Soybeans on a Central Illinois farm.

Earlier this year, an investigative piece inthe Washington Post revealed thatsomeorganic milksmay not deliver the health, animal welfare and environmental benefits shoppers expect. If that already hasyou rattled, another bit of discouraging news may further alter your shopping habits.

It turns out that some organic corn and soy imported into the U.S. does not meet USDA organic standards, the Washington Post reported in an otherinvestigation.

As much as half of the organic commodities American food companies use is imported, including soy and corn. And where those products are used, which is usually within a companys supply chain as ingredients or feed, imposes countless problems for the food industry.

On one hand, the organic edamame purchasedat a store such as Trader Joes or Costco is probably safe. The same goes for any other frozen or canned vegetable product you have stored in your kitchen.

The trouble, reports Peter Whoriskey of the Post, is that shipments of soy and corn on their way to become animal feed for organic food companies often dont meet organic standards. The USDA requires producers of organic foods such as eggs, meat and dairy to use organic feed which is why there is often a sizable price difference between conventional and certified organic food products.

But the problem is the paper trail. Companies that import certified organic products must keep receipts and invoices. But the USDA does not require companies to trace these products back to the farms at which these crops were grown. Meanwhile, records that Whoriskey and his team at the Post were able to obtain revealed high levels of residue on products grown in Ukraine and China. Yet dubious paperwork some importers had submitted allowed them to fetch a far higher price for the product due to the organic label on its products.

The USDA claims to take a harsh stand against companies that flout its organic certification rules. The agency says that the use of fraudulent documents to market or sell crops as organic can result in fines of up to $11,000 per violation. And the agency publicly posts a list of companies found to violate its rules; it was last updated on Monday.

The problem, however, is that such enforcement measures are weakened by spotty inspections. Farmers can hire the inspection companies of their choice, and they are often scheduled days or weeks ahead, which eliminates the chance of any spontaneous visits. Furthermore, testing for pesticides is not a standard practice, and is only conducted sporadically. The result, said Andrew Porterfield of the Genetic Literacy Project, is that as many as 43 percent of the organic foods sold in the U.S. could have substances prohibited by USDA organic guidelines.

Everyone is hurt by the USDAs lack of rigor when it comes to ensuring that organics are actually organic by definition. Farmers and ranchers in the U.S., already squeezed by thin margins, find it tough to compete against imports that are often cheaper and may not even be a genuinely organic food product in the first place. Food companies and retailers have their brand reputation put at risk because of doubts sowed within their supply chains. And consumers are left wondering if the extra money spent on supposedly certified organic products was a waste not to mention the fact that they and their families could have been exposed to chemicals they thought would never occur due to the premiums they had paid for supposedly safer foods.

Image credit: Kevin Dooley/Flickr

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Not-So-Organic Corn and Soy Revealed in Food Companies' Supply Chains - Triple Pundit (registration) (blog)

Malcolm Little was born in Omaha, Nebraska on this day, May 19th, 1925. I consider him one of the signal figures in the spiritual history of the United States. Ive written here about him before. But, I never feel Ive quote captured what I hope to share. So, one more time

Malcolm was the fourth of seven children. His father a Baptist preacher and an outspoken advocate of Black self-reliance. The family moved first to Milwaukee and then to Lansing.

His father was killed when he was six years old, while ruled an accident the family believed in fact he was murdered for his outspoken call for social justice. His mother was committed to a mental institution when he was thirteen. After bouncing from foster home to foster home, he fell onto the streets and into crime.

At the age of twenty, while serving a term in prison Malcolm discovered the Nation of Islam.While a controversial American religious movement with little connection to normative Islam, it offered him sobriety and a purpose. And he embraced it like a life raft in a raging sea. There he also received a new name.

Malcolm X.

Malcolm quickly rose to leadership. But at the same time he was increasingly aware of the problems within the Nation as well as how far its teachings were from authentic Islam. He delved deeply into the religion that the Nation had lifted its name from, and eventually converted.

Within his conversion we find the beauty to be found in the Muslim faith. For him a major step in his deepening spirituality, now as Hajj-Malik El Shabazz.

I think about his relationship with first the Nation and later with normative Islam. For African Americans, particularly black Americans in the mid nineteen sixties, the complicity of the Christian churches not only with slavery, but with its half life continuing at that point for just shy of a century, had soured many hearts with that tradition.

With Islam here was a religion that, while it has many, many shortcomings as well, at least preached racial unity from its inception. This proved something powerful. And opened a world of possibilities both for him as a person, and, truthfully, for all of us. While still holding everyone to a sharp accountability, Malcolm Xs Islam was a path toward reconciliation of both the spirit and the world.

Sometime in 1963 he began collaborating on a memoir with Alex Haley.And then it all ended. On the 21st of February in 1965, he was assassinated by three members from the Nation, who saw him as an apostate.

But they were too late to shut down his message.Mr Haley finished the project and the Autobiography of Malcolm X was published later that year.The Wikipedia article on the book tells us When the Autobiography was published, the New York Times reviewer described it as a brilliant, painful, important book.

In 1967, historian John William Ward wrote that it would become a classic American autobiography. In 1998, Time named the Autobiography of Malcolm X as one of ten required reading nonfiction books. James Baldwin and Arnold Perl adapted the book as a film; their screenplay provided the source material for Spike Lees 1992 film Malcolm X.

One could call it one of the great American spiritual narratives. If you havent read the Autobiography, you might find it worth while doing so. It is an indictment of white America. Brutally honest, with both himself and the world he found himself in. And at the same time the Autobiography sings a deep and authentic song of hope.

Because of his death people can speculate without consequence as to where his spiritual and political journey would take him. Me, I like to think he would have found Sufism. There are aspects of his spiritual journey that suggest it could have been the culmination of the journey.

But, of course, only a fond fantasy. Malcolm Xs life becomes one of those great ifs.

Kind of like ours at this moment. Where this choice or that dictates a whole different story going forward. Doors opening and closing, all depending on what we, that is you and I choose to do.

May we choose wisely

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Malcolm X: A Meditation - Patheos (blog)

FRIDAY, May 19, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- The diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can come with a lot of anxiety, depression and other symptoms that affect quality of life. But mind-body therapies, such as yoga or meditation, may help ease these troubling concerns, a new study suggests.

The researchers reviewed previous studies done on 80 integrative therapies.

"We have good evidence that [some] mind-body therapies -- such as meditation, yoga, relaxation -- can provide benefit to breast cancer patients during and after treatment," said study researcher Heather Greenlee. She's an assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

"And we do have evidence that acupuncture is very useful in managing pain," she added.

Evidence about dietary supplements and botanicals, however, are lacking when it comes to helping symptoms and side effects, she said.

Greenlee and her colleagues conducted the study to update clinical guidelines for the Society for Integrative Oncology. Greenlee is past president of the society. She said that past research indicates that as many as eight in 10 people with cancer turn to complementary or integrative therapies at some point.

The study looked at complementary and alternative therapies, defined as those outside the range of conventional treatments. Complementary treatments are those used along with conventional care, she said. Alternative treatments are often used instead of conventional care. She prefers the term integrative therapy, which describes the use of non-conventional treatments in conjunction with conventional care.

The researchers limited the study to integrative therapies for breast cancer patients. Use of these treatments is popular among women with breast cancer, and there is evidence for some treatments.

The research didn't include information on any potential survival benefits, because the studies are lacking that evidence.

The integrative therapies were graded. An A grade indicates there is strong evidence in favor of that treatment, and B is moderate. C represents preliminary evidence. D means the evidence suggests the treatment is not effective. H means the treatment has the potential to be harmful.

Meditation got an A. This therapy was found to have the strongest evidence, recommended for lessening anxiety, improving depression and quality of life. Yoga and music therapy got a B for lessening anxiety and improving mood. Yoga also got a B for improving quality of life. Yoga, acupuncture and hypnosis got a C on fatigue improvement.

Acupuncture and acupressure, when added to conventional drugs for lessening chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, got a B.

One supplement, acetyl-L-carnitine, can cause harm, the study found. This supplement is used by breast cancer patients to help with fatigue or with nerve problems associated with chemotherapy, according to the study. But the investigators found the supplement was ineffective for fighting fatigue, and could worsen nerve problems.

The new guidelines are welcome news, according to Matthew Loscalzo. He's a social worker and the executive director of supportive care medicine at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif.

Loscalzo's program includes mind-body and other treatments with conventional care, and he said the treatments recommended by the guidelines do help reduce stress and other symptoms. He also agreed with the finding about supplements.

Loscalzo said that his biggest concern is patients who turn to the unproven supplements and don't seek conventional medical care. "I have women coming in with cancers that would have been cured a year ago," he said, if they hadn't chosen to seek only alternative treatments.

In particular, Loscalzo said that he especially cautions people to avoid St. John's wort, used for depression, and mega doses of supplements. Some treatments can interact with chemotherapy, he explained.

But mind-body therapies are helpful for treating emotional stress and other problems that can accompany a cancer diagnosis, Loscalzo said.

Patients need to start with their doctor when considering a non-conventional therapy, he suggested. "Your doctor should be able to direct you," Loscalzo advised.

The guidelines were published online April 24 in the journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.

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Yoga, Meditation May Ease Some Breast Cancer Symptoms - Arizona Daily Star

Many of us dont look at peoplesitting motionless on cushions with their legs crossed meditating and associate that scene with joy and happiness. Weve been conditioned by daily exposure to advertising to associate joy with a fizzy soft drink, a delicious looking alcoholic beverage in a glass with a long stem, a slim model wearing glamorous clothes, a tropical beach gently caressed by clear blue water bordered by a shady grove of palm trees, a brand new sports car with the top down cruising along Californias route 1 toward San Francisco and a penthouse apartment that looks out over New Yorks Central Park at sunset. These are the paths to joy and happiness we crave, not being bored watching the breath come in and out.

I remember bringing an optimistic but grim attitude to my first week long meditation retreat over thirty years ago. I knew Id be expected to sit very still for up to an hour at a time, then alternate that with very slow walking meditation from early in the morning until late at night. I was ready for meditation boot camp. I knew my body would ache, my knees and back would be sore and my mind would want to run away. But I hoped that if I could survive the first few days, then maybe Id get some joy out of it. Sort of like the enjoyment I might get when I stop hitting my head against the wall.

I did hit a different sort of wall at my second meditation retreat about a year later. I had been pushing myself very, very hard to excel at meditation. After about five days I was exhausted and in agony. There was a painful knot in my shoulder I just couldnt make go away no matter how hard I tried to relax. I finally gave up and let the knot win. Defeated, I returned to the basics of the meditation practice and started all over again. And a few minutes later, it changed and let go. And in that moment I suddenly realized the goal of meditation practice. And then I tasted an exquisite kind of joy that has deeply changed me.

Many people build their lives around serial experiences of pleasure. We look forward to attending the next game, the next concert, the next date, the next trip. These are the moments we prepare for hoping that well experience exuberant joy as our team wins, the stimulation of the concert washes through us and transports us, bodies touch releasing intense flows of intoxicating hormones, and exotic food delights our taste buds. All these experiences have to be arranged so the intense stimulation comes from the outside of our bodies to generate feelings of joy and pleasure inside our bodies.

The joy and pleasure I experience at a meditation retreat can be a little different. As I am sitting quietly watching my breath or walking slowly feeling the soles of my feet, I notice things that spontaneously bring me joy and pleasure. I notice a feeling of warmth as sunlight touches my skin; a cool breeze that strokes my arm; the bright color of a flower on a table in a vase delights my eye; the sound of gurgling water in a stream or the wind softly rustling leaves in a stand of trees soothes my ear. Simple foods can be ecstatically pleasurable as I taste them with undivided attention even oatmeal! Ordinary, daily experiences become extraordinarily enjoyable. The only difference from normal life is the level of peace in my mind and of continuous attention to each moment.

Spending a few days quieting the mind and body and developing greater moment to moment attention cultivates a quality of consciousness that is commonly referred to as mindfulness. It is a very familiar kind of consciousness for most of us that arises when we have self-awareness or self-knowing. I feel my fingertips and I know that what I am doing in that moment is experiencing sensation in my fingers. This is a different experience from tapping my fingers on the table absent mindedly while being distracted thinking about dinner plans or organizing a to-do list. We go in and out of this self-knowing experience. At a meditation retreat, the goal is to develop a continuous experience of this self-knowing which can bring big shifts in our experience. The mind becomes much clearer, more present, and more responsive to what is happening in each moment.

When we are attentive to the interface between our minds and bodies and the world and let go of trying to control, add to or remove from that interaction but just sit still and watch it, gaps appear between our desires, aversions and distractions. In those gaps, there are unanticipated and unexpected moments of peace that have a sense of joy and heart opening that spontaneously arise. Suddenly there is the experience of joy and peace without being cultivated, planned or plotted out.

Knowing that the joy and peace I seek isnt someplace else to be sought out and collected but right here under my nose and available in any moment has been deeply liberating. It has progressively freed me from thinking there are some external or internal conditions that need to be satisfied for me to be happy. There can even be joy in the grip of great pain and discomfort.

The conditioning of our minds stands in the way of this liberating experience of joy. The belief that satisfying desire, avoiding discomfort and distracting the mind from the present will bring enduring joy is a delusional error perpetuated by our culture to enslave us and future generations. The path to liberation is already right here, right now and instantly available.

We just need to change our minds and begin knowing it.

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The Joy of Meditation - Albany Times Union (blog)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A 23-year-old woman cut off the genitals of a so-called "swami", or godman, who was allegedly sexually abusing her since she was in her teens and who allegedly tried to rape her on Friday night in Pettah.

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan called her "courageous".

According to the police, the incident occurred on Friday night when Gangeshananda Teethapadam, alias Hariswami,allegedly tried to rape the woman at her residence. Sources told TOI the woman alerted the police immediately after she chopped off the man's genitals with a knife. She called the emergency 100 number because she was afraid the alleged rapist would kill her.

Read this story in Gujarati Police said that the man, 54, had been allegedly sexually abusing the woman since she was in Class 12.

The accused claimed to be a saint associated with the Chattambi Swami Ashram in Kollam, but the ashram authorities denied any association with him.

"He was a brahmachari at the ashram 15 years ago. Later, he quit. But it is learned that he was using the ashram for his fame," said an official at the ashram.

Read this story in Malayalam

Deputy Commissioner of Police Arul B Krishna said the woman's father has been bed-ridden for years. Her mother became acquainted with Hari as she appointed him to conduct regular 'poojas' at the house for "removing all the problems faced by the family."

Police have charged the alleged rapist with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act because the woman said that she had been facing abuse since she was in Class 12. The woman said to the police that she had told her mother she was being sexually abused by the 'swami'.

"We may also register a case against her mother for abetting the crime," the DCP said.

Pettah police said they have not filed a case against the woman who's been allegedly abused "as they feel it is their responsibility to morally support her."

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Woman cuts off genitals of alleged rapist in Kerala, CM calls her "courageous" - Times of India

By FPJ News Service|May 20, 2017 07:49 am

Ujjain: A grand religious feast will be organised at Jaigurudev ashram from Monday to Wednesday. Lakhs of devotees from India and across the world have begun arriving in the city to participate in the grand event. Successor of Jaigurudev, Umakant maharaj will host a naamdan ceremony during the event. At the event , one lakh people will take a pledge, under the guidance of Umakant maharaj, to follow a vegetarian lifestyle on May 23 at 7 pm, which will be included in the Golden Book of world records. The ashram authorities have made extensive arrangements to host lakhs of people for 3 days. The ashram, spread over 185 acres, has been turned into state wise colony which will not only host devotees from India, but also USA, Dubai, Nepal, Australia and other countries.

To cater the distinct tastes of these devotees, 100 temporary kitchens have been set up in the ashram premises, providing delicacies from different parts of India. The participating devotees will render their services in all activities, right from cooking to cleaning, during the event. Media in-charge Pushkar Dutt Sharma informed that teams have been created for the smooth functioning of different departments like cleaning, security, medical care, potable water, media, administrative and electricity amongst others. The Clean India movement will get special mention during the event, with hundreds of volunteers continuously endorsing the movement. They will render their services around the clock in order to maintain cleanliness in and around the ashram, by collecting litter in cloth bags. They will also motivate visiting devotees on cleanliness.

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Interview: Stretch + Lisbona Sisters Brings Aerobics Fashion and Yoga Feel to the Dancefloor Magnetic Magazine (blog) The whole aerobics invasion is so off-the-chains; the hair, the fashion, the often-overt sexuality and shameless cheeseballsyness. It's just the best. We really envisioned Stretch as an event where people could come to have fun and listen to great ...

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Interview: Stretch + Lisbona Sisters Brings Aerobics Fashion and Yoga Feel to the Dancefloor - Magnetic Magazine (blog)

Amy Sowder, For The Journal News Published 6:06 a.m. ET May 19, 2017 | Updated 9 minutes ago

The Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY, April 30, 2017. Video by Adam McIe for lohud

Amy Reyer, who leads meditation classes at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, is pictured at the top of the "Holy Mountain" on the property April 25, 2017.(Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)Buy Photo

Next Saturday, you could find yourself staring up at a 55-foot ivory Buddha as you chant, barefoot and perched on a floor cushion.

You might be slamming a tennis ball with all your might at a former adult summer camp or inhaling to a count of three and exhaling to a count of three from a mountaintop as your gaze drifts over the Hudson River Valley.

All of these activities are within reach in an hour or two at meditation getaways that last a day, a weekend or much longer, if you have time.

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Your meditative moment could be contemplating the sparkling river from a gazebo atop a bluff, meandering a lush garden labyrinth, sweating in a woody sauna, folding yourself into a downward-dog position, going for a meditative kayak journey, or learning how to run in a meditative state.

Its a self-care kind of vacation, but it involves internal work with long-lasting payback suited for spiritually minded people as well as secular souls.

You dont have to have your eyes closed and sitting on a cushion to exercise these tools. Thats good, but what makes meditation practice great is what it does for us the rest of the time, says Amy Reyer, mindfulness and meditation educator.

Shes the founder of the Art of Living Slowly and leads a compassion meditation class in Croton-on-Hudson. She also leads a meditation class at Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison using the Tergar philosophy, which translates the ancient practice of meditation for a modern world for people of all backgrounds.

But you dont have to be a teacher or go out of state to take a breather in Buddhist monk fashion. You can reap the benefits of meditation anywhere in everyday life.

It's not about getting away from real life but making friends with yourself so you can be more present in your life, says Ethan Nichtern, a shastri (or senior teacher) in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition, and an award-winning author. He leads weekend retreats at the Shambhala Center of New York, where theres no cloistering away from reality.

An urban retreat is a good middle ground between a 10-minute practice in the morning at home and a full-on, deep retreat in which silence and no cellphones is enforced. It's not that people are trying to be yogis living in caves and all that. But we want to learn how to apply compassion and mindfulness in everyday life, Nichtern says.

Anuruddha Thera is a cousin of the Buddha and one of the five head disciples of the Buddha. He ranked foremost among those who had obtained the divine eyes. Being an affectionate and loyal monk, he was foremost in consoling the monks with divine eyes. He was photographed at The Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, April 30, 2017. (Photo: Carrie Yale/The Journal News)

Joy Baum has been a contemplative educator for many years and continues to teach and practice in the Hudson Valley, throughout North America and abroad. Shes running a retreat at the Garrison Institute this summer, as part of Inhabit Retreats, which is a fabulous opportunity to engage in the meditative and contemplative experiences of an immersion retreat, Baum says.

For an experience closer to monastic living for a few days, that is thats available at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, the Shambhala Center at Sky Lake in Rosendale, and Zen Mountain Monastery in Mount Tremper. Those who are really serious can take a year-long residency at Zen Mountain.

But if youre just starting out, you may want to try an evening or a day at one of these retreats:

Steps leading up to The Sanctuary, a quiet space for contemplation and daily meditation classes at Omega.(Photo: Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Rhinebeck, New York, eOmega.org)

Offerings: Choose from more than 390 workshops, retreats and professional training opportunities in 2017; the curriculum spans six learning paths: Body/Mind/Spirit, Health & Healing, Creative Expression, Leadership & Work, Relationships & Family and Sustainable Living; there are at least 20 programs specific to meditation and mindfulness, but hundreds of the workshops offered have a meditative component within the program; attend a workshop or visit as getaway for a rest & rejuvenation retreat; there are daily open (optional) classes in meditation, yoga, tai chi and movement; there will be four silent retreats in 2017.

Choose from dozens of meditation workshops at Omega from beginners courses, to advanced professional training.(Photo: Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Rhinebeck, New York, eOmega.org)

Did you know?Founded in 1977, Omega Institute is celebrating 40 years; more than 23,000 people visit each year; most people stay for a weekend retreat or a five-day weekday retreat, but commuting is possible.

Accommodations: A former summer camp, Omegas 250-acre campus restored the dining hall, main halland guest lodging, adding a library, wellness centerand sanctuary; lodging ranges from cabins with private baths to camping sites with shared baths.

Find your seat and center your mind inside Omega's Sanctuary; a space for contemplation and daily meditation classes.(Photo: Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, Rhinebeck, New York, eOmega.org)

Prices and packages: Overnight rates range from $236 for camping two nights to $1,883 for a single room in Cabin A for seven nights, which includes three meals a day, open classes, the sauna, lake (in season), basketball and tennis courts and trails; in May theres a special R&R getaway deal including a free massage and discounted rates.

Go:Address: 150 Lake Dr., Rhinebeck,877-944-2002, eomega.org

The Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, photographed April 30, 2017. (Photo: Carrie Yale/The Journal News)

Whats there: Great Buddha Hall, Kuan Yin Hall, dining hall, gift shop, Thousand Lotus Terrace, Seven Jewel Lakes, Garden, and Woo Ju Memorial Library.

Offerings:Meditation & Dharma Talk with Venerable Suddhaso, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 21, at Kuan-Yin Hall; 10-Day Insight through Satipatthna Meditation Retreat, in which you must follow the eight traditional precepts including silence, vegetarianism, abstaining from food after the midday meal and more; Summer Camp starting June 30, for adults, teensand children who are able to maintain silence.

The Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, photographed April 9, 2017.(Photo: Adam McIe for The Journal News)

Did you know?This Buddhist temple is home to the largest indoor statue of a Buddha in the western hemisphere. Its 55 feet tall, including the pedestal and base.

Accommodations:Expect monastic accommodations; bring a sleeping bag, toiletries, and loose, modest clothing with long sleeves and long pants/skirts, shoes with no laces, and warm outerwear. Bring no valuable jewelry, cellphones, or other electronics.

Cost:The May 21 class has a suggested $15 donation; donations are accepted also for other programs; registration for overnight retreats is dependent on acceptance as space is limited; register for summer camp before June 11.

Hours:Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 1 to Dec. 31; library is open 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Go:2020 Route 301, Carmel,845-225-1819, http://www.baus.org/en/visit/chuang-yen-monastery/

Offerings: Learn to Meditate classes for beginners are 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and noon to 1 p.m. Sundays; Public Sitting Meditations are drop-in, silent, sitting meditation sessions typically hosted by a timekeeper, interspersed with brief periods of walking meditation 6 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, 6 to 7 p.m. Fridays and 9 to 11:45 a.m. Sundays; Weekly Dharma Gathering at 7 p.m. Tuesdays involves a group meditation practice, a talk by a senior teacher, discussionand a light reception; meditation instruction is also provided; there are also Shambhala Training Weekend retreats with various themes, led by different shastras Friday night, all day Saturday and half of Sunday.

Accommodations: No overnight stays are available in New York City.

Cost: Dharma Gatherings are $10 for general admission and $5 for students; Learn to Meditate has a suggested $10 donation; other sessions are by donation; Shambhala Training Weekend retreats range from $180 to $330, with a generosity policy for those with financial hardship who make advance arrangements.

Go: 118 West 22nd St., 6th floor, New York,212-675-6544,ny.shambhala.org; info@shambhalanyc.org

Offerings: Located in the Shawangunk Mountains, Sky Lake is the the rural sister retreat to New York center and offers meditation, arts and mindfulness retreats. Guests can walkin the woods, hike trails at nearby Mohonk Preserve, scale the Gunks or take a stroll around the spring-fed pond.Meditation instruction is available, from free introductory instruction and follow-up instruction to guided programs that incorporate nature such as a Mindfulness Kayaking program (May 24-25). The center'sSpring Kado Retreat: The Way of Flowers (June 2-6) is an an intensive 4-day program including flower arranging demonstrations, sitting, Dharma talks, Kado practice, outside walksand evening events.

Accommodations:There are a few different overnight options including a few private rooms, shared room, shrine room or tent camping in summer.Rates are per person and include three meals a day for 1-2 week programs and breakfast and lunch only for Shambhala training weekend programs. Rates differ for each program.

Go:22 Hillcrest Lane, Rosendale, 845-658-8556, skylake.shambhala.org

Amy Reyer, who leads meditation classes at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, is pictured with the historic St. Francis Chapel on the property April 25, 2017.(Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

Offerings at Graymoor Spiritual Life Center: Discover days of renewal and recollection, meetings, events, conferences, retreats and mini-retreats; there are a bunch of themed retreats such as addiction recovery, women-only and men-only; Tergar-philosophy guided meditation classes are held 7 to 8:15 p.m. Wednesdays.

Offerings at Garrison Institute: Many themed retreats are available, like the Personal Retreat Weekend July 14-16, a silent, unstructured personal retreat for meditators with a developed practice and those seeking renewal in the serenity of a contemplative environment; many 2017 retreats focus on the arts and The Atlas of Emotions.

Did you know?Garrison Institute is a castle that was the former Capuchin monastery overlooking the east bank of the Hudson River across from West Point. Its on 95 acres of Glenclyffe property, formerly the estate of Hamilton Fish, New York governor and President Grants secretary of state.

Accommodations: Located on a mountaintop overlooking the Hudson River Valley, Graymoor is open to the public dawn to dusk year-round. It hasmiles of picturesque grounds with trails and a labyrinth. Meals are included for retreats; Garrison institute offers single and double bedrooms, along with vegetarian meals, walking trails, a gazebo, gardensand a labyrinth.

Prices and packages: Graymoor has one-day mini retreats 8:30 a.m. to 3:30p.m. Saturdays for $35, weekend retreats with two-night stays and five meals vary, but can be between $150 and $225; at the Garrison Institute, rooms are $290 to $330 with partial scholarships available.

Go: Graymoor Spiritual Life Center, Kennedy Lounge, 4th floor, 1320 Route 9, (40 Franciscan Way for GPS navigation) Garrison; and The Garrison Institute, 14 Mary's Way, Route 9D at Glenclyffe, Garrison. inhabitretreats.com; for Graymoor, 845-424-2111, garrisonistitute.org.

Offerings: All programs fall into the monasterys training schedule, which is highly structured; the Sunday morning program is a good way to first experience the monastery, learn to meditate and discover the offerings. There is no need to pre-register, but arrive by 8:45 a.m. for the chanting and bowing service, then beginner instruction in zazen (Zen meditation), formal discourse, and then lunch until 1 p.m.; wear loose, comfortable, modest, non-bright clothing; no shorts, leggings or tanks; then there are weekend, weeklong, one-month and year-long residential retreats. Themes vary from Running as Meditation and Family Camping and Storytelling Retreat to Dreaming to Wake Up and Introduction to Zen Meditation.

Accommodations: Dormitory bedrooms are separated by gender with bunk beds for six to eight people; bed linens are provided and vegetarian meals included, as well as coffee and tea in the early morning.

Cost: $5 suggested donation for the Sunday session; prices vary for retreats, but for example, one weekend retreat is $250; financial assistance is available.

Go: For GPS navigation, search for the intersection of Plank Road and Miller Road in Mount Tremper; it should take you to the monasterys front gate. 845-688-2228, zmm.mro.org.

Amy Reyer, who leads meditation classes at the Graymoor Spiritual Life Center in Garrison, is pictured at the top of the "Holy Mountain" on the property April 25, 2017.(Photo: Mark Vergari/The Journal News)

Why bother with this anyway?

Meditation reduces stress, depression and anxiety. It improves your health, well-being and resilience to the struggles life throws at you, says Chrissa J. Pullicino, external communications manager at Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck. Oh, is that all?

Of course theres more.

There are four components of well-being supported by neuroscience in the 2015 World Happiness Report a document backed by institutions such as Columbia University. The components a positive outlook, rebounding from negative emotion, mindfulness and mind wandering, and caring for others can be developed and improved with training and experience. Happiness and well-being are best regarded as skills that can be enhanced through training, according to the report.

Yes, you can train yourself to be happy and feel a sense of well-being (most of the time).

Meditation is the training, and it can take many forms: Breathing, visualization, chanting, sound, compassion, moving, gratitude and mantras. Its really a matter of taste and finding what suits you.

And where it suits you.

I feel most drawn to nature mediation. I feel most connected and alive when Im in the beauty of nature, Pullicino says. I find having a gratitude practice can be really helpful. On your commute to work, or before bed at night, even on your worst day, theres always some blessing in your life you can feel thankful for.

I genuinely do feel more of a sense of well-being and trust in life that everything will work out.

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Meditation continues to become more and more popular, and for good reason. Research shows it can help with everything from getting a good nights sleep to reducing stress to even easing pain.

However, many people are under the impression that in order to meditate properly, you need to be sitting still for an extended period of time in a perfectly zen setting. But that doesnt have to be the case. In fact, you can meditate anywhere, says wellness expert and founder of BexLife, Rebekah Borucki. That could mean while youre commuting, during your lunch break, right before bed, or in any other setting that works with your schedule and lifestyle.

However, if you can, it does help to find a place you where you feel comfortable, she says. This way, you can enter a state of mediation without feeling distracted by the position of your body.

RELATED: How to Meditate Even If You Think You Cant

There are also plenty of options for what to focus on during your meditationpositive affirmations, a peaceful visualization, or simply quieting all the commotion in your mind. In this video, Borucki guides us through a meditation for self-acceptance, which is meant to quiet your inner critic and ease self-doubt. To try out this meditation for yourself, play the video and get ready to focus on yourself for ten minutes. From here, all thats left to do is to close your eyes, connect with yourself, check in with your body, tune in to your breathing, and do your best to keep all distractions at bay. Then, just pay attention to her calming wordsyoull be working towards a more kind, loving relationship with yourself in no time.

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A Guided Meditation to Help Quiet Self-Doubt and Boost Confidence - Health.com

Forbes

Meditation for Procrastination Forbes Although I teach and study mindfulness .. we all have our moments. I just gave the biggest speech of my life, for TEDx Athens, and .. I procrastinated on writing it. I procrastinated so much I finished a 33-page book proposal instead of writing the ...

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Meditation for Procrastination - Forbes