Not gonna lie—these delightful-looking ropes look best when styled with precision, which can take up to six hours (!) in the artist’s chair. If you’ve got a few, why not try your hand at the Senegalese twist yourself? Although labor-intensive, it’s a pretty basic process that yields awesome results that includes a pretty fun twist-out too, which means you get two looks from all that effort. It’s so worth it!...

But more than mindfulness giving players a performance advantage, this project will look at the brains of football players as they learn mindfulness practices and apply them to the field. “The question we ask is if mindfulness training—which has been found to benefit high-stress groups like soldiers, Marines, CEOs and college students—can help student athletes in their academic and athletic performance,” said Dr. Jha, associate professor in the University of Miami College of Arts & Sciences Department of Psychology and director of contemplative neuroscience for the UMindfulness Initiative....

The study included 118 adults with recurring episodes of depression who had previously participated in Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. Each was assigned to either a treatment-as-usual waitlist group, or a mindfulness plus treatment-as-usual group. The treatment-as-usual group received medication and/or psychotherapy, but not any form of compassion-focused intervention. They were given the opportunity to attend mindfulness classes after the first mindfulness group completed their program. The mindfulness group attended eight bi-weekly sessions for two-and-a-half hours in groups of 8-10 people....

Watch: For more on Compassion and Loving Kindness practice, visit our special page on Mindful.org. For more on mindfulness in education, see our Education pages, or read posts by Mindful’s education blogger, Tish Jennings.

She also talks about how the CARE for Teachers program is making a difference for so many educators. The video is about 22 minutes long. To learn more on this topic, visit Tish Jennings’s blog posts “On Education” here on Mindful org, as well as the stories in our Education section. To see another video—created by students—about the value of mindfulness in education, click here. Jennings was a speaker at the recent Creating a Mindful Society conference....

Click here to watch the video. Did you miss the first installment in this series? No problem—click here. You may also want to check out Sillito’s audio piece, The Science of Silence, which not only presents the science of mindfulness, but also refers to how even the U.S. Marines are using it in their Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training program. (Also see Elizabeth Stanley give a presentation about the program here, at the Creating a Mindful Society conference livestream....

When it comes to summer date ideas, this date night has it all- a super clever invitation and everything you need for some crazy fun water fighting games. Plus, it includes a healthy dose of competition with your better half! Even better news? This cheap date can be completed at home after the kiddos go to bed! Water Balloon Games Invite To get started, alert your spouse of what’s to come with a super fun, water balloon basketball inspired invite!...

Benefits of Brushing Your Hair 1. Brushes help deliver a natural shine. Brushing your hair redistributes your hair’s natural oils over each strand as it provides you with a shortcut to natural shine and conditioning. This is especially beneficial when you use natural bristle brushes. Not only will you be showing off glistening strands, these natural oils act as a hair strengthener, as well. However, according to Unilever’s Leon-van Gorkom, “using a shampoo and conditioner will be much more effective in creating shine....

“It means to be honest about what’s in my head and heart, but in a way that’s mutually respectful and productive.”@willingham2271 “My definition of authenticity is to be who you are, no matter where you are or who you are with. Truly yourself at all times.”– Marlene F. “Staying true to yourself <3” @m0rethan.fitness “I think it’s when you’re unfiltered. You’re truly yourself. And you are living into your core values....

I learned that I regularly get into an intense rush when I’m doing something I don’t want to do. I clench my jaw, I tense my muscles, I breathe wrong, and I enslave my mind to an imagined ticking clock, as if I were the TV character Jack Bauer, from 24, who has to single-handedly save the entire world before the clock strikes midnight. A few weeks ago I finally decided I could not continue to ignore the half-decade’s worth of extra stuff that had accumulated in the basement....

In a time of trumping rivals and compulsively keeping up with the joneses, to be patient suggests coming in second, or perhaps dead last. Patience is not overt—it does not put a person on display. There’s little in terms of a Tony Robbins-styled inner “power” to it. In a word, patience can seem “weak.” The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines patient as “able to remain calm and not become annoyed when waiting for a long time or when dealing with problems or difficult people....

As romantic as that goal may sound, not everyone shares it. With economic, social, and health changes leading to much longer lifespans—and more control over fertility and childbearing—our attitudes towards monogamy have changed significantly. Divorce has become commonplace, and many people have embraced serial monogamy, forming one relationship at a time, falling in love and splitting up, and then doing it all over again. But there’s an alternative: polyamory, a form of consensual non-monogamy that emphasizes emotional and sexual intimacy with multiple partners simultaneously, ideally with the knowledge of all parties involved....

But science works with statistics and probabilities, usually regarding groups, so that what happens for 80% of the population, for example, doesn’t translate into an 80% chance that you will experience it. Statistics can be misleading. If you roll a die five times and each time it comes up as a 5, when you roll that die again, what are the chances you will get another 5? The same as all the other times: 1 in 6....

Unlike clothing, there are so many winter hairstyles we can transition from our warm weather hairstyle repertoire into our hairstyle lineup for the colder months, like half-up hairstyles, wavy hair and cool ombré hair colors. Here’s an inspiring lookbook to help you winterize your favorite hairstyles: Winter Hair: Fabulous Winter-Friendly Hairstyle Ideas 1. Adorned Chignon Want to add interest to any old hairstyle? Add in some pretty accessories. We’re really into the idea of using fake (or real!...

Tell your spouse you love them with this unique love note meant for the tech-savy! Google is no longer just the name of a company – it has become a VERB. Don’t know the word for something? Just Google it! Don’t know how to get somewhere – just gotta Google! I use Google each and every day. One day, I thought I would trying Googling (<– see, it is a verb!...

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here. Maybe you didn’t know it was possible, but making homemade lube is actually REALLY easy and quite comfortable when made properly! We figured that it could be hard to determine what was the BEST homemade lube recipe when doing your own research, so we did it for you! We searched, evaluated, and tested out these lube alternatives and we’re thrilled to present them to you (and your benefitting partner) for use and pleasure!...

These thank you notes are gorgeous! You’ll definitely want to pin this for future use… The amazing Crystal from A Well Feathered Nest helped us create these adorable, ready-to-go love notes just for YOU! We’re going to let you in on a little secret that will help your marriage, no matter what stage you are in. It’s really very simple and you’ve probably done it before. But after today, you can do it on purpose!...

What did I tell you? A little bit of something for everyone. READY. SET. SCROLL… Pretend Play Free Printables for Kids Help your little ones explore the world around them with these fun and free printable activities for kids! 1. Pretend Play Post Office Set – These post office inspired free printables includes printable letterboxes, stamps, and a Post Office sign. The perfect way to turn writing into a fun game for the kiddos....

Oh football. We could sing your praises all day long! When it comes time for the Super Bowl we are usually pining for the crisp, fall days and tailgating, alas winter dictates indoor parties. Cry no more because we have 101 ideas to take your Super Bowl party to the next level! We’re talking DIY decor, party supplies, games, and of course FOOD {really our favorite part of any party}....

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here. What Activities are Good for Toddlers? The best toddler activities and preschool activities at home focus on literacy, number practice, and art/sensory. And you’re in luck because we’ve included ideas for each of those categories! Get ready to have some serious fun learning with your little ones. 1 . Sand Word Stamp (Pocket of Preschool) – Pick up Kinetic sand and pencil boxes for a learning activity that feels more like play!...