A new vegan student organization hopes to create an inclusive environment on campus.

By Natalie Betz

natalie-betz@uiowa.edu

Vegans on a large Big Ten campus such as the University of Iowas can now find a new way to support each other, thanks to a new vegan organization.

UI juniors Srehita Kotla and Tara Bendre recently introduced the new Vegan Society to help fellow students want to learn about vegan diets. The essence of the group is to allow conversations on various topics regarding veganism, especially the aspects that people dont consider, such as decreasing the worlds environmental footprint and eliminating stigmas around vegans, said Kotla, who has only been a vegan for six months but a vegetarian her whole life.

Despite having experience starting a new student organization, Kotla said, she wanted assistance in creating the new vegan society.

That led to her reaching out to Bendre, who was a good resource for Kotla at the beginning of Kotlas transition in learning how to maintain a vegan diet.

Bendre, who has been a vegan for around two years, said having similar people around her who are vegans is helpful, especially during the times when there are only few vegan substitutes. She wanted to create a group in Iowa City where vegans could support each other.

A vegan diet can have a big effect in lowering the worlds carbon footprint, and it has many nutritional benefits, said JoAnn Daehler-Miller, a dietitian at UI Student Health & Wellness.

A vegan diet is low saturated fat and trans fat, which helps lower heart disease. It is also high in fiber, which helps a variety of health issues and prevents constipation, she said. A healthy vegan diet is made up fruits, veggies, beans, whole grains, and other plant-based foods that allow the immune system to recover more quickly.

However, Daeler-Miller emphasized that veganism isnt for everyone. She said there have been students who have wanted to try a vegan diet but were allergic to nuts and disliked beans, so it wouldnt be as healthy for them to be a vegan.

If anyone does want to become a vegan, its important to encourage people to access resources so that they become attentive in order to receive all the nutrients they need, she said.

Besides providing support for other vegans, Kotla said, she would also like to organize panels, talks, and other discussion-based events, such as informative dinners with environmental-science faculty to discuss how a vegan diet could decrease the worlds environmental footprint.

Bendre said members want to collaborate with the Trumpet Blossom Caf to raise funds for the farm sanctuary in Marengo and organize group lunches at the vegan restaurant.

Additionally, they plan to host cooking demonstrations to help people learn how to cook vegan meals, as well as have video showings at box theaters and other group-focused events, she noted.

We said straight-up that all people are welcome; we really want to promote inclusivity, Bendre said. We are not taking an activist approach to the club. We dont want to encourage people to become vegan, we want to talk about what veganism is. We want to build a community and provide resources.

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Going vegan with friends for support - The Daily Iowan

TristynTate | Contributing Writer

At some point in time, we all become victim to falling back on food choices that are cheap and convenient, more so than whats the healthiest option, especially when we have the munchies. Despite the stereotype that vegans are limited and restricted in their diet, there are a significant amount of junk foods available to those with the dietary choice. Unbelievably, there are some products and services, even, that everyone knows and loves. More so than the veggie burger option, there are gooey movie theater candies, cheesy crunchy snacks, savorychocolatedeserts and numerous fast food chain restaurant optionsall that are 100 percent vegan.

Whats Considered Vegan?

Being vegan is either a diet, a lifestyle or both, depending on the individual making the choice. The diet alone is composed of foods that lack meat, dairy,eggsand other animal products. It is a controversial subject in the vegan community on whether the diet also abstains from honey, butbasically, vegans are said to just eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains, beans,legumesand seeds. There are different types of vegan diets as well, which could make things even more limiting, but more so confusing. Some choose to be junk food vegans, eating highly processed foods, unlike the stereotype, and a lot like what I will list below for your pleasure. The fact that all vegans eat healthy, whole, plant-based foods is just not the case.

The lifestyle, however, involves the ethics and reasoning behind abstinence from consuming animal products: the environment and the animals within the environment. Therefore, individuals who live a vegan lifestyle may not choose to eat the products below even when theyve got the munchies because of the harmful effects their ingredients may have on the environment. The products may not have dairy or meat, but it may contain an ingredient such as palm oil, which is not an ethical choice due to its overproduction affecting the rapid decrease of rainforests and the extinction of the animals within the environment. Those with the vegan lifestyle are concerned with the world impact of their dietary choices.

Vegan Munchies

Whichever your choice, there are junk food options for you. The products listed below are a mixture thatcaterto both the lifestyle and the dietary choice of veganism. They are products made by brands we all know and love. Accidently vegan foods are the best tasting foods.

Microwave, Toaster or Oven-Made Food

For the vegan brands listed below, check out The Fresh Market or a Whole Foods near you.

Mac and Cheese: Daiya, Amys, Annies and Earth Balance Pizza: Amys and Daiya Soft Pretzels: SuperPretzel Soft Pretzels Others: Pop Tarts Unfrosted Strawberry

Store-Bought Snack Food and Ice Cream

Crunchy Things

Courtesy fritolay.com

Chips Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Lays Barbecue, Classic, Deli Style Original, Dill Pickle and Lightly Salted varieties Ruffles Ruffles All Dressed Assaisonnes potato chips, Ruffles Barbecue potato chips, Ruffles Original potato chips Fritos Fritos Bar-B-Q Flavored Corn Chips, Fritos Brand the Original Corn Chips,Frito-LaySabritones Pringles Smokey Bacon, Original, Texas BBQ, Paprika, Sweet Cinnamon

Crackers Ritz Ritz Crackers and Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers Saltines Nabisco Saltine Crackers

Other Crunchy Things Chex Mix Traditional Vegan Brands: Earth Balance Puffs Aged White Kettle Chips Sea Salt, SourCreamand Onion, Cheddar Popcorn Buttery Flavor, Aged White Cheddar Flavor Cheddar Flavor Squares (basically Vegan Cheese-Itz)

Candy

Whats chewy and chocolatey are not normally thought not to be vegan. Gelatin is usually what makes the chewy things chewy, deriving from collagen obtained from various animal body parts. Chocolate normally has dairy. However, dark chocolate is vegan and all the chewy things below do not contain any animal body parts.

Courtesy bloomberg.com

Chewy Sour Patch Kids Sweetish Fish Mike and Ikes Fruit by the Foot Dots Air Heads Taffy Twizzlers Now and Later Skittles

Chocolatey Lindt Lindt Excellence 70, 85, and 90 percent Cocoa bars Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Marzipan

Hard Candy, Lollipops, and Others: Smarties Dum Dums Charms Blow Pops Jolly Rancher Hard Candy and Lollipops

Vegan Brands No Whey! Chocolate Bar (Carmel and Nougat in a Chocolate Coating; basically a Vegan Snickers Bar)

Cookies and Ice Cream Oreos Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mints, Thanks-A-Lots, Lemonades, Peanut Butter Patties Nutter Butters Ben and Jerrys So Delicious

Fast Food Restaurants

Stay away from McDonalds. Their hash browns and french fries arent even vegan because they are cooked in beef tallow.

Courtesy Chipotle

Chipotle Just hold the cheese and sour cream. When they ask for protein choose the tofusofritasor get extra veggies. Taco Bell Bean Burrito minus the cheese, cinnamon twists, the Veggie Cantina Power Bowl with no sauce, and other dishes can bemade vegan simply by omitting a few ingredients or asking for it fresco style. For example, this method applies to the 7-Layer Bean Burrito, the Crunchwrap Supreme and the Mexican Pizza. Wendys Plain baked potato, French fries or a veggie sandwich. Burger King Fries, hash browns, French Toast Sticks and Dutch Apple Pie. Papa JohnsPizza You can make any pizza vegan by omitting the cheese and choosing the Original Hand-Tossed Pizza Dough. Frozen Yogurt Places Usually places like Sweet Frog and The Skinny Dip have at least one sorbet or vegan option. Auntie Annes Pretzels Just ask for no butter. Asian Restaurants Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc. Most of these restaurants have tofu or veggie versions of your favorite dishes. Just make sure to omit fish sauces and eggs.

Local Choice: My Vegan Sweet Tooth, located in Virginia Beach, has an all-vegan menu of cupcakes, cookies and other deserts.

Be careful and enjoy!

Look out for changing products and research, research, research! For example, Junior Mints stopped using gelatin in their product but simultaneously started using confectioners glaze, which is made with shellac from female lac bugs. Petas website is a good place to verify whether products cater to the vegan diet and lifestyle. Also, watching YouTubers like Nathan Vierke can give you an idea of what vegans eat in a day, be it junk food or otherwise.

Everyone gets the munchies sometimes and desires straight up junk food. Hope this helps vegans adopting the diet or the lifestyle in making choices that are the best and the tastiest. Enjoy!

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Vegan Munchies - ODU Mace & Crown

THE BUZZ:Mookata restaurants have been sprouting up all over our island over the years, and we've certainly had our fair share of the communal Thai dish. And so it takes a mookata place with a unique aspect to stand out as memorable.

For a mookata joint like Thai Hao Chi Mookata to differentiate itself in a crowded F & B scene, they have to offer something special. And Thai Hao Chi Mookata, which is tucked away along Upper Thomson Road, does that without resorting to anything gimmicky.

Unlike many places, the grill-cum-steamboat is powered by charcoal instead of gas. Strangely enough, it mattered too much as in terms of in terms of flavour or smokiness; it adds to a more rustic dining experience.

MUST TRIES:The biggest draw, for many, will be the great, value-for-money standard set and add-ons. The standard set, called the Yum Mak Mak Set comes with an impressive pile of fresh ingredients: chicken, mutton, pork, cabbage, vermicelli, eggs, crab sticks, squid, sausages, prawns, and more. What's more, no GST or service fees are charged at all. REPEAT: no service or GST.

But the add-ons are worth trying as well, chief of all the bak kwa and the Thai style sliced abalone. Fresh off the barbecue and warm, the bak kwa tastes so much better, and we also like that it isn't coated in grease. As for the Thai style sliced abalone, this item does not need to be grilled or boiled, and is eaten as it is, with a sweet-tangy sauce giving the dish its kick.

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Thai Hao Chi Mookata - HungryGoWhere

Fact: I do not know how to relax. You can ask my parents or husband for confirmation. That gene is missing from my DNA. In order to battle my stress, I run. Thats not relaxing, but it keeps me balanced, healthy and happy. Many of my friends relax with a glass of wine. I dont even do that. As a writer, you might think a great book would help me unwind. Nope. I only find relaxation in watching comedies or a Law and Order marathon. I need to be comatose in front of a screen to mentally check out.

Well, it was brought to my attention that Edgar Cayces Association for Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.) started offering a new way to relax. Its called AlphaSphere. The A.R.E. Health Center & Spa describes it as a unique sensory experience that combines sound therapy, color therapy and vibration to promote deep relaxation and revitalization for the body, mind and spirit.

Because Im a dedicated journalist, I decided to fit 30 minutes into my hectic schedule to do some investigative relaxing for my Beacon readers. When I arrived for my appointment, I had one stressful decision to make before beginning my session. Which color would I select for the therapy?

The choices were blue, pink, red and orange, and each had different benefits. I chose blue because it was described as a balancing and calming hue.

When I first entered the room, I noticed the ergonomic lounger that looked like a modern sculpture with its sleek and simple design. Later, I was told an Austrian artist had designed the AlphaSphere, and A.R.E. is the only site in North America that has this therapy.

Once seated in the comfortable and artsy chair, I started to soak up my surroundings that included a blue light over my head. I was instructed to close my eyes in order to fully relax, but I couldnt stop peeking at the glowing blue light and the sheer fabric that surrounded my chair.

Peaceful sounds that included scores of music and quiet chants were played throughout the 30-minute experience and were synchronized with the vibrations in the lounger.

I found the vibrating chair to be the most relaxing element and appreciated the subtle heating effect that resembled a heating pad on the small of my back. I enjoyed the sounds and scores of music that reminded me of a movie theatre with the surround sound, but didnt love the quiet chants of a human voice.

The unique therapy was definitely calming and even stimulated my imagination with the creative use of sensory elements such as sound, light and color. I only wish the therapy lasted an hour, because it took me awhile to decompress.

SHA, the artist and creator of AlphaSphere, is coming to A.R.E., located on 67th Street, to give a free lecture on April 27 at 7:15 p.m. For more information or to book an AlphaSphere appointment ($35), call 757-457-7202.

Later that evening, I decided to end the day with my true and tried way of unwinding from a long work day. I watched two hours of Law and Order and became instantly relaxed when the theme song (a.k.a.,my sound therapy) played.

Lee Belote

is a Bay Island resident who loves writing about her hometown. Reach her at jlbelote@verizon.net with any great stories, local happenings or new hot spots.

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Beach Buzz | In search of some relaxation with AlphaSphere - Virginian-Pilot

Chris Wilkinson, Staff Writer 11:49 a.m. ET April 16, 2017

Musical group Explosions in the Sky performs onstage during FYF Fest 2016 at Los Angeles Sports Arena on August 27, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer, Getty Images for FYF)

Sometimes music can tell a story without lyrics. Sometimes you can feel exactly where a musician is coming from based on how he strums a guitar, or picks a base or beats a drum. Sometimes an instrumental is all you need to go from having an emotional breakdown to having an existential crisis...but in a good way. Explosions in the Sky is one of the best bands in this category and they brought this music to FSU last Monday to a crowd who was ready to listen.

Explosions started their set at The Moon with a short introduction before going into their music. What is their music? If you were to define their music with a genre it would be instrumental rock or post-rock music. However, their music seems to go deeper than that label in the way it can totally entrance people.

Just listening to their music on an iPod is enough to completely mesmerize you with the instrumentals. The bass, the drums and the guitars all go together to create a sound that begs to be pondered. However, when the music is being performed live, with a million differently colored light surrounded by people in the same mindset, you get more than pondering music, you get a spiritual revelation.

Each song can range from four to fifteen minutes long, starting with the roots of a good song with a solitary instrument and beat and then gradually building the song as it goes on. Soon the song adds some drums to the guitar rhythm, then a bass, then another guitar, then maybe some keys until the band has built up from a simple relaxing rhythm to a full fast paced song.

This kind of long build up really gives you time to just be a wonder. Even when their song does become fast paced after eight or so minutes, it still has its air of a relaxing and rhythmic song. Additionally, the band also did a great job of making their set list so that the outro of each song seems to lead into the intro of the next, making the entire concert feel cohesive.

All and all, being in a crowd of a few hundred and seeing everyone totally engrossed in the band performing with minimal shouting during each song is a sight to behold. Explosions in the Sky has a unique way of building into a song and holding your attention while they sucker punch you with emotions and an existential crisis. Im not entirely sure if everyone had the same emotional reaction as me, but Im pretty sure everyone at the venue was completely enthralled by the music.

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Explosions in the Sky enthralls Tallahassee concertgoers - Florida Flambeau

With the hectic pace and demands of modern life, many people feel stressed and over-worked. It often feels like there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Our stress and tiredness make us unhappy, impatient and frustrated. It can even affect our health. We are often so busy we feel there is no time to stop and meditate! But meditation actually gives you more time by making your mind calmer and more focused. A simple ten or fifteen minute breathing meditation as explained below can help you to overcome your stress and find some inner peace and balance.

Meditation can also help us to understand our own mind. We can learn how to transform our mind from negative to positive, from disturbed to peaceful, from unhappy to happy. Overcoming negative minds and cultivating constructive thoughts is the purpose of the transforming meditations found in the Buddhist tradition. This is a profound spiritual practice you can enjoy throughout the day, not just while seated in meditation.

On this website you can learn the basics of Buddhist meditation. A few books are mentioned that will help you to deepen your understanding if you wish to explore further. Anyone can benefit from the meditations given here, Buddhist or not. We hope that you find this website useful and that you learn to enjoy the inner peace that comes from meditation.

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How to Meditate - How to Meditate

Self-Criticism: When we begin meditating, its all too common to beat up on ourselves. Im doing it wrong! Im not a good meditator! Ill never be able to follow my breath! Most everyone who has tried to meditate has experienced some version of this self-doubt. Though its natural impulse, its not helpful. Remember, the purpose of meditation isnt to enter a bliss state or eradicate all thinking. Its simply to be present with whats going on right now, whatever that is. Try to let go of any judgments you have about good meditation or bad meditation, and whether or not youve achieved anything. We all have the capacity for clarity, for calm and for mindfulness.

Sleepiness: Many people get sleepy when they try to meditate. This may be because our minds are simply overstimulated, or it may be because our bodies are tired and need some rest. Either way, there are skillful ways to wake ourselves up so we can engage in meditation. Straighten your posture. Open your eyes. Try walking meditation. Instead of using your breath as the anchor of your attention, try listening to sounds. Or, develop a pattern of sensations to focus on: for example, first the feeling of breath passing in and out of your nostrils, then the diaphragm rising and falling, and then the gentle breeze of air just above your lips.

Restlessness: Were so used to keeping busy, that meditation can seem boring at first. If thats the case, try focusing on very specific sensations, like the outbreath. You can even try to control your breathing, taking shorter inbreaths and longer outbreaths. Most importantly, try not to be too hard on yourself.

Pain: You may feel pain when you begin to practice meditation for longer durations. It could be just a sharp, fleeting pang in your legs, or it could be dull cramps or aches in your back. Whatever it is, try to simply notice it and accept it at first. Acknowledge that its a feeling, just like any other feeling, and that it will eventually pass. If it persists, try directing your attention to another part of the body. And if the pain gets intolerable, adjust your posture as needed.

Fear: In the rare instance, panic or fear may arise. Should this happen, try to shift the attention toward something outside the body, like the air whooshing in and out of your nostrils, or sounds. But dont force yourself to pay close attention to whatever it is that might be causing you emotional discomfort. And if its too intense, dont worry about opening your eyes, or just taking a break.

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How to Meditate - Well Guides - The New York Times

Why meditate?

On one level, meditation is a tool.

It can help combat stress, fosters physical health, helps with chronic pain, can make you sleep better, feel happier, be more peaceful, as well as be more present.

But on a deeper level, meditation is a doorway into the unknown. It can help us get a sense of the mystery of who we are.

When you start meditating, youll notice how unruly the mind is.

I remember being quite shocked by this!

At first, my mind was all over the place.

Profound thoughts about my past or future jostled with mundane thought clips about what groceries I needed to buy. Some time afterwards I would come too and notice that I had spent15 minutes running a painful memory over and over.

It was like sitting in a crazy cinema!

So, if youre starting out with meditation, please dont beat yourself up about your wild mind. It is a natural condition. In time you will learn to work kindly with the barrage of thoughts and you will find some clarity and peacefulness.

Here are some simple tips on how to meditate. .

Whether you sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor, make sure that your spine is upright with head up. If you are slumped your mind will drift. Mind and body are intertwined. If your body is well-balanced, your mind will also be in balance. To straighten up, imagine that your head is touching the sky.

Try and keep you eyes open. Open eyes allow you to be more present. Just lower your eyes and let your gaze be soft. If you close your eyes you will be more likely to drift away on thoughts and stories. However, its important to do what is comfortable for you. Some people find closing their eyes much more effective. Its good to experiment and see what feels best for you.

In ordinary consciousness we are hardly ever present. For example, sometimes we drive the car on autopilot while being preoccupied with thoughts. Suddenly we arrive at our destination and dont remember anything about the drive!

So, meditation is a wonderful way of waking up to our life. Otherwise we miss most of our experiences because we are somewhere else in our mind! Lets take a look at what focus is. In ordinary life, we tend to equate focus with concentration. Thats like using the mind like a concentrated beam of light. But in meditation, that kind of mind isnt helpful. Its too sharp and edgy. To focus in meditation means to pay soft attention to whatever you place in the centre of awareness. I suggest using the breath as a focus. Its like a natural door that connects inside and outside. Zen Master Toni Packer says:

Attention comes from nowhere. It has no cause. It belongs to no one

Paying attention to the breath is a great way to anchor yourself in the present moment. Notice your breath streaming in and out. Theres no need to regulate the breath just let it be natural.

If you are having difficulties settling, you can try counting the breath which is an ancient meditation practice. On your outbreath, silently count one, then two, and up to four. Then return to one. Whenever you notice your thoughts have strayed far away or you find yourself counting thirty-three, simply return to one. In this way, one is like coming home to the present moment. Its good to return without a backward glance.

When you notice thoughts, gently let them go by returning yous focus to the breath. Dont try tostop thoughts; this will just make you feel agitated. Imagine that they are unwelcome visitors at your door: acknowledge their presence and politely ask them to leave. Then shine the soft light of your attention on your breath.

Its difficult to settle into meditation if you are struggling with strong emotions. This is because some emotions tend to breed stories in the mind. Especially anger, shame and fear create stories that repeat over and over in the mind. Anger and shame make us keep looking at past events of the past. Fear looks at the future with stories that start with, What if

The way to deal with strong emotions in meditation is to focus on the body feelings that accompany the emotion. For example, this could be the tight band of fear around the chest or the hot roiling of anger in the belly. Let go of the stories and refocus on your body. In this way you are honouring your emotions but not becoming entangled in stories.

Silence is healing. I know that there are is a lot of meditation music around, but nothing beats simple silence. Otherwise the music or sounds on the tape just drown out the chatter in your mind. When we sit in silence we actually get to experience what our mind is doing. There is steadiness and calmness that comes from sitting in silence. In time outer and inner silence meet and you come to rest in the moment.

Start with 10 minutes and only sit longer if you feel the lengthis too short. Dont force yourself to meditate longer if you are not ready to do that. In time you might like to extend your meditation to 25 minutes. Thats a length that allows you to settle your mind without causing too much stress on your body. Most importantly, shrug off any shoulds. Some people enjoy sitting for an hour at a time. Others find that they cant sit longer than 10 minutes. Do what feels right for you!

Its lovely to create a special place to sit. You can even make a shrine or an altar that you can face when you sit in meditation. You might like to place a candle on your altar and objects that have meaning to you. Its lovely to find objects for your altar as you walk. Maybe you find stones, or seashells, or flowers that speak to you.

Most of all, its important to enjoy meditation. You might like to try sitting with a hint of a smile. Be kind to yourself. Start sitting just a little each day.

Watch the video below to get access to theMeditation Resource Guide.

Enjoy these related articles:

Why Meditation Improves Brain Power

Do You Suffer from Spiritual Fatigue? How to Recover in 1 Day or Less

De-stress, Unwind: The True Value of Silence

What is Natural Spirituality?

Save the World One Breath at a Time

How to Make Life Spacious

How to Develop Intelligence at Any Age

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How to Meditate: 10 Important Tips - Goodlife Zen

I am a graduating senior, and I feel an intense pressure from society to get a job right away and start making a living. Our culture has established the norm of making money and reaching a higher status, and these cultural norms can create an imbalance in our work/life balance. When I start to sense an imbalance in my life, I try to take on different activities that improve my physical and mental health. One thing I have been learning is how to meditate.

I can imagine we are all pretty stressed by now, especially with finals coming up. Spring is supposed to be a great time of year when the flowers are blooming and everyone is getting ready for the warm weather, but thats the problem; I have no motivation to do anything because I just want to sit outside without a care in the world. My mind is so jumbled up that I can hardly grasp the fact that I am graduating. I started meditating, hoping that I would improve my motivation.

I used to be very skeptical about meditation. I thought it wasnt going to work, and I didnt really understand the point of it. Mediation is also not something someone can just do right the very first time; it takes a lot of practice to get even close to a genuinely clear mind while being very self-aware.

When I started to meditate, I didnt understand what the goal was. Yoga International says, In meditation, the mind is clear, relaxed, and inwardly focused. When you meditate, you are fully awake and alert, but your mind is not focused on the external world or on the events taking place around you. With all the burdens that come with life, it seems like reaching this kind of mental state is impossible.

There are some great videos on YouTube that can help you get started, but my favorite website to use is Headspace. The website has ten basic sessions that are free, and they have more advanced sessions that require payment. I like Headspace because the instructor guides you through each step and makes it fairly enjoyable.

There is a lot of intrinsic value behind mediation; I have gotten to know myself and become aware the kind of person that I want to be, and the kind of people I want to surround myself with. If you know your self worth and you understand the kind of person you are, your relationships will improve and your self-esteem will increase.

One of the most important things to do while meditating is to pay attention to your breathing. Yoga International says, Meditation teaches you to attend to what is taking place within, without reacting. By practicing meditation, you can train yourself to be open to different opportunities presented to you. It may seem a little uncomfortable and strange at first, but its worth a shot at a peaceful mind.

Collegian Blogger Kelli Jones can be reached online at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @kellijayyy. Leave a comment and come back for more health and fitness posts.

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Health and Fitness: Meditation - Rocky Mountain Collegian

Those interested are invited to stop in their way to work.

Organizers say the program is a great way to start any day, but is also a great start to the weekend. Those who are new to meditation will be able to ask questions and learn, get some feedback and support. For those that like the extra motivation to start or stay in practice this is a great opportunity, said organizer Neil Pinkman. Each Friday, there will be a half hour of meditation and a half hour of Q&A. .

These free sessions are facilitated by Pinkman, who started meditating twenty years ago. He has worked with a variety of meditations: Guided, Primordial Sound, Transcendental, and Mindfulness. He has studied with, and researched, the meditation techniques of various teachers, including Deepak Chopra, Jack Kornfield, Lama Surya Das, and others. Pinkman has used Mindfulness as a core technique with his clients for many years and said he has seen incredible transformation.

The Center for Spiritual Living is located at 31 Westville Ave. in the old Womens Club. For more information call 973-403-3306, or just show up.

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Meditate for free on Friday - New Jersey Hills