Thursday, March 19, 2020

Importance of the Lotus Flower in Chinese Culture

Importance of the Lotus Flower in Chinese Culture The lotus’ importance comes from Buddhism, and is one of the eight precious things in Buddhism. The lotus is said to bloom in Beijing on lunar April 8 (the Buddha’s birthday) and lunar January 8 is Lotus Day. A cultural taboo related to the lotus is  if a woman sews on lunar Lotus Day, she will have menstrual trouble. The lotus (è“ ®Ã¨Å  ±, lin huÄ , è  ·Ã¨Å  ±, hà © huÄ ) is known as the gentleman’s flower because it grows out from the mud, pure and unstained. The he in a man’s name indicates he is either a Buddhist or connected to Buddhism. The he in a woman’s name is a wish that she be pure and respected. è“ ® (lin) sounds similar to è  ¯ (lin, to bind, connect as in marriage); 戀(lin) means to love while Ã¥ »â€° (lin) means modesty; è  · (hà ©)sounds similar to å’Å' ( hà ©, also, one after another, uninterrupted). trouble. In Buddhism, the Lotus Symbolizes: One who comes out of mire but is not sulliedInwardly empty, outwardly uprightPurityFruit, flower and the stalk of the lotus past, present and future Famous Pictures and Sayings Related to the Lotus Lotus bloom with a leaf and bud means a complete union.Magpie sitting on the stamens of a blown lotus and picking seeds: xiguo may you have the joy (xi) of passing one exam (guo) after another (lian)A boy with a carp (yu) beside a lotus (lian) means may you have abundance (yu) year in and year out (lian).Two lotus blooms or a lotus and a blossom on one stem means wish for shared heart and harmony, because è  · (hà ©) means union.A lotus (which represents a girl) and a fish (symbolizing a boy) means love.Red lotus blossom symbolizes the female genitals, and courtesans were often called red lotus.Lotus stem symbolizes the male genitalsA blue lotus stem (qing) symbolizes cleanliness and modestyLotus symbolizes He Xian-gu.The picture of a man on a boat surrounded by lotus blossoms is writer and philosopher Zhou Dun-yi (1017 to 1073) who liked the flower.

Monday, March 2, 2020

7 Steps to Getting Enough Sleep in College

7 Steps to Getting Enough Sleep in College Theres a reason most college students sleep in whenever they have the chance: theyre exhausted, sleep-deprived, and in desperate need of some sleep at any given time. And yet, finding time to sleep in college can be quite challenging. Sleep is often the first thing to get cut when stress levels and workloads pile up. So just how can you find time to sleep in college? 7 Steps to Getting Enough Sleep in College Step #1: Do your best to make sure you get a certain amount every night. This one is admittedly common sense, but theres a reason why its listed first. If you get 7 hours on Monday, 2 hours on Tuesday, etc., this pattern can wreak havoc on your bodys (and minds) ability to really rest and recover as you sleep. Getting a decent and consistent amount of sleep each night is your best bet for not feeling exhausted during your entire 4 (or 5 or 6) years of college. Try to set up a sleep pattern that works for your schedule and do your best to stick to it. Step #2:  Take naps. The reality of college life, of course, often gets in the way of the previous suggestion. So what can you do? Take naps, whether they be 20-minute power naps or a nice, 2-hour nap between classes in the afternoon. The sleep will let you rest and recover while still allowing you to take on the remainder of your day. Step #3:  Exercise. Besides keeping you healthy, exercise helps you sleep better. While your schedule may be packed, finding time to exercise is easier than you think and can definitely help increase your energy level and decrease your exhaustion. Step #4:  Eat well. Also in the I know I should do that, but ... category, eating well can help make your sleep more restful and productive. Think about how you feel if you eat a good breakfast, a healthy lunch, and a not-too-crazy dinner. Eating well makes during your waking hours, and the same applies to your sleeping hours. Healthier meals really do mean healthier sleep. Choose wisely! Step #5:  Dont pull all-nighters. Yes, the dreaded all-nighter is a rite of passage for many, if not most, college students. Yet they are positively dreadful on your body (and mind and spirit and everything else). Do your best to figure out how not to procrastinate in the first place so you dont have to pull all-nighters during your time in school. Step #6:  Make sure your sleep is restful. Falling asleep with the TV on, the lights on, your roommates music on, and tons of people popping in and out all night may look like a normal night for you but it is not a normal and healthy way to get restful sleep each night. Sleeping in a non-restful environment can sometimes leave you feeling more sleepy than refreshed in the morning, so do your best to make sure that when you go to sleep you can actually, you know, sleep. Step #7:  Watch your caffeine intake. College life requires a lot of energy which sometimes means that students walk around drinking coffee all day, every day. But that cup of coffee you drank after dinner may very well keep you up until breakfast tomorrow. Try to avoid having too much caffeine  during the later hours of the day so that you can actually rest (instead of fight the last of your caffeine buzz) when you finally go to sleep at night.