We all know beauty when we see it. Breathtaking scenery, a spectacular work of art, an idyllic setting, an infant’s smile – beauty can move us.

But is it real?

When researchers study what occurs in the brain during the perception of beauty, what they find is that a large area behind the eyes known as the orbito-frontal cortex is “lit up” with neural activity eliciting a dopamine reward.

As a matter of fact, when “artificial” stimuli such as chemical compounds are used to trigger this same part of the brain, the “experience of beauty” is identical.

It stands to reason that beauty is relative and perceptual by nature. Consider how various societies have defined beauty and how that has continually changed over time. Whether it is certain architectural styles, artistic movements, or even body images – it is our perception of the stimuli combined with the relative societal value that determine which parts of the brain are triggered. Continue reading →

Would you like to sleep better, decrease stress, improve your health, be less depressed, and feel happier?

Then read on.

It works immediately, has no side-effects, and there is no risk of overdosing. Nor do you need a doctor’s prescription to realize its benefits.

No, this isn’t an advertisement for a pharmaceutical product, nor is it something you can buy over-the-counter.

As a matter of fact, its supply is unlimited and it costs nothing.

Sounds like a scam, doesn’t it?

Not only is this real, but the scientific research behind its efficacy is solid. So, what is this “miracle drug”? Continue reading →

There are so many remedies proffered for sadness, depression, loneliness, and anxiety. Pharmaceutical industries thrive on treating such conditions – to the tune of nearly $100,000,000,000 (that’s $100 billion) in sales each year – making anti-depressants the best-selling class of prescription medications ever. Over half-million licensed mental health professionals help guide patients through their pain. And sufferers spend over $2 billion each year on self-help books.

Clearly we are in a lot of pain.

Yet one little known treatment that is worth considering doesn’t come in a bottle nor in a book. You can’t buy it in a pharmacy nor inject it into your bloodstream. As a matter of fact, it isn’t even something you take. Rather, it is something you give away.

Your help.

Helping another person in need has incredible physiological and emotional health benefits. Studies have shown Continue reading →

Thus with a kiss I die.

Act 5, Scene 3. One of the most tragic moments in literature … the words uttered by Romeo as he has just swallowed the poison having kissed his beloved Juliet one last time. And then he dies.

Shakespeare knew a thing or two about writing powerful drama.

And so do we – only we don’t realize it.

Each of us believes things happen in the world resulting in our happiness or lack thereof. When things go the way we’d like – we get a particular job, a specific person returns our amorous feelings, our bank account reaches a certain number, we enjoy supportive friends and family members, our body looks or functions as desired – then we say, “I am happy.”

Conversely, when we find ourselves in circumstances contrary, we bemoan our suffering – sometimes quite vociferously. Yet what we fail to realize is that we authored the entire script. Continue reading →

Have you ever felt that others take advantage of, or use you?

It might feel like they have a blatant disregard for your time. Or they seem to lack sufficient gratitude for your assistance. It’s almost as if they have an expectation that you will always be there for them.

Does it feel unfair?

Flipping the tables, have you used others or taken advantage of their seeming acquiescence? Perhaps you feel a sense of guilt or shame over your indifference for their offerings. Continue reading →