By all indications, it would appear that Twin Citians are living in a vegan golden age.

Think about it. There was last years debut of the runaway success story that is the Herbivorous Butcher. Then theres last months opening of J. Selbys in St. Paul, a plant-based restaurant that was so flattened by its enthusiastic opening weekend response that it had to close for a few days to regroup (its back open).

Now comes the news that Colin Anderson, the entrepreneur who launched the Twin Cities first vegan croissant pop-up in April, has already landed a brick-and-mortar home for his Eureka Compass Vegan Food. Even better: hes not limited himself to dairy-free laminated dough pastries.

After receiving a warm welcome at his pop-up last month, Andersons original plan was to start slow by tapping the kitchen of a St. Paul pizzeria during its otherwise dormant nights.

But in the interim, opportunity knocked: Eden Pizza quietly went out of business. Now Anderson plans to use the space located at 629 Aldine St. in St. Pauls Hamline-Midway neighborhood -- for a series of vegan-focused dining options. He already has plenty of plans for his one-man, 12-seat show.

Im really inspired by Japanese sushi counters, where theres one chef behind the counter, and hes doing all the food preparation, and talking to the guests, said Anderson. Thats what Im looking to do here.

In the mornings, the place will operate as a bakery counter, showcasing his vegan croissants, along with scones, muffins and other baked goodies. A limited-menu lunch could include a pair of entrees and a pair of salads.

Itll be a constantly rotating menu, he said. Ill be looking at whats available, and what looks good at the farmers market.

Monday and Tuesday dinners are another component of the plan. Anderson will use a ticketed model to sell prepaid reservations for a $40, five-course, family-style suppers.

The first will focus on that lowly but mighty staple of the world, rice, he said. It might include spring rolls with rice noodles, or a roasted biryani, or a simple tapioca rice pudding, or different pilafs, maybe using Minnesota wild rice, even though, yes, its a grass.

The point is, its an evolving business model. Theres a pizza oven there, so Ill probably be doing pizza at some point, he said. Maybe something like, Hey, its Friday, stop by for a classic New York slice, and a soda, for five bucks.

To demonstrate his butter-free baking prowess, Anderson is offering a two-day pop-up that will focus on pain au chocolat and croissants filled with raspberry preserves and cashew-based cream cheese, at $4 a pop (they're pictured, top). Hot, right out of the oven,said Anderson. Hes got two dates lined up: 3 to 6 p.m. on Friday, May 26, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 27.

Meanwhile, if all goes as planned including a Kickstarter campaign with a $25,000 goal Anderson hopes to have the facility up and running by mid-July.

Original post:

A vegan bakery (croissants!) and restaurant is landing in St. Paul - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Folks who work near Houstons East End will soon have a new spot for morning fuel-ups and quick lunches when Giant Leap Coffee makes its debut.

The brand new coffee purveyor will open inside Headquarters, the 35,000 square foot co-working space at 3302 Canal Street. The shop will serve up freshly-roasted beans from Houstons own Amaya Roasting Company, locally-brewed kombucha, and cold-pressed juices. For those times when something stronger than coffee, a small selection of draft beer will also be on offer.

As far as food is concerned, Giant Leap will pair with popular eateries to provide breakfast and lunch options, though no official line-up has been established just yet. Great Leaps founders are currently in talks with a number of local spots, like El Topo and Pat Greers Kitchen, to provide grab and go options.

Giant Leap Coffee is expected to make its debut at Headquarters before the end of the summer.

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Giant Leap Will Bring Coffee & Vegan Fare To Houston's East End - Eater Houston

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A project in Cornwall is helping combat loneliness experience by people with dementia.

Side by Side, which is run by the charity, Alzheimer's Society, matches volunteers and people who have dementia, based on shared interests.

Helpers give up what time they can spare to accompany the dementia partner on activities ranging from football matches, strolls and garden centre visits to simply having a chat over a cup of tea or on the phone.

"I am currently supporting a person to play bowls every week," said one volunteer, who asked only to be named as Lesley. "This is a hobby they love but gave up many years ago. They decided to restart it with my help as a volunteer through Side by Side."

She said that the training given by Alzheimer's Society and the experience of supporting somebody made her feel fulfilled and more confident.

"I have enjoyed everything about volunteering, but I especially enjoy seeing the person's smile when I see them at the start of our time together and their laughter and enjoyment whilst sharing their activity is a wonderful thing," said Lesley.

In Devon, combating isolation is a key aim of Plymouth Dementia Action Alliance (PDAA) which involves more than 60 organisations and businesses working together. The pioneering initiative has attracted interest from other countries including China, Japan and Italy and led to Plymouth being named the Dementia Friendly City of the Year in 2016.

Outside the city, five parishes around the Yealm river have come together to improve the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

"People living with dementia in a rural community also have problems such as lack of transport which can add to the sense of loneliness and isolation," said Ian Sherriff, who is chairman of the PDAA.

Alzheimer's Society is particularly keen to hear from people living in Newquay, St Austell and south-east Cornwall who want to support Side by Side. Contact John Naismith through john.naismith@alzheimers.org.uk or on 01752 608 911 for more details.

For information generally about dementia go to Alzheimer's Society website or call the national helpline, 0300 222 1122.

To mark Dementia Awareness Week, world-leading researchers working on the set of diseases at the University of Exeter are offering their insights.

Dr Jo Thompson Coon and Dr Rebecca Whear say research shows that gardens and mealtime music in care homes can improve lives for dementia residents.

Spending time in a garden or outdoor space can be relaxing and calming for residents, their families and staff.

A key finding was a "promising impact" on the level of agitation in care home residents with dementia who spend time in a garden.

Families valued somewhere pleasant to meet that stimulated interest and conversation, and staff said residents found the gardens calming.

Research also shows that playing relaxing music at a mealtime when agitated or aggressive behaviour can occur tends to have a particularly long-lasting effect, beyond that of the mealtime itself.

READ NEXT

The rest is here:

Side by Side to combat dementia in Cornwall - Cornwall Live

Rising stars on the music stages, a greater variety of local food and art vendors, a courtesy parking shuttle bus and a new New Orleans-bred beer sponsor are all on tap for the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, which returns to the banks of Bayou St. John this weekend.

The free event takes place Friday through Sunday and features nearly 40 bands, with performances on four stages on grounds that parallel the placid bayou.

The acts include national rock group Cracker, Cupid the creator of the popular Cupid Shuffle song Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, blues guitarist Chris Thomas King, and Tank & the Bangas, which saw its profile rise this year when it was featured nationally on the NPR "Tiny Desk Concert" series.

+2

Prior to taping a Tiny Desk concert earlier this year at National Public Radio headquarter

Im happy that we can change up our programming and give our fans something different this year, said Jared Zeller, the producer of Bayou Boogaloo and the president of MotherShip Foundation, the nonprofit that launched Bayou Boogaloo in 2006.

Zeller noted that the festivals food scene will once again highlight Mid-City restaurants but also welcome a few newcomers, like Gonzos Smokehouse & BBQ, Tru Vietnamese Caf, ZKaya and Js Seafood Dock, with their chargrilled oysters.

Festgoers can cool off with frozen coffee, fruity lemonade and refreshments from the Root Beer Float Float, presented by Friends of Lafitte Greenway.

Zach Strief, an offensive tackle for the Saints, will pour beer on Sunday at the Pals Lounge beer booth. Strief is an investor in Port Orleans Brewing Co., which launched this month in New Orleans and will be on hand for the Boogaloo.

A new brewery builds a reputation one beer at a time. At the latest brewery to emerge in New

Artisans will sell handcrafted jewelry and home dcor items in the sprawling marketplace.

New family-friendly activities, such as yoga, a puppet show and a performance by the Singing Beats take place near the kids stage.

The third annual Paddle Battle ($35), a 6.12-mile kayak and canoe race, kicks off Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

Pets on a leash are welcome. The Canal Street Veterinary Hospital will provide water bowls and a shaded area so pets can escape the heat.

To make the growing festival more accessible, organizers have added a shuttle bus and parking lots. Last years Bayou Boogaloo attracted more than 35,000 people, eager to listen to live music and dine on festival fare, all while relaxing near the water.

Our event is unique because of its location and our relationship with Bayou St. John, said Zeller. Its a memorable experience for most people.

************************

What: the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo

When: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, May 19

11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.Saturday, May 20

11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, May 21

Where: N. Jefferson Davis Parkway (on the banks of Bayou St. John), between Dumaine Street and Lafitte Avenue; Parking information available on http://www.thebayouboogaloo.com

General admission: Free; Canopy Club VIP tickets are $250 for the weekend and can be purchased from the website.

Read more:

At free Bayou St. John festival, more reasons to boogaloo - The Advocate

Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images

Whole Foods used to be my idea of grocery heaven. Once upon a time, I shopped at the California Street location in San Francisco it was light and airy with produce for miles. I knew the cheesemonger. I had philosophical conversations with the butcher. I stared longingly at the Le Creuset bakeware. The soap aisle smelled like lavender. Heaven.

But eventually, I fell out of love. Or, to be more specific, I changed my mind about organic food after reading the research: It turns out organic isnt more nutritious or even necessarily better for the planet. So I pretty much stopped shopping at Whole Foods altogether.

Im not the only one. Whole Foods may have once revolutionized the organic-food industry, but its no longer the only game in town. These days, many consumers are now buying their organic groceries at less expensive stores, including Costco and Walmart. Whole Foods sales are on the decline, driving many observers and even their own investors to suggest that in order to survive, the chain has to make a drastic change.

Well. I have a suggestion as to what that change might be. Its pretty drastic, but, hear me out, Whole Foods. This could be good for both of us. Here it is: Why not revolutionize grocery shopping all over again? Only this time, the revolution should be powered by science and agronomy, and not misleading marketing.

Heres my first problem. Labels like organic and conventional are too broad, and too black and white, to really be all that helpful. A more specific, more informative approach could fix this: If Whole Foods listed all of the pesticides used on every fruit and vegetable, whether natural or synthetic, consumers might begin to understand that both conventional and organic produce are grown with pesticides, and what matters more is the toxicity of the pesticide used. Copper sulfate, for example, a pesticide allowed in organic produce in the U.S., is more toxic than some conventional pesticides. Chlorpyrifos, an insecticide used in conventional agriculture, is more toxic than glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup. Its worth noting that Whole Foods took a step in this direction once before with its Responsibly Grown program, which recognized that conventional produce can be more sustainable than organic, but organic farmers loudly objected and the company eventually undercut those standards. Its time to bring them back.

This new science-based labeling system should also make it crystal clear that trace pesticide residues arent dangerous for consumers as long as the residues measure below the tolerance levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (and they do, year after year), then they arent a cause for concern. If there is a concern about a pesticides toxicity, its the health risk to farm workers and their families, and thats something to consider before buying those perfect-looking strawberries.

Well also want to know the pesticides environmental impact, like how it affects the bees or the surrounding water supply. Many people believe pesticides alone are killing off the countrys bee population, but if you dig a little deeper, you discover that pesticides arent actually the biggest culprit. Iida Ruishalme, a biologist who writes the blog Thoughtscapism, has published several in-depth posts examining the different hazards to bee health. She says even though neonicotinoid [pesticides] steal most of the thunder, there are graver threats to be concerned with: The Varroa mite, disease, habitat loss, and invasive species (such as the European honey bee itself) play a far greater role.

But pesticides are only one piece of the broader sustainability puzzle. Consumers should also be able to know whether the farmer who grew their produce uses practices like cover-cropping and conservation tillage, two things that improve soil health and mitigate the impact of climate change by increasing the sequestration of carbon in the soil. Both organic and conventional farmers can and do incorporate these methods.

Antibiotics are another area where more precise language would be helpful. If Whole Foods moved beyond labels like antibiotic free and provided more specific information about how their conventional farmers use antibiotics, it could encourage more strategic and sparing use of these drugs. And when it comes to organic meat, let consumers know which organic farmers responsibly treat their sick animals with antibiotics and remove them from the herd, and discourage the use of unproven and ineffective homeopathic remedies.

And while were at it, reward the farmers who pay their farm workers a decent wage and ensure good working conditions. Its a standard that would at least achieve something real and tangible unlike the non-GMO food label thats so ubiquitous in Whole Foods stores. The Non-GMO Projects butterfly seal of sanctity, slapped on products throughout the store, is a symbol of the issues that drove me away from Whole Foods in the first place: The Non-GMO project is (a) misleading, and (b) not backed by science. Products like non-GMO tomatoes are really just a trick on the consumer because all tomatoes fit that description; there are no genetically modified tomatoes currently on the market. And despite the fear over genetically modified foods, there has never been a proven case of illness attributed to a GMO. The overwhelming, well-documented scientific consensus is that these foods are safe (or, to be precise, just as safe as other types of food).

But what people really need to understand and what Whole Foods has the power to show them is that there really is no such thing as a GMO. Its a breeding method, not an ingredient. Rather than label something non-GMO, label each modified crop by its particular enhancement, so that consumers can evaluate each genetically modified food by its own merits. Customers could choose from disease-resistant papaya, inoculated against the papaya ringspot virus, or food made with Bt corn, modified to include the same toxin that other farmers have to apply in a separate pesticide application, often in larger amounts. Crops modified to be Roundup Ready, like soy and canola, allow farmers to apply the herbicide Roundup without affecting the actual crop. Lets also include foods like seedless watermelon and ruby-red grapefruit these fruits may have been created by non-GMO breeding methods, but theyre genetically modified all the same.

True, all of this may sound like a lot of information. But food labels are already jam-packed with information these days its just that most of that info is vague and unhelpful (what does natural really mean, anyway?). If Whole Foods could get consumers to focus on agricultural measures that matter, I just might fall in love with the store all over again. So, lets do this, Whole Foods. Tell the cheesemonger Im on my way.

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Whole Foods Would Look a Lot Different If It Were Science-Based - New York Magazine

I must admit that when I heard that a 2000-acre organic farm that had maintained its organic status for 18 years is being forced by the local government to spray pesticides on their crops, I was appalled, and a bit disbelieving. After all, what right do a few elected municipal officials have to destroy the food, the USDA certified organic statusand the livelihood of those running and working an organic farm? Sadly, it is the reality facing Azure Farms in Moro, Oregon. Officials of Sherman County are forcing the farm to spray noxious pesticides on their farm or be quarantined.

But Azure Farms is fighting back. Nathan Stelzer, the farms manager, is asking for public support against the countys requirements. He went to social media for help in spreading the message about their farms plight. He also asks that people phone Lauren, the courts administrative assistant, at 541-565-3416 to voice their concern over the countys policies. Sherman County may issue a court order requiring Azure Farms to spray Roundup and other toxic pesticides on the farm by as early as May 22 or to quarantine the farm while county officials spray the pesticides on the farm. The County is also threatening to place a lien on the farm to cover the costs of the chemicals and labor to spray the farm.

The safety over Monsantos Roundup and other glyphosate-based pesticides is questionable, with studies linking it to cancer. Recent reports have ghostwritten its own so-called independent research to suggest the pesticides are safe. Meanwhile the World Health Organizations International Agency for Research on Cancer, cites research linking glyphosate to non-Hodgkins lymphoma and declaring glyphosate a probable carcinogen.

According to wheat farmers in Sherman County, the weed problem has gotten progressively worse over the years, and the farmers blame Azure for not spraying its organic food crops. While it is easy for people to seek out someone to blame for the problems they face, it is a serious oversimplification of the situation to simply point the finger at the local organic farm, for a number of reasons.

First, weeds are part of a natural and healthy ecosystem. Farms and weeds like those in question (Morning Glory, Canada Thistle and Whitetop) have co-existed for centuries, if not millennia. They are found throughout North America, so how can the wheat farmers accurately identify Azure as the culprit in spreading them to the wheat farms? Second, if they are spraying their crops to keep weeds down then the pesticides should be resolving the problem. But, the reality is that the pesticides are CAUSING super-weeds in the same way that antibiotics are linked to the development of super bugs.

Pesticides like Roundup have been used in increasing amounts in an effort to combat weeds that the pesticides were supposed to eradicate. According to a study released in February 2016, and published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Sciences Europe, 18.9 billion pounds (8.6 billion kilograms) of glyphosate have been used globally to date. Additionally, the use of the herbicide has risen almost 15-fold since Roundup Ready genetically-engineered crops were introduced in 1996.

Third, the farmers insist that they dont cause chemicals to drift onto the organic farm so they dont want weed seeds from the organic farm on their territory. The reality about pesticides is that they drift in the air and in ground water, so this claim by the wheat farmers is simply not founded in fact. Fourth, forcing the organic farm to spray chemicals on their produce destroys their organic farm status and business and its related jobs, which total $6 million annually in payroll. I doubt that any chemical-based wheat farmers would want to be shut down, but this is exactly what they are trying to force on Azure by insisting that the farm spray noxious chemicals on its soil and crops. And, it is unlawful to destroy anothers livelihood when that livelihood isnt breaking any laws. Since when is growing food in the same way it has been grown for thousands of years a crime? Frankly, it seems completely tyrannical than the countys wheat farmers and municipal authorities think they have the right to force the farm to destroy its pristine soil and organic status.

Please sign my petition asking Sherman County to stop forcing Azure Farms to spray Roundup and other noxious pesticides on their organic farmland.

Related:Dont Believe in Herbal Medicine? 10 Things to Change Your MindThe 5 Best Herbs to Soothe Your NervesShould You Actually Starve a Fever?

Dr. Michelle Schoffro Cook, PhD, DNM is the publisher of the free e-news Worlds Healthiest News, president of PureFood BC, and an international best-selling and 20-time published book author whose works include: Be Your Own Herbalist: Essential Herbs for Health, Beauty & Cooking.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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County Officials Are Forcing This Organic Farm to Spray Roundup on Food Crops - Care2.com

May 15, 2017 11:31 ET | Source: Research and Markets

Dublin, May 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "France Organic Food & Beverages Market Size & Analysis, By Type, Market Share, Forecast and Opportunities 2017-2022" report to their offering.

France Organic Food & Beverages Market By Type, Forecast and Opportunities, 2017-2022, organic food & beverages market is forecast to touch USD 9.49 billion by 2022, owing to upsurge in the number of diseases caused by consumption of conventional food & beverages grown with more chemicals and pesticides, growing awareness resulting into change in consumers' taste and preference and increasing number of specialist organic stores. France organic food & beverages market is highly competitive market with large number of organic food companies.

France is the largest country in the European Union and it is world's sixth- largest economy by nominal figure. French consumers are showing high inclination for organic food products & beverages. And, the market for these products is burgeoning on account of increasing health conscious consumers with high per capita income and wide product offerings from specialist organic stores, supermarkets and grocery stores.

The key companies include Distriborg France, Lactalis Groupe, Triballat-Noyal SAS, Cedilac SA, Fleury Michon Nutrition & Sant SAS, Hipp and many others.

In 2016, Organic Dairy Products' category accounted for the largest market share in the country's organic food & beverages market, and was closely followed by Organic grocery products including sweet and salty groceries. North West region is the largest regional market for organic food & beverages in France, as it is home to tens of millions of French consumers with high personal disposable income.

French organic food & beverages industry saw strong growth, owing to institutional support from French Government as well as European Union. Moreover, improvements in macro-economic policies, like moderate inflation and low interest rates also boosted consumers' sentiments and organic industry emerged as one of the beneficiary.

This report elaborates the following aspects of organic food & beverages market in the country:

- France Organic Food & Beverages Market Size, Share & Forecast - Segmental Analysis - By Type (Organic Dairy Products, Organic Grocery, Organic Fruits and Vegetables, Organic Bread & Bakery Products, Organic Beverages, Organic Meat and Other Organic Products & By Company and By Region - France Organic Food & Beverages Market Dynamics (Drivers & Challenges) - Doing Business in France & Economic Analysis - Policy and Regulatory Landscape - Micro Market Trends & Developments - Competitive Landscape & Strategic Recommendations

Key Topics Covered:

1. Product Overview

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Global Organic Food & Beverages Market Overview

5. France organic Food & Beverages Market Outlook 5.1. France Country & Economic Overview 5.2. Market size & Forecast By Value 5.3. Market Share & Forecast 5.3.1 By Product Type 5.3.2 By Company 5.3.3 By Region

6. France Organic Dairy Market Outlook 6.1. Market size and Forecast By Value 6.2. Pricing Analysis

7. France Organic Grocery Market Outlook 7.1 Market size and Forecast By Value 7.2. Pricing Analysis

8. France Organic Fruits & Vegetable Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size & Forecast By Value 8.2. Pricing Analysis

9. France Organic Bread & Bakery Market Outlook 9.1. Market size & Forecast By Value 9.2. Pricing Analysis

10. France Organic Meat Market Outlook 10.1. Market size & Forecast By Value

11. France Organic Beverages Market Outlook 11.1. Market size & Forecast By Value 11.2. Pricing Analysis

12. France Other Organic Food Products Market Outlook 12.1. Market size & Forecast By Value

13. Supply Chain Analysis

14. France Organic Food & Beverages Market Dynamics 14.1. Drivers 14.2. Challenges

15. France Organic Food & Beverages Market Trends & Developments

16. Policy & Regulatory Landscape

17. France Economic Profile 17.1. France Economic Profile 17.2. Doing Business in France & Economic Analysis

18. Competitive Landscape 18.1. Distriborg France 18.2. Lacatalis Groupe 18.3. Triballat-Noyal SAS 18.4. Fleury Michon, Groupe 18.5. Nutrition & Sant SAS 18.6. Danival SAS 18.7. Vitagermine SAS 18.8. Hipp SA 18.9. Fruit Entreprises SA

19. Strategic Recommendations

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xvj4hv/france_organic

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With hundreds of meditation apps available, the search alone is enough to induce the need to meditate!

Are you antsy or already pretty Zen? Do you like music or do you prefer listening to someones voice? Do you need to visualize or do you prefer body scans? Whatever your style may be, weve (calmly) sifted through the best meditation apps to bring you more peace, quiet and restoration. All of the following apps are free to start, but you can opt for a monthly or annual fee to upgrade.

1. Headspace, $13 monthly or $95 annually, $420 lifetime, iTunes

Are you a visual learner? If you want to learn how to meditate, this app provides not only verbal meditation but also diagrams and videos explaining the purpose of each meditation and how it works. This app is complimentary for 10 days (and you can repeat them over and over). You can also purchase monthly subscriptions for more access to the database. The goal of these meditations (as the app explains) is to create more space in your head, hence the name, Headspace.

2. Guided Mind, $1 to $5 single meditations, iTunes

Interested in focusing on a problem youre facing or using your meditation to think about a particular topic?

Meditation topics range from anger management to sleep and everything in between within the Guided Mind app. Feeling down on yourself? Try the self-esteem meditations. Suffering from an injury? Try the pain meditations. This app has free and single purchase meditations available in dozens of categories to fit any mood.

3. Calm, $13 monthly, $60 annually, $300 lifetime, iTunes

If youre used to a lot of people talking at once (think: busy household or loud work environment), then you may need to change up what you hear in order to help you meditate. For example, instead of listening to a guided meditation with someones voice, how about trying a meditation thats solely focused on controlled sounds, such as the constant pitter-patter of rain or the sound of a fire in the fireplace?

The Calm app also has an option to be read a nighttime story to help with sleep and to be guided by an expert. Seven Days of Calm and a sample of calming meditation are available for free with options to upgrade by purchasing a more advanced version of the app.

4. Omvana, $10 monthly, $100 annually, $500 lifetime, iTunes

If youre looking to customize your meditation through a mix of music and guided experts, check out Omvana. You can use the background music mixer to customize whichever meditation you choose. Options range from three minutes to 60 minutes, and the app boasts the largest collection of meditations.

If you find an app you like and feel that its working, stick with it. But if youve tried one and decided that meditation just isnt for you, remember that youre not alone. Meditating can be difficult, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. All meditations are not created equally, and we all respond differently to different forms of peace and quiet. So try your hand (and mind) at a new meditation app if you feel yourself discouraged by your initial pick. New ones are popping up every day!

RELATED:

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Best meditation apps to help you de-stress, focus and fight insomnia - Today.com

An increasing number of professionals are extolling the value of meditation; it is relaxing, helps lower blood pressure, and more. Getting started, though, can seem daunting and thats where guided instruction comes in. If youre not keen to visit an actual meditation center and get in-person instruction, your preferred app store has the second-best option: high-quality meditation apps with guided meditations.

Headspace is one of the most notable meditation apps at the moment, and it is available on iTunes, Google Play, and the Kindle App Store. The app offers a large collection of meditation audio hundreds of hours, to be precise though you have to subscribe to get full access to it all. Content is split into categories such as lifestyle and mood.

The app has several useful features, including keeping track of how many meditation sessions a user has performed. Meditation audio can be downloaded for use when offline, as well. The apps subscription is priced at $12.95/month if paid on a monthly basis; the price goes down from there to $6.24/month for two years or $7.99/month for one year. The service also offers a lifetime unlimited subscription for $419.95 USD.

Calm is yet another popular meditation app, though it is quite different from Headspace. This app contains many looping audio tracks that can be set to play for specific durations; they can also be downloaded for use offline. Calm also contains some guided meditations for those who prefer them or are just getting started.

In addition to guided meditations, Calm provide Sleep Stories that include audio and a calming voice to talk a person to sleep. The app is available for both iOS and Android via their respective app stores, and includes a monthly subscription at $12.99/month (or $4.99/month for a year or $299.99 for a lifetime) to get access to hundreds of sleep stories and meditations.

Yet another cross-platform meditation app is Buddhify, an offering with a unique design and meditations tailored to different activities: walking, taking a break, going to sleep, and more. The app ultimately offers more than 11 hours of customized meditations that are suitable for fifteen different aspects of a day. This amounts to a total of more than 80 guided meditations with lengths ranging from 5 minutes to 30 minutes.

The app includes some other notable features, including the ability to keep track of your meditation stats to get a bigger picture of your habits. Theres also a check-in system, a timer for solo meditation, and support for HealthKit on iOS. Unlike the other two apps, Buddhify comes with a price tag, which is higher for iPhone users.

Simple Habit is an app growing in popularity, one that is free to download for iOS and Android but that requires a premium subscription to unlock all of the benefits. This subscription costs $11.99/month if paid on a monthly basis or $8.33/month if a full year is paid for outright. As with competing apps, theres also a $299 option for a lifetime subscription.

This meditation app features more than 1,000 sessions from various teachers, as well as meditations that were designed by Harvard psychologists. In addition to the mobile apps, Simple Habit is also accessible on the web via desktop; new meditation content is added on a weekly basis.

Many meditation apps are available for both of the major mobile platforms, some that come with an outright cost and others that are free to get started. While some apps are available that are totally free, such as Mind Therapy, the four above offer the best combination of stability, content variety, and extra features like session tracking.

The rest is here:

Find your inner zen with these meditation apps for Android and iOS - SlashGear

Mindfulness: Where We Are

There is no escaping it. Mindfulness is everywhere these days. And while it hasnt hit the cultural saturation of meditation and yoga just yet, it is steadily on the rise (as shown in this Google NGRAM viewer, which goes through 2008):

Mindfulness, while still lacking a single widely accepted definition, is a quality or skill being sought out more and more in todays fast-paced and heavily distracted world.The founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Jon Kabat-Zinn, defines mindfulness as: Paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgmentally. Others who teach mindfulness emphasize the importance of peripheral awareness in the practice; noting that its not just that wereattendingto our breath or another object, but that we also have a growing sense of awareness of the world around us, both inner and outer, as we do so. Many Buddhists insist that mindfulness must be understoodwithin the complex system of thought and practice laid out by the Buddha 2500 years ago.

Having practiced meditation since 2000 in a wide span of Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions, I was first introduced to modern mindfulness by the excellent article, Beyond McMindfulness by Donald Purser and David Loy. That article went viral, leading to a number of responses, both for and against the growing interest in the new mindfulness movement. I summarized those in one of the most popular and commented upon posts on the blog, Mindfulness: Critics and Defenders.

At the time, I was deep in my Ph.D. work on Buddhist ethics and the ethical angle stuck with me. Part of one very common Buddhist formula suggests that mindfulness (sati) is just one part of meditation (samadhi)which must be practiced with a foundation in ethics (sila). The worry, articulated by Purser and Loy, as well as others such as meditation teacher Christopher Titmuss and scholar John Dunne, was that without a foundation in ethics, mindfulness could be used for harmful ends; e.g. the mindful sniper, tax evader, or thief.

Others have argued that ethics cannot be taught because their are simply too many ethical teachings to choose one from the Buddhist tradition. Or that teaching ethics might upset students who dislike the term due to cultural conditioning.

For two years, I sat back as mostly a student or scholar of the debates, sometimes chronically what I did see as gross ethical violations by companies pushing mindfulness (e.g. Google:Mindful of your immorality?). Ive also turned my scholarly work more in the direction of the intersections of meditation and morality, writing a paper comparing Buddhist loving-kindness meditation to Catholic/Ignatianexamen practices (2009/14) and another looking at mindfulness, right-mindfulness and ethicsin early Buddhism (2015).

In 2016, with my Ph.D. approaching completion and some new time on my hands, a couple people suggested I offer some meditation classes. After years of teaching Buddhism, philosophy, and world religions, I knew some training would be needed to transfer those skills, along with the 15 or so years of practice, into a proper (ethical) context for teaching meditation. I took a short course offered by Aura Wellness Center to become a Certified Meditation Teacher, and explored the many other offerings out there, includingthis online 8-week MBSR course, which can be taken for free. These, along with other online resources, gave me the language and pacing for an in-person class, which combined with my years of academic teaching and meditative practice formed my first class on mindfulness in April-May of 2016 at my friend Nickys yoga studio, Hot Yoga Helena. After two successful classes there, one filling beyond capacity, we moved to the Reeders Alley Convention Center, hosted by another friend, Marisa of MerlinCCC, a non-profit dedicated to improving peoples lives through philosophy.

In that class was Bob Funk, a man who had utilized meditation in his work to overcome anxiety and panic attacks (as I had in my early 20s). Bobs passion for helping people with anxiety led to his founding the Awareness Network, a non-profit dedicated to helping teens in particular who struggle with anxiety and related conditions. Part of his work there included evaluating and giving out mindfulness apps, and he saw a flaw in existing apps: they are one-directional, users just download and listen at their leisure, which often leads to poor retention rates (think MOOCs if, like me, youre more familiar with higher ed).

He wanted to develop a platform (both app and web-based) for meditation teachers to offer guided meditations, live teachings, and Q&A Podcasts as well as interactive discussion forums where participants could discuss their progress and difficulties with one another and guides who could help them along. He appreciated that my courses spent a lot of time on in-person sharing and discussion, building relationships and bonds on the road to mindful living.

And thus arose the idea for Guideful. Over the last couple months, Bob and I have been ironing out details in the coming platform. We still have work to do, but so far, it looks a bit like this:

Part of our goal is to provide what some others are already doing, but do it much better and at a lower cost to participants.

But more importantly, to me, it also looks like this:

Guideful guides and teachers, a May 2017 snapshot.

Our community of guides already spans the globe and comes from a wide variety of backgrounds and meditative traditions. We will be building on this, too, as we go, to make sure that everyone who starts out on their meditative journey with us can see themselves in a guide or two, and thus feel empowered and encouraged on the journey ahead. Meditation isnt easy. Any app or teacher who promises you otherwise should be avoided. It takes time and encouragement and interaction. This is something we hope to offer where others cant.

We will be interactive and will grow with the meditation community around us.

Radically, I suppose, we dont have a 10, 5, or even a 1-year plan. Our plan is to grow with you, our supporters, participants, and guides. Community (Sangha in Buddhist terms) is for me the guiding light in this. And, as I have observed before, community is messy. Guidelines and principles will be put forth as we go, and your feedback will be encouraged every step of the way.

For now, I suggest you see our site at http://www.guideful.org and the IndieGoGo campaign to jump-start our work. We arent reaching out to venture capitalists but instead relying on people who will use the platform or those who simply support it for small contributions that will add up to enough to get us off and running. But that means that we need you, any amount, small or large, will mean the world to us and wont be forgotten.

Read the original here:

Settling into Online Meditation with Guideful - Patheos (blog)