Issue #66: Why Meditation in 2022
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 15th. Here's to doing our best to thrive in a world that just hit a new population milestone.
“Don’t try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a better Buddhist; use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.”
From the Lab: The Job of Natural Selection
Take Action: Living in the Future
Speed Read: Astronaut or Influencer?
Tuesday QR: Homemade Trail Mix Bar
Bucket List: Hitting The Ranch
The number of people on earth as of...well...today. It took roughly 300,000 years (from the dawn of homo sapiens to 1804) to get to 1 billion. 218 years later the population has grown 8x. (Source)
From the Lab
Why do we need meditation to control our life? (Issue #65)
Natural selection has only one objective - to pass on our genes to the next generation. We aren’t wired to see the world clearly, just to have kids.
That’s why we’re drawn to eat (fuel), to have sex, to impress others (more sex), and fight off rivals (again, more sex).
It also explains why each of these objectives - impressing others by buying the all-new Maserati SUV, enjoying that glazed donut, or having sex - leads to fleeting pleasure. If it was sustaining, then we wouldn’t keep trying to do it.
Each hit of dopamine that our brain seeks out is less and less fulfilling - invoking an even greater need for more (Issue #18).
But we don’t live in a world of scarcity anymore.
Meditation has the power to reduce our stress in today’s frantic pace that no longer consists of 100 tribe members - but a world in which we attempt to stand out among an online global population of billions while companies feed into our natural desires for more money, more food...just more stuff.
By slowing down to understand our thoughts and feelings, we can begin to live more in the present to find real fulfillment and not live chasing "more" in the future.
This is why, as Robert Wright points out in “Why Buddhism is True,” meditation isn’t about “focusing on your breath” - it's about being able to observe your life in a clear, unhurried, less reactive way.
Tomorrow, we’ll talk about how to most easily bring meditation into a practice that works for you.
Take Action
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Astronaut or Influencer?: TikTok is the fastest growing social media channel with over 138 million users in the U.S. alone (that's over 1/3 our total population). But the addictive video platform that has made kids in the U.S. all want to become influencers isn't used in China. Children under 14 in China have a daily limit of 40 min and are shown at-home science experiments, educational videos, etc. How will this affect future generations? (Check out the incredible 2 min video from 60 Minutes)
Is Red Meat Bad For Us?: TBD. Studies have been linking red meat to major health problems for years. The problem: too many confounding variables (too much/little of veggies, nicotine, exercise, etc. in combination with red meat). Health Scientists at the University of Washington have scrutinized decades of research, formulated a new rating system to communicate health risks, and current findings dispel any concerns about eating red meat. Stay tuned as peer reviews are ongoing. (Big Think)
Gift Guide - Food and Drink: It’s back…time to get your shop on. We just talked about impressing others, but this is about showing gratitude. Check out this guide for the food lovers on your list. You may even want a little something for yourself to save Thanksgiving (Outside). Not enough inspiration, check out the list from Architectural Digest.
Tuesday QR (Quick Recipe)
Typically the granola bars at the store have a bunch of junk in them. It's actually easy to put together your own bars with the right nutrients from almonds, cashews, coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds without the junk. Special call out on cashews!
Pro Tip: Feel free to sub in any nut or seed if you have an allergy or preference. Pecans or walnuts are great options.
Bucket List
I've always wanted to explore a wellness retreat. Check out The Ranch in Malibu, Italy, and Hudson Valley.
Thanks for joining us today! Tomorrow we'll get into how to best meditate.
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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.