from physical labor to mind work as the dominant employee activity. We now live in a global economy characterized by rapid change, accelerating scientific and technological breakthroughs, and an unprecedented level of competitiveness. These developments create demands for higher levels of education and training than were required of previous generations. Everyone acquainted with business culture knows this. What is not understood is that these developments also create new demands on our psychological resources. Specifically, these developments ask for a greater capacity for innovation, self-management, personal responsibility and self-direction. This is not just asked at the top, it is asked at every level of business enterprise, from senior management to firs-line supervisors and even to entry-level personnel... Today, organizations need not only an unprecedentedly higher level of knowledge and skill among all those who participate but also a higher level of independence, self-reliance, self-trust, and the capacity to exercise initiative."

Topics: nathaniel branden, ayn rand nathaniel branden, nathaniel branden books, nathaniel branden institute, dr nathaniel branden, ayn rand and nathaniel branden, nathaniel branden quotes, nathaniel branden wiki, nathaniel branden interview, nathaniel branden sentence completion

Dr. Martin Seligman: Martin Seligman on Learned helplessness

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:52:00 +0000

Dr. Martin Seligman started to research about Learned helplessness at University of Pennsylvania in 1967, as an extension of his interest in depression, when almost by accident Martin Seligman and his colleagues discovered that the conditioning of dogs led to outcomes that were opposite to the predictions of the then leading psychological theory of B.F. Skinner's behaviorism,

Martin Seligman developed the theory further, finding learned helplessness to be a psychological condition in which a human being or an animal has learned to act or behave helplessly in a particular situation - usually after experiencing some inability to avoid an adverse situation - even when it actually has the power to change its unpleasant or even harmful circumstance. Seligman saw a similarity with severely depressed patients, and argued that clinical depression and related mental illnesses result in part from a perceived absence of control over the outcome of a situation.

Tags: martin seligman, martin seligmann, Learned helplessness, by martin seligman, dr. martin seligman, martin seligman learned helplessness, martin e. seligman, authentic happiness by martin seligman

David Cooperrider: Dr David L. Cooperrider appreciative inquiry

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:39:00 +0000

David Cooperrider developed Appreciative Inquiry, a methodology for organizational renewal. David Cooperrider is the Fairmount Minerals Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University, and Faculty Director at the Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefitat Case.

n the field of Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, David Cooperrider leads the movement towards a more sustainable future, as manifested in many international forums and gatherings, such as the Global Forum "Business as an Agent of World Benefit: Management Knowledge Leading Positive Change".

More about Appreciative Inquiry coming soon.

Low IQ and Cardiovascular Disease: Low IQ Among Strongest Predictors of Cardiovascular Disease, Second Only to Cigarette Smoking

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:23:00 +0000

Science Daily reports that low results on written or oral tests of IQ have been associated with a raised risk of cardiovascular disease. This is newsworthy because no study has so far compared the relative strength of this association with other established risk factors such as obesity, smoking and high blood pressure. Now, a large study funded by Britain's Medical Research Council, which set out to gauge the relative importance of IQ alongside other risk factors, has found that lower intelligence scores were associated with higher rates of cardiovascular disease and total mortality at a greater level of magnitude than found with any other risk factor except smoking.

The findings, published in the February issue of the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, are derived from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study, a population study designed to investigate the influence of social factors on health. The present analysis was based on data collected in 1987 in a cohort of 1145 men and women aged around 55 and followed up for 20 years. Data were collected for height, weight, blood pressure, smoking habits, physical activity, education and occupation; cognitive ability (IQ) was assessed using a standard test of general intelligence.

When the data were applied to a statistical model to quantify the associations of nine risk factors with cardiovascular mortality, results showed that the most important was cigarette smoking, followed by low IQ. Similar results were apparent when the health outcome was total mortality.

The relative strengths of the association were measured by an "index of inequality," which summarised the relative risk of a health outcome (cardiovascular death) in the most disadvantaged (high risk) people relative to the most advantaged (low risk). This relative index of inequality for the top five risk factors was found to be 5.58 for cigarette smoking, 3.76 for IQ, 3.20 for low income, 2.61 for high systolic blood pressure, and 2.06 for low physical activity.

The investigators note "a number of plausible mechanisms" whereby lower IQ scores could elevate cardiovascular disease risk, notably the application of intelligence to healthy behaviour (such as smoking or exercise) and its correlates (obesity, blood pressure). A further possibility, they add, "is that IQ denotes 'a record' of environmental insults" (eg, illness, sub-optimal nutrition) accumulated throughout life.

Commenting on the public health implications of the findings, the study's principal investigator Dr David Batty said that the individual skills reflected in a person's IQ may be important in the management of personal cardiovascular risk.

"From a public health perspective, there is the possibility that IQ can be increased, with some mixed results from trials of early learning and school readiness programmes," said Dr Batty. "It may also be worthwhile for health promotion campaigns to be planned with consideration of individual cognition levels."

He also noted that IQ may well be one important factor behind the place of social class as a fundamental determinant of inequalities in health. So far, said Dr Batty, explanations for such socio-economic gradients in health have traditionally focused on access to resources (such as education and income), physical exposures at home and at work (such as housing conditions and toxins), and health related behaviours (such as smoking and diet). But studies show that such factors do not fully explain class-based differentials in health. A low IQ, he explained, as suggested in this study, may be a further independent explanation.

Tags: Low IQ and Cardiovascular Disease, Low IQ effects, Cardiovascular Disease, Low IQ Predictor, Predictor Cardiovascular Diseases, Cigarette Smoking

Tiger Woods Statement about Buddhism: Tiger Woods apology

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:47:00 +0000

Tiger Woods Statement about Buddhism, as part of his apology: I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously I lost track of what I was taught.

Tiger Woods, and everyone else who honestly decided to be a better person in a better world, can find in Buddhism an approach to act properly, towards all. Buddhism means to value the Three Jewels: buddha, dharma, sangha. Buddhism, in reality, should be called Dharmanity, because practitioners live according to the Dharma laws. Also, the historic Buddha is one of the several other buddhas who lived before and after Sakyamuni. The Buddhist community (sangha) is forgiving and helpful; at the end the responsibility of one's rightful living rest on oneself, this applies to Tiger Woods as to everyone else, including who criticize him. Tiger Woods can meditate, for example on Metta/Loving kindness, to restore his balance.

Tiger said he doesn't believe in full enlightenment. The word "awakening" is more appropriate to Buddhism than the word "enlightenment". Buddhism is about awakening, opening our eyes, and see the world as it is. Awakening is here and now, not an esoteric secrect knowledge; awakening here and now is what Tiger and his family needs. Buddhism requires a person to be honest, to oneself and the world; to understand it is normal to feel pain, while suffering is constructed by an unskilled mind; to understand it is normal to feel pleasure, while attachment is constructed by an unskilled mind. Seems Tiger is back on track about this.

http://www.amareway.org/
Aware (being), Meditating, Active (being), Respectful (being), Eating properly

Martin Seligman archive: Martin Seligman TED, Martin Seligman pdf, Martin Seligman test

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:48:00 +0000

Martin Seligman video:Martin Seligman TED

Martin Seligman video: HARDtalk: Dr Martin Seligman 1

Martin Seligman lecture: Martin Seligman Presentation Slides for Positive Psychology. Australian Institute of Management. Brisbane
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Martin Seligman pdf: From Helplessness to Hope: The Seminal Career of Martin Seligman

Martin Seligman pdf: Martin Seligman and Richard Thale (access may require registration)

Martin Seligman test: Learned Optimism Test at Stanford.edu

Tags: Martin Seligman TED, Martin Seligman videos, Martin Seligman pdf, Martin Seligman test

Dr. Martin Seligman: Martin Seligman positive psychology, Martin Seligman on authentic happiness and learned optimism

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:33:00 +0000

Dr. Martin Seligman together with Christopher Peterson is one of the founders of positive psychology. Martin Seligman conducted several studies on authentic happiness and learned optimism. Martin E. P. Seligman is the director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Seligman is the Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology in the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Psychology. Previously, he was the Director of the Clinical Training Program in the department, and was elected President of the American Psychological Association by the widest margin in its history. Founding editor-in-chief of Prevention and Treatment Magazine, and is on the board of advisers of Parents. Seligman has written about positive psychology topics such as The Optimistic Child, Child's Play, Learned Optimism, and, in 2002, Authentic Happiness.

Together, we are going to learn more about him, so please stay tuned.

Martin Seligman Video: Martin Seligman talks about positive psychology

Tags: martin seligman, seligman martin, martin seligman learned, martin seligman positive, martin seligman positive psychology, martin seligman psychology, martin seligman happiness, martin seligman optimism, authentic happiness martin seligman, martin seligman learned optimism

Robert Holden Happiness Project - Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, Ian Lynch

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Dr. Robert Holden founded the NHS Stress Buster clinic in 1989 in Birmingham (England), and started The Happiness Project in 1994. Psychologist; author of best selling books such as, Happiness NOW!, Be Happy, Success Intelligence and Shift Happens; and broadcaster, Dr. Robert Holden works in the field of positive psychology and well-being. Robert is a personal and professional coach, and the Director of The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence, through which he gives public lectures worldwide and holds public and corporate workshops and seminars.

Dr. Robert Holden is the author of 10 books, published in 14 languages, including Be Happy: Release The Power of Happiness in YOU, Happiness NOW!, Laughter The Best Medicine, Shift Happens!: Powerful Ways to Transform Your Life, Stress Busters, and Success Intelligence, and has also appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show. His "The Happiness Project" was featured in two major BBC TV documentaries - "The Happiness Formula" and also the award-winning "How to be Happy".

More information about his main books:
- Happiness Now!: Timeless Wisdom for Feeling Good Fast, Hay House, Oct, 2007. ISBN 140192039X.
- Success Intelligence, Hay House, May 2009. ISBN 140192171X.
- Shift Happens!: Powerful Ways to Transform Your Life, Jeffers Press, Oct 2006, ISBN 0977761827.
- Be Happy: Release the power of happiness in YOU, Hay House, April 2009, ISBN 1401921809.
- Happiness NOW! Perpetual Flip Calendar, Hay House, Nov, 2008. ISBN 1401923135.

Dr. Robert Holden lecture:

Dr. Robert Holden interviews:

Tags: Robert Holden Happiness Project, Robert Holden, Happiness Project, Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, Ian Lynch

Sonja Lyubomirsky: The How Of Happiness Sonja LyubomirLive Happy iPhone application, sky - happiness research by Sonya Lyubomirsky, Sonia Lyubomirsky

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:15:00 +0000

"The How Of Happiness" by Sonja Lyubomirsky states that happiness is worth striving for. It also states that 50 percent of human's happiness is genetically determined, 10 percent is affected by life circumstances, and a 40 percent is achieved with choices and self control. "The How Of Happiness" offers strategies to target the 40 percent of happiness that is subject to enhancement. The seminal research title "Pursuing Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable Change" by Sonja Lyubomirsky, David Schkade and Kennon M. Sheldon, published on the Review of General Psychology in 2005, can be freely accessed on http://www.psych.umn.edu/courses/fall06/macdonalda/psy4960/Readings/LyubomirskySustain_RGP05.pdf

Additional Happiness research by Sonya Lyubomirsky includes:

Lyubomirsky, S., Sousa, L., Dickerhoof, R. (2006). The costs and benefits of writing, talking, and thinking about life's triumphs and defeats. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 90, 692-708.

Lyubomirsky, S., King, L. A., & Diener, E. (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect. Psychological Bulletin, 131, 803-855.
Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: The architecture of sustainable change. Review of General Psychology, 9, 111-131.

Boehm, J. K., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). The promise of sustainable happiness. In S. J. Lopez (Ed.), Handbook of positive psychology (2nd ed.; pp. 667-677). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Sin, N. L., & Lyubomirsky, S. (2009). Enhancing well-being and alleviating depressive symptoms with positive psychology interventions: A practice-friendly meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology: In Session, 65,467-487.

The How of Happiness has been taken to the iPhone, in the form of an application called Live Happy. Sonja Lyubomirsky is on application developer (Signal Patterns) scientific advisory board.

These are some videos where Sonja Lyubomirsky describes her happiness scientific research and approach to happiness:

Sonja Lyubomirsky lecture @ Google

Sonja Lyubomirsky interview @ GMA

Tags: lyubomirsky, lyubomirsky sonja, sonja lyubomirsky, lyubomirsky happiness, how of happiness lyubomirsky, sonja lyubomirsky happiness, the how of happiness sonja lyubomirsky, the how of happiness by sonja lyubomirsky, sonya lyubomirsky, sonia lyubomirsky, Live Happy iPhone application

Sochi2014.ru World, Russky Dom @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 03:00:00 +0000

What: Sochi2014.ru World, Russky Dom

Where: Vancouver Science Museum

Why:
Event Program
February 12th – 28th, 2010
Day-time program from 12.00 to 17.00 local time daily

Russian folk songs and dances performed live by a folk ensemble
Contemporary music hits on the traditional Russian balalaika
Autograph sessions with famous Russian athletes
Live culinary show with tastings of Russian cuisine
Thematic competitions and quizzes
Regular musical releases by “Radio Russian House” - Autoradio
Performances by a comedy group
Performances by winners of the musical contest “Battle for Respect”
Broadcast of Olympic Games competitions and a video archive demonstration of the Hockey Super Series 1972, USSR vs. Canada
In the Omnimax theater - a showing of sports documentary films and the best of Russian feature and animated films

Evening Program from 20.00 to 02.00 local time daily (entry by accreditation)

Date	Event	Artists
February 11	Grand Opening of Sochi.ru World, Russky Dom	Dima Bilan
February 12	Olympic Games Opening Ceremony	Dima Bilan, Vladimir Kuzmin
February 13	Kazan 2013	Vladimir Kuzmin, Aida Garifullina, Nikolay Konovalov
February 14	Channel One Day	Andrey Makarevich
February 15	Peace and Sport Day	Andrey Makarevich, Murzilki Int
February 16	Russian Hockey Day	Gorky Park
February 17	Acer Day	Gorky Park
February 18	Autoradio Day	Valeria, A-Studio
February 19	Russian Language Day	Olga Kormuhina
February 20	Jet Set Sports Day	Olga Kormuhina
February 21	Bosco Sport Day	Valery Syutkin, Igor Butman, Uma Thurman, Alexey Kortnev, Piotr Nalitch
February 22	Rosneft Day	Chai v dvoem, Cirque du Soleil
February 23	Day Program – Rostelecom Day (reception aboard the Kruzenstern) Evening Program – Krasnodar Region Day	Kuban Cossack Chorus, winners of the hip-hop “Battle for Respect”
February 24	MegaFon Day	MIRAGE
February 25	Sochi Day	MIRAGE, winners of the hip-hop “Battle for Respect”
February 26	RZD Russian Railways Day	"Beasts", a jazz trio of Denis Matsuev, Borislav Strulev
February 27	Volkswagen Group RUS Day	Karina Serbina
February 28	Sochi.ru World, Russky Dom Closing Ceremony	Pelagea and all Cultural Program participants

Special Events

February 11 GRAND OPENING CEREMONY OF SOCHI2014.RU WORLD, RUSSKY DOM

February 25 OFFICIAL RECEPTION IN HONOR OF INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT JACQUES ROGGE, ON BEHALF OF THE SOCHI 2014 ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND THE RUSSIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE

February 28 CLOSING CEREMONY OF SOCHI2014.RU WORLD, RUSSKY DOM

Rules for Visitation

Casa Italia @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:56:00 +0000

What:Casa Italia

Where: Roundhouse Community Centre, near LiveCity Yaletown

Why: Italian hospitality, food, cheese

Place de la Francophonie 2010 @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:41:00 +0000

What: Place de la Francophonie 2010

Where: Granville Island

Why: program in PDF on http://placefranco2010.ca/images/ProgrammePlaceFranco2010.pdf

Canada's Northern House @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:35:00 +0000

What: Canada's Northern House

Where: Seymour and W. Hastings

Why:

15 Feb

Arctic Sports Demonstration @ West Vancouver Community Centre
Traditional Games originated from the time when northern aboriginal people were semi-nomadic. Played for both fun and survival, these games developed strength, endurance, and resistance to pain.
Read more
15 Feb

Performance and Workshop @ West Vancouver Community Centre
For a workshop and performance by Godson and Kaiva head over to the West Vancouver Community Centre. Two hour-long workshops are scheduled start at 10:30 and 11:30. A performance is scheduled for 1pm.
Read more
15 Feb

Arctic Sports and Dene Hand Games Demonstration @ Canada's Northern House
Traditional Games originated from the time when northern aboriginal people were semi-nomadic. Played for both fun and survival, these games developed strength, endurance, and resistance to pain.
Read more
15 Feb

Natsiq and Beyond: Film Screening and Talk @ Canada's Northern House
Natsiq and Beyond: meet Nunavut’s most important wildlife species and learn about their relationship with the people of our land. Nunavut Department of Environment Deputy Minister Simon Awa and Nunavut Artist Karliin Aariak will tell the unique story of Inuit and wildlife through a film screening and lecture, followed by a question and answer discussion.
Read more
15 Feb

Performances @ Canada's Northern House
Today's performances at Canada's Northern House: Kaiva @6pm, Priscilla's Revenge @7pm and Northern Eclectic with Karen and Theresa @8pm. Click more for additional information.
Read more

Vancouveri Eestlaste Tegevused Veebruar 2010 @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 02:32:00 +0000

What: Vancouver Estonian Activities in February 2010

Where: http://www.vesbc.com/

Why:
Vabariigi Aasta Päeva Aktus/Independence Day Celebration
Pühapäeval, 21. veebruaril kell 15:00/ Sunday, Feb. 21st 3:00pm
For More Info click here

Followed by: Reception and dinner/Järgneb: Koosviibimine koos õhtusöögiga
Pühapäeval, 21. veebruaril kell 18:00/ Sunday, Feb. 21st 6:00pm
For More Info click here

Kolme kiriku poolt organiseeritud Oikumeeniline Jumala Teenistus
For More Info click here

VES Olympic Ball 2010 / Vancouveri Eestlaste Olümpia Ball 2010
Laupäeval, 27. veebruaril kell 17:00/ Saturday, Feb 27th at 5:00pm
For More Info click here

LiveCity Yaletown @ Vancouver 2010 Olympics - Free events

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:51:00 +0000

Where: LiveCity Yaletown – on the water’s edge at David Lam Park

What: live local, national, and international entertainment on the main stage in the afternoon and into the night, culminating each evening with a dynamic nightly closing show.

Why: free gloves and tickets!

Free cultural events during Vancouver 2010 - Vancouver winter 2010 open houses, street events, etc

noreply@blogger.com (Holistic Health Magazine) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 05:29:00 +0000

Vancouver hosts a wealth of free cultural events during Vancouver 2010 Olympics. They include street events, open-space performances, and National open houses, showcasing the beauty of Countries taking part in the Olympics.

A sample of Vancouver 2010 Olympics free events includes: