Trick Your Mind into Seeing Alternative Realities with Holophonic Sounds

Be sure to always listen to Holophonic recordings with headphones.

Notice how the sound doesn’t just jump from ear to ear like traditional stereo recording, but actually circles in front and in the back of the head.

Also make sure to listen at a casual level, as the intensity of the sound varies.

Holophonic Sound is based on binaural recording, a technique in which stereo microphones are fixed within a prosthetic head – complete with ears and sinus cavities – to mimic the complex auditory system of the human head.

Doing this makes binaural and Holophonic recordings sound more natural and more realistic than normal stereo recordings because we hear the recordings with the same nuances we would hear sounds in real life within our own heads.

When played in stereo, Holophonic sound is so realistic and three-dimensional that it can often arouse other senses – smell, taste, and touch – within most people who listen to it.

Allegedly, Holophonic Sounds can stimulate areas of the ear that normal recordings or real life sounds cannot. For this reason, some people with hearing impairments whose brains cannot process other sounds, can hear Holophonic Sounds.

Virtual Barber Shop

As usual use headphones and enjoy your virtual hair cut!

The Interrogation Chamber – A Haunting Holophonic Play

Video Description

Choose a higher video resolution for best sound quality.

This play was recorded with two microphones placed in the ears of a dummy head thus being in binaural 3D sound. By listening to the play with stereo earphones in a quiet room you should get the same sound sensation as if you were actually on the set listening. No additional sound effect were added post recording. It was recorded, with permission, in a dismantled nuclear reactor complex 25 metres underground.

Your hearing can determine the direction of a sound from the differences in arrival time and sound strength between your both ears as well as from the “frequency filter” caused by your ears shape.

Please note that this purely fictional play contains some pretty scary and violent scenes. Do not listen to it if that can be bad for you.

Medielabbet is a student union organised by students of the Media technology program at KTH in Sweden. The members who made this are: Anton Warnhag, David Ringqvist, Erik Sillén, Norbert von Niman & Poya Tavakolian.
Original manuscript by: Anton Warnhag

One Mom’s Amusing Reaction to Holophonic Sound

> Holophonic Recordings | Get High Now

Feb 27, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Healthy Sleeping Positions (Video)

We spend about 1/3 of our lives sleeping and some of us still don’t have it down.

You would think that something that involves a lot of nothing would come easy but a lot of us have bad sleeping habits that can lead to joint pain, spinal issues and disease.

Sleep is when the body heals and regenerates and even though we may not be actively conscious the brain still sends many signals through the spine to our organs.

Healthy Sleeping Positions

Sleeping Solo

Sleeping With That Special Someone

The key to maintaining a healthy sleeping position, whether you are flying solo or snuggling with a fine dime piece, is a neutral spine.

Live it up, sleep well, dream big; peace.

Feb 19, 2014Jun 17, 2016

33 Healthy Ways to Use Coconut Oil

Scientific research on coconut oil has revealed health benefits that affect your entire body, inside and out.

You’ve heard good things about it and now you have a tub of it sitting in your pantry. So how do you use coconut oil?

Cooking and Eating

1) Cooking at High Heat – Some oils are unsafe to cook with at high temperatures, coconut oil is a great alternative.

2) Eat it by the Spoonful – Coconut oil is that delicious and healthful. Enjoy one spoonful each morning.

3) Smoothies – Add one tablespoon of coconut oil into your favorite smoothie recipe and increase your energy with the oil’s MCTs.

4) Replace Vegetable Oil for Baking – Next time you make your favorite brownie recipe, replace the vegetable oil with coconut oil. Your friends will be begging you for the recipe.

5) Pan Frying – Next time you fry up a batch of sweet potato fries or a piece of chicken, use coconut oil.

6) Coconut Oil Coffee – Adding a spoonful to your coffee is a delicious way to start your day with a huge energy boost! Here is a great recipe for coconut oil coffee.

7) Homemade Granola – Check out this delicious recipe for coconut granola.

8) A Spoonful in Tea – Allow some coconut oil to melt and mildly flavor your next cup of tea.

9) Salad Dressings – A simple recipe for a salad dressing with coconut oil can be found here.

Coconut Oil Skin Care

10) Cheekbone Highlighter – Apply a small amount on cheekbones over makeup.

11) Shaving Lotion – Close shave and a moisturizer at the same time.

12) Facial Scrub – Combine coconut oil with Himalayan crystal salt and apply to face each night. Washing it off is optional.

13) Body Scrub – Combine coconut oil and sugar. Check out this DIY Sugar Scrub recipe.

14) Makeup Remover – Healthier, stronger and longer eye lashes are just a bonus!

15) Homemade Deodorant – You only need a few ingredients in addition to coconut oil to make this simple deodorant recipe.

16) Homemade Lip Balm or Lip Gloss – Apply directly or create a flavored version with this simple lip balm recipe.

17) Sexual Lubricant – We swear by this one 😉

18) Massage Oil – Coconut oil is the perfect choice for a massage oil. Not too greasy and with a relaxing scent.

19) Body and Facial Moisturizer – Apply directly after showering.

20) Sunburn Care – A great moisturizer to use after you’ve gotten a bit too much sun.

21) Dry Feet Treatment – Mix with salt to form a foot scrub.

22) Elbow Rub – Helps manage the dry skin on your elbows.

Coconut Oil Hair Care

23) Leave-in Overnight Conditioner – Looking for a deep conditioning hair treatment? Rub a small amount of oil into hair (mostly at ends), comb through and put hair in a loose bun before bed, and wash out in the morning.

24) Defrizzer of Split Ends – Just put a tiny amount on your hands and run them through the frizzy areas.

25) Static Reducer – Rub your hands together with a little bit of coconut oil on them and run them through your static-y hair.

Other Healthy Uses for Coconut Oil

26) Homemade Toothpaste – Combine equal parts coconut oil and baking soda. Sweeten with stevia and flavor with your favorite essential oil.

27) Aromatherapy – Whether you like coconut or not, the soothing aroma of coconut oil is pleasing to us all and can help us wind down after a long, stressful day.

28) Wound Care – Although you may not be ready to give up your Neosporin, coconut oil can even be used as a topical protector for wounds, shielding them with a thin chemical layer from outside contaminants. You can apply a small amount of coconut oil to small scrapes and cuts.

29) Metabolism Booster – 2 tablespoons per day are proven to rev up your metabolism.

30) Thyroid Supporter – Regular coconut oil consumption has been shown to support healthy thyroid function.

31) Energizer – 1 teaspoon can give you a burst of energy instead of turning towards a caffeinated energy drink.

Coconut Oil for Animals

32) Feed it to your Dog or Cat – Coconut oil isn’t just healthy for humans. Here is some good info on the benefits for dogs and cats.

33) Put It On Your Cat’s Paw – Put half a teaspoon on your kitty’s paw to keep a shiny coat and cut down on hairballs.

Jan 7, 2014Jun 17, 2016

Holistic Pain Remedies – Let Food Be Thy Medicine

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” – Hippocrates

Balanced nutrition with the cornerstones of water, fruits and vegetables have shown to promote health and well being.

On that same tip, many foods also have curative properties for common aches, pains and discomfort. These holistic pain remedies are simple to use and effective enough to be mentioned in an era when technology is accelerating at an exponential pace.

Holistic Pain Remedies

Water Flushes Out Pain Inducing Histamine From The Body

Whether it’s your feet, your knees or your shoulders that are throbbing, experts at New York’s Manhattan College, say you could kick-start your recovery in one week just by drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily.

Experts say water dilutes and flushes out histamine, a pain-triggering compound produced by injured tissues.

“Plus water is a key building block of the cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones, your joints’ lubricating fluid, and the soft discs in your spine,” adds Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., author of the book, The Good Mood Diet. “

And when these tissues are well-hydrated, they can move and glide over each other without causing pain.”

Ginger for Muscle Pain

When Danish researchers asked achy people to jazz up their diets with ginger, it eased muscle and joint pain, swelling and stiffness for up to 63 percent of them within two months.

Experts credit ginger’s potent compounds called gingerols, which prevent the production of pain-triggering hormones. The study-recommended dose: Add at least 1 teaspoon of dried ginger or 2 teaspoons of chopped ginger to meals daily.

Peppermint Oil Baths for Muscle Pain

Stubborn knots can hang around for months if they aren’t properly treated, says naturopath Mark Stengler, N.D., author of the book, The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies. His advice:

Three times each week, soak in a warm tub scented with 10 drops of peppermint oil.

The warm water will relax your muscles, while the peppermint oil will naturally soothe your nerves — a combo that can ease muscle cramping 25 percent more effectively than over-the-counter painkillers, and cut the frequency of future flare-ups in half, says Stengler.

Tame Chronic Pain With Turmeric

Studies show turmeric, a popular East Indian spice, is actually three times more effective at easing pain than aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen, plus it can help relieve chronic pain for 50 percent of people struggling with arthritis and even fibromyalgia, according to Cornell researchers.

That’s because turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, naturally shuts down cyclooxygenase 2, an enzyme that churns out a stream of pain-producing hormones, explains nutrition researcher Julian Whitaker, M.D. and author of the book, Reversing Diabetes.

The study-recommended dose: Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of this spice daily onto any rice, poultry, meat or vegetable dish.

Grapes For Your Back Ache

Recent studies at Ohio State University suggest eating a heaping cup of grapes daily can relax tight blood vessels, significantly improving blood flow to damaged back tissues (and often within three hours of enjoying the first bowl).

That’s great news because your back’s vertebrae and shock-absorbing discs are completely dependent on nearby blood vessels to bring them healing nutrients and oxygen, so improving blood flow is essential for healing damaged back tissue, says Stengler.

Cloves for Toothaches

Gently chewing on a clove can ease tooth pain and gum inflammation for two hours straight, say UCLA researchers. Experts point to a natural compound in cloves called eugenol, a powerful, natural anesthetic.

Bonus: Sprinkling a ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves on meals daily may also protect your ticker. Scientists say this simple action helps stabilize blood sugar, plus dampen production of artery-clogging cholesterol in as little as three weeks.

Erase Earaches With Garlic

Place two drops of warm garlic oil into your aching ear twice daily for five days. This simple treatment can clear up ear infections faster than prescription meds, say experts at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

Scientists say garlic’s active ingredients (germanium, selenium, and sulfur compounds) are naturally toxic to dozens of different pain-causing bacteria.

To whip up your own garlic oil gently simmer three cloves of crushed garlic in a half a cup of extra virgin olive oil for two minutes, strain, then refrigerate for up to two weeks, suggests Teresa Graedon, Ph.D., co-author of the book, Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy.

For an optimal experience, warm this mix slightly before using so the liquid will feel soothing in your ear canal.

Ease Joint and Headache Pain With Cherries

A daily bowl of cherries could ease your joint and headaches, without the stomach upset so often triggered by today’s painkillers, say researchers at East Lansing’s Michigan State University.

Their research reveals that anthocyanins, the compounds that give cherries their brilliant red color, have anti-inflammatory effects 10 times stronger than ibuprofen and aspirin.

“Anthocyanins help shut down the powerful enzymes that kick-start tissue inflammation, so they can prevent, as well as treat, many different kinds of pain,” explains Muraleedharan Nair, Ph.D., professor of food science at Michigan State University.

His advice: Enjoy 20 cherries (fresh, frozen or dried) daily, then continue until your pain disappears.

Heal heartburn with Cider Vinegar

Sip 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with 8 ounces of water before every meal, and experts say you could shut down painful bouts of heartburn in as little as 24 hours.

“Cider vinegar is rich in malic and tartaric acids, powerful digestive aids that speed the breakdown of fats and proteins so your stomach can empty quickly, before food washes up into the esophagus, triggering heartburn pain,” explains Joseph Brasco, M.D., a gastroenterologist at the Center for Colon and Digestive Diseases in Huntsville, AL.

Impede the Progress of IBS and Indigestion With Fish

Indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel diseases…if your belly always seems to be in an uproar, try munching 18 ounces of fish weekly to ease your bowels.

Repeated studies show that the fatty acids in fish, called EPA and DHA, can significantly reduce intestinal inflammation, cramping and belly pain and, in some cases, provide as much relief as corticosteroids and other prescription meds.

“EPA and DHA are powerful, natural, side effect-free anti-inflammatory, that can dramatically improve the function of the entire gastrointestinal tract,” explains biological chemist Barry Sears, Ph.D., president of the Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA.

For best results, look for oily fish like salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, trout and herring.

Pineapple Prevents Digestive Woes

One cup of fresh pineapple daily can cut painful bloating within 72 hours, say researchers at California’s Stanford University.

That’s because pineapple is naturally packed with proteolytic enzymes, digestive aids that help speed the breakdown of pain-causing proteins in the stomach and small intestine, say USDA researchers.

Salt for Ingrown Toe Nails and Foot Pain

Regularly soaking ingrown nails in warm salt water baths can cure these painful infections within four days, say scientists at California’s Stanford University.

The salt in the mix naturally nixes inflammation, plus it’s anti-bacterial, so it quickly destroys the germs that cause swelling and pain.

Just mix 1 teaspoon of salt into each cup of water, heat to the warmest temperature that you can comfortably stand, and then soak the affected foot area for 20 minutes twice daily, until your infection subsides.

Horseradish for Sinus Problems

According to German researchers, this eye-watering condiment naturally revs up blood flow to the sinus cavities, helping to open and drain clogged sinuses and heal sinus infections more quickly than decongestant sprays do.

The study-recommended dose: One teaspoon twice daily (either on its own, or used as a sandwich or meat topping) until symptoms clear.

Beat Bladder Infections With Blueberries

Eating 1 cup of blueberries daily, whether you opt for them fresh, frozen or in juice form, can cut your risk of a urinary tract infection (UTIs) by 60 percent, according to researchers at New Jersey’s Rutgers University.

That’s because blueberries are loaded with tannin, plant compounds that wrap around problem-causing bacteria in the bladder, so they can’t get a toehold and create an infection, explains Amy Howell, Ph.D. a scientist at Rutgers University.

Honey Heals and Soothes Mouth Sores

Dab painful canker and cold sores with unpasteurized honey four times daily until these skin woes disappear, and they’ll heal 43 percent faster than if you use a prescription cream, say researchers at the Dubai Specialized Medical Center in the United Arab Emirates.

Raw honey’s natural enzymes zap inflammation, destroy invading viruses and speed the healing of damaged tissues, say the study authors.

Tomato Juice For Leg Cramps

Potassium deficiencies, which occur when this mineral is flushed out by diuretics, caffeinated beverages or heavy perspiration during exercise can lead to leg cramps.

Sip 10 ounces of potassium-rich tomato juice daily and you’ll not only speed your recovery, you’ll reduce your risk of painful cramp flare-ups in as little as 10 days, say UCLA researchers.

End Endometrial Pain with Oats

The ticket to soothing endometriosis pain could be a daily bowl of oatmeal.

Endometriosis occurs when little bits of the uterine lining detach and grow outside of the uterus. Experts say these migrating cells can turn menstruation into a misery, causing so much inflammation that they trigger severe cramping during your period, plus a heavy ache that drags on all month long.

Fortunately, scientists say opting for a diet rich in oats can help reduce endometrial pain for up to 60 percent of women within six months.

That’s because oats don’t contain gluten, a trouble-making protein that triggers inflammation in many women, making endometriosis difficult to bear, explains Peter Green, M.D., professor of medicine at Colombia University.

Flax For Breast Pain

In one recent study, adding 3 tablespoons of ground flax to their daily diet eased breast soreness for one in three women within 12 weeks.

Scientists credit flax’s phytoestrogens, natural plant compounds that prevent the estrogen spikes that can trigger breast pain.

More good news: You don’t have to be a master baker to sneak this healthy seed into your diet. Just sprinkle ground flax on oatmeal, yogurt, applesauce or add it to smoothies and veggie dips.

If you have a couple of home remedies or holistic approaches to add to this list, feel free to do so in the comments. The feedback is greatly appreciated.

> 20 Pain Cures You Can Find In Your Kitchen | I Village

Jan 5, 2014Jan 25, 2018

Binaural Beats: A Digital Auditory Drug for Mind Enhancement & Optimization (Video)

Binaural beats were originally discovered in 1839 by physicist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. He discovered when signals of two different frequencies are presented separately, one to each ear, your brain detects the phase variation between the frequencies and tries to reconcile that difference.

In doing so, as the two frequencies mesh in and out of phase, your brain creates its own third signal — called a binaural beat — which is equal to the difference between those two frequencies.

Research has shown that introducing a binaural beat will cause the brain to begin resonating in tune with that beat. This technique can be used to quickly and easily guide your mind into a desired state.

The concept that music can change your mood is, of course, nothing new. I am unsure if binaural beats offer an improvement over typical music, placebo or otherwise. More conclusive studies are required, but if you do find you enjoy the beats, there are many free options available so you won’t have to pay for the service.

And if you find you want to make your own binaural beats, check out:
Open Source Binaural Beat Generator.

Binaural Beats: A Digital Auditory Drug for Mind Enhancement & Optimization

528 Hz Schumann – Chakra Balance (Meditation Enhancement)

528 Hz love frequency based meditation; with a Schumann resonance, binaural entrainment vibration rate of 7.8 Hz.

Retain Information During Studying (Study Tool)

Video Description

(*Headphones required*)
This binaural study aid features many different frequencies between 4 & 14 Hz. It begins at 4Hz and rises slowly, ending with a 14hz Alpha tone at around the 50 min mark. The pitch remains constant throughout. Adjust the volume accordingly and feel free to mix with music, though it is advised to spend some time adjusting to the tone by itself first.

Extremely Powerful Multidimensional Self Connection

Close your eyes.
Listen with headphones.
Early morning time is best. 🙂

This Binaural is very powerful. If you have never used them before, start on some lower effect and build up.

Lucid Dream Induction | ‘Matrices’ | A Movie in Your Mind

Description & Instructions

***PLEASE READ THE DESCRIPTION*** / HEADPHONES REQUIRED FOR BINAURAL BEATS

The 6-minute hypnosis at the start (STAGE #1) is there to help you fall asleep within the first 10-minutes of the lucid dream inducement (STAGE #2). It’s therefore recommended that you listen to STAGE #1 before every session until you’re confident that you can fall asleep without it, in which case just click on the annotation at the start to skip straight to the induction. The reason you have to sleep within 10 mins of STAGE #2 is so that the peak of your REM sleep/dream activity syncronizes with the triggers/affirmations at 1:11:28 secs.

STAGE #1 has the added benefit of providing several affirmations to prepare your mind for lucidity; “Tonight I will lucid dream”, “I am the master of my dreams” etc. (see below)

The first 65 minutes of STAGE #2 will guide your brainwaves into a deep Delta sleep, while the remainder will transition your mind into Theta, the state in which REM sleep and dreams (at their peak intensity) occur. From 65 mins of Stage #2 onwards, there will be a number of affirmations designed to trigger lucidity. You are advised to skip to these now so that you can adjust volume levels accordingly. (1:11:28 secs )

It is important to develop the habit of performing ‘reality checks’ throughout the day as the affirmations will prompt you to perform these in your dream. Of course you may even trigger lucidity without this audio – but this is just a tool to help you speed up the process. The key to getting results is persistence.

————————————
STAGE #1 AFFIRMATIONS (before and after the relaxation hypnosis)
————————————
“The next time I am dreaming, I will know that I am dreaming
“I am the master of my dreams”
“Tonight I will have a lucid dream”
“When dreaming, I recognize that I am dreaming”
————————————
STAGE #2 AFFIRMATIONS (From 1Hr 11 Mins 28 secs onwards)
————————————
“You are dreaming”
“Do a reality check”
“This is a dream”
“You are taking control of your dream”
“You are now dreaming”
“Is this a dream?”
“Perform a reality check”
“I am awakening within my dream”
“I am becoming consciously aware”

Deep Delta Sleep Meditation

Deep delta brainwave audio for meditation, relaxation and sleep.

Headphones are not needed as this uses Sonic Harmonics audio technology.

Binaural Beats for High Mental Activity | Gamma Waves

High gamma binaural beats are associated with high mental activity. Ideally when we are actively and deeply focused on task or during meditation, our brain generates frequency higher than normal (between 25-100 Hz).

Share your experiences with Binaural Beats below, we’d love to hear them.

> How They Affect Your Brain | Immrama Institute

Dec 11, 2013Nov 2, 2014

Learn Anything in 20 Hours – Josh Kaufman Ted Talk (Video)

You may be familiar with Malcolm Gladwell and his theory that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in a given field.

Josh Kaufman believes that this theory may be a tad misleading. Through his research, he’s found that it in fact only takes 20 hours of attentive practice to become proficient at any activity.

The First 20 Hours – How to Learn Anything: Josh Kaufman at TEDxCSU

Josh specializes in teaching people from all walks of life how to master practical knowledge and skills. In his talk, he shares how having his first child inspired him to approach learning in a whole new way.

Dec 9, 2013Jun 17, 2016

The Inspiring Workspaces of Creative Giants (Photo Gallery)

One’s creative juices can be augmented by a pleasant workspace environment.

If you’re having trouble with your creative output, taking a look at how successful creationists have traditionally set up their inspiring workspaces may help.

Although the spaces are unique to each artist, one over-arching theme is an aura of peace and solitude.

Inspiring Workspaces of Creative Giants

Mark Twain, Author

Georgia O’Keefe, Painter

E.B. White, Writer

Alexander Calder, Sculptor

Roald Dahl, Children’s Author

Nikki McClure, Illustrator

Martin Amis, Novelist

Adrian Tomine, Graphic Novelist

Virginia Woolf, Novelist

Willem de Kooning, Artist

Chip Kidd, Book Cover Designer

Amanda Hesser, Food Writer

Ray Eames, Designer and Artist

Nigella Lawson, Food Writer

Susan Sontag, Writer and Filmmaker

Pablo Picasso, Artist

John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Songwriters and Artists

Marc Chagall, Painter

John Updike, Writer

Paul Cézanne, Painter

Colm Tóibín, Writer

David Hockney, Painter

William Buckley, Author and Commentator

Yoshitomo Nara, Artist

Will Self, Writer

Francis Bacon, Painter

Orla Kiely, Fashion Designer

Rudyard Kipling, Author

Jackson Pollock, Painter

Ruth Reichl, Food Writer

Mark Rothko, Painter

> Workspaces of the Famously Creative | Buzz Feed

Dec 1, 2013Jun 17, 2016

Salvador Dali’s Technique for Creative Thinking (Guide)

In art history, one can easily argue that Salvador Dali is the father of surrealism. Surrealism is the art of writing or painting unreal or unpredictable works of art using the images or words from an imaginary world. Dali’s art is the definition of surrealism.

Surrealism is the stressing of subconscious or irrational significance of imagery, or in more simplistic terms, the use of dreamlike imagery. Dali’s absurd imagination has him painting pictures of figures no person would even dream of creating.

How was Salvador Dali able to conjure up these extraordinary images from his subconscious that he used in his surrealistic paintings?

Dali was intrigued with the images which occur at the boundary between sleeping and waking. They can occur when people are falling asleep, or when they are starting to wake up, and they tend to be extremely vivid, colorful and bizarre. He experimented with various ways of generating and capturing these fantastical images.

Salvador Dali’s Creative Thinking Technique

His favorite technique is that he would put a tin plate on the floor and then sit by a chair beside it, holding a spoon over the plate. He would then totally relax his body; sometimes he would begin to fall asleep.

The moment that he began to doze the spoon would slip from his fingers and clang on the plate, immediately waking him to capture the surreal images.

The extraordinary images seem to appear from nowhere, but there is a logic. The unconscious is a living, moving stream of energy from which thoughts gradually rise to the conscious level and take on a definite form. Your unconscious is like a hydrant in the yard while your consciousness is like a faucet upstairs in the house. Once you know how to turn on the hydrant, a constant supply of images can flow freely from the faucet. These forms give rise to new thoughts as you interpret the strange conjunctions and chance combinations.

Following is a blueprint for the technique:

• Think about your challenge. Consider your progress, your obstacles, your alternatives, and so on. Then push it away and relax.

• Totally relax your body. Sit on a chair. Hold a spoon loosely in one of your hands over a plate. Try to achieve the deepest muscle relaxation you can.

• Quiet your mind. Do not think of what went on during the day or your challenges and problems. Clear your mind of chatter.

• Quiet your eyes. You cannot look for these images. Be passive. You need to achieve a total absence of any kind of voluntary attention. Become helpless and involuntary and directionless. You can enter the hypnogogic state this way, and, should you begin to fall asleep, you will drop the spoon and awaken in time to capture the images.

• Record your experiences immediately after they occur. The images will be mixed and unexpected and will recede rapidly. They could be patterns, clouds of colors, or objects.

• Look for the associative link. Write down the first things that occur to you after your experience. Look for links and connections to your challenge.

Ask questions such as:

What puzzles me?
Is there any relationship to the challenge?
Any new insights? Messages?
What’s out of place?
What disturbs me?
What do the images remind me of?
What are the similarities?
What analogies can I make?
What associations can I make?
How do the images represent the solution to the problem?

A restaurant owner used this technique to inspire new promotion ideas. When the noise awakened him, he kept seeing giant neon images of different foods: neon ice cream, neon pickles, neon chips, neon coffee, and so on. The associative link he saw between the various foods and his challenge was to somehow to use the food itself as a promotion.

The idea: He offers various free food items according to the day of week, the time of day, and the season. For instance, he might offer free pickles on Monday, free ice cream between 2 and 4 P.M. on Tuesdays, free coffee on Wednesday nights, free sweet rolls on Friday mornings, free salads between 6 and 8 P.M. on Saturdays and so on. He advertises the free food items with neon signs, but you never know what food items are being offered free until you go into the restaurant. The sheer variety of free items and the intriguing way in which they are offered has made his restaurant a popular place to eat.

Another promotion he created as a result of seeing images of different foods is a frequent-eater program. Anyone who hosts five meals in a calendar month gets $30 worth of free meals. The minimum bill is $20 but he says the average is $30 a head. These two promotions have made him a success.

The images you summon up with this technique have an individual structure that may indicate an underlying idea or theme. Your unconscious mind is trying to communicate something specific to you, though it may not be immediately comprehensible. The images can be used as armatures on which to hang new relationships and associations.

In another example, the owner of a fourth-generation funeral home tried Dali’s technique and he conjured up images of coffee, people gathering over coffee and general stores. These reminded him of his great-grandfather who owned a general store where people would gather and drink coffee. The great grand-father later converted part of the general store into a funeral home and started the family business.

The images inspired the idea of adding a “Coffee Corner” to the funeral home. The facilities now include business offices, viewing rooms, a chapel and now a coffee corner where a Starbucks operates in a special wing off to the side. The owner describes it as simply one more service for people to choose, but certainly one that’s not mandatory. The funeral home Starbucks will also be open to the public not just to those attending services. Only Dali’s technique could conjure up a Starbucks funeral home.

> Dali’s Thinking Technique | Creativity Post

Sep 30, 2013Jun 17, 2016

Nature Loves Courage – Terence Mckenna (Comic Strip)

Terence Mckenna provides encouraging advice on walking lightly through life as you pursue your passion.

Terence McKenna was a psychedelic warrior – a writer, lecturer and expert on ecology, botany, shamanism and spiritual transformation. McKenna’s books discuss the benefits and mind-altering effects of LSD, psilocybin and other hallucinogens, and the role they’ve played in human history and culture.

I had an impossible dream (become a web cartoonist) and I made the commitment and hurled myself into the abyss (quit my job and sold my house to fund the dream) and so far, it’s worked out better than I could have imagined.

Now I don’t want to give people a false sense of hope – that all you have to do is take the leap and everything will work out peachy. For me, ‘making the commitment’ means working my ass off, drawing these comics 6-7 days a week. But the work is satisfying and meaningful to me. So I would say that hard work, planning, skill, commitment and grit make up 90% of the equation, but maybe that last 10% is just deciding to hurl yourself into the abyss. – Gavin Aung, Zen Pencils

Terence Mckenna – Nature Loves Courage , Unfold the Stone (Audio)

Sep 26, 2013Jun 17, 2016

Change Your Life in 2 Minutes a Day – Power Pose (Guide)

Your body language shapes who you are. It shapes how you are viewed by others, and even how you view yourself.

Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy’s scientific work delves into the possibility that choosing to pose your body in different ways actually changes the ratio of the hormones that are produced in your brain.

High Power Poses decrease the amount of Cortisol (known as the stress hormone) while increasing the amount of Testosterone, leading to feelings of empowerment, increased confidence, and affability.

Expectedly, Low Power Poses raise the amount of Cortisol in the brain and decrease Testosterone, leading to feelings of anxiety, low self confidence, and general awkwardness.

Only two minutes a day in High Power poses can change the way you feel and approach life. Try it out for yourself – and remember:

If you feel like you shouldn’t be somewhere: Fake it. Do it until you make it – until you become it! – Amy Cuddy

High Power Poses

Low Power Poses

Power Pose Effect on Hormones

> Posing with Power | Business Insider

Aug 20, 2013Jun 17, 2016

How to Pair Beer and Food (Guide)

Beer and food have been enjoyed together for centuries.

Beer’s broad range of flavors, aromas and textures make it a perfect match for nearly any kind of food, from handmade sausages to gourmet dishes. Choosing beers and foods that enhance each other requires paying attention to the gustatory qualities of each. The Brewers Association, along with several beer and food experts, have suggestions that will make your culinary experiences more enjoyable.

For great beer and food pairings, a number of things should be considered according to Randy Mosher, author of Tasting Beer: An Insiders Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink:

Match strength with strength. It is common sense that delicate dishes work best with delicate beers. It is equally true that strongly-flavored foods demand assertive beers. With beer, flavor intensity involves a variety of qualities such as alcoholic strength, malt character, hop bitterness, sweetness, richness and roast factor.

Find harmonies. Combinations often work best when food and beverage share common flavor or aroma elements. The nutty flavor of an English-style brown ale and a handmade cheddar cheese; the deep, roasted flavors of an imperial stout and chocolate truffles; or the rich, caramel flavors of an Oktoberfest lager and roasted pork.

Consider sweetness, bitterness, carbonation, heat (spice) and richness. This is straightforward. Specific characteristics of food and beer interact with each other in predictable ways. Taking advantage of these interactions ensures that the food and beer will balance each other, creating a desire for a taste of the other.

Look to classical cuisines. The cuisines of traditional beer-drinking countries offer many beer and food combinations. Schnitzel with pale lager may be obvious, but who would have thought to put stout together with oysters? Classic matches like this can be found if you seek them out, and offer a great start to further exploration.

> Principles of Matching | Craft Beer

Jul 16, 2013Jun 17, 2016

8 Home Remedies You Can Use in a Pinch

Not everyone is sold on home remedies, but through a combination of science and testimonials, here are 8 home remedies you can use.

Duct Tape to Remove Warts

In 2002, a group of doctors compared duct tape’s effectiveness with liquid nitrogen in removing warts. After two months of wearing duct tape on a daily basis and using a pumice stone about once a week to exfoliate the dead skin, 85 percent of patients’ warts were gone, whereas freezing only removed 60 percent. “The question is whether there is something in the chemical adhesive itself, or if the occlusion (suffocation) causes the destruction of the wart,” says New York City–based dermatologist, Robin Blum, MD. “The other thinking is that the duct tape causes irritation, which stimulates our body’s immune cells to attack the wart.”

Vapor Rub to Cure Nail Fungus

While there are no studies to prove coating infected toenails with vapor rub once or twice a day is an effective treatment for nail fungus, a basic Internet search results in a number of personal testaments to the medicinal ointment’s fungus-killing powers. “I’ve heard many patients say that vapor rub does help, but I’m not exactly sure why,” Dr. Blum admits. While some argue it’s the menthol in the balm that kills the fungus and others say it’s the smothering effect of the thick gel, if used consistently, vapor rub has been shown to get rid of not just the fungus, but the infected toenail, too, which will turn black and eventually fall off. When the new nail grows in, it should be fungus-free.

Oatmeal to Soothe Eczema

“This is absolutely true, as oats have anti-inflammatory properties,” Dr. Blum says. Whether it’s used as a paste or poured into a bath, most experts recommend choosing colloidal (finely ground) oatmeal and soaking the affected area for at least 15 minutes. In addition to reducing inflammation, oats are thought to have an antihistamine effect, Dr. Blum says. By lowering levels of histamine, which triggers inflammation as part of the immune system’s recovery response, she explains, oats prevent or reduce the redness.

Yogurt to Cure Bad Breath

Bad breath comes from a number of places, the two most common being the mouth and the stomach. The neutralizing powers of yogurt and other probiotics treat the latter cause. “Yogurt shouldn’t have any effect at all on the bacteria that live on the tongue because it’s not there long enough,” says Robert Meltzer, MD, a New York City–based gastroenterologist and attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital. However, it likely has a neutralizing effect on the acid that resides anywhere between the mouth and the stomach, including the back of the throat and the esophagus, he explains. “I think almost any milk product or food that contains live cultures would have the same effect.” While yogurt can get rid of bad breath that results from gastrological conditions, like acid reflux, it won’t have any real effect on bad breath that is the product of gum, liver or lung disease, says Ohio-based dentist Matthew Messina, DDS.

A Spoonful of Sugar to Cure Hiccups

In 1971, Edgar Engelman, MD, conducted a study to find out if a spoonful of sugar really is an effective cure for hiccups. He assembled a group of 20 patients who had been experiencing intractable hiccups for more than six hours, eight of whom had had them anywhere from a full day to six weeks. Each of the test subjects was given one teaspoon of white granulated sugar to swallow dry, and for 19 of the 20 hiccup patients, the cure was immediate. André Dubois, MD, a gastroenterologist in Bethesda, Maryland, noted in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies that “the sugar is probably acting in the mouth to modify the nervous impulses that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically.”

Bite A Pencil to Cure Tension Headaches

While doctors aren’t sure why we do it, clenching our teeth is a common side effect of stress. According to Fred Sheftell, MD, director of the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Connecticut, when we clench up, we strain the muscle that connects the jaw to the temples, which can trigger a tension headache. By placing a pencil between our teeth—but not biting down—we relax our jaw muscles, which eradicates tension and reduces pain. Just remember, the remedy really only applies to tension headaches—not migraines or headaches caused by sinus pressure, etc.

Olives for Motion Sickness

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are a number of symptoms that present themselves as a result of motion sickness, including increased salivation, which is the body’s way of protecting the teeth from the high doses of acid accompanied by vomit. Enter olives, which contain tannins that, when released in the mouth, work to dry saliva—first eliminating the symptom and then the body’s instinct to follow suit. However, the treatment is only effective during the early stages of nausea, when the salivation changes first appear.

Gargle Salt Water for Sore Throat Relief

When you were a kid and had a sore throat, your mom likely made you gargle warm water with salt in it…and she was definitely on to something. According to Douglas Hoffman MD, PhD, author of the website The Medical Consumer’s Advocate, a sore throat is an inflammatory response of the infected tissues, and the salt helps draw out the excess fluid to temporarily decrease swelling and the pain it causes. Most remedies call for a ratio of 1 tablespoon salt to 8 ounces of water, but it’s always better to opt for more salt rather than less. Just keep in mind that you are treating the symptoms—not the illness. As Dr. Hoffman notes on his website: “The relief is very real, but also tends to be short-lived, since the gargle has done nothing to remove the cause of the sore throat.”