Thursday, February 20, 2020

States Stand at the Forefront in Transition to Clean Energy


Based in Southern California, Henry Gellis emphasizes entrepreneurship with a purpose and is a founding investor in Awaken.com. Topics covered by Henry Gellis’ website span natural health, meditation, yoga, mindfulness, and the environment.

A recent article in Awaken brought focus to the increased importance of state efforts in promoting and commercializing clean energies. This is critical, given that the federal government has become less aggressive in this area since 2017.

With forward progress achievable due to the decreasing cost of clean energy technologies, 29 states have set in place renewable portfolio standards (RPS). These mandate generating or obtaining an increasing amount or share of electricity from clean energy technologies each year.

Thirteen states have also set in place 100 percent clean energy goals, often in tandem with an RPS standard. Unfortunately, not all of this legislation is enforceable, and some standards could be overturned through executive order by future governors.

With a handful of states bringing focus to energy storage as part of their mandates, California stands at the forefront in its residential solar photovoltaics (PV) standard. This requires that a majority of new homes have either rooftop PV systems in place, or community solar installations that homeowners can readily access electricity from.

Monday, May 13, 2019

Mindfulness in the Workplace


As a private equity investor, Henry Gellis focuses on businesses with positive social benefits, including companies in stress reduction and mindfulness. Henry Gellis is a founding shareholder in the media company Awaken, which publishes informative articles that spread awareness of practices that improve well-being, including mindfulness. 

Mindfulness training is becoming a popular offering in workplace wellness programs. Research has found that mindfulness has the following impact on employees and managers:

- Improved well-being. Stress is one of the top contributors to workplace illness and reduced productivity. Mindfulness practice has been linked to higher levels of employee resilience, which can protect workers from the effects of a stressful environment. 

- Improved performance. Mindfulness practice helps the brain relax and makes it more effective during deep cognitive tasks. Employees who routinely engage in mindfulness exercises exhibit more creativity, flexibility, and adaptability.

- Better relationships. Mindful managers and other workplace leaders are more empathetic toward their subordinates, which can improve the job satisfaction of employees. Conversely, mindful employees are more effective at managing the stress of working under difficult supervisors.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

Aligning With the Higher Self Through Listening to Intuition


Leading Gellis Investment Management, California entrepreneur Henry Gellis seeks out value in companies that are presently undervalued. Among Henry Gellis’ successful endeavors has been helping launch awaken.com, which provides articles and resources spanning the full spectrum of holistic wellness. 

A recent feature on the Awaken website centered on author Jonathan Robinson, who spoke about strategies for aligning with one’s higher self. As Robinson describes it, contemporary culture is too focused on money and activities undertaken simply for the sake of staying busy. Many people forget to take time to give those they love they gift of connection. One way of countering this tendency is, when in a happy or loving moment, to “try not to leave it so quickly.” 

Another aspect involves listening to the universe and being aware of feedback in one’s daily life. Feelings such as boredom and frustration let us know when we are “hot or cold.” Intuition can also tell us when things are heading in the right direction, with a sense of “feeling right” often leading to positive results. Rather than simply following the mind on a “wild ride,” trust the way one feels about something in the moment.

This does not mean that the path is necessarily easy. Rather, when something is both positive and meaningful, more energy will be directed toward it in ways that achieve measurable results.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Materialism vs. Consciousness


As the owner of Gellis Investment Management, Entrepreneur and Wellness Guru Henry Gellis is particularly interested in making small investments of venture capital in private companies involved in the health-and-wellness industry. He also works closely with the wellness website Awaken. Central to Henry Gellis’ personal and professional focus is the idea that materialism and consciousness must be balanced in order to realize one’s potential as a human being and to contribute positively to the world as a whole.

A subset of the metaphysical model known as realism, materialism is the belief that matter (the physical world around us and everything in it) exists outside and independently of consciousness. This feels innately correct because most of us believe that the world remains in place just as it is, whether we are conscious of it or not.

Under the tenants of idealism, however, the material world requires consciousness to exist. It posits that the entire universe is based in consciousness and that all physical matter, as well as the laws of nature that govern matter, arise as an expression of that consciousness.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Healthy Aging and the Blueberry


Entrepreneur and Wellness Guru Henry Gellis stands out as a founding investor in Awaken.com, which makes ideas about wellness and stress reduction available to the public. Through the website, Henry Gellis supports the distribution of important health information, such as the power of antioxidants in blueberries.

Blueberries belong to a category known as superfoods, which have the power to support physical and mental well-being. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can accelerate aging by damaging the structure of cells, a process known as oxidation.

Chemical analyses have shown that blueberries have a higher concentration of antioxidants than any other fruit. This is particularly important for older people since studies have shown that blueberry consumption may delay and even reverse neurological damage and its behavioral effects. Scientists believe this process may be due to the fruit's ability to correct the signaling problems that cause neuronal decline.

Other studies have shown that blueberries' anti-aging effects extend beyond the cognitive to the physical realm. Data has linked blueberries to a reduction in heart attack risk, while general studies of antioxidant-rich foods suggest they may prevent heart disease and reduce overall inflammation in the body.

Friday, November 10, 2017

Effects of Yoga on Life Expectancy and Quality


As owner of Gellis Investment Management, Entrepreneur and Wellness Guru Henry Gellis seeks out opportunities in the lifestyle, health, and wellness arenas. Henry Gellis has personally invested in Awaken.com, which publicizes innovative technologies and techniques for reducing stress and improving overall well-being.

Popular wisdom has long associated yoga with healthful aging. In recent years, scientific knowledge and research have helped to confirm this belief.

One study at UCLA revealed that in patients with a high risk of Alzheimer's disease, practicing yoga and meditation can lead not only to improved memory and cognition but also lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved resilience, and a greater resource of coping skills. 

Yoga can help to combat the physical effects of aging as well. It helps the blood circulate through the body and encourages deep breathing, thus delivering more oxygen to body cells. Joints are guided through their complete range of motion, which guards against joint breakdown. Further, bones receive the benefit of improved density through weight-bearing exercises. The practice of yoga also improves the function of the digestive, immune, and lymphatic systems while controlling blood glucose levels and helping to clear the blood of bad cholesterol.

Even on the genetic level, yoga can offer a benefit. Cardiologist Dean Ornish and his colleagues studied the effects of yoga and other lifestyle changes on men with early stage prostate cancer. The team found that by the end of the study, the participants demonstrated a more youthful physiology and a greater resilience to disease.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

What is Transcendental Meditation?


The owner of Gellis Investment Management in Los Angeles, California, Entrepreneur and Wellness Guru Henry Gellis also contributes to the planning and upkeep of Awaken.com, a news site for positive media and healthy living. With a passion for wellness, Henry Gellis practices meditation in his spare time. Though there are many different types of meditation, one of the most popular techniques is transcendental meditation, which offers many positive side effects.

Brought to the United States from India in the 1960s, transcendental meditation instructs a person to sit comfortably with their eyes closed, while repeating a word or sound called a "mantra". This technique improves concentration and quiets the mind, giving the practitioner a feeling of rest, stillness, and stability. While some other types of meditation ask the practitioner to focus on something specific, transcendental meditation seeks to empty the mind and enter a state of "restful alertness".

Practicing meditation on a regular basis has been shown to reduce anxiety, chronic pain, cholesterol, 
and high blood pressure. The common practice requires that you meditate twice a day for twenty minutes to be the most effective.