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Fraud Task Force Will Take on Fake ‘Organic’ Foods – Food & Wine

Posted: June 13, 2017 at 8:42 pm


When you purchase organic food, you expect the product you receive to be, uh, organic. But how do you really know? Unlike, say, comparing different varieties of apples, conventional apples look the same as organic apples: The difference is in the process. Within the US, inspection agencies operate to make sure organic farmers are on the up-and-up, but verifying foreign imports have proven to be trickier, and as The Washington Post reports, the papers own findings of millions of pounds of imported fake organic grains has helped lead to the creation of a new task force dedicated to ensuring the integrity of organic products imported to America.

Last month, The Post ran an expose on these fraudulent organic imports. In one example, 36 million pounds of soybeans traveled from the Ukraine to Turkey to California. Somewhere along the way, those beans were illicitly designated as USDA Organic, a move which added approximately $4 million in value to the shipment. Needless to say, the stakes on this kind of fraud is extremely high not just for those making a million dollar windfall, but for honest organic farmers in the US who are seeing their prices undercut. As a result, the Organic Trade Association has announced a new task force to tackle the issue. There is a strong desire on the part of industry to stop the incidence of fraud in organic, Laura Batcha, director of the association, told The Post. The consumer expects that organic products are verified back to the farm. The industry takes that contract with the consumer very seriously.

However, many farmers are reportedly skeptical an OTA task force will make any difference, in part because the group has often been criticized for supporting big business over smaller farmers. It remains to be seen whether this effort is serious or not, John Bobbe, who is the executive director of a farmer cooperative, told The Post. The OTA has been strangely quiet about this issue. It seems they have been looking the other way - the see no evil scenario. But I guess they cant ignore it now. I think the fire is burning enough that the flames can't be stamped out.

For her part, Batcha said she wants to get the USDA involved in the effort. Were going to Congress - we want to close the loopholes, Batcha was quoted as saying. The task forces work is important but its not the only thing were doing. Meanwhile, for the consumer, the takeaway is that even items labeled USDA Organic arent 100 percent foolproof because the financial implications are probably even bigger than the health ones.

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Fraud Task Force Will Take on Fake 'Organic' Foods - Food & Wine

Written by simmons |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Organic Food

Organic food: is it really worth the extra expense? – Irish Times

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Tue, Jun 13, 2017, 00:40 Updated: about 13 hours ago

One Californian study found that children born to mothers with traces of organophosphate metabolites a key element of many pesticides during pregnancy had more adverse mental development at two years of age, attention problems at three-and-a-half and five years, and poorer intellectual development at seven years. Photograph: Getty Images

It is hard not to be well disposed to organic food and those who grow it. Small-time growers competing with huge multi-nationals who are free to use chemicals to produce food mountains on an industrial scale really do deserve recognition for their endlessly Quixotic struggles.

And - by any measure - organic food is more environmentally friendly than the alternatives. Growing fruit and vegetables and rearing livestock and producing milk without dumping rivers of toxic pesticides into the ground or lakes of antibiotics into animals has to be better for the world in which we live.

Only a fool would argue otherwise.

But while, on many levels, organic is demonstrably better, on others it is demonstrably worse most notably on our wallets. Were someone living in Ireland to switch to an entirely organic shopping basket, they could quite easily add some 2,000 onto to their annual grocery spend and they might be left with nothing to show for it.

According to a study that appeared in a recent addition of the journal Food Quality and Preference, people cant really tell the difference between organic and regular food in blind taste tests although when told a product is organic they suddenly start rating it higher.

This chimes perfectly with this writers own experience when comparing organic products with those produced using other methods and with virtually no exceptions over more than a decade we have never been unable to discern any taste differences between the foods produced conventionally and organically.

Despite the diverging prices and taste equivalence it appears Irish people still cant get enough organic food, and sales are booming. According to Bord Bia, the market saw growth of 22 per cent in value terms in 2016 to 150 million, following a 13 per cent increase in 2015. The volume of organic food purchased grew by 35 per cent in 2016 following a 21 per cent increase in 2015.

Bottom lines and taste tests and booming sales aside, what impact does organic food have on our health?

A somewhat dispiriting answer is perhaps none at all and it may be true that the impact organic food has on a persons physical well being is dramatically overstated in some quarters there are question marks as to whether eating organically makes much difference to our health at all.

One of the most exhaustive European studies examining the health benefits of organic food was carried out almost seven years ago at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, acting at the behest of the British governments Food Standards Agency.

It found that consumers were paying higher prices for organic food partly because they believed it had health benefits. But after carrying out a review of more than 160 scientific papers which had been published over 50 years, researchers found no significant difference when it came to consumer health.

A small number of differences in nutrient content were found to exist between organically and conventionally produced foodstuffs, but these are unlikely to be of any public health relevance, the report said. Our review indicates that there is currently no evidence to support the selection of organically over conventionally produced foods on the basis of nutritional superiority.

The report did not, as you might expect, go unchallenged with organic advocates pointing out that it did not take into account the health effects of pesticides and other contaminants found in some foods.

And it is the absence of pesticides which draws most consumers towards organic food.

The impact of pesticides were not excluded from a much more recent report in fact they were at its core. A review of existing scientific evidence commissioned by the European Parliament and published earlier this year highlighted the dangers of pesticides.

MEPs wanted a simple question answered: Is organic food healthier than conventionally grown crops? Once again experts looked at existing research and told MEPS of one alarming Californian study which found that children born to mothers with traces of organophosphate metabolites a key element of many pesticides during pregnancy had more adverse mental development at two years of age, attention problems at three-and-a-half and five years, and poorer intellectual development at seven years.

Experts also raised concerns about pesticide regulation and stressed that while a comprehensive risk assessment before market release has to be carried out on all pesticides, important gaps remain and they said that because organic food has very low pesticide levels potential risks to human health are largely avoided.

There are indications that organic crops have a lower cadmium content than conventional crops due to differences in fertiliser use and soil organic matter, an issue that is highly relevant to human health,. Professor Ewa Rembialkowska, of Warsaw University said. Organic milk has a higher content of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to conventional milk, although we cannot currently derive any specific health benefit from this.

Those last 10 words may well be the most telling in the entire report.

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Organic food: is it really worth the extra expense? - Irish Times

Written by admin |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Organic Food

Organic Trade Association guards against food fraud schemes – Food Safety News

Posted: at 8:42 pm


By Dan Flynn | June 13, 2017

Once youre big enough, its only matter of time before you must begin to worry somebody is ripping you off. That pretty well sums up the current mindset of the Organic Trade Association which figures that organic sales last year totaled about $47 million or about 5.3 percent of all food sales in the country.

And because organic generally fetches higher prices than normal food, its almost certain to be targeted in food fraud schemes. Thats much of why the Organic Trade Association (OTA) has opted to formits own Anti-fraud Task Force. As first reported by POLTICO, the organizationsanit-fraud unit is scheduled tobe up and running later this month to develop best practices for the private sector to use in verifying international supply chains.

Laura Batcha, OTAs chief executive, said the action is in response to reports last month about shipments of organic corn and soybeans entering the United States from Turkey that were fradulent. The OTA task force plans to share information with organic certification agencies and the documentation that importers report to the USDAs National Organic Program when they reject shipments and tell why the action was taken.

Also, as recently as last week, the USDAs National Organic Program (NOP) alerted the organic trade about the presence of fraudulent organic certificates.Fraudulent organic certificates listed the following businesses are in use and have been reported to the NOP:

The NOP said these certificates falsely represent agricultural products as certified organic under the USDA organic regulations, violating the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990. It says fraudulent certificates may have been created and used without the knowledge of the operator or the certifying agent named in the certificate.

The USDAs posting of fraudulent certificates does not necessarily mean that the named operator or certifying agent was involved in illegal activity. If an operation named on a fraudulent certificate is certified, its certifying agent, identified in the list of certified operations, can provide additional information and verification to the organic trade.Organic handlers should continue to review certificates carefully, validate with their certifying agents where needed, and send any suspicious certificates to theNOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.

Any use of these certificates or other fraudulent documents to market, label, or sell non-organic products as organic can result in a civil penalty of up to $11,000 per violation.Persons with information regarding the production or use of this or other fraudulent NOP certificates are asked to send information to theNOP Compliance and Enforcement Division.

OTA previousy announced that organic sales in the U.S. totaled around $47 billion in 2016, reflecting new sales of almost $3.7 billion from the previous year. The $43 billion in organic food sales marked the first time the American organic food market has broken though the $40-billion mark. Organic food now accounts for more than five percent 5.3 percent to be exactof total food sales in this country, another significant first for organic. Organic food sales increased by 8.4 percent, or $3.3 billion, from the previous year, blowing pastthe stagnant 0.6 percent growth rate in the overall food market. Sales of organic non-food products were up 8.8% in 2016, also handily surpassing the overall non-food growth rate of 0.8 percent.

OTA also showed that organic is creating jobs. More than 60 percent of all organic businesses with more than five employees reported an increase of full-time employment during 2016, and said they planned to continue boosting their full-time work staff in 2017.

The organic industry continues to be a real bright spot in the food and ag economy both at the farm-gate and check-out counter, says Batcha. The theme of our conference is Organic. Big Results from Small Seeds because of the wide and positive impact of organic, noted Batcha. Organic farmers are not just staying in business, theyre often expanding.

She continued saying, organic handling, manufacturing and processing facilities are being opened, enlarged and retooled. Organic farms, suppliers, and handlers are creating jobs across the country, and the organic sector is growing and creating the kinds of healthy, environmentally friendly products that consumers are increasingly demanding.

The popularity of organic produce and proteinThe $15.6-billion organic fruits and vegetables sector held onto its position as the largest of the organic food categories, accounting for almost 40 percent of all organic food sales. Posting an 8.4 percent growth rate, almost triple the 3.3 percent growth pace of total fruit and vegetable sales, organic fruits and vegetables now make up almost 15 percent of the produce that Americans eat. Produce has traditionally been the entry category for consumers new to organic, in large part because in the produce aisle the benefits of organic are probably the easiest to understand.

TheOrganic Trade Association is amembership-based business association for organic agriculture and products in North America, representing over 9,500 organic businesses across 50 states. Its members include growers, shippers, processors, certifiers, farmers associations, distributors, importers, exporters, consultants, retailers and others.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

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Organic Trade Association guards against food fraud schemes - Food Safety News

Written by admin |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Organic Food

Lost in processing? Organic’s ‘halo effect’ blunted in processed food – FoodNavigator.com

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Organic claims for processed foods may not be particularly advantageous in promoting the benefits of the product, a study reckons.

Research looking into the well-established halo effect of the organic claim found its advantage less clear in processed foods compared to organic, conventional foods such as mashed potato and strawberry jam.

Overall, processed organic (vs. conventional) foods were perceived as tastier, more healthful or equally healthful but also as more caloric.

We argue that the features of processed food may modulate the impact of the organic claim, researchers from the Universities of Lisbon and London (Goldsmiths) observe.

Uncovering the specific conditions in which food claims bias consumer's perceptions and behaviour may have important implications for marketing, health and public-policy related fields.

The impact of the organic claim on product evaluation is a significant one with consumers associating the label with superior nutritional qualities and safer to consume.

Research also shows that when an unfamiliar brand sells an organic (vs. conventional) product, both the attitude towards that brand and brand trust are enhanced reflecting organics halo effect label.

Fruits and veg form a large share of the organic market within the EU. Yet, demand for animal products (dairy and meat), beverages (coffee and tea), desserts (ice-cream, cakes), and ready-to-eat meals (pizza, soup, etc.) are increasing. iStock

In the first of two studies, 182 participants began evaluating 32 food images of whole and processed food.

Half of the images depicted whole foods and included fruits (e.g., apples, strawberries, grapes) and vegetables (e.g., lettuce, zucchini, and potatoes).

The other half depicted processed foods and included sweets (e.g., ice cream, cake, and muffin) and meals (e.g., pasta, sandwich, and hamburger).

These images were labelled as organic and were compared to the conventional version in terms of perceived healthfulness, taste and caloric content.

Participants evaluated the examples of both whole and processed organic food as more healthful and tastier than their conventional alternative,

Whereas whole organic foods were perceived as having fewer calories than conventional alternatives, processed organic foods were perceived as having more calories than conventional foods.

When comparing whole and processed organic food, results showed an advantage of organic food over conventional food in terms of perceived healthfulness.

Calorie content was perceived to be more prominent for whole than for processed food examples.

Similar in nature, the second study used a subset of whole foods to include examples such as meat or fish.

The processed food subset included examples that were fruit or vegetable-based to expand the number of food examples from 32 to 60.

Here, 76 participants were asked to view the 60 images that kept the original product identification visible (e.g., chocolate chip muffins).

Half of the images depicted packaged whole foods and included fruits (e.g., apples, grapes), vegetables (e.g., lettuce, potatoes), and fish and meat (e.g., salmon fillets, raw pork steaks).

The fruit and vegetables subsets matched the products used in Study 1 (four new products were added).

The remaining images depicted packaged processed foods and included sweets (e.g., ice-cream, cake) and meals (e.g., frozen pasta, pizza).

When evaluating organic versus conventional food, the team found that participants evaluated the examples of whole organic foods as more healthful, as tastier and as having fewer calories than their conventional counterparts.

However, for processed food the only advantage of organic over conventional food occurred at the taste level.

Processed organic examples were rated as having more calories than their conventional alternatives.

The team also found whole organic foods similar to those from study one, i.e., more healthful, tastier and less caloric than their conventional counterparts.

Processed organic foods were rated as being as healthful and tasty as conventional food and as having higher caloric content.

Finally, findings from whole and processed organic food showed that the advantage of organic food over conventional food in healthfulness and calories was more prominent in whole than in processed food.

Results showed again that the advantage of organic over conventional food in healthfulness and calorieswas more prominent in whole than in processed food.

Results from two studies consistently showed that whole organic foods are perceived as more healthful, tastier and as having lower caloric content than their conventional counterparts, the study concluded.

This is the case for both evaluations of food exemplars and general evaluations of whole organic foods.

In our studies, this halo effect was systematically observed with two different measures (exemplars (examples) and general evaluations) and across all the evaluative dimensions examined.

The team also commented on the implications these results would have on food perception and behaviour.

From a marketing standpoint, it seems that the organic claim for processed foods may not be particularly advantageous in promoting positive inferences about the product, they commented.

In the case of whole foods, however, the organic claim may direct customers to assume beneficial proprieties not linked to the food production approach.

In other words, the organic claim may serve as an extra cue for a more positive perception (and hopefully choice) of products such as fruits and vegetables.

Source:Appetite

Published online ahead of print:doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.031

Lost in processing? Perceived healthfulness, taste and caloric content of whole and processed organic food.

Authors: Marlia Prada, Margarida Garrido, David Rodrigues

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Lost in processing? Organic's 'halo effect' blunted in processed food - FoodNavigator.com

Written by simmons |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Organic Food

Millions of pounds of apparently fake ‘organic’ grains convince the food industry there may be a problem – Washington Post

Posted: at 8:42 pm


The organic industry is creating an anti-fraud task force in the wake of a Washington Post report that millions of pounds of USDA Organic soybeans and corn imported through Turkey appear to have been fraudulent.

Organized by the Organic Trade Association, the task force would develop methods for companies to ensure that imports of organic products are actually organic.

There is a strong desire on the part of industry to stop the incidence of fraud in organic, said Laura Batcha, director of the association. The consumer expects that organic products are verified back to the farm. The industry takes that contract with the consumer very seriously.

Last month, The Post reported that three enormous shipments of organic corn and soybeans - large enough to constitute a meaningful proportion of the U.S. supply of those commodities - had reached the U.S.

[The labels said 'organic.' But these massive imports of corn and soybeans weren't]

Documents and interviews indicated that the shipments were not really organic - in fact, some had been treated with pesticides en route to the U.S. All three shipments hailed from Turkey, one of the largest exporters of organic products to the United States, according to Foreign Agricultural Service statistics. With the "USDA Organic" designation, the value of the shipments rose by millions of dollars.

The report confirmed the suspicions of many U.S. farmers, who have seen prices by as much as a third as the volume of imports of organic corn and soybeans have climbed rapidly in recent years.

After the story appeared, one of the nations largest organic inspection agencies, CCOF, issued a notice to its clients indicating that it lacks confidence in the organic status of foreign grain. The agency instituted rules requiring that organic grain shipments be traceable back to growers.

One of the Turkish exporters involved in the shipments described by The Post, Beyaz Agro, has been decertified as an organic company by the USDA.

Now comes news of the task force.Some U.S. farmers look skeptically at the effort because, they say, they have been waiting for two years for protection from cheap - and fraudulent - organic imports.

John Bobbe, executive director of the Organic Farmers Agency for Relationship Marketing, or OFARM, a farmer cooperative, declared that he was amused by the industry effort. He noted that many members of the Organic Trade Association have benefited from the lower prices on organic corn and soybeans.

The three shipments examined by The Post represent roughly 7 percent of annual organic corn imports and 4 percent of organic soybean imports.

It remains to be seen whether this effort is serious or not, Bobbe said The OTA has been strangely quiet about this issue. It seems they have been looking the other way - the see no evil scenario. But I guess they cant ignore it now. I think the fire is burning enough that the flames can't be stamped out.

The USDA has been far too lax - and slow - in ferreting out fraudulent imports, U.S. organic farmers have complained. For months, the agency has said it has been investigating fraudulent grain imports.

[Why your 'organic' milk may not be organic]

If the anti-fraud efforts go no farther than publishing a set of best practices, Bobbe suggested, little is likely to change. A list of ethical practices, he said, will not stop an importer intent on the quick profits that can come from relabelling conventional grains as USDA Organic.

But Batcha said that the industry is working on more than a set of best practices. It is also lobbying to give the USDA broader enforcement powers in the next farm bill, she said. The association is also pushing Congress for new technology to trace organic products all the way back to the farm. It will also ask that the USDAs National Organic Program submit to Congress an annual report on enforcement actions.

Were going to Congress - we want to close the loopholes, Batcha said. The task forces work is important but its not the only thing were doing.

[How millions of cartons of organic milk contain an oil brewed in industrial vats of algae]

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Millions of pounds of apparently fake 'organic' grains convince the food industry there may be a problem - Washington Post

Written by admin |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Organic Food

Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technqiue – Sioux Falls

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Alexander C.N., et al. Treating and preventing alcohol, nicotine, and drug abuse through Transcendental Meditation: A review and statistical meta-analysis. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994.

Aron E.N. and Aron A. The patterns of reduction of drug and alcohol use among Transcendental Meditation participants. Bulletin of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors 2: 28-33, 1983.

Clements G., et al. The use of the Transcendental Meditation programme in the prevention of drug abuse and in the treatment of drug-addicted persons. Bulletin on Narcotics 40(1): 5156, 1988.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Gelderloos P., et al. Effectiveness of the Transcendental Meditation program in preventing and treating substance misuse: A review. International Journal of the Addictions 26: 293325, 1991.

Orme-Johnson D. W. Transcendental Meditation as an epidemiological approach to drug and alcohol abuse: Theory, research, and financial impact evaluation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 11, 119-165, 1994.

Royer A. The role of the Transcendental Meditation technique in promoting smoking cessation: A longitudinal study. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 219-236, 1994.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and marijuana. American Journal of Psychiatry 131: 60-63, 1974.

Shafii M. et al. Meditation and the prevention of alcohol abuse. American Journal of Psychiatry 132: 942-945, 1975.

Wallace R.K. et al. Decreased drug abuse with Transcendental Meditation: A study of 1,862 subjects. In Drug Abuse: Proceedings of the International Conference, ed. Chris J.D. Zarafonetis (Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger): 369-376, 1972.

Walton K. G., and Levitsky, D.A. A neuroendocrine mechanism for the reduction of drug use and addictions by Transcendental Meditation. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 89-117, 1994.

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Transcendental Meditation (TM) Technqiue - Sioux Falls

Written by simmons |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Meditation

‘You Can’t Dance in Armour’: Meet Minke, Lindsay Lohan’s Musical Meditation Go-To – PopCrush

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Lucia Garcia

Every week at PopCrush, were putting the spotlight on one up-and-coming act you need to know about. Why? So you can get on board early before everyone else and their mother jumps on the bandwagonand so you can be that one friend in the group whos always like, Um, actually, I prefer their earlier work.

You never know where inspiration will come knocking. Just ask Minke.

The London-based alternative R&B up-and-comer formally arrived on the scene earlier this year with her HypeMachine No. 1-charting Gold Angel, earning early support from Zane Lowe on Beats 1 and even a deeply meditative, super-artsy Lindsay Lohan on Instagram.

This month, Minke returns with a follow-up to her acclaimed debut a tribute to letting down your guard which came to be because of a simple phrase uttered at a bar.

You cant dance in armour' was something a local said to me once at one of the bars I was working at in London and it sort of stuck, Minke tells PopCrush of Armour.

I had written it down in the notes on my phone and as Rory [Andrew] and I started writing, I found it and we wrote the song really quickly after that.

The track, she says, is a celebration of vulnerability.

Cant dance in armour, hold your defenses / Im here beside you til you come to your senses, she soothingly, soulfully assures across warm pulsations and light tripping beats, recalling Solange, London Grammar and Jessie Ware.

Its fine not feeling fine youre not alone, she explains.

Everyone goes through st and the best thing we can do is to be ourselves, truly, always. Even when sometimes its not that pretty.

After hitting the stage at Bushstock Festival over the weekend, Minke will be performing at Latitude Festival later this summer. Listen to Armour above and Gold Angel below.

And for more from the burgeoning singer-songwriter, make sure to follow her journey on Twitter and Facebook.

Best Songs of 2017 (So Far!)

Next: PopCrush Presents: Nikki Flores

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'You Can't Dance in Armour': Meet Minke, Lindsay Lohan's Musical Meditation Go-To - PopCrush

Written by admin |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Meditation

Watch Nathan Williams Experience Guided Meditation – Noisey

Posted: at 8:42 pm



Noisey
Watch Nathan Williams Experience Guided Meditation
Noisey
So naturally, he chooses to experience guided meditation. In a deleted scene from tonight's episode, with the help of therapist Dr. Siri Sat Nam Singh, the singer attempts to "become one with the universal bio-rhythm," closing his eyes and feeling his ...

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Watch Nathan Williams Experience Guided Meditation - Noisey

Written by simmons |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Meditation

How to start meditating: Step-by-step guide to meditation – India.com

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Meditation is a practice to calm your mind and attain deep peace and awareness. It is a state of consciousness when your mind is clean and free of any distracting thoughts. You become aware of thing you otherwise ignore like the sound of the bird and your breath. Meditation refers to several practices including techniques to build inner strength, reduce stress and promote relaxation. As per the yoga text, one must pass several stages to reach the true state of meditation. You begin with breath control, physical position and then move on to the advanced stages of contemplation and concentration. There are different type of meditations based on mindfulness, compassion, transcendentalism and yoga. You can select the one you are comfortable with and start practicing it for its numerous benefits. This Step-by-step guide to meditation will help you begin your journey. (ALSO READThis meditation video featuring celebs has gone viral!).

It is important to select an appropriate time for meditation, as it will be your relaxation time. You must choose a time when you will be free and will not be disturbed. While morning is usually considered the perfect time to meditate, feel free to do it in the evening or any other time when you are free.

Do not meditate after you have your food, as you tend to feel sleepy after your meal. You should meditate after around two hours after your meal or empty stomach.

You need a distraction-free place for meditation. The place should be clean and quite. Turn off your mobile phone, television and computer. If you live with your family or with roommates, close the door of your room before you sit down for meditation. You can light incense or aromatic candles for the meditation. You can also dim the light of the room and light a single lamp to help you meditate.

You can use a yoga mat or cushion to sit down on the floor for meditation. Chairs are avoided as you tend to slump back and lose concentration. Also, you can sit cross-legged position for meditation. Keep your back straight and away from the wall.(ALSO READDo these 5 things when you wake up in the morning for a healthy start)

Before you sit down for your meditation session, try to do some basic yoga asanas to warm up your body. This will improve your blood circulation and make you feel lighter.

You need not sit in padmasana if you are not comfortable sitting in that position. You will be able to concentrate better when you are sitting in a comfortable position. Keep you back straight, your body relaxed and concentrate on your breathing. (ALSO READGroup meditation may cure depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders).

Setting a timer will allow you to meditate without worrying about how long you have been meditating. Set the timer and start your meditation. Begin by meditating for three minutes, then gradually increase it to 10 minutes. You can also meditate for a longer duration.

While meditating, keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose. Relax your jaws and practice inhaling and exhaling through your nose. Tilting your chin downwards will make breathing easier by opening up the chest. Keep your eyes closed to avoid visual distraction.

Focus on your breathing when you meditate. You do not have to analyze how deep you are breathing but be aware of your breathing. You should be present at that moment and experience it. The world fades away when you concentrate on your inhalation and exhalation.(ALSO READ9 Reasons to Master the Art of Meditation).

While practicing meditation, keep a smile on your face. This gentle smile will enhance your experience and you will feel happy.

As you hear the buzzer of your alarm, gently and slowly open your eyes. Take your time and slowly do some stretches before you get up from that mat.

Found this story interesting? Like our Facebook page to read more such articles. Also, share your comments below. We would love to hear from you!

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How to start meditating: Step-by-step guide to meditation - India.com

Written by grays |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Meditation

Meditation ~ Full Moon meditation ~ Novice and Experienced meditators welcome! – Santa Barbara Edhat

Posted: at 8:42 pm


Meditation ~ Full Moon meditation ~ Novice and Experienced meditators welcome!
Santa Barbara Edhat
Immerse yourself in the powerful meditative energy of the Full Moon this Saturday night at 8:00 PM . This is a non-denominational event and newcomers to meditation are especially welcome. The meditation program will be led by Santa Barbara native, Tom ...

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Meditation ~ Full Moon meditation ~ Novice and Experienced meditators welcome! - Santa Barbara Edhat

Written by simmons |

June 13th, 2017 at 8:42 pm

Posted in Meditation


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