INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You'll need to chop about ¼ of a head of red cabbage and put it in a blender. You will extract chemicals from the cabbage to coat your pH paper. These chemicals are known as anthocyanins and are found in plants such as cabbage, roses, and berries. Anthocyanins are purple under neutral conditions (pH 7.0) but they change color when exposed to an acid (pH < 7.0) or a base (pH>7.0).  The same procedure can be followed using berries, roses, and other anthocyanin containing plants. This does not work for green cabbage. The same anthocyanins are not present in green cabbage. You can boil the water on a stovetop or in the microwave, but either way you'll need about 500 mL of water. Pour the boiling water directly into the blender with the cabbage. This will help draw the needed chemicals out of the cabbage. You need to blend the water and cabbage for best results. Keep the mixture blending until the water is dark purple. This color change indicates that you have successfully drawn the needed chemicals (anthocyanins) from the cabbage and dissolved them in the hot water. You should allow the contents of the blender to cool for at least ten minutes before proceeding. You want to remove any pieces of cabbage from the indicator solution (colored water). Filter paper will work in place of a strainer, but may take more time. Once you have strained the indicator solution, you can throw away the cabbage pieces. Adding about 50 mL of isopropyl alcohol will protect your solution from bacterial growth. The alcohol may start to alter the color of your solution. If this happens, add vinegar until the solution goes back to dark purple. You can substitute ethanol for isopropyl alcohol, if necessary or desired. You want a container with a wide enough opening to dip your paper. You should choose a container that is stain-resistant, as you are pouring dyes into it. Ceramic and glass are good options. Make sure to push the paper all the way to the bottom. You want to cover all corners and edges of the paper. It is a good idea to use gloves for this step. Find a location that is free of acidic or basic vapors. The paper should be allowed to dry completely before proceeding. Ideally, you will leave it overnight. This will allow you to test several different samples. You can cut the strips any size you would like, but generally the length and width of your index finger is fine. This will allow you to dip the strip into a sample without getting your fingers into the sample. You can test household solutions such as orange juice, water, and milk. You can also mix up solutions for testing, e.g. mixing water and baking soda. This will give you a wide range of samples to test. You should use an airtight container to store the strips until you use them. This will protect them from environmental contamination such as acidic or basic gases. It is also ideal not to leave them in direct sunlight, as this could result in bleaching over time.

SUMMARY: Chop up some red cabbage. Add boiling water to your cabbage. Turn on the blender. Pour the mix through a strainer. Add isopropyl alcohol to your indicator solution. Pour the solution into a pan or bowl. Soak your paper in the indicator solution. Allow your paper to air dry on a towel. Cut the paper into strips. Use the strips to test the pH of different solutions. Store the strips in cool dry place.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Mind craves to get away from the simplicity of the present moment or awareness as it can't stand it. More you practice being in the present, mind will do all it can to take your attention away from it. Its cause present moment is its death. Here are a few structure-less practices to anchor to the now. Experiment to see which practices come most naturally and easier to you at a given moment.   Can you allow and accept the thoughts, emotions, reactions to be? Can you accept or become aware of the Now? Can you feel the aliveness or inner energy field in your body? Your hands, legs, neck, feet, chest and so on.   Can you become aware of the sensations from the sense perceptions? Your heartbeat? Your surrounding? Sensation of touch from place you are sitting? Objects around? Sounds? Can you become aware of your breath? Can you become aware of 'Awareness'? Read How to Practice 'Wheel of Awareness' Meditation and How to Stay Rooted in Being for more insight on these practices. Can you become aware of the space where thoughts, emotions, reactions, sensations, images, sounds come and go? You are that space of 'no thought.' or awareness Here's another pointer: Who is aware of the sensations or tensions in your body? Who knows or sees the unhappy emotions or unease in you? Who is aware of the thoughts or emotions that come and go? It's the ever-present I Am, the experiencer, without which there will be no experience. It's fine if you didn't, and your mind may be reacting with things like 'This article is stupid,' 'What is this?', 'I'm a loser,' 'I can't stop thinking,' 'The author is a moron,' etc. That's not you. It's your mind in its habituated resistive mode, reacting to these pointers. Don't give it reality. Just allow it to be. Your presence or awareness is more than capable of dissolving the phantom self (Ego) pretending to be you. Read How to Practice 'Wheel of Awareness' Meditation for more depth.   If something deeper in you responds to these words then the process of awakening has begun. That's why don't just read with your mind, but pay attention to any deeper feeling responses. Once you learn of the basic dysfunction i.e identification with mind then there's nothing further you need to understand before you can be free of the Ego. It's very possible that in the future the mind or pain body will take you over and push you into state of suffering, despair and unconsciousness. But remember, suffering can either push you deeper into more unconsciousness or it can become your greatest teacher to enlightenment. Be aware. Stay present. Deeply realize that suffering has a noble purpose. According to a Buddhist saying, "All suffering is illusion." It is true. The question is: Is it true for you? Are you truly fed up of pain and suffering though? Are you ready to wake up?

SUMMARY:
Move deeply into the Now. Realize that 'You' are consciousness.