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
The site also many features numerous videos highlighting the many beautiful destinations one can visit in Costa Rica, such as La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
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
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.
“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:
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
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
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
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.
With these words, Director General of the BBC, Tony Hall, nailed the lid in the coffin of Jeremy Clarkson’s future hosting the wildly successful Top Gear. The dismissal relates to an alleged altercation between Clarkson and one of the show’s producers, involving a 30-second tirade and physical assault.
An investigation revealed, according to the official statement by the BBC, that the much loved presenter had “crossed a line.” Here is the official statement most fans of the show and casual onlookers alike have likely seen by now:
Video: 'Why sack your biggest global star?' Clarkson row:
Feelings of bitterness and regret were immediately expressed by fans of the show; not just online—as one might expect—but in person, via a 1-million signature petition, delivered to BBC headquarters in a dramatic fashion in keeping with the spirit and substance of the show itself.
Video: ‘The Stig’ delivers Jeremy Clarkson petition – BBC News
Cynics and critics of Clarkson’s blokeish antics might argue that the stunt by fans is exactly the kind of aggressive over-reaction which caused the incident in the first place—and not the first time Clarkson got himself into hot water with BBC brass, either.
But we at PeapodLife couldn’t shake the feeling that there’s more going on here this time ‘round. And by all means while this is just speculation on our part, given the nature of this incident versus others the embattled host has been involved in, there was almost certainly something more insidious at work.
And, in the typical way society and the media avoid the topic due to the social stigma around mental health, no one seems to really be asking an important question…
Was Chronic Stress at least Partly to Blame for now Infamous Top Gear Fiasco?
Certainly, while on the surface this seems to be a case of a much beloved television presenter “losing it” in a fit of rage with a co-worker, a little research seems to suggest there’s more to the story than that.
According to fellow TV host Piers Morgan, “just like pretty much every other 50-something in life; angst-ridden from damaged relationships, grieving loved ones, irritated by work-related issues, and battling inner demons.” Source: https://reputationrefinery.com/jeremy_clarkson
Now certainly, this is no excuse for bad behaviour—especially violent behaviour—but there seem to be more mitigating circumstances coming to light.
It turns out Clarkson had been dealing with a plethora of personal problems for some time, including a death in the family and a failing marriage. In other words, whatever triggered Clarkson to “cross the line” in professional conduct instead of on the track, was maybe just the straw that broke the camel’s back. Maybe he had been dealing with chronic stress, a condition which among the obvious rage and depression, can lead to all kinds of very real physical problems:
Are we saying an ecosystem in Jeremy Clarkson’s home, the Top Gear studio, and/or the pub where the altercation took place could have prevented the incident? Not directly, no.
What we are saying is that if chronic stress and pent up frustration and looming rage were indeed significant factors in Clarkson’s tragic fall, then absolutely: we believe the soothing, calming, relaxing and healing properties of ecosystems could have played a role in preventing this incident from ever occurring.
Forget “Captain Slow,” think MOTHER NATURE! Because there are few hugs more potent than a constant, enduring, balancing and revitalizing hug of a high-order rainforest ecosystem. P.S. To Top Gear Fans in Tanks: Life Goes On…
Of course, we must add a post script to all those lamenting the loss of their beloved presenter, now left in limbo wondering what the future has in store.
If all of you had an ecosystem in your home, business and/or school, you would have a deep appreciation for the nature of life and that all things come to an end. And, you’d be completely okay with that. You too would be relaxed, at ease, and ready to accept what could be an even more exciting and promising future.
As for Jezza? Well, love him or hate him, we have a feeling that all this is just of a setback at the end of the day…a flat tire at the side of the road or an exploding Fiat…just a tumble in a ridiculously rollie-pollie Reliant Robin. We’re pretty sure he’s going to find himself shifting into a whole new gear sometime in the not-too-distant future. After all, it’s what Jeremy Clarkson does best.
We just hope he also knows (and takes) good advice when he hears it. Our advice to him (and everyone) is this:
If there is chronic stress in your life, ask us about making the shift from the rat race and living la vita loca to the relax lane and living the PeapodLife. After all, we want what’s best for you; for everyone!
"In clinical studies, we have proven that 2 hours of nature sounds a day significantly reduce stress hormones up to 800% and activates 500-600 DNA segments known to be responsible for healing and repairing the body." ~ Dr. Joe Dispenza
Image by PeapodLife: Nature Sounds reduce stress hormones and help heal the body – Dr. Joe Dispenza
Until now, most of the studies around the healing power of nature focused on people being outside. More recently, work has been done looking into the positive effects of nature (or at least, “natural elements”) indoors.
And of course, when we refer to the healing power of nature, it follows that we also mean the preventative health and wellness benefits of nature. In other words, you don’t have to be sick to reap the benefits of nature.
In fact, a study by Health Promotional International suggests, “contact with nature may provide an effective population-wide strategy in prevention of mental ill health, with potential application for sub-populations, communities and individuals at higher risk of ill health.”Source: http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/21/1/45.full.
The study, which looked specifically at hospitals, found that natural elements significantly boost the healing outcomes for patients. And the study was mostly considering picture windows which looked out onto pleasing natural scenes, like a garden, or ocean (though not many hospitals are built on seaside real estate).
It’s not just the sight of nature which is soothing and boosts healing, however. Sounds have a huge impact on our psychological well being. According to Dr. Joe Dispenza, his studies have concluded that two hours of nature sounds daily can decrease stress hormones by up to 800% and activates DNA responsible for healing and repairing the body.
Now, if just the sight and sounds of nature indoors have such healing properties, imagine what effect an actual high-order rainforest ecosystem will have.
Not only do PeapodLife’s indoor ecosystems feature absolutely beautiful flora and fauna—orchids, bromeliads, moss, African violets, tropical fish, snails, shrimp and so much more—the gentle gurgling of water in constant motion fills your ears with pure natural sounds. On top of this, the ecosystem produces fresh oxygen, cleans the air of VOC’s and other contaminants, and fills the space with an overwhelmingly positive ambiance of freshness and life.
We cannot wait for the day when PeapodLife EcoSystems are brought into hospitals and measurements taken on how much more benefit is conferred by complete high-order rainforest ecosystem, in stress reduction, healing, bodily repair, mental health, et al.
As a little change of pace, we thought we would offer you a little meditative break from your busy day to just stop and remind yourself that earth is an amazing place.
We begin with this montage featuring the music of Vangelis.
I think we can all agree watching videos on YouTube is not the same as being there. Sadly, we have lives, responsibilities, and realities to face surrounding the practicalities of life. Fortunately, there is a way we can invite the earth, in all its magnificence, Mother Nature in her essence, back into our lives in a very practical and meaningful way. We can live the PeapodLife.
Video by PeapodLife: Living Wall Ecosystem up-close and personal - Bodystream Health & Wellness Center
Yesterday Apple began taking orders for the Apple Watch. Today we ask the question: has the day finally arrived that Einstein feared—that technology has surpassed human interaction? Have we become a generation of idiots?
What are we talking about? On some level you probably already know—at least, you do when it hits home in your everyday life. But for the sake brevity, here’s a popular YouTube video as a little reminder…
Video: A generation of idiots, smartphones & dumb people.
Now don’t get us wrong, there’s nothing inherently wrong with technology. There is a very strong case to be made for technology and how it has made humanity’s life easier on a number of levels and in a number of ways throughout our history.
But it’s undeniable that human nature is such that we take things too far. Anything in moderation may be okay, but we tend to indulge; getting “too much of a good thing” seems to be our modus operandi.
So let’s take a look at one of the consequences of this over-abundance, technology:
Are we taking technology too far? In the above video, the answer is likely no, not yet. If anything, we (the wealthy west, anyway) are on the cusp of The Leisure Economy. Let’s face it, humans will always busy themselves with something. And many look forward to the day when we don’t have to work to survive anymore; but rather, work on what we are passionate about: art, music, acting, playing, nature…whatever.
The problem arises when we start losing our humanity to technology. There is nothing inherently natural about going to work and making money to make a living. These constructs may as well be replaced by technology. But there is something natural and fundamental to human mind, consciousness, contemplation, comprehension and awareness—of our immediate surroundings and our inner psychology.
Cybernetics challenges this fundamental natural state. And believe it or not, the Apple Watch is a significant step in the wrong direction. Technological augmentation of human beings is the next major step in technology—bridging the gap (the “bottleneck”) between the human-machine interface. In other words, putting on an Apple Watch—and other “wearables” against our skin is getting us one step closer to the day the computers will literally be under our skin.
No longer will you need to be aware of how you feel, your Apple Watch will tell you: your heartrate, blood sugar, and who knows what else? Eventually EEG’s? But these are just numbers. They say very little to your intellect, let alone connect you to how you actually feel. An increasing or decreasing number on a screen doesn’t tell you whether or not your exertion or rest is beneficial for you or not. And your intellect cannot know this based on a number measured against some arbitrary “statistically significant mean.”
Technology of this kind shifts our consciousness to our head and out of our hearts and bodies. Our attention is shifted away from the moment, the people, places, events and phenomena in the here and now, and we focus instead on what the little mechanical device can show/tell us about that moment…in other words, technology is a hyper-extended version of what our “crazy minds” already do.
Having a photography and video studio / publishing / distribution mechanism in our pocket at all times has robbed countless millions of precious magical moments they will never get back. So what if they have “a record” of it? A photo / video can capture some—but not all—of a precious moment…but trying to capture the moment on photo/video can rob YEARS from your life…a life that you’ve recorded but haven’t actually lived.
This message is made very clear in the snow leopard scene in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, who has lived his whole life in a dream world most of the time, and must go on an actual adventure to track down a missing negative for the final cover of LIFE Magazine.
Video: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty EXTENDED 6 Minutes Trailer
When he finally catches up to Sean Penn’s character, a globetrotting freelance professional photographer who is there to capture a snow leopard on film, he finds him watching the animal at a safe distance…and is baffled when he doesn’t take the picture. He tells Ben Stiller that sometimes if a moment is perfect, he just enjoys it. Taking the picture is secondary. He shoots on film, by the way…not digital.
So this is how Walter Mitty comes to realize what’s important…and how much more rewarding being here and now is than being in our heads all the time. The Apple Watch is a mechanical externalized version of what Walter Mitty does inside his head—and what we all do to a degree. It can only take us further away from the beauty and the wonder and the magic of the moment…the people, places, animals, plants, rocks, and events around us in the here and now. And having these experiences, digesting them fully and completely heart, mind and body, is what it means to be truly human, to be truly alive. And Einstein, I’m afraid, knew this, too…
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”
The slow steady march of technology in our lives is inevitable. But we can resist it in areas where too much of a good thing crosses lines which should not be crossed, where it impedes our birthright to pure unfiltered experience of life using fully developed natural human capacities and faculties of consciousness.
Where some technologies want to exceed our humanity, and make us more machine-like than we already are, others strive to deepen our experience of what it means to be human. Building EcoSystems and Technologies, for instance.
PeapodLife ecosystems are a balm, an antidote for the machinations of the digital age. To experience the energy, vitality, colours, sounds, scents, harmony and symbiosis of an indoor ecosystem is to reawaken faculties of conscious awareness and natural capabilities of conscious experience. To simply sit in the company of a high-order rainforest ecosystem is an exercise in rejuvenation and renewal of what it truly means to be human…and relaxation, inspiration, imagination, meditation and comprehension are among the benefits.
Living the PeapodLife is about getting out of our heads and back to what matters in life: to be here, now: with ourselves, our surroundings, and the people we love. It’s about establishing and maintaining REAL connections, not some networking definition of “connectivity.” It’s about enjoying REAL experiences, not virtual ones. It’s about how deep we LOVE life…not how many “LIKES” we get.
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