Information or Insight—Which serves a CEO’s Needs?

Infographic from PeapodLife: Information & Insight, which Serves a CEO’s Needs?

“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth more than a lifetime of experience.”

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Source: http://www.apisanet.com/insight-quotes/daily-insight-quotes/

Gosh we dislike the term infographic. We much prefer SEE VISUAL AID (Strategize, Engage, Execute with Virtual Interactive Simulation, Universal Adaptive Language & Actionable Intelligence Discourse). Here’s a VISUAL AID that sums it up…

Infographic: SEE VISUAL AID 

Source: The Attlas Project, Vol. One – SEE The World in a New Light.

Unfortunately, SEE VISUAL AID is a term which never caught on, and so we’re stuck using the term infographic as popularly used.


Why do we dislike it so much? If it’s not already clear, it will become so in the context of today’s topic…

Information versus Insight

We recently came across an article on LinkedIn Pulse entitled How CEOs And CMOs Can Tell The Difference Between Information And Insights by Tony Zambito, Founder and Leading Authority on Buyer Personas.

In it, the author does a good job of differentiating between information and insight, offering the following definition of insights in the context of customer acquisition:

“Insights are illuminating revelations of underlying goals, motivations, mental filters, and emotions, which drive goal-directed behaviors and activities.”
Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ceos-cmos-can-tell-difference-between-information-tony-zambito

Zambito goes onto explain some of the pitfalls of predetermination, that is, deciding ahead of time what insight you’re looking for and thus falling into the trap of accumulating information and not the seeds for authentic insight—which often arises from the unseen, unheard, unspoken needs of customers.

Image: Quote on the value of Insight by Oliver Wendell Holmes   
Source: http://www.apisanet.com/insight-quotes/quotes-about-insight/

The implication is, of course, that what a CEO (or CMO) needs is not information, but insight, which we would describe loosely as follows:

Intuition, inspiration, imagination and integration of information which results in actionable intelligence; in a word, revelation.

Revelations lead to Revolutions

It follows that revelations are what lead to revolutions. Before any leader can revolutionize how their company operates, that revolution must first reveal itself to them. Likewise, before a company can revolutionize an industry, the object of the revolution (say, the iPad), must “come to them” (Steve Jobs).

So now we’re getting somewhere. There have been countless book and articles written about the creative process, but the fact of the matter is the mind cannot understand the mechanics of insight, mostly because there are no mechanics to understand. It is possible to comprehend insight in a deep metaphysical way (through meditation, for example), but how does this help the busy CEO dealing with the practical realities of their busy work life? So the question remains...

How can CEO's Grab Hold of More / Deeper Insights?

Image: CEO Grabs hold of insight Source: http://blog.pipelinersales.com/sales-automation/opportunity-management/sales-strategies-5-basics-of-insight-selling/ 

Let’s return to the question of information; and let’s say that the plants in your office (or that so-called ‘living wall’ consisting of plants stuck into a vertical framework of some kind) represent information.

There they are: individual plants arranged in a space. No connection to each other. No ability to collaborate. No chance of symbiosis. They may as well be prisoners in their cells.

But what if those plants were arranged a different way? What if instead of being treated as isolated individual plants, they were treated as a part of something much greater than themselves? What if they were part of an ecosystem?

Now those plants would be able to develop mutually advantageous relationships with each other, along with the animals in the ecosystem.  Individual isolationism gives way to interconnectedness, harmony and mutual symbiosis—a kind of integration which relies on an infinite matrix of interrelationships.

The result is a super organism.  An ecosystem is orders of magnitude more powerful and influential in an office space than individual office plants—a super organism reflecting nature in its highest expression, and able to directly contribute to underlying conditions which favour insight in human beings.

Nature Inspires

From Newton’s theory of gravity to Beethoven’s fifth symphony to Einstein’s theory of Relativity, the power of nature to provide inspiration and insight to some of humanity’s greatest accomplishments is unquestionable and undeniable.

Insights form in the subconscious mind and reveal themselves to us in time as the infinitely complex interrelationships between individual elements of said insight (information) is compiled and presented as unified, comprehensive whole.

The conscious mind is incapable of this compilation. It can only receive insights which are revealed to it from the subconscious.

In other words, exactly as the office plants rearranged in an ecosystem produces the super organism which is so much more potent—infinitely more valuable to the office—so the subconscious mind rearranges information into the revelation which is infinitely more valuable to the CEO.

So, if office plants are like information and only serve the conscious mind, wouldn’t CEO’s be better off with ecosystems which are able to form and resolve infinitely complex interrelationships in real-time and serve the formation and revelation of insights?  

Even on a superficial level, biomimicry has become a hallmark in everything from engineering to architecture to design. Why not your business?

Other strategies to increase insight…

There are other ways for the CEO to gain deeper insight. These include relaxation, mindfulness practice, meditation, sensory deprivation and other forms of nature therapy, all of which serve to expand the scope of free consciousness and awareness of the subconscious mind.

These practices are all good, but let’s be honest: they take a lot of energy and effort, and often take a back seat to the ‘practical business realities’ of the given moment—in other words, the stressed conscious mind which must deal with the problems it’s facing.

The beauty of an indoor ecosystem from PeapodLife is the fact that it’s always there, always working, even if you’re unaware of it or not. It takes no additional effort on the part of a CEO or their employees to gain the insight-yielding benefits of an ecosystem. It makes your environment more conducive to revelation; and we are products of our environment.

YouTube Video: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street

In other words, an ecosystem serves the needs of a CEO.

So where’s yours?

Photos Reveal our Planet is more Incredible than any Fantasy; more Breathtaking than Sci-Fi

' Tis strange - but true; for truth is always strange;

Stranger than fiction; if it could be told,

How much would novels gain by the exchange!

How differently the world would men behold!

How oft would vice and virtue places change!

The new world would be nothing to the old,

If some Columbus of the moral seas

Would show mankind their souls' antipodes.

~ Lord Byron, Don Juan, 1823

Image: Monte Roraima, Venezuela 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/monte-roraima-venezuela/

Today, something a little different.  We came across a dynamic list of the 30+ unbelievable places that look like they’re from another planet and decided to share some our favourites. Some of these photos look down-right alien, but make no mistake: they are for the most part untouched photos of actual places right here on our planet.

Image: Glowworms Cave, New Zealand 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/glowworms-cave-new-zealand/

Image: Tianzi Mountains, China 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/tianzi-mountains-china/

So what’s the point of sharing these photos? Well for starters, it is important for us to realize that even these seemingly bizarre and other-worldly locales are both host to an ecosystem and themselves part of a larger ecosystem—in fact, the biosphere of the entire planet. It just goes to show how diverse ecosystems be and how extreme lengths nature has to go to in order to exist.

Image: Naica Mine, Mexico 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/naica-mine-mexico-2/

Image: Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/giants-causeway-in-northern-ireland/

There is no question these photos also ignite the imagination. If any of these locales seem familiar to you, it’s likely because they have inspired settings in popular fantasy and science fiction films and television programs.

Image: Fly Geyser, Nevada, USA 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/fly-geyser-nevada-usa/

Image: Zhangye Danxia Landform in Gansu, China 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/zhangye-danxia-landform-in-gansu-china/

There is also an unquestionable beauty to these locales. Inhospitable as some may be to us, they are nonetheless compelling in their strangeness, wholly encaptivating…and not just visually. It is with absolute certainty that we can state as amazing as these photos may be, they do not, cannot hold a candle to actually being there and experiencing such expressions of nature in person.

Image: Emerald Ice on Baikal Lake, Russia 

Credit: Alexey Trofimov 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/emerald-ice-on-baikal-lake-russia/

Image: Son Doong Cave, Vietnam 

Credit: National Geographic 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/son-doong-cave-vietnam/

No doubt the growing popularity of eco-tourism is one of the reasons these photographs even exist. Human beings are explorers by nature. It’s not only that we crave novelty; we long for knowledge…and not just the knowledge we get from reading books or watching documentaries. We long for experiential knowledge. There is nothing like having being there, done that no matter where “there” may be, and no matter what “that” was.

Image: Glowing Beach in Maldeves 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/glowing-beach-in-maldives/

Image: Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/salar-de-uyuni-bolivia-3/

The question is, can we experience a taste of that exploration and discovery in our everyday lives without having to spend all the time, money and effort to take a trip to a far off land? Is there a way to experience the excitement, wonder and beauty of new discovery in our home, workplace, school, wherever we live, work or play?

Image: Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/earth-photos-look-alien/

Image: Ice Cave near Mutnovsky Volcano, Russia 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/ice-cave-near-the-mutnovsky-volcano-russia-2/

The answer is YES.

Consider this: no matter how spectacular a location may be, you get to experience it for a few days—possibly weeks. Unless you are very lucky and supremely committed, you will very rarely ever get to experience the changing face of such locations over time. After all, nature is not static. Nature grows, changes, adapts. A snapshot in time will only ever be just that…a memory.

Image: Spotted Lake, Canada 

Source: http://www.boredpanda.com/spotted-lake-canada/

Put another way, eco-tourism and travelling to the ends of the earth to witness the oddities and extraordinary wonders of the natural world will not result in a deep relationship between you and those places. They may result in vivid memories in your mind, and perhaps a pining in your heart to return someday, but you will not have a deep comprehension of the rhythms of those places, the ongoing harmonic effects of being there throughout the seasons, nor the wonder of watching these incredible expressions of nature adapt, evolve, grow and/or even die.

But with an ecosystem from PeapodLife, you CAN. And although we can’t promise you a landscape like that in these photos, we can promise there is ALWAYS something new and exciting in our ecosystems. Whether it’s an orchid blooming, moss growing, plants advancing, others receding, fish bearing young, snails multiplying, you get to watch your own “interior landscape” grow and evolve and both respond to your moods and improving your moods.  We hesitate to say life with an ecosystem is more similar to having a pet than a garden, but many who live with an ecosystem describe it that way.

The truth really is stranger than fiction. When you really think about it, that means the promise of nature is not to bring biology into your life but magic. It’s just another aspect of Advanced Human Habitat for you to EXPLORE.

Image: PeapodLife: Explore Our Advanced Human Habitats

ECOsystem, ECOlogy, ECOnomy It’s all about “How We Live” in our HOME

Image by PeapodLife: ECO=HOME

Image Credit: Earth Nature Vector House & Ecology Graphic 

Source: http://www.welovesolo.com/earth-nature-vector-house-ecology-graphic-2/

“There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self.  So you have to begin there, not outside, not on other people.  That comes afterward, when you've worked on your own corner.”

~ Aldous Huxley, Time Must Have a Stop

Source: http://www.globalstewards.org/quotes.htm 

Let’s start with the following short film entitled ‘How We Live – A Journey Towards a Just Transition’ by Kontact Films, paying close attention to the first few minutes of the film discussing the definition of ‘eco’ as it relates to ecosystem, ecology and economy.

How We Live: A Journey Towards a Just Transition from Kontent Films on Vimeo.

So let’s break it down once more:

• Eco = home.
• Ecosystem = the complex interrelationships of home.
• Ecology = the study & knowledge of home (self-knowledge, where ‘home’ is an individual).
• Economy = the management of home.  

And there are three pillars of economy…

1. Resources
2. Work
3. Culture

Now, the film goes on to describe new business models, more democratic ownership, more local ownership, and even starts discussing human consciousness in terms of human behaviour, actions, interactions, “living better,” etc.

But sadly, while the film “gets” that we cannot expect the banking system which got us into this mess to get us out of it, the film ignores its own axioms in prescribing more top-down structural thinking as being the source for a plausible solution.

Nature doesn’t do much from a top-down level. The term ‘seed change’ comes from this very notion of incremental organic change. The planting of a seed which over generations produces not only one tree, but a forest of trees; the pebble dropped into the pond sending out ripples over time.

Now consider all the so-called “green” movements and technologies related to energy conservation, recycling, etc. At the end of the day, these reduce our negative impact on the planet, but do they actually heal our relationship with the planet? What does it mean, to have a relationship with nature?

How can we propose to create a mindset within ourselves—or a culture within our companies, let alone society—aligned with long term sustainability on the planet, if we have no idea what living in harmony and mutual symbiosis actually feels like?  In other words, no practical, experiential knowledge?

We cannot hope to better manage the resources, people and culture of economy unless we experience what it means to live in an ecosystem. Living in an ecosystem, gives us the experiential knowledge we need we truly comprehend the meaning and dynamism of harmony and mutual symbiosis—what we call ecology—and how it relates to our own self-knowledge.

Building upon such a nucleus, such a seed, we can adapt and grow an economy based on harmony and mutual symbiosis… exactly what we experience day in and day out at home—in our homes, offices, schools, as a reflection of what we’re experiencing in our hearts and minds.

In synthesis, we become a part of actual ecosystems…we gain authentic ecology through experience…and our economy cannot help but reflect everything we are and everything we know.

Image by PeapodLife: Explore Our Advanced Human Habitats with a pPodLite Angolo Unit perfect for Home & Small Office

It doesn’t take much, truly. Even a small pPodLite Rainforest Ecosystem from PeapodLife is enough to begin transforming your home/office into a place of harmony and mutual symbiosis…begin giving you the experience of what being in alignment with nature feels like.

Then the real magic happens. But you wouldn’t believe us if we told you! Like all believers in the magical powers of nature to inspire, transform and heal, it’s something you simply know in your heart, and/or have to experience first-hand for yourself. 

The Retention Problem Facing CEOs Today: Is there a Solution to the Millennial Challenge?

"There is this constant dynamism in the workforce that is very very hard to build the right [parts] of platform and environment for people to [accomplish] what they want."

~ Aaron Levie, CEO Box

Source: LinkedIn: Pulse: These Problems Keep Both The CEO Of Deloitte And Box Awake At Night by Caroline Fairchild

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Millennials in the Workplace 

Sources: http://www.businessinsider.com.au/millennials-need-to-learn-these-14-rules-2013-9; 

http://millennialleader.com/are-millennials-reshaping-the-workplace-thanks-to-gen-x/

In a recent panel discussion at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles, Jim Moffatt of Deloitte and Aaron Levie of Box agreed that attracting and retaining Millennial talent is a major issue for their respective organizations.

As reported by Carolyn Fairchild, New Economy Editor @ LinkedIn, in her recent article: These Problems Keep Both The CEO Of Deloitte And Box Awake At Night

“Moffatt is working to empower young employees to stay at the firm longer by giving them more diverse work, Levie is grappling with the challenges of running a 1,300-person workforce with the average age of 25 or 26.” Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

“It is very apparent that managing and attracting this demographic of workforce is certainly interesting especially in Silicon Valley,” Levie said. He cited the ever increasing number of companies competing for top talent, and Millennials’ acclimatization to rapid development and succession.

"This generation is very very accustomed to moving quickly ahead in every part of their life and when they get to work and things move slowly and they can't get ahead quickly it impacts their ability to stay," he said. Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

Image Collage: CEOs discuss challenges at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Los Angeles; 

inset: Carolyn Fairchild, New Economy Editor @ LinkedIn 

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/problems-keeps-both-ceo-deloitte-box-awake-night-caroline-fairchild

So Millennial turnover rates may be high in Silcon Valley, but could the same be true in Canada? To find out, we turned to Mike Snyders, Senior Partner at Future Focus, Inc.—specializing in human resources  and human capital strategies in the Waterloo Region.

“Generation over generation learns how to manage each new generation that follows,” Snyders said. “How do we understand what their motivators are? How do we lead to motivate and develop new talent while maintaining business fundamentals?”

Snyders acknowledged the challenges faced by high-tech companies in the Waterloo Region are similar to those faced by companies in Silicon Valley—and just about everywhere. Many of the unique workplace environments we see in high-tech companies are trying to cater to what millennials are looking for. The key for employers, Snyders said, is to find the right balance between what Millennials want and what the business needs.

“Millennials are motivated differently. Their issue is work-life balance. Yes, you can retain people better by creating a work-life balance in the workplace, but can you stay productive? You need the structure in place. If it’s not managed right, it becomes a fun place, but not a workplace,” he said.

Just how do hi-tech companies’ office environments differ from the typical workplace?

Consider Auvik’s renewal of the Waterloo building formerely known as Blackberry 5. As part of their painful restructuring, Blackberry sold the building to flamboyant Dragon’s Den judge and investor Michael Wekerle. Wekerle was one of the investors involved in Blackberry’s 1997 IPO.

The mostly colourless, cubicle-infested space has been undergoing a transformation into a more lively and optimistic space. The 30-member start-up now enjoys a more open environment, featuring:

• accent walls painted in intense Auvik purple
• a bear mural and other flourishes by Ontario artist Chris Austin
• hand-painted signs displaying the company’s seven core values
• cardboard cut-outs of ‘key customers’
• a well-stocked cache of Nerf weaponry

Source: news.communitech.ca: Communitech News: Auvik poised to grow in bright, rejuvenated space
 

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Auvik’s Unique Office Elements

Photos Credit: Anthony Reinhart 

Source: http://news.communitech.ca/columns/auvik-poised-to-grow-in-bright-rejuvenated-space/

All hi-tech firms seem to have their own take on the ‘unique’ workspace. It’s a reflection of the culture of the firm, and this in many ways reflects Millennials’ attitudes toward personal style.

Style versus Substance

Echoing the sentiments of Mike Snyders, there is a danger for these well-meaning companies that the pendulum may swing a little too far in the other direction, resulting in a very ‘fun’ place, where very little ‘work’ actually gets done.

While many of the creature comforts Millennials may find enticing and attractive on the surface, one cannot deny that success is also a primary motivator for them. As well, high-performance and personal accomplishment cannot be overlooked as a motivating factor.

So what is there which simultaneously comforts and stimulates? What phenomenon has a proven track record of MILLENIA (speaking of Millennials) of simultaneously relaxing and inspiring new ideas, approaches, innovations, and invigorating individuals to pursue their revolutionary new ideas?

One word: nature.

It is undeniable that nature has played a critical part in inspiring everything from Newton’s Law of gravity to Beethoven’s 5th symphony to Einstein’s theory of relativity. But one look need no further than one’s own experience.

You know that feeling you experience in nature? You know that refreshed and recharged feeling. You know how it clears your mind and settle your nerves. There’s nothing else like it.

PeapodLife helps you have that refreshing feeling in your office environment.

In terms of creating a ‘feel good work environment’ which is both comforting and stimulating; one which boost BOTH work-life balance and productivity, an high-order rainforest ecosystem from PeapodLife is beyond compare.

It’s the feeling only nature can give you. Now imagine having that refreshing nature-feeling in your boardroom or in the staff cafeteria 24/7, 365 days a year. Imagine an ecosystem actively working all day, every day, boosting your Team’s happiness and efficiency to a whole new level. 

That’s certainly what Canada Life Insurance experienced. A few short weeks after installing an ecosystem in their boardroom, they began to notice profound improvements to meetings. Six months later, that boardroom was booked solid with a long waiting list.

Image: Canada Life boardroom living wall and aquarium, Toronto

As for Panasonic, revenue increased after outside salespeople started holding their sales meetings inside their staff cafeteria ecosystem.

Image: Panasonic Canada - cafeteria ecosystem

Just imagine the feeling of working in a climate-controlled rainforest environment. Static pictures can only do so much, so here’s an ecosystem in motion…

Video by PeapodLife: Fitch Street Living Wall EcoSystem 6-Month Update 

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6opN_OXIu8

But not even a video can do our rainforest environments justice. No technology can replace the feeling only nature can provide.

Put the power of nature in motion for your business today, and watch the transformative capabilities of the rainforest create an environment that Millennials will want to live, work, grow, develop, innovate and succeed in. 

Connect with PeapodLife today for more information.

Post-Earth Day Decompress: Our Favourite Facebook Pages

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Our FB Fav’s Featuring Screenshots of The Rainforest Site & Nature Heals, Nature Reveals

“But I give best when I give from that deeper place; when I give simply, freely and generously, and sometimes for no particular reason. I give best when I give from my heart.”

~ Steve Goodier 

Source: GoodReads – Quotes About Sharing 

Yesterday was Earth Day, and as such you may have found yourself inundated by Earth Day messages. From hard-hitting, guilt-tugging proclamations to soft-spoken, heartfelt meditations and everything in between, Earth Day is the one day in the year ‘the gloves come off’ for environmentalists, and just those who care deeply for nature and the wellbeing of the planet and all beings.

Fittingly, we couldn’t help but share our Earth Day Reflections via Genesis Eco Fund’s blog. But that was yesterday. Today, we offer a completely different take as a kind of ‘decompression’ after all the intensity and passion of earth day.

Facebook: love it or hate it, the mother of all social networking sites has redefined what it means to ‘like’ and ‘share.’ So today, PeapodLife wants to share some of the Facebook groups it likes with you.

The Rainforest Site

The Rainforest Site is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness, appreciation and knowledge about the natural world, and the weird and wonderful creatures who share this planet with us. From the profoundly serious and awesomely powerful to the utterly beautiful and heart wrenchingly adorable, The Rainforest Site never ceases to provide a steady flow of nature’s finest and funniest.

Take this post about Bao Bao’s fun frolic in the snow…

This is the most precious thing everrrr <3
Posted by The Rainforest Site on Thursday, April 23, 2015

Or this post about baby sloths…

How much do you know about these adorable creatures?? :)
Posted by The Rainforest Site on Thursday, April 23, 2015

But it’s not just ‘cute’ posts that The Rainforest Site features. There’s this very recent post about the volcanic eruption in Chile:

Have you seen the volcano that just erupted in Chile!?
Posted by The Rainforest Site on Thursday, April 23, 2015

Or this post about Conservation International’s film ‘Mother Nature’:

Your mother has something to talk to you about this Earth Day <3
Posted by The Rainforest Site on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

And the many simple yet profoundly beautiful images from the world of nature (not just the rainforest):

Gorgeous creature!
Posted by The Rainforest Site on Tuesday, April 21, 2015

For their wonderful work educating and sharing all there is to LOVE about the natural world, The Rainforest Site gets a big ‘like’ from PeapodLife.

Nature Heals, Nature Reveals

This Facebook Community is all about sharing the simple, the beautiful and the profound. If there is a place on the Internet which captures the essence of the last stanza of Ode on a Grecian Urn…

"Beauty is truth; truth, beauty—that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know."

~ John Keats 

Source: http://www.bartleby.com/101/625.html

…Nature Heals, Nature Reveals is that place.

Admittedly, some of the sentiments, posts and quotes they share will not always be everyone’s cup of tea (cynics and anyone repulsed by anything that sounds ‘too new-agey’ be warned), it’s undeniable that there’s something inside all of us which cannot help but be moved when confronted with images and words like the following…

Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth....
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

It is almost a shame to introduce each of these…extra words are somehow just a diminishment of the beauty, wisdom and simplicity each imparts to us:

The Secret of Strength lies in the Quiet Mind...~ Grace Cooke~ Image by Zulus77
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Just become quiet, still, and solitary, and the world will offer itself to you to be unmasked; it has no choice. It will roll in ecstasy at your feet.~ Dana Hawksister~ Image by Lars van de Goor
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Being silent for me doesn't require being in a quiet place and it doesnt mean not saying words. It means, "receiving in...
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Fresh beauty opens one's eyes wherever it is really seen.~ John Muir~ Image by Valerie Monthuit
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Tuesday, April 21, 2015

And of course, like many other Facebook pages, Nature Heals, Nature Reveals shares the best of the best of others as well…

Beautiful! ~ Thank you Rhythm of Peace: Cultivating Peace in Daily Life! ♥
Posted by ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ on Tuesday, April 21, 2015

We could certainly go on, but instead, perhaps will just provide a link to their PHOTO GALLERY.

What we love most about ॐ Nature Heals, Nature Reveals ॐ is that it comes close to capturing, in images and words, the essence of Peapodlife—if not quite the feeling you get from a PeapodLife ecosystem.

The simple sentiment, ‘nature heals, nature reveals,’ beautifully captures the essential benefits of inviting a high-order ecosystem into your home, workplace, school…wherever life demands you to spend the majority of your time.

It would be wonderful if we could all spend the bulk of our days out in nature, contemplating its beauty and meditating under its gaze, relaxed and able to receive a gift from its infinite wellspring of inspiration and imagination. But the reality of our lives is quite different; and the stressful, toxic indoor environments we are forced to inhabit are pretty much the antithesis of that dream of oneness with nature.

PeapodLife brings that dream to life once more; and brings the healing, inspiring and revealing power of nature into our lives where we need it the most…precisely where we currently have it the least.

Honourable Mentions and Final Thoughts

We don’t share everything we find on Facebook on our own Facebook page – PeapodLife Building Ecosystems & Technology – but we do try to share things that reflect our values and the spirit, essence and feeling of PeapodLife ecosystems.

That is why we often share posts from The Amazing Wild Nature, National Geographic and all other groups/posts which have grabbed our interest and attention over the years.

And of course, liking/following us on Facebook is one of the best ways to stay informed about us, featuring blogs and other original content related to ecosystems and living a happier, healthier, more peaceful and productive life…the PeapodLife.

“Save the Canadians” Campaign Launched: Rainforest Plants & Animals for Overworked Canadians

Video: ICT Costa Rica Tourism - Save the Canadians

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbhCpfxsod8

You can’t make this stuff up. Well, maybe you can…sort of (i.e. singing animals organizing politically).

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Costa Rican Animals for Overworked Canadians

Sources: http://savethecanadians.org/,

travelweek.ca: Travelweek: News: [Video] Costa Rican animals campaign to ‘Save the Canadians’

The point is, an endearing website has been launched by Costa Rica Tourism to “Save the Canadians.”

Image: SavetheCanadians.org

Source: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/yybr/costa-rica-travel/

The website not only features singing denizens of the tropical Costa Rican rainforest, it has a great deal of maps, information on destinations, and tempting photos inviting visitors to “Explore [their] Human Habitats.”

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Explore Human Habitats in Costa Rica

Sources: http://savethecanadians.org/regions/central_pacific

The site also many features numerous videos highlighting the many beautiful destinations one can visit in Costa Rica, such as La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Video: La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Costa Rica

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUwVcNKZKSI

We at PeapodLife applaud the efforts by Costa Rica’s rainforest ecosystem flora and fauna to save Canadians from the drudgery and toxicity of their daily workplace. And while getting away to a beautiful place like Costa Rica for a week or two every year is a good start, it won’t “save the Canadians…”

And Mother Nature knows it.

That’s why some of those dedicated rainforest plants and animals from Costa Rica have chosen to come north to Canada to partner with PeapodLife in bringing the beauty, relaxation, invigoration and healing powers of high order rainforest ecosystems to Canadian homes and workplaces 365 days a year.

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Ecosystems for Overworked Canadians

Text Image Source: http://savethecanadians.org/

Including up to five biomes, including canopy, waterfall, terrestrial and aquatic, our ecosystems fill your home or office with the beautiful and soothing sights, sounds and energies of a tropical rainforest, with no soil, no mess, and very little maintenance required.

Come explore our “Advanced Human Habitats.”

Image Collage by PeapodLife: Explore Our Advanced Human Habitats

Text Image Source: http://savethecanadians.org/

Bring the Mind Home at Last with an Ecosystem in the Home First

“All of man’s difficulties arise from his inability to sit quietly in a room by himself.” We do so many things, we speak volumes, and we think an endless amount of useless thoughts, but we’ve lost the sense of being. We’ve lost our ground. The most important thing is presence. Being. We’re often so distracted that: “We’re scattered everywhere, but nobody is at home.”
~ Blaise Pascal, with Sogyal Rinpoche
Source: School of the Holy Science Facebook Page:

The French philosopher Pascal once said, “All of man’s difficulties arise from his inability to sit quietly in a room by...
Posted by School Of The Holy Science on Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Let’s face it: very few of us can sit quietly in a room by ourselves. For so many reasons, both internal and external, we find it very difficult to just be still with ourselves.

Whether it’s the cacophony of our crazy busy mind, our crazy buy life, or the mixed-mash-up of real and perceived distractions pulling our attention in all directions, we find ourselves living in a kind of hurricane; a typhoon of never-ending thoughts, worries, wants, to-do lists, etc.

Like a song that gets stuck in our head, we cannot escape the prison of “mental calm depravation.” We may even have difficulty sleeping; either unable to fall asleep due to the never-ending stream of thoughts troubling us and keeping us awake, or disturbing and unsettling dreams reflective of our waking psychological state.

And while it’s all well and good to tell ourselves we can “leave our troubles at the door,” the reality is our subconscious minds have other plans. Without taking time on a regular basis to relax, concentrate, visualize and remember, revere and experience our naturally pure state of being, we remain trapped on the hamster wheel of an unsettled mind; lost in the hurricane of our lives.

PeapodLife can help. High order ecosystems are the eye in the storm of our lives. An ecosystem in the home creates a space which encourages us to sit comfortably and quietly. The natural harmonics of the ecosystem coupled to the phenomenon of entrainment tune our senses, our central nervous system, and our brain to a more soothing state.

Add to this field of harmony and mutual symbiosis the beautiful colours, soothing sounds, replenishing oxygen, and ambiance of energy and vitality, and you experience a space where you have a chance to actually be…not only alone with yourself, but with whatever deeper experiences of reality your heart and mind are open to having, via meditation, a good book, just your own thoughts coming into clarity, or maybe just the deepest, soundest sleep you’ve had in ages.

The point is, we all can use an eye in the storm; a sanctuary and a place where positive rejuvenating harmonics help you return to your natural, optimal state of being. What you do when you arrive there is up to you. PeapodLife’s job is helping you get there…bringing an ecosystem into your home first so you can bring your mind home at last.
 

Image by PeapodLife: Our ‘Crazy-Busy’ Life is a Hurricane & PeapodLife is the Eye of the Storm

Source(s): maidenpost.com: Feelings – Loneliness ;  

altmd.com: Specialists: Spiral Way Healing Arts: Calm In the Eye of the Storm

A Shield Against 'Bad Vibes' in the Workplace:Biomusicology, Lexicology, Entrainment, Ecosystems and YOU

“Discussion is an exchange of knowledge;
an argument an exchange of ignorance.”
~ Robert Quillen
Source: Brainy Quote: Argument Quotes

Infographic by PeapodLife: Negative Biomusicalogical & Lexical Entrainment VS. Ecosystem Harmonic & Symbiotic Entrainment at Work

We’ve all been there: the slippery slope and the downward spiral of the escalating argument. Be it at home or in the workplace, we all know the way things can get out of hand and tend to run away from us. Frustration, reactions, anger, aggression, things are said and done and…it rarely turns out well.

What we may not realize is there are real scientific phenomena affecting us during such conflicts. The fundamental principle involved is entrainment. In a general sense, entrainment is the tendency of oscillations or vibrations to synchronize.

Biomusicological entrainment is the phenomenon of entrainment applied specifically to biological organisms, including animals, human beings and ecosystems.  Biomusicalogical entrainment is responsible for everything from groupthink to mob mentality. 

Video: Bystander Revolution: Sam Trammell | Mob Mentality 

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4EfhpNTeOw

And make no mistake; everything the above video talks about applies to adults and adult group dynamics as much as it does for children, adolescents, etc. Why? Because age has nothing to do with the effects of biomusicalogical entrainment.

Lexical entrainment refers to the phenomenon whereby individuals tend to take on characteristics of speech from others in social situations—including intonation, vocabulary, etc.

Some are more sensitive to entrainment than others, but combined, biomusicalogical and lexical entrainment have a very real impact on our relationships and on our effective use of time and energy in the workplace.

Now, compound the effects of these two types of entrainment with the toxic sick buildings and lifeless environments we typically work in—from electromagnetic radiation from office equipment to noise stress, VOC’s and other sources of indoor atmospheric pollution, the list goes on.

There’s much more than just air quality to consider.  And sorry, Google, no amount of board games, beanbag chairs, foosball tables, or other manmade gimmicks can heal what is fundamentally a toxic environment, hostile to the optimum performance of living organisms…including us.

Enter PeapodLife Building EcoSystems & Technology

High order rainforest ecosystems are the BEST solution for countering the effects of negative biomusicalogical and lexical entrainment. The ecosystem acts as an umbrella, enveloping everyone in the space with a biomusicalogical entrainment field of harmony and symbiosis. Every organism—and person—within the field is constantly being entrained biomusicalogically by the infinitely complex interrelationships and balancing efforts of the superorganism in order to maximize  health, wellness and optimal function of each and every individual in said field.   

Image Rendering by PeapodLife: Imagine your office or workplace transformed into an atmosphere of optimal human performance, harmonic and symbiotic relationships, and health & wellness.

Now, are we saying an ecosystem will completely prevent all interpersonal conflict? Certainly not. But what it can do is take the edge off such conflicts. With the over-arching influence of the ecosystem—complete with beautiful orchids, bromeliads, soothing moss, flowing water, meditative fish, ionized living water counteracting the effects of harsh electromagnetic radiation, etc.—some conflicts might be shorter, or less intense, or more quickly resolved.

In the human body, melatonin is the hormone which is involved in the entrainment of the circadian rhythms of physiological functions including sleep timing and high blood pressure. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melatonin Put another way, melatonin is the “calming hormone” in the body which counteracts the forces in us which lead to nervousness, agitation, stress, frustration, anger, etc. 

Think of a PeapodLife ecosystem as constantly washing your office space in a melatonin bath. But, unlike melatonin—which can have the effect of causing drowsiness—ecosystems stimulate the senses and invigorate our energy. In addition, nature boosts the immune system, improves mental faculties, increases inspiration and imagination, and all in all makes people feel better.

Imagine fewer sick days…fewer incidents of employees waking up thinking “ugh…I don’t feel like going into work,” when work is such a pleasant place to be.

How pleasant? Videos can’t do it justice, but here’s one anyway…

Video: PeapodLife Living Wall EcoSystem Fitch Street 

Source: YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh1dk19VLwY

Now, just imagine what how all this will make you and your team FEEL? Imagine how much more you and your team will get done, and how much more pleasant an experience you’ll have doing it in the BEST indoor environment possible.  PeapodLife Building Ecosystems & Technology—be at your BEST.

Happy World Wildlife Day

Image Collage by PeapodLife "Happy World Wildlife Day 2015" 

Source/Credit: dailynews.lk: Daily News Online : Sri Lanka's National News: Children (06.03.2014)

"When I hear of the destruction of a species, I feel just as if all the works of some great writer have perished."
~ Former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=features/children-06032014

March 3rd is World Wildlife Day, an opportunity for us to appreciate biodiversity in all its forms. It is a chance for us to reflect on the benefits of healthy ecosystems filled with enduring populations of flora and fauna, and how we are better as a species for being good caretakers of the natural world and its fragile ecological balance—as opposed to efficient and ruthless masters of exploitation.  

World Wildlife Day is likewise an occasion for us to take a long, hard look at the international trade in endangered wildlife products. This means taking a long, hard look at ourselves—an exercise which is often times easier said than done. The fact is many of us may be consumers of such products without being aware of it. Or perhaps we simply choose to look the other way. And yet, if we value the continued presence of these creatures in the wild, we cannot afford to be complacent.

"Getting serious about wildlife crime means enrolling the support of all sections of society involved in the production and consumption of wildlife products, which are widely used as medicines, food, building materials, furniture, cosmetics, clothing and accessories."
~ Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
Source: http://www.un.org/en/events/wildlifeday/

As the above quote by Ban Ki-moon suggests, we have a role to play in the preservation of endangered species; as do governments and the private sector. But it is not enough to “get tough” on wildlife crime. In parts of the world where economic opportunities are limited, we will always find individuals turning to whatever means of survival is at hand—including harvest and trade in illegal goods.

So long as there is a demand for products containing wildlife parts, there will be a supply…until, that is, demand outstrips supply and the wild population and/or ecosystem collapses. The cascading effects of species loss can be disastrous on ecosystems.

True, ecosystems are self-balancing and constantly adapting to change, but it is naïve to think that that they will “recover” to their pre-existing state after the loss of a major species. Instead, a new ecosystem will evolve, one in which a number of other species may likewise disappear.

For as difficult as it may be for us to comprehend, nature itself has no attachments to species. Sacrifice is a fundamental aspect of life. Working with ecosystems day in and day out, we at PeapodLife witness how ecosystems sacrifice individuals for the sake of the whole.

Nature has been responsible for several major extinction events on the planet, and countless minor ones. Nature moves on: new species emerge; new harmonic and symbiotic relationships develop. Negative chaos gives way to positive chaos.

The real question to ask ourselves on World Wildlife Day may be this: are we a part of the negative chaos or the positive chaos? Are we contributing to harmonious and symbiotic relationships or exploitative, conflict-based ones? How does our relationship with our immediate micro environment translate into our relationship with the macro environment?

Image: Endangered Species 

Source: http://nationalbiodiversityteachin.com/endangered-species-act/

If it is a question of sensitivity—of feeling the plight of endangered species and the loss of species on a deep, almost personal level—then wouldn’t a personal relationship with an ecosystem in our micro environment increase our sensitivity to ecosystems and their endangered residents on the macro level?

PeapodLife doesn’t believe this to be so—we know it. We have witnessed it, time and again. By inviting ecosystems into their lives in a meaningful way, individuals develop a deeper sensitivity to the profound purpose and meaning of nature in their lives. It’s almost inevitable. We, like all creatures, are not separate from our environment. If we immerse ourselves in the embrace of nature’s nurturing embrace, we will have a greater tendency to “pay it forward;” to repay and embrace nature in kind.

When you bring a PeapodLife ecosystem into your life, every day is a Happy World Wildlife Day.