iPods can make you smarter!

How would you like to use your iPod to improve your grades? Instructors no longer merely rely on lectures and textbooks to get their lessons across. In January 2007, The Chronicle of Higher Education named new teaching and learning technologies as one of its "10 Trends to Watch in Campus Technology."

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Scientists: Why Daydreaming Is Essential and Helpful For You

In recent years, scientists have begun to see the act of daydreaming very differently. They've demonstrated that daydreaming is a fundamental feature of the human mind - so fundamental, in fact, that it's often referred to as our "default" mode of thought. Many scientists argue that daydreaming is a crucial tool for creativity.

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Tech Geeks Gone Wild... With Dorm Lights

Another one...

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The Snake game using the lights of an entire building

How did they pull it off?

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Credit Card Companies Bullied Mythbusters

Adam Savage talks about how credit card companies bullied the Mythbusters when they wanted to do an episode to test how hackable credit card systems at these companies were ... can't be the best of signs if the credit card companies objected to such a test ... makes you wonder how secure everything truly is ...
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Vipassana Meditation - Peace of Mind for Desperate Times

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In hard times, stress can easily overtake us, making us feel miserable day in and day out. Indeed, it is very hard watching friends and relatives crumble financially and emotionally under the strains of rising prices and rapidly deteriorating income. So while flipping through an old National Geographic, an article on Buddhism piqued my interest.The article talked about how Buddha, disillusioned at the age of 29 with the opulence of being a prince, left his home to seek an end to all human suffering. The article talked about the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Most importantly, the article stated that Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion, and that it can be practiced by all to seek happiness.

Buddhism concentrates on meditation, or the act of breathing in and breathing out. It does not have to be performed as part of a ritual or with a straight back and closed eyes. Instead, because of its adaptability, meditation techniques differ though the same ideas apply. As the article beautifully described this process of gradual enlightenment:

Breathing in ... you become aware of the sensations of your body, and of your most distracting organ, yoru mind. Breathing out ... you experience a release of body tension, and you struggle to bring your wandering mind back to your breath. In ... the air tickles the tip of your nose. Out ... the pain in your knee subsides, the mind still meanders. In ... shouldn't I be doing something more productive with this time? Out ... who's the "I" in the last thought? With ever more subtlety, eventually you come to understand, sometime painfully, sometimes joyfully, what the Buddha realized. "We are what we think," he said.

I shall focus on the meditation technique vipassana in this entry. Meaning gaining "insight" to the impermanent nature of mind and body, it can be quite relaxing to do, purifying the mind of the mental stress and pain from the day. The basic idea behind this technique is concentration and focus, but also letting go. You must find a place where you will be alone and undisrupted for at least half an hour. Background noise, such as a dog barking or rain falling, is okay. Headsets to block out noise, talking in the background (even whispering as your ear may try to piece together the words), and TV and music playing should be avoided. Loose, comfortable clothing is strongly suggested, though whatever you are wearing if okay if you happen not to have the luxury of changing. Sitting positions range from the following:

• half lotus
• full lotus
• cross-legged Indian style
• legs bent with one in front (Burmese style)
• kneeling on a mediation bench
• sitting in a chair
  

If you opt to sit on the floor, it is helpful to have a cushion to sit on. You must make sure, however, that the cushion is placed under your butt and not touching your legs. If you choose to sit on a chair, plant your feet flat on the ground and do not allow your back to touch the chair. Make sure your are sitting straight, but you shouldn't feel tension in the shoulders. Once you are comfortable, place your hands in your lap palms up, the right hand on top of the left hand. You may mediate with your eyes closed or open - most beginners choose to keep their eyes closed as it helps them concentrate.

Now because the goal is to come to a realization of the impermanence of life and the material objects we are drawn to, the mind must focus on an individual object to become aware of it, and then let go. Four types of objects may be observed, one at a time of course:

• the body - ie. body and posture
• feelings - painful, pleasant, or neutral
• consciousness - thoughts
• dhamma objects - ie. emotions, sights, sounds, tastes, smells, touches

For example, if there is a bird chirping in the background that catches your attention, you can bring your mind to focus on it, acknowledge its presence, become aware of it, then forget about it. If the bird's chirping is still intruding upon your senses, you may choose to observe it a second time before dropping the observation again. It is very important to note here that while you can constantly choose to focus on the bird's chirping, you are not making one continuous observation. The point here is to teach you to "know and let go."

I hope this has piqued your interest as well. You may not reach enlightenment immediately, but thirty minutes a day committed to this is can be a great way to a peaceful mind. If you are interested to learn more about this mediation technique, or are looking for something more difficult such as walking meditation, click here. :)

Harry Potter - Mysterious Ticking Noise

For all you Harry Potter fans out there ... this is really funny!
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