I've linked to this article about belly fat for two reasons.

1.  Because the "ripped" abs is the final obstacle to my "glass half empty" physique.  If I get the abs going, I'm good to go!

2.  Because the article talks about just how important it is to lose the stress, as an essential component to losing weight, and particularly mention meditation and deep breathing. 

It's nice to see the connections between mental, spiritual and physical health made in sites that aren't particularly focused in that direction.

News from the Guardian:

"A thinktank of British scientists has come up with a new way of quickening the national intellect - a brain-taxing spin on the old formula of 100 things to do before you die.

The group, which includes the evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins, astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, neuroscientist Susan Greenfield and the inventor James Dyson, urges us all to take samples of our own DNA, measure the speed of light with chocolate, and solve the mathematical mystery of the number 137.

The list, compiled by New Scientist magazine, suggests booking to see Galileo's middle finger (preserved in Florence) or ordering liquid nitrogen to make the "world's smoothest ice-cream" at home.

Link here

When I attempt a change for myself, by engaging in a new practice, there seem to be clear and persistent elements that come up when I attempt this new practice, or new change. This is a post on what I see as the "elements of transformation" that are engaged when I attempt a change in living, small or large.   more »

In web design, we throw around an acronym – KISS – that stands for Keep It Simple Stupid. Know-it-all integral fan that I am, I want to suggest a version of this for integralism.   more »

I would be remiss if I did not point to the Department for International Development's "The Rough Guide to A Better World".   more »

I'm a little late on commenting on this post by Vince, but it deserves more commentary.   more »

One of the main things that we do in life is work. While some people have no problems identifying their interests, aligning these interests with their abilities, and then turning these abilities into skills, many people are not so lucky. For those that the above is a challenge, this is breaking apart the analysis of the challenge into four parts:   more »

I've just gotten a chance to play with Google Scholar - it is a very cool tool. I did a search for "integral transformative practice", and these are the results that came back. An amazing collection of pdf files, essays, reviews, that I would never have found otherwise. Worth keeping in your "integral research" back pocket.   more »

While not so much focused on the spiritual side, in other respects, Dave Pollard's "How to Save the World" weblog is a must read. Combining community analysis, technical know-how, communication theory and practices, with a passionate advocacy of green/connected values and business, this is a must place to check in, research with, use, for many integral insights and recommendations of how to live in the world.   more »

Spiritual practice - how does one realize God, or at least get closer? Should I stand on my head. Give my soul to Jesus? What works, and how does it work? What are the benefits and problems with various spiritual practices? From my limited experience, in those areas of touching spirit that I have "practiced" in, it seems to me that there are four or five basic areas of spiritual practice.   more »

That which we come from, Is that which we return to, Is that which we are.   more »

A few years ago, there came onto the scene, a diet and exercise program called "Body for Life".   more »

We breathe deeply, soaking in that wondrous air, filling our lungs deeply with the magic elixir of air.   more »