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.

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What is Natural Spirituality?

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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

A study has shown that group meditation could go a long way in curing depression, anxiety and other stress-related disorders.

Meditation will always help, as a study finds mindfulness group therapy has an equally positive effect as individual cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of a wide range of psychiatric symptoms in patients with depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders.

The results suggests that various scales measured, among others, symptoms of depression, general anxiety, stress and somatisation, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity, aggression, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation and psychoticism. There was no difference in treatment effect between the two groups.

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Group therapy with mindfulness can be a viable alternative treatment, which at the same will free up resources in healthcare to be used more efficiently.

Our new research shows that mindfulness group therapy has the equivalent effect as individual CBT for a wide range of psychiatric symptoms that are common among this patient group, said lead researcher Jan Sundquist.

Collective meditation has healing powers, a new study suggests. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The team included 215 patients with depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders.

They studied a broad range of psychiatric symptoms and how these symptoms changed during the treatment.

The results showed that the average score for all 15 different subscales/indexes in the various questionnaires decreased significantly in both scales.

As mental illnesses are increasing at a very fast rate it is absolutely essential to expand the treatment alternatives for this patient group in primary healthcare. Our view is that the scarce resources should be partly reallocated to mindfulness group therapy so that the limited availability of individual psychotherapy can be utilised in an optimal fashion, Sundquist concluded.

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Group meditation may treat depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders: Study - Hindustan Times

In exercise for this topic we focus on skill: Presentations.

This exercise is prepared by the Leaf Academy. It is part of the Spectator College programme and it is linked to the articles: Mortgage state bonus: How the young can cut their living costs and Natural gardens a piece of nature in town.

CONTENT EXERCISE 1: Mortgage state bonus: How the young can cut their living costs EXERCISE 2: Natural gardens a piece of nature in town Recommended Usage and Format for exercises

EXERCISE 1 linked to the article: Mortgage state bonus: How the young can cut their living costs

Lesson Objectives

EXERCISE 2 linked to the article: Natural gardens a piece of nature in town

Lesson Objectives

Recommended Usage and Format for exercises

We believe a discussion-based format is best for achieving the learning objectives. We also believe that using the technique Writing as Thinking helps students to formulate their ideas and practice their writing in advance of the discussion. The degree of facilitator and adult involvement will vary according to student background and secondary objectives.

Writing

Model by being willing to write along with students and also to share your writing with the class.

Let them know before writing if they will be asked to share their writing out loud.

Here writing is first thoughts, so poor spelling, punctuation or conventions are not the focus.

Focus on engaging with ideas.

They do not need to apologize for the quality of their writing.

Discussion

Set expectations for active listening and body language

Engage introverts and extroverts, be mindful of dominant voices

Be mindful of how much you are speaking

Manage time

Encourage students to respond directly to each other, and not through the facilitator, using evidence- I agree with Igors point because

Encourage everyone to draw from evidence in the text to support their points, avoid generalizations

Can you point to a line in the text

Can you help me to understand

Could you give an example

Use techniques to encourage other voices

Lets hear some other thoughts

Lets hear from someone who hasnt contributed yet...

Techniques for managing time/discussion

Put this in the parking lot and move on

Lets pause here

Parts of the lesson

Focused Free Write- an opportunity for students to write freely, but about a specific prompt.

Reflection- an opportunity to think about the lesson, what they have learned and hopefully how it will help them or how it connects to their life

Underlining words- this strategy is a good habit for students and it also allows them more ownership of their vocabulary.

This exercise is prepared by the Leaf Academy and it is part of the Spectator College, a programme created by The Slovak Spectator.

17. Apr 2017 at 2:30 |Compiled by Spectator staff

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Topic: Housing (Excercise) - The Slovak Spectator

Every parent has days when the frustrations of the job get to them.

Toys are scattered throughout the house, the baby wont sleep and the 3-year-old is climbing onto the roof. Whats a parent to do?

Jordan Able, of Makanda, understands the frustrations and stresses of parenting. She is mom to 3-year-old Jensen and is expecting a baby girl in May.

When asked how she overcomes those frustrations and stresses, she replied Friday that one of the reasons they were at Evergreen Park in Carbondale was it has been one of those weeks.

Getting outside, like spending a day at the park, reduces stress for children and adults. The National Wildlife Federation says a connection to the natural world is essential to the health and development of children.

Benefits include increased fitness, higher levels of Vitamin D, improves distance vision and fewer symptoms of ADHD, among others.

Sometimes, it is throwing out the routine and doing something fun to recharge, Able said.

Dorothy Cozart, of Carbondale, a mom and grandma, has methods to help her cope.

The first thing I do is I pray," she said. "Then I take a long bath and listen to smooth, relaxing music."

When the children are stressed, she takes them to a park.

Fionsha Self of Carbondale is mom and foster mom to eight children, including five who are with her all the time. She has developed what she calls system breathe.

First she counts down from 10. Then, then she inhales and pays attention to the scents around her.

I realize all these beautiful kids are a blessing. They are helping me become who I was meant to be, Self said. Being a foster parent is my calling in life, Self said. I wouldnt trade it for the world.

Shannon Thompson, of Anna, is a mom to boys ages 4 and 7 who are big fans of "American Ninja Warrior" (think running, jumping and climbing). She uses the same advice she gives her sons: Take a long break and count to 10 to deal with anger.

She admitted that, sometimes, she has to raise her voice so the boys know she is serious.

Its hard being a parent," she said "I tried to give up yelling for Lent. I told the boys we are a family and we need to talk nicely to each other."

Zachary and Megan Sims, of Carbondale, have daughters ages 6 and 3. What helps Zachary most is to make sure he and his wife have a strong relationship.

I put a lot of care into our marriage, Sims said. It is important for any parent to have a strong support network of family and friends.

Parents Care and Share of Illinois has a list called 25 Things to do Instead of Hitting or Screaming. Here are a few of their suggestions:

If you can safely leave your kids alone and go outside, walk, jog, bike or run. If you cannot safely leave the kids, take them on a walk.

If its impossible to get outside, jump rope, do jumping jacks or run in place.

Find something to laugh about: cartoons in the newspaper, a funny television program or a silly video.

Bake bread and knead the dough by hand.

Sit down with a cup of tea and do absolutely nothing.

Turn on lively music and dance.

Work in the yard or garden.

Clean out the refrigerator.

Think about ways to reduce stress before it happens.

Self says to enjoy the moments with your children. They will not last forever.

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Parents give advice for dealing with frustration - The Southern

Concertgoers come to rest

Stefan Hoederath/Redferns/Getty

By Nicole Kobie

A baby falling back to sleep at 2 am to a gentle lullaby may convince its parents that music can induce sleep, but new compositions designed to help listeners relax sound rather different to Rock-a-bye Baby.

Boston-based start-up Sync Project uses biometrics to tailor music to your mood. Its Unwind app measures your heart beat via your smartphones accelerometer and uses these readings to tweak a relaxing ambient track by UK band Marconi Union. After listening, you take a brief survey. How relaxed do you feel?

Music can be used for everyday wellness as well as for clinical applications, says Sync Project co-founder Ketki Karanam. Relaxation and sleep was an obvious place to start. We decided to start by focusing on relaxation as we felt that was one area where people were using music to calm themselves down or relax, she says. And people with sleep conditions are often looking for drug-free ways to sleep better.

As well as the Unwind app, the company plans to collect biometric data from attendees at an overnight performance of neoclassical composer Max Richters eight-hour album Sleep designed to help people nod off at the Barbican in London next month.

Concertgoers will be invited to wear activity-tracking URA rings, which also monitor heart rate and body temperature. In addition, the volunteers will wear the rings while going to sleep at home, with and without the aid of Richters composition.

The Sync Project team will then analyse the readings for insights into how the music might affect sleep and relaxation. Participants will also report back on their stress and relaxation levels before and after listening to the music.

Ultimately, Sync Project aims to develop its own AI-based music treatment tools for different situations, from everyday wellness to clinical applications. Karanam even points to studies examining musics impact on people affected by conditions such as Parkinsons, Alzheimers and strokes.

But neuroscientist David Eagleman at Stanford University in California, who was an adviser to Richter on the Sleep album, is sceptical. Repetitive, unsurprising music helps the brain go into a relaxed state but does little more, he says.

Music has certain obvious ways it can excite or relax us, but there are limits and it certainly cant replace real treatments, he says. In the Parkinsons research, music could help people keep their muscles moving better and stop them freezing while walking, he says but clapping works just as well.

Music can be a useful distraction, which can help with insomnia or pain relief, says Kevin Morgan, director of the Clinical Sleep Research Unit at Loughborough University, UK. That said, if the presenting insomnia is so mild it can be effectively managed with Spotify, its unlikely to have been a major clinical issue in the first place, he says.

Controlled, academic tests of Sync Projects tools remain necessary, as people who opt in to use them are already likely to be music fans, Morgan says. Keep in mind that those who like listening to music as a lifestyle choice do so because it delivers emotional/psychological benefits, he says. That it also delivers these benefits to the same people when theyre sick would be unsurprising.

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Start-up uses biometrics to tailor music for good night's sleep - New Scientist