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That same spirit still drives me today. As many of you know, my beloved parents, Yaccovi and Bilha, were killed in the Hamas attack on October 7th. Since that tragic day, I have taken on a new mission: to do everything I can to help achieve peace between Israelis and Palestinians—so that others will not suffer the same fate as my family.

The post My parents were killed on October 7. I am not giving up on peace for the Middle East appeared first on Green Prophet.

Professionals of heating and cooling systems have continually improved the designs of these systems to meet the worldwide standards of carbon-neutral infrastructure and greener energy solutions. At the core of their transformations lie insulated heating pipes. These pipes were initially viewed as a mere means of transporting hot water from one point to another, but today, they have been improved to achieve sustainable energy networks. 

Historically, pipes were installed to connect plants or boilers with end users, with little consideration for monitoring long-term heat loss. Additionally, older copper or steel pipes needed to be insulated when installing the designs. This not only overloaded the piping system but also could not keep the water temperatures optimum over the entire length of the piping system.

However, the turning point for heating and cooling systems came when pre-insulated pipe technology and PE-Xa, a durable and flexible polymer, were introduced. These products not only provide a means of transportation of hot water, but they also have smart ready components that professionals can integrate with sensors to measure flow, pressure, and temperature in real time. 

In this article, we explore how insulated heating pipes are revolutionizing energy networks by integrating smart controls, improving professional applications, and aligning with sustainability goals.

Smart Integrations in Insulated Heating Pipes 

Insulated heating pipes are no longer about heat loss reduction only. They now use smart technologies that enhance sustainability, monitoring, and efficiency. These technologies include: 

• Sensors and digital monitoring

The addition of digital layers and sensors to insulated pipes is one of the most crucial transformations that have promoted sustainable energy. Competent professionals now embed monitoring equipment around or into the pre-insulated pipe, allowing operators to gain real-time performance, temperature, and flow visibility throughout the system.

With the help of these systems, operators can carry out predictive maintenance where inefficiencies or small leaks arise. This helps prevent arising issues from compromising the whole system while minimizing system downtime.

• IoT and Smart Energy Networks 

The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping the interaction of heating and cooling systems. They have transformed insulated heating pipes that were once considered static infrastructure into dynamic data points that can be monitored from smart energy grids. 

Operators of these systems can easily use digital controls to adjust flow, reroute heating water during sectional maintenance, and match supply demand. This ensures end users and providers experience the ideal balance of energy savings and comfort. 

• Integration with renewable sources 

Smart integration allows professionals to connect insulated heating systems to solar thermal or biomass heating. These renewable energy sources provide a fluctuating energy supply and thus require advanced pipe products to keep a stable flow and minimize heat loss. Moreover, the use of smart controls allows operators to ensure that connections used in renewable sources align fully with system demands, thus promoting a smooth transition to greener energy. 

Sustainable Applications of Smart Integrated Insulated Pipes  

Modern infrastructure relies on advanced insulated heating pipes for professional use, particularly in district heating and large-scale commercial projects. This is because the smart integrated insulated pipes ensure reliability and sustainability across diverse professional applications. These applications include: 

• District heating and cooling systems 

In most urban centers, heating and cooling systems have been made flagship examples of low-carbon infrastructure within districts. These systems transport hot and chilled water through insulated heating pipe networks across neighborhoods while minimizing thermal losses. 

The smart sensors and meters connected along the pipe network enable operators to ensure the temperatures stay within the limits designed. They also ensure the pumping energy is optimal and the balance between demand and supply is met, hence preventing unnecessary waste. 

• Commercial and residential house connections

At the building or house level, insulated pipes are critical in connecting the main distribution network to the end users. These modern insulated pipes are flexible, making it easy for contractors to lay them in complex layouts and joints without compromising efficiency. For example, flexible PE-Xa designs allow for longer continuous runs, thus minimizing weak points and improving flow. 

• Industrial energy systems 

Beyond basic heating supply, smart integrated insulated pipes are increasingly used in steam distribution, process heating, and chemical manufacturing. These processes require stable thermal conditions for both safety and product quality. For example, pharmaceutical industries use temperature-restricted conditions to preserve fragile compounds and food processing plants count on accurate regulation of heat to improve their hygienic processes.

Heavy industries such as steel manufacturing or refineries also rely on insulated pipes equipped with leak sensors, which serve in reducing energy wastage and preventing downtime and disastrous failures. This leads to a decrease in emissions, which contributes to decarbonization around the world.

Sustainable Benefits of Smart Insulated Pipes 

Since professionals began integrating insulated pipes with intelligent monitoring technology, they have created a powerful and sustainable option for heating and cooling. The purpose of these pipe networks is to reduce waste, achieve world goals set in relation to sustainability and increase performance. They support efficiency and sustainability in industries and cities.

Some of the sustainable benefits of smart insulated pipes include: 

• Energy efficient and carbon reduction

Insulated heating pipes that are integrated with smart technology help to lower the total energy needed for heating or cooling. This perfectly aligns with governmental sustainability goals, particularly for cities aiming to achieve net-zero emissions. 

• Long-term economic value 

Sustainability not only serves environmental purposes but also has economic impacts. For example, smart insulated pipes help to reduce the need for maintenance. They also prolong system lifespan leading  to reduced operational expenses in the long-run. This power mix of efficiency and savings provides significant long-term business, industrial and municipal value.

• Flexibility of system designs

Due to the use of cross-linked PE-Xa insulated pipes, professionals can easily adapt these pipes into new system designs. Their flexible structures help to ensure that overall heating and cooling systems remain sustainable for decades. Furthermore, they provide smooth flow and return cycle even when new infrastructures are introduced, ensuring long-term reliability and sustainability. 

Conclusion 

The modern smart insulated heating pipe has shifted from being a passive tool used for carrying heating water to becoming a revolutionary product that aims at achieving sustainability. By using pre-insulated pipes as well as smart monitoring systems, experts have developed sustainable energy networks that offer optimum flow and low heat loss.

Going forward professionals can incorporate insulated heating pipes with AI-controlled energy operations, hybrid renewable energy and digital twins to make them sustainable and responsive to future energy demands.

The post Smart Integration of an Insulated Heating Pipe for Sustainability appeared first on Green Prophet.

Modern infrastructure relies on advanced insulated heating pipes for professional use, particularly in district heating and large-scale commercial projects. This is because the smart integrated insulated pipes ensure reliability and sustainability across diverse professional applications. These applications include: 

The post Smart Integration of an Insulated Heating Pipe for Sustainability appeared first on Green Prophet.

Professionals of heating and cooling systems have continually improved the designs of these systems to meet the worldwide standards of carbon-neutral infrastructure and greener energy solutions. At the core of their transformations lie insulated heating pipes. These pipes were initially viewed as a mere means of transporting hot water from one point to another, but today, they have been improved to achieve sustainable energy networks. 

Historically, pipes were installed to connect plants or boilers with end users, with little consideration for monitoring long-term heat loss. Additionally, older copper or steel pipes needed to be insulated when installing the designs. This not only overloaded the piping system but also could not keep the water temperatures optimum over the entire length of the piping system.

However, the turning point for heating and cooling systems came when pre-insulated pipe technology and PE-Xa, a durable and flexible polymer, were introduced. These products not only provide a means of transportation of hot water, but they also have smart ready components that professionals can integrate with sensors to measure flow, pressure, and temperature in real time. 

In this article, we explore how insulated heating pipes are revolutionizing energy networks by integrating smart controls, improving professional applications, and aligning with sustainability goals.

Smart Integrations in Insulated Heating Pipes 

Insulated heating pipes are no longer about heat loss reduction only. They now use smart technologies that enhance sustainability, monitoring, and efficiency. These technologies include: 

• Sensors and digital monitoring

The addition of digital layers and sensors to insulated pipes is one of the most crucial transformations that have promoted sustainable energy. Competent professionals now embed monitoring equipment around or into the pre-insulated pipe, allowing operators to gain real-time performance, temperature, and flow visibility throughout the system.

With the help of these systems, operators can carry out predictive maintenance where inefficiencies or small leaks arise. This helps prevent arising issues from compromising the whole system while minimizing system downtime.

• IoT and Smart Energy Networks 

The Internet of Things (IoT) is reshaping the interaction of heating and cooling systems. They have transformed insulated heating pipes that were once considered static infrastructure into dynamic data points that can be monitored from smart energy grids. 

Operators of these systems can easily use digital controls to adjust flow, reroute heating water during sectional maintenance, and match supply demand. This ensures end users and providers experience the ideal balance of energy savings and comfort. 

• Integration with renewable sources 

Smart integration allows professionals to connect insulated heating systems to solar thermal or biomass heating. These renewable energy sources provide a fluctuating energy supply and thus require advanced pipe products to keep a stable flow and minimize heat loss. Moreover, the use of smart controls allows operators to ensure that connections used in renewable sources align fully with system demands, thus promoting a smooth transition to greener energy. 

Sustainable Applications of Smart Integrated Insulated Pipes  

Modern infrastructure relies on advanced insulated heating pipes for professional use, particularly in district heating and large-scale commercial projects. This is because the smart integrated insulated pipes ensure reliability and sustainability across diverse professional applications. These applications include: 

• District heating and cooling systems 

In most urban centers, heating and cooling systems have been made flagship examples of low-carbon infrastructure within districts. These systems transport hot and chilled water through insulated heating pipe networks across neighborhoods while minimizing thermal losses. 

The smart sensors and meters connected along the pipe network enable operators to ensure the temperatures stay within the limits designed. They also ensure the pumping energy is optimal and the balance between demand and supply is met, hence preventing unnecessary waste. 

• Commercial and residential house connections

At the building or house level, insulated pipes are critical in connecting the main distribution network to the end users. These modern insulated pipes are flexible, making it easy for contractors to lay them in complex layouts and joints without compromising efficiency. For example, flexible PE-Xa designs allow for longer continuous runs, thus minimizing weak points and improving flow. 

• Industrial energy systems 

Beyond basic heating supply, smart integrated insulated pipes are increasingly used in steam distribution, process heating, and chemical manufacturing. These processes require stable thermal conditions for both safety and product quality. For example, pharmaceutical industries use temperature-restricted conditions to preserve fragile compounds and food processing plants count on accurate regulation of heat to improve their hygienic processes.

Heavy industries such as steel manufacturing or refineries also rely on insulated pipes equipped with leak sensors, which serve in reducing energy wastage and preventing downtime and disastrous failures. This leads to a decrease in emissions, which contributes to decarbonization around the world.

Sustainable Benefits of Smart Insulated Pipes 

Since professionals began integrating insulated pipes with intelligent monitoring technology, they have created a powerful and sustainable option for heating and cooling. The purpose of these pipe networks is to reduce waste, achieve world goals set in relation to sustainability and increase performance. They support efficiency and sustainability in industries and cities.

Some of the sustainable benefits of smart insulated pipes include: 

• Energy efficient and carbon reduction

Insulated heating pipes that are integrated with smart technology help to lower the total energy needed for heating or cooling. This perfectly aligns with governmental sustainability goals, particularly for cities aiming to achieve net-zero emissions. 

• Long-term economic value 

Sustainability not only serves environmental purposes but also has economic impacts. For example, smart insulated pipes help to reduce the need for maintenance. They also prolong system lifespan leading  to reduced operational expenses in the long-run. This power mix of efficiency and savings provides significant long-term business, industrial and municipal value.

• Flexibility of system designs

Due to the use of cross-linked PE-Xa insulated pipes, professionals can easily adapt these pipes into new system designs. Their flexible structures help to ensure that overall heating and cooling systems remain sustainable for decades. Furthermore, they provide smooth flow and return cycle even when new infrastructures are introduced, ensuring long-term reliability and sustainability. 

Conclusion 

The modern smart insulated heating pipe has shifted from being a passive tool used for carrying heating water to becoming a revolutionary product that aims at achieving sustainability. By using pre-insulated pipes as well as smart monitoring systems, experts have developed sustainable energy networks that offer optimum flow and low heat loss.

Going forward professionals can incorporate insulated heating pipes with AI-controlled energy operations, hybrid renewable energy and digital twins to make them sustainable and responsive to future energy demands.

The post Smart Integration of an Insulated Heating Pipe for Sustainability appeared first on Green Prophet.

The bird was caught using a mist net, briefly examined, and released after a small blood sample was taken for genetic testing. Analysis by Stokes and his advisor, Tim Keitt, a professor of integrative biology at UT Austin, confirmed the bird was the male hybrid offspring of a green jay mother and a blue jay father.

The post Has climate change created the first grue jay? appeared first on Green Prophet.

 

We’ve covered the story of rats and royalty at the Seychelles Islands extensively and the next step in stopping the construction of Qatari villas on turtle nesting sites is led by two Seychellois citizens — Victoria Duthil (from Friends of Aldabra) and Lucie Harter (from Seychelles at Heart). Can the right thing trump money?

The duo have filed a petition in the Constitutional Court of Seychelles seeking an injunction to stop construction of a luxury Qatari hotel development on Assomption Island, 20 miles from the Aldabra Atoll UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known as the “outpost of evolution” but biologists are worried it will be a playground for rich Middle Easterners.

The Seychelles’ UNESCO island is under threat from luxury development with not so clean Qatari funds. And we have spoken with a handful of environmentalists, scientists and biologists on how wrong this Qatari project is. You can read the whole background on the story below in a series of articles we have posted.

As we speak, critical turtle nesting sites are being bulldozed, the island being sold by the government in a 70-year lease and with a blind eye.

The petition filed last month invokes Article 38 of the Seychelles Constitution (the right to a clean, healthy and ecologically balanced environment).

 

Assomption Island is next to the Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site globally recognised as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on Earth. After decades of human degradation, Assomption was showing signs of ecological recovery, serving as a key habitat for sea turtles, butterflies, and other insects.

The Qatari-led construction project poses a serious risk of irreversible harm to these fragile ecosystems, threatening to undo decades of conservation work in the Outer Islands. 

The claimants say that “legal action was taken to safeguard the constitutional right of every Seychellois to live in and enjoy a clean, healthy, and ecologically balanced environment, as stated in Article 38 of the Constitution of Seychelles.”

From the outset, “we have reported that this development has proceeded without transparency or legal safeguards. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was conducted by an NGO with financial and governance ties to the project contractor, raising serious concerns about conflict of interest. 

“Construction began before any environmental accountability had been assigned: no environmental officer was present, no monitoring was in place, and the biosecurity protocol ignored—despite this being critical to prevent invasive species from devastating island ecosystems.”

Green Prophet interviewed turtle expert Jeanne Mortimer earning her the title of Madame Torti in the Seychelles. She was not consulted about how to safeguard the turtles but knows how it can be done.

“There is a lot going on behind the scenes related to Assomption. Actually I am somewhat optimistic. We will see…” Jeanne Mortimer told Green Prophet today. Our video with her has gone viral.

According to Mongabay and various NGO and media reports, the PR agency named The PC Agency is being used by Assets Group to promote the development and its narrative (for example, offering tourism packages). Also, Mongabay says that the London-based PR company: “Through a website run by its PR firm, the PC Agency, Assets Group has made it clear it is offering tourists an Aldabra islands package not limited to Assomption Island.”

“In May 2025, the Planning Authority issued a Stop Notice for these violations, but it appears to have been immediately waived or disregarded. Since then, evidence has surfaced of unauthorised dredging, light pollution visible from Aldabra that disrupts the behaviour of both terrestrial and marine species, and a photo of a gravely injured giant tortoise.”

It is common for Middle East developers to hire Londoners and Europeans to greenwash development projects in the Middle East. It is happening currently in Saudi Arabia with its Neom mega project.

Iranian architect Ronak Roshan tells Green Prophet greenwashing is happening by respected international organizations, including the greenwashing by the Aga Khan Foundation in promoting projects on islands that are definitely not good for turtles, nature or the environment. She writes her piece on Green Prophet from her home in Iran. And what they are doing on Hormuz Island.

Green Prophet has not received any comment from Assets Group. Or Aga Khan.

Follow Friends of Aladbra if you want to help and get involved.

Further reading on Green Prophet

• Seychelles and the battle with royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth
• Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: an alleged $50M deal
• Q&A: Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah on Assomption Island and Qatar-backed development
• “They Knew They Shouldn’t Be There”: journalist Kevin Gepford on Aldabra
• They Call Her Madam Torti: Jeanne Mortimer and Seychelles sea turtles
• Yaniv Levy’s lifelong quest to protect sea turtles — and fears for Aldabra
• When conservation oversight isn’t independent: structural conflicts highlighted

The post Seychelles activists sue government for Qatari development on turtle nesting sites appeared first on Green Prophet.

The luxury resort now under legal challenge on Assomption Island is being developed by Assets Group, a Qatar-based real estate company that advertises the project on its own website as a collection of high-end villas and spa facilities in the Seychelles. According to multiple reports, including Mongabay and The Seychelles Nation, the developer is tied to Qatari investors and has relied on the London-based PC Agency to promote the project internationally. Environmental groups allege that Assets Group’s expansion near the UNESCO-protected Aldabra Atoll risks introducing invasive species and undermining decades of conservation work.

The post Seychelles activists sue government for Qatari development on turtle nesting sites appeared first on Green Prophet.

 

We’ve covered the story of rats and royalty at the Seychelles Islands extensively and the next step in stopping the construction of Qatari villas on turtle nesting sites is led by two Seychellois citizens — Victoria Duthil (from Friends of Aldabra) and Lucie Harter (from Seychelles at Heart). Can the right thing trump money?

The duo have filed a petition in the Constitutional Court of Seychelles seeking an injunction to stop construction of a luxury Qatari hotel development on Assomption Island, 20 miles from the Aldabra Atoll UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is known as the “outpost of evolution” but biologists are worried it will be a playground for rich Middle Easterners.

The Seychelles’ UNESCO island is under threat from luxury development with not so clean Qatari funds. And we have spoken with a handful of environmentalists, scientists and biologists on how wrong this Qatari project is. You can read the whole background on the story below in a series of articles we have posted.

As we speak, critical turtle nesting sites are being bulldozed, the island being sold by the government in a 70-year lease and with a blind eye.

The petition filed last month invokes Article 38 of the Seychelles Constitution (the right to a clean, healthy and ecologically balanced environment).

 

Assomption Island is next to the Aldabra Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site globally recognised as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on Earth. After decades of human degradation, Assomption was showing signs of ecological recovery, serving as a key habitat for sea turtles, butterflies, and other insects.

The Qatari-led construction project poses a serious risk of irreversible harm to these fragile ecosystems, threatening to undo decades of conservation work in the Outer Islands. 

The claimants say that “legal action was taken to safeguard the constitutional right of every Seychellois to live in and enjoy a clean, healthy, and ecologically balanced environment, as stated in Article 38 of the Constitution of Seychelles.”

From the outset, “we have reported that this development has proceeded without transparency or legal safeguards. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was conducted by an NGO with financial and governance ties to the project contractor, raising serious concerns about conflict of interest. 

“Construction began before any environmental accountability had been assigned: no environmental officer was present, no monitoring was in place, and the biosecurity protocol ignored—despite this being critical to prevent invasive species from devastating island ecosystems.”

Green Prophet interviewed turtle expert Jeanne Mortimer earning her the title of Madame Torti in the Seychelles. She was not consulted about how to safeguard the turtles but knows how it can be done.

“There is a lot going on behind the scenes related to Assomption. Actually I am somewhat optimistic. We will see…” Jeanne Mortimer told Green Prophet today. Our video with her has gone viral.

According to Mongabay and various NGO and media reports, the PR agency named The PC Agency is being used by Assets Group to promote the development and its narrative (for example, offering tourism packages). Also, Mongabay says that the London-based PR company: “Through a website run by its PR firm, the PC Agency, Assets Group has made it clear it is offering tourists an Aldabra islands package not limited to Assomption Island.”

“In May 2025, the Planning Authority issued a Stop Notice for these violations, but it appears to have been immediately waived or disregarded. Since then, evidence has surfaced of unauthorised dredging, light pollution visible from Aldabra that disrupts the behaviour of both terrestrial and marine species, and a photo of a gravely injured giant tortoise.”

It is common for Middle East developers to hire Londoners and Europeans to greenwash development projects in the Middle East. It is happening currently in Saudi Arabia with its Neom mega project.

Iranian architect Ronak Roshan tells Green Prophet greenwashing is happening by respected international organizations, including the greenwashing by the Aga Khan Foundation in promoting projects on islands that are definitely not good for turtles, nature or the environment. She writes her piece on Green Prophet from her home in Iran. And what they are doing on Hormuz Island.

Green Prophet has not received any comment from Assets Group. Or Aga Khan.

Follow Friends of Aladbra if you want to help and get involved.

Further reading on Green Prophet

• Seychelles and the battle with royalty, rats, and the last truly wild places left on Earth
• Seychelles’ Assomption Island Sold to Qatar: an alleged $50M deal
• Q&A: Dr. Nirmal Jivan Shah on Assomption Island and Qatar-backed development
• “They Knew They Shouldn’t Be There”: journalist Kevin Gepford on Aldabra
• They Call Her Madam Torti: Jeanne Mortimer and Seychelles sea turtles
• Yaniv Levy’s lifelong quest to protect sea turtles — and fears for Aldabra
• When conservation oversight isn’t independent: structural conflicts highlighted

The post Seychelles activists sue government for Qatari development on turtle nesting sites appeared first on Green Prophet.

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi

Before 2011, I had heard many spiritual teachers talk about “accepting what is.” It sounded nice in theory, like good mental information to chew on. But it didn’t feel embodied. I understood it intellectually, but I wasn’t living it.

Then I attended a weekend intensive with a teacher I deeply respected, and something in the way he explained it hit deeper. It wasn’t just talk. The essence of his words turned a spiritual idea into something I could start to live.

In that talk, he shared a …

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi

Before 2011, I had heard many spiritual teachers talk about “accepting what is.” It sounded nice in theory, like good mental information to chew on. But it didn’t feel embodied. I understood it intellectually, but I wasn’t living it.

Then I attended a weekend intensive with a teacher I deeply respected, and something in the way he explained it hit deeper. It wasn’t just talk. The essence of his words turned a spiritual idea into something I could start to live.

In that talk, he shared a story about a father whose son had become paraplegic. The father was devastated because he had so many expectations—that his son would go to college, graduate, get married, and have children. But those dreams died the day of the accident.

The father was still living in a mental loop: “I should be going to his graduation.” “I should be at his wedding.” He couldn’t let go of the life he thought his son was supposed to have.

The teacher explained that the father needed to grieve his expectations, not just in his mind, but in his body. That hit me hard. It was like an athlete expecting to win a championship and then getting injured. They’re stuck in that same mental trap: “I should have had that career,” and they suffer for years because life handed them a different card.

That story cracked something open in me.

The Weight of ‘Shoulds’ on the Body

I’m someone who tends to be idealistic. I had high expectations for myself, others, and how life was supposed to go. And when people didn’t live up to those ideals, whether in business, relationships, or everyday interactions, it really hurt. I believed people should be honest, ethical, and truthful. They shouldn’t lie; they shouldn’t manipulate. I had a long list of “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” that governed how I expected life to go.

When life didn’t meet those expectations, I felt disappointed, angry, even hateful at times. My body held the tension. I had chronic stress, emotional pain, and health challenges. For six months, I was even coughing up blood, and doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Looking back, I see now that I was holding on so tightly to my expectations that my body was breaking under the pressure.

This is what that teacher was pointing to: that to truly accept what is, we have to grieve our expectations on a body level. It’s not enough to tell yourself affirmations like “just accept it” until you’re blue in the face. You have to feel where your body says, “No.”

That means noticing: does your body feel heavy? Is your heart tight or tense? If there’s anything other than lightness or peace, then there’s something you haven’t grieved or released.

By staying present with those sensations, without trying to fix or change them, you start to feel shifts. The signs of release are subtle but real: yawning, tears, vibrations, or a sense of energetic movement. It’s like something in your nervous system finally says, “Okay, I can let go now.”

Letting Go Became the Practice

After that retreat, I spent the whole summer sitting with these “should” beliefs. Every day, I made time to observe my thoughts and emotions. I noticed how often I was clinging to ideas like “I should have done this” or “they shouldn’t act that way.” It was uncomfortable at first. I didn’t realize how much I had been carrying around.

I committed three to four months to this work. Being self-employed gave me the space to dive deep, and I felt it was necessary to do my own inner work before I could help others with theirs. I probably put in hundreds, maybe thousands, of hours during that time.

Through that commitment, I released huge chunks of subconscious programming I didn’t even know were there. I realized I had inherited a lot of my “should” thinking from my upbringing. My mother also had strong expectations; when things didn’t go her way, she’d have intense emotional reactions. I had absorbed that pattern without realizing it.

At the end of those few months, I felt like I had begun the real journey of embodying spiritual growth. Not just reading about it. Living it. Accepting what is became something I could feel in my bones, not just think about.

But that was just the beginning.

Acceptance Happens in Layers

Over the next ten years, I noticed a pattern: about every six months to a year, a similar trigger would arise. Same emotion, same resistance, but less intense. The duration of my suffering shrank, too. What used to upset me for weeks now only remained for a few days, then a few hours.

I came to understand that accepting “what is” happens in layers, like peeling an onion. At first, I released the more obvious emotional charges held in the heart or gut. But as time went on, I discovered deeper, more subtle conditioning stored in the nervous system, bones, tailbone, even in my skin and sense organs.

The body doesn’t release it all at once—maybe because doing so would overwhelm the system. With each layer that releases, it feels like the body grants permission to go deeper.

To find and clear these deeper layers, I learned muscle testing from the Yuen Method of Chinese Energetics that helps uncover subconscious resistances. Muscle testing was quite a powerful experience, teaching me to intuitively talk to the body to find and release unconscious ancestral conditioning and forgotten traumas that are decades-old or generational programs located in different body areas.

My Personal “Should”: Loved Ones Should See My Good Intentions

For example, I used to hate it when my father made negative assumptions about my good intentions or deeds. Instead of appreciating my efforts, he would criticize them, leaving me with the feeling that no matter how hard I tried, it was never good enough for him.

This took me many years to work through, and each year, with each trigger, I discovered so much conditioning. I would have emotional meltdowns; my body would be tense and angry, just like my mom, because that’s how she is. From working on these triggers over the years, he can hardly get a reaction out of me anymore.

I was essentially reacting in a hardwired way. When my father made negative assumptions about my mom, she would often respond with emotional meltdowns and angry outbursts. I realized I had inherited the same pattern.

Over the years, each time my father pushed a button, I had to do continuous work on the different layers of conditioned reactions in specific areas of the body. His button-pushing became a gift: it constantly revealed more hidden layers of emotional reactivity.

These days, if he makes negative assumptions, it might still bother me a little, but it’s nothing like the angry, hateful emotional reactions I used to have. If my body still reacts slightly, it’s giving me feedback, making me aware that there is still unconscious conditioning that needs to be released.

If you do this work, over time, you will notice your loved ones may still push the same buttons and sometimes even say unkind words or behave in ways that used to deeply hurt you. But your triggers and reactivity can be significantly reduced.

You won’t take their words or actions as personally anymore. Instead, there’s a growing sense of love and acceptance—for yourself, the situation, and your loved ones, regardless of what they do. Doing this work feels like moving closer to unconditional love, or at least as close as we can get.

The Ongoing Unfolding of Acceptance

This process taught me that accepting what is isn’t a one-time breakthrough. It’s a slow unwinding of everything we were taught to expect, demand, or resist. It’s a return to what’s actually here, moment by moment, breath by breath.

Even now, I still get triggered. But I’m better at meeting those moments with curiosity instead of judgment. I know the signs in my body. I can feel when something hasn’t been grieved yet.

If you’re like me, if you have a long list of “shoulds” about yourself, about others, about life, maybe it’s time to sit with them. To feel where they land in your body. To grieve the life you thought was supposed to happen.

Because healing doesn’t come from controlling life. It comes from letting go of the fight against it. It comes from feeling into what is, with an open heart and a patient presence.

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Looking for an eco deck or dock for your ecological floating home or houseboat? The elevated structure was designed by Dutch architect Koen Olthuis and the Waterstudio team. Image via Ocean Builders Decks & Docks in Nashville, Tennessee, is a trusted source for premium marine construction materials, offering a wide range of products for homeowners, […]

The post Top-Quality Building Supplies in Nashville at Decks & Docks appeared first on Green Prophet.

Decks & Docks in Nashville, Tennessee, is a trusted source for premium marine construction materials, offering a wide range of products for homeowners, contractors, and DIY enthusiasts. Located at 344 Wilhagan Road, their showroom features decking, railing, lighting, hardware, and accessories—everything you need for your next project in one place.

Whether you’re planning a small DIY deck or a large-scale construction, Decks & Docks provides expert guidance to help you select the right materials for your project. Their knowledgeable team is committed to delivering exceptional service and ensuring every customer finds exactly what they need.

Discover more about their offerings by visiting their building supplies Nashville page today.

The post Top-Quality Building Supplies in Nashville at Decks & Docks appeared first on Green Prophet.

“Rest and be thankful.” ~William Wordsworth

A few years ago, I caught myself doing something that made no sense.

It was late evening, my kids were asleep, the house finally quiet. I’d been counting down to this moment all day—dreaming of sinking into the couch, wrapping myself in a blanket, maybe even reading a book without distractions.

But when I lay down and closed my eyes, something inside me lurched. Within seconds, I reached for my phone. I didn’t even have anything urgent to check—just mindless scrolling. Five minutes in, I was already half-sitting up, wondering if I should fold …

“Rest and be thankful.” ~William Wordsworth

A few years ago, I caught myself doing something that made no sense.

It was late evening, my kids were asleep, the house finally quiet. I’d been counting down to this moment all day—dreaming of sinking into the couch, wrapping myself in a blanket, maybe even reading a book without distractions.

But when I lay down and closed my eyes, something inside me lurched. Within seconds, I reached for my phone. I didn’t even have anything urgent to check—just mindless scrolling. Five minutes in, I was already half-sitting up, wondering if I should fold the laundry or answer one last email. Before I knew it, I was back on my feet, tidying up the kitchen.

I remember thinking, why can’t I just rest?

The Invisible Weight That Keeps Us Restless

Maybe you’ve felt this too. You plan a quiet evening—maybe a bath, a book, or just lying down in silence—but your mind buzzes with things you should be doing instead.

Did I reply to that message? Should I wipe down the counters? Maybe I should check my notifications—just in case.

It’s so easy to blame ourselves: I have no discipline. I’m addicted to my phone. I can’t sit still. But the truth is, our difficulty with rest runs deeper than bad habits or busy schedules.

Sometimes our bodies and minds have learned that stillness isn’t safe.

Why Does Rest Feel So Uncomfortable?

I used to think I was just bad at relaxing—like I’d missed a class everyone else had taken. But over time, I realized there were reasons why lying still felt so wrong.

Here’s what I’ve learned—and maybe you’ll see yourself here too.

1. We equate stillness with danger.

Deep down, part of our nervous system still believes we’re in the wild—where lying still too long could make us vulnerable. Even if our physical world is safe, our inner world might not feel that way.

Many of us grew up in homes where we had to stay alert—watching moods, avoiding conflict, keeping busy to feel useful or unnoticed. Being on guard felt safer than relaxing.

Even now, when the house is calm, our bodies may still whisper: Don’t settle. Something could happen.

2. We tie our worth to doing.

Growing up, I learned that being “good” meant being helpful—doing the dishes before being asked, getting top grades, staying busy. Rest wasn’t modeled as something normal; it was a luxury you earned only after everything was done perfectly.

So when I lie down on the couch, an old voice pipes up: Have you really done enough to deserve this? Even now, I still catch myself folding laundry at 10 p.m. or working on my blog instead of just letting myself rest.

3. Rest brings up uncomfortable feelings.

Stillness creates space. And sometimes, that space fills with things we’d rather keep buried—worries we ignored all day, sadness we don’t want to name, thoughts that make us feel alone.

So instead of resting, we keep busy. We scroll, clean, or half-watch TV while half-doing chores. Movement feels safer than meeting whatever rises in the quiet.

4. Our brains crave the next hit.

Our world feeds this cycle. Apps, notifications, endless news—tiny dopamine bursts that keep our minds buzzing. Even when we’re exhausted, our brains crave just one more swipe, one more update.

So when we try to rest, it feels like a mini withdrawal. The silence can feel almost unbearable.

The Good News: Rest Is a Skill We Can Relearn

If you see yourself in any of this, you’re not broken. There’s nothing wrong with you. Rest just feels unfamiliar because your body and mind learned to survive without it.

The good news is you can gently retrain yourself to feel safe doing nothing. Not by forcing it—but by meeting your restlessness with small, doable shifts.

Small Ways to Make Rest Feel Safe Again

1. Start tiny.

I used to think rest meant lying still for an hour—meditating, deep breathing, total quiet. That was way too much.

Instead, try building up your tolerance for stillness in small ways:

Sit for ten slow breaths before grabbing your phone in the morning.

Pause for a few seconds before switching tasks.

Lie down for two minutes with your eyes closed before bed.

I started with just a few slow breaths while breastfeeding. It helped both me and my baby settle a bit more.

Tiny moments teach your body: Stillness doesn’t have to be scary.

2. Notice the thoughts that rush in.

Sometimes when we try to rest, thoughts pop up:

You’re wasting time.

You should be doing something useful.

Just one more thing, then you can relax.

When you notice these thoughts, name them. Gently remind yourself: Rest is useful. Doing nothing is not the same as being nothing.

3. Give your body a gentle cue.

Rest doesn’t have to mean lying statue-still. If stillness feels like too much, try calming your nervous system with small, soothing actions:

Sip warm tea and notice its warmth. I love slowly brewing tea and taking a moment just to smell it before I drink.

Wrap yourself in a blanket and sway gently.

Sit in a rocking chair. Rocking can feel safer than stillness.

4. Turn rest into a ritual.

It helps to make rest intentional—a small, predictable act of care.

Maybe you light a candle when you sit down. Or play soft music. Or put away your phone and focus on the warmth of a bath.

A ritual makes rest feel like a gift, not wasted time.

5. Let discomfort be there.

Sometimes when we rest, feelings surface—sadness, guilt, unease.

Instead of pushing them away, practice sitting with them for a few breaths.

Try telling yourself, “I feel restless. That’s okay. I don’t have to fix it right now.”

Like any feeling, it passes more easily when you stop fighting it.

What Rest Really Means

When I look back, I see that my struggle with rest wasn’t really about laziness or distraction. It was about trust.

Learning to rest means trusting that the world won’t fall apart if we stop. Trusting that we’re worthy, even when we’re not “useful.” Trusting that what rises in the quiet won’t destroy us.

It’s not easy work—but it’s gentle work. And every tiny moment you spend just being—without doing, fixing, or producing—teaches your body a new truth: You are allowed to rest.

—

If you find yourself mindlessly reaching for your phone when you planned to do nothing, pause. Take one deep breath. Feel the weight of your body on the couch. Remind yourself: It’s safe to pause.

Rest is not the opposite of living. Rest is what lets us show up fully for life.

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From roadside cages in Armenia to wild encounters in Siberia, brown bears reveal both human cruelty and awe. To truly respect them is to keep them free — not captive, not tamed.

The post Armenia’s captive brown bears and how we can stop the illegal practice appeared first on Green Prophet.

Fusion energy is hard to create and it’s hard to explain. Brian gives a great background here. International design and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and architect Italo Rota, together with Italy’s energy company Eni, present a project dedicated to magnetic confinement fusion, one of the most innovative technologies for the decarbonization of energy systems. The project showcases the mock-up of a Tokamak reactor, built within a former gasholder in Rome, Italy, in order to inform visitors about this breakthrough technology with Italian flair.

It was released in 2022. 

The project by CRA and Italo Rota is part of Maker Faire Rome, Europe’s leading event for the community of Makers. It is situated in the site of Gazometro Ostiense, one of the foremost symbols of the Italian capital’s modern industrial heritage, located just three kilometers southwest of the Colosseum. Inside a 50-meter-high, 40-meter-wide gasholder, visitors can explore the conceptual model of a Tokamak, a fundamental component in magnetic confinement technology processes. After an ascending path, people can access inside the Tokamak. Here, within a red-lit circular corridor, a series of multimedia content narrates the technology and its ongoing scientific investigations.

 “Magnetic confinement fusion is a clean technology that has the potential to be one of tomorrow’s key decarbonization solutions,” comments Carlo Ratti, founder of CRA and Director of the MIT Senseable City Lab. “With the project, we wanted to start an open-design process to imagine how fusion power plants will be integrated in sub-urban areas – prompting makers and architects alike to join a discussion on our future energy landscape.” 

“We have the chance to explore new forms of storytelling about energy,” adds Italo Rota, co-designer of the installation. “We believe that design is a powerful tool to turn a narration into an experience, allowing visitors to sense the energy while being surrounded by a unique atmosphere.”

The project follows Eni’s work on magnetic confinement, which has been unfolding in the last few years through a series of academic collaborations – most notably, with the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) – and the energy company Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS). During the process of magnetic confinement, the fusion of two hydrogen nuclei releases an enormous amount of energy, similarly to how it happens inside the sun and other stars. The most substantial advantage of this technology is that it does not emit greenhouse gases or highly polluting or highly radioactive substances. Furthermore, it is safe and virtually inexhaustible. 

In the past years, CRA has been developing several energy-related projects on different scales: from the Helsinki Hot Heart, a series of islands with the dual function of thermal energy storage – currently the largest urban decarbonization project in the world – and recreational public spaces, to the masterplan for MIND (Milan Innovation District) to CapitaSpring, a 280-meter-tall high-rise oasis in Singapore designed together with BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.

Over the past years, CRA and Eni have been collaborating to promote new forms of circularity and sustainable energy production. Their projects have been showcased at international events such as the Maker Faire in Rome, Milan Design Week, and Expo Dubai 2020.

The post Italy’s energy company Eni adds Italian flair for design in industrial fusion reactor appeared first on Green Prophet.

“We have the chance to explore new forms of storytelling about energy,” adds Italo Rota, co-designer of the installation. “We believe that design is a powerful tool to turn a narration into an experience, allowing visitors to sense the energy while being surrounded by a unique atmosphere.”

The post Italy’s energy company Eni adds Italian flair for design in industrial fusion reactor appeared first on Green Prophet.

Fusion energy is hard to create and it’s hard to explain. Brian gives a great background here. International design and innovation office CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati and architect Italo Rota, together with Italy’s energy company Eni, present a project dedicated to magnetic confinement fusion, one of the most innovative technologies for the decarbonization of energy systems. The project showcases the mock-up of a Tokamak reactor, built within a former gasholder in Rome, Italy, in order to inform visitors about this breakthrough technology with Italian flair.

It was released in 2022. 

The project by CRA and Italo Rota is part of Maker Faire Rome, Europe’s leading event for the community of Makers. It is situated in the site of Gazometro Ostiense, one of the foremost symbols of the Italian capital’s modern industrial heritage, located just three kilometers southwest of the Colosseum. Inside a 50-meter-high, 40-meter-wide gasholder, visitors can explore the conceptual model of a Tokamak, a fundamental component in magnetic confinement technology processes. After an ascending path, people can access inside the Tokamak. Here, within a red-lit circular corridor, a series of multimedia content narrates the technology and its ongoing scientific investigations.

 “Magnetic confinement fusion is a clean technology that has the potential to be one of tomorrow’s key decarbonization solutions,” comments Carlo Ratti, founder of CRA and Director of the MIT Senseable City Lab. “With the project, we wanted to start an open-design process to imagine how fusion power plants will be integrated in sub-urban areas – prompting makers and architects alike to join a discussion on our future energy landscape.” 

“We have the chance to explore new forms of storytelling about energy,” adds Italo Rota, co-designer of the installation. “We believe that design is a powerful tool to turn a narration into an experience, allowing visitors to sense the energy while being surrounded by a unique atmosphere.”

The project follows Eni’s work on magnetic confinement, which has been unfolding in the last few years through a series of academic collaborations – most notably, with the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) – and the energy company Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS). During the process of magnetic confinement, the fusion of two hydrogen nuclei releases an enormous amount of energy, similarly to how it happens inside the sun and other stars. The most substantial advantage of this technology is that it does not emit greenhouse gases or highly polluting or highly radioactive substances. Furthermore, it is safe and virtually inexhaustible. 

In the past years, CRA has been developing several energy-related projects on different scales: from the Helsinki Hot Heart, a series of islands with the dual function of thermal energy storage – currently the largest urban decarbonization project in the world – and recreational public spaces, to the masterplan for MIND (Milan Innovation District) to CapitaSpring, a 280-meter-tall high-rise oasis in Singapore designed together with BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group.

Over the past years, CRA and Eni have been collaborating to promote new forms of circularity and sustainable energy production. Their projects have been showcased at international events such as the Maker Faire in Rome, Milan Design Week, and Expo Dubai 2020.

The post Italy’s energy company Eni adds Italian flair for design in industrial fusion reactor appeared first on Green Prophet.

**This post contains a giveaway. Scroll to the bottom to learn more!

Burnout has been on my mind a lot lately, and that’s saying a lot since my burnout brain has trouble focusing these days.

Between working from home while raising two young kids and traveling back and forth across the country to spend time with a sick loved one, I’ve felt stretched in more directions than I thought possible. I know many of you can relate to the constant push to keep going even when your body and mind are begging for rest.

That’s why I’m excited to share …

“And then I realized that to be seen by others, I first had to be willing to see myself.” ~Anonymous

In a world that teaches us to be visible only when we’re polished, productive, or pleasing, I found something unexpected on the other side of my camera: myself.

But not the filtered version. Not the composed one or the “smiling because I’m fine” version.

I found the person I’d forgotten—the one who had spent years loving, giving, showing up for everyone else but rarely turning any of that tenderness inward.

I didn’t pick up the camera to take pretty pictures. I picked it up because I was afraid I’d disappeared.

I Didn’t Want to Be Seen; I Needed to See Myself

The idea of photographing myself didn’t come from a place of vanity. It came from absence.

One evening, while trying to upload photos for a dating profile after years of single parenting and heartbreak, I realized I had no photos that felt like me. Not the version of me who had weathered so much. Not the version I was becoming.

So I quietly set up a tripod. Brushed my hair off my face. Took a deep breath.

Click.

The first photo felt awkward. The second felt posed. But by the third, something shifted. I saw a glimmer—not just of who I had been, but of who I might become.

This wasn’t about being photogenic. It was about presence.

Each Click Became a Quiet Homecoming

Soon, I started photographing myself regularly. Alone. Unrushed.

Some days, I wore mascara. Other days, I didn’t even brush my hair. And some days, I cried.

But every day, I tried to show up as honestly as I could.

Slowly, I began to notice things I’d overlooked for years:

• Strength in my eyes
• Grace in my aging hands
• Resilience in my stillness

They weren’t just pictures. They were whispers. Visual love letters. A way of saying, “I’m still here.”

And I wasn’t invisible. I’d just been looking through the wrong lens.

I Thought I Was Taking Pictures, but I Was Actually Healing

We live in a culture that celebrates busyness and output. But it rarely teaches us how to witness ourselves—especially in stillness.

In those quiet moments behind the lens, my camera became a gentle teacher. It held space for the version of me that didn’t always feel put together. It didn’t ask me to smile. It didn’t judge. It just saw.

And in being seen—truly seen, by my own eyes—I began to heal.

My camera became more than a tool. It became a mirror. Not the kind that criticizes or compares, but the kind that says, “You’re allowed to take up space. Just as you are.”

Here’s What I Learned (and Keep Learning)

Through this experience, I learned:

• I wasn’t invisible. I just hadn’t looked at myself with curiosity in a long time.
• I had looked with judgment. With fatigue. With shame. But not with compassion.
• These weren’t selfies. They were self-portraits—acts of reclamation.
• I didn’t need to be beautiful. I just needed to be honest.

Each session became a quiet act of rebellion—against perfectionism, against invisibility, against the pressure to perform.

And slowly, a truth emerged: I didn’t need to wait for a milestone to be worthy of attention.
I didn’t need a transformation. I needed permission. Permission to see myself. Permission to say: This is me, now.

From Healing to Helping Others

Eventually, something unexpected happened.

I began to share pieces of my story. And people started reaching out.

• “I feel like I’ve lost myself, too.”
• “I haven’t seen a photo of myself I actually like in years.”
• “I don’t remember the last time I felt comfortable in front of a camera.”

So I started photographing others—not for branding or special events, but for healing.

In natural light, in safe spaces, we’d create images that captured something more than appearance.
We captured presence. Belonging. Truth.

One woman whispered after her session, “I feel like I’ve come home to myself.”

I knew exactly what she meant.

You Don’t Need a Special Occasion to Be Seen

If you’ve ever felt like you’ve gone a little quiet inside…

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and wondered when you stopped recognizing the person staring back…

If you’ve ever felt like the world sees only a fraction of who you really are…

I want you to know this: you don’t need to wait.

You don’t need to lose ten pounds or gain a promotion or start a new relationship to become worthy of your own gaze.

You already are.

So if you’re feeling invisible, here’s a gentle invitation:

Set up your camera. Let the light fall on your face. Be still. Click.

The first photo might feel strange. The second may feel forced.

But keep going.

Eventually, someone will show up in that frame. And when they do, you’ll remember: you’ve been here all along.

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