Spire Stone - A Modern Stone

Freia recently shared that she used a device that helped her reduce stress and anxiety. I was intrigued. And checked what this device was "Spire Stone", she responded. I hadn't heard of Spire Stone, but decided to check it out.

It seems interesting and at $80 seems definitely worth trying. If STRESS stresses you out.

And the Amazon Page summarizes the features as:

Spire Stone: Stress Management and Activity Tracker for iOS & Android

• Stress Control: Spire's patented respiration sensor measures your breathing patterns all-day to help you keep control and manage stress
• When You Need It: If your breathing becomes tense or erratic, a gentle notification gives you actions you can take to help you relax
• Calm Down: Unlock the calming power of your own breath with visual exercises and guided meditations
• Keep Track: Follow your health progress through activity, steps, calories, and more
• Know Yourself: Learn where and when you're tense, calm, or productive
• Built to Last: Washer-resistant, charges wirelessly, and lasts 10 days on a single charge
• Scientifically-Proven: Spire is recommended by 1,000s of health professionals worldwide

However, I guess the most accurate details are on Spire Stone's website.
https://spirehealth.com/pages/stone

Watch an interesting interview with Spire's chief scientist.
NBC Press Here: Just Breathe - Neema Moraveji, Ph.D

And finally, here's an article that tries and answers the question you're asking right now.
Does The Spire Stress Tracker Actually Work?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhochman/2015/06/21/does-the-spire-stress-tracker-actually-work/#5db2c8294139

And while I haven't purchased this yet, I must confess, I'm tempted.

I Came. I Ran. I Finished.

Finally the day I hope to run the half marathon at the Mumbai Marathon event has come. The starting time for the event is 5.30 a.m and we have to be at the venue 60 minutes before the flag off. This meant I had to leave home around 4 am.

Ad for the Mumbai Marathon

In preparing for the marathon, I had made a list of shorter practice runs I wanted to do before the race day. I had several of them to do, when I landed in India a week before the run. My mentors for the race, aka "Have run the race before", Claudian and Kurund advised me to take it easy. They specifically said, don't do any runs. As always, I heard them and their advise made sense. I was also traveling quite a bit. Nevertheless, I stupidly ignored them and went for the runs. The first one was of 5 kms and my legs were screaming, Stop. I ignored them and the next day went for a 10 km run. I barely made it. It was 4 days to race day and I went for a 5 km run again. This time my legs thought enough is enough and completely stopped functioning. I was now having difficulty walking. Claudian noticed and checked if I was okay. I put on my brightest Smile limped faster and sad, Yes, of course.

I was worried. Being fully fit, I was unsure. In an attempt to do q quick recovery, I liberally used Volini and Ice Heat, creams recommended after the race. The biggest question running through my mind was, "What if I couldn't finish ?".

The Marathon Track View

That night, I had a very fitful sleep. I woke up at 3 and tossed and turned until 3.30. Got ready and headed out. Took an Uber to the venue. The roads near the venue were closed and had to get off several kilometers away. There were buses arranged to get to the venue from the drop off points.

The venue was packed with tens of thousands of people. I later learnt that the Mumbai Marathon had 44,000 people who ran and of that around 13,000 people were running the half marathon.

The people running were of all groups. Young men and women. Middle aged men and women. Old men and women. Of all sizes and fitness levels. I was amazed that so many people were out there. And many of them were on their 2nd, 3rd and even 10th run. My new concern, was making a fool of myself in front of all these people. I suspect many of them had the same thoughts.

The race began and all of us were walking in a large group toward the start line. It felt like being in crowded train station. As soon as we reached the start line, everyone started running or more accurately jogging as did I. I was panting within the first few minutes. And still had over 21 kms to go.

I kept moving, jogging for 4 minutes, walking for 2 and telling myself, all I had to do was get to the finish line for the first and last time. The initial part of the track was over the Bandra Sea Link. The scenes were phenomenal. However, I was too busy trying to make it. Time passed slowly.

And every-time I felt like giving up, I would see an unfit man or woman who were jogging and sometimes walking with a look of determination. And that would inspire me to go for just 1 more kilometer. Slowly the kilometers I finished started adding up and the distance to go, kept reducing.

Along the way 1000's of people had lined up with food, chocolates and words of inspiration. Some were funny and made me smile. Unfortunately, by the time I finished, I had forgotten all of them. A big shout-out and Thank You to the thousands of Mumbaikars who  came out on the streets early morning and inspired us with their words, deeds and signs.

At 2 kms to go, I was done. And told myself that I couldn't give up now. And so even more slowly I moved forward. A combination of walking, jogging and shuffling ahead. I could see the finish line ahead. And put in my final reserve to go across it. I was done.

And I suddenly got greedy. Did I achieve my Satisfactory target of under 3 hours or Happy Target of 2:45. The Run-keeper software like me had stopped working with 2 kms to go. I looked at my watch and did some math. It seems like I completed the race around 2:40. I was hoping that my math wasn't too off and my final time would be under 2:45. That would be a dream.

At the cooling off area, I received the medal and met my mentors Claudian and Kurund. Claudian who keeps track of everything confirmed that my timing was around 2:38. I was exhilarated. Just 2 hours ago, I was thinking of 'my last race'. I was already thinking of  next years half marathon. And how unlike this time, I'll be prepared. Which giving my track record is unlikely. :(

Claudian

Kurund

 

and me

I got home and the first thing I did was marked as "Completed", yet another item from my bucket list.

Top 3 Failures

A couple of days ago, Freia sent me a WhatsApp message with a link to an interesting article. I read the first part. It was good. Before I could complete it, a work message came. And I moved on. Later I messaged Freia that the article was interesting.

I got a frown back. And a call. "Did you read the article ?". I said "Yes!". "Then how come you didn't comment about me ?". "You. What do you mean ?". "Pa, my quote was featured in the article.". Oops. Yet another faux pas.

Here's the article. And unlike me, try not to miss Freia's quote.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/07/execs-twitter-lyft-facebook-reveal-the-questions-they-wish-theyd-asked-their-mentors.html

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15 tech execs from Twitter, Facebook, Lyft and more reveal what they wish they’d asked their mentors

Published Mon, Jan 7 2019 • 1:14 PM EST • Updated Mon, Jan 7 2019 • 1:21 PM EST


Mentoring is key for success in any number of careers, but especially for women in male-dominated industries like tech. After all, only 54 percent of women have access to senior leaders who act as mentors in their career, according to a 2017 study by the recruitment firm Egon Zehnder.

CNBC Make It spoke to women leaders in big and small tech organizations and asked what they wish they’d asked a mentor and why. Their answers can help young workers of any stripe break into new industries and better navigate their careers.


What three things in the last three years taught you the most?

Sophia Dominguez, CEO and co-founder of immersive VR company SVRF, said she wished she’d known more about the biggest events and challenges in her mentor’s career and how they impacted her growth. Explained Dominguez, “Human beings learn the most when they are faced with issues that they had to work extremely hard to overcome.”


What is one thing I can do today to be more effective?
Mentors want to know that you can take clear feedback, according to Deb Liu, vice president of Facebook Marketplace and co-founder of the organization Women in Product. Asking this question, she said, gives your mentor permission to say the hard thing to you. “By showing a willingness to be vulnerable and open to feedback, they will share insights with you that you otherwise will not get.”


What do you wish you knew at my career stage?

Hindsight is always the clearest. Ask your mentors what could have helped them overcome some of the same early hurdles you’re facing, said Annie Weckesser, vice president of communications at NIO, an electric car company. “History repeats itself. You can learn from others who have blazed the trail ahead of you.”


What are my blind spots?

Sometimes you just need an outside perspective, according to Suzanne Livingston, a director at IBM Food Trust, a blockchain-based platform that traces food through supply chains. Knowing her own “default behaviors or communication styles earlier could have helped her push past them when needed,” she said.

“If you have a growth mindset, you can unlearn [those] default patterns,” she added.


What decisions got you where you are today and what alternatives did you consider?

Know the decision points your mentor faced, said Jesar Shah, product manager at Twitter. “The more time I spend in the industry, the more questions I have about what I want to do next, and most of my mentors have gone through the same thought process as me. Knowing what they considered and why is really helpful.”


Who’s in your squad?

Get closer to your mentors by knowing more about the network they’ve built, advised Sam Raue Hebert, vice president of production at Jellyvision, a software company. “Hearing what areas they’re focusing on can identify gaps in your own support system and inspire new areas for your self-improvement,” she said.


How do I find a champion for me?

Tracey Welson-Rossman, founder and CEO of TechGirlz, a nonprofit that advances girls in tech, said it’s invaluable to have a champion that can help you navigate a company or organization, and who can recommend you for projects or promotions when they become available. “I wish I’d understood this earlier in my career and asked my mentors for help in identifying the right ones,” she said.

What were your top three failures?

When she first started her job, Freia Lobo said she felt stressed about getting everything right. “In retrospect, hearing more about mistakes and failures would have been helpful to take some of that unnecessary pressure off,” said Lobo, an associate product manager at Twitter.


What did you learn from your failures and how did you deal with them?

Asking about failures would have allowed her to view her own accomplishments “in a broader context, savoring both the good and the bad on the ultimate path to achieving my goals,” said Tanya Jenkins, senior staff validation engineer at electric car company NIO.

It’s important to get a full picture of your mentor’s career, added Gina Ma, senior director of driver experience operations at Lyft. “I wish I had asked my mentors for a more textured view of their life journeys, to learn about what didn’t work out, what caused them to pivot, the risks they took, and what most shaped their learning,” she said.

Discussing those failures can also change your relationship with your mentor, said Jessica Naziri, founder of TechSesh, a lifestyle technology digital magazine. “You get a more real answer and can have a honest and open conversation with your mentor.”


How can you achieve successful work-life integration while trying to advance your career?

In order to be successful you have to have balance in your life personally and professionally, said Holly Good, national chapter chair, Women in Electronics. “My younger self thought the only way to achieve success was to work more hours, and I have learned over time that is not the case.”


How do you manage career planning?

Reaching certain leadership positions and executive level jobs doesn’t happen by accident, according to Jeana Feely, San Diego regional chapter chair, Women in Electronics. “Critically thinking about each step in my professional career path is not something I have done with guidance from someone who has walked the road before me,” she said.


How do you approach time management when running a team?

Lara Cohen, global head of partnership solutions at Twitter, said she wishes she’d asked her mentor about time management, specifically regarding managing reports while driving strategy and contributing as an individual.

“I prioritize my team always, and clearing a path for them to do their best work is crucial to me. I would have loved to hear some of [my mentor’s] strategies for how to manage both sides of being a great leader,” she said.


What did you need to sacrifice professionally or personally to accomplish your goals?

Sacrifice is not only inevitable but necessary, too, said Jackie Mattox, founder and president, Women in Electronics. “I have made many sacrifices along the way to achieving my life’s successes, and as women, we often put too much pressure on ourselves to do everything perfectly,” she said.

For Mattox, hearing the cost of success from someone she admired would have put things into perspective and helped her understand that not being able to “do it all” is okay.

p.s.: Freia asked me about my top 3 failures. Am still working on reducing the zillion to 3. :) 

Neuroscience & the "Sanskrit Effect"

Once in a while you come across something you never thought likely. This article was one such. A correlation between Neuroscience & Sanskrit. Science & Language.

https://upliftconnect.com/neuroscience-and-the-sanskrit-effect/ 

"

Neuroscience and the ‘Sanskrit Effect’ 

By Azriel ReShel on Friday February 23rd, 2018

Science Proves the Power of Chanting

Many of us have heard the Gyuto Monks of Tibet. With their extraordinary chanting and low throaty drone of ancient sacred texts, they have kept audiences in the West spellbound with their long, careful and accurate recitations of potent Tibetan Buddhist texts. Sitting in their presence you feel a clarity, and a potent spiritual transference of energy and healing. The Buddhist tradition stems from India and the sacred language of Sanskrit. While Tibetan Buddhists have a rich chanting tradition, in India, this age-old tradition goes back even further.

Sanskrit scholars in India learn to chant ancient texts from a tender age. They chant simple mantras, Sanskrit poetry and prose, along with memorising and chanting the most ancient Sanskrit texts, including the Shukla Yajurveda, which takes six hours to chant. While those listening to these chantings receive the gift of the sacred texts they are sharing with us, the chanting of long texts does, in fact, have an amazing effect on the brain.

Neuroscience shows how rigorous memorising can help the brain. The term the ‘Sanskrit Effect’ was coined by neuroscientist James Hartzell, who studied 21 professionally qualified Sanskrit pandits. He discovered that memorising Vedic mantras increases the size of brain regions associated with cognitive function, including short and long-term memory. This finding corroborates the beliefs of the Indian tradition which holds that memorising and reciting mantras enhances memory and thinking.

Sanskrit pandits train in reciting Sanskrit texts from childhood, for seven years.

An Unexpected Discovery…

Dr Hartzell, a Sanskrit devotee and postdoctoral researcher at Spain’sBasque Centre on Cognition, Brain and Language, spent many years studying and translating Sanskrit and became fascinated by its impact on the brain.

I noticed that the more Sanskrit I studied and translated, the better my verbal memory seemed to become. Fellow students and teachers often remarked on my ability to exactly repeat lecturers’ own sentences when asking them questions in class. Other translators of Sanskrit told me of similar cognitive shifts.

India’s Vedic Sanskrit pandits train for years to orally memorise and exactly recite 3,000-year old oral texts ranging from 40,000 to over 100,000 words. We wanted to find out how such intense verbal memory training affects the physical structure of their brains.

Dr Hartzell’s research is the first study to examine the brains of Sanskrit scholars. Using structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at India’s National Brain Research Centre, they scanned the brains of 21 Sanskrit pandits and 21 control subjects.

What we discovered from the structural MRI scanning was remarkable. Numerous regions in the brains of the pandits were dramatically larger than those of controls, with over 10 percent more grey matter across both cerebral hemispheres, and substantial increases in cortical thickness. Although the exact cellular underpinnings of grey matter and cortical thickness measures are still under investigation, increases in these metrics consistently correlate with enhanced cognitive function.

He reports that the right hippocampus of the scholars, a region that plays a vital role in short and long-term memory, and is specialised for patterns, such as sound, spatial and visual patterns, had more grey matter than the brains of the control subjects. The right temporal cortex, associated with speech prosody and voice identity, was also substantially thicker.

Regions in the pandits’ brains were dramatically larger than those of controls.

Past Studies

Dr Hartzell is not sure whether the effect relates particularly to the Sanskrit language and plans to conduct further research. The power of sound and chanting is becoming widely documented, and even short chants have an energising and healing effect on the body and mind of those who are chanting sacred mantras or verses. Interestingly, fifty years ago, a French scientist noted that Christian monks who chanted the Gregorian Chants have exceptional memories.

In 1967, Alfred Tomatis, a French physician, psychologist and ear specialist, studied the effect of chanting on Benedictine monks who had been part of a tradition with a strict schedule of daily chanting of up to eight hours a day. When a new abbott changed this schedule, cutting out the chanting, the monks became tired and lethargic, even though they were getting extra sleep. In fact, the more sleep they got, the more tired they were. Alfred Tomatis believed that the chanting was energising their brains and bodies, so he reintroduced the chanting and the monks were soon full of energy again.

Dr Hartzell’s recent study raises the question whether this kind of memorisation of ancient texts could be helpful in reducing the devastating illness of Alzheimer’s and other memory affecting diseases. Apparently, Ayurvedic doctors from India suggest it is the case and future studies will be conducted, along with more research into Sanskrit.

While we all know the benefits of mindfulness and meditation practices, the findings of Dr Hartzell are truly dramatic. In a world of shrinking attention spans, where we are flooded with information daily, and children display a range of attention deficit disorders, ancient Indian wisdom has much to teach the West. Even introducing small amounts of chanting and recitation could have an amazing effect on all of our brains.
"

And here are a few videos on the subject.

The Sanskrit effect: How verbal recitation boosts cognitive function

 

The Neuroscience Behind Mantra and Asana

with Stephani Sutherland, PhD