On The Edge ine Ryan

I must be mindful, stay calm, still, move my fingers across the keyboard as if they were floating through the air, as I write my On the Edge column this week. I must ensure too that my chakras root, sacrum, solar plexus, throat, third eye and crown remain centred, in preparation for my yoga class later this evening. This means I am not allowed think about the next paragraph or the one after that. Indeed, the conclusion of this column will remain a mystery until it unfolds itself miraculously while I slowly and serenely take deep breaths, expanding my diaphragm to the size of a hot air balloon. Inhale.. one, two three, four, five, six, seven. Exhale . one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight nine. Phew! (Gasp.) Naturally, I am sitting asana, cross-legged on the floor, relaxing music wafting through the air, which is filled with the scent of sandalwood and lavender, choruses of birds twittering in the trees outside, a parallel universe to my quiet brain, suspended like a big lump of eel jelly in my skull. I am in the moment. That doesnt mean Ill ever have the agility of Trudie Styler whose partner, Sting revealed, while drunk during an interview some years ago, that ashtanga yoga practice meant they had amazing tantric sex for hours and hours. For those of you who were not aware of this scintillating piece of information, it is worth noting that tantric sex is not just about amazing acrobatics in the bedroom it is essentially about intimacy with your partner. As an apprentice yoga student, the word intimacy really resonates. I dont mean sexually here (The Mayo News hasnt been purchased by Playboy) but rather having the time to hear the beat and rhythm of ones own heart and pulse, the rises and riffs of our bodies as we hurtle headlong through the day. In this big bad crazy world where we now have to go to detox sanctuaries to escape the multiple demands of our mobile phones, i-Pads, tablets and computers; where we we are so time-poor we often meet ourselves coming back; where we dont know our head from our heels as we rush around like blue-arsed flies or headless chickens. Stand and stare LIKE when do we take time out just to breathe? When do we sit silently and do nothing? I think of the classic poem by WH Davies, entitled Leisure, of: What is this life if, full of care,/ We have no time to stand and stare./ No time to stand beneath the boughs/ And stare as long as sheep or cows./ No time to see, when woods we pass,/ Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass./ No time to see, in broad daylight,/ Streams full of stars, like skies at night./ No time to turn at beautys glance,/ And watch her feet, how they can dance./ No time to wait till her mouth can/ Enrich that smile her eyes began. A poor life this if, full of care,/ We have no time to stand and stare. This poem may have been first published in 1911 but hasnt it even more relevance in todays frenetic world? Why have we so enslaved ourselves to the din of the digital world and all its trappings? Are we that afraid of the sound of silence? The whole Mindfulness movement, popularised in the western world since the late 1970s, is essentially based on many aspects of the ancient meditative practices associated with Buddhism. As the power of the institutional church wanes people are increasingly turning to yogic-style practices in the search for metaphysical meaning and fulfilment. Our everyday ethos is more about karma, that complex and enigmatic web of conditions that rule our world, rather than an eye for an eye, as espoused in the Old Testament of the Bible. Ironically, we are also embracing the hills and the mountains as if we were running from a herd of giant mammoths. But that fanatical trend is for another day. I am way too Zen here now to be donning my runners and lycra and working up a sweat that would put crooner Christy Moore to shame. Namaste!

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Meditating on the moment - Mayo News

The Equestra at Colts Neck Crossing adult community, Route 33, Howell, will host a spring bazaar in the community clubhouse from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 8. Handmade arts and crafts, jewelry, spring/Easter items, home goods, childrens books, skincare products and more! Door prizes and refreshments. Details: 732-938-2222.

On April 9, folk musician John Gorka will perform in concert at St. John The Baptist Catholic Church, 1282 Yardville-Allentown Road, Allentown. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 day of show; seating is limited to 186. For tickets, visit http://www.stjohnromancatholic.org/sjrc/ches or visit the parish office during business hours.

Congregation Ahavat Olam and Temple Beth Am Shalom will host a Yom Hashoah commemoration at 5 p.m. April 24 at Congregation Ahavat Olam, 106 Windeler Road, Howell. Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann will speak. Children in grades five through seven are encouraged to attend the main event and speaker. There will be separate childrens programs for grades one through four. The community is invited to attend. Details: 732-719-3500.

West Farms United Methodist Church, 153 Casino Drive, Howell, will host a Spring Thing sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 8. Spring flowers, candy bouquets, baked goods, new and used items. All are welcome to attend.

The Monmouth County Park System is looking for lifeguards, camp counselors, park and golf course maintenance workers, and other seasonal employees. A Seasonal Job Fair will be held from noon to 3 p.m. April 8 at the Fort Monmouth Recreation Center, 2566 Guam Lane, Tinton Falls. Prospective employees must be at least 16 years old and a county resident. Bring copies of resume. Full listing of seasonal jobs at http://www.MonmouthCountyParks.com. Details: 732-842-4000, ext. 4339.

New Egypt Day will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20. Activities for children will include face painting, pony rides, inflatables, petting zoo and a tractor-pulled wagon. Food, music by Jakes Rockin Country Band and vendors. Festivities will take place on Main Street and Evergreen Road. Admission is free. A $6 per child wristband is required for unlimited access to childrens activities listed above. For more information or to request a vendor application, contact Peter Ylvisaker at 609-758-2241, ext. 132, or email pylvisaker@plumsted.org

Basket and Bag Bingo presented by the Cookstown Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 Ladies Auxiliary will be held on April 8 at the New Egypt Elks, 105 Lakewood Road (Route 528), New Egypt. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., Bingo starts promptly at 7 p.m. Tickets: $30 per person. For tickets, call Karen Ivins at 609-668-2030.

The Optimist Club of Howell and the Howell Municipal Alliance will present the 22nd annual charity golf outing on April 24 at Eagle Oaks Golf and Country Club, Howell. Various levels of sponsorship are available through April 15. Buffet barbecue luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Shotgun start (scramble format) at 12:30 p.m. Dinner and awards at 6 p.m. Proceeds to assist Howell youths and families in need. Cost is $300 per golfer; $1,200 per foursome. Details: howelloptimist@yahoo.com or call 732-915-3423.

The Plumsted Trap, Neuter and Return Committee will host a Spay-ghetti dinner from 4-8 p.m. April 29 at American Legion Post 455, 2 Meadowbrook Road, New Egypt. Proceeds will allow the committee to care for the communitys cats. Dinner includes spaghetti, meatballs, salad. Cash bar, raffle. Donations of canned and dry cat food and dog food requested. All are welcome. Tickets: Adults, $12; Children under 10, $6; takeout, $1 extra. For tickets, call 609-317-0453.

Jackson VFW Post 4703 will host fish fry dinners from 4-7 p.m. April 7 and April 14 at 54 Magnolia Drive, Jackson. An $8 donation includes a fish dinner with dessert. All are welcome to attend.

The Jackson Friends of the Library will host a book sale at the Jackson Library, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson, from April 29 through May 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A special preview sale for Friends members will be held on April 28 from noon to 4:30 p.m. Books, audio books, CDs and DVDs will be available for purchase. New items will be added every day. All are welcome to attend.

The Upper Freehold-Allentown Municipal Alliance will host Bike Night 2017 on June 7. All makes and models of bikes are welcome. American and metric bikes will be present. A car show will be held on June 28. All makes and models of cars are welcome. Both events will be held from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Roost at the Cream Ridge Golf Course, 181 Route 539, Upper Freehold Township. Door prizes, judging, awards, music, food and beverages. Vendor opportunities are available. There is no entry fee, but donations for the alliance are accepted. Details:609-758-7738, ext. 230.

On April 19 at 6 p.m., the Jackson Library will host William Berg, a financial adviser with Waddell and Reed. Berg will discuss the importance of having the Five Wishes living will in force. All attendees will leave with the Five Wishes document filled out, signed and in force, at no cost. The program is for adults and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400, press option 4.

On April 26 at 6:30 p.m., the Jackson Library will host a workshop from Ocean County SCORE that is designed to educate entrepreneurs and help small businesses start, grow and succeed. The program is for adults and registration is required. Details: 732-928-4400, press option 4.

Guests at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center, Howell, can meet one of the environmental centers resident snakes during a snake meet and greet at 1 p.m. April 23. There is no cost to attend the program.

Come and explore the woods and wetlands of the Manasquan Reservoir, Howell, on Earth Day, April 22. Meet at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center. The day will include nature walks, live reptile and amphibian presentations, childrens crafts, and more. Activity times: animal presentations at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.; nature walks at noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

A watercolor workshop for adults, presented by Tomo Kitajima, will be held at the Jackson Library at 10 a.m. April 19. Learn how pigments and water play together. Participants must bring three round watercolor brushes, sizes 8, 12 and 16, to the class. Advanced registration is required. Seating is limited. Details: 732-928-4400.

A session of Coloring for Adults will be held from 10-11:30 a.m. April 25 at the Jackson Library. Coloring sheets and art supplies are provided, along with light refreshment and relaxing music. The program is free, but advanced registration is required. Call 732-928-4400 to register.

The Plumsted Library will host Master Gardeners Present: Hummingbirds and Butterflies, at 2 p.m. April 13. Join the Master Gardeners of Ocean County to learn how to attract hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden this spring. Details: 609-758-7888.

The Plumsted Library will host at Book Caf at 3 p.m. April 17. Join the Book Caf group as members talk about new books and authors, and discuss their past favorites. Details: 609-758-7888.

The Plumsted Library will host a program about baby chicks at 3:30 p.m. April 19. Members of the New Egypt AG-U will celebrate chick season by sharing what people need to know about raising and caring for these birds. Program is for ages 4 and up. Details: 609-758-7888.

The Ocean County Library Puppet Players present Mr. Pusskins at 3:30 p.m. April 26 at the Plumsted Library. Mr. Pusskins decides to go on an adventure of a lifetime and leave his boring life behind. Program is for ages 3 and up. Details: 609-758-7888.

The Jackson Rotary Club will sponsor a bus trip to the Tropicana Casino, Atlantic City, on April 23. Cost is $34 which includes bus transportation, sandwich, chips and beverage on the bus, $25 back in slot play and gratuity for the driver. Bus leaves Jackson at noon and returns at 9 p.m. Proceeds benefit Rotary Club charities. For reservations, contact Tom Barchie at 732-207-4029.

Brookdale Community College will present its annual guitar show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 30 in the Brookdale Recreation and Events Center, Lincroft. There will be live performances, exclusive deals on guitars, musical equipment and more, and educational workshops. General admission: $12; free for children 12 and under. Details: http://www.brookdaleguitarshow.com

The Adelphia Fire Company, 925 Adelphia Road (Route 524), Howell, will hold a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon April 9. All are welcome. Adults: $10. Children: $6. All you can eat pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, orange juice, tea and cocoa.

A blood drive will be held at Howell Middle School South, 1 Kuzminski Way, Howell, on April 27. Babysitting and refreshments will be available. Online scheduling is available. Enter ZIP code 07731 in the Find A Blood Drive box and enter password HMSS17 to schedule an appointment. Details: Email patrice_mcdow@yahoo.com

The Adelphia Fire Company, 925 Adelphia Road (Route 524), Howell, will hold its annual Steak Bake and Gift Auction on May 6. Doors open at 6 p.m. Dinner from 7-9 p.m. Ticket donation: $35. Includes all you can eat steak, fries, salad, dessert, soda/tea and beer. For tickets, email Mark or Katie at adelphiafiresteakbake@gmail.com

The Sons of the American Legion Post 455, 2 Meadowbrook Lane, New Egypt, invites the community to its all you can eat breakfast on the first Sunday of each month (May 6) from 7-11 a.m. Cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children. Children under 4 are free. Breakfast features scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pork roll, potatoes, french toast, pancakes and more. There is also a station to order omelets.

The Jackson Librarys knitting group, Knit-Chat-Chain, is seeking donations of yarn and wool. The members of the group create sweaters, hats, scarves and blankets to donate to charity. Yarn donations may be brought to the Circulation Desk during library hours: Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details: 732-928-4400.

A knitting group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at Sabbath House, 8 Front St., New Egypt. Members are knitting and crocheting scarves for the Seamans Church Institute in Newark. Patterns, yarn and help is available.

New Jersey Blood Services is in need of volunteers to work blood drives in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Tasks include assisting donors with registration, watching donors for post-donation reactions and responding to their needs. Details: Jan Zepka, 732-616-8741.

St. Aloysius Church, 935 Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson, offers support groups to help people better understand their feelings and to meet others who are dealing with the same life issues. A bereavement support group meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. and a divorced and separated support group meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. Both meetings are held in the parish office. A freewill donation of $5 is requested. Details: Email St AloysiusGonzagaGroup@gmail.com.

Items for the Datebook may be sent to gmntnews@newspapermediagroup.com. Please submit items at least two weeks prior to a scheduled event.

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Tri-Town News Datebook, April 6 - Greater Media Newspapers

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A new Nielsen report released by the Organic Trade Association last month found that organic food items are regularly purchased bymore than 82 percent of American families.

The study, claiming to be the first comprehensive look at household purchases of organic food, looked at the purchasing habits of more than 100,000 households between 2015 and 2016. Not only did the researchers find a high prevalence of organic food, but data in 2016 rose 3.4 percent over the organic placement in 2015.

Several states showed organic food in 90 percent or more of households, with the lowest placement per state still surprising at 70 percent. The biggest growth in organic purchases happened in North Dakota, where nearly 86 percent of homes reported organic purchases in 2016, up more than 14 percent from 2015. Rhode Island was up to more than 88 percent, up 12.3 percent from 2015. Wyoming was at 90 percent; Wisconsin, while only showing organic in 77.6 percent of homes, was up more than nine percent from 2015.

These new findings show how important organic has become to millions and millions of American families everywhere, Laura Batcha, CEO and Executive Director of OTA, said in a statement.

Organic food sales in the U.S. hit more than $40 billion last year and the upward trend isshowing no end in sightfor numerous reasons, according to the OTA.

Organic provides a healthy choice for consumers everywhere, and a profitable choice for farmers, said Batcha. The industry relies on a few critical public institutions to support this burgeoning industry, including the National Organic Program for global oversight and uniform standards and research investment targeted to organic production. Organic is fueled by consumers, and it thrives when USDA recognizes the importance of organic to rural economies and to rural households.

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New Research Finds Organic Food Offers More Superior Health Benefits than ConventionalGeneral Mills on Track to Meet $1 Billion Organic GoalGlobal Organic Food and Beverage Market Expected to Nearly Triple by 2022

Jill Ettinger is a Los Angeles-based journalist and editor focused on the global food system and how it intersects with our cultural traditions, diet preferences, health, and politics. She is the senior editor for sister websites OrganicAuthority.com and EcoSalon.com, and works as a research associate and editor with the Cornucopia Institute, the organic industry watchdog group. Jill has been featured in The Huffington Post, MTV, Reality Sandwich, and Eat Drink Better. http://www.jillettinger.com.

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82% of American Homes Stock Organic Food, Survey Finds - Organic Authority

APPOMATTOX Don and Nancy Wilk always had thought about opening their own business in order to spend more time together.

After one visit to Appomattox, they decided to buy an old building on Church Street and open an organic food market and education space by the end of this year named Local Apx Market.

It was not something we were working on [for a long time]; the idea was always there, its still developing. We heard the other day, you build it as you buy it, Don, 59, said.

They moved in 2015 to the town of Appomattox from Pennsylvania after just one visit in 2014. The couple used a portion of Dons pension to purchase the circa-1912 downtown building for $156,000 and now live in its second-floor apartment.

The Wilks were inspired to open the market because of their own experience with clean eating, a new diet trend that emphasizes consuming minimally processed foods that are as close as possible to their natural state.

The kitchen will be used to cook clean food recipes, and customers will be able to eat in an indoor dining space that looks out to Church Street, or on an outdoor deck behind the 4,800-square-foot building, which is located across the street from the old Appomattox train depot.

We dont do it perfectly by any means, but we started looking in this direction when our kids, grandkids and ourselves had health issues because of additives, preservatives and things like pesticides in the food, Nancy said.

She said after that, the family had to learn to eat differently, and as hard as it is to eat clean at home, it's harder when going out to eat or traveling.

As owners of the building and residents on the second floor, they can watch life go by on Church Street. The business location on the main thoroughfare in town could encourage people to just stop by, Don said.

A big part of why we are here is to build a Christian community, build things biblically and all that entails, Don said.

The building of the market will be slow to some because the Wilks believe the Bible says they are not to incur long-term debt.

Were going to build this slow, sure; we dont want to get down the road [and say] oh, we have to do something different because we have to pay the mortgage. Thats going to make sure we are sustainable, Nancy said.

To start momentum and raise money, they have held monthly farmers markets in the building since December. The producers-only market offers a new venue to vendors whose next-closest farmers markets are in Lynchburg or Farmville. So far, nine vendors and at least 200 customers per month are taking advantage of it, Nancy said.

In May, they hope to host the markets up to once per week in a parking lot behind the building.

They have been pleasantly surprised by the number of small producers who have expressed interest in attending the pop-up farmers markets. Several times per week, someone is calling, texting or emailing, asking to participate or if a product is offered, said Nancy, 57.

Everyone from raw milk providers to a yak farmer have offered to bring products to market, she said.

Its really exciting to see people stepping up, and it took someone to plant the flag and say, this is what we are doing, Nancy said.

The pop-up markets have coincided twice with a group of local artisans who hold a vintage market at the same time and day as the farmers market in Abbitt Park, a few blocks from Local Apx Market.

Appomattox resident Laura Dawson, who started Appomattox Vintage and Artisans Market in 2016, said her event was inspired by what she saw happening in the town with new events and businesses like Local Apx Market.

Just to have someplace for people to gather and have a family-friendly event. I think thats what we will see start to arise, those type of community-knit events, Dawson said.

The Wilks want to build a combined effort with other small businesses in Appomattox, like the vintage market, to offer events for downtown residents.

Once the downtown building upgrades are finished, including a kitchen and bathrooms, the food market will be open six days per week.

Upstairs, a room will be reserved offering classes on nutrition and gardening. Nancy said she hopes some of the farmers who bring products to the market will teach classes on sustainable agriculture.

All those things [are] to continue moving our family, friends and neighbors to a healthier food space. Its our responsibility to do that, Nancy said.

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A 'clean' start: Couple look to launch organic food market in Appomattox - Lynchburg News and Advance

Four toppings available

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 4, 2017) Papa Johns International is testing a pilot program in Lexington that makesorganic produce available for pizza toppings. Toppings include Roma tomatoes, green peppers, yellow onions and mushrooms.

Papa Johns plans topartner with Green BEAN Deliveryto source organic produce from Certified Organic family farms tolocations in Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Oregon, California and Indiana.

Our customers want to know where their food comes from and how it is produced, said Sean Muldoon, chief ingredient officer at Papa Johns. At Papa Johns, we are constantly looking at ways to meet the needs of our customers whether its through our clean label initiative or testing organic produce. Moving into a test of organic produce is a natural progression as Papa Johns takes pride in our position of having the cleanest label in the pizza industry.

In 2015 organic fruits and vegetables reached $14.4 billion in sales and almost 13 percent of the produce sold in the U.S. is now organic, according to the Organic Trade Association. Sales are expected to reach nearly 20 percent by 2020. Additionally, more than half of American households purchase organic produce.

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Papa John's testing organic produce toppings in Lexington - The Lane Report

The first thing I see is sunlight glistening off the gently rolling waves in the distance, while I stand on a small foliage-decked island so green it almost glows. Later, I'm standing on the balcony of the kind of aggressively minimalist luxury apartment only seen in movies and television shows. I can imagine a soft breeze flowing through these expansive spaces, but it's only that: imagination.

In fact, I'm standing in my own living room and in a virtual reality creation, one especially designed to complement the practice of meditation, or at least one very specific version of it.

The program I'm using is called Guided Meditation VR, and I'm experiencing it through an HTC Vive virtual reality headset connected to powerful desktop computer. Besides choosing from about a dozen different locales to meditate in, I can listen to a wide variety of audio programs, called guided meditations, that run from 2 to 10 minutes and cover topics from breathing to compassion. (The app is $15 on the Steam platform for Vive, and a limited version is available for free for the phone-based Gear VR headset.)

Meditation in virtual locations isn't the most traditional way to approach the practice, but it may entice skeptics who aren't keen to sit in their living rooms with their eyes shut. "VR adds a really powerful, emotional ability to be in another place and to actually feel that emotional weight of another place," says Josh Farkas, CEO of Cubicle Ninjas, Guided Meditation's developer. "You can meditate anywhere, but at the end of the day, the ability to actually go to a virtual world and take a breather lowers the barrier to entry, and I hope gets people more excited."

Meditation is trendy again, as corporate CEOs, athletes and even Navy SEALs embrace it as a potential performance booster. But compared with earlier flirtations with mainstream acceptance dating to the 1960s, this modern approach to meditation has a harder, more scientific edge, built around taking advantage of the cognitive benefits it offers. One Harvard Medical School study found meditation actually increased the volume of gray matter in the brain, improving memory, learning and empathy.

The view from inside the Guided Meditation VR app.

ABC News reporter and anchor Dan Harris has played an outsized role in popularizing the concept of a modern, science-based form of meditation. In his popular 2014 book, "10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works," Harris described how he discovered the benefits of meditation once he was able to separate it from "the bearded swamis, unwashed hippies and fans of John Tesh music."

While Harris is a believer in technology-assisted meditation, including iOS and Android apps like Headspace, Insight Timer and his own 10% Happier app (based on his book), he thinks virtual reality may be one step too far.

"I've done some thinking about using VR for meditation," says Harris. But he also says he has yet to find a way to "harness what the technology is capable of to truly augment your meditation experience."

And that's because for traditional meditation, the idea of having a lush virtual environment to look at is actually counterproductive -- if anything, you're supposed to create it yourself. Harris says using virtual reality and 3D graphics for visualization "seems obvious on the one hand, because there are all these elaborate, particularly in the Tibetan tradition, visualization techniques. But if the VR is doing it for you, then you're not actually doing it. You're supposed to be closing your eyes and creating it on your own, that's a mental exercise."

Cubicle Ninjas' Farkas disagrees. He sees virtual meditation environments as perfect for "Type-A, very process-oriented, very analytical" people whom he describes as "the folks that have the worst time just sitting there with their eyes closed." By providing jungles and temples and other virtual landscapes, he says, an app makes it so "they can get distracted by this environment, and then they learn how to turn off those processes in their mind."

I can see both sides to this argument. The visuals in Guided Meditation VR are some of the best I've experienced in virtual reality, and there are plenty of customization options for program length and content, and even background music. But at the same time, it's hard to be mindful when there's a 1.2-pound headset strapped to your skull.

The biggest hurdle for me was actually time. Many casual meditators devote just 5 to 10 minutes per day to practice (a baseline suggested by Harris in his book), and simply setting up the HTC Vive headset and launching the required software can take that long by itself.

Despite being a VR skeptic, Harris thinks there is potentially a way to use virtual reality for meditation that makes sense. "It's very rare to have an opportunity to be in the room with a true meditation master," he says. "So one thing I think VR could do is put you in the room, maybe even a live setting, where you're actually interacting with the teacher. There's something really interesting, and, dare I say, special about being 'around' somebody who's spent decades of his or her life intensively meditating."

But while phone and VR apps can help, and are especially valuable for beginners, a practice thousands of years old is never going to be entirely dependent on technology. "I do think that technology can obviously be very useful," says Harris. "But I don't think it's the only answer."

This story appears in the spring 2017 edition of CNET Magazine. For other magazine stories, click here.

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Meditation in VR: Virtually mindful - CNET - CNET

Meditation is a powerful tool.

Singer-songwriter Jewel is a prime example of the practices life-changing benefits. In a recent interview with ABC News anchor Dan Harris, she said that learning to meditate helped her manage chronic anxiety and debilitating panic attacks, which stemmed from a tumultuous childhood.

I learned to do this meditation where I imagined I was on a very stormy ocean, she told Harris on his 10% Happier mindfulness podcast. Id imagine myself sinking through the ocean, allowing myself to relax, I would get calmer. I would notice the color of the ocean change. Id notice the taste of salt on my lips. Id notice the rays of sunlight coming in and the further I got down to the sandy floor, it got calm, it got tranquil by then, and I would look up at the stormy surface and it was in the distance.

The singer is certainly onto something: The benefits of meditation are robust. Research shows it canreduce stress, increasefocusand help with the management of painand sleeping problems.

If youre looking to add the practice to your life, weve rounded up a handful of meditation apps so you can reap the rewards, too. The programs will teach you how to meditate under any condition, give you the tools to handle things that make you anxious(the stress of the political climate, anyone?) and add an overall sense of calm to your day.

Scroll through the options below and find the one thats right for you:

Guided meditations cover topics like how to cope with anxiety, political stress or falling asleep. You can download the app for free with the option to subscribe for $7.99 per month. The app works onthe iPad, iPhone and Android.

Children can learn how toidentify their feelings, cope with emotions and learn social skills. Teen meditations focus more heavily on school transitioning and planning for the future. Adults will meditate on topics such as presence, listening skills, mindful eating. It also will help you learn "how to step back and pay attention to your thoughts and emotions," according to the Smiling Mind site.

Smiling Mind is a non-profit organization in Australia and the app is completely free. It can be downloaded on an iPad, iPhone and Android.

By doing so, the app aimstoteachyou how to observeyour thoughts and feelings without passing judgment with the goal of helping youcultivate kindness and self-compassion.

Subscribe for $6.99 a month for guided meditations thatconnect you to your body and emotion. The app works on an iPad, iPhone and Android.

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The Best Meditation Apps For iPhone, iPad And Android | The ... - Huffington Post

Glastonbury Festival has been compared to an aerobics class as fans slammed the announcement that Katy Perry and Stormzy will perform.

The musical pair will share a stage with the likes of Radiohead and Foo Fighters at the Worthy Farm event in June.

They were unveiled as two of the 88 acts set to play the iconic festival including Clean Bandit, The XX, Alt J, Barry Gibb, Biffy Clyro and Solange Knowles.

But some took aim at the decision to book Perry and the London-born grime artist for what some claimed is a rock event.

Critical: Some Glastonbury-goers are up-in-arms about Katy Perry (Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

One angry fan tweeted: Katy Perry and Stormzy. What the f*** is @GlastoFest these days? What a load of s****.

Another posted: Stormzy n Katy Perry at Glastonbury. ...f****** hell.

Others defended the decision with one posting: Lets face it @katyperry is going to SLAY Worthy farm. Glasto will be big fun this year. Good lineup there #Glastonbury2017 #Glastonbury.

Another wrote: Glastonbury lineup is rubbish except Katy and Stormzy.

The line-up was unveiled by organiser Emily Eavis, daughter of founder Michael Eavis.

Sharing a poster on Twitter she wrote: Here are the first few names of this year's wonderful line up! Even more will be with you soon...

Other names include Lorde,Chic, Major Lazer, Haim, Goldfrapp, Rag 'N' Bone Man, Toots and the Maytals and The Jacksons who will be making their Glastonbury debut.

Glastonbury Festival takes place between June 22-26.

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Glastonbury Festival compared to 'aerobics class' as fans slam Katy Perry and Stormzy - Evening Standard

While it may seem like vegan beauty has never been more popular, holistic esthetician Tammy Fender notes that plant-based remedies have always been a staple: If you think about it, throughout history the plant kingdom has provided some of our most potent medicines, from penicillin to aspirin, which was first isolated from the bark of the willow tree, she says. Though Fender admits that the demand for vegan beauty products does seem to be at an all-time high. And Google has the data to back it up: Since 2000, searches for vegan skin care have grown by 83% year over year in the U.S., according to research by the all-knowing search giant. Jessica Wu, MD, dermatologist and author of Feed Your Face can understand why. More of my patients are looking for vegan skin care because they've made a conscious choice to avoid animal products in all aspects of their lives, including their diet, clothing, and now beauty products, she says. For many, it's no longer enough for products to be cruelty-free.

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Vegans (& Everyone Else) Will Love These Skin-Care Brands - Refinery29

Vegan restaurant raises a ruckus with baby milk policy - BBC News BBC News A restaurant in Spain doesn't want parents feeding their babies animal milk on its premises. and more »

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Vegan restaurant raises a ruckus with baby milk policy - BBC News - BBC News