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8 Everyday Habits That Are Making You Anxious

Anxiety disorders affect nearly 20% of adults in North America. That’s about 40 million people! Many researchers estimate that this number is actually closer to 30% since there are many people who suffer undiagnosed anxiety symptoms or aren’t even aware they have anxiety at all.

Sometimes, it feels like anxiety has become a part of modern-day life, and it’s something many of us just have to deal with. In a way, it’s true. The stress of school and the workplace leaves 41% of employees and over half of all college/university students suffering from high levels of anxiety.

Sometimes it just feels good to go home, and indulge in some well-deserved vices. We’ve all had the all-so-satisfying feeling of planting our butts in our couches and binge-watching our favorite Netflix shows while eating pizza. But as tempting and amazing as that sounds, is it really the best thing for us? As it turns out, some of our guilty pleasures may be agitating our anxiety instead of reducing it.

Here are 8 everyday habits that may be stressing you out more than you know.

1. Being a Couch Potato

Yes, your daily activeness has a direct effect on your mood. Regular exercise is important in maintaining your mental health because it reduces stress! According to the ADAA, even just 10 minutes of exercise a day – though 30 minutes of daily exercise is recommended – can improve alertness and concentration. Exercise produces endorphins, which reduce stress. When you spend all day huddled up in bed or on your sofa, you…..

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Is Witchcraft a Placebo?

What is the “placebo effect” -  a beneficial effect, produced by a placebo drug or treatment, that cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and must therefore be due to the patient’s belief in that treatment

One of the hardest aspects of witchcraft is proving it actually works. When it comes to spell jars, sigils, and other energy type work the only proof we have of its abilities to actually do anything is our own experiences.

Think of it this way:

You create a spell jar to banish negative energy from your home. You’ve been having this feeling in your gut that something just isn’t right. When you come home you feel some sort of bad mojo around you.

So you put together a spell jar. You collect all your ingredients and you perform your spell. Everything went just as planned and you have your jar all finished. You decide to place it on your altar or maybe you choose to bury it in your yard, or place it somewhere hidden like a closet or dresser..

You start to feel a lightness surrounding you (like that heavy bad feeling is gone or at the very least, slowing dissipating). ~ it’s working ~ the spell is actually working…. or is it?

You’ve been told that this will banish the negative energy from your home and you believe it. So did a jar full of herbs, objects and whatever else you used actually banish the negative energy? Or did it work because you believed it would? 

We’ve argued to a point of exhaustion about intent in witchcraft. “All you need is intent, everything else is just extra shit.” You ever wonder why witches tell you this? It’s because they have some awareness that all you need to do is believe it works and it’ll work. 

I’m not one of these witches lol. I’m into science and hard facts. Which is probably why my craft mostly centers around herbalism (and the medicinal properties of herbs) but I do still use crystals, candles and I’m a tarot reader but that doesn’t mean I’m not self-aware. I understand that my craft will be questioned and what kind of witch would I be if I didn’t also question my own craft and how it works. 

Of course I’m not saying magick isn’t real or that witchcraft is just made up bologna. I am a witch afterall lol. What I am saying is that witchcraft and the placebo effect are very similar.

There have been medical studies where they’ve found that more than 30% of those given a placebo reported the same results as those given the actual drug. This begs the question; are the active ingredients (or properties) in the drugs actually doing anything? or is the power of suggestion strong enough to mimic the results of the drug in question?

Thoughts?

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The US Library of Congress Just Put 25 Million Records Online, Free of Charge

Set the knowledge free.

Knowledge is power, the old saying goes, but it isn’t much use if it’s hidden away – so we’re excited to learn that the US Library of Congress is making 25 million of its records available for free, for anyone to access online.

The bibliographic data sets, like digital library cards, cover music, books, maps, manuscripts, and more, and their publication online marks the biggest release of digital records in the Library’s history.

“The Library of Congress is our nation’s monument to knowledge and we need to make sure the doors are open wide for everyone, not just physically but digitally too,” says Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

“Unlocking the rich data in the Library’s online catalogue is a great step forward. I’m excited to see how people will put this information to use.”

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WHAT IS YOUR SOUL ELEMENT?

What is your soul element? Are you the master of fire, the controller of water, the bender of air, or the assembler of earth? 

Take this test to know 

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