As the new decade unreels, a new wave of disruption seems to be coming to the shores of the global financial system. That wave is called decentralized finance protocols.

Decentralized finance, or DeFi, simply refers to financial software that is built on the blockchain to make it easy for anyone to piece together digital assets and financial smart contracts. Think of DeFi as a Lego system for the finance industry.

According to Defi Pulse, an analytics site that tracks the sectors growth, the entirety of the DeFi ecosystem achieved its highest valuation in 2019 when its value peaked beyond $600 million in June. In 2020, the value locked in the entire ecosystem has more than doubled, peaking at a value of $1.2 billion.

Incidents such as the global financial crisis of 2008 highlight serious weaknesses in the traditional global financial system. DeFi is emerging as a palatable solution to provide an alternate future for the traditional financial sector.

In fact, beyond the finance sector, DeFi has the potential to increase innovation as well as improve operational efficiencies in various ways. As DeFi applications widen across different sectors and industries, more and more investments are steadily pouring into the DeFi ecosystem.

Related: DeFi Begins to Move From a Niche Market to Mainstream Finance

The DeFi ecosystem has largely been populated by Ethereum-based protocols as a result of its early beginnings at the tail end of 2018 with the launch of MakerDAO. However, more diversity is underway as the sector matures and increases in liquidity, a report says.

From decentralized credit and lending systems, predictions markets and asset management, DeFis applications have caused quite a stir in the mainstream space for their capacity for enabling multiple efficiencies. As DeFi solutions continue to grow while bringing about financial inclusion and empowerment, here is a look at the sectors where DeFi is flourishing in 2020.

Prediction markets are created for the benefit of researchers, speculators and traders looking to bet on future events. Generally, their main purpose is for market participants to take advantage of the outcomes of events. The predictions can range from exchange averages to quarterly sales reports of a specific company, to elections and even commodity prices.

One of the companies using Ethereums blockchain to bring about decentralization to this sector is Veil, which is built on top of Augur (Ethereums leading prediction market protocol) and enables anyone to create, report and trade in their predictions.

From politics, finance, sports and worldwide events, the Augur predictions market can correctly rule on the occurrence of real-time events while ensuring trustless communication and bet settlements on a decentralized network.

Another company at the forefront of enabling decentralized finance in the predictions market is Gnosis. With Gnosis, anyone can create customized forecasting applications with conditional tokens that make it possible to trade the outcome of an event.

If blockchain was the internet, then digital wallets would serve as the equivalent for browsers. Simply put, digital wallets act as the gateways to blockchain, and therefore all interactions with the blockchain are made on a digital wallet. However, finding a balance between simplicity and security while developing digital wallets is a challenge.

Also, managing digital wallets requires accurate knowledge of private and public keys, as mismanagement of these keys can lead to irreversible losses of the wallets contents. Furthermore, the steep learning curve not to mention technical talk about hot and cold wallets mostly goes over most peoples heads.

These challenges can become barriers to mass adoption. DeFi tools can, however, be used to improve simplicity in terms of asset management on a digital wallet.

MetaMask is a good example of how this can be done. The company has created a platform that enables interactions with distributed networks on a simple browser. This means an Ethereum decentralized application can be run on a browser without the need for using the full Ethereum node. Users can also open a wallet on their browser in just 30 seconds without giving up personal details.

Balance an Ethereum wallet developing company that is working to build a simple, user-friendly interface for an open-source financial system is also pioneering this sector. In terms of security and simplicity, Argent has boosted security and simplicity by giving users full control of the wallet. Users also get to choose easy-to-read wallet addresses unlike the complex cryptographic texts found in most digital wallets.

Another application that gets as close to a decentralized bank as it can is Zerion. The company has created a simple user interface with support for multiple wallets, not to mention a detailed transaction list of users DeFi investments.

Managing a digital wallet can be complicated for most people. Not only can a user lose their crypto funds through exchange hacks or misplacement of a private key, simply sending crypto to a wrong address leads to an irreversible loss of crypto funds.

For that reason, providing DeFi insurance is a sure way of giving users a decentralized experience similar to what traditional companies are offering in the sector. DeFi insurance protocols like Etherisc can be used to collectively build risk transfer solutions.

With Etherisc, whenever certain conditions are met as a result of unprecedented weather calamities, flight delays or attack from hackers, a smart contract self-executes to dish out immediate payouts. Nexus Mutual is also implementing DeFi insurance, but instead of only covering risky events, they cover users against the failure of smart contracts.

By pulling funds from multiple individuals into a smart contract, several people get to share risks, thereby eliminating the need for an intermediate insurance company. As a result, DeFi is also making insurance payouts more cost-effective.

It goes without saying that in a digital world, the most important data is personal data. However, there is less and less privacy at a time when such data is increasingly being referred to as the new money.

Multiple online businesses such as exchange platforms and even social media companies are beginning to ask users for their passport and national identification documents to prove nationality or address for verification. Unbeknownst to most people, personal data stored by most centralized institutions can easily be stolen and sold to third parties, especially if users have weak passwords.

Decentralized identifiers easily solve this problem by enabling users to create and manage their data, therefore, reducing the risks that come with centralized storage of personal data. Selfkey, for instance, offers decentralized identifiers that not only eliminate the need for centralized authorities but also give users self-sovereignty over their data. Instead of disclosing too much personal data while interacting with online platforms, Selfkey users can selectively choose what data to disclose during authentication processes.

Other companies building tools to enable online data privacy include Civic, a wallet provider for safe crypto and personal data management; Telegram Passport, offering unified authorization for online identity verification made by the creators of the Telegram messenger and Telegram Open Network; and uPort, a company focused on creating scalable and secure data exchanges.

Freelance work and the gig economy is seen by most to be the future of work. However, even as the number of freelancers in the modern workplace continues to grow, one of the biggest challenges that freelancers face is getting paid for their work.

From delayed payments to high fee charges from third-party service providers, freelance workers are mostly forced to move from one platform to the other as a result of a poor payment structure. With decentralized finance, smart contracts can be used to guarantee payment for work done.

Also, since crypto payments are instant and global, the gig economy can get rid of third-party service providers who charge exorbitant fees. Gitcoin is one of the companies pioneering DeFi in the freelance and payments sector, providing a marketplace for open-source development. Once an open-source project is complete, funds from the users of the product are directed to developers who contributed to the open-source project.

Ethlance is also making life easy for freelancers with its autonomous platform that connects freelancers to employers with zero service fees and free membership. Freelancers can also use services such as the Ink Protocol to access a decentralized payment system that can be integrated with any marketplace. The platform enables peer-to-peer transactions with a reputation system that can be imported or exported for use on multiple marketplaces.

Given that there are multiple inefficiencies in the current global financial system, DeFi tools offer an easy solution that can eradicate cybercrime, increase liquidity and reduce costs. Furthermore, DeFi protocols are capable of giving everyone access to quality financial services regardless of their status or location.

Related: Decentralized Finance, Explained

According to market analysts, the value of Ethereum locked in DeFi applications is growing even though the price of ETH has fallen since its last peak in June 2019. Crypto Wolf, a Twitter-based analyst, believes that Ethereums price will follow the growing trend of DeFi application in a parabolic curve.

However, despite the rapid growth of DeFi applications, a lot remains to be seen as to whether blockchain itself the building block of DeFi applications will be able to accommodate the transactional demands of the mainstream public.

Go here to read the rest:
Sectors Realizing the Full Potential of DeFi Protocols In 2020 - Cointelegraph

J.I.D, Vince Staples and EarthGang round out this week's rankings of #50-41 of the top 100 hip-hop/rap albums of the decade. (Graphic: HELEN HE/The Stanford Daily)

To read more about the background of the list and my thoughts on making it, check out the introduction to my rankings. Without further ado, here are #50-41 of my top 100 hip-hop/rap albums of the 2010s list:

50. J Cole: 2014 Forest Hills Drive (2014)

J Cole went double platinum with no features. By now, everybody has probably seen the memes, but they really do have some merit. 2014 Forest Hills Drive was truly J Coles breakthrough album. After a group of mixtapes and two studio albums, Cole was still looking for the album to really put him into the top echelon of the rap industry. This album delivered on this aim. From the intricate storytelling of Wet Dreamz to the albums biggest hit No Role Modelz to the emotional and uplifting Love Yourz, Cole provided something for a wide audience and delivered his most successful project yet.

Favorite Songs: 03 Adolescence, Wet Dreamz, No Role Modelz, Apparently

49. Elzhi: Lead Poison (2016)

Former Detroit-based Slum Village Member, Elzhi, brought incredible lyricism and writing to his sophomore studio album. Lead Poison is one of the greatest recent displays of lyricism and delivery from a severely underrated artist. One of Elzhis trademark abilities is his vivid storytelling, which is constantly present in Lead Poison, particularly in songs like Friendzone, Weedipedia, and February. All of these songs present soul, emotion and lyrical work that is to be admired. The personal and captivating Detroit emcee coasts smoothly and effortlessly over a variety of soulful, old-school hip-hop-influenced beats.

Favorite Songs: Friendzone, Alienated, Weedipedia, February

48. Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Piata (2014)

As the first project from what would come to be one of the best current rapper and producer duos in hip-hop, Piata is one of the most innovative and refreshing gangster rap albums in the modern era. The Gary, Indiana-native rapper Freddie Gibbs and the famous producer Madlib show one of the most unique chemistries that led to a glorious collection. Two artists with very different styles and backgrounds, the typically hard and menacing Gangsta Gibbs meshes effortlessly with the soulful and jazzy background of producer Madlib. An unlikely duo comes through with some of their own best work that happens to work excellently as a collective masterpiece.

Favorite Songs: Shame, High, Harolds, Lakers, Robes

47. Big K.R.I.T: 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time (2017)

Justin Scott, better known as Big K.R.I.T, represents the South with a unique pride and passion. Spirituality and introspection are constants in 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time, withScott developing an album that really allows listeners to get a better understanding of his personal life and his struggles. In a time where the Atlanta trap scene seems to dominate much of the hip-hop scene of the South, 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time feels like Big K.R.I.Ts attempt to preserve lyrical, jazzy, soulful rap and give the South deeper representation outside of just Atlanta trap music.

Favorite Songs: Drinking Sessions, Price of Fame, The Light, Bury Me In Gold

46. Capital STEEZ: AmeriKKKan Korruption (2012)

Beast Coast and Pro Era founder, the late Capital STEEZ, certainly made his mark on modern East Coast hip-hop before his unfortunate passing in 2012. The spiritual, witty and philosophical lyricist left us with only one individual full length project. AmeriKKKan Korruption is a mixtape full of political commentary, lyricism, wordplay and a true old-school East Coast hip-hop feel. One of the marvels of this album was that Capital STEEZ was only 18 years old at the release of this project. Who knows what could have been given the potential displayed in one of the best mixtapes of the decade?

Favorite Songs: Dead Prez, 135, Dead on Arrival, Vibe Ratings

45. J Cole: Friday Night Lights (2010)

Before he was a superstar rapper, J Cole was a young kid from Fayetteville, North Carolina and the first signee to Jay Zs Roc Nation label. In retrospect, many would consider mixtape J Cole to be a completely different artist than album J Cole. The hunger and emotion shown by Cole throughout Friday Night Lights is extremely captivating and instantly makes him an intriguing rapper worthy of listening to. J Cole delivers some of his most emotionally-rich and promising work along with some of his finest rapping that results in a top-tier modern rap mixtape.

Favorite Songs: The Autograph, Premeditated Murder, Home For The Holidays, Villematic, Before Im Gone, See World

44. Rapsody: Eve (2019)

Looking at the tracklist of Eve gives the listener a good idea of what the album is about. Every track is named for a Black female icon, with tracks including Serena (Serena Williams), Maya (Maya Angelou) and Sojourner (Sojourner Truth) among many others. In the third studio album for Rapsody, she continues her messages of Black empowerment with a new twist and an innovative approach. Rapsody uses her ever-strong lyricism and artistry to explore a long line of important Black women in an album of triumph and empowerment.

Favorite Songs: Iman, Sojourner, Ibtihaj, Whoopi

43. J.I.D: The Never Story (2017)

J.I.D introduced himself to much of the rap world with his studio debut The Never Story. An Atlanta native who found his rap start through the Spillage Village collective, J.I.D quickly came onto the main scene of rap due to his incredible writing and rapping ability. Already showing the potential to be a rap legend, J.I.Ds flow and lyricism can compete with practically any current artist. The Never Story is a compilation of diverse production, soul, narrative and pure rap. Every song showcases great writing, but J.I.Ds verses on Lauder will go down as some of the best lyrical work of the entire decade. This will likely be a debut that is looked back at as an introduction to one of the greats in rap.

Favorite Songs: Lauder, D/vision, Hereditary, All Bad, NEVER

42. Vince Staples: Big Fish Theory (2017)

When looking at total body of work from the decade, very few rappers did quite as well as Vince Staples. Vince managed to put out a group of seven high-quality projects with no real weak spots in his discography. If I had really wanted to, I could have considered all 7 of these major projects in the top 100, but for the sake of the list, I thought it was unfitting to give one artist seven spots. Nevertheless, Big Fish Theory was some of Vinces boldest and most adventurous work. His second studio album plays host to a highly experimental combination of electronic, rap house and avant-garde dance music. Vince utilizes a variety of sounds in his production selection, but lyrically never strays too far from what he does best. Big Fish Theory is a very well-done chaotic and artistic journey through the paranoia of Vince Staples.

Favorite Songs: SAMO, 745, Party People, BagBak, Big Fish, Yeah Right

41. EarthGang: Mirrorland (2019)

Two of the original members of Spillage Village and now two members of J Coles Dreamville Records, EarthGang (Johnny Venus/Olu and Doctur Dot/WowGr8) released their Dreamville debut with the mystical Mirrorland. The duo paints a reflection of their city of Atlanta, and displays from start to finish their incredible flexibility and versatility. The transitions between trap, funk, jazz rap, neo-soul and R&B are so seamless and well-executed that it is hard to even notice how many different styles exist in tandem with each other. The vocal and rapping abilities of Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot are present throughout, and are always in sync with the array of production that is offered. The comparisons between EarthGang and legendary Atlanta duo Outkast have already begun, and for good reason, given the style and incredible potential made apparent with albums like this.

Favorite Songs: Top Down, Bank, Proud Of U, Fields, Wings

After every segment of my Top 100 rankings are published, I will be creating a Spotify playlist with my favorite songs from the albums that are in each section. Just go to my Spotify Profile (@nicholassligh) where I will be posting the playlists in descending order of rank. Go to this link to view this weeks playlist for albums 50-41! I hope that my list gives credit to deserving artists and helps people that enjoy Hip-Hop/Rap (and even those less familiar with the genre) to find new music that connects with them and that they simply enjoy.

Contact Nick Sligh at nick1019 at stanford.edu.

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Top 100 Hip-Hop/Rap Albums of the Decade: #50-41 - The Stanford Daily

A week later, in an episode described by the New York Post as something akin to a comedy routine, city workers were spotted hoisting a standard room air conditioner into the side window of one of Bloombergs SUVs. It was an experiment, City Hall said at the time: a more green alternative to keeping Bloombergs SUV cool instead of his security detail idling their engines as they awaited the mayors return.

The image of a pampered billionaire scolding school children to suck up the sweltering conditions is just one example of the challenge confronting Bloomberg as he attempts to play Democratic Party savior. His money has made him a force in the presidential primary, but a litany of past statements and policies suggest hes disconnected, at best, from working people.

The disparity was on display at Wednesday nights debate, when Bloomberg scoffed at the suggestion that he could quickly gather up and release his tax returns.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I make a lot of money and we do business all around the world, and we are preparing it. The number of pages will probably be thousands of pages, he said. Then, winning some scoffs in the room, Bloomberg added, I cant go to TurboTax.

Bloomberg has a history of dust-ups with blue-collar unions and unapologetic defenses of Wall Street and his own extreme wealth his estimated personal fortune is pegged at more than $60 billion while shrugging off complaints from those less off.

On Wednesday, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden took turns blasting Bloombergs wealth, including over his failure to release his tax returns. (He promised, in response, to do so within weeks.)

Democrats are not going to win if we have a nominee who has a history of hiding his tax returns, of harassing women and of supporting racist policies like red lining and stop and frisk, Warren said. I'll support whoever the Democratic nominee is, but understand this: Democrats take a huge risk if we just substitute one arrogant billionaire for another.

A competing campaign provided other examples of statements that could come back to haunt Bloomberg as he tries to win over moderate voters.

In 2014, Bloomberg called President Barack Obamas effort to raise the minimum wage one of the most misguided things we can do.

In 2012, Bloomberg said legislation to mandate a "living wage" reminded him of communism, remarking, The last time we really had a big managed economy was the USSR.

In remarks before the Economic Club of Chicago in August 2012, Bloomberg seemed to praise Paul Ryan, who was then Mitt Romney's running mate, for pushing to cut entitlements.

Nobody's going to stand up and say to the AARP, We are going to really cut back your benefits. Except maybe Paul Ryan has said that. And, you know, I don't know how that plays, conventional wisdom is it's political suicide, but maybe that is the way to break out.

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And in 2013, Bloomberg brought one economic discussion back to air conditioning. In a New York Magazine story, when asked about income inequality, Bloomberg noted that today 80 percent of the poor in the United States have air conditioning and 70 percent have cars, making them better off than in most countries.

One of the things thats different today is the poor 80 percent [nationally] have air-conditioning. Seventy percent have cars. When we grew up we didnt have air-conditioning. Air-conditioning in the schools, the subways. Are you crazy? Now, by most of the worlds standards, you aint poor, the billionaire said.

The old measure just looked at your income. It didnt look at what services you need. Im not being cavalier about it, but [in] most places in the world, our poor are wealthy. Theres a lot of tragedy around the world.

The Bloomberg campaign pointed to a lengthy list of his accomplishments as mayor to help lower-income people, including keeping poverty rates down, providing housing assistance across the city, raising teachers wages, doubling school funding, boosting graduation rates to a record 66 percent and closing achievement gaps between non-white and white students.

From doubling spending on public schools to pioneering economic empowerment and public health policies that were duplicated world wide Mike has an extraordinary record, said Bloomberg senior adviser Stu Loeser. And as we've already seen, he is deploying the resources to tell people about it.

See the rest here:
That time Mike Bloomberg installed an AC unit in his SUV - POLITICO

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Swap hours in a jeep for more intimate encounters with Africas sensational wildlife using these adventurous modes of exploration

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Ernest Hemingway once said: I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy. An overwhelming feeling of happiness and gratitude is not uncommon when visiting the continentespecially so when you go on a safari. Safari used to be a once-in-a-lifetime vacation, but more and more people are bitten by the safari bug, says Nico Heath, co-founder of luxury travel agency Lightfoot Travel.

For many, seeing lions and leopards in their natural habitats represents the ultimate in transformative travel. Unfortunately, human incursion and climate change are placing environmental pressures on the wildlife and the landscape. Droughts and poaching are having a detrimental effect on animal numbers and habitats are shrinking, Heath says. As an added incentive to return to the savannah, many safari lodges are making environmental protection and community empowerment top priorities, which means that guests of luxury lodges can give back while enjoying first-class holidays.

(Related: 5 Underrated Non-Safari Destinations In Southern And East Africa)

Wilderness Safaris, a sustainable luxury safari operator with camps in Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, helps protect more than two million hectares of prime wilderness across seven biomes, harbouring 39 threatened mammal, bird and reptile species. The company donated US$14.7 million to conservation in 2018, more than three times the value distributed to shareholders. Another US$3.77 million was devoted to community development and welfare providing schools, bore holes and other services to communities in need.

Going on safari is a means of protecting these unique ecosystems, says Dr Neil Midlane, group sustainability manager of Wilderness Safaris. Our company ethos and commitment to restoring the wildlife and the large tracts of land we are privileged to manage means that everyone travelling with us is contributing, making them all conservationists by proxy. Each guest enables us to continue doing what we do.

(Related: Tatler Asia's Travel Editor-At-Large Jeremy Jauncey On Why Rwanda Is A Must-Visit Destination For Animal Lovers)

Apart from conservation, Lightfoot Travel is also a passionate advocate of undertourism, so it consciously picks and promotes destinations that need support, like Zimbabwe. Dr Midlane says that despite the political and economic uncertainty in the country, the safari lodges are safe, comfortable and great value for money. There are many gems in the national parks that provide outstanding, authentic safari experiences, and this year is an ideal time to visit Zimbabwe, before demand drives the prices up.

Its great timing, then, that Wilderness Safaris is planning to upgrade its Ruckomechi Camp in Zimbabwe as well as its Duma Tau Camp in Botswana soon; its also opening Little DumaTauan exclusive, intimate camp featuring four tented suitesin August 2020.

As more people crave safari experiences, there is also an increasing number of alternative ways to enjoy themsomething I discovered on a trip to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

(Related: This Is The Safari Camp In Botswana Where Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Fell In Love)

Luxury safari lodges are providing spectacular excursions beyond the confines of the traditional game drive jeep. With the help of expert guides, I was able to encounter the vast plains from a whole new perspective: venturing on foot, flying high in the sky and cruising on serene waters. Exploring the terrain this way transformed my safari experiencegiving me a new lens on the flora and fauna of the veld, a change of perspective that is sure to enrich both first-time and veteran safari-goers alike.

What: A walking safari at Linkwasha Camp in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

I had been looking forward to taking a walking safari, but now, just before heading out, I am not so sure. While on our game drive the night before, we had seen a pride of lions on the move and a lone cheetah lounging a mere 100m from the main lodge. At breakfast on the veranda of Linkwasha Camp in Zimbabwes Hwange National Park, I gaze across the plain to the camps deserted watering hole which, hours earlier, had been bustling with elephants, zebra, and antelope.

To head out of camp at dawn and enter the untamed wilderness on foot without the protection of a jeep seems insane. I eat my toast with a trembling hand, and tell my travel companions that I might meet them afterwards, but they cajole me. If it comes to it, they say, our expert guide Peter is an excellent marksman. Its a fact that isnt entirely reassuring.

Nevertheless, we set off from camp in single file, Peter leading us with a loaded rifle in his hands. A professional guide for 36 years, he knows the plants, the birds, the animals and the land better than anyone, and it isnt longjust a dozen metres from camp, in factbefore he spots something of interest. A weathered and dismantled kudu skeleton lies scattered on the ground. Kudu resting in pieces, he jokes.

Around it are the enormous, wrinkled tracks of elephantsat least 30cm wide and twice as long, headed in a straight line for the watering hole. They had crossed right through our camp last night, and from our seats around the fire pit we had watched wide-eyed as their dark, towering forms lumbered in the shadows metres away, and stopped for a sip at the camps swimming pool. Peter points to the tracks of an eland and a zebra, and gives us a detailed geological history of the landscape before we silently move on.

On foot, one can delight in the details of the veld. I crouch down to place my hand inside the lilypad of an elephants footprint. I touch the raw bark of a teak tree that has been scarred by elephant tusks. I peer into an elegant pile of polka-dot feathers, which have fallen where a bird once flew. It feels liberating to walk and stretch and generate my own momentum after so many hours in the jostling jeep.

Its peaceful. Theres no sound of a generator or an engine. I feel my nerves relax into the rhythm, tension replaced by the pleasant tingle of bravery for being here on the ground. No one speaks as we scan the grass and trees to the horizon. Only the crunch of our boots and the sharp trill of birdsong accent the safaris silence.

(Related: Save Wild Tigers Founder Simon Clinton Says Its Global Conservation Campaigns Represent The Voice of The Iconic Species)

What: Boat cruise at Ruckomechi Camp in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, and a ride aboard a traditional makoro canoe at Jao Camp in Okavango Delta, Botswana

A raft of hippos stares at usears pivoting, nostrils flaring, their dark marble eyes locked on our fishing boat floating in the Zambezi river. Every once in a while one rises or descends with a loud, discontented snuff of air or swoop of water, and we coexist, if not happily then civilly, here in one of the most majestic of rivers. We hopped aboard our river cruiser at Ruckomechi Camp, a lodge and 10 luxury tents with spectacular views across the Zambezi Valley in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.

My travel companions and I are fishing in the loosest of senses. There is bait on our hooks, which are bobbing in the water, but we dont care to catch anything, really. Were too busy chatting, drinking sodas and beers, and marvelling at a landscape so beautiful were giddy with it.

Mana Pools National Park is at our starboard side, and through our binoculars we can see a small pack of wild dogs, an endangered species and safari rarity, lying on the dusty ground. Beyond them is the low-lying cliff where, the evening prior, we had our sundowners by a campfire and watched the swollen African sun sink beneath the river, blazing pink and orange.

Tall grass and marshland fill the valley, and after days spent in dry, beige safari camps, its a relief to be surrounded by so much moving water. The fecund valley formed by the Zambezi escarpment, a dramatic ridge of lilac-shaded mountains rising 500 to 600 metres above the riverbed, is lush, green and achingly romantic.

Its hard to remember that the opaque, muddy water is treacherous, full of crocodiles and hippos, and only big mammals dare to swim here. When we take the boat out again at sunset, we watch a pair of elephants taking a drink. Ive seen hundreds of elephants by now, from every angle except this onehead on and belowand Ive never seen what happens next, as they step into the water and slowly swim across the channel between river islands, their trunks raised like snorkels just a few metres away from us.

Our guide has one last gem to show us as he pulls up beneath a bare tree full of southern carmine bee-eaters. The exquisite, fluttering jewels of fuchsia, carmine and turquoise flash in the air above us, darting in and out of the nests they have carved into the steep face of the riverbed.

The sun setting scarlet behind us amplifies their gorgeous colourso vivid and iridescent it seems otherworldlyand Im grateful that we took the boat rather than a drive that night, or we would never have seen the incredible beauty of these birds, an entrancing sight that no photograph or video can ever really capture.

Depending on the time of year, one can also ride a canoe along the river banks. Elsewhere, such as in Jao Camp at the Okavango Delta, Botswana, guests can go on safari by mokoro, a traditional dugout canoe which is propelled by someone pushing with a pole from the stern of the boat. Without a motor and floating 20cm above the water, this type of safari provides a truly immersive experience as you quietly glide past purple lilies and beneath the tall papyrus to admire the buffalo, antelope and birds at eye level, drinking at the waters edge.

What: Helicopter safari at Jao Camp in Botswanas Okavango Delta

Its not often that Im excited by the sight of a pilot removing all of our aircrafts doors, but this time I am alight with anticipation. Our pilot Michael, from Botswana-based Helicopter Horizons, is preparing to give us unobstructed views of the Okavango Delta.

There has been an unparallelled drought in the delta this year, and much of the lush green river basin is bone dry. The boats which are typically used for water safaris have been beached, and their current position, perched bizarrely high in the bush, is the only indication that the road we are driving on is, in fact, a river bed that is usually submerged a few metres underwater.

The newly refurbished Jao Camp, with its luxurious suites rising on stilts above what is normally a mist-covered marshland of waterlilies, for the time being looks across a sandy basin that has become a highway for kudu, buffalo, zebra and even a heavily pregnant lion. But this parched panorama isnt typical of the delta, so the camp has kindly arranged a 45-minute helicopter flight and we can see what this semi-aquatic paradise usually looks like.

(Related: Tatler Itinerary: Wine Tasting To Luxury SafariHow To See It All In South Africa)

Soaring 100 to 300m above the bush, I realise that this is what my safari experience had been missing. It is the vista I didnt realise I had been waiting forthe long backs of elephants, the shadowed ridges of their spines, ears waving over their shoulders as they walk in parade; a flock of white herons flying in formation over tall, emerald-green grass; shimmering clouds and blue sky reflected in a mirror-like lake. These are the safari scenes I remember from the nature documentaries I love. Now, here they are, right before my very eyes.

From this ethereal view I can see flocks of Egyptian geese, countless giraffes, resting hippos and antelopes of many varietiesrare red lechwe, tsessebe, sable and even a rare sitatunga wading to its knees in the shallow poolsin a patch of delta where the Okavango River is still flowing, far away from where Jaos jeeps would be able to reasonably reach.

(Related: Singita Opens Kwitonda Lodge And Kataza House In Rwanda, Dedicated To Gorilla Conservation)

Whats most astounding from above are the lines that crisscross the delta between tree-lined islands and scattered towers of Egyptian palms. They are the elephants highways, says Michael, through our headsets. Herds of elephants have instinctively followed these submerged paths for generations, working the route deeper into the riverbed, even when it is flooded.

Looking out over the vast network of paths that lead elephants on their migration across Southern Africa is astounding. Wind in my face, soaring above the delta with a spectacular view of the mesmerising landscape, I cant help but feel a little thankful for the drought that initiated this incredible helicopter ride. A birds-eye view of the delta is second to none.

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This is a guidebook to the many different styles of meditation, the various benefits of each practice, plus free guided audio practices that help you learn how to meditate.

How do you learn to meditate? In mindfulness meditation, were learning how to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out, and notice when the mind wanders from this task. This practice of returning to the breath builds the muscles of attention and mindfulness.

When we pay attention to our breath, we are learning how to return to, and remain in, the present momentto anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgement.

In mindfulness practice, we are learning how to return to, and remain in, the present momentto anchor ourselves in the here and now on purpose, without judgement.

The idea behind mindfulness seems simplethe practice takes patience. Indeed, renowned meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg recounts that her first experience with meditation showed her how quickly the mind gets caught up in other tasks. I thought, okay, what will it be, like, 800 breaths before my mind starts to wander? And to my absolute amazement, it was one breath, and Id be gone, says Salzberg.

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While meditation isnt a cure-all, it can certainly provide some much-needed space in your life. Sometimes, thats all we need to make better choices for ourselves, our families, and our communities. And the most important tools you can bring with you to your meditation practice are a little patience, some kindness for yourself, and a comfortable place to sit.

The first thing to clarify: What were doing here is aiming for mindfulness, not some process that magically wipes your mind clear of the countless and endless thoughts that erupt and ping constantly in our brains. Were just practicing bringing our attention to our breath, and then back to the breath when we notice our attention has wandered.

Welcome back. What happened? How long was it before your mind wandered away from your breath? Did notice how busy your mind was even without your consciously directing it to think about anything in particular? Did you notice yourself getting caught up in thoughts before you came back to reading this? We often have little narratives running in our minds that we didnt choose to put there, like: Why DOES my boss want to meet with me tomorrow? I should have gone to the gym yesterday. Ive got to pay some bills or (the classic) I dont have time to sit still, Ive got stuff to do.

We practice mindfulness so we can learn how to recognize when our minds are doing their normal everyday acrobatics, and maybe take a pause from that for just a little while so we can choose what wed like to focus on.

If you experienced these sorts of distractions (and we all do), youve made an important discovery: simply put, thats the opposite of mindfulness. Its when we live in our heads, on automatic pilot, letting our thoughts go here and there, exploring, say, the future or the past, and essentially, not being present in the moment. But thats where most of us live most of the timeand pretty uncomfortably, if were being honest, right? But it doesnt have to be that way.

We practice mindfulness so we can learn how to recognize when our minds are doing their normal everyday acrobatics, and maybe take a pause from that for just a little while so we can choose what wed like to focus on. In a nutshell, meditation helps us have a much healthier relationship with ourselves (and, by extension, with others).

When we meditate, we inject far-reaching and long-lasting benefits into our lives. And bonus: you dont need any extra gear or an expensive membership.

Here are five reasons to meditate:

1: Understand your pain 2: Lower your stress 3: Connect better 4: Improve focus 5: Reduce brain chatter

Meditation is simpler (and harder) than most people think. Read these steps, make sure youre somewhere where you can relax into this process, set a timer, and give it a shot:

Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.

If youre just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as five or 10 minutes.

You can sit in a chair with your feet on the floor, you can sit loosely cross-legged, you can kneelall are fine. Just make sure you are stable and in a position you can stay in for a while.

Follow the sensation of your breath as it goes in and as it goes out.

Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. When you get around to noticing that your mind has wanderedin a few seconds, a minute, five minutessimply return your attention to the breath.

Dont judge yourself or obsess over the content of the thoughts you find yourself lost in. Just come back.

When youre ready, gently lift your gaze(if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.

Thats it! Thats the practice. You go away, you come back, and you try to do it as kindly as possible.

Try this 3-part guided audio series from Barry Boyce:

How long would you like to meditate? Sometimes we only have time for a quick check-in, sometimes we can dip in a little longer. Meditating every helps build awareness, fosters resilience, and lower stress. Try to make meditation a habit by practicing with these short meditations from our Editor-in-Chief Barry Boyce. Find time to site once a day for one month and see what you notice.

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Weve gone over the basic breath meditation so far, but there are other mindfulness techniques that use different focal points than the breath to anchor our attentionexternal objects like a sound in the room, or something broader, such as noticing spontaneous things that come into your awareness during an aimless wandering practice. But all of these practices have one thing in common: We notice that our minds ARE running the show a lot of the time. Its true. We think thoughts, typically, and then we act. But here are some helpful strategies to change that up:

Its estimated that 95%of our behavior runs on autopilot. Thats because neural networks underlie all of our habits, reducing our millions of sensory inputs per second into manageable shortcuts so we can function in this crazy world. These default brain signals are so efficient that they often cause us to relapse into old behaviors before we remember what we meant to do instead.

Mindfulness is the exact opposite of these default processes. Its executive control rather than autopilot, and enables intentional actions, willpower, and decisions. But that takespractice. The more we activate the intentional brain, the stronger it gets. Every time we do something deliberate and new, we stimulate neuroplasticity, activating our grey matter, which is full of newly sprouted neurons that have not yet been groomed for autopilot brain.

But heres the problem. While our intentional brain knows what is best for us, our autopilot brain causes us to shortcut our way through life. So how can we trigger ourselves to be mindful when we need it most? This is where the notion of behavior design comes in. Its a way to put your intentional brain in the drivers seat. There are two ways to do thatfirst, slowing down the autopilot brain by putting obstacles in its way, and second, removing obstacles in the path of the intentional brain, so it can gain control.

Shifting the balance to give your intentional brain more power takes some work, though. Here are some ways to get started.

Once you have explored a basic seated meditation practice, you might want to consider other forms of meditation including walking and lying down. Whereas the previous meditations used the breath as a focal point for practice, these meditations below focus on different parts of the body.

Try this: feel your feet on the ground right now. In your shoes or without, it doesnt matter. Then track or scan over your whole body, bit by bitslowlyall the way up to the crown of your head. The point of this practice is to check in with your whole body: Fingertips to shoulders, butt to big toe. Only rules are: No judging, no wondering, no worrying (all activities your mind may want to do); just check in with the physical feeling of being in your body. Aches and pains are fine. You dont have to do anything about anything here. Youre just noticing.

Begin to focus your attention on different parts of your body. You can spotlight one particular area or go through a sequence like this: toes, feet (sole, heel, top of foot), through the legs, pelvis, abdomen, lower back, upper back, chest shoulders, arms down to the fingers, shoulders, neck, different parts of the face, and head. For each part of the body, linger for a few moments and notice the different sensations as you focus.

The moment you notice that your mind has wandered, return your attention to the part of the body you last remember.

If you fall asleep during this body-scan practice, thats okay. When you realize youve been nodding off, take a deep breath to help you reawaken and perhaps reposition your body (which will also help wake it up). When youre ready, return your attention to the part of the body you last remember focusing on.

Fact: Most of us live pretty sedentary lives, leaving us to build extra-curricular physical activity into our days to counteract all that. Point is: Mindfulness doesnt have to feel like another thing on your to-do list. It can be injected into some of the activities youre already doing. Heres how to integrate a mindful walking practice into your day.

As you begin, walk at a natural pace. Place your hands wherever comfortable: on your belly, behind your back, or at your sides.

You cannot will yourself into particular feelings toward yourself or anyone else. Rather, you can practice reminding yourself that you deserve happiness and ease and that the same goes for your child, your family, your friends, your neighbors, and everyone else in the world.

This loving-kindness practice involves silently repeating phrases that offer good qualities to oneself and to others.

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When youre new to meditation, its natural for questions to pop up often. These answers may ease your mind.

1) If I have an itch, can I scratch it? Yeshowever, first try scratching it with your mind before using your fingers.

2) Should I breathe fast or slow or in between? Only worry if youve stopped breathing. Otherwise, youre doing fine. Breath in whatever way feels comfortable to you.

3) Should my eyes be open or closed? No hard-and-fast rules. Try both. If open, not too wide, and with a soft, slightly downward gaze, not focusing on anything in particular. If closed, not too hard, and not imagining anything in particular in your minds eye.

4) Is it possible Im someone who just CANNOT meditate? When you find yourself asking that question, your meditation has officially begun. Everyone wonders that. Notice it. Escort your attention back to your object of focus (the breath). When youre lost and questioning again, come back to the breathe again. Thats the practice. Theres no limit to the number of times you can be distracted and come back to the breath. Meditating is not a race to perfectionIts returning again and again to the breath.

5) Is it better to practice in a group or by myself? Both are great! Its enormously supportive to meditate with others. And, practicing on your own builds discipline.

6) Whats the best time of day to meditate? Whatever works. Consider your circumstances: children, pets, work. Experiment. But watch out. If you always choose the most convenient time, it will usually be tomorrow.

7) What if I get sexually (and physically) aroused by thoughts in my head? No big deal. Meditation stokes the imagination. In time, every thought and sensation will pop up (so to speak). And come back. Same old story. Release the thought, bring awareness and receptivity to body sensations, bring attention back to your chosen object (the breath, in this case). Repeat.

8) Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice? While meditating, we dont have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. If thats whats going to happen, try to find a way to avoid their interrupting your practice.

Meditation is no more complicated than what weve described above. It is that simple and that challenging. Its also powerful and worth it. The key is to commit to sit every day, even if its for five minutes. Meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg says: One of my meditation teachers said that the most important moment in your meditation practice is the moment you sit down to do it. Because right then youre saying to yourself that you believe in change, you believe in caring for yourself, and youre making it real. Youre not just holding some value like mindfulness or compassion in the abstract, but really making it real.

Mindful has many resources to help you live a more mindful life and tap into the best of who you are:

Forgiveness is a unique form of nourishment, a way of providing ourselves and others a spaciousness around our conflicts and difficulties. Try this short meditation to help you let go and move on. Read More

Most of us associate looking in the mirror with narcissism or feelings of inadequacy, but learning how to see yourself in your own reflection can increase self-compassion, aid stress-management, and improve relationships and emotional resilience. Read More

Explore these simple practices to connect, focus, and be in the moment. Read More

Weve rounded up our most popular guided meditations from the past year to help deepen your practice and provide support for every aspect of your life. Read More

Read the rest here:

How to Meditate - Mindful

The popularity of meditation is increasing as more people discover its benefits.

Meditation is a habitual process of training your mind to focus and redirect your thoughts.

You can use it to increase awareness of yourself and your surroundings. Many people think of it as a way to reduce stress and develop concentration.

This article reviews 12 health benefits of meditation.

Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons people try meditation.

One study including over 3,500 adults showed that it lives up to its reputation for stress reduction (1).

Normally, mental and physical stress cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This produces many of the harmful effects of stress, such as the release of inflammation-promoting chemicals called cytokines.

These effects can disrupt sleep, promote depression and anxiety, increase blood pressure and contribute to fatigue and cloudy thinking.

In an eight-week study, a meditation style called "mindfulness meditation" reduced the inflammation response caused by stress (2).

Another study in nearly 1,300 adults demonstrated that meditation may decrease stress. Notably, this effect was strongest in individuals with the highest levels of stress (3).

Research has shown that meditation may also improve symptoms of stress-related conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia (4, 5, 6, 7, 8).

Less stress translates to less anxiety.

For example, an eight-week study of mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce their anxiety.

It also reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders, such as phobias, social anxiety, paranoid thoughts, obsessive-compulsive behaviors and panic attacks (9).

Another study followed up with 18 volunteers three years after they had completed an eight-week meditation program. Most volunteers had continued practicing regular meditation and maintained lower anxiety levels over the long term (10).

A larger study in 2,466 participants also showed that a variety of different meditation strategies may reduce anxiety levels (11).

For example, yoga has been shown to help people reduce anxiety. This is likely due to benefits from both meditative practice and physical activity (12).

Meditation may also help control job-related anxiety in high-pressure work environments. One study found that a meditation program reduced anxiety in a group of nurses (13).

Some forms of meditation can also lead to an improved self-image and more positive outlook on life.

Two studies of mindfulness meditation found decreased depression in over 4,600 adults (1, 14).

One study followed 18 volunteers as they practiced meditation over three years. The study found that participants experienced long-term decreases in depression (10).

Inflammatory chemicals called cytokines, which are released in response to stress, can affect mood, leading to depression. A review of several studies suggests meditation may reduce depression by decreasing these inflammatory chemicals (15).

Another controlled study compared electrical activity between the brains of people who practiced mindfulness meditation and the brains of others who did not.

Those who meditated showed measurable changes in activity in areas related to positive thinking and optimism (16).

Some forms of meditation may help you develop a stronger understanding of yourself, helping you grow into your best self.

For example, self-inquiry meditation explicitly aims to help you develop a greater understanding of yourself and how you relate to those around you.

Other forms teach you to recognize thoughts that may be harmful or self-defeating. The idea is that as you gain greater awareness of your thought habits, you can steer them toward more constructive patterns (17, 18, 19).

A study of 21 women fighting breast cancer found that when they took part in a tai chi program, their self-esteem improved more than it did than in those who received social support sessions (20).

In another study, 40 senior men and women who took a mindfulness meditation program experienced reduced feelings of loneliness, compared to a control group that had been placed on a wait list for the program (21).

Also, experience in meditation may cultivate more creative problem solving (22).

Focused-attention meditation is like weight lifting for your attention span. It helps increase the strength and endurance of your attention.

For example, a study looked at the effects of an eight-week mindfulness meditation course and found it improved participants' ability to reorient and maintain their attention (23).

A similar study showed that human resource workers who regularly practiced mindfulness meditation stayed focused on a task for longer.

These workers also remembered details of their tasks better than their peers who did not practice meditation (24).

Moreover, one review concluded that meditation may even reverse patterns in the brain that contribute to mind-wandering, worrying and poor attention (25).

Even meditating for a short period may benefit you. One study found that four days of practicing meditation may be enough to increase attention span (26).

Improvements in attention and clarity of thinking may help keep your mind young.

Kirtan Kriya is a method of meditation that combines a mantra or chant with repetitive motion of the fingers to focus thoughts. It improved participants' ability to perform memory tasks in multiple studies of age-related memory loss (27).

Furthermore, a review of 12 studies found that multiple meditation styles increased attention, memory and mental quickness in older volunteers (28).

In addition to fighting normal age-related memory loss, meditation can at least partially improve memory in patients with dementia. It can also help control stress and improve coping in those caring for family members with dementia (27, 29).

Some types of meditation may particularly increase positive feelings and actions toward yourself and others.

Metta, a type of meditation also known as loving-kindness meditation, begins with developing kind thoughts and feelings toward yourself.

Through practice, people learn to extend this kindness and forgiveness externally, first to friends, then acquaintances and ultimately enemies.

Twenty-two studies of this form of meditation have demonstrated its ability to increase peoples' compassion toward themselves and others (30).

One study of 100 adults randomly assigned to a program that included loving-kindness meditation found that these benefits were dose-dependent.

In other words, the more effort people put into Metta meditation, the more positive feelings they experienced (31).

Another group of studies showed the positive feelings people develop through Metta meditation can improve social anxiety, reduce marriage conflict and help anger management (32).

These benefits also appear to accumulate over time with the practice of loving-kindness meditation (33).

The mental discipline you can develop through meditation may help you break dependencies by increasing your self-control and awareness of triggers for addictive behaviors (34).

Research has shown that meditation may help people learn to redirect their attention, increase their willpower, control their emotions and impulses and increase their understanding of the causes behind their addictive behaviors (35, 36).

One study that taught 19 recovering alcoholics how to meditate found that participants who received the training got better at controlling their cravings and craving-related stress (37).

Meditation may also help you control food cravings. A review of 14 studies found mindfulness meditation helped participants reduce emotional and binge eating (38).

Nearly half the population will struggle with insomnia at some point.

One study compared two mindfulness-based meditation programs by randomly assigning participants to one of two groups. One group practiced meditation, while the other didn't.

Participants who meditated fell asleep sooner and stayed asleep longer, compared to those who didn't meditate (39).

Becoming skilled in meditation may help you control or redirect the racing or "runaway" thoughts that often lead to insomnia.

Additionally, it can help relax your body, releasing tension and placing you in a peaceful state in which you're more likely to fall asleep.

Your perception of pain is connected to your state of mind, and it can be elevated in stressful conditions.

For example, one study used functional MRI techniques to observe brain activity as participants experienced a painful stimulus. Some participants had gone through four days of mindfulness meditation training, while others had not.

The meditating patients showed increased activity in the brain centers known to control pain. They also reported less sensitivity to pain (40).

One larger study looked at the effects of habitual meditation in 3,500 participants. It found that meditation was associated with decreased complaints of chronic or intermittent pain (1).

An additional study of meditation in patients with terminal diseases found meditation may help mitigate chronic pain at the end of life (4).

In each of these scenarios, meditators and non-meditators experienced the same causes of pain, but meditators showed a greater ability to cope with pain and even experienced a reduced sensation of pain.

Meditation can also improve physical health by reducing strain on the heart.

Over time, high blood pressure makes the heart work harder to pump blood, which can lead to poor heart function.

High blood pressure also contributes to atherosclerosis, or narrowing of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

A study of 996 volunteers found that when they meditated by concentrating on a "silent mantra" a repeated, non-vocalized word reduced blood pressure by about five points, on average.

This was more effective among older volunteers and those who had higher blood pressure prior to the study (41).

A review concluded that several types of meditation produced similar improvements in blood pressure (42).

In part, meditation appears to control blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate heart function, tension in blood vessels and the "fight-or-flight" response that increases alertness in stressful situations (43).

People practice many different forms of meditation, most of which don't require specialized equipment or space. You can practice with just a few minutes daily.

If you want to start meditating, try choosing a form of meditation based on what you want to get out of it.

There are two major styles of meditation:

To find out which styles you like best, check out the variety of free, guided meditation exercises offered by UCLA and Head in the Clouds. They're an excellent way to try different styles and find one that suits you.

If your regular work and home environments do not allow for consistent, quiet alone time, consider participating in a class. This can also improve your chances of success by providing a supportive community.

Alternatively, consider setting your alarm a few minutes early to take advantage of quiet time in the morning. This may help you develop a consistent habit and allow you to start the day positively.

Meditation is something everyone can do to improve their mental and emotional health.

You can do it anywhere, without special equipment or memberships.

Alternatively, meditation courses and support groups are widely available.

There's a great variety of styles too, each with different strengths and benefits.

Trying out a style of mediation suited to your goals is a great way to improve your quality of life, even if you only have a few minutes to do it each day.

More:

12 Science-Based Benefits of Meditation

FISHERS, Ind. (WTHR) Do you start to feel stressed just thinking about going to work? Maybe that feeling is stemming from a big project you have to present to your boss in a few months. Or do you have a student athlete at home whose ability is being capped because of doubts swirling in their head? You might want to consider looking into meditation.

"Meditation is about taking your body out of a fight-or-flight state, a stress state, and turning off that reaction to your nervous system so your body can go into a healing practice," said Paula Lord with BODY by GymRoots. "When I talk about healing, imagine if I cut myself. My body knows how to naturally heal that. Its not some crazy-out-there-idea of healing. Its literally my body's ability to heal itself if I injure it."

Lord brings people back to even at a studio in Fishers called BODY by GymRoots. She hasn't been meditating that long. In fact, she's only been practicing it for two years.

There are many different types of meditation. The type Lord practices is called the meditation on Twin Hearts.

"Its a very powerful packed way of utilizing the life energy that's all around us," said Lord. "Youve heard of life energy through Tai chi. We call it prana, so it's utilizing that prana through meditation and bringing it into our body and helping our bodys healing process be stronger."

If you've never meditated before, Lord suggests starting with five minutes a day.

"Its a lot like upgrading the hardware in your phone," said Lord. "If I had still had the iPhone 3, I wouldnt be able to do much with it. So, as I increase the amount of time I meditate, its like upgrading my phone. So the more I meditate, the stronger I get with it, the more I get to have the most up-to-date, usable equipment."

After just two years of meditating, Lord says she feels like she has more energy and less pain. She also believes meditating can help each and every one of us accomplish extraordinary things. When she started seeing the benefits in her life, she began teaching her daughter and other young athletes.

"She is now 21 years old," said Lord. "She competes in gymnastics for Northern Illinois University."

Lord says her daughter recently finished with a 9.9 on beam and led her team to a conference championship.

"They asked 'what did you do in the locker room before you came out?'" said Lord. "And her first response was 'well, I like to do meditation, and I did that before I came out.' You can do that experiment without meditation, but you have to give credit or a nod where it gave her the ability to perform under pressure."

If you're looking for something to do while you're at the office to get you back to even, Lord suggests giving your eyes a break.

"Sit back and practice turning your eyes to the left, right, up, down," said Lord. "Look around and change the focal point or go look our the window for around 20 seconds every hour."

And when you pick your kids up from school, Lord suggests turning on some light music and have your kids practicing deep breathing with you while you're driving them to their next activity.

"Meditation is not something you have to wear a robe and a scarf for," said Lord. "And you don't even have to turn off the lights or have a quiet space. We would like to find our quiet in the midst of all the chaos."

Lord believes apps can help your kids grasp the concept of meditation but then, you should see if your kids can eventually meditate without them.

"I work with a lot of athletes and kids who are a little young for the powerful Twin Hearts method," said Lord. "We teach them a little bit about the breathing so then, they will utilize the apps in their daily life because it is so easy for them even just walking around at school. Pop in the headphones, go to that calm space, and [it] helps them achieve that state. Also, don't get too dependent on them. Utilize this as a tool to help you learn what its like to be calm, and see what you can do without it."

Paul Wilson teaches Transcendental Meditation in Indianapolis. It's been taught in Indiana for 51 years and research has shown that this technique helps with stress-related conditions, brain function, cardiovascular health and post-traumatic stress.

He says transcendental meditation can't be learned through an app.

"Many people at the free weekly introductory talks at our Nora office have tried meditation phone apps. Hardly anyone says the apps are easy or effective for reducing their stress and anxiety," said Wilson.

Transcendental Meditation Indianapolis offers free introductory talks on the TM technique every Wednesday at both noon and 7:00 p.m., as well as by appointment.

"We make the TM technique affordable for as wide a range of incomes as possible, offering sliding scale, one-time payment even those on government assistance can usually afford if they are serious about feeling better," said Wilson. "This simple system of deep meditation is much less expensive than a single day in a cardiac unit."

Meditation at BODY by GymRoots is free on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 8:15 a.m., but you do need to reserve a spot. Love donations are accepted. The next classes on pranic healing at BODY by GymRoots are scheduled to happen June 5-7.

Ball State also recently shared its planetarium-based meditation program. They decided to develop this to help with the rise in mental-health awareness and treatment options. Part of this initiative includes a fulldome planetarium program called "Sunset Meditation."

Read this article:

Using meditation to benefit your life - WTHR

It's no secret that meditation can soothe even the most intense anxiety with enough practice, but now scientists are able to show how it changes the brain.

A study published in Brain and Cognition found that transcendental meditation promotes overall wellbeing by reducing stress. Scientists also found that certain brain structures related to mood-regulation changed after daily meditation.

Transcendental meditation involves silently repeating one-word mantras to oneself. The mantras typically are only one or two syllables long. In order to see the most benefits, experts recommendpeople meditate twice a day for 20 minutes.

When study participants followed that recommendation for three months, researchers observed changes in the connectivity of three major brain regions the precuneus, left parietal lobe and insula. Theparticipants also experienced reduced anxiety and stresslevels.

"The fact that transcendentalmeditation has measurable effects on the dialogue between brain structures involved in the modulation of affective states opens new perspectives for the understanding of brain-mind relationships," Pietro Pietrini, a director at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, said in a statement.

To try this form of meditation yourself, Yoga Journal recommends finding a position that's comfortable to you either sitting or lying down. Silently repeat the mantra you have chosen twice once when you inhale and again when you exhale. If thoughts arise, just notice them and then softly return to the mantra.

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Transcendental meditation soothes anxiety by changing connections in the brain - PhillyVoice.com

Feb. 20, 2020, 4:12 PM UTC

Few things in life are more frustrating than lying awake at night, unable to sleep. Dragging yourself out of bed after a long night of tossing and turning can be demoralizing, to say the least, and nights like this can leave you exhausted.

If you've been spending the night staring at your ceiling instead of snoozing, one potential remedy could be meditation.

But how does it work?

We turned to two meditation specialists, Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, and Andy Puddicombe, Headspace co-founder and meditation expert, for their insight.

"Top-line, [meditation] is a way of looking after and caring for the mind," says Puddicombe. It isn't about turning off your thoughts entirely, but observing the thoughts you have. You don't have to achieve any particular state of mind to be meditating correctly.

"Our job is to show up and witness the mind as it is, knowing that what we are looking for is already here," says Puddicombe, "not that we need to try and somehow intellectually create that idea of peace in our mind."

Keep in mind that there are lots of different ways to meditate and one doesn't necessarily trump the others.

"Culturally speaking, it has origins in many, many different religious and spiritual traditions around the world," says Mehta. Popular forms of meditation include mindfulness or calming meditation, insight meditation or Vipassana meditation, and transcendental meditation. Mindfulness meditation is intended to create a quieter, more peaceful mind while insight meditation aims to develop particular qualities like wisdom or compassion. Transcendental meditation is a popular branch of meditation founded on the techniques of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

"Weve learned many of these practices do have health benefits associated with them from improving symptoms of anxiety and depression to reducing blood pressure and having better control of other metabolic parameters," Mehta says of the scientifically proven side effects of meditation.

Science has yet to pinpoint which types of meditation can help with which specific issues patients are facing, but Mehta believes this knowledge will be the next frontier in clinical meditation studies.

Trending stories,celebrity news and all the best of TODAY.

"In the next five years, we should be able to 'prescribe' the form or type of meditation that might be best served for that individual, for that symptom," he explains.

When we feel stressed, our bodies go into a physiological response called "fight or flight." In this state of hypervigilance, the body makes you stay awake because it fears danger. If you can release stress in your life and practice a calm mind, you'll find yourself falling asleep much easier.

"A lot of people I know get very anxious and fearful around sleep," says Puddicombe. "All that thinking does is make us feel more stressed and less likely to go to sleep."

Both experts agree meditation can help with sleep, but maybe not in the way you'd imagine it's not like turning on some quiet music or white noise before you tuck yourself in.

"Most people assume mindfulness meditation will be done immediately before sleep," says Puddicombe. In actuality, he notes, "Most of the mindfulness research gets people to meditate first thing in the morning."

Meditation benefits our ability to sleep by setting up a calmer mind, decreasing the stress response, regulating circadian rhythms and allowing us to approach sleep differently.

While traditional meditation should help, Mehta also recommends yoga nidra, or yoga for sleep, as a popular form of meditation for people who struggle to get rest at night.

"It is a series of practices that permit sleep," Mehta explains of the guided practice. "Most of it is intentional relaxation of the muscle groups and ultimately finding a space of equanimity."

Unlike other meditative practices, Mehta advises it's best to practice yoga nidra when you're trying to go to bed: "The best way to describe it is a body scan. You are sort of scanning different parts of the body, but you are really going into intentional relaxation from one point of the body to another."

Early research suggests yoga nidra can help to reduce one's feelings of stress and anxiety and that it may help improve the quality of sleep in those suffering from insomnia.

The Headspace app also has an entire channel dedicated to sleep that includes guided meditation exercises and more immediate sleep aids like calming music.

Long story short, all of the health benefits you receive from meditation will play into your body's ability to get a better night of rest.

"Start small," says Puddicombe, "Its more about frequency than it is duration."

Puddicombe recommends meditating for 10 minutes a day to receive the maximum benefits from the activity, although he says it's best to work your way up to that amount of time. If you are new to meditation, even 3 to 5 minutes a day will make a difference.

In the beginning, Puddicombe suggests connecting meditation to something you do every day.

"Let's say you shower every morning or you have a cup of coffee every morning, tie it to one of those things," says Puddicombe. "Once you tie meditation to it, you are more likely to remember to do it."

Mehta also recommends asking for professional advice if you're having trouble getting started.

"The biggest reason people come to see us is for sleep," he says. "Having some guidance is important and then it can be self-sustainable. You need to talk to your health care provider about this, having open conversations."

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What is guided sleep meditation? - Today.com

In addition to the work they do in the pool and weight room, Virginia Tech and Coach Sergio Lopez emphasize mental preparation and meditation to swim fast. Current photo via Jack Spitser/Spitser Photography

Virginia Tech junior Joelle Vereb is a versatile sprinter who has so far placed 6th individually in both the 50 freestyle and 7th 100 butterfly. Vereb placed 11th in the prelims of the 100 freestyle Saturday morning, qualifying her for the consolation final Saturday evening, in what will be the final session of the 2020 Womens ACC Championships.

Though she opted to swim the 100 fly over the 100 breast on Friday, Vereb contributed a 1:00.04 100 breaststroke split to VTs 400 medley relay, which placed 8th and a 27.06 50 breaststroke split to VTs 200 medley relay, which also placed 8th.

Vereb will likely cap off her 2020 ACC Championships with a swim on the 400 freestyle relay.

In addition to the work Vereb and teammates do in the pool and weight room, Virginia Tech Head Coach Sergio Lopez emphasizes mental preparation and has the team using meditation in order to prepare for major meets such as ACCs.

Reid Carlsonoriginally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six. At age 14 he began swimming club year-round and later with his high school team, making state all four years. He was fortunate enough to draw the attention of Kalamazoo College where he went on to

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Joelle Vereb and Teammates Used Meditation to Mentally Prepare for ACCs (Video) - SwimSwam