We want to bring good energy to our town, comments enthusiastic Tai Chi organizer and Jefferson City resident Robin Snell.

She and a group of dedicated fans want to share health benefits they have experienced from Taoist Tai Chi or meditation in motion with Jefferson City residents.

Accredited instructor Jim Parker teaches a class at the Rose Center in Morristown. The small group of his followers, ranging in age from 30 to 80, are temporarily meeting in Jefferson City Centennial Park, Mondays at 10 a.m.

Snell learned the form of Tai Chi just one year ago when her father passed. The terrible depression and grief began to lift with the social interaction and movements.

Parker agrees that Snell has come a long way to a healthier mind, body, and spirit in a short time.

The experienced instructor, now age 72, has seen his own health benefits in 17 years of helping others. He was a construction worker for 35 years which led to arthritis and two knee replacements.

He is now looking to share his training with the Jefferson City and the surrounding communities.

I teach a style of Taoist Tai Chi that can be a complimentary therapy in speeding recovery for those who have experienced injuries or even stroke, explains Parker.

Melody Horvath started the class after she had an unexplained stroke at age 32.

It is great to feel a part of this supportive and positive community with people of all ages, she exclaims. It was hard to get my brain to do the movements at first, but now it is getting easier to follow along.

Describing herself as proud to be 80, retired Walters State teacher Anne Armstrong says the Taoist Tai Chi has helped with her balance and her memory too.

Parker leads his class through movements with descriptive names such as comb the wild horses mane and draw bow to shoot tiger. Although he volunteers to teach for the society, he is required to attend workshops for training and continuing education. The USA center is in Florida, while the international center is in Canada.

I have traveled to the international center for week-long workshops, he says. It is truly amazing that this type of Tai Chi is taught in 800 locations in 26 countries. The instructors who come to the Canadian center speak all different languages.

East Tennessee boasts 11 locations from Morristown to Oak Ridge. The goal of the society is to make the program available to all.

Jefferson City residents can go to the Centennial Park picnic pavilion on Monday morning for an introductory class. However, Parker needs to find a permanent home for his program so all can continue to enjoy the lift from Taoist Tai Chi year-round.

Originally posted here:
Benefits of Tai Chi | News | standardbanner.com - The Standard Banner

MILLBURN, NJ - Fourth of July is a festive time, but for pets it is the one day a year where more pets get lost. Between celebrations and fireworks, there are many portential opportunites for a pet to get into harms way or become scared and run. Petfinder shared eight helpful tips to help keep pets safe this year.

1. Be sure your pet is wearing up to date and visible tags.

2. Take a current photo of your pet to have in case of emergency.

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3. Excercise your pet early in the day before the celebrations kick off.

4. At parties, make sure your pet stays away from open flames and grills.

5. Keep charcoal, fireworks, sparklers and glow sticks away from pets.

6. Keep treats handy for your pet so they can enjoy the celebration safely.

7. Leave your pet at home with a favorite treat during fireworks.

8. If your pet is afraid of loud noises, put on quieter music over the fireworks.

Excerpt from:

Tips to Help Millburn Pets Stay Safe on July 4th - TAPinto.net

In its final study into the asset management sector last week the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) set out a series of new governance rules requiring investment funds to appoint a minimum of two independent directors.

Industry figures told Wealth Manager they believe oversight could be useful, but warned about a potential shortage of suitable talent.

Paul Mumford (pictured), fund manager of the Cavendish Opportunities, AIM and UK Select said that the house was already halfway compliant.

We have already got one who comes from a merchant banking background, he said. When we are in board meetings he will bring us a whole number of points on things were discussing like Mifid, money laundering or whatever else.'

He said that appointing a director-for-hire could mean the initiative became an excercise in rubberstamping, however.

If you have a non-exec who is a part of the family, or a dodgy old geezer whos just a nodding donkey that is not alright, he said.

But nowadays a lot of them are quite good and take an active interest in what happens, so when something goes wrong they are also partly to blame.

Citywire AAA-rated David Stevenson, who manages the UKSmaller Companiesfund at AmatiGlobal Investors, said the real challenge is one of availability and quality.

It is a good measure but I would not be in favour of appointing people on boards just for the sake of it. They should be able to offer guidance and contribute, he explained.

Before [our recent purchase by] Mattioli Woods we had an independent director who was a retired head of a fund-managing group.

He was a voice of experience and a very useful one to have. But people like that are hard to find they are not exactly hanging from the trees.

This new measure is also bound to bring an increase in costs, but considerations on that front were not as serious.

Mumford said it would be the same as hiring an extra analyst or member of back office staff. If you get the right non-exec it is worth the cost.

Majedie chief executive Rob Harris said it could present a barrier for new, smaller players trying to enter the market, however.

The cost element is part of doing business, he said We are small so governance will not be a problem for us, he said. But the cost will make it harder for new boutiques to start, which is sad.

The FCA estimates that as a result of the new rules each authorised fund manager (AFM) will incur an average one-off cost of 9,800 and an ongoing costs of 813,000 annually across the 192 AFMs.

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Fund bosses welcome indy directors, but warn of talent shortage - Citywire.co.uk

COLUMBUS, OHIO - 5 Jul, 2017 - TWSD,Inc. Will be Hosting a The Largest Liquidation Sale in Ohio History in Columbuson August 5,2017!!! All Spread Over 87,000 Square Foot Space!!

Consumer will get to buy Merchandise in Grade A+Condition and some in Original Packaging.

The Largest Sale in Ohio is Coming to Columbus,Ohio. Consumers Who Want Bargains for their Homes, back to School. SAVINGS UP TO 80%

Consumer Products include: Household Items, Bedding,Mattresses, Excercise Equipment Houseware, General Merchandise, Electronic, Clothing Children's Sleepware, Toys, Outdoor Furniture, Refrigerators and other Large and Small Appliances.

Our Buyers Will Be Able to Purchase Bags for $75.00 and they'll be able to Stuff As Much Merchandise as Possible in the Bags!!! GREAT DEAL SAVER!!

We'llAlso Have Space For Added Vendors: Booth Space is 175.00 for 10x10 Sq ft Space

"If the Success of this Initial Event is a Success which we think it will be we'll be back in October for Our Fall Event" said Lonnie Meyer

All the Merchadise comes from Name Brand Outlets that are Overstocks, Shelf Pulls. Returns that are still in Excellent Condition...

Media Contact Company Name: TWSD INC. Contact Person: LONNIE MEYER Email: lonnie2310@icloud.com Country: United States Website: https://facebook.com/largestliquidationohcolumbusoh/

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LARGEST MERCHANDISE LIQUIDATION SALE IN OHIO 8/5/2017 - Digital Journal (press release)

Written by PETA | July 3, 2017

Each of the four new Hagen-Dazs flavors begins with a core ingredient, like real Belgian chocolate, peanut butter, coffee, or coconut cream. But thats not even the best part. Were talking about vegan Hagen-Dazs ice creama delectable dessert that doesnt support the cruel dairy industry. Were so excited, you guys.

Exclusively available at Target stores, each flavor is more delectable than the last:

Chocolate Salted Fudge Truffle

This flavor blends rich Belgian chocolate with salted fudge and chunks of fudge truffle.

Coconut Caramel

This insanely delicious ice cream mixes coconut cream with ribbons of caramel.

Mocha Chocolate Cookie

Belgian chocolate and robust coffee meet chocolate cookie pieces in this genius flavor combination.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge

This ice cream features creamy peanut butter mixed with swirls of chocolate fudge.

Ben & Jerrys and Breyers recently added vegan flavors to their product lines, too. This is even more proof that people are learning about the horrors of the dairy industry and switching to vegan eating. Its no wonder that mainstream companies are coming out with cruelty-free products.

The dairy industry has many dark secrets. Cows produce milk for the same reason that humans do: to nourish their young. But in order to force them to continue producing milk, farm operators typically impregnate them using artificial insemination every year.

Calves are generally torn away from their mothers within a day of birth, which causes them both extreme distress. Mother cows can be heard calling for their calves for days after separation. Male calves end up in cramped veal crates or barren feedlots, where theyll be fattened for beef, and females are sentenced to the same sad fate as their mothers.

Inspired to go vegan? We thought so! Order a free vegan starter kit today:

I Want a Free Vegan Starter Kit!

Original post:

We All Scream for Hagen-Dazs Vegan Ice Cream | PETA - PETA (blog) (press release)

Fresno Bee

Popular vegan blogger to host pop-up brunch. But tickets are going fast. Fresno Bee Ashley Hankins-Marchetti is one of the hottest tickets in town. The creator of the blog, http://www.eatfigsnotpigs.com, is hosting her first-ever pop-up dinner at Root, a hipster gift store in downtown. The event sold out in just three days. The $50, four ...

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Popular vegan blogger to host pop-up brunch. But tickets are going fast. - Fresno Bee

So-called nice cream is not just for vegans. A variety of creamy bases made of fruit, nut butters, rice, soy and even hemp have elevated the profile of vegan ice cream among vegans and meat-eaters alike. (July 3)

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats.

APs commitment to independent, comprehensive journalism has deep roots. Founded in 1846, AP has covered all the major news events of the past 165 years, providing high-quality, informed reporting of everything from wars and elections to championship games and royal weddings. AP is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information.

Today, AP employs the latest technology to collect and distribute content - we have daily uploads covering the latest and breaking news in the world of politics, sport and entertainment. Join us in a conversation about world events, the newsgathering process or whatever aspect of the news universe you find interesting or important. Subscribe: http://smarturl.it/AssociatedPress

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Vegan ice cream gets a boost from health-conscious meat folk - Olean Times Herald

Seniors and community members interested in meditation will soon be able to learn techniques in a guided course at the Munday Activity Center.

Starting July 11, the center will offer weekly classes from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at its West Second Street location. Classes will be free for participants over 60 with a suggested $2 donation.

Dana Peveler, executive director of the center, said the classes came as a suggestion from some of the participants at the center, like most of their other activities.

"We had some requests for meditation after people had been hearing about the benefits in our yoga and Zumba classes," Peveler said. "We think it complements some of the other activities here."

Classes will be guided by Sheila Clark, who also instructs the yoga class. Clark will be leading participants through mindfulness exercises and breathing techniques that Peveler said helps promote relaxation and stress relief and has other health benefits.

Peveler said she has been practicing some form of meditation almost daily for about 20 years and encourages community members to try something new.

"I think the meditation gives several benefits, but it also offers an opportunity to participate in a social activity," Peveler said. "All of our activities help get folks out of the house and hopefully involved in the community."

An article from staff at the Mayo Clinic cites meditation as helping with anxiety, depression, asthma and even irritable bowel syndrome.

Meditation is offered in group class settings, but Peveler said participants will be learning a skill they can practice on their own throughout their day.

Peveler said new classes such as meditation are an example of the variety of activities the center tries to offer for the different age groups participating at the center.

"We are always listening to our community to offer things they want from educational opportunities to exercise," Peveler said. "If one of these days we have to offer rock climbing, I gladly would."

Original post:

Munday Center to teach meditation - messenger-inquirer

Kate Love of the Open Mind-Open Heart meditation group in Bethesda says that meditation can help reduce stress. Photo contributed

There is the expectation that we need to be available and informed all the time. This expectation wasnt in place 10 years ago. Kate Love

In her dimly lit basement in Great Falls, Mary Beth Kogod sounds a meditation bell that echoes through the room. The 12 people sitting on cushions in a circle around her close their eyes and listen to the gentle sounds of her voice.

If your mind begins to wander, gently guide it back to the sound of my voice, said Kogod, as she leads the group in a mindfulness meditation session.

The practice of meditating to aid with ills running the gamut from stress and anxiety to pain and depression is on the rise. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 18 million people practiced some form of meditation in 2015, and the number of Americans who engage in the practice has doubled over the last 15 years.

We have more smartphones and other electronics that consume us and give us constant access to stressful events we see on the news, said Kate Love, who runs the Open Mind-Open Heart meditation group in Bethesda. There is the expectation that we need to be available and informed all the time. This expectation wasnt in place 10 years ago.

Love says that while scientific research to back up these claims is limited, it is growing. For example, a study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health at NIH shows that mindfulness practices have a positive impact on insomnia.

Meditation usually entails sitting relatively still and quiet, as in Kogods meditation session, and focusing on one thing, such as a sound, an image or ones own breath.

I teach clients concentrative meditation where they focus on one thing, she said. I also teach mindful meditation where people try to cultivate a sense of awareness of what is happening in their body. For example, what thoughts pass through your mind as you sit quietly? What sounds do you hear? What emotions do you feel? The work comes when you notice these sensations and then let them go.

A 2011 study by the Association for Psychological Science showed that meditation can be effective in boosting memory and concentration. Settings for this mind-body practice now range from workplaces to classrooms.

Amber Wilson, a fourth grade teacher, guides her students in mindfulness meditation practices most afternoons during the school year. A lot of my students have difficult home environments which affects their ability to concentrate in school, she said. When I stop them between subjects and let them chill out a little bit, it really makes a difference in their performance, even after just five minutes.

Meditation can also help with addiction treatment, says Warren Schelter, Ph.D., a psychologist with a practice in Alexandria. It can instill a sense of calm and overall wellbeing, he said. Anxiety and depression often go hand-in hand with addiction, which is why a calming meditation practice might be effective for some people.

Schelter underscores the fact that meditation should not replace traditional medicine. I would recommend that anyone experiencing symptoms of mental or physical illness see a medical doctor first, she said. Mediation should work in conjunction with traditional medicine, not in place of it.

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Wellbeing: Meditation as Medicine - Alexandria Gazette Packet

NEW DELHI: Meditation is an activity practiced by millions of people worldwide. But how does it affect your brain?

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in international research on meditation and the findings may not be what you expect. Although the options are many, the purpose is basically the same: more peace, less stress, better concentration, greater self-awareness and better processing of thoughts and feelings.

A research team at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the University of Oslo and the University of Sydney have worked to determine how the brain works during different types of meditation. Meditation techniques can be divided into two main groups. One type is concentrative meditation, where you focus attention on your breathing or on specific thoughts, and in doing so, suppresses other thoughts.

The other type can be called nondirective meditation, where you effortlessly focus on your breathing or on a meditation sound, but beyond that the mind is allowed to wander as it pleases. Although according to the team, the research still reveals very little about which technique is the best, or better, it still provides food for thought about the increasingly popular concept of meditation.

Fourteen people, who had extensive experience with the Norwegian technique Acem meditation, were tested in an MRI machine. In addition to simple resting, they undertook two different mental meditation activities, nondirective meditation and a more concentrative meditation task.

Nondirective meditation led to higher activity than during rest in the part of the brain dedicated to processing self-related thoughts and feelings. When test subjects performed concentrative meditation, the activity in this part of the brain was almost the same as when they were just resting.

"I was surprised that the activity of the brain was greatest when the person's thoughts wandered freely on their own, rather than when the brain worked to be more strongly focused," said Jian Xu, who is a physician at St. Olavs Hospital and a researcher at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at NTNU.

Adding, "When the subjects stopped doing a specific task and were not really doing anything special, there was an increase in activity in the area of the brain where we process thoughts and feelings. It is described as a kind of resting network. And it was this area that was most active during nondirective meditation."

"The study indicates that nondirective meditation allows for more room to process memories and emotions than during concentrated meditation," says Svend Davanger, a neuroscientist at the University of Oslo, and co-author of the study.

"This area of the brain has its highest activity when we rest. It represents a kind of basic operating system, a resting network that takes over when external tasks do not require our attention. It is remarkable that a mental task like nondirective meditation results in even higher activity in this network than regular rest," added Davanger.

NTNU is a world-class research hub in the medical sciences, especially neuroscience and study of the brain. Nobel prize winners May-Britt and Edvard Moser, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 with their mentor John O'Keefe for their work identifying the place cells that make up the brain's positioning system, are directors of the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience department under the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU.

The rest is here:

Meditation brings peace, fights stress, and keeps you positive - Economic Times