Ive been to Hawaii only once, ten years ago for a family wedding. It turned out to be a great trip but getting there was a major pain.

Because the trip wasnt planned at our leisure, it required a grueling day of travel: two back-to-back six-hour flights - with a restless five year old. Who, for the most part, was a trooper. Until stepping out onto the quaint little Kauai baggage claim area where she proceeded to throw up.

Even with that, we were still greeted with the traditional warm and inviting aloha from everyone at the airport.

But what happens as you start making your way around the island, it becomes quickly apparent that the aloha at the airport is not just part of some welcome-to-fantasy-island show.It is actually the customary greeting from everyone you come in contact with - cab drivers, hotel staff, strangers. Everyone.

Seems pleasant enough. Should be no big deal. Except at first, theres something awkward about it. Its like an instant reminder youre not in your comfort zone anymore.Its a fish out of water feeling that brings your insecurities up to the surface gasping - Do I have to say it back? What if I dont? Cant I just say hi? Why am I so uptight about this?

But after a couple of days, when youve had some time to decompress and let go of the heavy baggage, a shift happens.

What initially catches you off guard, starts to feel completely natural and just like home. Suddenly, youve taken to aloha like a native. By the time youre ready to leave, youve even branched out to mahalo (thank you) and youre feeling so free, an aloha doesnt feel complete without a hug.

Thats what meditation is like.

At first, its off-putting and awkward. It feels foreign - like some secret language that only other people comprehend. But then over the course of a few days or weeks or sometimes months of sticking with it, a shift happens.

What initially fills you with panic, becomes something you actually look forward to. Instead of wishing it would be over, youre surprised time's up so fast and you want it to last longer.Your load begins to lighten and those cumbersome protective layers start peeling away. And its surprisingly freeing.

It reminds me of a tweet from a funny guy I follow:

It would take at least 8 more years of therapy for me to be able to say "Aloha" to another person.

Meditation is like mini therapy sessions that help send those kinds of insecurities packing. Some experts say you need two 20-minute sessions per day to reap the full benefits. I say start anywhere.

Just start small and see where it takes you. Even if its only 1-minute, it doesnt matter. Sit down, set a timer and give it a shot. Theres no right or wrong way of doing.Its simply a practice of being.

Most people would agree that any moments spent on a relaxing getaway are better than none at all - and meditation can be your ticket there. And just like a good vacation, it can help you recharge, clear your head and ultimately be more productive. So its never a waste of time or too far to go - especially for those who say theyre too busy or impatient to sit still.

I havent returned to the island since that trip - and that marriage has come and gone - but that feeling of aloha has never left me. Ive discovered that all I have to do is close my eyes, sit quietly and I can reach that state without the baggage or the jet lag.

Wake up to the day's most important news.

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Meditation: The Aloha State - HuffPost

We're not always fans of the health practices Gwyneth Paltrow endorses (remember that whole jade egg thing?!). But last weekend at her Goop Health Summit, Paltrow and her friends did discuss some pretty interesting topics. Among them? Orgasmic meditation. In fact, Jenni Konner (producer of Girls and Lena Dunham's BFF) said she's such a big fan that she tells as many people about it as she can, reports Elle. (Here, find 21 surprising facts you didn't know about your orgasm.)

So what is it exactly? Well, it turns out that orgasmic meditation (OM) is actually a brand name for a practice created by Nicole Daedone, whose company OneTaste is a platform for the idea. "Orgasmic meditation is a type of meditative practice that essentially integrates bringing your full awareness and attention into the present moment along with the connected experience of orgasm, though orgasm may or may not occur," explains Christene Lozano, L.M.F.T., who specializes in sex addiction and sexual health.

"During an orgasmic meditation session, the 'stroker' gently strokes the clitoris of the 'strokee' for 15 minutes. The length of 15 minutes is a deliberate time frame, as this is a long enough amount of time for the mind and body to get into a state of orgasm while being short enough to practice on a regular (even daily) basis," she says. The goal? Just to feel the sensation, not necessarily actually orgasm. Generally, the practice is done with a partner, not alone, and you caneven find workshops provided by trained facilitators.

Admittedly, this practice might have first piqued our interest because anything Goop-recommended needs a closer look, but once you learn more, it seems like a great way to promote sexual equality. Not to mention that during the summit's panel discussion,Konner expressed another unique use. "The amazing thing about orgasmic meditation, besides that it helps people learn about their bodies and couples connect, is that it is a hugely healing practice for sexual trauma." It made us wonder, could slow stroking actually help women heal mentally?

According to experts, maybe, but it's probably not the best way to go about it for a few different reasons. "As a sex therapist treating couples who are having difficulty connecting physically, I find a variety of reasons which contribute, including trauma, past negative sexual experiences, sexual pain, insecurity, or performance fears, shyness, or just lack of knowledge," says Angie Gunn, L.C.S.W., a sex and trauma therapist and Talkspace.com sexuality expert. The most important thing when dealing with trauma, she says, is getting to the root cause and figuring out what kind of help is needed. Once that happens, you can treat it more effectively. (FYI, this is the biggest sex issue no one is talking about.)

There are a few reasons Gunn doesn't advocate for OM with her clients, though. "I generally don't recommend OM to most clients, but support it if they find it on their own, because it's really restrictive in its gendered assumptions about bodies (male stroker, female recipient), limited in terms of the type of activity, and restricts individual creativity and connection," she says. Fair enough. What if you're part of a same-sex couple or don't identify as male or female, or you want to try something a little different from just stroking for 15 minutes? Then this meditation method probably isn't for you.

But that doesn't mean you can't practice a similar concept. "Instead, I encourage clients to practice mindfulness and meditation in a way that best suits them, their personality, their lifestyle, and find creative ways to add this to their sex," says Gunn. There are actually a whole host of ways to be more mindful about your sexual experiences without the branded OM, whether or not sexual trauma is part of the equation. "Some clients do yoga and breathing activities as a part of the preparation for sex, practicing syncing their breathing and movement," she notes. "Another client I work with does body scanning or progressive muscle relaxation (checking each part of their body, breathing into it, through it deeply, tensing and relaxing each muscle) as a way to be in their body, feel safe, and become more open to pleasure and connection."

Another important thing to acknowledge? OM is definitely not a replacement for cognitive behavioral therapy or sex therapy, especially if trauma has occurred, according to Lozano. Instead, if you're having trouble connecting with your partner sexually, it's a good idea to seek the help of a professional. If you're simply curious about OM or similar practices and think it might enhance your sex life, then experts say go aheadyou just might find you like it!

Excerpt from:

What Exactly Is Orgasmic Meditation? - Shape Magazine

AndroidGuys

Mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation: Massive discounts on a premium Aura account (Deal of the Day) AndroidGuys It's vitally important to meditate or dedicate time to relaxing and improving your overall well-being. Did you know that even just a few minutes each day can lead to a more stress-free life and an improved mood? Indeed, and there are plenty of ways to ... Prioritize your mental health with this highly reviewed mindfulness appThe Daily Dot all 4 news articles »

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Mindfulness, relaxation, and meditation: Massive discounts on a premium Aura account (Deal of the Day) - AndroidGuys

Are you a stressed-out New Yorker looking for an artsy way to chill? The Museum of Modern Art has something for you.

For three Wednesdays this summerJuly 5, August 2 and September 6MoMA will be charging discounted admission to select exhibitions from 7:30am to 9:00am as part its new Quiet Mornings series. On July 5, for instance, ticket prices of $15 for adults ($10 off the regular admission), $12 for seniors and $10 for students gets you into the wing of the permanent collection housing works from the 1880s to the 1950s, as well into two of the museums current blockbuster exhibitions: Frank Lloyd Wright at 150: Unpacking the Archive and Robert Rauschenberg: Among Friends.

Besides being a way to beat the usual MoMA crowds, the special hours offer a chance to look slowly, clear your head, silence your phones and get inspiration for the day and week ahead. And if that isnt enough to center your chakras, the museum is also providing a drop-in meditation space with guided meditation sessions from 8:30am to 9:00am. So if you have a yen for zen with a side order of culture, check it out.

Howard is the editor-at-large and chief art critic for Time Out New York. Follow him on Twitter at @HowardHalle.

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MoMA is hosting morning meditation sessions this summer - Time Out New York (blog)

The cool 123Kinect site blogged about this new game, a "game" (it's not really a game, much more a health app than game) that I thought looked pretty darn cool...

Independent developer Nangok Software have announced a Zen meditation game for Kinect 2 called Zazen, the trailer for which you can watch above. Zazen will be available to download on Xbox Live from this Wednesday, June 7th, exclusively for Xbox One via the ID@Xbox self-publishing programme...

Zazen currently seems to be only announced for North America, which is odd considering the developer is Japanese and the game appears to be in Japanese with English subtitles, but I will of course check for availability in other countries on its release date and report that in the next Zazen article.

Its worth noting that, as far as I know, this is the only game other than (the now sadly defunct) Xbox Fitness to use Kinect 2s heart-rate monitoring capability

...

Click Here For More Info! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH6nOq0gCHY

Project Information URL: http://123kinect.com/zazen-zen-meditation-game-announced/53392/

Purchase Download URL: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/zazen-zen-meditation-game/bz0hb1x89s67

See the article here:

Kinect to Zen Meditation - Microsoft - Channel 9

Posted on: August 3rd, 2012

Sacred Mountain Ashram, established by Swami Amar Jyoti in 1974, is located one mile west of Gold Hill on a mountaintop at 9000. The ashram comprises 108 stunning acres of evergreens, aspens, wildflowers, snow, deer and other furry and feathered brethren.

You are invited to come for a visit, to walk in our gardens and enjoy the serenity of nature in this haven of solitude and peace. Aarati, a traditional offering of Light, is offered each morning at 7 am (6:30 am in summer) and evening at 7 pm at Jyoti Mandir, Temple of Light, followed by meditation. Each Sunday and Thursday at 7 pm we gather for Satsang by Swami Amar Jyoti, which is preceded by mantra recitation, Aarati and kirtan, and followed by meditation.

Swami Amar Jyoti in Satsang

Nearby the temple is Annapurna, a two-story 55 diameter geodesic dome, housing our dining room, community kitchen, and an extensive spiritual library. We also have our twice weekly ladies yoga classes here.

Our publications, which include the quarterly Light of ConsciousnessJournal of Spiritual Awakening (light-of-consciousness.org), books and audio Satsangs of Swami Amar Jyoti, and our Kirtan and Sacred Chants CDs are available in our library. Please call or email us if youd like to arrange a visit. Were just up the hill!

Near Annapurna you can visit the Garden of Prophets with statues of Jesus, Buddha and Krishna, and our sunken garden with a gazebo where two bucks are often seen in the summertime.

WOMENS YOGA CLASSESSUMMER SCHEDULE: open to the mountain community, hatha yoga classes by Justine Sanchez from Ward are held in our 55 diameter geodesic dome every Sunday and Thursday at 9-10:30 am. Please call for directions, fees and any questions. Classes are for beginner to intermediate students with some headstands thrown in for those of you who like to be vertically challenged!

SEVALAYA (Truth Consciousness Center of Service), a quarter mile west of the Ashram and 1.5 miles from Gold Hill, is located on 13 acres of aspen-bordered meadows and pines. We have residential buildings including accommodations for our annual week-long retreat each summer.

Sacred Mountain Ashram and Desert Ashram in Tucson, AZ are operated by Truth Consciousness, a 501[c]3 nonprofit organization. Donations are welcome and are tax-deductible. For further information or to arrange a visit, please contact:

Sacred Mountain Ashram, 10668 Gold Hill Road, Boulder CO 80302-9716 Phone: 303-447-1637, Fax: 303-447-1920, info@truthconsciousness.org.

To read more and see our publications, visit truthconsciousness.org.

For updates and news see Truth Consciousness & Light of Consciousness on Facebook, and inspiring quotations at SwamiAmarJyoti on Twitter.

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Sacred Mountain Ashram | Gold Hill, Colorado

The independent world music record label, Luaka Bop, was founded in 1988 by producer and former lead singer of the iconic New Wave band, The Talking Heads. Earlier this Spring, the NYC-based label was responsible for releasing rare recordings of jazz musician and spiritual leader, Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda. The new album, Spirituality Classics 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda, is a collection of previously unheard recordings of devotional music, recorded at Coltranes ashram located outside of Los Angeles. The 48-acre Sai Anantam Ashram still exists today. As we interviewed Coltranes protg, Surya Botofasina, via phone last month, he stood on the soil of the ashram.

The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda is the first compilation of global spiritual music that the label plans to release over time. This first album reveals Coltrane Turiyasangitanandas singing voice for the first time in her recording history. Her throaty soothing voice sounds familiar, but of course, any fan of Coltrane Turiyasangitananda would be confused because she was largely known as an instrumentalist, arranger and composer. The songs are heavily layered and raw and vibrationally disorientingin a good way.

Luaka Bop uncovered four cassette tapes of recorded music dating between 1982 and 1995 and teamed up with Coltrane Turiyasangitanandas children to locate the original master tapes, which gave them the ability to re-master the songs for clarity and clear tone. Jazz musician Baker Bigsby had a hand in preparing the songs to be re-mastered. He had been present and supportive during the original recording sessions.

The album is fascinating, not only in its sound, which is otherworldly, deeply layered and unique, but also because of the history of these songs, which had to be searched for, discovered and cared for so this album could happen.

Spirituality Classics 1: The Ecstatic Music of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda was released May 5 on Luaka Bop Records. You can buy the album direct from the labels website: http://luakabop.com/catalog/

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Luaka Bop record label releases uncovered Alice Coltrane ashram recordings - Amsterdam News

Summary: Ahmedabad: The National Archives of India (NAI) will gift digital copies of its entire Mahatma Gandhi paper collection to Sabarmati Ashram on June 29. "We felt that the Gandhi papers should be widely disseminated and be made easily available to researchers, students and general public," Garg said. A senior Ashram official told TOI that many of the Gandhi papers at the national archives were part of the original series of Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) project headed by professor K Swaminathan. Once Gandhi papers are available on Gandhi portal, it will be in public domain, and will facilitate research and enhance the value of the portal," says Sabarmati Ashram director Tridip Suhrud.He added, "It also means that the NAI has immense confidence in the Ashram to handle sensitive historical papers." The Ashram already has one of the world's largest collections of original manuscripts belonging to Bapu somewhere around 35,000 catalogued items in its archive.Dr Sanjay Garg, deputy director of NAI, said that the digital copies are being provided to the ashram so that they can be uploaded in phases to the existing Gandhi heritage portal.

Ahmedabad: The National Archives of India (NAI) will gift digital copies of its entire Mahatma Gandhi paper collection to Sabarmati Ashram on June 29. The Ashram already has one of the world's largest collections of original manuscripts belonging to Bapu somewhere around 35,000 catalogued items in its archive.Dr Sanjay Garg, deputy director of NAI, said that the digital copies are being provided to the ashram so that they can be uploaded in phases to the existing Gandhi heritage portal."We felt that the Gandhi papers should be widely disseminated and be made easily available to researchers, students and general public," Garg said."The idea is that when such rare documents are available digitally, they can be accessed on mobile phones, laptops or on any digital interface from anywhere in the world," he said.According to the NAI, the Gandhi papers consists of 27,500 items between the period of 1880 to 1948, relating to Gandhi-Kallenbach, Gandhi-Polak correspondence, Gandhi-Holmes correspondence, Gandhi Murder Trial papers and Bapu's correspondence with eminent personalities.There is also a copy of the FIR relating to Gandhiji's murder on January 30, 1948. A senior Ashram official told TOI that many of the Gandhi papers at the national archives were part of the original series of Collected Works of Mahatma Gandhi (CWMG) project headed by professor K Swaminathan.

A team of editors including professors C N Patel, U R Rao and R K Prabhu took over 38 years to compile the entire collection of Bapu's letters, speeches, and articles into 100 volumes running into more than 55,000 pages.Earlier, the NAI had gifted the Ashram, digital copies of roughly 4,000 testimonies of farmers recorded during Champaran Satyagarha by Bapu and Dr Rajendra Prasad."I think the Ashram-National archive collaboration is of immense value to the world of scholarship. Once Gandhi papers are available on Gandhi portal, it will be in public domain, and will facilitate research and enhance the value of the portal," says Sabarmati Ashram director Tridip Suhrud.He added, "It also means that the NAI has immense confidence in the Ashram to handle sensitive historical papers.". .

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/nai-to-gift-digital-copies-of-gandhi-papers-to-ashram/articleshow/59167844.cms

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NAI to gift digital copies of Gandhi papers to Ashram - NYOOOZ

Buffalo's newest doughnut shop offers unusual flavors like bubblegum and root beer float, and standard flavors, like chocolate glazed.

What it doesnt offer is doughnuts containing eggs or milk. All of Fry Baby Donuts' treats are vegan, right down to the sprinkles.

If owner Ann Hogan hits her target, you wont be able to tell. "I think we nailed it," said Hogan, who opened last week at 336 S. Elmwood Ave., near the corner of West Tupper. Ultimately, she said, customers will decide.

Doughnuts are $2, six for $11, and 12 for $22. There are no gluten-free options at present. Fry Baby will post to social media when it runs out for the day, so check Facebook or Instagram, Hogan said.

Chocolate glazed will be one of the standards at Fry Baby Donuts, Buffalo's new vegan doughnut shop. (Fry Baby Donuts)

"Vegan baking seems like an afterthought sometimes," said Hogan, a professional baker since 2009. "Establishments see that vegans are spending money and will make something for them as an afterthought. I wanted to make something that was good for everybody, appetizing enough for non-vegans to not realize it was vegan."

Doughnut flavors will change week to week, Hogan said. Wildberry, s'mores, cookies and cream and jalapeno raspberry are other flavors offered so far, in addition to cinnamon buns and fritters.

Besides doughnuts, Fry Baby sells soda, tea and coffee. The half-and-half for the coffee is the only non-vegan stuff in the store, said Hogan.

Hours: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Phone: 783-7837.

Send restaurant tips toagalarneau@buffnews.com and follow @BuffaloFood on Instagram and Twitter.

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Fry Baby gives Buffalo first vegan doughnut shop - Buffalo News

The question of how were going to feed a population of 9.7 billion people by 2050 is possibly the most burning one facing humanity. Our current food system, which is heavily focused on meat and dairy production, already occupies around half of the worlds arable land and uses a majority of freshwater resources and still, around one billion people lack access to food. Whats more, the massive amounts of air and water pollution, coupled with the greenhouse gas emissions produced by animal agriculture are contributing to climate change and endangering our ability to grow more food for people in the future.

The bottom line is were doing a better job at feeding animals than we are at feeding people and if we continue to do so, we will be absolutely incapable of feeding ourselves in the near future. Luckily, many individuals and companies are taking note of the failures of our food system and looking to new technology and innovation to solve this pressing issue. Being that were familiar with the statistics surrounding just how damaging our food system is to people, animals, and the environment, we are cautiously optimistic about the change that has been happening with a rise in plant-based protein companies and consumer trends that favor eating less meat and dairy but we recently heard something that has given us tremendous amount of hope for the future of food and the planet.

In a recent interview with Nil Zacharias, co-founder of One Green Planet and host of the new podcast #EatForThePlanet with Nil Zacharias, Prince Khaled Bin Alwaleed, founder and CEO of KBW Ventures detailed how he plans to relegate factory farming to the dustbin of history within the next 10 years through strategic investments in cellular agriculture and plant-based proteins.

Khaled believes that there is a viable solution to factory farming in cellular agriculture and thanks to the tremendous leaps this new technology has made in the past five years alone, he is quite certain that companies will be able to scale it up and make clean meat, which is grown in a lab, using a small fraction of the current resources to produce meat without harming animals or the environment, competitive with current organic meat in a decade or less.

Hearing something like this certainly has us hopeful that change is on the way and this is only one of the extremely encouraging things Khaled shared in this interview.

If you like this episode, be sure to subscribe to the #EatForThePlanet with Nil Zacharias podcast for new episodes with food industry leaders, health and sustainability experts, as well as entrepreneurs and creative minds who are redefining the future of food.

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This Vegan Saudi Prince Wants to Relegate Factory Farming to the Dustbin of History - One Green Planet