Image by Welcome... Our InnerSelf welcomes your inner self.
This week, we look at what could be perhaps both our best friend as well as our worst enemy: our mind (and its children: thoughts). The mind, like most instruments, is as good as the use we put it to. A hammer can build a house, it can also smash a thumb when used improperly. A chainsaw can cut wood for constructive purposes, it can also create havoc. And so it goes with all tools, there is a positive use and a destructive one. And our mind is no different. Left alone, unsupervised, it can make a mess of our life and create chaos.
The featured articles this week look at different ways to work with our mind and its creations... which can be emotions such as anger, fear, loneliness, doubt, mistrust, etc. It can also create wonderful projects and developments for ourselves and the human race.
This week we have some of our regular authors bringing you food for thought: Alan Cohen, Barry Vissell, Sarah Varcas and myself (Marie T. Russell). We also have, as usual, numerous articles on a variety of topics. And of course, Pam's weekly astrological journal.
Please scroll down for the featured articles in this new issue of InnerSelf, and also the recap of all the articles that were added to the website during the week.
Wishing you enjoyable insightful reading, and of course a wonder-full, joy-full, and loving week.
Marie T. Russell
editor/publisher,
InnerSelf.com
"New Attitudes...New Possibilities"
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NEW ARTICLES THIS WEEK
What If You Gave A Party and Nobody Came?
Written by Marie T. Russell, InnerSelf
So, stop a minute and ask yourself that question: "What if I gave a party and nobody came?" . What feelings come up for you? While we may not ever have found ourselves in that particular situation, I think we can all identify with the feeling of insecurity... That feeling connects to so many things...
Give Your Gifts, Even Imperfectly
Written by Barry Vissell
I'm officially coming out of the closet! Here goes: I, Barry Vissell, besides being a counselor, author, doctor, and workshop leader, am also a musician! There, that wasn't so hard. So what makes me hesitate to announce this beautiful, musical part of me?
The Best That Can Happen
Written by Alan Cohen
When I ask clients who face a difficult situation, “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” they usually have a well-prepared list of possible dark outcomes. When I ask, “What’s the best thing that could happen?” they usually take a while to think of an answer. They are so practiced in pessimism that optimism hasn’t crossed their mind.
The Problem With Thoughts Is That We Take Them Seriously
Written by Will Johnson
The problem with thoughts is not that we have so many of them but that we identify ourselves so closely with them. Thoughts come and go. Some are clearly more interesting than others. But regardless of their content, we take the emergence of thought seriously because we tend to believe that...
Resistance: The Secret Source of Stress
Written by Sandy C. Newbigging
Resistance not only creates physical stress but is also the determining factor in whether a person feels negative emotions. Experiencing anger, sadness, fear, guilt or grief is only possible if you resist something in your past, present or future.
The Shadow Illuminated: What Happens In January 2020?
Written by Sarah Varcas
You may already know we have a big moment coming up on 12th/13th January 2020 when a conjunction between Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn heralds the beginning of a new developmental cycle lasting in excess of thirty years. Its real significance lies in its relevance to the evolutionary development of humanity in the coming years.
Punishing The Polluters: Why Large Fines Are An Important Step Towards Cleaner Corporations
by Ole Pedersen
Polluting the environment is a crime which can have countless victims – of numerous species and future generations.
What Are We Really Celebrating At Cinco De Mayo?
by Kirby Farah
Many Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but how many actually know the story of the holiday?
Drones Will Deliver Both Packages And An Incessant Buzzing Noise
by Garth Paine
A sister company of Google, Alphabet’s Wing Aviation, just got federal approval to start using drones for commercial…
Why Some Doctors Are Prescribing A Day In The Park Or A Walk On The Beach For Good Health
by Jay Maddock
Taking a walk on a wooded path, spending an afternoon in a public park, harvesting your backyard garden and even…
Why Abusive Husbands Kick Dogs But Angry Neighbors Poison Them
by Laura A. Reese
Volunteering with animal rescue and shelter organizations in Detroit brought me face to face with many manifestations…
What's The Best Way To Go To The Toilet – Squatting Or Sitting?
by Vincent Ho
Pauline Hanson’s concern about the Australian Tax Office installing squat toilets to cater for its increasingly diverse…
How Employers Use Perks Like Wellness Programs, Phones And Free Food To Control Your Life
by Elizabeth C. Tippett
Companies offer all sorts of benefits and extras to attract the most favored workers, from health care and stock…
Does The Next Industrial Revolution Spell The End Of Manufacturing Jobs?
by Jeff Morgan, Trinity College Dublin
Robots have been taking our jobs since the 1960s. So why are politicians and business leaders only now becoming so…
What The Consistency Of Your Poo Says About Your Health
by Trevor Lockett
Number twos are a tricky subject. We all do them. Indeed, excreting waste is critical to life. But polite society and…
Without Help No Cure For Alzheimer's Disease In My Lifetime
by Norman A. Paradis
Biogen recently announced that it was abandoning its late stage drug for Alzheimer’s, aducanumab, causing investors to…
Fear Of The Dentist: What Is Dental Phobia And Dental Anxiety?
by Ellie Heidari
It’s fair to say going to the dentists is few people’s favourite thing to do. In fact, over 45% of British people say…
We're All Influenced By People In Our Networks – How To Make This A Force For Good
by Michael Sanders and Susannah Hume
As the social and economic divides between groups grow ever wider, and social mobility declines, the bonds that tie…
Bringing The Border Closer To Home, One Immersion Trip At A Time
by Gary John Adler Jr
Many if not most Americans have never crossed the U.S. border with Mexico by land or spent any time in that region.
How Notre Dame Has Shaped The Intellectual Life Of Paris For Eight Centuries
by Emily E. Graham
The burning wreckage of the 12th-century Notre-Dame de Paris led to an immediate outpouring of grief over the damage to…
Meditation For Mental Balance and Grounding
by Yoga With Adriene
This 17 minute guided meditation welcomes balance and clarity to your mental and emotional self. Practice regularly to…
How Demographic Shifts Can Rip A Country Apart
by Monica Duffy Toft
What happens to a country when its core national identity – its preferred image of itself in terms of race or religion…
Why Time Seems To Go By More Quickly As We Get Older
by Christian Yates
When we were children, the summer holidays seemed to last forever, and the wait between Christmases felt like an…
Recalls Of Medical Devices And Drugs Are Up
by George Ball
From the valsartan blood pressure drug contamination that exposed thousands of patients to cancer-causing impurities,…
5 Things To Consider Before You Hire A Tutor For Your Child
by Surani Joshua
Private tutoring is a growing business, with people spending hundreds of billions of dollars. But is it worth it? And…
How Do We Pry Apart The True And Compelling From The False And Toxic?
by David V Johnson
When false and malicious speech roils the body politic, when racism and violence surge, the right and role of freedom…
Find New Inspiration With These Time-tested Approaches To Creativity
by Anthony Brandt
Beethoven and Picasso are the perfect examples for mastering the creative process. Behind each of their works are…
Is There A Drug For Autism In Our Future?
by Daniel R. Weinberger,
In 2019, geeks are cool, and the idea that they might be on the autism spectrum is celebrated. Nowhere is this truer…
How Artificial Intelligence Systems Could Threaten Democracy
by Steven Feldstein
U.S. technology giant Microsoft has teamed up with a Chinese military university to develop artificial intelligence…
The Gift of Soil: How Composting Builds Community
by Liz Brazile
The perfect soil mixture can do more than grow food.It took more than two decades for Kevin Holtham, 49, to formulate…
4 Unusual Signs You May Be At Risk Of Parkinson's
by Patrick Lewis and Alastair Noyce
Do you move around a lot during your sleep? Or have you lost your sense of smell? New insights into Parkinson’s disease…
Personalities Are Like Traditions – Unique Patterns Of Behavior That Build Over A Lifetime Of Improvisation
by Nick Chater
The question of whether personality is the result of nature or nurture has plagued researchers – and the general public…
Pema Chödrön - Fear and Fearlessness
by Pema Chödrön
Pema Chödrön describes a liberating way to become intimate with our fears, instead of trying to get rid of or cast them…
Japan’s Next Emperor Is A Modern, Multilingual Environmentalist
by Constantine Nomikos Vaporis
For the first time in 217 years, a Japanese emperor will cede his place on the imperial throne.
How Hacking Photosynthesis Could Fight Deforestation And Famine
by Asaf Tzachor
You might not be able to stomach soybeans for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the animals you eat do.
10 Organic Ways to Control Pests in the Garden
by Self Sufficient Me
In this video, I show you my 10 top organic ways to get rid of pests in your garden. There's no need for harsh…
Robert Reich: 12 Myths About Taxing the Rich
by Robert Reich
Robert Reich debunks 12 misconceptions about tax policy in America.
What To Do If Your Teenager Watches Violent Video
by Rachael Sharman
The world is still reeling in the aftermath of the horrific shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attack has also…
Slow Media: How To Renew Debate In The Age Of Digital Authoritarianism
by Christian Fuchs
The rise of a new global, digital and mobile form of capitalism has, since the 1970s, accelerated the pace of our lives.
How Death Doulas Can Fill Care Gaps At The End Of Life
by Deb Rawlings, et al
Palliative care nurses, social workers and people from the funeral industry are among those who work as death doulas.
Striving For Happiness Could Be Making You Unhappy – Here’s How To Find Your Own Path
by Lowri Dowthwaite
Happiness is big business, with sales of self-help books in the UK reaching record levels in the past year. Perhaps…
Yoga To Feel Your Best
by Yoga With Adriene
Hop on the mat for this 22-minute yoga session designed to help you feel good! Stretch your body, tap into conscious…
Shouldn’t We Live As Simply As Possible?
by Eckhart Tolle
Eckhart discusses spiritual awakening as it relates to two aspects of life: the acquisition of things, and the…
Is 75 The New 65? Wealthy Countries Need To Rethink What It Means To Be Old
by Warren Sanderson, et al
In 1950, men and women at age 65 could expect to live about 11 years more on average. Today, that number has gone up to…
Air Purification Is Catching On And Why It May Be Doing More Harm Than Good
by Alastair Lewis
I recently found myself in the surreal world of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas discussing the next…
How to Build a High-Tunnel Greenhouse
by This Old House
Roger Cook helps a homeowner build a simple, affordable backyard greenhouse.
How Can Trees Really Cool Our Cities Down?
by Roland Ennos, University of Hull
In cities around the world, trees are often planted to help control temperatures and mitigate the effects of the “urban…
For Some People, Anxiety And Phobias Are Taken To Extremes
by James Erskine
Anxiety is a common experience. It is entirely normal to feel anxious in certain circumstances or when imagining…
How Animal Abuse Varies By People’s Relationship To The Pet
by Kristen Parker
There’s a correlation between different types of animal abuse and the perpetrator’s relationship to an animal and its…
Why You Might Benefit From Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
by Claudia Brown
“How did I not know this was a pelvic floor issue? Why didn’t my doctor send me here sooner? Do you have other patients…
How To Reduce Digital Distractions: Advice From Medieval Monks
by Jamie Kreiner
Medieval monks had a terrible time concentrating. And concentration was their lifelong work! Their tech was obviously…
Do You Feel Like Time Is Flying? Here's How To Slow It Down
by Steve Taylor
Sometimes it seems as if life is passing us by. When we are children, time ambles by, with endless car journeys and…
Did Anne Boleyn Really Try To Speak After Being Beheaded?
by Adam Taylor
When Jean-Paul Marat’s killer, Charlotte Corday, was executed by guillotine in 1793, a man named Francois le Gros…
Female Warblers Live Longer When They Have Help Raising Offspring
by David Richardson and Martijn Hammers
Death is, unfortunately, an inevitable consequence of life. In most animals growing old is accompanied by progressive…
Should The Sahara Desert Be Turned Into A Huge Solar Farm?
by Amin Al-Habaibeh
Whenever I visit the Sahara I am struck by how sunny and hot it is and how clear the sky can be.
Astrological Journal for the Week
Written by Pam Younghans
This weekly column (updated every Sunday afternoon) is based on planetary influences, and offers perspectives and insights to assist you in making the best use of current energies... Read this week's journal here
It is also highly beneficial to reread the past week's astrological journal as it gives a hindsight view of the events that took place and may provide many "ah-ha" insights.
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