Conscious Evolution TV

Its tale of beauty battling her brain.

Former figure skater Riley Sawyer, 20, who has graced the pages of the Sun as a top SUNshine Girl for the past two years, opened recently up about her battle with multiple concussions at least 15 to date.

She is now working with a new mental health program called Head1st that helps those dealing with mental issues stemming from their trauma.

I want to inspire people to know that they are not alone. They are not the only ones who feel like I did, said Sawyer. Because I heard so much about the physical health of, but never the mental health.

As a young teenager, Sawyer was outgoing and her aunt Teena Sawyer, a figure skating coach, took an interest in her niece and became a big influence in her life motivating her to take up figure skating at 13 years old.

Yes my aunt was a crazy good figure skater. She was a coach out of the Whitby figure skating club, said Sawyer.

But at that same time as far as she can remember she incurred her first concussion skating and it has crept in and become part of her life, sometimes leaving her in a dark place. She also now suffers from short-term memory loss.

Like any teen, she enjoyed sports like ringette and soccer. As an athlete, she suffered bumps and lumps along the way.

The worst I ever got was playing ringette in high school in a mixed class, said Sawyer. All I remember is this big guy just came at me full steam and crashed into me.

I went hard to the gym floor, but I got back up.

Riley Sawyer, aged 20, was out on the ice for the first time in years figure skating at Scarbrorough's Centennial Recreation Centre with her former coach Ryan Shollert. Riley has sustained upwards of 15 concussions since the age of 13 and is now part of the Headt1st concussion awareness program on Tuesday December 3, 2019. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network Jack Boland /Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

Riley Sawyer, aged 20, was out on the ice for the first time in years figure skating at Scarbrorough's Centennial Recreation Centre . Riley has sustained upwards of 15 concussions since the age of 13 and is now part of the Headt1st concussion awareness program. (Pictured) Posing at the Toronto Sun for an upcoming SUNshine Girl shoot in her skating outfits on Thursday November 28, 2019. Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network Jack Boland /Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

Thats what most athletes did before recent research, they toughed it out. But after the ringette episode, Sawyer knew something was wrong.

She figures her get up and go, no-quit attitude of competing hard has led to as many as 15 concussions.

Even though she has since embarked on a safer career in modelling, Sawyer said by the end of the day she just wants to curl up in a ball with her little service dog Baby a 12-year old Chihuahua-Pomeranian mix.

Then she recently stumbled upon a program on Instagram called Head1st.

It is a Concussion Awareness program put together by new-found friend Cody Oehm, 27, who hails from Owen Sound.

The program helps let those dealing with concussions know they are not alone and can look beyond the dark room, depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts.

Oehmsaid he was diagnosed and hospitalized with three concussions while playing competitive hockey with the Walkerton Hawks in the Ontario C league at the age of 20.

I was hospitalized and it lead to a bunch of physical and mental health issues, said Oehm. The underlying issues lead to inflammation on my brain that cut off the production of hormones.

Oehm said he was an outgoing kid, but he started shying away from everything and within a few months he was in a dark place with suicidal thoughts and dealing with pretty deep anxiety.

By 24, he was working with an endocronologist who put him on hormone replacement therapy, which made him better within a four to six weeks.

The mission of Head1st is to make the world aware of the issue of the impact concussions can have on hormones and mental health, said Oehm.

After sharing his experiences on Facebook, his inbox was flooded with thousands of messages from people with similar stories.

I realized this was more common than originally thought, said Oehm. And about 20% of the people affected have some sort of Pituitary dysfunction after the fact.

Sawyer has now jumped on board to start researching her own health with the help of Head1st to sort out her myriad issues.

This past week Sawyer met up with her former figure skating coach Ryan Shollert at Centennial Recreation Centre in Scarborough and laced up her blades to confront her demons.

Both hit the fresh sheet of ice with Shollert getting Sawyer to limber up first, knowing full well she might be a bit rusty like her skates after not being on the ice for a few years.

Sawyer glided into some easy moves like corkscrews and camel spins, smiling from ear-to-ear with the minor accomplishments.

Her confidence soared.

But at the end of the 30-minute session as she pulled off her furry white headband drank some water bottle, somewhat winded, she confided Shollert noticed she was struggling a bit and kept her calm and focused.

I thought I was going to puke out there, said Sawyer. But I didnt tell him that

Nowadays Sawyer loves being in front of the camera. But she said that can also be taxing.

Some may think it is easy to get in front of the camera and Vogue yet at the end of the day it is exhausting.

After her recent SUNshine Girl shoot and video interview she said she went home and slept really well and was refreshed in the morning.

She hates not competing and loves letting her mind and brain flow freely even though it may be a bit foggy some days.

But she has found new optimism by putting her head first.

jboland@postmedia.com

See the article here:
BEAUTY AND HER BRAIN: Former figure skater and SUNshine Girl talks concussions - Toronto Sun

The 1970 Loogootee Final Four team will join in a 50th anniversary celebration Friday.(Photo: Courtesy Brian Bruner)

LOOGOOTEE Brian Canada and Jim Trout grew up down the street from each other, two grades apart in the tiny hamlet of Crane, Indiana, attending separate schools in Loogootee, 17 miles away, in Martin County.

But when St. Johns was destroyed by afire, Trout and other students from the parochial school joined counterparts at nearby Loogootee High School.

"It burned down and at the last minute they decided to consolidate," said Canada, then a sophomore. "We had a few guys coming back and we pulled Jim and a couple of other guys from St. John's."

After playing pickup basketball together for years, now they were teammates. Once they joined forces, Loogootee was nearly unstoppable. The Lions knocked off No. 7 Memorial and No. 2 Seymour in the 1970 Evansville Semistate at Roberts Stadium.

"No doubt, we were the heavy underdog," Canada said. "Jim was 6-foot-7 and RexSager was 6-5 and we had Tony Smith playing guard."

Trout said he was more like 6-6 and 160 pounds.

"I was a stick," said Trout, who averaged a double-double, along with Sager.

Loogootee finally fell to Mr. Basketball Dave Shepherd and Carmel 71-62 in the states Final Four at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. East Chicago Roosevelt then ousted Carmel 76-62 in the state championship game. All teams of all sizes were in the same tournament --there was no class format until 1997-98.

"Back then, we didn't give it a thought about the size of a school," Canada said. "They had five guys on their team and we had five guys on our team. We laced 'em up and got out there and played the game."

Canada, who now lives in St. Augustine, Florida, and Trout, who lives in Franklin, Kentucky, will return to Loogootee on Friday to take part in the 50th anniversary celebration of the 1970 Final Four team as the current edition of the Lions host Wood Memorial at Jack Butcher Arena. A reception, to which the general public is invited,will begin at 4 p.m. CST. The 1970 Lions will be honored between the junior varsity and varsity games against Wood Memorial; the varsity game is scheduled to begin at 7 CST. Afterwards, those age 21 and older are invited to the Loogootee VFW.

"We are also asking everyone to wear white for the game that evening," said event organizer Wayne Flick. "One of the 'memories'from the tourney run is that the cheer block would all wear white tops for the games.We want to have a 'whiteout'honoring our 1970 heroes and also let the current team know we support them."

Trout said the media billed Loogootee vs. Carmel as "David vs. Goliath."

"Loogootee had an enrollment of about 400," said Trout, who won the Trester Award, which celebrates mental attitude and scholastic achievement. "It wasn't quite the Milan story."

Jim Trout receives Trester Award.(Photo: Courtesy Jim Trout)

However, Trout and Canada did their part, scoring 19 and 18 points to lead the Lions against Carmel. Five years later, the Lions almost pulled off a "Hoosiers," reaching the single-class state championship game, losing to Marion 58-46 the first year the finals moved to Market Square Arena.

Entering historic Hinkle in '70, Canada said it "looked very large. It was pretty exciting. it was a privilege and it was exciting to be there. They had Dave Shepherd, butwe felt we could beat them. At one time, we had a nine-point lead, but we lost by nine."

Before consolidatingwith St. John's,Loogootee had never won a regional title.

"It was Jack Butcher's 13th season -- lucky 13," Trout said.

Coming over from St. John's, Trout had heard all the horror stories about the legendary coach, but didn't see it.

"I saw an individual who was a stern disciplinarian -- that's the way people coached back then," he said. "You couldn't pull the wool over his eyes. He was a smart man."

Loogootee celebrates winning the 1970 Evansville Semistate title.(Photo: Courtesy Jim Trout)

After all these years, Trout recalled the "Go, Fight, Win" cheer in the Evansville Semistate. Rooting for Loogootee, Milltown fans chanted "go," then Memorial fans chanted "fight" and Loogootee fans chanted "win" as they implored the Lionsto stun Seymour -- whichthey did.

"It's like three-quarters of the gym were rooting for Loogotee, Trout said. "It was like surround sound, all around the arena."

Butcher, who retired in 2002as the states all-time winningest coach with 806 victories, was finally surpassed by Bloomington Souths J.R. Holmes last February.

Canada described Butcher as strict andstructured, but fair.

"If you would miss a free throw (in practice), you'd run," Canada said. "We would run 'suicides' to get in shape. But he was very fair. He was an excellent coach. He was a tough coach, very disciplined and no-nonsense. I would say I loved the man. He was very helpful to me."

Canada is surprised and humbled to remainLoogootee's career scoring leader with 1,496 points. Both Trout and Canada played collegiately for Indiana State. Canada underwent knee surgery midway through his freshman year and wasnever the same. He married his high school sweetheart, Diana, a former Loogootee cheerleader, his junior year at ISU. Theycelebrated their 45th anniversary lastMarch.

Canada, 65, retired last Feb. 1 after working in safety management for a paper manufacturing company in Cumming, Georgia, and moved to St. Augustine. Trout, 67, worked many years for Caterpillar in Kentucky. Heearned the nickname of "Scuffer" when he lived with a few friends in Florida after graduating from ISU, where he played baseball as well as basketball.

"Someone said I scuffed around in the morning," said Trout, a standout pitcher whoearned a tryout with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"It was the spring after Roberto Clemente was killed (in 1972)," Trout said.

Both Canada and Trouthave tons of stories about that magical 1970 run. Canada remembers the caravan of vehicles to Indy -- some had wooden Lions mounted atop of their cars.

"It's a great time to go back," Canada said. "Unfortunately a lot of folks, a lot of our fans, are no longer with us."

He noted that Steve Beasley and Paul Bruner, members of the '70 team, have passed away. But their memory lives on inLoogootee, a town with a population of 2,714.

"You run into people -- and good Lord -- it's like it happened yesterday," Trout said.

Contact Gordon Engelhardt at gordon.engelhardt@courierpress.com or on Twitter @EngGordon

More: Tradition-rich Loogootee makes basketball coaching hire, pulls Ryan Haywood from Big Eight

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Loogootee celebrates 50th anniversary of 1970 Final Four basketball team - Courier & Press

Lil Nas X is getting real about his personal struggles and the costly price of fame.

On Sunday night, the Old Town Road rapper shed his usual witty and happy-go-lucky attitude for a more somber one as he reflected on the sudden passing of up-and-coming hip hop artistJuice WRLD.

For those who might have missed it, the star whose real name was Jared Higgins died after an apparent seizure suffered at ChicagosMidway Airportearly Sunday morning.

Related: Rapper Juice WRLD Dead At 21 After Apparent Airport Seizure

Juice WRLDs career glow-up mirrored Lil Nas Xs rise to popularity in many ways, and his death clearly affected him.

In a series of messages posted to Twitter, the Panini rapper got deeply honest with his followers about the 21-year-olds unexpected death, starting with this touching tribute:

Despite the performers monumental year which saw him dominate Billboard charts and capture the hearts of fans everywhere, the 20-year-old admitted to his fair share of tough times and explained he often grapples with difficult moments alone:

I usually deal with my sad times in private because i dont like for my fans or family to feel sorry for me. This year had a lot of very high ups and extremely low downs. When u get to that hotel room and its just you, you do a lot of thinking. Small things become so BIG.

In a follow-up tweet, Nas acknowledged how good he is at acting like everything is fine but then revealed how hard it is to block out all the noise that comes with his celebrity status, adding:

I like to pretend hate and s**t dont get to me, but subconsciously it eats away at me. Feeling like u have the world and knowing it can all go away at any time is scary.

The young star ended his heart-to-heart by encouraging others to enjoy every precious moment of life while they can. He wrote:

With all this being said I want anybody who cared enough to read this to just live in the moment. Love u guys.

Wow, what a poignant and powerful admission. Its surely sad to hear the talented artist has been keeping those troubling emotions bottled up inside

We applaud the transparency, though, and hopefully he can learn to lean on loved ones and harness his inner strength while navigating the challenges that come with a skyrocketing career. Its okay to not be okay sometimes, but as the recent tragedy suggests, life is way too short to suffer in silence in this way.

Related: Lil Nas X Says He Used To Pray The Gay Away As A Teenager

As our readers will recall, Lil Nas X shared another deeply personal moment with fans earlier this year when he came out of the closet.

The star later explained why he chose to tell the world about his sexuality in conversation with Ellen DeGeneres, noting:

Just knowing it was something that I should have [already] done But I was [previously] in a position where I had to worry about family and friends and how they would react. But in the past year, Im on a new level, so it doesnt really matter, I guess.

He added:

And,also just how it would be good for the youngunslistening to me right now, who are going to have to go through stuff like this in the future, to know that its all right.

Were so glad this generation of music fans has someone as thoughtful and relatable as this to look up to.

Our hearts remain with both entertainers and all those affected by the tragedy during this difficult time.

[Image via WENN/Instar/YouTube]

Link:
Lil Nas X Opens Up About The Struggles Of Fame In Wake Of Rapper Juice Wrlds Sudden Death - PerezHilton.com

Because giving can improve mental health and loneliness

We were visiting grandparents. Grandma was busy-bodied as usual, walking up and down checking on everyone, asking what we needed. She held up a packet of bread. Do you have enough bread for tonight? she asked. I replied that we did. Some eggs? she asked again, looking around her kitchen. Are you trying to get rid of us? I asked, laughing, Weve just come to chat. Come, sit down. She sat down for a second, then asked grandson, Have you eaten? Do you want some toast? He shook his head.

She rubbed granddaughters head and admired her hair, then stopped short, Have YOU eaten? Let me see what I have

Giving was on his mind. As part of a lovely tradition, his school takes students to three destitute homes annually, where they contribute to the lives of under-privileged groups through song, conversation and physical gifts. Children are encouraged to bring living essentials (not comforts) to school which is then handed over on the visits.

Just going through the list of suggestions is an exercise in introspection. When children read toothpaste, soap, dal, rice, they realise that these things cost; and that there are people who need to ASK someone to get these simple things for them. Its making them think a lot. So, this time around, Im not grabbing from my own grocery stock and sending packages. Im actually going to take a few minutes to let the children help me decide what to give, meaningfully. If we dont spend time thinking about it, we will end up detached, and cold to the cause. What a waste of an experience.

Suddenly, Mr. Dad made a contribution. You know, he said, I was reading today, that Hebrew people dont believe in charity. We were all ears. I expected an opportunity for critical thinking a parenting must, so that you raise children who can think in more than one (opinionated) direction.

He continued, They give a lot and call it justice. Because thats what it really is. Sharing and giving is the just and right thing to do. Make things equal, or at least do your part to prevent people suffering from lack.

Whoa!

Ready to start giving? Youre in the right season! This is not just about your cupboards getting lighter, so you can stock up more. Its about giving so you make someone else feel that people care. Yale University professor, Laurie Santos, says that giving increases gratitude. One totally selfish reason why you should!

Giving improves your own mental health. True too.

But here are a few things to check en route that giving journey.

* Your attitude when an opportunity to give arises. Even when reading and reacting to circulars that children bring n Your understanding of value.

Check deeply - most stem from our past/parents. Yeoww!

* Attitudes are contagious. Make sure yours doesnt stink! I know a few blissfully unaware parents who wonder why their kids behave weird. I stifle giggles in my head.

* Dont force children to give. Dont guilt trip them (every parents no-fail tool). Just do it yourself. They will follow. I promise

Link:
Parentry: The season of giving and kids - Bangalore Mirror

There is little to separate the best crossfitters in the world. Not only are they all physical freaks, but they have the same access to equipment, nutrition, supplements and training plans. Each time they do a rep, they are pulling on the same bar as everyone else.

So, on the day of a competition, what separates the winners from the also-rans? Those other factors being equal, it must be what goes on between the ears writes, Jim Taylor, PhD sports physiologist, in his book Train Your Mind for Athletic Success.

And its for this reason CrossFit athletes around the world should be shaking in their boots at the prospect of a confident Sara Sigmundsdttir. The Icelander has been among the fittest on earth for years, and has proved herself by winning the Open three times (2018, 2019 and 2020), but she is yet to be named The Fittest on Earth by winning the Games.

That could change. She has already qualified for the 2020 Games via the Open, and then, in November, won the first of the seasons Sanctionals in Ireland in dominant fashion. Sigmundsdttirs performance even surprised her, as she was using the Sanctional as a test to see where she was in her seasons progression and did not expect herself to be so far along.

What was the difference? Was it more training? Heavier weights? A new diet or a different cardio programme?

No. It was her mind. Ive just been trying to believe in myself a little bit more and slowly proving to myself that I can [do it], she said.

The role of the brain in sport is tough to measure. But there is no doubt that confidence plays a huge role in performance. And now that Sigmundsdttirs is armed with a new attitude, the skys the limit for the CrossFit superstar.

When the heat is on at the Games, its the intangible mental toughness that separates the winner from the other physical specimens. But no one is born mentally tough.

In their 2018 paper Mental toughness latent profiles in endurance athletes, Joanna and Robert Zeiger hypothesise that confidence and self-belief were two of seven factors that contributed to mental toughness in endurance athletes.

The two PhD statisticians point out that mental toughness is flexible and therefore can be trained. Of the seven factors that make up mental toughness confidence, constancy, control, determination, visualisation, positive cognition, self-belief self-belief had the highest effect on improving mental toughness.

Confidence and self-belief is a feedback loop. Sigmundsdttirs new-found belief helped her win in Ireland and the Open, and now those results will have reinforced her new mindset and given her more belief.

She is heading to Dubai next week for another Sanctional. The snowball is rolling and if she puts in another performance her confidence and self-belief will grow further. Who knows where it will end, but maybe on top of the CrossFit Games podium.

View original post here:
Will Sigmundsdottir be crowned the Fittest on Earth in 2020? - South China Morning Post

Did you know that there are as many meditation techniques as there are sports? And the only way to find out the best types of meditation for you is to try them.

As you may know, meditation has dozens of benefits, and everybody is doing it. You look for information online or on a bookstore, and see that there are a LOT of different styles of meditation. You wonder which way is best for you.

This is a very important question. Different types of meditation have different benefits. Some of them will work better for you than othersjust like different sports or diets work better for some people than for others.

There are literally hundredsif not thousandsof types of meditation, so here I will explore only the most popular ones. The purpose of this article is to help you experiment different meditation techniques, and find the ones that works best for you.

Finding the right style for you, and practicing it with the right approach, is one of the three essential Pillars of Meditation.

There is no cookie-cutter approach to meditation. You need to experiment many, and find the one that works best for your unique needs and personality. The type of meditation that is most helpful against anxiety, for instance, is not necessarily the best one against depression or for spiritual awakening.

If you prefer more dynamic meditation techniques, have a look at my walking meditation guide.

The advice regarding the posture of meditation is very similar among the different styles of seated practice, so I will go into more detail about it only once, when talking about the first technique (Zen meditation).

I have strived to include a Is it for me? section, with general observations about each practice. Keep in mind these are tentative; they are there to give some direction, and potentially any person could feel attracted to any of these modalities.

This article does NOT tell you which isthe best type of meditation because there is no such thing, and Im not here to create controversy. Also, I have here focused more on meditative practices; I may write another article on other similar practices, that are more about relaxation or contemplation.

If you are a beginner, you may also enjoy the post onmeditation for beginners how to build the habit.

On the other hand, if you are looking for the historical background of how meditation developed over the centuries, check out my history of meditation article.

By the way, do you want to have a PDF version of this article, for easy future reference?

Scientists usually classify meditation based on the way they focus attention, into two categories: Focused Attention and Open Monitoring. Id like to propose a third: Effortless Presence.

Focusing the attention on a single objectduring the whole meditation session. This object may be the breath, a mantra, visualization, part of the body, external object, etc. As the practitioner advances, his ability to keep the flow of attention in the chosen object gets stronger, and distractions become less common and short-lived. Both the depth and steadiness of his attention are developed.

Examples of these are:Samatha (Buddhist meditation), some forms of Zazen, Loving Kindness Meditation, Chakra Meditation, Kundalini Meditation, Sound Meditation, Mantra Meditation, Pranayama, some forms of Qigong, and many others.

Instead of focusing the attention on any one object, we keep it open, monitoring all aspects of our experience, without judgment or attachment. All perceptions, be them internal (thoughts, feelings, memory, etc.) or external (sound, smell, etc.), are recognized and seen for what they are. It is the process of non-reactive monitoring of the content of experience from moment to moment, without going into them. Examples are: Mindfulness meditation, Vipassana, as well as some types of Taoist Meditation.

Its the state where the attention is not focused on anything in particular, but reposes on itself quiet, empty, steady, and introverted. We can also call it Choiceless Awareness or Pure Being. Most of the meditation quotes you find speak of this state.

This is actually the true purpose behind all kinds of meditation, and not a meditation type in itself. All traditional techniques of meditationrecognize that the object of focus, and even the process of monitoring, is just a means to train the mind, so that effortless inner silence and deeper states of consciousness can be discovered. Eventually, both the object of focus and the process itself is left behind, and there is only left the true self of the practitioner, as pure presence.

In some techniques, this is the only focus, from the beginning. Examples are: the Self-Enquiry (I am meditation) of Ramana Maharishi; Dzogchen; Mahamudra; some forms of Taoist Meditation; and some advanced forms of Raja Yoga. In my point of view, this type of meditation always requires previous training to be effective, even though this is sometimes not expressly said (only implied).

Zazen ()means seated Zen, or seated meditation, in Japanese. It has its roots in the Chinese Zen Buddhism (Chan) tradition, tracing back to Indian monk Bodhidharma (6th century CE). In the West, its most popular forms comes from Dogen Zenji (1200~1253), the founder of Soto Zen movement in Japan. Similar modalities are practiced in the Rinzaischool of Zen, in Japan and Korea.

It is generally practiced seated on the floor over a mat and cushion, with crossed legs. Traditionally it was done in the so-called lotus or half-lotusposition, but this is hardly necessary. Nowadays most practitioners sitlike this:

Or on a chair:

The most important aspect, as you see in the pictures, is keeping the back completely straight, from the pelvis to the neck. Mouth is kept close and eyes are kept lowered, with your gaze resting on the ground about two or three feet in front of you.

As to the mind aspect of it, its usually practiced in two ways:

Learn more:

Zazen is a very sober meditation style, and you can easily find a lot of strong communities practicing it, as well as plenty of information on the internet. There is a lot of emphasis in keeping the right posture, as an aid for concentration. It is usually practiced in Zen Buddhist centers (Sangha), with strong community support.

In many of them you will find it coupled withother elements of Buddhist practice: prostrations, a bit of ritualism,chanting, and group readings of the Buddha teachings. Some people will like this, others wont. Personally, I practiced zazen in a Buddhist group for 3 years, and I found that those elements and a bit of formality can also help create a structure for the practice, and in themselves they are also meditative.

Vipassana is a Pali word tha

Due to the popularity of Vipassan-meditation, the mindfulness of breathing has gained further popularity in the West as mindfulness.

Ideally, one is to siton a cushion on the floor, cross-legged, with your spine erect; alternatively, a chair may be used, but the back should not be supported.

The first aspect is to develop concentration, throughsamatha practice. This is typicallydone through breathing awareness.

Focus all your attention, from moment to moment, on the movement of your breath. Notice the subtle sensations of the movement of the abdomen rising and falling. Alternatively, one can focus on the sensation of the air passing through the nostrils and touching the upper lips skin thoughthis requires a bit more practice, and is more advanced.

As you focus on the breath, you will notice that other perceptions and sensations continue to appear: sounds, feelings in the body, emotions, etc. Simply notice these phenomena as they emerge in the field of awareness, and then return to the sensation of breathing. The attention is kept in the object of concentration (the breathing), while these other thoughts or sensations are there simply as background noise.

The object that is the focus of the practice (for instance, the movement of the abdomen) is called the primary object. And a secondary object is anything else that arises in your field of perception either through your five senses (sound, smell, itchiness in the body, etc.) or through the mind (thought, memory, feeling, etc.). If a secondary object hooks your attention and pulls it away, or if it causes desire or aversion to appear, you should focus on the secondary object for a moment or two, labeling it with a mental note, like thinking, memory, hearing, desiring. This practice is often called noting.

A mental note identifies an object in general but not in detail. When youre aware of a sound, for example, label it hearing instead of motorcycle, voices or barking dog. If an unpleasant sensation arises, note pain or feeling instead of knee pain or my back pain. Then return your attention to the primary meditation object. When aware of a fragrance, say the mental note smelling for a moment or two. You dont have to identify the scent.

When one has thus gained access concentration, the attention is then turned to the object of practice, which is normally thought or bodily sensations. One observes the objects of awareness without attachment, letting thoughts and sensations arise and pass away of their own accord. Mental labeling (explained above) is often use as a way to prevent you from being carried away by thoughts, and keep you in more objectively noticing them.

As a result one develops the clear seeing that the observed phenomena is pervaded by the three marks of existence: impermanence (annica), insatisfactoriness (dukkha) and emptiness of self (annata). As a result, equanimity, peace and inner freedom is developed in relation to these inputs.

Learn more:

Vipassana is an excellent meditation to help you ground yourself in your body, and understand how the processes of your mind work. It is a very popular styleof meditation. You can find plenty of teachers, websites, and books about it, as well as 3~10 days retreats (donation based). The teaching of it is always free.There are no formalities or rituals attached to the practice.

If you are completely new to meditation, Vipassana or Mindfulness are probably good ways for you to start.

Mindfulness Meditation is an adaptation from traditionalBuddhist meditation practices, especially Vipassana, but also having strong influence from otherlineages (such as the VietnameseZen Buddhism from Thich Nhat Hanh).Mindfulness is the common western translation for the Buddhist term sati. Anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing, is part of the Buddhist practice of Vipassana or insight meditation, and other Buddhist meditational practices, such as zazen (source: Wikipedia).

One of the main influencers for Mindfulness in the West is John Kabat-Zinn. His Mindfulness-Based Stress Reductionprogram (MBSR) which he developed in 1979 at theUniversity of Massachusetts Medical School has been used in several hospitals and health clinic on the past decades.

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of intentionally focusing on the present moment,accepting and non-judgmentally paying attention to the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise.

For the formal practice time, sit on a cushion on the floor, or on a chair, with straight and unsupported back. Pay close attention to the movement of your breath. When you breath in, be aware that you are breathing in, and how it feels. When you breath out, be aware you are breathing out. Do like this for the length of your meditation practice, constantly redirecting the attention to the breath. Or you can move on to be paying attention to the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise.

The effort is to not intentionally add anything to our present moment experience, but to be aware of what is going on, without losing ourselves in anything that arises.

Your mind will get distracted into going along with sounds, sensations, and thoughts. Whenever that happens, gently recognize that you have been distracted, and bring the attention back to the breathing, or to the objective noticing of that thought or sensation. There is a big different between beinginside the thought/sensation, and simplybeing aware of its presence.

Learn to enjoy your practice. Once you are done, appreciate how different the body and mind feel.

There is also the practice of mindfulness during our daily activities: while eating, walking, and talking. For daily life meditation, the practice is to pay attention to what is going on in the present moment, to be aware of what is happening and not living in automatic mode. If you are speaking, that means paying attention to the words you speak, how you speak them, and to listen with presence and attention. If you are walking, that means being more aware of your body movements, your feet touching the ground, the sounds you are hearing, etc.

Your effort in seated practice supports your daily life practice, and vice-versa. They are both equally important. Learn more:

For the general public, this is perhaps the most advisable way to get started with meditation. It is the type of meditation that is most taught at schools and hospitals, as far as I am aware.The mindfulness movement as practiced nowadays in society at large, is not Buddhism, but anadaptation of Buddhist practices due to their benefits ingood physical and mental health and general wellbeing.

For most people, Mindfulness Meditation may be theonly type of meditation they will like, especially if their focus is only the physical and mental benefits of meditation, as it is usuallytaught dissociated from several of the easternconcepts and philosophies that traditionally accompaniedthe practice. And for that it is great it willbring many good thingsto your life.

If your focus is a deeper transformation and spiritual development, however, then mindfulness meditation may be just an initial step for you. From here you can then move into Vipassana, Zazen, or other types of meditation.

Demonstrated benefits include:boosting ones ability to empathize with others;development of positive emotions through compassion, including a more loving attitude towards oneself; increasedself-acceptance; greater feeling of competence about ones life; and increased feeling of purpose in life (read more in our other post).

One sits down in a meditation position,with closed eyes, and generates in his mind and heart feelings of kindness and benevolence.Start by developing loving-kindness towards yourself, then progressively towards others and all beings. Usually this progression is advised:

The feeling to be developed is that of wishing happiness and well-being for all. This practice may be aided byreciting specific words or sentences that evoke theboundless warm-hearted feeling, visualizing the suffering of others and sending love; or by imagining the state of another being, and wishing him happiness and peace.

The more you practice this meditation, the more joy you will experience. That is the secret of Mathieu Richards happiness.

For one who attends properly to the liberation of the heart by benevolence, unarisen ill will does not arise and arisen ill will is abandoned. The Buddha

In this article, Emma Seppl, Ph.D explores the 18 scientifically proven benefits of Loving-Kindness meditation.

Learn more:

Are you sometimes too hard on yourself oronothers? Or feel like you need to improve your relationships? Loving-kindness meditation will help you. It is beneficial both for selfless and self-centered people, and it will help increase your general level of happiness. You cannot feel loving-kindness and depression (or any other negative feeling)at the same time.

It is also often recommended, by Buddhist teachers, as anantidoteto insomnia, nightmares, or anger issues.

Some meditation teachers insist that both the choice of word, and its correct pronunciation, is very important, due to the vibration associated to the sound and meaning, and that for this reason an initiation into it is essential. Others say that the mantra itself is only a tool to focus the mind, and the chosen word is completely irrelevant.

Mantras are used in Hindu traditions, Buddhist traditions (especially Tibetan and Pure LandBuddhism), as wellas in Jainism, Sikhism and Daoism (Taoism). Somepeople call mantra meditation om meditation, but that is just one of the mantras that can be used.A more devotion oriented practice of mantras is calledjapa, and consists of repeating sacred sounds (name of God) with love.

As most type of meditations, it is usually practiced sitting with spine erect, and eyes closed. The practitioner then repeats the mantra in his mind, silently, over and over again during the whole session.

Sometimes this practice is coupled with being aware of the breathing or coordinating with it. In other exercises, the mantra is actually whispered very lightly and softly, as an aid to concentration.

As you repeat the mantra, it creates a mental vibration that allows the mind to experience deeper levels of awareness. As you meditate, the mantra becomes increasingly abstract and indistinct, until youre finally led into the field of pure consciousness from which the vibration arose. Repetition of the mantra helps you disconnect from the thoughts filling your mind so that perhaps you may slip into the gap between thoughts. The mantra is a tool to support your meditation practice. Mantras can be viewed as ancient power words with subtle intentions that help us connect to spirit, the source of everything in the universe. (Deepak Chopra)

OM is a well-known example of a mantra. But there are thousadns of others.Here are some of the most well-known mantras from the Hindu & Buddhist traditions:

You may practice for a certain period of time, or for a set number of repetitions traditionally 108 or 1008. In the latter case, beads are typically used for keeping count.

As the practice deepens, you may find that the mantra continues by itself like the humming of the mind. Or the mantra may even disappear, and you are left in a state of deep inner peace.

There are many methods of mantra meditation. I explain them in detail, together with why mantras are powerful, on my article on mantra meditation. Learn more:

People usually find that it is easier to focus with a mantra than with the breathing. Because a mantra is a word, and thoughts are usually perceived as words, it can be easier to keep the focus on a mantra rather than on the breathing. It is useful especially when the mind is racing with many thoughts, since it mantra meditation demands constant attention.

Meditating with a mantra can also make it simpler tointegrate your meditative state into your daily life. In whatever activity you find yourself into, it can be as simple as repeating the mantra in your mind.

Transcendental Meditation is a specific form of Mantra Meditation introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1955 in Indiaand the West.In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities.

It is a widely practiced form of meditation, with over 5million practitioners worldwide, and there isa lot of scientific research, many sponsored by the organization, demonstrating the benefits of the practice. There are over 600 scientific papers, many of them peer-reviewed, and I have used part of their research when composing my benefits of meditation page. However, there are also critics of the Maharishi and his organization, and some accusation of cultish behavior and doubtful research practices.

Transcendental meditation is not taught freely. The only way of learning it is to pay to learn from one of their licensed instructors. The support given seems to be good, though.

In general, however, it is known that TM involves the use of a mantra and is practiced for 1520 minutes twice per day while sitting with ones eyes closed. The mantra is not unique, and is given to the practitioner based on his gender and age. They are also not meaningless sounds rather, they are Tantric names of Hindu deities. This probably is irrelevant for most people.

This is the official site of the movement:TM site.

It is not possible. According to the TM organization, you can only learn Transcendental Meditation by a registered teacer.

However, there is another similar technique, called Natural Stress Relief, which was created in 2003 by a former TM Teacher, and is much cheaper to learn (47 USD instead of 960 USD), and has stripped out some mystical elements of the practice of TM, such as the initiation (puja) and yogic flying (part of TM-Siddhi). You can learn more about NSR in comparison to TM here and here.

Personally I dont feel comfortable advising anyone to try Transcendental Meditation anymore, especially if you are looking to go deep into meditation. To know more, check out this answer I wrote in Quora and this in-depth video review.

If you wish to try something similar, for a fraction of the cost or for free, have a look at NSR (above), or Mantra Meditation.

The Yoga tradition is the oldest meditation tradition on earth, and also the one with the widest variety of practices.

Here are some types of meditation practiced in Yoga. The most commonand universal Yoga meditation one is the third eyemeditation. Other popular ones involve concentrating on a chakra, repeating a mantra, visualization of light, or gazing meditations.

Yoga is a very rich tradition, with different lineages, so there are many other techniques. But the ones above are the most well-known; the others are more specific or complex.

For a start, this video is an excellent resource on how to do Yoga style meditation, and it combines breathing, body awareness, mantra, and chakra meditation.

Learn more:

With all these types of meditation in Yoga, you are likely to find one that you like.If you are a musician, perhaps nada yogais something that will attract you. If you are a devotional person, kriya yogais a good option. Kundalini and Chakra meditation should only be attempted with a teacher.

Probably the simplest one to try is the third eye meditation, which is simple and yieldsresults fairly quickly. For the other types you would probably need more instruction, either of a teacher or a good book (see references above). Besides, Pranayamais definitely something anyone can benefit from.

The modern non-duality movement (or neo-advaita), which is greatly inspired in his teachings as well as those of Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897~1981) and Papaji strongly uses this technique and variations. Many contemporaryteachers to employ this technique, the most famous ones being Mooji (whom Ive personally been with and recommend), Adyashanti, and Eckhart Tolle.

This practice is very simple, but also very subtle. When explaining it, however, it may sound very abstract.

Your sense of I (or ego) is the center of your universe. It is there, in some form or another, behind all your thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions. Yet we are not clear about what this I is about who we truly are, in essence and confuse it with our body, our mind, our roles, our labels. Its the biggest mystery in our lives.

With Self-Enquiry, the question Who I am?is asked withinyourself. You must reject any verbal answers that may come, and use this question simply as a tool to fix your attention in the subjective feeling of Ior I am. Become one with it, go deep into it. This will then reveal your true I, your real self as pure consciousness, beyond all limitation. It is not an intellectual pursuit, but a question to bring the attention to the core element of your perception and experience: the I. This is not your personality, but a pure, subjective, feeling of existing without any images or concepts attached to it. Whenever thoughts/feelings arise, you ask yourself, To whom does this arise? or Who is aware of _____ (anger, fear, pain, or whatever)? The answer will be Its me!. From then you ask Who am I?, to bring the attention back to the subjective feeling ofself, of presence. It is pure existence, objectless and choice-less awareness.

Another way of explaining this practice is to just focus the mind on your feeling of being, the non-verbal I am that shines inside of you. Keep it pure, without association with anything you perceive.

With all other types of meditation, the I (yourself) is focusing on some object, internal or external, physical or mental. In self-enquiry, the I is focusing on itself, the subject. It is the attention turned towards its source. There is no special position to practice, although the general suggestions about posture and environment are helpful for beginners.

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This meditation is very powerful in bringing inner freedom and peace; yet, if you dont have previous experience with meditation, you may find it very hard to follow through. As an initial aid to give you a feeling for it, I would advise following some guided meditations from Mooji, in YouTube.

The chief characteristic of this type of meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of inner energy. The purpose is to quieten the body and mind, unify body and spirit, find inner peace, and harmonize with the Tao. Some styles of Taoist Meditation are specifically focused on improving health and giving longevity.

Image from InternalArtsInternational.com

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23 Types of Meditation Find The Best Meditation Techniques ...

Meditation is widely recommended as a health-boosting practiceand for good reason. It provides many positive benefits, from reducing symptoms of stress to relieving physical complaints like headaches and even enhancing immunity to illness. Between the health benefits and the fact that it's free and requires as few as five minutes, it's easy to see why meditation has become a popular complement to conventional medicine.

Though it can be practiced in different ways, a few common threads run through virtually all meditation techniques:

Researchers generally classify meditation techniques into two different categories: concentrative and non-concentrative. Concentrative techniques involve focusing on a particular object that's generally outside of oneself such as a candle's flame, the sound of an instrument, or a mantra. Non-concentrative meditation, on the other hand, can include a broader focus such as the sounds in your environment, internal body states, and even your own breathing. Note that there can be overlap with these techniquesmeditation can be both concentrative and non-concentrative.

There are many different ways to meditate. Think of the following categories of meditation techniques as a jumping-off point to understand the practices and differences among some of the main options, rather than an exhaustive list.

This involves sitting in a comfortable position and trying to quiet your mind by thinking of nothing. Its not always easy to do if you dont already practice it. But a good way to begin is to think of yourself as an "observer of your thoughts," noticing what the narrative voice in your head says but not engaging it. As thoughts materialize in your mind, just let them go.

With focused meditation, you focus on something with intention without engaging your thoughts on it. You can zero in on something visual, like a statue; something auditory, like a metronome or recording of ocean waves; something constant, like your own breathing; or a simple concept, like "unconditional compassion."

Some people find it easier to do this than to focus on nothing, but the idea is the samestaying in the present moment, circumventing the constant stream of commentary from your conscious mind, and allowing yourself to slip into an altered state of consciousness.

Activity-oriented meditation is a form of mindfulness that combines meditation with activities you may already enjoy, or with new activities that help you focus on the present. With this type of meditation, you engage in a repetitive activity or one where you can get "in the zone" and experience "flow." Again, this quiets the mind and allows your brain to shift. Activities like gardening, creating artwork, or practicing yoga can all be effective forms of meditation.

Mindfulness can be a form of meditation that, like activity-oriented meditation, doesnt really look like meditation. Mindfulness simply involves staying in the present moment rather than thinking about the future or the past. (Again, this can be more difficult than it seems!) Focusing on sensations you feel in your body is one way to stay "in the now." Focusing on emotions and where you feel them in your bodynot examining why you feel them, but just experiencing them as sensationsis another.

Though medication isn't specific to any one religion, it can be a spiritual practice. Many people experience meditation as a form of prayerthe form where God "speaks," rather than just listensto seek guidance or inner wisdom once the mind is quiet.

You can meditate on a singular question until an answer comes, or meditate to clear your mind and accept whatever comes that day. Many people also practice kundalini meditation for mind and body connection.

Whichever method you choose, keep in mind that a consistent practiceeven just quieting the mind for five minutes a dayis more useful than sessions that are longer but infrequent. In the end, the best meditation technique and the one that will help you gain the most positive benefits is one you can stick to.

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5 Meditation Techniques to Get You Started - Verywell Mind

Find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Do you have any effective ways to protect yourself from the distractions and stressors of daily life? Or to quiet your mind? Have you ever tried meditating or practicing mindfulness?

In My Week of Noble Silence, Caren Osten Gerszberg writes about her experiences at a silent retreat where she wasnt supposed to use a phone, read a book or even make eye contact for a week:

We woke at 5:30 a.m. to the clang of a brass bell for the days first sit at 6 a.m. All meals were eaten in silence, save for the clanking of silverware and unavoidable sneezes and coughs.

Talking was permitted only in a few instances: during small-group meetings scheduled with each teacher; after each evenings dharma talk delivered by a teacher on a specific Buddhist teaching or practice when time was allotted for asking questions; and during one hour of mindful open time on the retreats final afternoon.

She explains some of the rules participants observed during the retreat and their intended effect:

Not speaking to the other yogis was easier than Id expected. We were asked to keep noble silence, which in addition to verbal quiet meant not reading (I cheated on this one), not journaling, and averting our eyes when passing others to give them a sense of spiritual refuge. Exceptions were made, for people whose kitchen jobs involved interaction with others.

Being together but silent forms a tremendous community, said Sharon Salzberg, a meditation teacher and co-founder of the retreat center. Theres an intensification with silence, where you dont have to present yourself as interesting or funny, and theres a lot of freedom or joy in that.

Finally, she reflects on what she sought from the experience, and what she feels she attained:

Did a week of silence change my life? I hadnt come on retreat in search of that kind of epiphany (I have a therapist for that). I came rather seeking an adventure, and a deeper knowledge of the power of meditation that only extended time can give. The week had given me a sort of spalike experience for my mind, protected from the distractions and stressors of daily life.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Have you ever tried mindfulness or meditation practices that focus on the present moment and being aware of your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations? What was the experience like for you? Is meditation or mindfulness a practice you hope to include in your daily life? Why or why not?

Did Ms. Osten Gerszbergs description of a silent retreat appeal to you? Would you be interested in doing something similar, perhaps for a few hours, a whole day or even a week?

The article mentions again and again the role and importance of silence. Do you feel you need silence at times? If so, when? Would your life be better with more quiet time? Why or why not?

Do you think schools should teach meditation or mindfulness? Should the practice become a core part of the curriculum, like math, science, language arts and social studies? Why or why not?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

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What Are Your Experiences With Meditation? - The New York Times

Wellness

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Contrary to popular belief, meditation can look extremely different for different people. At its core, whether youre chanting on a pillow or walking through the forest, the underlying principles remain the same: Being present and quieting the mind. Some research shows it can reduce blood pressure, decrease anxiety, and improve your sleep. If youre having difficulty doing either, or both, during this busy time of year, drop into one of these meditation classes in Boston and stay grounded.

Meditation and Writing Workshop

Learn new says to cope with your emotionsin a healthy way during this meditation, journaling, and creative writing workshop. Youll explore compassion, curiosity, and humor as you let your creative juices fly. Please bring a blanket and notebook.

$12, December 15, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., W2K Art Scene, 1404A Beacon St. #2, Brookline, eventbrite.com.

Candlelit Meditation and Sound Bath

Tara Atwood, an International Sound Therapist, will guide you through a meditation and sound bath practice during this class in Jamaica Plain. An ancient practice, sound healing is said to restore balance and release blockages in both mind and body. Youll feel all your stress and pain melt away.

$35, December 15, 5 p.m.-6 p.m., First Church in Jamaica Plain, 6 Eliot St., Boston, eventbrite.com.

Relational Meditation

Whereas typical meditation is about whats going on between your own two ears, this one is all about forming a deeper and more meaningful connection with others. Its calledcirclingand is a multi-stage relational practice that blends art, communication, and yoga.

$25, December 16, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., 117 Pearson Rd., Somerville, eventbrite.com.

Winter Solstice Circle

Join the Mind-Body Collaborative, a therapy and spiritual counseling group in Arlington, as they welcome winter during a meditation and reflection workshop. Youll look back on the year and create manifestations for the new year.

$25, December 19, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., The Mind-Body Collaborative, 58 Medford St., Arlington, eventbrite.com.

Meditation and Sound Bowl Massage Experience

Harmonize your chakras and experience deeper mental clarity during this class at Coolidge Yoga South End. Tibetan singling bowls will be placed on different parts of your body to create vibrations through your muscles while you receive a head and neck massage to aid in relaxation. Be sure to wear comfortable layers and do not eat two hours before class.

$35, December 20, 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Coolidge Yoga South End, 15 Worcester St., Boston, eventbrite.com.

Meditation Group Practice

At the Bodhi Meditation Center in Medford you will learn moving, walking, or sitting meditation. During this free session all levels of participants are welcome and certified instructors will guide the class.

Free, Boston Bodhi Meditation Center, 101 Mystic Ave., Medford, eventbrite.com.

Read the rest here:

Six Meditation Classes in Boston to Stay Grounded This Month - bostonmagazine.com

Jerry Goldsmiths Oscar-nominated score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a groundbreaking album of science fiction music which pioneered edgy sonic techniques and gave the Trek franchise a new main-title theme that went on to be the defining sound of The Next Generation nearly a decade later. This lush 1979 soundtrack succeeded at imbuing the first Trek film with a jolt of classic adventure fanfare, while at the same time, establishing haunting and original alien motifs. While it may not be the flashiest score for a science fiction movie, its very possibly the best and easily the most influential.

Also, its really great if youre having a hard time falling asleep.

I know what youre thinking: this person is making a joke about Star Trek: The Motion Picturebeing slow and how watching the film will put you to sleep. Thats not what Im saying at all. I simply think if you like Star Trek, you may want to consider the score for The Motion Picture as your new mood-altering mixtape. Allow me to explain.

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When I was in middle school and I needed help calming down from the anxiety brought on by just being a teenager, I would listen to the balletic track known as The Enterprise, in order to help calm my nerves and get into that much-needed REM sleep. This was the mid-90s and portable Discmans werent yet practical and were still years away from being made obsolete altogether, meaning I owned the score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture on cassette tape. The Enterprise is the final track on side one of both the vinyl and cassette versions of the original album. With almost always perfect timing, my tape player would simply click off when the track concluded. Sometimes, Id rewind the tape to the beginning of the piece until I achieved the desired REM effect.

Years later, circa 2017, when my young daughter was only 6-months old, my wife and I noticed shed taken a liking to the romantic selection Ilias Theme. At this point, I owned a vintage 1979 vinyl version of The Motion Picture soundtrack, and so, my wife and I would play the track to help my daughter calm down before one of her afternoon naps. At one point, Ilias Theme was so integral to my daughters nap routine that my wife had actually written, Listen to Star Trek song, as 'Step 1' on a list of things to do to make sure the nap happened.

So there you have it. Two members of my family myself and my direct genetic clone, my now almost 3-year-old daughter like the TMP score and feel, for whatever reason, that it can take us to a happy place. Now, obviously, as a kid, Id seen The MotionPicture before hearing the score, so, in my head, I had certain images of blue space clouds, and the beautiful scene in which Kirk sees the newly refitted Enterprise for the first time. But, my daughter obviously hadnt seen The Motion Picture at 6-months-old, and shes still yet to see it. Yet she still likes the music, out of context. To paraphrase John Lennon, I dont do yoga, but I believe that music can completely alter your mood. Countless scientific studies all confirm this idea; human beings can control their emotions with the help of music. So, basically, Spock would approve of using the TMP score to help you meditate, or sleep, or, even hit the gym.

Now, slow and relaxing melodies like Ilias Theme dont make up the entire score to Star Trek: The Motion Picture, but that doesnt mean that every track cant have some real-life application. In fact, I think that in some ways, the full soundtrack could take you through an entire day, and help center you emotionally through the entire journey. And so, using the original track listing from the classic version of the soundtrack album, heres how the Star Trek: The MotionPicture soundtrack can take you through a day, making you the most mindful, centered, and bold person you can be.

Lets get through our day, Star Trek style.

(Note: Because the entire original score for The Motion Picture isnt available digitally, Ive created a partial mix on Spotify here. The website Discogs also has an impressive reconstruction of the score, too. Thats also a good spot to grab a physical copy of the album on vinyl, cassette or CD. For the purposes of this list, Im using the original albums tracklist, because, in my head, its perfect. In recent years, there have been impressive re-issues of the score which have many many more tracks. The La La Land release on vinyl is pretty dope.)

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This is your wake-up, get dressed, and commute song. If you cant get jacked-up to face the day listening to the classic arrangement of Goldsmiths main theme, then its segue into the famous Klingon music should do the trick. If youre commute involves driving, this track is particularly effective.

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This is the track you want to listen to right before you either start work, or hit your first class. For a lot of us, this might mean going to the gym or taking a run before the day really gets started. Back to back with track one, youre ready for anything at this point.

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Featuring a custom-created, over 12-foot-long musical instrument called a Blaster beam, (really), this epic track is both meditative and funky. When I talked to Jeff Bond, author of the book The Music of Star Trek, he thought this one was good as a lullabye. I tend to agree, but its also a great track for literally meditating. Theres movement to the music, but its not propulsive or overly percussive. This is the one where you can find yourself a little bit and take a few deep, calming breaths.

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Although I listened to this track as a teenager to help me sleep, in my twenties, Id listen to it during a walks through a cemetery in downtown Manhattan. I remember my lunch breaks from the bookstore I worked at were particularly important, and the absolutely majestic quality of this composition is a great way to take a break from your list of daily tasks and float in space for a little while. Consider this: Admiral Kirk actually uses this track as a way of centering himself in the context of the film! At the time Kirk is going to see the Enterprise, he and Scotty are actually in a little bit of a hurry, but they take the time to breath in the beauty of the Enterprise and the music reflects that.

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As I mentioned, on the original album Ilias Theme is the first track of the second side. However, something almost nearly everyone forgets is that during the original theatrical release, Ilias Theme was actually the overture for the entire film. This means, that the entire piece played over a black screen prior to the main titles actually beginning. In this way, you could view the second side of The Motion Picture soundtrack as the beginning of its own musical journey. Unlike the first side of the album, the second holds fewer bombastic tracks which is where you can really get into a meditative groove. I mentioned my infant daughter was able to fall asleep listening to this song at nap time. What I failed to mention is that this was in New York City. Yep. Ilias Theme is that relaxing.

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In the original albums release VGer was misspelled Vejur, but Im leaving it that way in case you wanted to google it. In the film, this music is mostly connected to the scenes in which the Enterprise actually enters the VGer cloud, which means a lot happens in this selection. Its perfect for reading some poetry, or literally, any book youre enjoying.

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You may associate this moment when Spock discovers VGer is a living machine as a fairly traumatic scene in the film. But the music itself is super-relaxing, as well as stimulating. In a sense, The Meld is a synecdoche of the entire TMP score. Its intelligent, layered and, best of all, tells a story without being too obtrusive.

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The music for Spocks actual space walk is a little more lively than the previous selection, but that doesnt mean its also not deeply meditative. I like to put this one on when preparing my house for the next day. This is a track for when you need to get things done, but youre not rushing to get those things done. Youre thinking about what youre going to wear tomorrow. Youre running that bath. You get it.

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Because the End Title music is essentially a medley of the themes from the beginning of the film, its a perfect track for reflecting on your day. If you keep a journal or a diary, or do any kind of writing as youre winding down, this track is nice because it can help you, perhaps, remember what you actually did throughout the day. Every kind of mantra needs repetition, and by repeating the different arrangements of these familiar themes, you can really complete your day in an adventurous, yetcalming style.

After all, the human adventure is just beginning.

Ryan Britt's (he/him) essays and journalism have appeared in Tor.com, Inverse, Den of Geek!, SyFy Wire, and elsewhere. He is the author of the 2015 essay collection Luke Skywalker Can't Read. He lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife and daughter.

The rest is here:

The Star Trek: The Motion Picture Soundtrack is the Ultimate Meditation Mixtape - Star Trek

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23 Types of Meditation Find The Best Meditation Techniques …

5 Meditation Techniques to Get You Started – Verywell Mind

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Six Meditation Classes in Boston to Stay Grounded This Month – bostonmagazine.com

The Star Trek: The Motion Picture Soundtrack is the Ultimate Meditation Mixtape – Star Trek

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