Katy Perry also opened up about the most valuable lessons shes learned in the music industry, and how shes passing those onto the contestants on American Idol!

Katy Perry, 35, may be one of the most successful pop artist of all time but she still deals with haters and internet trolls. I believe in therapy. I believe in meditation. I believe in self care. I believe in taking the stillness, the time, just being able to assess whats real, she shared at the American Idol Premiere event at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Feb. 12 about how she manages negative comments. Something someone told me that changed my life was nobody can ever make you believe something about yourself that you dont already believe about yourself. So if someone says youre a fat, ugly b***h, and it affects you, do you think about yourself that way? So get to the bottom of that. There you go, she also shared. Sound advice.

As a judge and mentor, those lessons are just some of what shes tried to impart on the contestants competing on this season ofIdol. I think really authenticity is the golden rule, staying true to yourself, having a great support systemIf you dont have family, make it your friends. Create a team of people that play both the devils advocate and also are supportive, the Teenage Dream singer revealed, also acknowledging how different fame is now versus a decade ago thanks to social media. The crazy thing about now versus 10 years ago is the access that the trolls have to our head, and you have to really be mentally prepared for this time more than anything because you can look put together and beautiful and be crumbling on the inside.

Katy joined the long running reality series back in season 16 alongside Lionel Richie, 70, and Luke Bryan, 43 and has become known for her off-beat sense of humor. [Im going to be] similar to the last two seasons. I think theres always going to be me taking risks, Katy laughed. Humor-wise, some people are like, Oh, my god. Shes just so weird and bizarre.'

While the show has been fun for Katy and the judges, at the end of the day, it all comes down to business. Im a lot more streamlined in knowing what the world needs, what it wants. We have 30,000 songs that come out a day, Katy who has sold over 100 million singles globally also shared. We are overfed as far as entertainment goes, so you got to really cut through, and we represent really the business part of it. Well be there to help you and support you and hold your hand, but we are kind of like the template of what it is in the outside world.

Go here to read the rest:

Katy Perry Reveals Why She Believes In Therapy & Meditation To Deal With Haters - HollywoodLife

In January, Oprah Winfrey launched her nine-city tour called "Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus" as a way to motivate and inspire fans to live their healthiest and most fulfilled lives.

"How do you take this energy of inspiration and people feeling triumphant in their lives? How do you use that to something that's a greater good than just my front porch?" Oprah asked guests at her first tour stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Entertainment Tonight reported. "And that's how this idea came about. I'll try to spread that word around the country."

The tour, which is in partnership with weight-loss program Weight Watchers (now known as WW), will also run in cities like Dallas, Texas; San Francisco, California; and Los Angeles, California, with guests including Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Gayle King, and Tina Fey.

Oprah's mission to teach people how to live their best and healthiest lives is at the core of both her tour and personal brand, but this is hardly her first foray into the topic. The former talk show host has interviewed celebrities on everything from vaccines to youth-enhancing remedies, and discussed her own health practices like meditation and healthy eating.

Here are the best and worst health tips Oprah has talked about over the years.

See more here:

Oprah's best and worst health advice from almost 5 decades as a talk show host and trend-setter - Insider - INSIDER

There are few better ways to take your countrys first ICC Womens T20 World Cup wicket than Naruemol Chaiwais sensational throw against the West Indies.

Thailand may not have ended their 2020 debut with a win, but its safe to say they turned plenty of heads with their frightening fielding against the 2016 champions.

A 78 for nine batting innings perhaps matched the worlds expectations of the debutants, but when Chaiwai fired that bullseye direct hit at the bowlers end to see off opener Lee-Ann Kirby, any misconceptions were blown out of the water.

And the excitement didnt stop at one wicket. That sensational run-out sparked what at one point looked like a potential upset from the debutants in the opening game at the WACA.

From there, Thailands bowling and fielding was a joy to watch. Having struggled to build with bat, they knew they had to use their strength as a lifeline.

They took to the field without fear, quickly sneaking a second wicket when Soraya Lateh bowled Hayley Matthews for her first international victim before Suleeporn Laomi was quick on her toes to run out the dangerous Deandra Dottin just after the Powerplay.

But for a DRS reprieve for Shemaine Campbelle, West Indies were briefly 27 for four at the WACA and well in danger of being on the wrong end of an upset.

We think our performance will make people take us more seriously, said opener Nattaya Boochatham.

We have an aggressive mentality and we know it only takes ten bowls to create wickets. Thats the plan we stick to.

We trust our fielding a lot to get us far in the competition. It has given us motivation to do better and show we can compte on the global stage.

With many of the Thailand team, including captain Sornnarin Tippoch, originally crafting their sporting trade as university softball players, fielding was always going to be their strongpoint.

They could have given West Indies more of a scare had they been more effective with the bat, but that doesnt mean they wont be finetuning their fielding - even when its done in a less conventional way.

We did a lot of meditation the night before our opening game, added Boochatham.

I practice that a lot, thinking about the lines I am going to hit with the bat and ball.

We like to visualise the positive mindset and cricket we wanted to show, and reinforce the positive thought pattern to start the day in a good way.

A debut win may have eluded them in Perth, but Thailands fielding exploits will have sent a serious statement to the world of cricket.

Tippoch had spoken before the game about their understanding of the magnitude a T20 World Cup brings, wanting to take cricket beyond the traditional roots from which it was born.

So while they may be here enjoying every moment, theres more to this Thailand side than smiles theyre in Australia with a point to prove, and theyre already making it.

Note: This article was first published on ICCs official website.

Read more:

Softball skills and meditation: How Thailand impressed with their fielding on T20 World Cup debut - Scroll.in

By: Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer

SFU Recreation offers a wide variety of yoga classes to members of the SFU community through its Mind Body Spirit pass. Though many of the different offerings were tempting, I was especially intrigued by the description of the Yin/Yang Yoga class on the SFU Recreation website, which states that the goal of the class is to allow you to feel present in the moment, to connect mind and body and soul, and deliver skills to help accept the yin and yang of daily life. Since, like many of us struggling through another semester at SFU, my mind, body, and soul could use some reconnecting, I decided to give it a shot.

I participated in the Wednesday offering of the class, which is taught by Bryony Ollier. Bryony created a very warm and welcoming environment for all participants. As explained by Bryony, Yin/Yang Yoga is based on a Chinese concept which combines and draws upon two types of energy the softer Yin energy and the dynamic Yang energy. It is a restorative practice that focuses mostly on gentle breathing exercises. This form of yoga helps participants let go of stress through meditation and a touch of somatic therapy. Since Yin/Yang Yoga focuses more on holding poses for breathing exercises rather than putting participants through rigorous movements requiring extreme flexibility, the instructor explained that it is an especially good class for those that are new to yoga.

At the start of the class, Bryony noted that her specific goal for the class was for participants to loosen up and connect with the earth through therapeutic exercises such as guided, rhythmic breathing. She gave the class instructions that were meant to release bodily tensions that resist the earth. The soft and melodious background music created a soothing atmosphere that complemented the class well. However, since the class took place in the Education Building gym, it was a little hard to ignore the loud crowd noises from the bustling AQ above us. Because of this, I would recommend arriving early and reserving a spot near the front to make sure that you can hear Bryonys instructions clearly.

She also mentioned that each class is slightly different to cater to the varying needs of participants. Overall, it was a very relaxing experience for me to attend Yin/Yang Yoga, so I would recommend this class as a simple way to relieve stress.

If youre interested, Yin/Yang Yoga classes usually take place from 12:30 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. on Tuesdays in the West Gyms VIP Room and on Wednesdays in the Education Building gym. However, please check the website for possible location and/or date changes. Each class costs about $8 for drop-in, but if you have the Mind Body Spirit Pass, which costs $114.25 for students and is valid for the whole semester, you get unlimited access to any yoga and stretch classes offered by SFU Recreation.

Read more:

Yin/Yang Yoga offers a relaxing experience through meditation - The Peak

. - Contributed

Is it just me, or has 2020 had an upset tummy it's been taking out on us since its arrival? Bless its heart, it clearly ate something in the latter part of 2019 that's not agreeing with it. Some higher power needs to send it to bed for a few days to sleep off whatever this is.

It's only February and there have already been a multitude of incidents that have filled me with as much helplessness and despair as I felt the time I learned my husband likes the song Gangnam Style. (Sidenote: we've decided to work through it for the sake of the children.)

So I'm re-visiting the art of meditation. A friend who I admire for his dedication to mindfulness was very encouraging. He recommended several free apps to get me started. A few nights ago, I decided it was time.

To mark the occasion, I turned on the diffuser with an essential oil from the Indulgence Collection that I found in a discount bin last year. And indulgent it was: each of the three scents - ambitiously named Joy, Love Potion and Rejuvenate - smelled like everyones great-aunts perfume. I chose Rejuvenate, because it sounded the most meditate-y. It immediately made my lungs and eyeballs burn - probably with rejuvenation.

Remember, my mindful friend had told me, Dont meditate lying down unless you are fully awake and alert. I remembered this at bedtime, already delirious with exhaustion. So lying down seemed like the way to go.

Relax, I willed myself. Focus on the sound of your breath. Ignore the fact that the room smells like a 1950s ladies luncheon. Clear your mind...

Seriously though, how hard is this pillow? Has it always been this hard? Why is my skull suddenly not sinking into the memory foam? (Pause to check and adjust/punch this obvious imposter of a pillow.)

Now zone out

Why luncheon, though? Is it not just lunch - is there a difference? I guess its just a pretentious lunch. With perfume and cucumber sandwiches cut into tidy, white, crustless triangles...

God, I'm hungry

No. Heather. Focus. Feed your soul, not your gullet (said no meditation guru ever).

As my brain alone was obviously not going to get me to zen land, I opened one of the recommended apps and randomly selected a session called, "Connect with Spirit Guides Meditation."

I should have clued in but, to be quite honest, it was late, I was tired and the picture accompanying the session was a cool, swirly cosmos thing so: seemed legit.

You see, there is one thing that terrifies me more than wild animals. More than choking. More than airplane turbulence. More than the thought of my life partner enjoying Gangnam Style OK, so there are a lot of things that terrify me. But none as profoundly as the paranormal.

Yes. I'm afraid of ghosts.

Many people describe such encounters as beautiful and peaceful; they, in fact, seek to connect with these spirits, to communicate with them.

I, on the other hand, would call 9-1-1 if I even thought I heard a voice from beyond, no matter how serene. My husband once farted in the shower and, from the bedroom, it sounded like a woman's voice calling my name from downstairs. I stopped breathing for a good minute and almost swallowed my tongue.

As soon as the teacher/guide described welcoming spirits, I immediately sat up and moved to change the session.

Try it, said my husband, encouragingly, without deflecting his gaze from the sports highlights on his phone, as he lay next to me. Its not scary. Itll be good.

(I think my husband is secretly into ghosts.)

Hes right, though. Not only will I be more at peace and more mindful, I will be doing something that scares me! And isnt that something someone once said were supposed to do every day? (Sidenote: it was Eleanor Roosevelt).

I was ready for it. Until it got real.

"She's approaching from your right." OK (I was already sweating), so we know it's female. Grandma? I could see my pulse under my eyelids. J was lying on my right. Oh God, is there a ghost sitting on J? If something touches my right hand, I will never recover

Relax, Heather. Just keep your eyes closed. Embrace this.

"It is now standing behind you." OK, not only was I unclear about the ghosts preferred pronouns (she versus it), I was struggling with the suggested spatial arrangement. All that was behind me was the headboard Is it in the headboard?

Dont look at the headboard, Heather. Because if you do and you see a face, you will never unsee it.

Just breathe. Picture Grandma. Not Pennywise. Grandma. Not Pennywise. Who is that? Grandpa? That's fine, just not Pennywiseand definitely not the girl from The Grudge!

As fast as I could picture a spidery lady clinging to my ceiling above the headboard, I shut the whole thing down. Im no guru, but Im pretty sure meditation isnt supposed to feel like imminent doom.

For what its worth, I tried again last night. It was a guided meditation for sleep, so I was allowed to lie down. I only got through the first couple minutes because I fell asleep - so: success!

I am going to keep trying. Maybe cool it with the discount aromatherapy. Maybe select sessions that use the words beginner and relax in their descriptions. More peace and tranquility, less Fear Factor.

Its a work in progress. Just like 2020.

Heather Huybregts is a mother, physiotherapist, blogger (www.heatheronarock.com), YouTuber and puffin whisperer from Corner Brook, NL. Her column appears biweekly.

Visit link:

HEATHER HUYBREGTS: When your attempt to meditate scares you - TheChronicleHerald.ca

Jonny Lomax is known for the scrum cap he wears on the field for St Helens, but it is the unique way he looks after his head off the pitch that could be the key to success in Saturdays World Club Challenge against the Sydney Roosters.

I have meditated for 403 days in a row now, something daft like that, said Lomax. I only know because Ive got it on my app. It is something Ive been doing for a number of years, probably nearly four. I know its quite clich but [I got into it] just through dealing with a bit of anxiety in terms of things around injuries.

I was quite open to trying things as I wasnt sleeping particularly well. At first,

Visit link:

400 days of meditation, one shot at world domination - Jonny Lomax is focused on upsetting the Sydney Roosters - The Times

We live in times when so many of us find it increasingly difficult to focus on just one thing at a time. When we do not have sufficient time, our technological devices enable us to be in multiple places all at once. But it comes with a cost. Modern technology has split our concentration into smaller bits, scattering them in many directions. As we have become more technologically savvy, we also seem to have lost our ability to live in the present ~ a place where we actually want to be without stress and distractions.

Although we can connect with just about anybody with a touch of a finger, we often find ourselves unable to engage in genuine, one-on-one communication. On the one hand, technology has made us more efficient and productive but, on the other, we find that our attention is scattered and our lives marked by stress and complications. Consequently, we are not always mindful when we are communicating with ourselves or with others. So what exactly is mindfulness? It is the act of consciously focusing your mind in the present moment without judgment and without attachment to the moment.

It can help us become more aware of what is going on for us both internally and externally. We become more present to the here and now. Professor Emeritus Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder and former director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, defines mindfulness as the awareness that arises by paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally. According to Thich Nhat Hanh, world renowned Zen Master and author of several books on mindfulness, the term mindfulness refers to keeping ones consciousness alive to the present reality.

Although practicing mindfulness has become highly popular in the United States in recent years, it is an ancient practice introduced by Hindu and Buddhist spiritual leaders over 2,500 years ago as a means of calming the mind and gaining insight into the impermanent and interdependent nature of the self. There are now many leading experts on mindfulness in the United States who teach how to harness the power of mindfulness and how it can be used to manage stress, center ones self, see more clearly, live more fully, step out of routine thought patterns, and open hearts and minds.

There are also numerous books written by experts on mindfulness that show us ways how to live in the present moment with ourselves and with others. This is accomplished by engaging in different kinds of meditation techniques, which emphasize the cultivation of keen awareness to experiences in the present moment without any kind of analysis or interpretation or having any kind of attachment to a particular outcome. Kabat-Zinn and many neuroscientists in the United States have helped to bring the practice of mindfulness meditation into mainstream medicine, demonstrating that practising mindfulness improves both our physical and psychological wellbeing resulting in positive changes in our health, attitudes, and behaviour.

According to these experts, mindfulness techniques benefit us in a number of important ways; it helps relieve stress, lowers blood pressure, reduces chronic aches and pains, helps with sleep, reduces gastrointestinal problems and, finally, mindfulness is good for our heart. Mindfulness also improves our psychological wellbeing. American psychotherapists now use mindfulness meditation extensively to treat depression, eating disorders, anger, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders, among others. Medical research findings also indicate that mindfulness contributes to a positive attitude.

Being mindful also helps us to become fully engaged in activities, while increasing our capacity to deal with adverse events. By focusing on the present, people who practise mindfulness have reported that they dont easily get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past. They also seem to be less preoccupied with success that boosts ones ego and they are also more capable of forming deep and meaningful connections with others. Since mindfulness has so many important benefits for us, whether they are connected with our physical or emotional wellbeing, mindfulness training has certainly become tremendously popular with many major organizations in the United States.

Companies like Adobe, Amazon, Ford, General Mills, Google, Target, and Goldman Sachs, to name a few, have all instituted mindfulness training for their employees so that they are healthier, less stressed and more focused on their jobs. Mindfulness experts are also training CEOs of major corporations on mindfulness techniques. Business leaders who practise mindfulness report that they now perceive issues more objectively; they can form deeper relationships that are empathic, and they are not driven by their ego and pride as they learn to be humble. These business leaders often mention that they are also more productive, more creative in solving problems, more satisfied with their jobs and are less stressed in challenging situations.

The growing popularity of practising mindfulness in the United States is not just limited to big corporations. Now mindfulness training is imparted to the US military and the US Department of Defence, which have invested millions of dollars to identify ways for US defence personnel to become more focused and less stressed in their work. Even educators in American high schools are turning increasingly to mindfulness training for students, teaching them how to concentrate in the classroom and deal effectively with stress. Many high schools in the United States are also investing time and money to train high school teachers about mindfulness.

At this point, a reader may ask how can one practise mindfulness? Although there is actually more than one way to such practise, the goal of mindfulness is to always be in the present moment. This is achieved by focusing on our breathing as we meditate. When we meditate, we pay attention to the thoughts and sensations that distract us but we do not try to fight them. Nor do we pass any judgment on them. We just observe these thoughts and sensations and go back to focusing on our breathing again. Our goal is to allow our mind to refocus on the present. Here are four popular mindfulness techniques, which all involve meditation. There are obviously many more approaches to achieving mindfulness.

1. Basic mindfulness meditation ~ we need to sit quietly and focus on natural breathing. We must allow thoughts to come and go without judgment and return to our focus on breath. 2. Body sensations. In this technique, we are supposed to observe the subtle sensations in our body such as an itch or tingling without passing any kind of judgment and let them pass. We must notice each part of our body in succession from head to toe. 3. Sensory ~ Here we practise observing sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touches. We name the sight, sound, smell, taste, or touch without judgment and let them go. 4.Emotions ~ In this mindfulness technique, we allow emotions to be present without judgment. We practise a steady and relaxed naming of emotions such as joy, anger, frustration, while accepting the presence of the emotions without judgment and letting them go.

While all this may seem to be a new-age approach to our holistic wellbeing, hard medical evidence demonstrates that we can train our brains to function differently and that brains can adapt and rewire. This phenomenon, known as neuroplasticity, suggests that there are concrete and provable benefits to exercising the brain by engaging in mindfulness. It is precisely because of this scientific component that mindfulness has gained so much traction with people who might otherwise find this to be spiritual mumbo jumbo. According to Richard J. Davidson, founder and chair of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, There is a swathe of our culture who is not going to listen to someone in monks robes, but they are paying attention to scientific evidence.

Davidson and his coresearchers published a scientific paper in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2004, demonstrating that Buddhist monks who had spent at least 10,000 hours of meditation time had brains with more functional connectivity than folks who never meditated or meditated in small doses. These monks also had a higher state of consciousness. Of course, most of us will never have the capacity to meditate at the level of a monk. But neuroscientists seem to be convinced that there is hope for far less experienced meditators because by engaging in mindfulness meditations, they will have more capacity for a working memory, more focused attention and less stress in their lives.

(The writer is Professor of Communication Studies at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles)

The rest is here:

Focus without Stress - The Statesman

And for some that means turning to relaxation and breathing techniques that have been around for centuries.

Since as long ago as the ancient Greeks crystals have been used to achieve physical, emotional and spiritual balance.

Today people from all walks of life swear by their power and turn to them to help ease their stress and anxiety worries.

When Patsy Parr, who lives in Kinver, began having difficulties sleeping she too decided to use crystals to give her an emotional boost.

I was having severe problems with night terrors I used to imagine people were coming to get me in the night, says the 27-year-old.

Desperate to find a solution, she was inspired to try crystal healing while attending a reiki retreat in Glastonbury with her mum Samantha and sister Gemma.

As well as easing her night-time anxiety, the marketing director also began using them to steady her nerves ahead of important presentations.

But Patsy, who at 16 found herself on X-Factor alongside Olly Murs and Jedward as part of the girl band Belle Sorelle, found clutching a crystal at her time of need wasnt always convenient.

It was chunky and big I needed something better to help my stress and anxiety, she tells Weekend.

This led her to design a range of bracelets to help with meditation and mindfulness inspired by the Taoism philosophy of living in harmony.

Its about going with the flow of life and not against the grain and having a positive mindset, explains Patsy who runs the business alongside Samantha and Gemma.

There are six different bracelets the sky blue and royal indigo tones found in Sodalite are said to stimulate creativity. The Tigers Eye, with its deep chocolate and caramel tones, oozes wisdom. Rose Quartz is well known to be calming and represent unconditional love.

Gunmetal grey Hematite boosts energy, Snowflake Obsidian is associated with power and strength, Amethyst evokes peace, calm and spiritual awareness.

The idea is that they can be used to practice mediation. The wearer can hang the bracelet on their middle finger and use their thumb to rotate each bead towards themselves. When the reach the silver disc, they reverse the process.

As each bead is rotated, they can take a breath and there is an empowering mantra which can been repeated.

For example for amethyst, which represents peace, focus and protection, the suggested mantra is I am peaceful and safe and for sodalite, which is used for confidence, communication and creativity, its I am calm and confident.

The best stones are sourced from all over the world and then they are handcrafted locally where the lovely silver disc is hammered by hand and can be given an initial. Each bracelet is individual and totally unique.

I use mine which is Tigers Eye before I have to do a big presentation, I feel very confident when I wear it. says Patsy.

We wanted something that we believe in, is positive with its message and is beautiful to wear, adds the entrepreneur.

Gemma, aged 35, found the meditation techniques useful while working as a flight attendant and was also able to help passengers who were feeling nervous about being up in the air. As cabin crew for Emirates I would always take five minutes before a long-haul flight to get in the right zone.

Counting the beads on my woo way bracelet, breathing and saying the mantra does this really quickly. I would often lend my bracelet to passengers who were nervous of flying- so they could relax and enjoy the flight.

Sodalite is my favourite it helps with communication and creativity and can relieve hormone problems and give a sense of balance and calm. I love the blues and indigo hues in the stones. says Samantha.

If I have a big business meeting Ill use mine to steady myself before I got in, she adds.

The bracelets, which are all unique, have already attracted celebrity fans including Trinny Woodall who has been seen wearing one in an Instagram video. While Manchester City and England footballer Gill Scott has also purchased a bracelet.

The business has been named Woo Way inspired by the Taoism concept of wu weiwhich means effortless action.

The idea is that rather than chasing after everything you let it come to you, explains Patsy, who believes mindfulness and meditation has many benefits.

Meditation can help you sleep, relax the mind and body, boost your energy, bring balance and give a feeling of peace and well being, she adds.

The mother and daughter partnership has been delighted by the response to the bracelets since they were launched in October.

A lot of young people are anxious and really struggle with mental health but they dont know what to do.

I think Woo Way can help lots of different people, no matter what path you are on. Weve got a lot of young footballers wearing them. They say it helps them with pre-match stress.

Patsy believes that channelling energy into something positive such as taking time to calm down before a stressful event can help to relieve negative feelings. Im not saying they are magical but having something to focus on can help distract you from whats going in in your life, she says.

See http://www.wooway.co.uk

See original here:

Living in harmony: The Kinver woman using crystal healing to treat stress and anxiety - expressandstar.com

Take part in a free boot camp with GFX

Fitness enthusiasts looking to shake up their daily workout routine can head over to Bay Avenue in Dubai for a free boot camp conducted by GFX gym. The session will take place on Saturday, February 29, from 9.30am to 10.30am on the lawn next to the Skate Park in Business Bay. Trainer Ryan Watts will take the group through various body-weight workouts, including burpees, squats, planks and lunges. Participants who are 18 years or older can register for the event through the GFX app or call 04 425 5940. All you need is your own mat to sweat it out on.

XYoga returns to Dubai

Dubais much-loved fitness festival is back, and will be taking place XYoga Dubai returns to on Kite Beach on Friday and Saturday, February 21 and 22, from 8am to 5pm. Participants can expect two days of complimentary classes, talks, workshops and meditation sessions, geared towards all ages and fitness levels.

XYoga Dubai Organised in conjunction with Dubai Holding, the event includes offbeat sessions such as acro yoga, live piano flow, jivamukti yoga and Arabic yoga. Some other styles that will be introduced this year include budokon yoga (a mix of martial arts and callisthenics), a pain and movement workshop, andplus Dad & Me, and Mummy & Me, classes. Traditional yoga practices such as ashtanga, kundalini, vinyasa flow and beginners yoga will also be available.

Meanwhile, the festival will kick off with a morning class on the Friday led by Bollywood actress and model Esha Gupta. Other international yogis expected to attend are Australian adventure yogi Sjana Elise and yoga bro Jacob Manning. The Art of Living institute, which focuses on yogic breathing, will also offer classes.

Yoga Market comes to Abu Dhabi

Bodytree Studio is bringing back its popular Yoga Market event, providing residents of the capital with back-to-back classes on all things health, wellness and mindfullness. On Friday, February 21, the studio will open its rooms and outdoor area for classes and workshops for all, even children. Guests can expect to find Nancy Zabaneh teaching kundalini yoga at 10am, while a Back to Basics: Your Journey to Low Waste talk by Sarah Siblini at 2.30pm will look at how to cut back on waste and become more sustainable. New to this years lineup is 15-minute Shiatsu massage tasters, as an expert gives guests the opportunity to indulge in mini-massages, and a private sound healing session. Finally, those attending can end the day with the popular Soul Awakening music event by Kirtan Dubai group. The event will take place from 8.30am-4pm and is free to enter. However, tickets to workshops and classes are priced at Dh200 for the day. For more information, contact 02 443 4448 or info@bodytreestudio.com.

Yogafest makes its Al Ain debut

After its many outings in Dubai, the free-to-attend wellness event Yogafest is coming to Jahili Park, Al Ain, for the first time on Thursday, March 5, from 6pm to 9.30pm and Friday, March 6 from 8am to 6pm. The festival will include a number of workshops, classes and talks on all things health and wellness, and is open to all age groups and abilities. Guests can also expect themed tents for yoga, meditation and family time, as well as indulge in some retail therapy at the marketplace where vendors will showcase sustainable products. While entry is free, registration at http://www.eventbrite.com is mandatory. Dont forget those yoga mats and water bottles, either.

Try the fasting-mimicking ProLon diet

Its been rumoured to do everything from stimulating weight loss to reversing the effects of ageing. And now ProLon, the worlds first five-day fasting mimicking diet, has launched in the UAE. ProLon was developed by Dr Valter Longo, author of The Longevity Diet. Dr Joseph Antoun, chief executive and chairman of the board at L-Nutra-Inc, the company that owns ProLon, says Longo saw a connection between fasting and ageing. Five days of fasting stresses the body enough that it goes into a process of rejuvenation, which is good for weight loss and anti-ageing. When the cell stops seeing calories coming from the outside, it starts eating the debris within - its a process of clean up called autophagy, he says ProLon is a plant-based meal programme that follows this strategy and provides meals for five-day periods in a month in grab-and-go boxes. When one isnt following the diet, they can go back to what they were consuming earlier, although a pescatarian or flexitarian diet, ie a diet with mostly vegetables and fish, is recommended. A standard ProLon box comprises of nut bars, kale crisps, olives, soups and herbal teas, with specific instructions on when these should be consumed, and calories consumed on a daily basis range from 700 to 1,100. The Prolon diet is available online for delivery, and is priced at Dh1,150 for a five-day meal plan.

A daily cuppa may be good for bone health

Heres another reason to savour your cup of coffee in the morning. A recent study looked into the association between coffee consumption and bone health, and found that people who habitually drink the beverage had a higher bone mass density that non-coffee drinkers. Published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, the report analysed the coffee consumption habits of 564 people. Three metabolites, in particular, were associated with an increase in bone density in the population, and also, a decrease in the risk of fracture, said Dr Chad Deal of Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. The study is particularly of interest as the relationship between coffee and bone health has been studied before with conflicting results; past research has suggested that the more caffeine a person drinks, the more calcium leaves the body. For all those folks who drink lots of coffee and are concerned about [its] health effects, this is good news, said Deal.

Lifen One to host immersive meditation workshop for men

On Friday, February 28, German sound artist and meditative healer Hansu Jot (pictured above) will host the Mens Immersion workshop at Lifen One meditation centre. The session includes short lectures, kundalini yoga, breath work, sound healing, chanting and interactive exercises aimed at finding purpose, fostering healthy relationships, increasing emotional intelligence and generating prosperity. It, and aims to provide a safe space for men to explore their spiritual side. Jots premise is that men should hold the space of clarity and connection [to] allow spiritually empowered women to relax and thrive. Set to take place from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, the workshop is priced at Dh250.

Updated: February 23, 2020 04:49 PM

Read the rest here:

From free yoga to bootcamp classes: the UAE health news and events you need to know about - The National

Dr. Luis Perez-Breva

Luis Perez-Breva is an MIT professor and the faculty director of innovation teams at the MIT School or Engineering. He is also an entrepreneur and part of The Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. Luis works to see how we can use technology to make our lives better and also on how we can work to get new technology out into the world. On a recent AI Today podcast, Professor Perez-Breva managed to get us to think deeply into our understanding of both artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Are we too focused on data?

Anyone who has been following artificial intelligence and machine learning knows the vital centrality of data. Without data, we cant train machine learning models. And without machine learning models, we dont have a way for systems to learn from experience. Surely, data needs to be the center of our attention to make AI systems a reality.

However, Dr. Perez-Breva thinks that we are overly focusing on data and perhaps that extensive focus is causing goals for machine learning and AI to go astray. According to Luis, so much focus is put into obtaining data that we judge how good a machine learning system is by how much data was collected, how large the neural network is, and how much training data was used. When you collect a lot of data you are using that data to build systems that are primarily driven by statistics. Luis says that we latch onto statistics when we feed AI so much data, and that we ascribe to systems intelligence, when in reality, all we have done is created large probabilistic systems that by virtue of large data sets exhibit things we ascribe to intelligence. He says that when our systems arent learning as we want, the primary gut reaction is to give these AI system more data so that we dont have to think as much about the hard parts about generalization and intelligence.

Many would argue that there are some areas where you do need data to help teach AI. Computers are better able to learn image recognition and similar tasks by having more data. The more data, the better the networks, and the more accurate the results. On the podcast, Luis asked whether deep learning is great enough that this works or if we have a big enough data set that image recognition now works. Basically: is it the algorithm or just the sheer quantity of data that is making this work?

Rather, what Luis argues is that if we can find a better way to structure the system as a whole, then the AI system should be able to reason through problems, even with very limited data. Luis compares using machine learning in every application to the retail world. He talks about how physical stores are seeing the success in online stores and trying to copy on that success. One of the ways they are doing this is by using apps to navigate stores. Luis mentioned that he visited a Target where he had to use his phone to navigate the store which was harder than being able to look at signs. Having a human to ask questions and talk to is both faster and part of the experience of being in a brick and mortar retail location. Luis says he would much rather have a human to interact with at one of these locations than a computer.

Is the problem deep learning?

He compares this to machine learning by saying that machine learning has a very narrow application. If you try to apply machine learning to every aspect of AI that you will end up with issues like he did at the Target. Basically looking at neural networks as a hammer and every AI problem as a nail. No one technology or solution works for every application. Perhaps deep learning only works because of vast quantities of data? Maybe theres a better algorithm that can generalize better, apply knowledge learned in one domain to another better, and use smaller amounts of data to get much better quality insights.

People have tried recently to automate many of the jobs that people do. Throughout history, Luis says that technology has killed businesses when it tries to replace humans. Technology and businesses are successful when they expand on what humans can do. Attempting to replace humans is a difficult task and one that is going to lead companies down the road to failure. As humans, he points out, we crave human interaction. Even the age that is constantly on their technology desires human interaction greatly.

Luis also makes a point that while many people mistakenly confuse automation and AI. Automation is using a computer to carry out specific tasks, it is not the creation of intelligence. This is something that many are mentioning on several occasions. Indeed, its the fear of automation and the fictional superintelligence that has many people worried about AI. Dr. Perez-Breva makes the point that many ascribe to machines human characteristics. But this should not be the case with AI system.

Rather, he sees AI systems more akin to a new species with a different mode of intelligence than humans. His opinion is that researchers are very far from creating an AI that is similar to what you will find in books and movies. He blames movies for giving people the impression of robots (AI) killing people and being dangerous technologies. While there are good robots in movies there are few of them and they get pushed to the side by bad robots. He points out that we need to move away from this pushing images of bad robots. Our focus needs to be on how artificial intelligence can help humans grow. It would be beneficial if the movie-making industry could help with this. As such, AI should be thought of as a new intelligent species were trying to create, not something that is meant to replace us.

A positive AI future

Despite negative images and talk, Luis is sure that artificial intelligence is here to stay. At least for a while. So many companies have made large investments into AI that it would be difficult for them to just stop using them or to stop the development.

As a final question in the interview, Luis was asked where he sees the industry of artificial intelligence going. Prefacing his answer with the fact that based on the earlier discussion people are investing in machine learning and not true artificial intelligence, Luis said that he is happy in the investment that businesses are making in what they call AI. He believes that these investments will help the development of this technology to stay around for a minimum of four years.

Once we can stop comparing humans to artificial intelligence, Luis believes that we will see great advancements in what AI can do. He believes that AI has the power to work alongside humans to unlock knowledge and tasks that we werent previously able to do. The point when this happens, he doesnt believe is that far away. We are getting closer to it every day.

Many of Luiss ideas are contrary to popular beliefs by many people who are interested in the world of artificial intelligence. At the same time, these ideas that he presents are presented in a very logical manner and are very thought-provoking. The only way that we will be able to see what is right or where his ideas go is time.

Link:

This AI Researcher Thinks We Have It All Wrong - Forbes