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Mindfulness

Mindfulness

Don’t pretend to be: be!

A devastating loss can shatter the façade we put up for others, exposing our deepest, rawest self. A work of art can do the same. Don’t show off! Don’t pretend to be, be!’ The piercing voice of my stern ballet teacher with the stick and the square glasses still echoes in my mind. These two…

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Chateau No

Some people have all the luck. An infamous €57million French chateau that was built illegally in the Côte d’Azur has been definitively condemned for total destruction, in what is expected to be the final stage of a 15-year-long court case. Chateau Diter was built by Montreil-born property developer Patrick Diter between the years of 2000…

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Poetic Ayurvedic

Known as a wellness and Ayurvedic destination, Sri Lanka is once again welcoming international tourists after reopening its borders. Anantara Kalutara Resort is launching signature treatments created by French chiropodist and “foot virtuoso” Bastien Gonzalez, called the Pedi:Mani:Cure Studio. The treatments are performed by chiropodists and specialized therapists using the premier Bastien Gonzalez product line…

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Slow boat o’ Kyoto

Hoshinoya Kyoto is a beautiful Kyoto ryokan, situated away from the crowds, in an place of tranquil scenery that continues to bedazzle travelers. Arashiyama is one of the most singular of scenic locations in Kyoto. Many international tourists who visit hope to to see the seasonal scenery, and the locale is brimming with visitors year-round.…

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No, that can’t be right.

‘Your answers on this questionnaire suggest moderate to severe depression,’ I said gently. ‘Can I ask how long that’s been going on?’ My client, a middle-aged, widowed military veteran with chronic back pain, looked taken aback. ‘Depression?’ he repeated, in a voice of disbelief. ‘No, that can’t be right. I can’t be depressed.’ ‘I’m sorry,’…

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Ein Hausboot ist gut

Ein Hausboot ist gut = A houseboat is good As arctic temperature froze rivers and lakes in northern Germany, workers at houseboat charter companies were already gearing up for what they expect to be a busy summer season. "I think that big trips abroad and flying will still not be the dominant type of vacation…

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The little Pelican book on philosophy

There is an urgent need today for the citizens of a democracy to think well.’ These words, which could have been written yesterday, come from Thinking to Some Purpose, a popular book by the British philosopher Susan Stebbing, first published in 1939 in the Penguin ‘Pelican’ books series, with that familiar blue-and-white cover. This little…

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Free travel to India!

If you haven't been to India, do yourself a favour.  Indescribable sights, unforgettable food, and lovely, lovely people.  So how about this, as an incentive? The Indian government is giving travellers the chance to explore India without costs for the next two years. Too good to be true, right? Well, there is one condition: you…

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Get smart!

Please welcome our latest partner, One Day University. One Day University is an education company that brings the best professors from across the nation to present entertaining, inspiring versions of their best lectures to lifelong learners. Their  entire library of 400 fascinating classes is available to members, with new talks streaming live every day. Every…

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Covid-19: some important things to know

Some airlines and airports now offer rapid COVID-19 testing to accommodate travelers required to show a negative test at their destination. But what happens if a traveler tests positive before a trip? Travel insurance comparison site, Squaremouth, breaks down three things travelers need to know about COVID-19 testing and travel insurance. Things are changing on…

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Technology

Please welcome our new contributor, Beyond Adventures.  With an incredibly diverse past, she has lots of topics to choose from.  Today, it's all about technology.  "My day starts with coffee or tea, a slice of toast with jam, and fruit while catching up with the world via social media. My gotos? Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and…

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The Open Travel Index

Our partner OMIO has developed a new Open Travel Index, a handy way to determine if and when you can travel point-ot-point. You can stay updated on the latest travel regulations for your destination based on your current location including border status, quarantine restrictions and testing requirements, as well as find out what safety measures…

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Being in the here and now

Many spiritual teachers have emphasised the notion of being fully present ‘in the now’. Proponents of meditative practices of various sorts tout meditation as a way of immersing oneself fully in the present moment, and not attending to the past or future. The spiritual teachers (including prominent authors) and proponents of meditation typically point to…

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Cuba is on fire!

Cienfuegos means one hundred fires.  And that will surely be the number of flames that light your heart and your soul when you visit this most exquisite city in Cuba. Cienfuegos was founded in 1819, when French colonists settled in around the most spectacular and natural bay in Cuba. Bringing their elegant, classical architecture, wide,…

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True gratitude is a communal emotion, not a wellness practice

In March 2020, Europeans started gathering on balconies and by windows to cheer, applaud and show gratitude to their healthcare workers providing life-saving services during the pandemic. The regular cheering and clapping became a symbol of hope: human solidarity triumphing over fear and enforced isolation. Contrast that scene with another. Following the remission of her…

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A range of possible futures

I have a confession. As a physicist and psychiatrist, I find it difficult to engage with conversations about consciousness. My biggest gripe is that the philosophers and cognitive scientists who tend to pose the questions often assume that the mind is a thing, whose existence can be identified by the attributes it has or the…

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Why we should book now and travel later

Wildlife travel provides crucial funding for conservation and wildlife protection programs, even if your departure date is uncertain. As COVID-19 brought tourism to a screeching halt, conservation programs to protect some of the globe’s most delicate ecosystems began to face a funding crisis. From the open plains of the Maasai Mara in Kenya to the…

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To fly, you really need to roll up your sleeves

Want to take a vacation next year? Prepare to roll up your sleeve. Yesterday, the top executive at Australia’s largest airline said proof of getting the Covid-19 vaccination will be “a necessity” for boarding international flights in the future. “I think that's going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other airlines around the…

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