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The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take your life -- and your well-being -- off course. GPS For The Soul can help you find your way back to balance.


GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here[2] , and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.


Despite their imposing physical presence, elephants are essentially friendly giants. They are known for their incredible determination and loyalty, and express advanced social connections. Across different cultures around the world, they are symbols of reliability, honor, patience and pride. In the Hindu line of thought, the elephant is found in the form of Ganesha[3] , the god of good luck and wisdom. Check out the slideshow below of these peaceful creatures and some of their interesting characteristics. There is a lot we can learn from the daily habits of these peculiar animals!



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  • Elephants are some of the most intelligent animals on Earth. <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/03/05/top-10-facts-about-elephants/" target="_blank">Their brains weigh 5kg</a>, much more than the brain of any other land animal.




  • Elephants, humans, and Neanderthals are the only animals known to have <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/03/05/top-10-facts-about-elephants/" target="_blank">death rituals</a>. If an elephant becomes sick, herd members will bring it food and help support it as it stands.




  • Elephants <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">use their trunks as snorkels</a> when they wade in deep water.




  • An adult African elephant’s <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">trunk is about seven feet long. </a>




  • When an elephant drinks, it sucks as much as <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">2 gallons of water into its trunk</a> at a time.




  • <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">Elephants are social creatures</a>. They sometimes hug by wrapping their trunks together in displays of greeting and affection.




  • <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/03/05/top-10-facts-about-elephants/" target="_blank">Female elephants live in a herd</a> of about 10 individuals lead by the most experienced matriarch, whereas the males are normally solitary and move from herd to herd.




  • Of all animals, <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">elephants have the longest pregnancy</a> -- it lasts 22 months.




  • Infants have few survival instincts and are instead taught by their mothers and the more experienced members of their herds. <a href="http://listverse.com/2012/03/05/top-10-facts-about-elephants/" target="_blank">The mother will selectively appoint several babysitters</a> to care for the baby so that she has time to eat enough to produce sufficient milk for it.




  • Elephant <a href="http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/african-elephant/" target="_blank">tusks are ivory teeth</a> that grow throughout the animals' lives -- unfortunately they are hunted for their tusks.





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