The coronavirus pandemic has caused many of us to upend nearly every aspect of our daily routines.

For some, the confusion and fear could lead to an increase in stress or anxiety. Experts have consistently recommended meditation as a way to cope with stress. It's a practice I've never dedicated time to before these past couple of weeks.

My sleep quality has become dismal since I started working remotely. It's harder to get in and out of work mode. So, I decided to try some meditation apps to see how much they help.

Here's a few I've tested and what I like about them.

Headspace is my favorite meditation app. it's also likely the most recognized meditation app offered today, for good reason. It offers simple, guided meditations and workouts for everyday use, no matter the time of day or mood you're in.

Headspace is free with a few meditations, but access to its full library will cost you $69.99 per year, with a free two-week trial, or $12.99 per month, with a one-week trial. Healthcare professionals working in public health settings in the United States get free access to Headspace Plus through 2020.Coming in at $70 per year, it's pricey and not accessible for everyone.

What's good?

The thing that first struck me was the app's simplicity. The screen doesn't feel cluttered with content. I like the variety of the sessions, which makes it easy to pick a practice that fits the time of day and my mood. I also like that the app has "SOS" meditations, so if I'm feeling overwhelmed or panicking I can do a three minute session and reset.

I wouldn't enjoy the app as much without its full features, so it's an all-or-nothing platform for me. I started its restlessness course, did a guided 9-minute walk, a couple of SOS meditations and used the goodnight wind down (and slept well!)

All of that bundled together is worth the price to me, since it's all good content and I seem to be sleeping better. I also think that, as I continue learning from the courses and getting better sleep, I'll have to do fewer of the SOS meditations.

What's bad?

The meditations are silent when the instructor isn't talking, so there were several times I thought my app shut off and I had to snap out of meditation and check. There needs to be a way to add background noise to the app, and if there is then it's not easily accessible.

Download on iOS or Android

Calm app screens on an iPhone

Source: Calm

Calm is another popular app. The company says it will help you sleep better, stress less and live better through its guided meditations, soothing music and sleep settings.

It's free, but the company charges for access to the bulk of its content. Calm Premium has a seven-day trial period and then costs $69.99 per year. You can also pay $399.99 upfront to have service for life.

What's good?

I like Calm because of its daily check-ins, which allow me to track my mood over time. The voices are soothing and the instructions are clear, so it is a simple experience once you find what you need.

The biggest draw to Calm is its bedtime stories, which knocked me out, and its celebrity partnerships. As far as I know, it's the only app you can choose to have Bob Ross or Matthew McConaughey lull you to sleep.Calm also has a free resources page on its website, with calming music, meditation and mindfulness resources to help get you through the pandemic.

What's bad?

It's a bit hard to navigate through the meditations, so I spent more time than I wanted to finding a practice based on my emotion and what was needed at the time. I was also a little annoyed by how loud the default background noises play on the home screen.

I found Headspace easier to use for daily, basic meditations and courses than the other apps listed here. If you're looking for sleep stories and music, Calm is a great app.

Download on iOS or Android

Simple Habit app

Simple Habit

If Headspace and Calm had a baby app that grew up in Silicon Valley, it would be Simple Habit. It's a 5-minute meditation app for people who want to meditate but are also extremely busy.

It also offers longer sessions, if you want to expand your classes. I would try the free version of this one out to see if you prefer it over Headspace, but I found it best for people who just want a quick meditation each day.

Simple Habit offers many sessions for free, though you'll have to upgrade if you want to download sessions and access all of its meditations. Premium accesscosts $89.99 per year, $11.99 per month or $299.99 for lifetime access. The company said it will provide free premium content to "all people who are financially impacted by this difficult time and can no longer afford to pay," but you'll need to email them first.

What's good?

Similar to Headspace, Simple Habit has SOS meditations, which I liked when I was panicking and needed to calm down. I'm a huge fan of the option to turn on and off background noises, so I know the session is still going even if the instructor is silent.

I think the selling point is that it has meditations for several specific activities like preparing for a date or a difficult conversation. I tried these and I felt more present and prepared waiting for an important call.

What's bad?

Because of the quick nature of the app, some of the meditations feel rushed. If you upgrade, it's also very pricey for what you get. If you have specific activities you want to meditate during (doing the dishes, getting ready for a date), it's good for that. But, I found the other apps more valuable.

Download on iOS or Android

Insight Timer app homepage

Insight Timer has a slew of free meditations, talks and its own meditation timer, which lets you customize your experience.

It comes with a free 30-day trial and thencosts$60 per year for its premium content.But you should be fine without the upgrade, unless you want to download content or access courses.

What's good?

At first I thought the large amount of content was going to be a mess, but It's surprisingly easy to sift through Insight Timer's 40,000 meditations, since you can search by things like benefit (sleep, stress, health, etc.), time, narrator and popularity under the "Guided" tab at the very top.

Those filters are necessary to fill in, but simple and easy to do so, which is good. I also like that each class has an outline for what will be covered, so you can see if it's something that would benefit you.

You also can't beat the fact that it's free, so it's an app I may return to in the future or would recommend anyone who isn't able to pay for content.Overall, it's a great, economic-friendly app if you want to get into meditation.

What's bad?

You'll need to find which instructors and types of meditations you like, since its content is not as tailored as other apps. That'll take some trial and error.

Download on iOS or Android

Aura is an app designed to manage emotions and improve sleep through meditations, coaching, stories and more.

What's good?

Aura immediately asks you to set your sound preferences that play while the app is open, so you're not bugged by whatever the default is. Aura has a couple of options for picking content, and the standout feature is one that it gives you a meditation based on how you're feeling. That's great if you really can't be bothered by choosing a meditation but know what specific mood you're in.

Aura has a free 7-day trial then costs $59.99 per year. Aura is giving away 3 months of premium access due to the coronavirus, though it asks people to pay for the content if they're financially able to.

What's bad?

Aura reminds me more of a radio with channels rather than an app with specific programs.

Once you find an instructor you like, you could probably stick with them, but there's no clear set of courses like with the other apps. It's also hard to jump in and out of meditations as you search for one and read the descriptions.I could see it being a good self-help/motivation app, rather than one to ease my anxiety over time. If you're willing to give up that control over your meditation, it's a fine app but my least favorite of these reviewed since it's hard to sift through content.

Download on iOS or Android

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I tested a bunch of meditation apps, heres the one that helped me stay calm and focused - CNBC

Women of self-help groups of Assam are exploring the true concept of self-help.

From finding markets for perishable vegetables to making gamosas masks and contributing to Assam Arogya Nidhi, these women have managed to earn praise from the chief minister.

The women were able to find a market for vegetables with the Assam State Rural Livelihood Mission (ASRLM). Most of the rural women (SHG members) grow a lot of vegetables and fruits besides paddy cultivation. They also have poultry, piggery and dairy farms. In view of the lockdown, the farm produce of these women came handy.

Under the initiative of ARSLM, a link was established with the district administrations and supply agencies so that the agricultural produce of the SHGs finds a selling outlet. The district administrations readily welcomed the initiative and directed the departments and supply counters to procure the items and also give the SHGs their profit, ASRLM state project manager (livelihoods and marketing) Dhrubajyoti Gogoi said.

As many as 2,500 to 2,700 SHG members have sold perishable commodities worth more than Rs 2.5 crore during the lockdown.

Various SHGs came up with mask-making initiatives as masks available in market in pharmacies were limited and not within the financial reach of many. The SHG members made gamosas in abundance which they traditionally do so during Bohag Bihu. This year the gamosas failed to find the desired market but that did not deter the women to be creative. They made trendy masks out of them. People across Assam are seen donning gamosas masks. The masks made by the SHGs are now branded as Asomi.

Till date more than 4,43,245 masks been made by 2,269 SHG members across the state and 49,069 have been distributed for free and 2,88,292 were sold to different organisations. Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal lauded the initiative of the SHGs and ASRLM.

ASRLM officials said SHG members and village organisations donated to Assam Arogya Nidhi Fund, Chief Ministers Relief Fund and PM Cares Fund.

With contribution ranging from Rs 2,000-20,000, more than Rs 12 lakh has been donated by 450 community-based organisations under ASRLM.

See the original post:
Self-help groups live upto their name in Assam - Telegraph India

At the University of Wisconsin-Superior, Mickey Fitch-Collins, the interim executive director of student success, has overseen that transition for seven of the university's departments, three of which are federal government TRIO programs that serve students who have been disadvantaged, including low-income students.

"When this is all said and done ... I don't want to say we didn't try everything," Fitch-Collins said. "And I know I'm not the only that feels that way. I want to try whatever it is whenever it is to be as helpful as I can."

At UWS, where about half of the student body consists of first-generation college students, Fitch-Collins said she hears from students who have moved home, often to rural Wisconsin or Minnesota, where they are competing for resources in households of up to three or four generations of family members. On top of that, internet connections aren't always reliable and responsibilities can build for some students helping care for family members and younger siblings who are not in school.

While Fitch-Collins recognized there are some problems a university simply can't do anything about, they are trying to get as creative as possible in helping where they can. At many schools, including UWS, that includes setting up an emergency fund to funnel to students who need it most.

To keep tabs on how students are doing in their new distance-learning situations, UWS began using additional alert features offered through a student success-focused software program all UW campuses already used.

The early intervention program allows campus employees to put an alert on students for a variety of reasons, including low grades and poor attendance. Since the pandemic, UWS has since added internet and technology access issues as an alert. Faculty can also put an alert on students who aren't logging into their classes within the campuses online learning-management system.

"That (way) we could get back in touch with a student and say, 'Hey, you're not participating in your class. What's going on there?'" Fitch-Collins said.

Executive director of student services at UWS Mickey Fitch-Collins on a Zoom call Thursday. (Tyler Schank / tschank@duluthnews.com)

UWS might see between 40 and 75 alerts come in a week. The early intervention alert approach, Fitch-Collins said, is one way to break down barriers for students while connecting them to campus resources and has shown to improve students' academic persistence.

Since the university has always had a large population of online students, Fitch-Collins said they're fairly used to offering student services remotely.

Prior to the pandemic, tutors could work with students remotely with the help of a tablet that allowed the tutor to write out things like math and science equations while the student watches. With more students unable to meet with their tutors, UWS has purchased a tablet for every student tutor to use.

"This whole situation is giving us insight into what it means to be an online student," Fitch-Collins said.

Social Distancing signs hang in the Yellowjacket Union on the UW-Superior campus as Annette Tracy waits for students to pick up breakfast Wednesday morning, April 22. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

Currently, UWS has 10 undergraduate majors fully online, which include design-your-own majors and minors. Nine graduate degrees are also fully online.

Elijah Currie, a first-year criminal justice student who moved out of his dorm room and back home to Hinckley, Minn., is part of the university's Bridge program for first-year students who would benefit from additional academic support.

"There's more contact, more checking up since it's not in person," Currie said of how the program has evolved with distance learning. "There are more emails from people helping out with Bridge. They are more on you, but you kind of have to be more on yourself and on top of things."

For Currie, finishing up the semester from home has meant home-cooked meals and fewer distractions.

"Obviously it's not ideal, being face-to-face is kind of like one of the main reasons you go to college on campus," Currie said. "But at this point you kind of got to work with what you have."

Sarah Tapper is a third-year student studying visual arts with an art therapy concentration. She flew back home to Oklahoma for spring break, at which point she did not yet know she wouldn't return to campus. UWS has allowed her to keep her belongings in her dorm room until she can return.

Now she's figuring out how to make due in her classes without her usual art supplies.

"My professors are really understanding about it and we've just kind of worked it out where I can use whatever paints I have at home," Tapper said. "Luckily I had some."

Tapper is one of five siblings in the household. Four of them are current college students, all studying a range of disciplines. Being able to do her schoolwork alongside siblings is one of the silver linings to Tapper's distance-learning experience.

"It's kind of interesting to be able to see each other work because we never get that opportunity," Tapper said, referencing, for example, hearing her brother play the French horn. "We kind of help each other out with more creative projects. ... I really enjoy it."

University of Wisconsin-Superior student Sarah Tapper, who studies visual art with a concentration in art therapy seen during a recent Zoom call. (Clint Austin / caustin@duluthnews.com)

Like many higher-education institutions, UWS is getting creative with how it's continuing to offer tours to prospective students.

Physical distancing announcements started affecting campuses during what would normally be the university's busiest time for tours, said Executive Director of Admissions Jeremy Nere, who oversees a variety of operations including undergraduate admissions, recruitment and financial aid.

"So we ended up having to cancel a lot of those, our spring preview event. So that's been challenging," Nere said. "To combat that we've been working with our marketing department to develop as much of a virtual tour experience as we can."

Tailored Zoom and phone calls with prospective students as well as videos from students, faculty and staff have replaced the on-campus tour experience.

One of the first things the university's counseling services department did was begin conducting phone consultations with all existing clients, said Randy Barker, interim director of counseling services.

"Because many of them were moving home we wanted to make sure they were settled, they were safe," Barker said. "And the biggest role for us was making sure we were connecting them as much as we could with community resources and referrals."

UW-Superior senior Emma Duchrow, from Milwaukee, works at the information desk in the Yellowjacket Union Wednesday morning, April 22. The student is finishing up her internship before graduating in May. (Jed Carlson / jcarlson@superiortelegram.com)

Counseling services is also working toward offering telecounseling services soon, something Barker said he foresees UWS continuing to offer even after pandemic-related restrictions have lifted.

"We wanted to make sure that this wasn't something that we were just going to react to without really making sure that we went through the proper steps," Barker said.

In addition to counseling services, Barker also oversees the Pruitt Center for Mindfulness and Well-being meant to promote the science and practice of mindfulness.

Through the Pruitt Center students, faculty and staff as well as community members. On a daily basis, people can Zoom in at 3:30 for a mindfulness session where people can practice proactive self care approaches that Barker said are more important than ever.

Students, faculty and staff can also to partake in yoga sessions via Zoom offered through the Pruitt Center.

"It's been challenging, yet valuable," Barker said of all the transitions. "We've learned a lot of different ways of doing this work. It may not always be ideal, but the reality is we've had to adjust."

Go here to read the rest:
How UW-Superior is tailoring its student services during the pandemic - Superior Telegram

Great reads and great ideas for the pandemic.

In the midst of the pandemic, you may have more time to reador perhaps you just need a change in what youre consuming. Shifting from constant COVID-19 news to focus on interesting issues is good for your brain and your emotional health. Its also great timing, in honor of World Book Day last Thursday.

Here are seven things to think about and the 25 booksboth classic and newthat will expand your perspectives about work and life given the uncertain, unusual and unexpected times were living through together:

Community and Connections

A significant part of what were learning through the pandemic is the importance of connections, relationships and being in community with others. None of us is as strong as all of us, and these books reinforce that were wired to connect and that relationships mean the most when were in challenging or difficult situations.

Health, Longevity and Our Healthcare System

Through the pandemic, we are reminded of the importance of our health, but also about the systems that support healthcare. These books provide a lens into health and healthcare, but also into mortality, purpose and the process of aging.

How We Learn and Who Influences Us

This is a time when messengers are as important as the message. These books explain what and who command our attention. They point out the elements of a message that make it memorable and compelling. While these are great books if youre the messenger, they are also useful if youre consuming information. Youll be more informed about what persuades youeven if youre not always consciously aware of it.

How We Think

In addition to how were influenced (see the previous category), its also useful to be aware of how we think and process ideas. For example, being wrong is terrific for learning and significantly under-appreciated in terms of how we form new ideas and increase competence. Its also fascinating to consider how our thought processes have changed based on technology and how we can be our best by accessing mental flow.

Self-Care

How we care for ourselves is especially interesting now. Addressing our basic needs in order to be strong for others is like the idea that we should put our own airplane oxygen mask on before assisting others (remember when we used to travel on airplanes pre-pandemic?). Information about healthy eating and exercise are ubiquitous. These books also address the importance of sleep, creating joy in our surroundings, learning broadly and appreciating our petsall important topics for surviving today and thriving tomorrow.

Escaping into Other Worlds

In addition to learning and developing your thinking, sometimes you just need a virtual change of venue through some great fiction. From light-hearted and meaningful stories by Gail Honeyman, Fredrik Backman or Don Tillman to books filled with unexpected story lines by Claire North and Bernard Beckett or suspense and surprising twists from Alex Michaelides, youll be well-entertained with these works of fiction during the pandemic.

Keeping Perspective

Finally, you may just need to shift your perspective. If you can handle the language, the title below is a terrific read that goes beyond typical self-help platitudes and encourages empowerment and ownership of where youre going and what you can achieve.

Ultimately, a good read is always a good thingto inspire new thinking, access fresh ideas and provoke diverse ideasfor work and for life. Check out these booksboth classic and newand enjoy a change in the constant influx of COVID-related information and, better yet, some brilliant new perspectives.

Continued here:
How To Survive The Quarantine: 25 Brilliant Books To Give You Information, Insight And Inspiration - Forbes

This content was created in partnership with Criswell & Criswell Plastic Surgery.

Though there are bigger issues right now than missing out on your weekly manicure, that doesnt mean those acts of self-care arent important. Haircuts, facials, massages, and manicures dont just make us look good, they help us feel good.

We chatted with some local self-care experts for some advice on at-home solutions to keep up appearances. After all, no one wants a disastrous DIY bangs situation.

Criswell & Criswell are experts in all things skincare, so they understand that its important to maintain your routine in the absence of office visits.

You dont want to fall behind in your skincare just because youre not leaving the house, Stefaniesays. Amping up your skincare at home during this time is going to help us at least stay on track.

Exfoliation helps remove dead skin in order to unclog pores, help other products penetrate deeper, boost circulation and lymphatic drainage, and more. This step can be done in the morning or evening and should be repeated a few times a week. For a gentle product that still packs a punch, try Neocutis Neo Cleanse Exfoliating Skin Cleanser.

Hydration,which is a separate step from moisturizing, is key because the right product will actually encourage your skin to produce its own hydration. Be sure to use a hydrator that contains copper peptides, which acts as an antioxidant for your skin. Stefanie suggests Obagis new Elastiderm Facial Serum.

SPF is still crucial even if youre just taking your dog out for a walk. Stefanie recommends Revision Intellishade, an SPF moisturizer tinted with natural minerals that melt into your skin to create an even tone. Plus, it has skin-firming peptides.

If you have some extra time on your hands, you can take your routine a step further with a face mask. Stefanie suggests using your skin type as a guide for frequency but said hydrating masks can generally be used more frequently than exfoliating ones. Some treatments, though, are better left to the professionals.

Pro tip: Criswell & Criswell is offering virtual consultations if youd like to learn more about these products, or any treatments they offer. Plus, they can even ship products to your house after the consultation.

If youre missing out on your regular coloring appointments, Kenna warns not to reach for the drugstore box color. Once a metallic dye is in your hair, it can be really hard to get out.

Photo via Kenna Kunijo

It could also cost up to $800 to fix an at-home coloring gone wrong. Instead, Kenna Kunijo is offering curbside pickup for root touchup and toning kits so you can maintain your look from home, safely.

After sending the stylists some pictures of your hair, theyll formulate a solution for you and you can do a contactless pickup of everything you need, including access to video tutorials to guide you through every step.

If the thought of skipping your monthly trim is making you look at your kitchen scissors differently, listen up:

Now is a great time to experiment with different updos. Kenna Kunijo plans to release YouTube tutorials to help you play with your grown-out style, plus they already have one up about training your hair (now is the perfect time to do it). You can also use a moisturizing treatment to seal your ends while you wait for your next trim.

Since you cant go in for your regular cleanings and whitenings, its extra important to take care of your teeth. Your best bet is to get a great electric toothbrush the pros at Pearl. recommend the Sonicare brand.

Pearl. Dentistry Reimagined. Photo by Laura Sumrak.

As for your routine, brushing both morning and night is important. This will also help you get your day started if youre no longer heading to work. Dr. Jenny says flossing before bed is a must because our salivary flow slows as we sleep, which allows bacteria to attack more so than during the day.

Shes also a big believer in using a tongue cleaner/scraper in the morning and at night to clean your tongue. There is a lot of bacteria present on our tongues that cause a bad odor.

And one last thing: wear your nightguard. A lot of people own a nightguard because they clench or grind their teeth at night. Research shows that the amount of clenching/grinding increases as daily stress and anxiety increase so needless to say, this is the time when everyone needs to use their guards!

At this point, most of us have probably found a way to either peel or soak off our gel polish or dip nails. If youre like me, youve been slowly chipping away at them ever since you heard the salons were closing.

She recommends two options for your new at-home nail routine:

Photo via The Daily Details

To fix this, Kiri recommends rubbing in some coconut oil, olive oil, or even hair oil on your nails and cuticles before you go to bed.

Working from home probably means youre sitting way more than usual, which can take a toll on your body especially since you cant get a massage to work out all of the kinks.

Self-massage is a simple, inexpensive way to take some time for yourself. All you need is lotion or oil and your own hands! A hair tie for anyone with long hair, relaxing music, essential oils and a really comfortable place to sit would all take this act of self-care to the next level, says Victoria.

Photo via Victoria Galvin

Heres a simple self-massage routine you can follow:

If youve never meditated before, now is a great time to start. A meditation practice can help you find peace with stressful situations and it forces you to take a moment of stillness for yourself.

Photo via Body Talk with Bee

Heres a simple, at-home meditation Brittany recommends:

If youre looking for ways to support local experts like the ones featured in this story, consider pre-booking (and paying) for your next haircut, facial, massage, or whatever it is you cant wait to get back to.

This content was created in partnership with Criswell & Criswell Plastic Surgery.

View original post here:
Charlotte experts offer advice on ways to maintain your self-care routine at home this month - charlotteagenda.com

I forgot to tell you the basics of Zazen, said the monk as we walked into the ritual room of a small Zen Buddhist temple in Tokyo, sit in lotus on the cushion, spine straight, eyes open, gazing down and ahead of you. Keep my eyes open? I asked curiously. Id never done that before except for moving meditations. Yes, replied the monk. You will face the wall. Keep your eyes relaxed but open.

After that, I sat all day practicing the Zazen technique used in Zen Buddhism for the first time. And I struggled. I wanted to go back to my familiar practice of eyed closed that I had done for thousands of hours.

. . .

Sharing my story with a friend frustrated with the lack of progress in her own meditation practice, I hoped to explain how we all face challenges. But she connected with something else I had said,

Wait, She jumped in, you can meditate with your eyes open? I should try that. Whenever I close my eyes, the darkness overwhelms me and I get kind of weirded out.

Many people tell me they fall asleep when they try to meditate. If that happens, you should probably just sleep because your body needs rest. But I hadnt considered some may fight with keeping their eyes closed.

If you want to meditate but you simply dont want to meditate with your eyes closed no problem.

Open eyes may seem in conflict with the normal practice of meditation, but actually, they are more common.

Most Buddhist traditions in Tibet and Japan never close their eyes. They teach to half-close your eye, relax and look downward. But new meditators often get confused, so teachers say to close your eyes because straining to keep them open or frequently blinking distracts you.

We live life with our eyes open. Practicing meditation with eyes open teaches you to find peace when in the same conditions as life. Learn how to find peace from the thousands of thoughts your mind processes without having to block out all visual inputs.

We want the presence of open-eyed meditation without being carried away by mind-wandering or distractions. So remember to bring your mind back when it wanders. And try to narrow your field of vision to something plain and simple.

Dont hold yourself back from trying open-eye meditation because you think it inferior. That is not true. Both have a place in your meditation practice and journey. Do what works and feels good for you.

. . .

Every moment during your day presents an opportunity to practice open eye meditation, and you can do it for as short as 1 second. So try out some different techniques and dont let closed eyes hold you back from experiencing peace of mind.

This post was previously published on Change Becomes You and is republished here with permission from the author.

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Japanese culture from Tokyo. Spiritual growth from experimenting. Future musings from tech startup. Learning peoples stories around the world.

The rest is here:
Here's How to Meditate With Your Eyes Open - The Good Men Project

Relephant read:Elephants Continually-updating Coronavirus Diary. ~ Waylon

Like many people throughout the course of this week, I have received far too many messages regarding COVID-19 from Amazon, Toyota, Best Buy, and practically everyone I have ever purchased anything from in the previous decade.

Every printer, car lease, and non-fiction book comes with a free message of hope and responsibility should a global pandemic emerge unexpectedly. I wasnt moved.

However, when Eckhart Tolle burst onto the YouTube feed offering some much needed words of comfortthen, I was game. I needed to hear what he had to say.

Id like to share with you a short passage from the Bibleit doesnt happen very often that I read from the Bible as part of a teaching he began in his humble and quiet demeanor.

Then he continues:

everyone who listens to these words of Mine and does them will be like a man building a house who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And the rain came down, and the torrents came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it did not fall, for its foundation had been lain upon the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

This, a much quoted parable from Matthew 7:25, as Tolle goes on to explain, is where we can find all the comfort we need if we are willing to pay heed. We are the man and we are the house and the weather elements are the adversity. We are now in a period of great anxiety and fear and if we do not keep it in the momentif we allow ourselves to go floating off into the projected fiction of what could happenwe will be lost.

It is the message that Tolle has been espousing since he came to prominence as a teacher many years ago, but with a sage like Tolle, we do not expect, nor do we need anything novel. As with all great teachers, the gift lies in the practice of a simple and counterintuitive approach to life and, most especially, to less than desirable circumstances. Breathe.

In essence he is trying to remind us that our apprehension will kill us as fast as a virus if we allow it to. If we continue to approach this unprecedented situation armed with only our thoughts and our sense perception, we will be building our house on sand.

It clocks in at about 23 minutes and, as far as I am concerned, has been one of the most useful pieces of information that I have gotten off my computer since this all began unraveling in the last few weeks:

~

For more, check out some of Elephants most mindful, helpful COVID-19 articles: How to Enjoy Life Amidst the Coronavirus Fear: Your Go-To Guide from Books to Podcasts & Wellness Practices. What the Coronavirus is Teaching Me: 5 Lessons from Uncertain Times. The Artists Stay-at-Home & Stay Sane Guide. 10 Simple Ways to Boost your Immunity without Leaving the House.

author: Billy Manas

Image: Eckhart Tolle / YouTube

Editor: Julie Balsiger

Link:
Eckhart Tolle & COVID-19: Some much needed Words of ...

When Aditi Surana was 14 years old, a handwriting coach pointed out that she had spent the better part of an hour carefully drawing a string of zeroes on the page. Instead of feeling apologetic or embarrassed, Surana looked at the writing carefully and found that there was definitely a pattern there. And patterns usually say something or can be decanted for meaning.

Graphology seems a rather odd gateway to a podcast, but what Aditi Surana has done is combine her longstanding passion for handwriting analysis with her skills as a high-performance coach to create the context for conversation.

In each episode of IVMs new podcast series, Absolutely Write, Surana engages with a guest to unpack their personal journey while she peers into their handwriting for clues to their personality. The conversations are open-ended and somewhat winding, peppered with friendly banter and some serious reflective pauses.

Complicated conversations actually offer insights to the passive listener, says Surana, explaining what she hopes to achieve with her podcast. Just listening to someone talk about their journey in a non-judgmental space can create clarity.

Surprises, anyone?

Guests on the show so far have been IVM insiders, hosts of other podcasts, and hence there is a level of comfort and familiarity that comes through. This is also the limitation, precluding any real surprises for either the host or by extension the listener.

Surana is quick to note that this is by design, as the team wanted to include guests who were comfortable with the medium. To her credit, Surana is able to bring in a measure of the unexpected when she unravels the dots and crosses in the writing samples from her guests.

Trait and reason

Speaking with her first guest Anupam Gupta, host of the business podcast Paisa Vaisa, she points to his habits of close observation and attention to process as a basis for decision making, expressed in parenting styles as much as in advising on stock market moves.

Rather than becoming caught up with the handwriting itself, Surana then pulls back to ask Gupta on how he applies this trait to his work as a financial analyst. This is where, potentially, the learning for the listener takes place. Clearly, having a seasoned podcaster as a guest helps smooth awkward pauses, though tell-tale nervous laughter does punctuate some of the early shows.

Podcast episodes toggle between interviews with these selected guests and shorter pieces launched every Friday where Surana focuses on a topic that is essential to your personal growth. These deal with such themes as our relationship with money, building and breaking habits, and finding flow (recalling Eckhart Tolle), speaking, clearly, to an audience that enjoys self-help as a genre.

Achievers in conversation

If you are among those who enjoy listening to how someone found their groove, Id like to recommend another show that recently came to my attention. Former NPR journalist and U.S.-based leadership coach Chitra Ragavans When it Mattered engages achievers in conversation around their professional journeysand the personal moments that propelled them to success or brought them back from the brink of failure.

Started in July 2019, the podcast has had guests including former FBI Director James Comey and physician-astronaut Shawna Pandya.

Ragavans long experience with radio and her training as a journalist comes through in her audio style, the research that informs the interviews, and the expert way in which she guides the conversation to yielding those decisive moments.

The Hyderabad-based writer and academic is a neatnik fighting a losing battle with the clutter in her head.

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The writings on the page - The Hindu

Tracee Ellis Ross New Royalty: Television

Ross wears an Alexander McQueen dress; Gianvito Rossi shoes.

Photographs by Mario Sorrenti, Styled by George Cortina; Hair by Recine for Rodin; Makeup by Kanako Takase for Shiseido at Streeters; Manicures by Lisa Jachno for Chanel at Aim Artists.

Earlier this month, Tracee Ellis Ross shared a video on Instagramnot a groundbreaking action necessarily, especially since many of our favorite celebrities have upped their social media usage in quarantine. But her message broke the so-called fourth wall. In her typical slapstick way, she let the leaf of her house plant flop around near her face. Using a faux-husky voice, she said, "I want to share something that's been helpfulit's not what you expect." Then, on a dime, she shifted, her voice normal again: "How are you guys doing, seriously? How are your hearts? I know my heart feels really heavy." For me, this clip epitomized the singular way Ross has balanced humorsomething we need desperately right nowand genuine outreach to her audience during the coronavirus pandemic, and made it into something of a salve for uneasiness. She is equal parts comedienne and activist.

When she got on the phone from her home in Los Angeleswhere she's currently working on five film and TV projects, along with her hair-care brand Patternour conversation went the same way. She'd dive into a goofy joke, and the next minute, deliver a credo on patience, humanity, and life itself that sounded straight from the pages of an Eckhart Tolle book. Her careful consideration and real interest in people calmed me down a bitsomething I haven't felt in a while. Needless to say, she took on a persona her followers bestowed upon her, and went full Aunt Tracee.

In this interview, Ross discusses her approach to social media during a crisis, the importance of her group text (it's called "Keanu Forever"), and why listening to David Sedaris audio books helps her sleep at night.

Where are you right now?

Im in L.A., at home, like most of us. I havent been out of the house since March 12, I dont think. Last week was a doozy. It was like, okay, wait a minute, is this still happening? This is still going on now? I feel like its the least amount of sacrifice considering what so many others are showing up to do to keep us all afloat. Being uncomfortable is a privilege when theres so much real pain and loss going on.

I just keep reminding myself that staying home is for a higher good. If I think of it as me being of service to people that are faced in a more immediate and direct way with danger, it relieves the pressure of feeling bad that youre feeling bad. My friend Kerby Jean Raymond reminded me of that when we were catching up on the phone last night. He always thinks about more than himself, it seems. Its really easy to forget the helpful things, and thats why I like to swim in a currency of good stuff, and good reminders. He was so helpful in reminding me of that: Youre being of service, and you can take the self out of it.

I also think theres a lot to be said for allowing yourself compassiontheres some space to give yourself on the feelings. This is a collective experience that none of us have ever been in before. Our physical well-being and our health is the overarching theme right now. But at the same time, theres also a mental well-being that all of us are navigating that is part of the whole experience. That is no joke.

How have you been keeping up with friends and family?

Ive done a lot more luxuriating on the phone and FaceTiming. Its been supportive to the experience. My core group of girlfriends are all in New York, and I dont see them all the time. Ive cooked dinner with them and talked to them more often than normal. Its been really helpful. Ive had dinner with Romy [Soleimani] and cooked dinner with my friend Monica, and we have a really fabulous text thread. I would have to ask them if its appropriate to tell you the name of our thread because its so good. You know what, Im gonna breach our privacy. Theyre probably gonna get so mad! Our thread is called Keanu Forever. It happened ages ago, because I rode in an elevator with Keanu during last years Met Ball. It was literally just Keanu and me in an elevator. It was such a short elevator ride. I thought so much was gonna happen. Like a proposal.

At the very least.

And so I went on our thread afterward, and was telling the story. I dont know which of us changed the thread to Keanu Forever. It just stuck and its hilarious. I have another thread called Cabo Bitches.

Those have been the most helpful: the friendships that Ive had continue to bolster me, and that love and connection has been so fulfilling. The group calls with my family make me cry. I have a very close relationship with my family and I dont just mean my mom and her kidswe do those regularly, and with all the grandkidsbut also with my aunts and cousins and uncles, and my mom and all of her siblings, and all of the cousins I grew up with. It is so special. I not only love my family, I really like them.

And theyre incredibly smart, one of my first cousins is a doctor, and she is in Detroit. Her specialty is OBGYN, but like most doctors with specialties right now, theyre leaning into just COVID 19. My cousin Stephen's wife, Gina, is also a doctor with a specialty in OBGYN and something that I cant pronounce, shes in Atlanta, in a hospital there. My cousin Alaina is a civil rights attorney. And the three of them are actually the ones I did a post on, my two cousins that are doctors and my aunt whos a doctor as well. They all helped me put together the post that I wrote about how this is disproportionately affecting the African American community in terms of mortality rate.

What has been top of mind these days?

That pain is not something that you compare. For some people, boredom and discomfort does fall into other categories, where it really is more than boredom and its more than discomfort. Its a real mental anguish. So I have deep compassion for all this, because I feel like theres such collective trauma were all making sense of with no roadmap. None of us have experienced anything like this before. Its hard to wrap your mind around and your heart around. Its like a sci-fi movie. And it doesnt seem like anyone has any answers. That in and of itself is difficult. The unknown is always difficult, but we have the illusion of some sort of plan. And now, theres not even an illusion of a plan. Were just figuring it out as we go. Its just like, Okay, my god! Whos the parent here?!

With that in mind, how do you go about figuring out what you want to share on social media?

Ill be honest, I have not been on social media as much as I am when Im working. When Im working, social media is such an easy place to kind of scroll through, because of the pace we work at. And I can never really dive into a book or e-mails, or other work because Ive got lines swirling around in my head. Ive been going on to look at my DMs, to post, and I kind of swipe around a little bit, but I havent been intensely connected through social media.

When I do post, I try really hard to research my information and to go to people that are experts and actually know what theyre talking about, to give that information credibility and share accurate information. Share joyful information, share a loving, connected, honest, accurate information. Because I find that theres a lot thatit could be true, but we dont really know, because it hasnt been researched.

Its interesting to me that youre saying youre staying off of social media, because it feels like youre giving people an inside look at your lifewhich youve always done, but in a way, it seems really personal right now.

Its funny, because its hard for me: Ive picked particular places in my home that Im comfortable sharing. Its not that Im a private person, I just have a real sense of what sacred means. And I honor those things with great care. Those things that are sacred to me are not for public consumptionhowever, I have grown to be somebody who enjoys sharing how I hold myself emotionally. And now, some of those things have been really fun to share. I really loved sharing the socks on my hand. People were writing me: You know, you can buy gloves for that. Im like, I know! But I got socks! So why I gotta buy the gloves? I get it, I know I can. But, like, I got the socks. So were good, right? These seem to work just fine. Theyre like a mitten, with no thumbs!

I dont know if you know how many articles were spawned from that Instagram post. There are three pages worth of Google results.

Are you serious?

Yes, people are like, Check out this life hack that Tracee Ellis Ross does for her hands!

People were like, I dont know if you know whats in Bag Balm. I was like, no, I dont know whats in Bag Balm! Am I in trouble? Whats happening? You can use whatever you want, its the socks! Thats the key, the socks, people!

Do you know how much people use your likeness in photos and videos as memes? Like that video of you with the Ulta bag is so widely used as a reaction meme.

That kills me. That shit is hilarious. And I get it, because I do think that to a certain extent, I move like a cartoon character, and I feel things in very big ways and Im an animated, gesture-filled human being. My personality is probably perfect for memes.

One thing I really love about your approach to social media is that youre able to have this, at times, comedic approach while youre talking to your followers, but also maintaining a sensitive message. Im wondering how youre able to balance that.

Someone asked me the other day: Do you think theres a place for comedy in this? I dont even know if comedys the right word. Theres always a place for laughter. Theres always a space for joy. I think that is a revolutionary act, in all honesty. Its a choice thats about perspective and how you look at things. I think I am truly being very mindfulI really am just very aware of all of the different responses and experiences that people are having. I think social medias old use does not match where were at. The crassness of some of the humor at other peoples expense, all of those kinds of things, the glimpse into extravagance and all that, just doesnt match where were at. We do have to be extremely mindful of everybodys vulnerabilities and sensitivities right now, and the fact that everybodys nervous systems are a little bit shot.

I dont know about you, but most everyone I know has gotten a nice big, basket or tunnel of fear just sitting there, waiting, and it takes everything in my power to keep turning my attention somewhere else and to a different narrative. One thats like, What can my hands actually do? What do I actually have control over in my world and in my mind? What am I going to eat today? Who can I call to check in on someone else, particularly when I need to be checked in on and nobody seems to be checking in on me in that moment? How can I take that feeling and turn it around toward somebody else and find a connection there?

Today, it seems the biggest joys I get are deciding what Im gonna make to eat, how Im gonna prepare it for myself, so that when I sit down to eat it, it actually looks beautiful. I have found that my mindful practice of being present with what Im doing when Im doing it, knowing where my hands and my feet are, has been extremely helpful. Allowing myself to let my heart feel the heartbreak and anguish that so many are feeling and not try and push those feelings away but give them space, but not let them be the full story, because that will make anyone go down a rabbit hole. I know weve done a lot of thanking of the first responders and all of those that are doing essential jobs that are keeping us all afloat. But i also feel a real call to continue to remember that although this virus is invisible for the majority of us, for the first responders and the healthcare workers, it is not invisible.

We need people. And I think part of what all of us have been navigating in our own private ways is how do you find comfort for yourself? Where do you go when you are frightened? Without a hug, without the distraction of making a plan to go to dinner, without the ability to hear an impulse inside you and know all of the ways that we used to answer those impulses, What do you do in this? And how do we want to envision what it will be after? What are we making sense of, while still honoring the human experience and the reality of what that is? And it really does highlight the compassion that all of us should have always been dialed up on, surrounding so many different parts of how our society treats people and responds to people.

How did the transition to working from home go?

It was a little bumpy for me, 'cuz Im not going to lie, I am not the most technically savvy human being. When it comes to Zoom, and Blue Jay, and all these other things, Im like, I dont fucking know what Im doing. I thrive in isolation, and I am a person who plays an extrovert in my job, but Im really a bit of an introvert. And I will also admit that I dont spend a lot of time at home. When I started quarantining, I was like, why the fuck is this Internetmy mom told me I should stop using so many curse words, so hold onwhy for goodness sakethere we gois this Internet so slow? I finally got on the phone with the right people at my Internet provider; and that man was so kind. We checked my Internet speed, and he said, Yeah, thats very slow, maam. I dont think your equipment is up to date. Its from 2010. I was like Oh! Goodness me. So the beginning of transitioning to online work was not easy.

But now, I am great. I do all the Blue Jays and Zooms and FaceTimes. Keeping up with the work has actually been very encouraging. It gives me something to look forward to. Its given me an opportunity to continue to use my mind; I have more time to think creatively right now, I have more courage to think creatively. One of the things I had to remind myself, which has also reminded friends of mine, is momentum and the course that we are on, the energetic journey of what we were all doing in our livesif that is a path you enjoyed and were happy about, whether that was you in college and getting a degree, or you on the path to getting married, got halted and shifted during this time, remember that has not stopped. Its just changing. Because there was a real sense of grief and disappointment, that of course you have to temper, because it is not the grief of loss of a human, of somebody you love, but of a way of living, or dreams. Theyre not gone, theres just a transition in how those things are going to happen.

I read an article in which you said youve been listening to David Sedaris audiobooks. Are there any other titles youve been loving?

David Sedaris is wonderful for going to sleep, because I kid you not, I go to sleep laughing. And for some reason, during this pandemic, falling asleep has been very difficult for me. I get tired, and usually cannot get myself to fall asleep until about 1:30 a.m. It seems that is when I am most acutely aware of the collective sadness and trauma thats happening, and its really hard for me to settle my heart and my mind. So David Sedaris has been really wonderful in the evenings. It distracts you in the right way. I can turn off the lights, and just allow that to be what Im hearing, instead of my thoughts.

I usually read multiple books at a time, so Im still in process with Untamed by Glennon Doyle. I started by listening to that as an audio book, but my sister suggested I switch to the actual book, because she said there are so many pearls in it I'd want to underline, highlight, and earmark. I also have not finished The H-Spot by Jill Filipovicits really worthy and its been fantastic. I just finished The Nazi Officers Wife by Edith Hahn Beer, which I enjoyed, and Less by Andrew Sean Grier, which I loved.I am a huge Ann Patchett fan. For anybody who hasnt read Bel Canto, it is a must-read. I have read every single one of her books. An all-time favorite is The Bluest Eye, which is actually read by Toni Morrison and Ruby Dee. It is like going to the theater; theres music, it is literally like going to see a Broadway play, but you get to use your imagination.

What music are you listening to in quarantine?

Okay, Ill be honest: Yo-yo Ma (laughs). He gets me every timelovely for a Sunday afternoon. Theres a great new Frank Ocean song. And I was a huge Fiona Apple gal growing up, and Fiona Apples new album is wonderful. Theres a song called Heavy Balloons that shatters me open. Im always a fan of Drake, and Rihanna. I've gone back to the favoritesI have a Bill Withers essentials album, and thatll get you through any cleaning experience, I can tell you right now. Bill Withers will take you through the bathroom. You will make it through the toilet with Lovely Day going. You will forget what youre doing, and you will absolutely make it to the other side, no problem.

Related: With The Long Lockdown, Riz Ahmed Gives Fans an Opportunity to Connect

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Tracee Ellis Ross Is Here to Soothe Your Frazzled Nerves - W Magazine

Picture a teenage girl sitting in a neon lit clinical room, having had her doctor excuse himself to an incoming emergency. Hear the sounds of the medics running back and forth in the corridor outside, while she stares down at grey-chalky stained t-shirt and hands following a rather spectacular vomiting session induced by liquid charcoal, the treatment of choice for patients taking an overdose. Thats quite an image, right? Welcome to my first suicide attempt.

The shame I felt as I heard the medics deal with someone who had not chosen to be in hospital, was equal only to the shame I felt as I saw the distress on my friends and relatives faces as they found out what I had done. This shame only served to drive me back into the hospital at a later date this time, in a less serious physical state, but a severely deteriorated mental state, having called an ambulance myself and told them I was going to kill myself.

Between the ages of 16 and 25 I bounced between therapists, concerned teachers, doctors, psychologists, and two crisis teams. Their combined efforts, along with a few select friends and family, made sure that my suicidal thoughts remained just that. Thoughts.

These dark thoughts, or as I like to refer to them, my doom demons thrive on uncertainty. Given the opportunity, my doom demons feed on worry, and panic, and gradually chip away at my morale until I struggle to see the positive in any moment. Eckhart Tolle wrote in The Power of Now that the thing that brings humans the most pain is holding onto the illusion of control in their life. For me, that spoke volumes. What would happen, if I stopped trying to control what is happening, or what will happen, and instead focussed on how to respond to it. What would happen to my demons?

In 2019, I attended a workshop with a Jack Canfield, and he uttered one simple equation that changed my life. Event plus response equals outcome. You cannot change the event. So the only thing affecting the outcome, will be your response. Change your response, change the outcome. As simple as that. Before I knew it, I was living my life with an entirely new mindset. I chose to take a learning experience from everything that happened to me. I chose to assess my reactions, to see how they affected the outcome, whether positive or negative. I chose to complete a certified course that allowed me to have such a deep understanding of mindset work that Im able to teach it to others. I chose to start accepting that while I could hear my doom demons making noise, I didnt need to feed them.

Skip forward to 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, and I find myself locked down in Italy, with no idea when life will return to a normal state. My doom demons are rattling the bars of their cages, gnashing their teeth in hunger. They are the loudest they have been in a long time, and who can blame them. Their perfect meal is right outside. A world in conflict, an unsure economy, social media rife with judgment, negativity, worry and misinformation. Contradictory media, lonely isolation, and fear for the health of my family and friends. In the past, this situation would have empowered my doom demons into a state I would certainly struggle to come back to. But Ive learned that my mental strength matters. My doom demons cannot break out of the cages Ive built; using mindfulness, accountability, and most importantly empathy and forgiveness. Its ok that I didnt want to live before. Its ok that I missed opportunities because my mind was in a mess. Its ok that Im scared and worried, and its ok that sometimes I wake up feeling like a superhero and sometimes I wake up feeling like a sofa burrito. Forgiveness has forged the strongest bars. I might be in lockdown, but so are my doom demons.

Life certainly wont return to what it was before and I have no control over what will be. But for the first time in my life, Im alright with that.

Read the original:
Your Life as You Know It Has Ended Here's Why You Shouldn't Let That End Your Life - Thrive Global