Natural Therapy
Many books and articles have been published about how to boost happiness. One (prove) way is by spending more time in nature. In a study published in Science Advances, there is evidence contact with nature is associated with many benefits including increases in happiness, a sense of well-being, positive social interactions, and a feeling of meaningfulness in life.
Nature therapy, also called ecotherapy, is the practice of being in nature to boost growth and healing, especially mental health. You can do nature therapy anywhere, you live in rural, suburban, or urban areas.
As an example, in the foothills of the Snowdonia National Park in the UK, outdoor art-related activities (hold) to help those who suffer from depression, anxiety and stress. Art psychotherapist Pamela Stanley told the BBC that there was a "growing body of evidence" to support ecotherapy.
It's true that for most of us (expose) to the natural world definitely lifts our spirits.
But ecotherapy can also include activities or therapies you are formally guided by therapists and trained leaders. It's Dr Rachel Bragg from the University of Essex calls "psychological restoration". "Ecotherapy is one tool that you have to draw on (strengthen) and deepen the work that you're doing with your clients or your patients."
Of course, eco-therapy won't cure , but it is an option for therapists to use. And as we become more aware of the causes and effects of mental health, it's good to know that help lie outside our towns and cities, and that nature can give us a helping hand.
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In 200 Years Cows May Be the Biggest Land Mammals (哺乳动物) on the Planet
Around 13,000 years ago North America had a wider variety of mammals than modern Africa.
There were multiple horse species, camels and some now-extinct animals. And such1creatures were not just found in North America. On every continent mammals on average were a lot larger from around 2.5 million until about 11,700 years ago.
Scientists have long debated what caused all these large creatures to go extinct while many of the smaller ones2. A team of researchers led by biologist Felisa Smith analyzed evidence from millions of years' worth of mammalian extinctions and found that on each continent large mammals started to3around the same time humans first showed up.
If the extinction trend continues, many more large mammals will soon disappear as well, as the primary threats from humans have4from overhunting to indirect processes such as habitat loss. The largest land mammal 200 years from now could well be the domestic cow, Smith's research suggests. In their new study Smith and her team analyzed a database of all land mammals that lived from 65 million years ago until today. "We found5no effect of climate on mammalian extinction over 65 million years," she says. But starting around 125,000 years ago and continuing until today, large mammals have been more likely to go extinct than smaller ones, the researchers found.
The average6of surviving mammals has decreased as a result. And those large-mammal extinctions are tightly coupled with the7of humans. For most of mammalian8history, an animal's size was not predictive of its extinction risk. That9only appeared once humans began to live alongside large mammals.
This finding does not mean climate-related changes could not have10some wildlife populations, enabling humans to more easily bring about their eventual downfall.11, it suggests the greater likelihood of large mammals going extinct is tied to human activities. The animals that evolved without the risk of hunting from humans were suddenly faced with a new12. They simply could not13fast enough to survive the invasion of humans.
Smith says the lesson to be learned from the new findings is that our ancestors prepared us to be extremely skillful killers. "What's14now," she says, "is that some of us are comfortable enough, have a high enough standard of living, that we can start thinking about our use of the Earth." Rather than simply behaving as15, many of us are now in a position to become environmental protectors.
I am not a morning person, but as I stand on the boulder (巨大的砾石) in the early dawn, my mind is sharp and alert. I am more than awake, concentrating on the vast endlessness below.
There is a noticeable lack of early birdsong here; no hiss of offshore wind fanning the waves. The only sound is my breath, heavy after the scramble to the top. It is by no means a difficult climb, but I had to hurry to beat the sun.
"If you stand at the top of Kubu Island just before sunrise," said one of the returning visitors, "You can see the arc (弧线)of the Earth."
He was right.
From up here the horizon cuts not so much a line as an arc.
Soon my feeling of being in the moment is replaced with something as strange and ancient as this place itself. My breathing calms and becomes shallow. My heartbeat slows. I am first surrounded by in silence. I am a tiny, shrinking spot. Then I disappear completely.
They say that astronauts looking down on Earth gain a sense of perspective that changes them forever. They begin to understand how much we are a part of our planet, and how much it is a part of us. The astronauts are 400 kilometres off the surface of Earth, and while the top of Kubu Island is only 10 metres high, there is something about this pile of boulders that sends you into orbit.
Kubu Island isn't actually an island, but rather, an outcrop of ancient rocks that are up to two billions year old. It was once rested on the edge of a vast lake. As the water evaporated, it created the huge Makgadikgadi Pan (马卡迪卡迪盐沼盆地), one of the world's largest salt pans.
Ancient tribes and civilizations have migrated and lived here, first to fish from its rocks and then to commune with nature and its spirits. Today, adventurers and tourists come here to marvel at this strange pile of boulders with baobab trees (猴面包树) growing out of it. These trees are estimated to be 3,000 or 4,000 years old; they are really impressive not only for their size but also because they seem to have so much to tell about the history of this island.
This is the gift that Kubu Isand gives and the power that it has. This tiny, weird outcrop — if not in the middle of nowhere, then certainly on the edge of it — can give you a sense of yourself that very few places can. A sense of yourself as a person on this planet and, somehow, way beyond it.
Flowing Through Life: The Water Element
Bruce Lee famously said, "You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water, my friend."
Water is one of the five elements in the Chinese philosophy of wu xing. This theory first appeared in the studies of Taoism, during the Spring and Autumn Period sometime between 770─476 BC. It rapidly expanded with its use in Chinese medicine, philosophy, fengshui, fortunetelling, and martial arts ─ and is still very common to date.
The five elements ─ wood, fire, earth, metal, and water ─ are generated by the interaction between yin and yang. Not so much the actual physical forms of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, each element can be better understood as an expression of its qualities, and as components of life and matter. Wood and fire pertain to yang, while metal and water relate to yin, and earth represents the perfect harmony between yin and yang. Conceptually, we can understand the Five Elements as energetic forces created by interactions between yin and yang.
The interactions of the five astrological elements are circular. In the nurturing cycle, water breeds wood, wood grows fire, fire turns into earth (ash), earth yields metal, metal turns into water, and the cycle begins again. In the controlling cycle, water puts out fire, fire controls metal, metal cuts wood, wood extracts nutrients from earth, and earth absorbs water, and the cycle begins again.
According to Taoist belief, the water element manifests in the evening and at nighttime, as well as in the north and in winter. Picture the sea from the shore: Water is the energy that has boundless potential, even though it may appear to be calm on the outside. The water element also promotes conservation – literally and metaphorically.
The 6th century BC was a time of philosophical growth for ancient China. It was during this time that the two most influential spiritual leaders native to China, Confucius and Lao-tzu, are thought to have lived and taught. The philosophies that they practised, Confucianism and Taoism, existed simultaneously and have attracted a large following over the past 2,000 years.
To "regard Human and Nature as a whole" is a Confucian ideology that was first mentioned in the Han Dynasty, about 2,000 years ago. It meant to convey that human beings are just one part in the system of Nature, and hence we, as a species, should not try to control and alter the system. The fundamental concept of Chinese traditional culture is the concept of circulation: Everything in Nature is supposed to move circularly to maintain a level of stability and harmony.
A. The best way to begin is to grade your soil so that it slopes downward and away from your home in all directions.
B. Make every effort to prevent fire spread as soon as possible.
C. Never leave piles of brush or leaves near the house because they can burn easily.
D. What you should do is to gather standing water to help with water absorption.
E. There's nothing you can do to prevent those extreme scenarios from happening.
F. Also, check to ensure any yard ornaments (like birdbaths, pots or statues) are heavy enough to withstand the strong force.
A Recipe for Avoiding Disaster
Every log cabin homeowner has had those "what if" thoughts. What if conditions become so dry that a wildfire starts near my cabin? What if the rain is so relentless that the lake outside my doorstep begins to overflow its banks? What if tornado-fueled winds threaten to destroy everything I've created?
. That's the bad news. The good news? There are ways you can use your landscaping to minimize the damage that extreme weather can cause and still have an attractive yard all at the same time. Here are a few tips for using your outdoor resources in a way that can lessen the impact of a natural disaster on your log home:
WILDFIRES: The key to keeping fires from damaging your home is regular maintenance with a focus on how fires spread. Begin by removing dead plants like trees and shrubs promptly and trimming (修剪) any branches that overhang the property or have close contact with the log walls.
. It's also a good idea to install irrigation in a 50-foot radius around your home to help create a fireproofing perimeter.
FLOODS: A massive amount of flooding that leaves your house and yard in standing water is a tall order in terms of prevention strategies, but more moderate flooding can be stopped with a few simple landscaping tricks. . You can create extra drainage (排水系统) through the use of strategically placed stones and bushes that direct water away from the foundation.
TORNADOES: To minimize the damage caused by the sudden gusts tornado weather brings, be sure to keep trees and shrubs trimmed. .
Don't judge a book by its cover
"Don't judge a book by its cover," the old saying goes. Unfortunately, as a teenager, that is often exactly what you do to yourself. Dark thoughts about your physical appearance can hang over you all the time like a rain cloud. Do I look fat in these jeans? Do others think I am too short? What are the causes behind them?
Standards of beauty in the media can have a big influence on what you think of your physical appearance. Teens who try to copy the looks of their favourite stars are fighting a losing battle—these standards are simply impossible for most of the population to live up to. They will only end up feeling worse about themselves. Your friends also influence the way you view your physical appearance. If you have friends who are good-looking or have a great fashion sense, it can feel like you are living in their shadow.
These external influences are always present, but there are certainly ways to deal with them. First of all, be careful not to follow popular beauty standards blindly. They are out of reach for 99% of us, so it is better to just forget about them. Another tip is to remind yourself that you are unique. Everyone has their own talents—you may be good at painting or playing the piano, so take pride in things you do well instead of worrying about things you cannot change. Focusing on your strengths helps you build your confidence.
Finally, it is a good idea to try to direct your attention away from negative thoughts. To achieve this, you should do something you enjoy. Read a book you like, or take part in a social activity, like playing a ball game with your friends. These things can help you take your mind off matters that worry you and make you feel good about yourself.
If you can learn to see the good things about yourself—your individuality, your value to others, your achievements—you will soon begin to love yourself just the way you are.
在我们的成长过程中，身边有很多动人的身影，善解人意的老师，互相鼓励的伙伴，贴心陪伴的父母，坚强自律的自己……。请给其中一位写一封感谢信，表达自己对他/她的感激，并说明理由。
（注意：文中不得出现具体学校名称或人名。）
最近，英文报社开设了一个关于"Balance in life"的栏目。请你参与投稿，写一封信给编辑，你的信中必须包括：
⚫ 你对 balance in life 的理解；
⚫ 你生活中如何寻求平衡、缓解压力；
⚫ 你的建议。
（注意：文中不得出现具体学校名称或人名。）
