Nanushka and La Bouche Rouge have created a lipstick for the femme fatale

The two eco-conscious brands have launched their first beauty collaboration

What happens when two of our favourite sustainable brands come together? Something quite magical. Named after the Hindu god of enlightenment, Shiva is a new beauty collaboration from Nanushka and La Bouche Rouge that embodies the progressive outlook and elegance of both labels in one effortlessly glamorous lipstick.

Launched back in 2017, La Bouche Rouge has quickly established a name for itself with its carefully crafted refillable lipsticks in sumptuous shades, made without plastic, polyoxymethylene or polyethylene. Conceiving of its lipsticks as a collectible, long-lasting possession, its thoroughly modern ethos is one that has a natural synergy with the fashion house, Nanushka.

Under the direction of creative director and designer Sandra Sandor, the Budapest based brands sustainably produced vegan leather pieces have achieved cult status for their East-meets-West aesthetic and gender fluid silhouettes. For both brands, the opportunity to create something together made perfect sense.

The concept and formula behind La Bouche Rouge is amazing and its very much aligned with everything we believe in at Nanushka says Sandor.

The aim was to create a luxury item that is completely sustainable and to show that its possible without compromises.

A distinctive brown/burnt orange hue, the Shiva lipstick is inspired by the passionate and powerful energy of the femme fatale. The process of development was an easy one for Sandor, who worked closely with La Bouche Rouge founder Nicolas Gerlier I knew from the beginning the colour I wanted to create and Nicolas and his team instantly understand so we only had to do a few colour tries before we found the right hue.

Encased in a reusable and refillable lipstick Shiva comes dressed in Nanushkas signature vegan leather. A limited edition satin lipstick pouch has been created from deadstock materials, and as with each element of the product, it has been designed to be reused and repurposed.

Every good lipstick needs a powerful muse. For Shiva, Sandor and Gerlier looked to rebellious and modern screen sirens I love Lisa Bonet in Angel Heart, Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon or I can mention Christy Turlington and Rooney Mara as well says Sandor. They are all strong women but very feminine and confident in their natural beauty which I find very beautiful and sexy.

You could paint us like one of your French girls, but what wed prefer is to be painted like a Shiva girl.

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Nanushka and La Bouche Rouge have created a lipstick for the femme fatale - Wallpaper*

To sushi snobs, part of the allure is surely that no other food demands such austere discipline of its makers. At some sushi bars in Japan, prospective chefs begin making rice only after a long novitiate, then wait even longer before they are permitted to pick up a knife. Like the apprentices themselves, diners submit to the will of a master. The Japanese word omakase a menu of the chefs selection, often requiring weeks-ahead reservations carries overtones of entrusting yourself to anothers superior judgment. Even as some see cultural appropriation in cafeteria sushi, it is surely preferable to sushi meant for only investment bankers.

Everything about the sushi at middling pan-Asian restaurants and in cooler cases the underseasoned rice, the thick slabs of fish, the jagged piece of artificial turf on the tray is an affront to such connoisseurship. It demands little of anyone. But it manages to be delicious anyway. Its tender, yielding. A little fatty, a little sour, a little sweet. It soaks up your spicy-salty wasabi-and-soy-sauce mixture. It might even crunch. Were lucky to enjoy such delights, as I do every couple of weeks, downing pieces of a California roll like Cheez Doodles as I walk down the street, thinking about the preposterous confluence of historical and economic forces trade, technology, migration, transport, diplomacy that made such an experience not just possible, but possible for $6. Now fully democratized, this taste of sublimity can become a habit.

A few years ago, I came across a Zen koan about someone named Banzan, who overhears a conversation between a butcher and a customer:

Give me the best piece of meat you have, the customer said.

Everything in my shop is the best, the butcher replied. You cannot find here any piece of meat that is not the best.

At these words Banzan became enlightened.

A friend who is a scholar of Japanese Buddhism tells me the parable is about how enlightenment is not elsewhere; its always here. Connoisseurs complain that mediocre sushi is ubiquitous. Well, so is nirvana.

In a sense, connoisseurship is the enemy of enlightenment: It is craving for something that is not here, and as the Buddha taught, to crave is to suffer. When I made sushi, customers would sometimes ask me, Whats good tonight? These men (and they were all men) misunderstood where they were and what I did. The restaurant was in a ramshackle strip mall, a few doors down from a laundromat. I didnt sample the fish before dinner service or skulk around a market at dawn. As far as I was concerned, all our fish was sourced from the same place: the freezer. I would tell the customers it was all good. I wish Id told them the truth: That it was all the best, the best in town, the best in the world.

Read more here:
Letter of Recommendation: Cheap Sushi - The New York Times

Egypt is the capital of the world, in the words of the late Egyptian geographer Gamal Hamdan.

So, it is not strange for a country like Egypt to stage an enlightenment revolution. Going hand in hand with its efforts to erect a new capital city, Egypt is now in the process of rebuilding its peoples minds in a revolution of the mind it is carrying out with a reform of religious dialogue.

The first to call for such reform was President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi, and it includes the overall development of the countrys educational system to cope with non-stop technological progress.

Implementing this enlightenment revolution in Egypt will help us to overcome violence and terrorism, with the new generation acting as the revolutions leaders. By learning computer languages and how to deal with information, this generation will be confident in its dealings with the present age, including in the exploration of outer space. We are betting on this new generation to take part in making a better future, and thanks to its commitment to science, it will be able to carry out such a mission.

According to statistics, Egypts population in the middle of the 20th century stood at 30 million people. At the beginning of the 21st century, this number was estimated at 80 million. Today, it has exceeded 100 million. Such numbers constitute a power that should not be underestimated. In other words, if Egypt were to face any kind of political or economic instability, then thanks to these numbers the whole region would be negatively affected.

It is from here that comes the importance of education, which is the first step towards rebuilding the minds of the Middle East. But who are these new citizens, and how can we rebuild them? Time passes, ideas get developed and new inventions and innovations are unstoppable. Even the language itself has had to change in order to cope with the industrial age and now the space age.

The British philosopher and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell wrote a lot on the future of humanity and how human intellects could be developed. For him, technical and cultural education should have special attention when preparing school curricula, as this would allow students to become good citizens, he said.

Russell believed that mixing cultural and technical education was like mixing knowledge with wisdom. It would act as a shield protecting societies from fanaticism, he thought, since this was based on short-sighted views. The main target of education was to prepare people to be good citizens, Russell held, which meant teaching them technology and culture together.

In Egypt, the government is applying a new strategy to educate 20 million pre-university students in the most up-to-date techniques by 2030. Education Minister Tarek Shawki has said that the new educational system will differ in its targets and techniques from the current one. He has stressed the need to modernise curricula to cope with the latest developments, adding that digital knowledge will have a key role to play in such a system.

In the new system, students in all Egyptian schools will be taught English as a compulsory subject until grade 12. Maths and science will also be taught in English.

The new education system has stirred wide debate among specialists, with these being divided into two conflicting groups, one backing the new ideas and the second opposing them. Teachers and parents have started to ask about the chances of success of the new system. How much will it cost? How will the teachers be trained? How will the schools be prepared, they have asked.

For writer Abbas Al-Tarabili, the minister should be given the chance to carry out his ideas. He should be allowed to remain in his post and should be given enough time to reap the benefits of his project, Al-Tarabili has said. I agree with him completely. For me, this project is the last opportunity we have to save our education system. It will enable Egyptian students to restore their academic status, making Egyptian students welcome in universities worldwide.

However, education expert Hossam Badrawi says that any such strategy is in need of certain complementary steps in order for it to be successfully carried out. Such steps include careful planning and a timetable for the implementation of the plans along with clearly defined bodies funding the project. Systems to assess performance, to define responsibilities and to respond to questions should also be included.

But rebuilding the Egyptian character through reforming education has become a necessity. Our role is to back such courageous experiments and at the same time to rectify anything wrong that may appear during their implementation. Funding the project should top the priorities of the government. The World Bank may be asked to participate in this funding, and any halting in the middle of the road may be enough to kill the idea.

Political activist and physician Mohamed Abul-Ghar hopes that the plans will be first applied in a limited number of schools before being generalised. We do not know if the Internet will be available at a suitable speed to download all the material required to all Egyptian schools, he says. We have to be sure that the teachers have enough training to use the tablets they are issued with effectively and that these are of good quality.

Education is a priority for all Egyptian families, regardless of their social and economic origins. To provide their children with a good education, many families are prepared to pay very large sums. For this reason and others, I believe that the issue of educational reform should be the subject of serious societal dialogue. Certain weak points marring the proposed new educational system may emerge. The minister may then have his attention drawn to these defects and be given the opportunity to amend them before starting the experiments.

Is the intelligence of Egyptian children in danger? The answer may be found in research conducted by psychologist Ahmed Okasha. Okasha said that there have been many attempts at a definition of intelligence. However, all agree that it is an ability people acquire at birth that lasts a lifetime.

Psychologists have tried to define intelligence in a few words. It is the ability of the individual to understand, innovate, self-criticise and direct behaviour onto the right track, they say. It is also the ability to think, learn and act properly. There are several kinds of intelligence, such as linguistic intelligence, which means the ability to write and speak. There is mathematical intelligence, or the ability to solve logical problems. Musical intelligence is the ability to understand aural patterns. Physical intelligence is the ability to control the bodys movements. Environmental intelligence enables people to balance duty and private affairs.

Egyptian students do not lack intelligence on any of these definitions. So, what do we really lack? My answer is an awakening of the conscience and a sense of real belonging to our country. If we had these two traits along with what we already have, we could achieve the impossible.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 19 December, 2019 edition ofAl-Ahram Weekly.

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Egypt's revolution of the mind - Opinion - Ahram Online

Unlike the one-time NBA champion behind the sneaker, the Nike Kyrie 6 is not welcoming the last month of the decade on the sidelines, as it is dropping in yet another concept-driven colorway dubbed the Enlightenment edition. Outfitted in a dark-purple engineered mesh and suede upper, this latest iteration of Irvings sixth signature sneaker with the Swoosh presents the heel eye graphic in a gum-pink color, making the symbol more visible at different angles to toy with the idea of perspective. The hits of yellow, red, green, and blue found on the tongue logo, lace holders, and outsole are inspired by camera light filters used to change images and films, and thus alter perception. Check out a complete store list below to see where these are dropping, and expect them to release in full family sizes on Nike.com and at affiliated retailers on December 7 for $130 (adults), $80 (kids), and $55 (infants).

Nike Kyrie 6 Enlightenment Release Date: December 7th, 2019 $130 (Adults) $80 (Kids) $55 (Infants) Style Code: BQ4630-500

Make sure to follow @kicksfinder for live tweets during the release date.

Where to Buy

Originally posted here:
Where To Buy The Nike Kyrie 6 Enlightenment - Sneaker News

"The gift of sight can be blinding," Paris (Alfre Woodard) had ominously told Haniwa (Nesta Cooper) and Kofun (Archie Madekwe) in the previous episode of 'See', as they approached Jerlamarel's House Of Enlightenment.

And the children learn the meaning behind her words in this gripping episode, titled 'House Of Enlightenment'. Jerlamarel's House of Enlightenment is reminiscent of the witch's house in the age-old cautionary tale of 'Hansel and Gretel'.

While the witch's house was covered in chocolates, candies, cakes and other sweet things to entice two lost and hungry children, Jerlamarel's 'civilized' house possesses the same amount of fascination for Haniwa and Kofun.

Apart from finding a father who had never looked in their direction for 17 years, the twins are in awe of the facilities available to them.

Indeed, they seem to have entered a new era of knowledge, as they grasp the concept of a hot shower, different clothes that include shirts and trousers, as well as books.

Jerlamarel, like any good host, takes them around the house and introduces them to his children, who also possess the gift of sight, unlike the normal dystopian world Haniwa and Kofun have grown up in.

The house possesses practically everything from our modern world. The land of milk and honey, or is it?

While Haniwa is willing to give this new world a chance, Kofun still misses Baba Voss (Jason Momoa), the father who took care of him all these years, rather than their biological father.

The viewer knows that it can't be this easy, and the discomfort slowly seeps in, especially at Jerlamarel's overtly enthusiastic welcome and fondness. And sure enough, events begin to spiral radically out of control.

Betrayal becomes the order of the day. Kofun can also helplessly stare as he faces separation from Haniwa. Though Baba Voss comes in to save the day, even he is not able to salvage much apart from a gruesome Game Of Throne-esque murder.

However, hope is not lost, and the episode ends with Baba, Paris and Kofun finding a small chance of being reunited with Haniwa again.

While this drama is taking place, Tamacti Jun (Christian Camargo) entrusts Maghra (Hera Hilmar) with an uneasy task: Convince Kane (Sylvia Hoeks) to abdicate the throne.

A fool's fantasy, Kane reminds her. In her haze of delusional grandeur, Kane says that it is all god's will. Ironically Kane makes the revealing statement, "There is no succession, there is no majesty, no legitmacy, there's just a petty lie, agreed upon by petty people." What a hard-hitting statement.

If Maghra must defy god's will, then she must do the honorable thing of "picking up a knife" and taking what is hers. Maghra echoes what we've all been thinking, "God's law, god's words, god's choice, it's amazing how they all align with whatever you want at any given time."

And later in the episode, the tables are quickly turned, and Kane makes a decision that is in her favor again. There's a hint of a very uncomfortable union ahead, if Maghra allows it, that is.

Another point to note is Maghra has still not forgotten her family in the least and has something planned for them. That would be an interesting meeting, considering that they believe she is dead.

While the action scenes are always thrilling to watch, 'See' delivers the best performances, when it is surrounded by silence. With its facade of paradise, false cheer and seeming subservience, the episode could best be described as an uneasy itch that slowly devolves into a rash.

The performances by Kane and Maghra with its undertones of tension and resentment are the highlight of the episode.Episode 8 of 'See' released on Apple TV on December 6.

See the rest here:
'See' Episode 8 Review: Haniwa and Kofun bear the price of enlightenment in this dark episode - MEAWW

The Cheffe, by Marie NDiaye, translated from the French by Jordan Stump (Knopf). At the heart of this novel is a character study of a brilliant chef, filtered through the perception of her most obsessive disciple, a much younger man to whom she is fairy godmother, mother, and beloved. His attraction propels a spiralling family psychodrama, whose richness and suspense are surpassed by those of scenes depicting the chefs exquisite inventions, from a signature green-robed leg of lamb to sweet crabmeat poached in absinthe. NDiaye creates an arresting portrait of a self-effacing genius, as the chef yearns to leave only a vague, marveling recollection in the eaters minds... only a dish, or just its name, or its scent, or three bold, forthright colors on a milky white plate.

Mary Toft; or, The Rabbit Queen, by Dexter Palmer (Pantheon). In a small English village at the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment, a woman named Mary Toft gives birth to a dismembered rabbit every few days. Whether her plight is a medical miracle, an elaborate hoax, or a shared moment of collective delusion is the conundrum of this frolicsome period comedy. The young surgeon who cares for Toft becomes renowned as an expert in human-leporine midwifing, and, when word of Toft reaches King Georges court, she is summoned with the surgeon and his apprentice to London, where they become entwined in the bizarre and barbarous world of the upper classa visit that exposes the chasm between provincial innocence and metropolitan cunning.

Parisian Lives, by Deirdre Bair (Nan A. Talese). The author of this sparkling memoir achieved two of the greatest coups in literary biography: writing a semi-authorized life of Samuel Beckett, which the gnomic Irishman promised to neither help nor hinder, and a life of Simone de Beauvoir, which was based on interviews conducted immediately before the philosophers death. Bair spent seven years on Beckett and ten on Beauvoir, and her dedication to her subjects is apparent. Into her accounts of working with these eminent, often exasperating writers she weaves recollections of malfunctioning tape recorders, grandstanding sources, and her travails as a professional and a mother commuting across the Atlantic, working in a field dominated by men.

Medieval Bodies, by Jack Hartnell (Norton). Elegantly combining strands from the histories of medicine, art, and religion, this study explores how the medieval world understood and treated the human body. In the late Middle Ages, medicine sought natural as well as mystical causes for all manner of afflictions, making diagnosis a complex affair (stringy hair, for instance, might indicate an unscrupulous character, while baldness resulted from an excess of heat). Focussing on Byzantium, the Islamic world, and the patchwork of kingdoms constituting western and central Europe, Hartnell deftly shows how these societies visual cultures were, like their medical theories, profoundly influenced by a symbolic understanding of humanitys relationship to realms seen and unseen.

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Briefly Noted Book Reviews - The New Yorker

Byron Katie has said When someone loves what is, she makes use of anything life happens to bring her way, because she doesnt con herself anymore. Katies own life is a testament to this statement. In 1986, at the bottom of a ten-year spiral into depression, rage and self-loathing, she woke up one morning to a state of joy that has never left her. She realized that when she believed her stressful thoughts, she suffered, but that when she questioned them, she didnt suffer, and that this is true fo every human being. Her simple yet powerful process of inquiry is called The Work.

Katie has been bringing The Work to millions of people for more than thirty years. Her public events, workshops, intensives, School for The Work and Turnaround House have brought freedom to people all over the world. Her books include the bestselling Loving What Is and A Mind At Home With Itself. To discover all about The Work and so much more, enjoy the videos below.

Judge your neighbor, write it down, ask four questions, turn it around just one at a time:

Watch our full conversation here:

Link:
Are you enlightened to your own stressful thinking right now? That's the only enlightenment that matters Byron Katie - Thrive Global

It was claimed Immanuel Kants routine was so predictable his neighbours could set their clocks by his daily walk.

Born in 1724 in the Prussian town of Knigsberg (now Kaliningrad, Russia), Kant had a strict education and traditional Protestant upbringing. At 16, he enrolled at university to study philosophy.

After a time working as a tutor and lecturer, in 1770 Kant was appointed Professor of Logic and Metaphysics at the University of Knigsberg. He never married, and seems never to have left his home town again after 1754.

But from this small Prussian town, his ideas spread to influence science, religion, politics and art to this day.

Read more: Explainer: the ideas of Foucault

During Kants lifetime, people believed God had created us to understand the world perfectly. But the rise of modern science challenged this view.

In Critique of Pure Reason (1781), Kant argued the way the world seems is not an accurate reflection of how it really is.

He said our minds create a picture of the world based on what we perceive through our senses. Knowledge is not simply a representation of external reality: it is a construction.

This was a new and controversial idea. It implied that, since we cannot experience God through the senses, we cannot know that God exists we can only have faith in his existence.

In a still largely Christian Europe, Kant was censored for these views. In 1793, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm II threatened Kant with punishment if he published further on religion.

Despite censorship, questioning of God remained central to Kants work.

In Critique of Practical Reason (1788), Kant asked how we know what we should do. Through faith in God, he said, we have access to a moral law that tells us how to act.

At the centre of Kants ethical theory was the categorical imperative: we must always act in such a way that we believe would be just under a universal law.

Perhaps it is easiest to understand this as a version of the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Kant wanted to understand the natural world, but he was also curious about how it makes us feel. In Critique of Judgement (1790), Kant wondered why people found gardens and pastoral settings beautiful, while mountains and the night sky invoked a frightened awe he called the sublime.

Kant believed we experience terror in the face of nature when it reminds us of our own small and fleeting place on earth. Kants theory of the sublime inspired a generation of artists in awe of the mysterious powers of nature.

Many of Kants ideas are now outdated.

Kant believed that certain differences between people are innate. In On the Different Human Races (1775), he argued there is only one human species but people of different races have different inborn characteristics and abilities.

These ideas helped to establish a pseudo-scientific basis for racism, which was used to justify colonial oppression and genocide.

By considering European societies as the ideal model of human development, Kant argued that not all races were capable of achieving the same level of civilization as European ones. This aspect of Kants thinking reveals how racism has historically been deeply entangled with the concept of civilization.

Kant was a public intellectual who wrote for a broad audience. As more people became educated and literate, a public sphere emerged in which people engaged in reasoned debate: the age of Enlightenment.

The term Enlightenment was first used in 18th century France, but Kant gave us the classic definition. In An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment? (1784), Kant wrote that Enlightenment was about people thinking freely for themselves - rather than relying on authorities.

Although Kant believed in free speech, he was not a democrat. In the Enlightenment essay, he praised the institution of monarchy, and was quick to condemn the violence of revolutions.

Kant believed that political freedom would increase through gradual historical progress rather than through revolution. In Perpetual Peace: A Philosophical Sketch (1795), he imagined a future secured by an international federation of republics.

We are far from the future of perpetual peace Kant imagined, but his ideas are still relevant for thinking through modern challenges.

His theory of knowledge still broadly underpins modern science. When scientists create models, they understand that these are representations not the real thing.

Kants theory of the sublime can help us to understand why climate change provokes such strong feelings in us: it makes us reflect on our own transience.

His ideas about Enlightenment influence debates about education and free speech, and his concept of international federalism can be seen in the United Nations.

Many scholars and activists still appeal to Kant to understand the origins of some of our most faulty and deeply entrenched ideas about race.

Finally, in a time of tightening borders, Kants concepts of world citizenship and universal hospitality can provoke us to think critically about peace, migration, and international relations.

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Explainer: the ideas of Kant - The Conversation AU

This past August, the New York Times released the 1619 Project, a compendium of journalism and poetry examining the 400 years since enslaved Africans arrived on American soil.

The multimedia project has been widely lauded as the first mainstream journalism to reframe American history, centering the arrival of those first few dozens of enslaved Africans. Now, in partnership with the Pulitzer Center, the work at the core of the project is making its way into classrooms across the country including many here in the D.C. region.

But critics argue the project is biased, incomplete, or even incorrect in its thesis. You could say the same thing about the English common law, for example, or the use of the English language, argued a such critic in New York Magazine. You could say that about the Enlightenment. Or the climate. You could say that Americas unique existence as a frontier country bordered by lawlessness is felt even today in every mass shooting. You could cite the death of countless millions of Native Americans by violence and disease as something that defines all of us in America but that would be to engage in a liberal inquiry into our past, teasing out the nuances.

New York Times staff writer Nikole Hannah-Jones, who led the project, says every component was thoroughly fact-checked and verified to ensure the arguments were sound. But the core question of whether a retelling of history can ever be really complete remains especially when studies show so few American students are taught much of anything about slavery.

Well learn more about the 1619 Project and curriculum from a local journalist, then hear from a high school teacher whos used the material and a college professor who has pushed back against it.

Produced by Maura Currie

Read more here:
The 1619 Project Is Reshaping How We Teach Slavery But Is It Enough? - The Kojo Nnamdi Show

Editors note: This is part two in a series of four articles exploring the causes of and ways to combat winter blues. The focus of the series is on mental health and strategies for improving your state of mind through physical activity, spirituality, diet and community and connections.

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS Wherever you find your spirituality, research shows that finding that connection that meaning can provide a buffer against depression.

For whatever struggles or loss someone might be facing, the holidays can be an especially difficult time, said Dr. Jo Ann Grace the spiritual health care coordinator and bereavement counselor for Northwest Colorado Healths hospice program. People may inside feel really sad but are caught between everyone being joyful its a paradox of emotions that can happen at the same time.

Whether or not you worship a god or take part in an organized religion, Grace said, Its about connections, relationships, spirituality and how you are finding meaning in the midst of the holiday season.

For some, especially living in a place surrounded by spectacular natural beauty, that connection to something larger or sense of deep gratitude, awe and peace can be found on a mountaintop or at the edge of a pristine lake.

Nature is one of the most underutilized treasures in life. It has the power to unburden hearts and reconnect to that inner place of peace, wrote Dr. Janice Anderson and Kiersten Anderson in their book Off Beat Enlightenment, which focuses on different ways to find inner peace, health and happiness.

The quest for spirituality and meaning can be one that is ever-evolving, ever-growing and change throughout a persons life.

Where do you look for this hope that you know is there? Bob Dylan queried in his poem, Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie. You can either go to the church of your choice/ Or you can go to Brooklyn State Hospital.

That spiritual quest and search for meaning gets at thinking about what it means to be human, said Grace. And connection where you can make those connections that allows you to be most fully yourself.

Grace is also a neuroscientist, helping people in her private practice to understand the connections between the brain, body and spirit.

In her work, Grace has found that when people are in a period of grief, they can find relief by focusing on what they most value and where they feel free and fully engaged whether that be worshipping a god, practicing yoga, digging in the garden or riding a horse.

And in addition to the individual component, theres also a communal component, she said. Our brain needs to connect to a tribe.

In the study of the Blue Zones, the locations across the globe with the highest percentage of centenarians, several of the top keys to longevity are finding a sense of purpose, belonging to a community and the nurturing of ones religion or spirituality.

The Blue Zone research attributed physical and mental benefits to spirituality.

People who pay attention to their spiritual side have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, stress and suicide, and their immune systems seem to work better. To a certain extent, adherence to a religion allows them to relinquish the stresses of everyday life to a higher power, said Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder.

Religiosity and spirituality have been shown to cause changes in the brain, such as increasing serotonin.

There is also an increasing amount of research on the benefits of the practice of meditation and mindfulness being fully aware of the moment to both physical and mental health and combatting the blues.

Meditation trains the brain to achieve sustained focus and to return to that focus when negative thinking, emotions and physical sensations intrude which happens a lot when you feel stressed and anxious, according to Dr. John W. Denninger, director of research at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine.

On Thursday, Dec. 12, Grace is co-facilitating the Blue Christmas service at 6 p.m. at St Pauls Episcopal Church in Steamboat Springs.

It is a nondenominational service to support individuals who are grieving or feeling down this holiday season.

The service is a chance for people to gather together, write a name or message on a star and hang it on a tree, light a candle and honor a person or honor the self and recognize the transition you are going through, Grace said. And recognize you are not by yourself other people are going through similar experiences.

To reach Kari Dequine Harden, call 970-871-4205, email kharden@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @kariharden.

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Battling the Blues Part 2: Nurture the spirit - Steamboat Pilot & Today