Bay Area locals hike through Lands End with wireless headphones as part of a silent hike series put on by composer Murray Hidary.

Bay Area locals hike through Lands End with wireless headphones as part of a silent hike series put on by composer Murray Hidary.

Photo: Dianne De Guzman / SFGATE

Bay Area locals hike through Lands End with wireless headphones as part of a silent hike series put on by composer Murray Hidary.

Bay Area locals hike through Lands End with wireless headphones as part of a silent hike series put on by composer Murray Hidary.

Culture of technology is funding the self-care industry with silent retreats and meditation

I don't meditate.

I don't say namaste, unless forced to. It's been years since I've taken a yoga class.

Yet, here I was, with a group of strangers. On a silent hike. Practicing mindfulness.

It wasn't a hike in complete silence, mind you I have yet to step into that calm, hellacious-sounding-to-me realm but it was quiet enough for me. Gathered at Land's End on a September afternoon, a group of locals were taking part in a hike by MindTravel, a silent hiking adventure thought up by composer Murray Hidary.

Together, the group wears wireless, Bluetooth headphones, which pipe through Hidary's piano compositions as he leads us through the hike. We're all instructed not to speak to one another, but instead to enjoy the journey, be calm and present.

That request of "being present" seemed ridiculous prior to the silent hike. I'm present everywhere, I mused, (mostly) unironically. I'm on Slack, Instagram and holding conversations. All. The. Time. I'm fielding phone notifications constantly: news alerts, text messages, the Latest Twitter Outrage I know about it all.

Yet somewhere among the trees and ocean and lilting music, I was there. Not seeking out my phone. Disconnecting from the world and listening to music, Hidary's calming words sounding as we wound our way to the Land's End labyrinth.

By the end, I wondered, "Did I really buy into this? Is everyone really buying into this mindfulness stuff?"

Apparently, I did buy into it, mostly. But I'm not the only one.

For Hidary, what he's noticed with the appeal of silent hikes like his, is that beyond the personal connection with nature, and past the personal worries of work or family, there's a need for folks to move away from the stresses of life outside of one's self.

"There's something broader that I feel is happening," Hidary told me. "I think it has to do with more global stressors that people are feeling anxious about. The political landscape is one that's quite divisive these days, and I think people are feeling that more than they might usually, in their own way, and not just because of the ideologies but because of the impact it has on their lives directly the conversations with families that create a lot of stress around political issues.

"I think issues like climate change are becoming so palpable now that it creates this existential anxiety for people, and I think all these things add up," he added. "The technology revolution has the effect of creating anxiety because some people feel like they're getting left behind because of it, or they're afraid of being left behind. So I think all these elements conspire to create an environment that is creating more stress for people than than they know what to do with."

It doesn't quite seem coincidental then that the self-care industry has ramped up enough to be estimated to draw in $11 billion in revenue as noted in a 2018 Harvard Business Review article.People are drawn to things that promise mindfulness and peace; meditation, while a centuries-old practice, is being co-opted by apps like Calm and Headspace and priced to remind tranquility-desiring folks that (maybe) it can happen for them.

It also doesn't seem to be a coincidence that events like the ones Sound Meditation SF throws where masses meditate together in a "sound bath" sells out within hours. The meditation juggernaut alone is commanding $1 billion in revenue per year, and the percentage of those meditating has increased to 14.2 percent in 2017 from 4.1 percent in 2012, according to Fast Company.

We are burnt out and trying to recoup that calm we all feel we should have, throwing money at it in every way possible, even if it's the simplest thing we can turn to. Namely, meditation and silence.

Brook Stone is an instructor and integrative psychotherapist at UCSF, and she teaches meditation to caregivers and people with cancer. She's practiced mindfulness meditation for over 40 years, saying the practice is not about escaping, but "it's about gaining the equanimity to face yourself, and face life directly, and to havethe poise and courage to do that."

"People are hungering for something," said Stone."They're hungering for some peace; they're hungry for some calm. They're hungering for something that gives them a fresh perspective, a sense of whether it's solace or refuge, a place to go where they feel less alienated and in touch with something deeper and that it's not just satisfying that needs of the ego.

"Our own self concerns are endless, and at some point, you come to realize that that is not the route to happiness. No matter how much you feed that ... it just generates more wants. So in a way, when you sit down and you encounter yourself, it also stops that momentum and it puts you in touch with something greater than yourself."

Bruce Davis is the head of Silent Stay Meditation & Retreat Center in Vacaville, where folks seek out and pay for days of glorious silence, and he has been running nondenominational silent retreats since the '80s. If you asked him why people are seeking silent retreats today versus back then, he mused that in the '80s most people were looking for something spiritual, especially those who had become disenfranchised from organized religion.

Nature is a large part of the silent retreats at Silent Stay Retreat Center in Vacaville, where guests are invited to take hikes and meditate among other activities on the property. Two group meditations a day are required, while the rest of the stay is up to the individual to decide on what to do.

Nature is a large part of the silent retreats at Silent Stay...

These days, however, most were seeking downtime, a chance to nurture themselves, Davis said. Of the 40 percent of local people coming to his retreats these days, he guessed that half of those come from tech to stay. And in a lot of ways, that sentiment seems to track: When someone as tech-embedded as Twitter founder Jack Dorsey is seeking out 10 days of silent meditation (and there are others like him), it's perhaps one of the more conclusive signs that perhaps all of the tech kids are in need of a time out.

Prior to 2012, Davis and his wife Ruth lived in Italy, running silent retreats together in Assisi, returning to California to be close to family. But Davis also cited the emergence of technology as another reason for wanting to return, looking to help others through their retreat.

"We felt the whole technology thing was happening and we wanted to be a balance to that," Davis said. "There's so much going on in their head and there's not much support for the heart."

"We're surprised how popular it's become, when we first started [doing our silent retreats] nobody was doing this," Davis later added. "We just feel a call to do it, and since we've come back in 2012 we're surprised how popular it is, there's all kinds of silent retreats."

::

Meaghan Joynt is one of those who have sought that "time out," so to speak. Although her first visit to Silent Stay was a mistake of sorts her winery weekend plans thwarted by a failure to read the fine print of her booked stay Joynt was already a meditation practitioner and decided to give into the silent retreat. Joynt said she "fell in love" with the experience and has returned to silent retreats (both at Silent Stay and other places) repeatedly since, calling the retreats an antidote to anxiety.

Despite growing up in New York City and moving to San Francisco in more recent years, just a few months ago she moved to Half Moon Bay "We are overstimulated beyond belief," she said of city life saying she moved purposefully "to be in an environment that is not so stimulating."

"We're all realizing even if we don't know what it is [and] you can't put your finger on what it is that our senses are overwhelmed with all of this information and technology that's coming in at us, sound and sight, and it's really overwhelming and we need a complete rest," Joynt said.

"We live in an Age of Anxiety," Joynt later added. "So even though I don't struggle with anxiety from a clinical perspective, I'm a pretty sensitive person and being around anxiety all the time is disconcerting and impacts me. So if I can bring myself to a different level of consciousness and peace and depth of heartfelt love, then that's going to impact those around you, and a lot of it is in unseen ways."

JoAnn'E Verry is another client of Silent Stay. She travels to Vacaville from her home base in Las Vegas, where she runs a real estate business, and co-owns a sign business with her husband.For her, the silent retreats have been a "tune-up" for her, likening the experience to a more tangible, understandable thing (auto repair).

"There's a lot of hostility in the world right now and I think that people just want to kind of quiet that chatter down and the anger, and feel included and feel like you can breathe. I think that's a lot of it," Verry said. "Everyone has different experiences, so you could talk to 10 people and [their experiences] might be the polar opposite but, personally, it just gives the time to really reflect. And when that silence happens, for me it was profound, but really any answers I had just became clear as day."

Verry said she is attempting to make a trek to Silent Stay four times a year, solo, with plans to also bring others on group trips. Verry's goal is to do a three-month retreat, she said, likening that experience to an engine overhaul, rather than a tune-up.

"With the technology and stuff, [a silent retreat is] a gift that you give to yourself to be with yourself, reconnect with yourself and recharge," Verry said. "When I come out of silent retreat, especially those last ones, I had so much energy and was so motivated and I was so clear. That's the other thing I'd say the clarity is huge."

"People are looking for connection through their devices and that actually creates a profound sense of isolation," Stone said. "So when you're in a public place and everybody's looking down at their phone, put your phone down and just connect with people. Or smile at someone. I mean, these things are so basic, but actually to connect with your world and get out of your own head that's sort of mindfulness in action. 'Where am I? What's happening around me?' That connecting in with the world. So it's not just meditation to escape and go into yourself, but it's meditation to help you become more present to yourself and the world."

Have I booked my silent retreat yet? No. But I'm considering it more than I used to.

Dianne de Guzman is a Digital Senior Editor at SFGATE. Email: dianne.deguzman@sfgate.com.

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Culture of technology is funding the self-care industry with silent retreats and meditation - SF Gate

"Instead of carrying a pistol at our waist so we can feel safe, what we need is to do a better job of managing our emotions, training young people and adults to be balanced," explains Cala as he invites us to download his meditation app.

MIAMI, Oct. 2, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Through an ad on the screens at New York's Times Square, strategist and communicator Ismael Cala has taken up the problem of guns in the United States, proposing meditation to balance people's minds.

"Armed or meditating? I know what I want: Escala Meditando, the new app from Ismael Cala", says the ad.

This year more than 300 mass shootings have occurred, more than 42,000 incidents with guns and more than 11,000 people dead and 22,000 wounded, according to the organization Gun Violence Archive.

On October 1st, the "Guardian" program in Florida entered into force, which allows teachers to go to school armed.

"There are still people who think that the solution to shootings is to carry a weapon to defend yourself! Instead of carrying a pistol at our waist so we can feel safe, what we need is to do a better job of managing our emotions, training young people and adults to be balanced," Cala explains.

He called on people to download his meditation appto their cellphones: "With many balanced minds, the scanners would vanish from school entrances. And no one would have to wear a bullet-proof vest to the shopping center, excuse the exaggeration to underscore this tragic problem."

Meditation is the path to enlightenment. According to a study published in Biological Psychiatry, conscious meditation allows for greater communication between the parts of the brain related to stress; in addition to greater activation of the areas involving concentration and tranquility.

After many years of study, Ismael has created Escala Meditando, his own app for meditation, personal growth and mindfulness, totally in Spanish, in a joint venture with the company Kingmagination.

Cala guides meditations for people to achieve their maximum potential and equilibrium between body and mind, as well as to drive them to overcome their physical and emotional ailments.

Escala Meditandohas two categories: Building Wellbeing and Conscious Equilibrium. It also contains free meditations.

Escala Meditandois available for Android and iOS and also via @escalameditando on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT ISMAEL CALA

A life and business strategist; he hosts and directs the interview show CALA, which is aired in some twenty countries. For five and a half years he was the prime-time host of CALA on CNN en Espaol. A businessman and social entrepreneur. Author of eight bestsellers on themes of leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development, including El poder de escuchar ('The power of listening'), and Despierta con Cala('Wake up with Cala').He was born in Santiago de Cuba in 1969, and holds a degree in Art History from Oriente University. He is the co-author of the book "Beat the Curve," with Brian Tracy. He graduated from the School of Communication at York University in Toronto, and has a diploma from Seneca College in Television Production. He is President and founder of Cala Enterprises Corporation and the Ismael Cala Foundation

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SOURCE Cala Enterprises

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Armed or meditating? Ismael Cala brings the problem of guns in the U.S. to the screens of Times Square - P&T Community

When I used to think about mindfulness, I would groan internally, imagining someone sitting under a tree for hours with their eyes closed. This transformed into a deeper dislike for mindfulness when my parents forced me to try it. At thirteen, sitting still for an hour seemed impossible.

Lately, Ive been delving into Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, an approach developed by Marsha M. Linehan that focuses on the idea that two opposing ideas can be true at the same time. For example, Im working hard on being mindful and I need to try harder to be mindful can be true at the same time. Id heard that mindfulness helps concentration and mood, but there was no way I could make myself meditate for more than three days in a row. I told my therapist right away that meditation brings a sour taste in my mouth. She laughed, rolled her eyes, and let me know that she hears that all the time and that mindfulness is way more than meditation.

Mindfulness shouldnt be reduced to meditation. Instead, mindfulness is about being in the present moment without judging or getting attached to it. Being mindful seems like a difficult task, but people should be more knowledgeable about mindfulness and incorporate it into their daily life.

The goals of mindfulness are to manage suffering, notice happy moments, increase your focus, and be present without being attached to the moment. Mindfulness can help you in moments of distress by allowing you to ground yourself to the moment. When youre feeling anxious, you can notice your five senses and remind yourself where you are, what you are doing and how you feel. When you are feeling sad, mindfulness can help you recognize moments of happiness. You might not be able to get out of bed today, but you might notice a beautiful butterfly fluttering outside your window, and that could bring a moment of joy. Mindfulness can help you increase your focus on responsibilities because it forces you to be in the present moment without multitasking. The last, and probably the hardest, goal of mindfulness is understanding that moments are fleeting. As humans, we often tend to attach to moments, especially negative ones. By realizing moments are passing, we can take a step back and recognize that the feelings and thoughts we are having at this moment are not forever and they will change.

DBT uses three approaches to mindfulness. The first encourages a wise thinking state, and the second and third describe how to think and act in mindful ways. I will explore wise thinking practices and how they can be applied in everyday life. People can use wise thinking by considering both the facts and their feelings about the facts. Wise thinking is an effective technique that helps us to be mindful by it engaging the brain and forcing it to be in the present. It can be practiced regularly and easily whenever we have a moment. Wise thinking is a good way to sharpen mindfulness skills.

According to Marsha M. Linehan, there are three stages of thinking. People might use one specific way of thinking or a combination of both. The three ways of thinking are emotional thinking, logical thinking, and wise thinking. Emotional thinking tends to be based on feelings, and logical thinking tends to be based on facts. Using a combination of these ways of thinking could help with decision making, because making decisions is hard. I used to use a pro-cons list, but I quickly realized that a pro-cons list can get out of hand and overwhelming when there are so many options. Also, it stopped me from being able to engage in the present moment because I was constantly worrying about the decision I had to make and the impact it could have on me. I now make a wise thinking T-chart. One one side is the emotional thinking and the other side is logical thinking. After writing the T-chart, I consider both aspects and then make a wise decision.

We can integrate emotional and logical thinking and then use wise thinking to be mindful of our decisions and circumstances. Wise thinking incorporates both emotional and logical thinking to make a decision based on feelings and facts, since both are valid and important. A person who thinks wisely finds balance while making decisions and understands the physical and emotional consequences of their decisions.

Now, you might be thinking that there isnt always time to make a T-chart and write down all decisions, because some decisions have to be made very quickly. Once you practice making the T-charts and developing a wise thinking solution, it will become easier. Another thing I do is tell my significant other and friends about wise thinking so they can remind me to use it when I am stressed about making a decision. There is power in asking for help.

If making decisions is stressful, try this method and think through your options. You might find yourself being surprised about how wise your decision making can get to be with practice. There are a lot of benefits to being mindful like improved concentration and elevated mood. You dont have to meditate to practice mindfulness. All you have to do is take ten minutes to make a T-chart about any upcoming decisions and practice being in a wise thinking state of mind. Practice might not make perfect, but it does make wise.

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Mindfulness is More Than Meditation - Swarthmore College The Phoenix Online

As the first African American woman in Congress, Shirley Chisholm once said, If they dont give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. And that was exactly what Julio Rivera did when he built an application dedicated to the Latinx and Black community.

I noticed myself feeling disconnected, isolated, and more depressed, so I decided to look online to see if there were any digital resources, wrote Rivera in a statement. To my surprise, I found very little and I was even more surprised when I talked to other folks in the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community, they felt the same way.

Rivera put his knowledge in software engineering to the test and created Liberate Meditation, after he noticed that the wellness industry is not inclusive enough with the people of color. Deep inside I felt this was a calling of service from a higher power. A calling to start not just a company but to help amplify the efforts of making the dharma and sangha more accessible for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. I want people all over the world to feel that same feeling of safety, connection, empowerment, and hope, said Rivera.

The meditation app mission is to support the Black, Indigenous, and POC community to thrive with love while healing racial trauma and wounds of internalized oppression.

The Liberate Meditation team assured that is actively working on ways to cultivate environments in-person and virtually for its users always offering a wide range of content, and covering topics to elevate the meditation practice, plus developing compassion for people

We want to help empower people, not only to meditate, but to show them that theres something you can do about your suffering, Rivera said to Buddhist magazine, Lions Roar. We can help each other get free and be liberated. Rivera, who identifies as Afro-Latino, also added that he want folks of color all over the world to know that they are not alone.

According to the company, the teachers are building long-term 1-on-1 relationships with the users or students. The app available for Apple and Android offers to users the possibility of searching the content either by Ancestors, The Body, Gratitude, Love, Micro-aggressions, Mindfulness, and Self-worth meditation or by the teachers name.

We have a long way to go but I believe our meditation app is just the first step to fulfilling our mission, Rivera added. We believe in a future where the BIPOC community is moving as a unit to help us collectively heal and be free. We believe this is not just a Liberate effort but a community effort so this is a call to action, said the founder inviting al the community to share the app with friends and family.

To download the app to your iPhone click here; to download for Android click here.

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Meet Julio Rivera: The Man who Wants to Bring Meditation to Our People Through Tech - BELatina

For a lot of people going through cancer, meditation and relaxation are key to coping with the emotional strain of the disease. Cameron Mathison,50, who starred as Ryan Lavery on the soap opera All My Children for many years, is one of them, using meditation as he recovers from surgery for kidney cancer.

Actual data on the benefits of integrative medicine is often hard to pinpoint. In the case of meditation, there is a good deal of high quality scientific research demonstrating the benefits of meditation for people with cancer.

Dr. Brian Berman, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Maryland, told SurvivorNet theres a lot of research to support the positive effects of meditation, Herb Benson [a professor of mind/body medicine at Harvard Medical School] and his team worked on research for about 20 yearsto show the effects that [relaxation response meditation] has oncreasing the parasympathetic tone,decreasing the sympathetic nerve totally, putting youinto a very relaxed state, which has powerful other effects.

RELATED:All My Children Star Cameron Mathison Says Pet Therapy Helps Him Heal After His Surgery For Kidney Cancer

When it comes to meditation, a lot of survivors tell us that theyre incorporating mindfulness into their cancer recovery experiences. Shannon Masur, who took on colon cancer and Lynch Syndrome, says she had never meditated before she was diagnosed. I thought it would be such a challenge, she says. But it really wasnt because [my guide] has taught me how to when a thought comes in, to feel it, feel the fear, but let it go after a few seconds.

Colon cancer and Lynch syndrome survivor Shannon Masur on the importance of meditation during cancer

Getting negative thoughts and energy out of your mind can make a real difference during a cancer journey.

RELATED:A Guided Meditation for the SurvivorNet Community

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, there is data showing that meditation creates reductions in psychological distress in patients with lung cancer, improves mood and general well-being in patients across several cancer diagnoses, as well as enhances psychological functioning and mindfulness in partners of cancer patients.

Dr. Brian Berman, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at University of Maryland, leads a guided mediation for the SurvivorNet community

In this video, Dr. Brian Berman, takes us through a guided meditation.Ideally, Dr. Berman recommends using this relaxation technique once or twice a day or for 10 to 15 minutes a day in order to really begin experiencing the benefits that come from meditation.

Cameron Mathison and meditation during cancer

Mathison first announced he had kidney cancer on The Hallmark Network, and then revealed the diagnosis on Instagram less than a month ago. From there, he and his doctors have moved quickly into treatment, andMathison reported that he had a partial nephrectomy, which means that doctors removed part of his kidney in order to treat his disease. After his surgery, Mathison says hes been using meditation to get through his recovery.

RELATED:I Get To Keep 80% Of My Kidney! All My Children Star Cameron Mathison Reveals Hes Back Home After Surgery For His Kidney Cancer

A healing weekend of meditation and relaxation [prayer emoji] Meditation completely changed my life 13 years ago [grateful emoji] So grateful to be able to use it as a valuable tool to help me through this challenging time. #compassion #thinkaboutothers #healing #meditation, he wrote alongside three photos of him relaxing and staying centered and calm one of him lying in a hammock, one of him sitting upright in meditation, and one of him on a deck. All of them them seem to find Mathison amidst a lot of trees and nature.

And supporters were excited to relay their stories about going through cancers and some of the difficulties that came their way,I am also a 10 year renal cell carcinoma survivor and was lucky enough to keep 2/3rds of my kidney,wrote one survivor, who identified a lot with Mathisons experience, I have been watching and praying for you sense we found out about your cancer. I have watched your recovery and in complete awe how quickly you have recovered. You are so full of joy and love.

Others focused on the importance of nature, and how it can help you feel grounded and safe, Im sending you healing vibes and peace Cameron,Your being out in nature is the best thing you can do.always stay connected to the earth.ground yourself everyday to the earth. [prayer emoji].

While some connected to him by talking about their own experiences meditating, I just began to learn meditation to cope with my anxiety. Baby steps for me May the calming of meditation help to complete your recovery. Sending prayers. [prayer emoji].

Mathisons cancer journey

After initially announcing his diagnosis on TV, Mathison wrote an emotional Instagram post to let his followers know what was happening with his health.

I have a health situation that I want to share with you all [prayer emoji]. There are many reasons I love social media, staying connected with you all, sharing fun experiences well this time Im asking for your help, he wrote int he post alongside a photo of him with his wife, Vanessa, and two children, Leila and Lucas.

RELATED:A Cancerous Tumor Growing For Ten Years Outpouring of Support for All My Children Actor Cameron Mathison Who Says He Has Kidney Cancer

In a more recent post, Mathison wrote,Unbelievably grateful to be back home after a successful partial nephrectomy surgery. It was an eventful 4 days in the hospital, and doing well at home now.@inderbirgillmdis a miracle worker, and my whole family is indebted to him and everyone at@keckmedofusc [prayer emojis], alongside a photo of himself holding a photograph framed with poster and signed with lots of loving wishes, and surrounded by gifts, flowers and comforting objects.

He also talked about how much it means to him to have so much positive energy around him during this time, Thank you to everyone sending prayers, positive thoughts, flowers, cards, stuffed animals, food, love[heart emoji] and kidney beans[laughing emoji] Love you guys[loving emoji]#1.8kidneysleft #cancersucks #cancerfighter #feelingloved.

Mathison said his surgery was performed at USC, which is a major, high volume cancer center in Los Angeles.

And his supporters commented their praise of his attitude, and sent their love his way, You are a WARRIOR! We are here for you every step of the way [hearts] sending love and light and strength.

Aw how sweet is this? Youll be back to normal in no time, Cameron. Blessings, love, speedy healing, & loads of prayers & good thoughts sent your way! Always!

Mathison also posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed with his two kids on either side of him, holding his hands. He expressed his gratitude for their love and support,Feeling loved and supported by my family and friends, including each and everyone of you. Ive been very overwhelmed and so grateful for all of the supportive comments and prayers.

And offered a few more details as to the details of his surgery, The surgery went very well. The tumor is gone and I even got to keep 80% of my kidney[smile emoji] We are all optimistic. Keep you updated. So grateful for all of you [heart emoji].

Supporters responded by offering words of kindness and hope, That is awesome news so glad to hear keep positive and hope you have a speedy recover and your not in to much discomfort [heart].

Im so thankful your surgery went well. Im continuing to pray for a speedy recovery. Ive just started watching the Hallmark channel and love seeing you in each and everyone of the movies. God bless you!! [hearts]

Information and treatment options for kidney cancer

Kidney cancer can develop in adults or children. There are two main types of kidney cancer that occur in adults: renal cell cancer, and transitional cell cancer, according to theNational Cancer Institute.

Renal cell canceris a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in tubules of the kidney.Smoking and misuse of certain pain medicines can affect the risk of renal cell cancer.Signs of renal cell cancer include blood in the urine and a lump in the abdomen. Other signs of the disease may includepain in the side that doesnt go away, loss ofappetite, weight loss for no known reason, and anemia.

Treatment for renal cell kidney cancer usually includes some combination surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

For renal cell cancer, surgery is a common treatment practice. Types of surgery include:

Transitional cell cancerof the renal pelvis and ureter is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the renal pelvis and ureter. A personal history of bladder cancer and smoking can affect the risk of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter.Signs and symptoms of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter include blood in the urine and back pain.

Kidney and renal cell pelvic cancers make up about 4.2 percent of all new cancer cases per year in the U.S., with and estimated 73,820 in 2019. These cancers account for about 2.4 percent of deaths from cancer in the U.S. with an estimated 14,770 deaths from this cancer in 2019. The five year survival rate for kidney and renal pelvis cancer is about 74.5 percent.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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A Healing Weekend Of Meditation Actor Cameron Mathison From All My Children Says Meditation Helps Him Recovery After Cancer Surgery - SurvivorNet

Antonio Banderas and Leonardo Sbaraglia in Pain and Glory(Sony Pictures Classics)Pedro Almodvar counts his and our blessings.

Pedro Almodvar has mellowed into wisdom. His new movie Pain and Glory (Dolor y gloria) recounts that battle by leaving behind the old transgressive mischief of Almodvars early up-from-underground films (Law of Desire, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) for a display of graceful sagacity.

Salvador Mallo, a middle-aged Spanish filmmaker played by a sensitive, charmingly grizzled and gray-haired Antonio Banderas, is celebrated for his folk-punk audacity. The poster for Mallos best-known film, Sabor (Taste), boasts a strawberried tongue sticking out of lubricious lips like the Rolling Stones logo. Mallo is from the counterculture generation, yet he has risen to respectability. Note that in Chinatown, John Huston averred, Im old. Politicians, public buildings, and whores all get respectable if they last long enough. Almodvar taunts that truism with Mallos rebel tendency toward recreational drugs and lassitude whenever possible.

Not simply autobiographical, this portrait of personal indulgence points toward honesty, benevolence, and forgiveness virtues missing in most counterculture egoists who look back on the indiscretions of their halcyon past as merit badges. Mallo remembers the people who graced his life and agitated it: old lovers, first desires, a sacrificial mother who becomes judgmental. He also confronts his own vain egotism. (The title must nod to John Boormans Hope and Glory. If so, then an Almodvar version of Boormans follow-up, Queen and Country, will be exquisite.)

With Pain and Glory, Almodvar has made a self-critical film in an era lacking self-awareness. No wonder some critics dismiss it as soft. They never understood Almodvars bemused permissiveness. In 1987s Law of Desire, it was buoyantly humane. In that film, Almodvars perspective on a promiscuous gay filmmaker, his transsexual sibling, and a psychopathic lover made the ingenious mix of sex farce and thriller joyful, not merely shocking. In the era of soft power, Almodvars humanity avoids pushing a political agenda. In Pain and Glory, compassion and forgiveness are more important than any radical progressivism for understanding Mallo.

Pain and Glory dramatizes the battle of experience of despair versus perseverance and triumph. Mallo keeps looking back, comparing fond memories with regret, while enduring the infirmities of aging. Some of Almodvars funniest devices here detail the machinery of modern medicine colorful clinical procedures shown as psychedelic wonders, proving Mallos own tough resilience. These contrast with memories of growing up poor in exurban caves with his mother (first played sensuously by Penelope Cruz and later magnificently by Julieta Serrano, who was the wronged, vengeful housewife in Women on the Verge) and then achieving high-toned class and the appurtenances of sophistication.

Always a rascal, Mallo is honest about his mediocrity and luck. He describes his Catholic upbringing as On days when I suffer, Im only half an atheist. Yet his past recall and later life are full of blessings.

Almodvar does his finest filmmaking when young Mallo (Asier Flores) realizes the thrill of teaching a good-looking worker (Csar Vicente) to write: Two innocent hands touch, and Almodvar imbues their innocence with ecstasy. Terence Davies would blush at the simple ecstatic image. Seeking relief, adult Mallo chases the dragon (smokes heroin) with Alberto (Asier Etxeandia), an actor-antagonist and amoral sensualist who is hip to his tricks. And, in the films finest, existential moment, Mallo encounters an old flame, Federico (Leonardo Sbaraglia).

The face-to-face, mirror-like image of romantic Federico and reckless Mallo defines the essence of homosexual attraction, something even Almodvars hero-genius Jean Cocteau barely did. All these performances (Pain and Glory is the best-acted film of year) idealize complicated human relations. Cinematographer Jos Luis Alcaine presents Almodvars vision with pellucid imagery. The clarity of the films lighting sees life experience with depth and beneficence. Almodvar and Alcaine admit to cinematic make-believe and soulful confession, and then achieve pure visualized emotion.

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Pain and Glory Is a Profound and Joyful Meditation on Life - National Review

Having lived with anxiety pretty much all her life, Features Editor Tess Schlink had often been suggested meditation as a cure for its often debilitating symptoms. Sceptical that it would help but still curious, she dabbled with a few apps that promised calmness and clarity, only to be deterred by the fact that try as she might, she could never completely clear her mind from thoughts, and the resulting conclusion that she'd failed - a feeling doubtless shared by those who feel they just cant meditate for this very same reason. So when Sigourney suggested Tess learn Vedic meditation, explaining it was a practice shed begun years ago and that had improved her life endlessly, she was open to the idea.

I completed a course with Vedic meditation teacher Anna Young-Ferris, and the location could not be better suited to the task at hand. Situated on Sydneys idyllic Northern Beaches, her studio is perched above an expanse of lush green forest. Even the most frazzled of souls would feel their shoulders drop on stepping inside an oasis of calming cream and oatmeal shades, theres a rattan mandala adorning the wall, and houseplants are dotted artfully throughout the space.

Anna herself is pretty much serenity personified a very promising start. She welcomes me warmly for the first day of my four session course, with Sigourney joining me for days two and three. This first session is my initiation to the tradition of Vedic meditation. I come bearing fruits and flowers for an ancient ritual that Anna performs beautifully, after which she gives me my mantra a sacred sound that gives my mind something to focus on throughout the meditation practice.

The next day after arriving on the Northern Beaches, session two begins: a refresher course for Sig, but an introduction to the world Vedic meditation for me as well as explaining how Vedic meditation differs from other forms of meditation we might have tried in the past. One of the most fundamental differences and the one that hit home most for me was how Vedic meditation deals with thoughts. Anna explains, I have seriously tried many meditation techniques over the decades and also once held the misconception, like everyone, that meditation is about clearing the mind of thoughts. As one of her teachers says: We learn that asking the mind to stop thinking is like asking the heart to stop beating (impossible!)

And actually, Anna explains we should welcome thoughts, not fight them. When there are thoughts in meditation, it is actually a sign that stress is being laundered out of our nervous system, she says. This can be accumulated stress from superficial day-to-day situations to more significant stress situations, like relationship break ups, buying and selling a house, illness, and death that have been layered into our nervous systems over the years. And the busier and more thought-filled a meditation is, the more stress is being released.

Hearing this is a bit of an epiphany for me no longer did I feel that I was one of those people who was incapable of meditating. In fact, my busy mind was actually rinsing out its stresses from the frustration of missing my bus and misplacing my keys last week, to more serious events that had cluttered my nervous system for years.

We sit down to our first meditation of the day, keeping in mind what Anna had shared about thoughts. Thoughts pop up but I reframe them as a release as opposed to a distraction not unlike clicking out of a thousand tabs in your mind.

In fact, Anna explains that a lot of creatives practise meditation to pull up their best ideas that might have been buried in their subconsciousness. And after each thought pops up, we are to gently return to our mantra its simple and frankly really easy to do. Over time when there are fewer thoughts to wash out of my mind, Im told Ill reach a state of bliss while meditating a deliciously addictive feeling Im very excited to experience.

After a few practice meditations, were instructed that we are to continue the practice twice daily for 20 minutes each. Carving out an extra 40 minutes from our already overstuffed days seems tricky although Anna and Sig are quick to point out that Im at an advantage compared to them, as I dont have small children that need my time and attention. And as Anna is quick to point out, 40 minutes is less than 3% of our day: It seems like it subtracts but it actually adds, even multiplies, in terms of the benefits it gives in all the other areas of your life.

And its not just an arbitrary number, either. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (of The Beatles fame), who trained one of Annas teachers, brought the technique to the West and adapted the traditional practices accordingly because what worked for monks living in solitude, meditating for hours on end, might not be an easy fit in our non-stop, tech-filled lives. He found that 20 minutes twice per day was the optimal practice for householders like us. Anna explains: If we can only fit in one meditation, 35% of the benefits of the technique will be reaped but if we practise twice per day, the benefits are cumulative and we can enjoy 100% of the benefits of the technique. Sig and I commit to making each other accountable and put a daily 3pm alert in our calendar to make our second daily meditation happen every single day.

Over the next few sessions were schooled in the benefits of Vedic meditation and there are many. The tidiest way to sum it up is that its the mental equivalent of having a shower a fundamental daily ritual few would do without. As a society, were generally very good at caring for our physical health but tend to neglect the wellbeing of our minds. Meditation can profoundly impact how you think and feel, and improve your relationships with yourself and others, Anna shares. Scientific studies have validated the benefits of meditation such as improving sleep quality; reducing stress, anxiety, depression and migraines; bolstering immunity and heart functioning; regulating emotional reactivity; and even slowing down the effects of ageing. (As a beauty obsessive, Im always seeking out the aesthetic benefits of everything I do, so this was pleasing to learn).

Other benefits we can expect? Anna cites a greater sense of clarity, being less snappy with those in their lives, and just simply moving through life with more, as she puts it, elegance (she is certainly a perfect example of this). You start to make decisions from your place of intuition and higher self rather than the place of monkey mind, she says. Its a really beautiful way to live and be in the world.

We wrap up the course and Im feeling optimistic. The twice daily sessions slot neatly into my daily routine and while theyre a bit of a time commitment, the payoff is certainly worth it in terms of feeling more serene and upping my productivity levels. Six weeks in, my anxiety and monkey mind havent disappeared completely (although this doesnt surprise me, I think its just part of my nature to be always somewhat nervy) but is certainly much alleviated. During the course, Anna shared that her students often feel a bit off if they skip a session and Im starting to feel like Ive reached that point now. Its an addiction Im happy to maintain.

Story by Tess Schlink.

Anna teaches regularly from her gorgeous meditation studio set amongst the rainforest by the Pittwater in Newport (next course is is 2-4 November), at KAI YOGA, Mosman and other locations. Follow her on Instagram @annayoungferris or head to http://www.annayoungferris.com.

Excerpt from:

I Learned Vedic Meditation And This Is How It Changed My Life - Beauticate

Dear Dr. Fox: I have a small white Maltese. He is 8 years old, and in the past year, has started getting brownish red fur wherever he licks face, feet etc. I feel it is allergies, but dont know to what. Otherwise he is healthy. I do give him filtered water.

Have you any suggestions for what I can try? B.M., West Palm Beach, Florida

Dear B.M.: This is a very prevalent problem in dogs, and is especially evident in those with white coats. Red fur staining is caused by a compound called porphyrin. Porphyrins are iron-containing molecules produced when the body breaks down red blood cells. They are removed from the body primarily through feces, but are also in urine, tears and saliva.

Brown fur staining is primarily caused by an infection with the yeast Malassezia. This is the yeast that is responsible for skin and ear infections in dogs.

It is possible that your dog has both conditions. Excessive eye discharge can mean chronic eye infection or blocked tear ducts, while dental problems common in small breeds can lead to excessive salivation. Both secretions carry porphyrins that stain the fur.

Dogs with seasonal allergies may lick their paws and legs, the saliva staining the fur red. Then when brownish discoloration develops in the moist fur, the yeast infection sets in. The yeast thrives where the fur is moist, especially in the external ear canals, under the eyes and around the lower jaws, where the fur is moist from saliva and drinking.

I would advise a good grooming/clipping, and cleaning the affected areas with one part hydrogen peroxide in two parts water. Dry him well, then apply apple cider vinegar, rub it well into his fur, then wipe him semi-dry after 10 to 15 minutes. You may need someone to hold your dog and avoid getting any of these applications near the eyes.

If your dog has not had a recent wellness examination, you should take him in my fear is that he dog has chronic dental issues, and the remedy I offer will not fix the problem.

Dear Readers: Not One More Vet is an online veterinary support group. The group was founded in 2014 by Dr. Nicole McArthur. It has grown into an international group of veterinarians who come together on Facebook to laugh, cry and lend a supportive ear with their colleagues. from the groups website, nomv.org

This is so very important, because the incidence of suicide in this profession is about twice that of the general population. Non-veterinarians working in animal protection, cruelty investigations and rescue work also need support; they, too, experience the burdens of empathy, frustration and despair that can come from dealing with a culture that has so little regard for nonhuman life. Compassion stress and compassion fatigue are among the personal indices of well-being.

As the late Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin famously wrote, We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. By extension, dogs, cats and other sentient life forms are spiritual beings having a dog, cat or other experience, respectively. Accepting this view inspires a sense of reverential respect for all life, and a responsibility to care for all creatures great and small. This means we suffer with, and for, them when they are in need of care. Veterinarians and others in caring professions can indeed experience burnout and depression. Many even consider ending, and actually do end, their own lives an incalculable loss that support groups such as Not One More Vet can help prevent.

Fewer animals being taken into shelters, euthanized: Good news! Factors such as cultural change, an increase in spaying and neutering, pets being returned to owners and a trend toward rescue adoption have reduced the number of animals in big-city shelters that are euthanized by more than 75% since 2009. Though some no-kill shelters report being pushed beyond their capacity, shelters have become more sophisticated and collaborative. (The New York Times, 9/3)

Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Foxs website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.

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Animal Doctor: Fur staining in dogs is caused by porphyrin or infection - Tulsa World

Joe Bocek | Park Fitness

I was leading an early morning workout the other day and the topic of autumn was on everyones mind.

The night prior had been the coolest in months and the chill was still left in the air. The amber hues of a fall sunrise were enough to inspire talk about everyones favorite fall activities.

When talking about fall favorites, people often focus on decadent and indulgent things. Now, when planned accordingly, any of these things can be enjoyed in moderation. Id like to share a few strategies that many others, just like you, have found helpful.

Pumpkin Spice Calories

If you are like me and love everything about autumn, it almost always starts with pumpkin spice stuff.

That said, many of the easy-to-grab and delicious-tasting pumpkin spice items are also diet busters. On average, pumpkin lattes have between 340 and 500 calories and pumpkin muffins have around 550 to 800 calories. This combination could be all the calories you need for a given day.

What can we do instead? Try adding some McCormick pumpkin spice to vanilla Greek yogurt or a vanilla protein shake for many of the times you crave this seasonal sensation. It can help you enjoy some autumn pumpkin with fewer calories.

Fall Football Overload

Another fall favorite is college and pro football. Watching one or even four games can make for a relaxing way to spend a Sunday. And then all the decadent football-watching food that can accompany the game is a double whammy.

Do a little activity before the game. Perhaps its a walk, a workout or a few chores around the house.

Also, starting the day with a healthy meal right before the first game can really be a game-changer. Then, you are less likely to crave a bunch of snack foods during the game.

Lastly, plan ahead. If you choose a few lower-calorie snacks to enjoy during the game, you limit the higher-calorie options from the get-go. Ever have buffalo cauliflower bites? Dont knock it until youve tried it.

The Waiting For The New Year To Start Pitfall

Perhaps the biggest challenge to your health and fitness during fall is how the New Year is right around the corner. And as humans, we love a good Ill get to this when opportunity.

Well the New Year is the ultimate when, and it always seems like a better time to do something, especially starting something new.

I know it can sound a little corny, but there is no better time than today. To make this idea easier, lets adjust our thinking and aim for progress over perfection.

Too often, we think things need to be perfect or pretty close to it to do something. The truth is, they will never be perfect, and thats alright. Lets instead focus on progress.

An evening walk that happens some nights now is better than a routine that may or may not happen in January. Working out with a friend two days a week now is better than that six-day-a-week boot camp that we may or may not get around to signing up for January 1.

Being healthier now doesnt require the best plan tomorrow, just a good plan today. With a little planning, a little recipe searching, and a small mindset shift this weekend, you can create some good change as we move through this fall.

It is, after all, the best season of the year!

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Don't Fall For These Health And Fitness Traps This Fall - Severna Park Voice

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Instruction

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Get moving on National Women's Health and Fitness Day - AZFamily