Im in the process of moving seamlessly from the care and maintenance of cats to the ditto and ditto of chickens.

The cats were the usual pair at Swanky Towers, home of my frequently holidaying friends, and the beasts c&m was complicated by the fact that one of them has a thyroid problem, which puts him off his grub.

He has pills for it but refuses to eat them. Even if, after deploying a variation on the Heimlich manoeuvre, you manage to get one down his throat, hes quite capable of regurgitating it five minutes later.

The best method is crush the pill into his wet food. But, by the time I arrived, hed stopped eating, a problem complicated by the fact that sybaritic Bertie, the other beast, will scoff the food containing the medication, given half the chance.

Honestly, you need eyes in the back of your bean. For three days, Jeeves stayed off his food, but fell eventually for the pill being crushed into some kitty milk concoction that he drinks. After that, he was eating for Scotland, even helping himself to Berties provender, if the latter didnt get his bib on quickly enough.

No sooner had I departed from Swanky Towers, like some Rabbie Poppins of the pet world, than I was called to the countryside for a tutorial on looking after chickens.

These other pals are holidaying in July, and Ill take over their demesne for a fortnight, with my main duty concerning the hens, ken? Ill have to remember that. Sometimes, I fetch up at Swanky Towers, help myself to the drinks cabinet and any posh chocolates I can find, put some relaxing music on (sound system to die for), and sit back in the lap of luxury. Hours later, I leap up, crying: I forgot about the cats!

Its a business, this beast maintenance. Indeed, one of the dog walkers on the suburban hill has suggested I take it up as a profession, as my usual one is degenerating into a hobby. People have asked me to look after their mutts but, as a man in my position cannot be seen picking up poop, Ive had to pooh-pooh that idea.

In the meantime, chickens and cats will suffice. Feeding and housing the former turned out more complicated than expected, and Ive warned my friends not to expect all five beasts to be alive when they get back.

However, if all goes well, I shall have all the eggs I can eat in moderation (dubious effect on the prostate, some say) and, indeed, have been starting every other day since my tutorial visit with a fried egg, and feeling fairly fabulous for it.

Better even than the ovate bonus from chickens, though, was that I got a go on a mini-tractor for the grass cutting. I cannot recall ever being so happy. Again, it all seemed terribly complicated, with buttons to press and levers to lift, but once Id mastered it I was off, turning left and even right at times.

I know: we can all see this ending badly. Youre picturing tractor-shaped holes in the hedgerows. But I picture myself happy as a sandboy: munching fried egg sandwiches as I mow as much of the world as I can.

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From kitties to chickies - The Courier

One of the oldest and most used meditation apps, Calm offers hundreds of hours of lessons and exercises.(Photo: Calm.com, Inc.)

Between calendar notifications, pushed emails, and intrusive messaging platforms, you might believe smartphones contribute to your daily stress levels. Ironically, that same device could also help nudge you to take much-needed breaks throughout the day thanks to a handful of meditation and mindfulness apps.

I often say that mindfulness isnt hardwhats hard is remembering to be mindful, says Sharon Salzberg, renowned meditation expert and bestselling author. Ones device is the perfect implement to offer those reminders, not only for a time-out of 5 to 10 minutes, but for what we call short moments, many times taking a few breaths to return to ourselves and return to the moment."

Salzberg, whose new book Real Love (Flatiron Books; $24.99) is available June 6, believes theres an increased interest in meditation in the West, perhaps because the incredible busyness and sheer unrelenting pressure of potentially always being on. Salzberg says several apps could help with reminders and bite-sized lessons at home or the go.

Given the fact May is Mental Health Month, the following is a brief look at five picks available at both the App Store (for iOS) and Google Play (for Android), unless otherwise specified.

A new player with some exceptional meditation and mindfulness teachers, Simple Habit gives you a daily break from the grind.(Photo: Simple Habit, Inc.)

One of the newest players is also one of the most impressive.

Simple Habit is an on-demand meditation platform built for busy people. With simple 5-minute lessons, the app features more than 1,000 meditations guided by mindfulness teachers from around the world and for a more tailored lesson, you can choose the time, place and cause of your stress. For example, tap Tough Day or Big Event (perhaps before public speaking), or Morning Meditation, or At Work.

You can also pick a lesson by Series (Drift to Sleep, Sharpen Focus, Meditate in Nature), and by Teacher of your choice (check out Australias Kate James, with her soothing voice and helpful instruction).

More than 50 sessions are free, with the option to upgrade to a Premium version for $11.99/month or $99.99/year. Its also available through a desktop website, and Simple Habit will remember where you left off.

Calm lets you track your progress and choose a meditation topic that matters most.(Photo: Calm.com, Inc.)

One of my favorites, Calm is a meditation and mindfulness app with guided sessions in varying lengths, ranging from 3 to 25 minutes, and with content designed for beginners, as well as intermediate and advanced users.

Similar to some other apps of this kind, you can choose a topic that matters most to you: Calming Anxiety, Deep Sleep, Self-Esteem, Forgiveness, Happiness, Managing Stress, Focus and Concentration, and so on. Track your progress with gamification elements, such as daily streaks, as well assessing a tally of time spent meditating.

While theres some free content to get you started, subscriptions are $12.99 per month, or the heavily discounted $59.99 per year. Subscribers get full access to all the instructions, along with a new 10-minute program added daily, more than 20 Sleep Stories, 7- and 21-day programs, breathing exercises, relaxing nature sounds, and more.

The Headspace app has been described as "the gym membership for the mind."(Photo: Headspace Inc.)

Your gym membership for the mind, Headspace wants to teach you how to meditate in just a few minutes a day.

Endorsed by Emma Watson, this UK app features a clean and easy-to-use interface, and offers a free beginner series called Take10 10 sessions, each 10 minutes, over 10 days using proven meditation and mindfulness techniques that could help clear your head, reduce stress, sleep better, and enjoy greater overall happiness. Available for iOS, Android, Amazon, and the web, the lessons include stat tracking, rewards, and an optional buddy system (for friends to motivate each other).

If you want more than the introductory Take10, Headspace offers a subscription service ($12.99 per month or $94.99 per year) for access to many other meditation lessons, guided and unguided, as short as 2 minutes and as long as 1 hour. Some deal with applying mindfulness to everyday activities, while others cater to managing stress (S.O.S. sessions) and life-altering situations.

As part of Headspaces Get Some, Give Some program, for every subscription someone signs up for, the app will donate a subscription to someone in need, says the company.

A book, app and podcast rolled into one, 10% Happier is an app for "fidgety skeptics."(Photo: Change Collective)

Designed for fidgety skeptics, 10% Happier offers clear and simple meditation lessons.

Led by New York Times bestselling author and ABC news anchor Dan Harris who suffered an on-air panic attack in 2004, which prompted him to write the book 10% Happier the app (iOS, web) features quick meditations by many respected teachers, include Salzberg, which you can do whenever you have a spare moment.

10% Happier Free offers free access to a 7-session introductory course, with daily meditation videos (with offline access), guided audio lessons (for when you cant look at a screen), advice and tips to applying mindfulness to your personal and professional lives, and new content added monthly to keep things fresh. While the app is free to download and use, members get a lot more content for $9.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Too bad theres not an Android version, given its the worlds no. 1 operating system.

Reminders to take a time-out arent just on your smartphone, but are prompted by your smartwatch, too. Built into the latest Apple Watch operating system is Breathe, Apples own app that encourages you to relax, focus, and (you guessed it), breathe.

Youll feel a slight tap on your wrist every four hours, and when you glance down at the screen the app will ask you to start a session, if youre able to. The app will guide you through some deep breaths over a one-minute session of seven breaths, but you can tweak these session lengths. Follow the animated circles on the screen to inhale and exhale, plus you can feel a tap on your wrist to inhale, if you want to do this with your eyes closed.

A summary screen, with heart rate info, is shown at the end.

Other recommended meditation apps for both iOS and Android include Buddhify, The Mindfulness App, Take A Break and Omvana.

Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. E-mail him at askmarcsaltzman@gmail.com.

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Breathe. These meditation apps bring calm to stressed, busy lives - USA TODAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

'The Rules Do Not Apply' is a meditation on grief Pittsburgh Post-Gazette This book doesn't pretend to be anything but a meditation on grief, in the tradition of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking and Cheryl Strayed. In the preface, the author writes, It has been made overwhelmingly clear to me now that anything ...

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'The Rules Do Not Apply' is a meditation on grief - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mindfulness is a type of meditation thats said to enhance emotional well-being. Its become extremely popular in recent years, with major companies such as Google, Goldman Sachs and General Motors encouraging its practice amongst their employees. NASA, the US Olympic team and the Navy SEALs are just three organizations said to use this type of meditation as part of their training. Mindfulness has also been promoted by celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Kobe Bryant and Emma Watson. So what exactly is mindfulness and how is it practiced?

What exactly is mindfulness?

Worry and anxiety often enter our minds via thinking about what has happened in the past or what may happen in the future. Mindfulness is a way of controlling this type of instinctive, yet negative thinking. By being fully focused on the present moment, it means you are not thinking about the past or future and the worries or anxieties that may accompany this. As such, practiced regularly, mindfulness is said to have long-term benefits on how to cope with the stresses of everyday life.

What are the origins of mindfulness?

The name mindfulness is a translation of the Sanskrit word for remembrance or awareness. Its known mostly as a form of Buddhist meditation but is also thought to date back to ancient Hindu traditions 2,500 years ago. It has gained popularity and recognition in recent times, most notably through Jon Kabat-Zinn who introduced the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at the University of Massachusetts in the late 1970s. Mindfulness has continued to grow in popularity, becoming an accepted part of modern-day psychology. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is the most recent innovation of this stress-reducing technique, building on work achieved with MBSR.

Who can benefit from practicing mindfulness?

Mindfulness can be beneficial to anyone wishing to reduce stress and worry. Its particularly helpful for people suffering from psychological conditions such as severe anxiety, depression and addiction. Its also thought to help with physical ailments such as heart disease, gastrointestinal problems and chronic pain. This is, in part, because those suffering from medical conditions like depression and physical pain are more prone to negative thoughts.

Mindfulness in more detail.

Without realizing it, at any given moment, the brain is a hub of hyperactive mental activity. Thoughts can be racing away in many different directions, making connections, one thought leading to another and another. Often these thoughts lead to possible negative scenarios or memories of past events that have caused worry, emotional or physical pain. Mindfulness stops that. It creates a barrier between those runaway thoughts and your consciousness. It makes you more aware that this type of negative thinking is there in the first place. By doing this and slowing thoughts down at a given time, it lets you take a moment to just be, to experience a present moment and nothing else.

Mindfulness itself has also highlighted the strong connection between psychological problems and physical problems. In other words, how we think can have an effect on what we physically feel. This is why many people experiencing a condition such as chronic pain say practicing mindfulness helps them cope better with that pain.

Is there any scientific evidence mindfulness works?

There has been a number of controlled, scientific studies that have highlighted the positive effects of mindfulness. For example, a study by neuroscientists from Harvard University showed an eight-week program of mindfulness therapy produced changes in brain structure that were beneficial to patients. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, they revealed that participants practicing twenty seven minutes of mindfulness a day increased grey matter density in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is associated with compassion, self-awareness and introspection.

Meanwhile, the area of the brain that is associated with depression and anxiety, the amygdala, decreased in density. This made many patients more open to a positive way of thinking thus reducing stress, pain and/or depression. A similar study published in the British medical journal The Lancet concluded that MBCT was just as effective as drug treatment in preventing patients relapsing into depression. Mindfulness being a lot less expensive than medication means its both beneficial for patients and medical practitioners.

How do you practice mindfulness?

To begin the practice of mindfulness, find a quiet environment for yourself. Try to be as fully relaxed as you can be. Regulate your breathing. Become more aware of this breathing rhythm. As you breathe in and out, become aware of your senses. Dont judge or think about them, just sense where you are in the present moment. Sense, for example, your body against the chair. The temperature of the room. Sounds you hear. What you smell. However, dont let thoughts randomly enter your mind or wander off. Whenever you feel this is happening, bring your thoughts back to your breathing rhythm. Only sense that present moment where youre practicing mindfulness. The aim here is to be in control of your thoughts, to make the present moment everything. Once you are only aware of the here and now, you are on your way to successfully practicing mindfulness.

Incorporating mindfulness into your daily life.

Although it can be helpful, its not necessary to be in a completely quiet environment to practise mindfulness. Once you learn the technique or, ideally, adapt a technique thats best suited for yourself, you will be able to practice it almost anywhere. It could be while sitting on a bus or train, at work or during leisure time. Likewise, the amount of time a mindfulness session can last is up to you. For example, you could begin with short periods of around ten minutes a day and build up your time practicing mindfulness to forty minutes a day as you get used to it.

The more you practice mindfulness, the more beneficial it can be. Mindfulness is not a miracle cure for a number of psychological or physical conditions. It is, however, recognized more and more as a very effective help to anyone who wishes to lead a more stress-free life.

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A Mindful Meditation Technique - Chicago Defender

Gisele Bundchen told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight ShowFriday that meditating has been a great stress reliever in her life and joked that it even helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl LI.

That was a very big nail-biter, Bundchen said about the big game, which was one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

Surrounded by intense Atlanta Falcons fans, Bundchen first handled her stress by screaming and praying and calling my family and asking everyone to pray, she told Fallon. After that? I started meditating, because it was the only thing that could calm me down, because it was kind of crazy, she said.

The Pats wound up defeating the Falcons 34-28 in overtime, coming back from a 25-point deficit.

I channeled some great energy and, really, I feel like a little responsible, Bundchen said, laughing.I brought love and peace and clarity and calmness into the game. It shifted after that, I must tell you.

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Gisele told Jimmy Fallon her meditation skills helped the Pats win ... - Boston.com

Home Thursday, May 4, 2017 20:09

By MUTHOKI MUMO

When you were a kid, were you ever asked what kind of superpower you would want?

I nod not because anyone ever asked me any such question but because Andrea Hartleys smile is so wide that I do not want to interrupt this train of thought.

Everyone responds flying. Everyone wants to fly, she says.

This, to Andrea, is the essence of the aerial aerobics class shes been teaching twice a week for the last five weeks. And she is right.

When I try aerial aerobics, I am reminded of those moments when I have come as close as one can to flight without a plane: when I was pushed too high by my sister on a swing or when my father picked me up as a young girl and swang me around until I thought I might vomit.

This feeling, hanging upside down suspended from the rafters by two ribbons of fabric, is terror. Then when I relax, let go of the fabric and my body swings freely, this feeling becomes exhilaration. Just like flying.

Aerial aerobics is an exercise. The burn in my arms, the sheen on my forehead and the sweat leaving an itchy trail down my back attest to that. However, when Andrea performs aerial aerobics, it looks more like art.

Gym-goers use two lengths of fabric, the silks as they are called in the lingo, to support body weight as they carry out gravity-defying moves while suspended mid-air.

Andrea started out with aerial silks four years ago when she was still a university student. When she moved to East Africa she brought her silks with her.

Some of her earliest students were her roommates and her partner, Neel Chandaria, who now helps her run her classes. Today, shes miles away from that university student who let loose an expletive when she faced her first silks.

On a Wednesday afternoon at CrosfitKwetu gym in Gigiri, Nairobi, Andrea spirals, does splits in mid-air, and inverts her body all with the grace of a dancer.

Her moves are reminiscent of a Cirque du Soleil performance. Only the redness of her face reveals the strain it takes to perform these moves. This workout, she says, elegantly brings together gymnastics, yoga, and strength training.

She separates her class into two: the beginners and the advanced students. The other beginners put me to shame. Michelle inverts herself on her first try. Molly claims that this is her first class but the ease with which she navigates the silks leaves me suspicious.

When it is my turn, my first task is lift my body off the ground. Easy, I think. The silks go round my wrists.

Fold your knees to your chest and lift yourself up, Andrea tells me.

Not so easy. I am able to hold myself suspended off the ground for about half a second before I let go, nearly collapsing onto the cushioned floor.

My fellow beginners clap: Good job. Youve got it. Try again. They are not being insincere. This is the ambience in Andreas class. They urge each other along. They clap. They high-five me when I manage to fold my feeble, soft body into even the most basic of tricks.

This cheering is infectious. When Michelle performs a new move, I feel a sudden burst of joy, as though this achievement were my own. My turn again on the silks and Michelle gives me a quick lesson.

Its all about the core, she tells me. Tense those muscles up as you lift yourself up. This is problematic because I have less of a core in my middle and more of a mixture of chocolate and fat.

But the benefits of class begin to make themselves known early on. By the end of my first session, I have found not only my core but my biceps too: I know they exist because they hurt.

Andrea tells me that combining aerial aerobics with other strength-training and flexibility focused exercises can make the going easier.

Despite my misgivings, aerial aerobics seems not-so-hard to pick up. The women in the advanced segment , swinging themselves fearlessly, have had three, four of Andreas sessions. And the classes are growing. Andrea is about to begin classes at Mom3ntum gym in Westlands.

Hanging upside down turns out to be very good for clarity of thought. As I shriek in fear, I know that I will be back.

I want to fly again, and perhaps this time I will be more of a graceful swan than a confused chicken.

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Aerial aerobics catches on - Business Daily (press release) (blog)

Debra Pugh 2015

Debra Pugh 2015

Lack of sleep can cause weight gain, early aging

A good indicator of peoples physical, mental, and emotional well-being can be seen in the quality of sleep they receive each night. If people do not get enough deep, restful sleep, then their body is not able to recharge and can start to break down in many different ways and damage the body.

The purpose of sleep is so the body will have time to repair and rebuild its cells, to cleanse itself, and recharge with energy for the next days activities. The body needs sleep to resist disease, maintain strength and endurance, increase vitality, improve attitudes and moods, and even slows down the aging process.

Chronic sleep loss has a negative effect on metabolism, hormonal function, and the pace of aging. The lack of sleep can interfere with the body releasing hormones such as cortisol, and growth hormones which influence muscle strength, the ratio of muscle to fat, and cause people to age faster. Excess cortisol can damage a persons health over a period of time and cause decrease memory, low energy, low immune system, weight gain, sleep disorders, and thyroid dysfunction. There are also increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes.

The National Sleep Foundation explains that most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night, teenagers need 8-10 hours, elementary age kids need 9-11 hours, preschoolers need 10-13 hours, toddlers need 11-14 hours, and babies need 12-18 hours.

Caffeine is known to disrupt the normal sleep pattern and prevents people from reaching the deep stages of sleep. It also blocks the effects of serotonin and melatonin in the brain which are necessary to cause people to fall asleep and remain asleep. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate, hot chocolate, coffee flavored ice cream, diet pills and even some decongestants and migraine medications.

Many people with sleep problems drink alcohol thinking they will sleep better, but studies show that alcohol can decrease the REM stage of sleep, which is the repair stage. This causes people to sleep lightly and feel tired and groggy the next day.

Research suggest to improve sleep, it is important to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool, avoid caffeine in the evening, dont eat big meals before bedtime, get regular exercise in the day, relax quietly before bedtime with a warm bath, put pets in their own bed for they can disrupt sleep, read or listen to soft, relaxing music before bedtime.

I have used Composure for over 15 years on the nights I need help in getting to sleep. It is a combination of organic herbs that can help reduce the effect of stress on the body and help people to relax and sleep. One or two capsules can be taken during the day or three to four taken at night to help with sleeping.

The quality of sleep a person receives each night can be a good indicator of their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. If you are not able to recharge your body each night and need more information on how to improve your sleep, call, email or order my book, Fibromyalgia and Fatigue: A Recipe for Feeling Fit and Healthy.

(Debra Pugh, author of the book, Fibromyalgia and Fatigue: A Recipe for Feeling Fit and Healthy, has a bachelors degree, is a certified personal trainer, and a certified sports nutritionist. She hasover 25 years of experience in counseling people in Health and Wellness such as weight loss, exercise, nutrition, increased energy, balance, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, auto-immune disorders, arthritis, hormones, toxins, cleansers, and supplements. For more information or to buy a book, call 806-298-5504, email DebraPugh@windstream.net, or website at http://www.FibroAndFit4Life.com.)

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Lack of sleep can cause weight gain, early aging - Plainview Daily ... - Plainview Daily Herald

Near the end of March, Omiqron6 dropped A New Kind of Lightning. Very little is known about the artist called Omiqron6: he/she is from Mexico City, and has this to say about the music on A New Kind of Lightning: "In times when the collective human spirit is sunk in conflict, violence and suffering... I love to help elevate it.

Stylistically, Omiqron6 is categorized as experimental ambient music. For those who dont know, ambient music emphasizes tonal ambience rather than rhythm or melody. In other words, ambient music doesnt really have a definable structure or arrangement. Ambient music originated in the U.K., primarily because of the various musical atmospheres generated by the synthesizer.

Some people equate ambient music with Muzak or elevator music. But there is a vast difference: ambient music is trying to set a mood, a surrounding milieu, while elevator music is usually safe, sterile lounge-like music utilized as background filler. Elevator music is certainly not trying to set a mood. Basically, elevator music is designed to put your brain in neutral. The design of ambient music is to engage your mind at various levels, consciously and subconsciously.

A New Kind of Lightning contains eight tracks. Om Is On is the first track. The use of om in the title suggests transcendental meditation facilitation. Since I dont meditate, I cant provide a valid estimation of the songs meditative qualities. But as ambient music, its good, reflecting a light, airy atmosphere that gets into your brain and enhances happy thoughts.

Omiqron6/IMP

Whereas the second track, Pawa, sets off active cogitation, with its squirming, musical fractal descents via the burping synth, which becomes a bit annoying as the music progresses. Its almost strident in a mean kind of way.

While listening to 3Times Astray, I imagined myself on a space yacht, floating through clouds as winged-dolphins cavorted around me. Weird, huh? But hey, it was very relaxing. I likewise found Warrior to be relaxing, but not in the same languid manner as 3Times Astray. Warrior is more mystical, more abstruse in the atmosphere it oozes forth.

My favorite tune on the album is Tau Tonic, probably because it jumps around, intermingling instruments and themes in a highly-stylized manner.

Omiqron6 has produced a strong album, especially for listeners looking for ambient music that varies from one song to the next.

Find out more about Omiqron6 here.

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CD Review: A New Kind of Lightning, Omiqron6 - Huffington post (press release) (blog)

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) - Tom Lee Park is alive with the unofficial start to summer. Memphis in May is kicking off with the start of the Beale Street Music Festival.

Gates opened Friday evening as Memphis welcomes people from across the country and the globe.

It is a major money maker for the city. And according to MIM organizers, this celebration welcomes roughly 30,000 people a day, so we are talking a lot of ticket sales.

We caught up with one fan who was the first person in line at the south entrance. She says the early bird catches the worm and gets the best spot.

I like feeling the music pounds through me, says Nikki Teessier. It's really nice, especially when it's bands that I really like. For me, I just love music and it resonates really well with me and it's relaxing. It's my stress relief.

Organizers want people to remember certain items are prohibited. No water bottles over 20 ounces, no recording devices, pets, or lawn chairs; and this is a no drone zone so leave the technology at home.

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Beale Street Music Festival Kicks Off At Tom Lee Park - http://www.localmemphis.com

Following in the footsteps of her musical colleagues, professional harpist Rachel Hair is spending a week travelling across Shetland during May.

She will be bringing live musical performances to patients, residents, children and staff at 10 different care settings across the isles.

Harpist Rachel Hair.

Described as one of the UKs finest contemporary Celtic harpists and tunesmiths by Songlines, she will be performing on behalf of Scottish charity Music in Hospitals.

This is the charitys third annual visit to Shetland, which has once again been made possible thanks to ongoing support from Total E&P UK Limited (TEP UK).

Hair will take her harp, songs and her wide repertoire of Celtic, Scots and traditional music to service users at: North Haven Care Home, Brae; Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick; Edward Thomason House and Taing Support Services, Lerwick; Overtonlea Care Home, Levenwick; Nordalea Care Home, Unst; Isleshavn Care Home, Yell; Montfield Support Services, Lerwick; Wastview Care Home, Walls; Anderson High School ASN Dept, Lerwick; and Walter & Joan Gray Home, Scalloway.

All audience members will be encouraged to enjoy the music in any way they choose; by participating, singing along, making requests, dancing or just sitting back and relaxing. Live music is known to have a highly therapeutic and beneficial impact for people in care; a view that is supported by ongoing research as well as care staff present at the charitys performances.

Music in Hospitals Scotland chief executive Florence Burke said: We are thrilled to be back in Shetland again this Spring. Rachels tour has been made possible by generous support from TEP UK, supporters of MiH for over 36 years.

We are hugely proud to be contributing the wealth of musical activity for which these islands are renowned and we look forward to revisiting many of the care settings we have been to in previous years. We wish all audience members wonderful concerts over the coming week.

Jenny Wink of Total E&P UK added: I have been fortunate to attend many Music in Hospitals concerts and seen for myself the joy, delight and comfort these talented musicians bring to people living in care residences across north east Scotland.

I am delighted that Totals support now extends to the Shetland Islands where music has always played a hugely important part of island life. Im sure Rachel (Hair) will bring her own unique talent to each performance and will have everyone joining in.

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Acclaimed harpist to perform at isles care centres and hospitals - Shetland Times Online