Mindfulness -The Psychology of Possibility and the unconventional research of psychologist Ellen Langer | Harvard Magazine

In 1981, early in her career at Harvard, Ellen Langer and her colleagues piled two groups of men in their seventies and eighties into vans, drove them two hours north to a sprawling old monastery in New Hampshire, and dropped them off 22 years earlier, in 1959. The group who went first stayed for one week and were asked to pretend they were young men, once again living in the 1950s. The second group, who arrived the week afterward, were told to stay in the present and simply reminisce about that era. Both groups were surrounded by mid-century mementos—1950s issues of Life magazine and the Saturday Evening Post, a black-and-white television, a vintage radio—and they discussed the events of the time: the launch of the first U.S. satellite, Castro’s victory ride into Havana, Nikita Khrushchev and the need for bomb shelters. There was entertainment (a screening of the 1959 film Anatomy of a Murder with Jimmy Stewart) and spirited discussions of such 1950s sports greats as Mickey Mantle and Floyd Patterson. One night, the men sat glued to the radio, listening as Royal Orbit won the 1959 Preakness. For the second group it brought back a flood of memories; for the other group, it was a race being run for the first time.

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Your Office Chair Is Killing You - Arianne Cohen - BusinessWeek

Click here tofind out more!If you're reading this article sitting down—the position we all hold more than any other, for an average of 8.9 hours a day—stop and take stock of how your body feels. Is there an ache in your lower back? A light numbness in your rear and lower thigh? Are you feeling a little down? These symptoms are all normal, and they're not good. They may well be caused by doing precisely what you're doing—sitting. New research in the diverse fields of epidemiology, molecular biology, biomechanics, and physiology is converging toward a startling conclusion: Sitting is a public-health risk. And exercising doesn't offset it. "People need to understand that the qualitative mechanisms of sitting are completely different from walking or exercising," says University of Missouri microbiologist Marc Hamilton. "Sitting too much is not the same as exercising too little. They do completely different things to the body."

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National Babies Day Launch - Parliament House

Yesterday, Ralph and I had the fortune of attending the launch of The Bonnie Babes Foundation 'National Babies Day' at Parliament House, Canberra.

The launch attracted many politicians and dignitaries, as well as many members of society who have been touched by what the Bonnie Babes support through communication and research - people who have experienced difficulties with miscarriage, still birth and premature babies.

Few people realise that 1 in 4 pregancies are impacted this way - 70,000 per year in Australia.

The launch of National Babies Day was also the parliamentary launch of 'Small Miracles' a publication created by Rachel Stanfield-Porter (founder of The Bonnie Babes Foundation internationally) with the support of many contributors. You can find 'Small Miracles' in bookstores nationally.

 

As explained by 'The Australian'...

ONE of the more painful chapters in the lives of Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull, the miscarriage of two children, was played out in private more than 20 years ago.

Yesterday, their story became part of a more public retelling of the effects of losing a child, as a contribution to a new book raising money for families confronted with stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth.

Mr Turnbull helped launch Small Miracles, written by the Bonnie Babes Foundation founder Rachel Stanfield-Porter, at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday, on the same day he celebrated his first year as Opposition Leader.

He did so in the company of Lucy, who has contributed to the book, and his daughter, Daisy, who was born prematurely.

The Opposition Leader The Hon Malcolm Turnbull was there to discuss impact on his family and help with the launch of 'Small Miracles'... for the full article...

View The Australians editorial here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26084937-5013404,00.html

You can also view Malcolm Turnbull's speech summarised here: http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=3814 

Probably, many of you are not aware of Malcolm's family experience.

It was also the 1 year anniversary of Mr Turnbull's celebration of the leader of the opposition - a great time to celebrate National Babies Day and the birth of 'Small Miracles'.

Bonnie Babes look forward to making National Babies Day popular as Mothers and Fathers Day - a celebration of life which often begins very early on this planet thanks to the technology we now have available. National Babies Day is also a remembrance of those who left early, without the opportunity to grow with their families and an opportunity for families to discuss their feelings - in their own way.

Additional information...

Malcolm Turnbull proudly sponsors the research project below...

Retinopathy of Prematurity: ‘Ray of Hope’

Retinopathy is the major cause of blindness in premature infants all over the world.  Globally there are 1.4 million children who are born blind.  The growing need to prevent the pathogenesis of Retinopathy of Prematurity has become ever more prevalent as research efforts are directed toward preventing further escalation of the disease to ensure the preterm infant will have a high quality of life with the gift of sight.  It is the hope that by understanding the very early stages of Retinopathy of Prematurity we can improve the changes of developing new forms of treatment that target the earliest microvascular changes rather than waiting until the retina is invaded by numerous pathological, leaky new vessels as currently therapy dictates.

Chief Investigator: Prof Tailoi Chan-Ling
University of Sydney

Information Technology person needed

Bonnie Babes need an internet computer wiz.  The Bonnie Babes Foundation needs a company or individual to donate their time to help with their website and internet needs to get the Bonnie Babes Foundation across the internet.

They have specific needs that can be discussed.  Its not an extensive amount of time but it’s a huge support to our charity.  Sadly over 70,000 babies pass away every year, the Bonnie Babes Foundation is a non government funded charity striving to save babies lives.  To register your support call Debbie on 1300 266 643 or enquiry@bbf.org.au.

‘Small Miracles’

The Bonnie Babes Foundation has just released its new book ‘Small Miracles'.  The book has been published by one of Australia's top publishers Hachette Australia who publish everything from Enid Blyton to Stephen King and many well known titles in between.  The book is now available in Target, Kmart, Myer, Big W, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson, Borders, Collins, 180 independent book sellers and specialty stores.

The book is raising funds for the Bonnie Babes Foundation which helps over 17,000 families every year.  The Bonnie Babes Foundation provides 24 hour, 7 day per week grief counselling services and funds vital medical research into infertility issues, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss  and the charity raises much needed funds for vital equipment for premmie babies. 

The book is written by the Founder of the Bonnie Babes Foundation, Rachel Stanfield-Porter who lost her own two babies and now has two healthy sons.  The book is a compilation of inspiring Australian stories of hope, survival and coping after the loss of a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth and prematurity. It is a book about celebrities and high profile personalities including Australian Women’s Weekly’s Deborah Thomas, footballer Robert Harvey, Dr Cindy Pan, radio personality Dee Dee, actor Rebecca Gibney, actor Tony Bonner and many others who talk about their losses in a very candid way.

This is the first time a book like this has been released into mainstream bookstores and department stores.

To contact the Bonnie Babes Foundation call 1300 266 643 or enquiry@bbf.org.au or www.bbf.org.au.

The Chairman's Message - The Art and Health Issue

The Art of Good Health and Well Being

It is with great pleasure the Creative Leadership Forum announces it will be a principal sponsor for Australia’s landmark international conference on health and creativity - The Art of Good Health and Wellbeing - to be held from 7 - 13 November 2009.

Health and Wellbeing – of individuals and communities – can be preserved and improved through engagement in creative activities - the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, craft), theatre, music, dance, writing, comedy, circus and film.

Contemporary healthcare and health education promotes healthy lifestyles and a positive approach to ageing. This trend is taking place at a time when life expectancy is increasing and there is a growing prevalence of long-term health conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, cancer, diabetes, respiratory conditions, arthritis, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

In addition, as the baby boomer era approaches later life, there is a growing demand for healthy ageing information and resources in line with an expectation of a high quality of life in retirement and aged care.

To address these global issues and mobilise support for the use of the arts in healthcare as a valuable social and economic strategy, ARTS AND HEALTH AUSTRALIA, the national arts in healthcare advocacy and networking organisation, is convening an international conference at the Glasshouse Arts Conference and Entertainment Centre in Port Macquarie in November 2009.

Healthy ageing (from a lifelong perspective) and mental health will be a key focus of the conference. Special interest areas include creative ageing, arts and health hospital programs for adults and for children, aged care facilities and community services, indigenous health, research and evaluation, and international exchange.

These themes will be explored in a highly interactive manner with 70 plus workshops and seminars led by an outstanding list of internationally recognised knowledge experts including

· Dr Joke Bradt, PhD, MT-BC, LCAT, Assistant Director, Arts and Quality of Life Research Center, Temple University, Philadelphia 

· Dr Gary Christenson, MD, Director of the Boynton Mental Health Clinic and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School; Artistic Director, Center for Art and Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA

· Alison Clough, Director, Pioneer Projects and Looking Well Centre, Bentham UK

· Dr Cheryl Dileo, PhD, MT-BC, Professor of Music Therapy and Director: Arts and Quality of Life Research Center, Temple University, Philadelphia

· Professor Ian Gibbins, Sc(Hons), 1977; PhD, 1981; Fil.dr (hc) 1995, Head of Anatomy & Histology, Flinders University, South Australia

· Mary Grehan, Arts Director, Waterford Healing Arts Trust, Ireland

· Alan Hopgood OAM, playwright, film maker and actor, Victoria

· Lindy Hume, Artistic Director, Sydney Festival

· Ralph Kerle, Executive Chairman, Creative Leadership Forum, Sydney

· Dr Jeffrey Levine, Gerontologist and photographer, New York

· Kim McConville, CEO, Beyond Empathy, Australia

· Carrie McGee, BA, Educator, Art and Alzheimer’s Program, Museum of Modern Art, New York

· Shanti Norris, Co-founder and Director, Smith Farm Center for Healing and the Arts, Washington DC 

· Susan Perlstein, Founder and Director of Education, National Center for Creative Aging, Washington DC and founder Elders Share the Arts, New York

· Paula Terry BS, Director, Office of AccessAbility, National Endowment for the Arts, Washington DC 

· Mike White, M.Phil, MA, Senior Research and Development Fellow in Arts in Health, Centre for Medical Humanities and St Chad’s College, University of Durham, UK

· Naj Wikoff, MA, Fulbright Senior Specialist and President Emeritus of the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, Washington DC

The conference has the support of the Department of Health and Ageing, Alzheimer’s Australia (NSW), Regional Arts (NSW), Arts Access Australia, Aevum Living, Ramsay Healthcare and national and state leaders in healthcare, the arts, education and government.

For full programme details, accommodation and to register and book click here.

We look forward to participating in this event and to meeting those CLF members who choose to attend. Please feel free to pass this information through your network. Your support will be greatly appreciated.

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Ralph Kerle interviews Elizabeth Ann MacGregor, Executive Director Museum of Contemporary Arts about Creativity, Arts, Education and the influences we enjoy

Elizabeth Ann MacGregor from Grant Crossley on Vimeo.