August 2021

As humans, we have a basic, primal need to belong. Belonging is defined as ‘the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group . It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to others, including friendships, family and work.’ Feeling disconnected, unimportant, or not cared about can translate into feelings of loneliness. This has led to much of the suffering our society is experiencing today. Cigna...

From Mind Matters, August 15, 2021 Andrew Newberg and colleagues have found that extended periods of prayer and meditation can change the brain: We studied one such seven-day programme in Pennsylvania based on the spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius. Our research on this retreat programme, which is typically conducted in silence and consists of extended periods of prayer and meditation, showed a number of differences in participants’ brains after the retreat compared with before it. For...

Self-Love is Selfless Expansion That which we love, expands. Looking at children who are loved fully and thoroughly, we see them expand and flourish as they grow. Of course many other factors contribute to a child’s well-being, but genuine love and care are inevitably at the top. The same goes for other people, animals, and even plants. When given loving care, they thrive – and when neglected, they wither. Love is nature’s fertilizer; whether offered through loving attention, presence,...

By Katherine Ellison, The Washington Post, July 31, 2021 Remember the lines from that old folk song? “If living were a thing that money could buy “You know the rich would live and the poor would die.” Sadly, research shows there’s little “if” about it. On average, poor people live less healthy lives and are more than three times as likely to die prematurely as the rich. That’s true for many well-documented reasons, including less healthy diets with too much processed food, polluted...

The Powerful Connection Of Music With Michael Skinner - Cybertrap 60 Published on July 20, 2021 Here's the latest episode of "The Cybertraps Podcast," co-hosted by Frederick Lane and Jethro Jones. Michael Skinner is an award-winning advocate, educator, writer and critically acclaimed singer, songwriter, guitarist, addressing the issues of trauma, abuse and mental health concerns through public speaking, writing and his music. He has spoken at the National Press Club, was a keynote presenter...

Hi, Have a new video available to intro the core elements to Connect All. https://youtu.be/DhbPfzUh2YA Take care, Gwen

August 3, 2021 Being emotionally well does not mean you cannot have bad days. Of course, you may. However, a good portion of the time, emotionally well, people keep it together. This article will focus on tying up loose ends in our discussion and examining how you can improve your emotional wellness. Feeling Emotionally Well The definition of emotional wellness says it all when it states it is the ability to handle life’s stresses and adapt to them successfully. Your emotional wellness can...