The most traditional bodybuilders fill their diets with proteins, such as meats and eggs. However, a new surge of muscle men and women are challenging the norm of meat-eating by turning to plant-powered diets.

The new community of bodybuilders, who refrain from meat and maintain a vegan diet, is gaining approval on social media and taking the bodybuilding world by storm. According to great vegan athletes, about 40 percent of bodybuilders have transitioned to vegan in the past year.

Being a vegan bodybuilder takes commitment and being strict to your diet. Many are beginning to become vegan and completely change their eating habits because of something theyve learned or believe in.

There are many explanations why someone might choose to go vegan. For example Jarett Tossey an ameatur vegan bdybuilder at California State University Long Beach said he completely change the way he eats based on what he learned and now believes in.

Vegan is the healthiest possible diet and it is a role model in supporting the rights of animals, said Tossey.

Here are some of the tips for new beginner vegan bodybuilders:

1. Get sufficient calories

The very first thing you must do as a vegan bodybuilder is make sure that you get enough calories. According to Michelle Loy, Nutritionist for Go Wellness in Huntington Beach, if you don't take in enough calories on a regular basis your body is more likely to turn to incoming protein for fuel and you may see a deficit forming.

2. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables

Second, be sure that you are taking in plenty of fruits and vegetables. These are going to supply you with a high quality source of nutrients, as well as all the antioxidant protection to keep your immune system feeling strong.

3. Don't neglect chickpeas and legumes

For vegans looking to build muscle, one of the key sources of protein they need to be looking into are chickpeas and other legumes. These will also be a good low-fat source of carbohydrates and make for a great snack before a hard workout.

4. Swap rice for quinoa

If you're in the habit of always eating brown rice with your meals, swap that up for some quinoa instead. A combination of brown rice and oatmeal called quinoa is higher in overall protein content. On top of that, quinoa is a complete source of protein, whereas brown rice is not. This is important for muscle building to take process.

5. Utilize egg white or soy protein powders

It's a wise move to make use of egg white protein powders if you eat animal by-products, or soy protein powders if not. These will dramatically help to boost your protein intake and they are quick and convenient. As long as you make sure to mix them up with other sources of protein, they are a 'must have' for your daily diet.

6. Avoid a heavy reliance on processed foods

One big mistake that many vegans make is relying a great deal on heavy, overly processed foods. Don't do this. Remember, being vegetarian doesn't mean you get free range to eat as many high-carb snack foods as you want. You still have to be eating healthy and making an effort to maintain a fresh diet that contains whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts.

7. Keep your workouts short but intense

When it comes to your workout, as a vegan you should aim for short but intense workouts. This will help prevent loss of muscle mass and will keep your body from relying on protein to get through those workouts. A long workout session could elevate your protein needs, which could get more difficult being on a vegan diet.

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Tips for Beginning Vegan Bodybuilders - DIG Magazine (blog)

Margaret Browning, Staff Writer March 6, 2017 Filed under A&E

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Do you ever have trouble studying or falling asleep? Do you want to listen to music while you study, but can never stay focused because of lyrics? Then I have the perfect solution!

Margauxs Top 5 List of Relaxing Music:

1.) C418- The artist behind Minecraft music. The music is very soft and calming, and great to listen to when youre studying or relaxing. (Available on iTunes, Googleplay, and Spotify.)

2.) Viridi OST (Ice Water Games/ Michael Bell)- A wonderful collection of calming music tracks from the game Viridi, a succulent simulator. (The album is 7$ to purchase, but free to listen to)

3.) myNoise- Not so much of a musical artist, but a great background noise generator. It has a wonderful selection of sounds you could listen to, such as a Cats Purr or Distant Thunder.

4.) The American Dollar- An indie band once again on Bandcamp. They made the music for the game Harmony (a really nice ios and android game!!) Its very peaceful, and has no lyrics. Its great background noise!

5.) Spotifys Rest And Relaxation Playlist- Just about the best thing you can get on Spotify for relaxing music. A bit of everything.

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Margaux's Top 5 List of Relaxing Music - Hawk Eye

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Mar. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- After listening to advice from his fans, Grammy Award winning musician Michael S. Tyrrell created a new album dedicated to helping listeners sleep and relax. His fans rewarded him by supporting the new effort, driving his new album "Wholetones: Life, Love & Lullabies," to debut at Number 3 on Billboard's New Age Chart.

"Life, Love & Lullabies" is composed with soft instruments, soothing melodies and lulling frequencies. Tyrrell wrote the music without any drums or invigorating crescendos featured on previous albums, hoping to help customers fall asleep even easier. The songs are based on the science behind musical frequencies and their impact on the mind, body and spirit.

"As an artist, it is gratifying for me to hear the stories of success from my listeners who suffer from insomnia or have children who have trouble falling asleep," said Tyrrell. "Life, Love & Lullabies is almost three full hours of frequency-infused music that works to get you a good night's sleep."

The music ranges from original songs to interpretations of famous lullabies, like "Brahms' Lullaby" which is well-known for its lyrics starting with "Lullaby and goodnight."

"I can honestly say it's some of the most beautiful music I've ever had the privilege of playing. And it was an honor to do it with the world-class musicians from the original Healing Frequency Music Project," Tyrrell said. "But more than that, it's truly an honor to finally be able to give you this precious gift of not only music, but tranquil, dreamy, restorative sleep."

The best-selling album is the latest recording for Wholetones, a healing frequency music project designed to help aid health, creativity, productivity and well-being. For more information on Wholetones, click here.

"Life, Love & Lullabies" is available for purchase on the official Wholetones website and Amazon. The music was published by Barton Publishing, a widely recognized digital publisher of natural health solutions.

"At Barton Publishing, our mission is to help people lead happier, healthier lives," said Marty M. Fahncke, Chief Marketing Officer of Barton Publishing. "Life, Love & Lullabies is proving to accomplish just that. I'm so excited for the overwhelming positive response we've had from customers who have brought Life, Love & Lullabies into their homes."

For information go to: Wholetones website - http://www.LifeLoveandLullabies.com Amazon - http://amzn.to/2lTGJA4

Praise from the initial customers of "Wholetones: Life, Love & Lullabies"

"I have had a problem sleeping through the night as far back as I can remember. After playing these lullabies for a few evenings in a row, I finally had my first night's sleep without waking up. My two kitties enjoy the music as well and are much calmer and have less anxiety about the dog in the house that they don't want there," said Kathleen O'Herron.

"I have had trouble sleeping for many years, and I can honestly say that this is the most relaxing and peace-inducing music that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to," said Bob Hughes.

"My special needs son who is nonverbal autistic sleeps all through the night ever since we have the original Wholetones and the Christmas album," said Susan Bradbury.

"Each time I played a song during my rest time, I fell peacefully into a deep sleep. These songs are very soothing to the spirit and body, easing away any worries and blocking out distractions," said Lisa Cash. "In addition, when I sensed that my very active five- year old son needed a rest but was reluctant to admit it, I would play a song and he would peacefully drift off and wake up refreshed and happier."

"The kids love it, and it really promotes relaxation, and peaceful sleep," said Dolly Cason.

"I always go to sleep listening to my Wholetones. But the lullaby was really special. Like being back in your mothers arms," said Teresa Elliott.

"My daughter and I were so excited as we listen to Wholetones almost every night as she falls asleep. She usually stirs when I leave the room but she was OUT!! This continued as we listened to a song each night," she said Pam Kinzinger.

About Michael S. TyrrellMichael S. Tyrrell is the founder and president of Wholetones, Inc. Passionate about inspiring others, Michael travels nationally and internationally as a keynote and motivational speaker on the power of music.

After 30 years in the music industry as an author, speaker, musician, composer, inventor and producer, Michael uses his past experiences to inspire and connect with various groups of people. With the unique ability to connect with people's stories, Michael interacts and confides in his listeners in a way that promotes positivity and growth.

Contact Marty M. Fahncke 1-855-500-3422 149080@email4pr.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wholetones-life-love--lullabies-debuts-at-3-on-billboard-music-charts-music-helps-people-relax-and-sleep-300419114.html

SOURCE Barton Publishing

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"Wholetones: Life, Love & Lullabies" Debuts at #3 on Billboard Music Charts Music Helps People Relax and Sleep - PR Newswire (press...

Honey among products set to be covered by trade deal

The EU's Council of Ministers has approved a deal that will see the trading bloc and Chile recognise each other's rules on organic certification.

The agreement, the first of its kind between the EU and a Latin American country, will now move to the European Parliament for its consent before going back to the Council for formal adoption.

The deal covers EU organic products including processed food products of all kinds, and unprocessed meat, vegetables, honey and farmed fish. Chilean processed food products, honey and unprocessed vegetables will be covered.

A joint EU-Chile committee on organic products will be established to adjudicate disputes over whether a product should be regarded as organic, or not.

Although the EU is a net food-importer from Chile, Brussels expected the agreement will promote EU organic exports to Chile.

Aspokesperson for the EU's Council of Ministers said: "This agreement with Chile will give a boost to EU organic production and exports, and so help generate growth and create jobs."

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EU ministers sign Chile organic food deal - just-food.com (subscription)

[Editors note: Jayson Lusk is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University.]

I presumed most people would choose organic if it were priced the same as conventional. [A European food retailer said], however, that his retail experience was [that] even when he substantially lowered the price premium for organic, the market share remained relatively low.

We conducted studies with apples and with milk [to test this observation].

Even in these controlled studies, we find that if organic were priced the same as conventional (a price premium of 0%), not everyone would buy organic. Priced evenly with conventional, organic would pick up only about 60% of the apple market (the remaining 40% going to conventional), and organic would pick up only about 68% of the milk market (the remaining 32% going to conventional).

Given differences in yield and production costs, organic is almost surely going to be routinely higher priced than conventional. But, even if this werent the case and organic could be competitively priced, these survey results show us that not everyone prefers organic food.

[Read the full study here (behind paywall).]

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Does everybody prefer organic?

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Even if organic food was as cheap as conventional food, not everyone would buy it, study finds - Genetic Literacy Project

Aired 3/7/17 on KPBS News.

Meditation is becoming more common in helping people learn to calm down and worry less. But a six-week Wellbeing for Dogs + Their Humans class in La Jolla is taking the practice a step further, teaching meditation to dogs alongside their human companions.

Transcript

Meditators sat on the wooden floor in a tranquil room. They were quiet. They were peaceful. They were resting in the present moment, with no thoughts of the past or future distracting them.

They were also dogs.

"Breath in, and out," instructor Amanda Ringnalda said softly. "Open your eyes whenever you're ready."

A few of the dogs kept their eyes closed, apparently having drifted off to sleep.

Meditation practice is becoming more and more common to help people from all religious backgrounds, or with no religion at all, learn to calm down and worry less.

But the six-week Wellbeing for Dogs + Their Humans class takes it a step further, teaching meditation to dogs and their human companions.

The class meets in the Balanced Mind Meditation Center at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla. Julie Potiker built the meditation room and brought the dog classes to the center.

She's also attending with her big shaggy briard, Madeline, and said she gets quite a reaction when she tells people about the class.

"They think it's a riot and it's super cool, and then they want to do it, too," she said.

Potiker said the class has helped her be more calm, and that Madeline and her other dogs then pick up on her energy.

"If they're running to the door and they're barking, instead of just yelling at them, I think, oh is it anxiety, are you nervous, are you trying to protect me? What's going on?" she said. "I think it's just more of a humane, lovely way to be an animal owner."

The class is meant to help humans better understand their animals and learn how to care for them by understanding their body, mind and spirit, said Ringnalda. She said meditation and mindfulness practice is key to that understanding.

"To open people up to a more expanded understanding of wellbeing for themselves and their dogs," she said. "You can't underestimate the impact and the power of that relationship."

During one recent class, she instructed participants on how to identify their dogs' doshas, or three different energies, or constitutions, believed to govern the body and mind.

"I have no idea what Elloise's dosha is, because she's just whackadoo," Potiker said.

Knowing their dog's energy means humans can provide them with the sounds, smells and foods that best fit their needs, Ringnalda explained.

She demonstrated by allowing the dogs to sniff frankincense, sandalwood and lavender to see what they responded to best. One little dachshund named Noodle turned her nose away from the last two, but licked the paper covered with frankincense, suggesting she may find that aroma balancing for her constitution.

Owners also learned to massage their dogs, which Ringnalda's rescue dog Pepper seemed to especially enjoy.

When it comes to meditation, Ringnalda said dogs are naturals.

"Dogs are kind of in a natural state of presence, because ultimately that's what meditation really is, is having your mind fully in this present moment, releasing any memories of the past and thoughts or apprehensions of the future, but instead just be fully in the present moment," she said. "And dogs are so good and natural and instinctively able to do that."

The dogs in the class were often so present and relaxed that they spent much of the time slowly drifting off to sleep.

But when the dachshund Noodle joined the class late, the dogs' meditative trance was broken. They all got up to sniff Noodle while she made her rounds in the room, checking out the meditation cushions and anything else left on the floor.

Ringnalda said breaks in the dogs meditative states are also a part of being present.

If a dog starts barking or whining during class, "we just go with it, just like any other thought during your meditation," she said.

"I sometimes joke that if our minds would let us just emote more, like dogs would, we would all be barking in class," she added with a laugh. "We've just been taught to be more proper."

She said she's seen big changes in the canine attendees in just the short time they've been meeting.

"I've seen them go from quite reluctant and shy and reserved to much more comfortable in this setting, more comfortable with people coming up to them," she said. "The dogs have been really receptive and open to these new experiences in their life, and you've just seen a calmness come."

But really, the class is more about helping the humans to be calmer, and teaching them to recognize how much influence they have over their dogs behavior and health, Ringnalda said.

Julie Potiker, the human companion to the big shaggy Madeline, said it's boosted their bond.

"It helps me to remember to respect her as a being, as a sentient being," she said.

By the end of class, all the sentient beings, human and canine alike, had explored their senses and sat in the present moment. No one barked or whined, and everybody seemed very calm.

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San Diego Class Shows Dogs Are Naturals At Meditation - KPBS

In a corner of Etsys new 200,000 sq ft (18,581 sq m) headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, there is a room meant only for breathing.

Save for the lack of furniture, A-901: Breathing Room appears as an ordinary conference room. It sits squarely within the rest of the office, which buzzes with the steady meetings and conversations that characterize most corporate buildings. Soft mats, for sitting, are piled to one side of the room. Digital devices are not allowed.

A few times a week, dozens of employees gather in the room for meditation sessions, scheduled and sponsoredprompted, evenby Etsy. Its just what it sounds like: An instructor sits at the front off the room, telling employees to close their eyes, forget about work, and simply reflect. The idea, Etsy tells Quartz, is to encourage more sustainable approaches to work.

Meditation has found an especially enthusiastic niche at companies like Etsyan online retailer focused on homemade goodswhich pride themselves on a modern, holistic approach to employee wellness. Its a philosophy that many of Silicon Valleys tech startups are also keen to embrace. As a 2015 New Republic essay pointed out, mindfulness classes at offices are part of a sweepingly ambitious attempt to restore meaning to work as corporate America scampers to offer new and exciting perks to employees.

Yet the trend has its vocal skeptics. Its been several times criticized as one more thing in which employees feel obligated to participate: a benefit that adds pressure for workers and really only benefits the employer. Mental health, some say, just doesnt work as a corporate perk (To that, an Etsy spokesperson who declined to be named says: Of course were a publicly traded company and have ambitious goals, but we think the ways you can lean into work are primarily by getting some balance.)

But what if we think of meditation less as an office perk like free juice in the fridgeand more as a life skill? The mental equivalent of knowing how to use an Excel spreadsheet?

Recent research shows that what employees want most from their work environment is an avenue for learning. In an age when workers are much less faithful to companies than to their own career interests, educationas a lifelong skill, nowadays, rather than a phase of life that ends after collegehas become paramount.

There are key ways in which meditation can help people improve at work. Its been shown to reduce stress, catapult productivity, increase blood circulation in the brain, improve memory, and spark creativity.

Lodro Rinzler, co-founder of MNDFL, the New York-based meditation boutique that sends its instructors into Etsys office, contends that mindfulness in itself is a form of education. He compares it to the value gained by learning computer science skills. People dont do coding because its a cool hobby; its a useful skill to take on, Rinzler notes. MNDFL sends instructors to teach at an increasing number of companies around the city.

People recognize that patience, sleep, these are things they can get better at, with mindfulness practice, he says. And that surely makes for better worker bees in the office.

The question now, as the trend toward mindfulness draws more and more interest from businesses in various industries, is whether putting employees introspective learning at the forefront is helpful to both partiesor just burdensome.

As political economist William Davies previously told Quartz, in many cases the best office perk may still be, simply, a system where employees can go to work, and just do the work.

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The hottest new office perk is a quiet room in which to explore the depths of your own mind - Quartz

Transcript for Unplug creator shares her simple guide to meditation

meditation, because meditation guru Suze yalof Schwartz is here. She made a dramatic shift in her life. I knew you when. Giving up a fast-paced life for peace and serenity doing something she describes in her book as just unplugging. Correct. All about unplugging. I love the name for a book. And congratulations. Thank you so much. So talk to me about what we'll see today. We think of meditation as something where you are sitting, sort of quiet. But you also describe an active meditation. Yes, I mean it's called the breath of joy and basically you go. Ah. Now, you guys do it. We're trying to give you it. Ah. Try it, Lara. Okay. Why not. And basically what it says, gives you energy and makes you happy and gets you there pretty quick. How would you best describe meditation to meme at home? Basically it's like this. This is called meditation in a jar. So your mind is the jar. And the glitter represents your thoughts and your feelings so when we're stressed or we're in a rush our brains look like this. I love that. But when we stop, right and we slow down and breathe, just breathe in slowly. They start to dissipate. That did a beautiful thing. It really just signals to your brain everything is okay and then it settles down and becomes clear and that's what happens to your brain on meditation. When you do things like this active meditation which is something that everybody can do in your office how many do you do? How soon do you feel a sense of calm? You can in 16 seconds completely shift your state and you can also sit for 45 minutes. I mean I love also using essential oils, essential oils are great mood shifters. Let's talk about them. A lot of people -- everyone has some essential oils with them. I want everyone to take your hands, rub them together with essential oils in them. Smell your hands, take a deep breath. I'll ask you what do you smell in yours? Calm, relaxing. Focus. Give me some of that. Lavender. We have some for you actually. This is the lavender oil which is great and makes you calm and it also helps with sleep and Jesse you were smelling this, right? How does this make you feel. This Orange makes me feel happy. It reminds me of little league baseball when the moms would bring Oranges at the end. That was the greatest. And that's what it does to your brain. It's the essential oil of happiness and peppermint. Someone has that. So great have young here. "Unplug" out tomorrow. We'll be right back.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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Unplug creator shares her simple guide to meditation - ABC News

It was mainly sitting relaxingly, and inhaling and exhaling for ten minutes, closing your eyes. There was a cassette available at a reasonable price to take home. The important thing was to be conscious about the process, and the instructor during the training, and also in the cassette, was asking us to concentrate on the nostrils, and how the air goes into the lungs and coming out when you exhale. During this exercise, your mind really becomes focussed.

by Laksiri Fernando

( March 7, 2017, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) I was pleased to read another great piece by Dr Upul Wijayawardhana on the subject of meditation, titled Scientific basis of mindfulness meditation on last Saturday (The Island, 4 March 2017). I am using neutral language as much as possible by purpose without glowing him in praise. It is also my personal experience that meditation to the mind is like physical exercises to the body. I am particularly referring to the mindfulness meditation or Vipassana, as he has explained.

I became attracted to Buddhism at the age of ten when my Mahappa (fathers elder brother) became a Buddhist in 1955. I was inquisitive what he was doing in his room, sitting on a mat in a strange posture; and sitting there for long hours, keeping his eyes closed. It was in 1958 and thereafter, I came across many of E. W. Adikarams articles in the Silumina newspaper, one of which was Jathivadiya Manasika Pisseki (Communalist is a Lunatic). He also published a series of short booklets thereafter called Sithuvili (Thoughts) where he explained some simple methods of meditation. I also had the opportunity to listen to him at Moratuwa town hall as a youngster and on radio. He came for a series of lectures. Everything became forgotten later, engrossed in studies, student politics and in a busy professional life thereafter. However, when I look back, even student politics (!) could have been enriched, if there was a touch of mindfulness.

Current Trends

In Australian schools today, mindfulness training is extensively used and there will be a Mindfulness Teacher Training Certificate Course in Sydney in a weeks time on 15-16 March. As Dr Wijayawardhana says Though the purists may argue that these variants negate the original aims but I am sure Gautama Buddha would not have minded his technique being used, even with modifications, for the good of many. The important point to ask here is whether and how far the Sri Lankan schools use these methods of Mindfulness in a scientific manner for the benefit of the students and the society. Three objectives that Australian schools attempting to achieve are: (1) Relieve anxiety and stress of students (2) Let go of anger and frustration and (3) Overcome worrying and negative thinking.

Wijayawardhana has given a useful exposition to the benefit of many medical personnel at the 39th Annual Academic Session of the Kandy Society of Medicine (15 February) about the various ways the medical science/s today using the methods of meditation, beginning with the initiatives by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 in USA. When I encountered the first symptoms of acute angina in early 1997, after what they called an angioplasty, I was put on a heart rehabilitation program at the Concord Hospital in Sydney. After several weeks of physical exercises, I was surprised when the instructor introduced what he called the Breathing Meditation. It was similar to Anapanasati and when he was talking, he looked at me and said, Fernando, you must be familiar with this, to which I just nodded.

It was mainly sitting relaxingly, and inhaling and exhaling for ten minutes, closing your eyes. There was a cassette available at a reasonable price to take home. The important thing was to be conscious about the process, and the instructor during the training, and also in the cassette, was asking us to concentrate on the nostrils, and how the air goes into the lungs and coming out when you exhale. During this exercise, your mind really becomes focussed. After the process, you feel much calmer and relaxed. This was mainly for stress control, as he said. Only after sometime that I realized, the name of the hospital, Concord, was well suited for this meditation lesson. During that time, we were also living in Concord.

For Peace and Harmony

On a more social or spiritual application, Dr Wijayawardhana has highlighted the recent contributions made by U Ba Khin (the Burmese) and more particularly, Satya Narayan Goenka, to popularize meditation and mindfulness in society. He also mentions its relevance to peace and harmony in the world, referring to Goenkas speech at the UN Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders for World Peace in August 2000. This is immensely relevant for Sri Lanka today.

Goenka started his speech by saying that Religion is religion only when it unites. Religion is no more religion when it divides. He ended his speech by quoting Emperor Dharma Asokas Edict XII, which begins with declaring One should not honour only ones own religion and condemn the religions of others, but one should honour others religions for this or that reason. He did quote the whole Edict, which further explains this or that reason why other religions should be respected.

What is more important is what he said as the main thrust of his speech relating to Vipassana Meditation. He related the peace in the world to the peace in the mind. This is also in the motto of UNESCO taking from the Buddha directly which says We must construct the defences of peace in the minds of women and men. He further said, If there is no peace in the minds of the individual, I cannot understand how can there be real peace in the world.

Within a short span of time, given to him at the summit, Goenka tried to illustrate the problem by explaining the common or normal nature of the human mind which is agitated with often-times with anger, envy, hatred and animosity. This is how he tried to emphasise the importance of meditation and mindfulness which are necessary for peace within and in the world. He categorically said, If I have anger, I am the first victim of my anger which is absolutely true.

Therefore, we should thank Upul Wijayawardhana for bringing Goenkas speech and other matters to our attention. He says, When I retired I directed my attention to an organ more obscure than the heart; the brain. I was fascinated by the mind and consciousness and started learning Abhidhamma In my case, my knowledge of Abhidhamma is almost nil. But when he says he considers the Buddha to be a scientist and a philosopher it resonates with my understanding as well. One of my recent journal articles was Origins of research methodology, Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths (Sri Lanka Journal of Social Sciences 39 (2), December 2016). http://sljss.sljol.info/articles/abstract/10.4038/sljss.v39i2.7446/

He has also said A great disservice had been done by making him [the Buddha] a religious leader thus limiting his discoveries only to his followers but, fortunately, it is changing though slowly. I am not going to deduct simplistic conclusions from that statement for the current debates on foremost place for Buddhism in the present or a new constitution. But it might give some food for thought for the Buddhists to think about, while I have no objection for that foremost place or hesitation to appreciate Buddhism as a great religion. It is my observation that Buddhism has given many (or most) people some civility, discipline and a particular serene culture. Listening to Bana (sermons), observation of Sil (precepts) and worship of Bodhi (Bo tree) are good ethnical practices which would be meaningless to those who consider Buddhism only as a philosophy and/or science.

Personal Benefits for Anyone

Be as it may, more pertinent is Wijayawardhanas emphasis on mindfulness and meditation, now for some time in Sri Lankan newspapers. It appears to me that the mind is a jumble of thought processes for whatever the reason/s. I am not sure whether there is a physiological/medical explanation for its erratic nature. When you try to focus on it, it is almost uncontrollable at least at the beginning. That can be one reason why many people (including myself!) are usually grievance ridden, aggressive, agitated and intolerant. That cannot however be the only reason. There are some other objective or external reasons why your agitations are generated. For example, if a person is deprived of possessions or unnecessarily harassed by someone, then the agitation is almost natural.

Thoughts in the mind come and go quickly, unless you are engaged thoroughly in a particular task (i.e. talking, writing, driving) and they usually come and go as images or in words. Your thinking is audio-visual! What comes to mind, when you first observe, usually are grievances or offenses. That your spouse, brother, neighbour or colleague has done such and such a thing to you. Most hearting (particularly among the middle classes) is what happens to your dignity or pride. Most intriguing is the grievances and antagonisms coming in enlarged forms. Some of them can be pure misunderstandings.

Of course, there are thoughts that come to your mind because of sensual or sexual impulses. However, they are (presumably) less, if you try to meditate. If you can observe your thought processes through simple meditation and analyse them for rational reasoning, that renders much peace to your mind than anything else. You also might be able to identify some root causes for your disturbances. Continuous doing so definitely calms you down and your productivity in whatever you do would be increased. Your thoughts become more cohesive and logical and also objective without (much) prejudice. You feel more harmony in life and less conflicts and animosities. You may achieve some detachment.

Conclusion

Therefore, what Upul Wijayawardhana has been saying in his numerous articles in Sri Lankan newspapers should be taken seriously. Three major conclusions that can be drawn could be (1) the introduction of mindfulness training in school curricula with an interfaith or secular emphasis, (2) the setting up of mindfulness/meditation training centres in universities for the benefit of students and academics, and (3) the incorporation of a purposeful Peace of Mind Program (i.e. UNESCO motto) in the national reconciliation and peace building work. It should be emphasised that meditation and mindfulness are common to all religious traditions, and more particularly to Hinduism and Buddhism.

Further, could it be useful if a Mindfulness training program is launched for the Parliamentarians and politicians?

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Some Reflections on 'Mindfulness Meditation' - Sri Lanka Guardian

HANNIBAL It all started with whistling. Thad Fiscella, a 2005 graduate from Hannibal LaGrange University here, cant remember a time when he couldnt whistle. His parents say its something he picked up at the age of two or three.

Through my early childhood, I can remember whistling tunes in my head all the time, and when people would ask me to whistle, I would just make something up, or improvise a song for them, I didnt realize at the time I was in a way composing music, remembers Thad

Today, Thad is a professional musician and composer whose peaceful, relaxing music is directly influenced by his relationship with the Lord, his family, and his life experiences. He has released seven albums on piano and will be releasing another album early this year.

As a child, Thad often listened to classical music, which peaked his interest in music and composition even more. In the fourth grade, he began to play in the school band, choosing percussion as his main instrument. Not the best choice for composers, he admits.

Thads teacher asked him to take a year of piano so he could learn to read music for the bells, marimba, and other melodic percussion instruments, and so, at the age of 11, Thad began to play piano. Not long after, he fell even more in love with piano and composing music.

The more I developed my skills as a pianist, reading music and learning songs, the more my skills at composing increased and it became more and more apparent to me that God had given me the desire and talent to compose music, and there was no turning back.

When Thad began attending HLGU, he continued piano lessons and further developed his skills in music theory, voice, and learning other various instruments. Though he started by majoring in music education, he later changed his major to psychology in hope of one day going into the field of music therapy.

I learned a lot of valuable lessons and material from my teachers during that time, Thad said. Being at HLGU helped me become more passionate about my pursuit of music and fostered an even stronger desire to further develop my skills as a composer, musician, and potentially a music therapist. I began to understand that God had plans for me to use music not only as a career but also for ministry. Now looking back, I am amazed at where God has taken me, and how all the parts from my life, high school, college, life experiences, family, and jobs, have come together to prepare me for my ministry in music now.

After many years of composing music and practicing piano, Thad heeded the advice of his piano teacher and began to record his ideas. Then in 2005, he felt the Lord calling him to take his musical ideas, complete them, and turn them into an album. After a year of work, his first album, Grand Design, was released on CD in 2006. The theme behind this album is the beauty of Gods creation and the grand plans He has for His children.

After my first CD, I wanted to create something that was even more defined, music that was consistent throughout, so people would know what to expect when they bought it, said Thad. I settled on emotionally driven music that is simple and relaxing, but most of all I wanted to create music that would provide peace and comfort, that would minister to people, especially those going through difficult times.

Thad continued, My main focus of my music career right now is the ministry aspect, allowing God to use me to share His gospel through music, and He continues to grow my audience daily.

As a self-employed musician, Thads work days often vary depending on his current projects, but generally he will practice piano in his home studio for anywhere from two to four or more hours. During this time, he will compose music, work on new songs for a current or future album project, or prepare for an upcoming event or concert. Hell practice for a few hours and then rest a little while to give his ears and hands a break, and then work some more.

In addition to practicing music, Thad will also work on promotion by maintaining and developing his website, using social media, and generally expanding his internet presence. His music can currently be found on Amazon and iTunes, and internet radio sites such as Pandora and Spotify.

Currently, Thad is spending most of his time preparing for a new album release. Hell go through music ideas hes already written, decide which songs will be on the next CD, and record music in his home studio. He does all of the mixing and mastering for his music which requires many hours of work for each song.

Along with his career as a musician, Thad has also been involved with church ministry for over 15 years, serving in various roles such as youth pastor, teacher, Bible study leader, worship leader, and worship team member.

Thad and his wife, Laura 99, have been married for 17 years and have three children, 13-year-old Reed, who is learning guitar, 11-year-old Emma, who is learning piano, and 10-year-old Ross, who is learning percussion. The Fiscellas attend Calvary Baptist Church in Hannibal. For more information on Thad, or to order or listen to his music, visit thadfiscella.com.

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HLGU graduate composes praise - The Pathway