Described as "the new yoga"in many a headline and recently declared "a billion-dollar business"by Fortune magazine, the practice of meditation has come a long way from its ancient beginnings. Dozens of celebrities, from Ellen DeGeneres to Paul McCartney, have touted its powerful effects on their lives, and more and more companies are providing mindfulness programs for their employees. This probably isn't what the Buddha had in mind, yet the fact remains: Meditation is so hot right now.

But before you dismiss it as another overhyped trend akin to so many fad diets and workout regimens, let's take a moment to acknowledge that, unlike juice cleanses or CrossFit, meditation has been around for thousands of years. Perhaps more salient to the skeptics among us, though, is this: Recent studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can actually be enormously beneficial to your physical health. Here's the scoop...

Simply put, meditation is the practice of "just being." While that may sound like a fancy paraphrase of sitting on one's ass doing nothing, meditation can be more challenging than it seems. Luckily, filmmaker-slash-creator of nightmares, David Lynch, breaks it down for us.

According to the David Lynch Foundation, there are three basic approaches to meditation:

But why bother with any of these? Science says...

According to the National Institutes of Health, research suggests that meditation can physically change the brain in positive ways. These include increasing the brain's ability to process information, and slowing, stalling, or even reversing changes in the brain that result from aging.

When you experience stress, your body releases adrenaline, which causes your heart rate and blood pressure to rise -- a once-helpful survival tool passed down from our ancestors. These days, though we're no longer being chased by bears, just a glance at our social media feeds can get our hearts a pumpin'. Meditation counteracts this fight-or-flight response by slowing your heart rate and lowering blood pressure, which can in turn reduce your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Studies show that a mindfulness practice can minimize the stress response in people with generalized anxiety disorder, and meditation retreats in particular have been found to decrease depression, anxiety, and stress in participants.

With opioid dependence, abuse, and addiction rising at terrifying rates, drug-free pain management techniques are more necessary than ever. Luckily, mindfulness meditation has been shown to help patients with chronic pain, and can be beneficial when used alone or in combination with pain medication.

Meditating at home is popular for good reason: It's comfortable, convenient, and free. But if you'd prefer a group experience, or something a bit less conventional, there are plenty of options out there. You could attend a silent meditation retreat, try a sensory deprivation tank, or even explore orgasmic meditation (yup, that's a thing).

Don't worry; there's an app for that.

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Katie McDonough is a freelance writer and editor who knows meditation would probably fix many of her problems, but wheres the fun in that? Follow her@thewritekatie.

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Is Meditation Medically Good for You? The Science Behind Mindfulness. - Thrillist

We don't know about you, but we've been finding it increasingly difficult to keep calm these days. Since we've already looked to the Quakers for tips on staying chill, now we're turning to labyrinth spirituality, a form of meditation and prayer that you may have never heard of that could completely change how you deal with stress.

Labyrinths which aren't mazes but usually symmetrical circuits made of concentric circles have been around for a really, really long time. They've been found outside of ancient Egyptian gravesites, as massive stone structures in Scandinavia, and in Roman mosaics. Their purposes range just as widely as their countries of origin labyrinths have been used for Pagan rituals, templates for basket design, and even horseback riding training.

It was only in the Middle Ages that labyrinths took on distinctly spiritual purposes in Christianity. Western Europeans who couldn't make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem embedded labyrinthine paths in their cathedrals, so that they still could walk a sacred path of some kind.

Since then, labyrinths have become pretty non-denominational. You can still find them in churches, but they're now also part of some schools' wellness programs, and they're even available to rent from traveling companies, too. Rather than performing a fertility rite or a symbolic pilgrimage to the Holy Land, people now walk labyrinths to get in touch with themselves and it's a great alternative to regular meditation if you just can't sit still. A normal labyrinth meditation consists of walking to the center of the circuit (also known as the rosette), pausing there in silence, and then leaving the way you came. Your inner work should mirror your physical journey:

Start by looking inward and letting the world beyond the path ahead of you fall away. When you reach the rosette, stop and decide if there's anything you'd like to let in, maybe a spiritual force or something more specific to your personal life whatever you're reflecting upon, take as much time as you need. When you leave, do so with a newfound sense of power and purpose, so that by the time you're outside of the labyrinth, you feel refreshed and ready to resume your everyday life.

Labyrinths are an incredibly versatile spiritual tool they aren't problem-solvers, but they provide people with a template for meditation and prayer they might not have thought of otherwise. Research has found that labyrinth walking can be helpful as part of couples and family therapy, for stress management, and to aid with recovery from trauma. They're often used to help young people explore their spiritual needs, but labyrinths can serve that purpose for anyone, regardless of age.

If you're still on the fence, find one near you and take a stroll for yourself. You just might leave feeling recharged and focused and, if nothing else, you'll have gotten a little peace and quiet, which is about as chill as it gets.

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This Might Be The Chillest Way To Meditate - Refinery29

Meditation is often associated with spirituality, being an important aspect of spiritual traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism. But meditation has also grown in popularity among a more diverse range of people, spreading from a largely spiritual practice into fairly widespread use in the secular world.

The secular benefits of meditation on the body and mind have been widely documented in science, and plenty of people are taking up meditation as a hobby for health or enjoyment nowadays rather than any kind of religious practice. Some of the benefits of meditation include stress reduction, a stronger immune system, better mood, and improvements in memory. Meditation has also been shown to increase willpower to help people meet their goals.

Don't get me wrong, you shouldn't consider meditation to be a magic bullet that will magically solve all of your problems. But with all of these benefits, it is definitely worth giving a try.

Much like exercise, which trains the body, the training of the mind through meditation is most effective when done regularly. The hardest part of doing this is establishing it as a regular habit. So what are some good ways to get into the habit of meditating?

The first thing you need in order to get into the habit of meditating is obviously to know how to meditate. While some readers may already know how, let's cover this for those who may not.

There are numerous ways to meditate, Buddhism alone has about 40 different techniques described in the Visuddhimagga. Don't let that number frighten you though, a lot of these techniques aren't practical nowadays, for example some involve encouraging worldly detachment by focusing on some kind of rotten object such as a skeleton.

There are just a handful of popular practical meditation techniques so don't sweat the number of different ways to meditate. Not only that, most meditation organizations will provide instructions on how to do their meditation technique online for free, so finding a good practical technique doesn't take much effort. You can even learn to meditate from watching a TED Talk.

Probably one of the more popular meditation techniques is breathing meditation, or mindfulness of the breath. Other common techniques include loving-kindness meditation and walking meditation. There are also some more specific techniques such as the recently popular Vipassana meditation and the famous Chakra Meditation.

My personal favorite is a meditation technique called Dhammakaya, which is closely related to breathing meditation. The focus is on 7 points within the body largely along the path of the breath, its main point of focus however is a point in the center of the stomach just above the navel called the "7th base of the mind". You can also find this point by taking a deep breathe and finding the point where you feel your breathe end. One reason I like this method of meditation is that it's easy to do when you're doing other tasks besides sitting still. All you have to do is gently place your mind at the 7th base while carrying on normal activities. This technique of course, is my own personal preference and you are free to try any technique you feel most comfortable with. If you are curious about it however, you can find instructions here.

A good tip to keep in mind is that experiences change with circumstances. For instance, while Dhammakaya meditation is my preferred, I have had sessions where I get a better experience using breathing meditation instead. Another nice meditation tip is keeping a meditation journal to write down your experiences. It's a great way to track your progress and make use of any tips that might come in handy later. You should note that each time you meditate, you shouldn't hold on to expectations based on past experiences or ambition. The key is not to force, but to allow your mind to be peaceful and joyous.

A prominent meditation master was once asked, "How many times a day do you meditate?"

This was his answer:

"I meditate twice a day. Only twice. I meditate when my eyes are open. And I meditate when my eyes are closed."

This is, to say the least, probably the ultimate goal one would like to reach in getting into the habit of meditating. Since you can be present and aware at any time, meditating all the time is indeed possible, but starters should probably begin with smaller goals at first.

Much like the exercise schedules of the modern era, a good way to develop a meditation schedule is to ease your way into it with increasing increments. If you are starting from no meditation at all, you can start with maybe 10 minutes of sitting meditation a day and then increase by increments of 5 minutes or so every week. Once you reach a solid amount of daily sitting meditation, an hour or so would be a good benchmark, you will likely notice some positive feelings not just during meditation, but before and after also.

From there you can focus on incorporating meditation into your daily life. The most efficient way to maximize benefits from meditation is to not just focus on sitting meditation, but to do walking meditation and other forms of meditation while doing other activities also. Whether it is staying aware, repeating a mantra, or gently keeping your mind at the 7th base at all times; there are plenty of ways to integrate meditation with your daily tasks. Meditating with your eyes open is not much more difficult than meditating with your eyes closed.

The best way to get into the habit of meditating is to make it a habit to meditate following your routine tasks. Meditating right after work or class for example is a great way to develop your meditation routine and ensure you never neglect the practice. Another good one is meditating right before you go to sleep or right after you wake up. Meditation has been known to help with sleep, and the mind tends to be very quiet right after waking up.

Another advantage of meditating before and after bed is that humans need to sleep everyday (for the most part), and if you make it a habit to meditate at such times it ensures you are training your mind consistently. Meditating before or after other daily tasks such as meals would also work.

Measuring meditation doesn't have to be restricted to time either, those who use mantras to aid with meditation can count mantras in their free time throughout the day and set mantra count goals. The mantra I use is "Samma Arahung", a Pali mantra, but there are plenty of other good ones you can use even in English such as "inner peace" or "clear and bright". Mantras are great for meditators to calm their mind and clear it of any chit-chat or wandering.

You can count mantras yourself, for instance "inner peace one, inner peace two, inner peace three etc...", or use tools like a tally counter. Simple tally counters can be bought online or in thrift stores for pretty cheap, and it's great to use if you want to do mantra meditation while doing other activities. Getting to a few thousand mantras in a day isn't as hard as it looks, you can get several hundred in just waiting for your late friend or waiting to be seated at a restaurant.

Enlist the help of technology

A great way to help with getting into the habit of meditating regularly is using technology. There are plenty of great apps you can find online to help you with the practice.

For those looking for a simple meditation timer, there are quite a few good ones that have standard features like reminders, a timer and progress tracking. Meditate Free Meditation Timer from Mindcore covers these basic features. Insight Timer provides guided meditations, music to go along with your meditation, as well as a pretty unique system where you can see who and how many are also meditating with the app. A great way to develop a habit of meditation if you respond to social feedback well and have some interested friends.

For those looking for a program to get started with, there are apps for those also. Calm has a pretty extensive range of meditation programs available for those interested in trying out lots of different methods and the more famous Headspace has a 10 part series for free on its app. There's even an app called Simple Habit, designed to help incorporate meditation into your daily life.

I'm an old fashioned kind of person so I tend to just stick to the more basic meditation timers, but just mentioning these programs for those who may be interested.

Like all routines, whether it be working out, training for the olympics or practicing an instrument; the hardest part is getting started. Once the the power of habit kicks in, following through is pretty easy.

A good way to get started on, or to improve your habit of meditating is to go on a meditation retreat. Thanks to the power of habit, immersing yourself in nothing but meditation for a few days is a great way to catapult yourself into a solid routine if you are serious about later developing one at home. What's also great is that meditation retreats tend to be reasonably cheap for reputable meditation organizations. A few that I know of are S.N. Goenka's Vipassana meditation course which consists of a ten day retreat, and the Middle Way Meditation Retreat for those who don't mind traveling.

Many Hindu or Buddhist temples will also allow guests to stay overnight and meditate with the monastics or would host retreats at little or no cost. This would only be an option for those who don't mind the religious rules and customs integrated with being at a monastery. If you are okay with such a circumstance, you can always try to contact a local Buddhist or Hindu temple to see if such programs are offered.

For those who want an easier way to get the benefits of a meditation retreat, without the hassle or cost of going to one physically, there are online options available also. Peace Revolution offers a free 42-day online program that can be done right in your home, more than enough time to get that habit of meditation developed. Peace Revolution also offers various free and low-cost fellowships at some very appealing meditation sites for qualified candidates who complete their program. A pretty nice perk for just sitting at your computer each day.

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Getting into the Habit of Meditating - Huffington Post

Having long tried to virtually transport listeners to beaches, rain forests and other dreamy respites, meditation apps today are also trying to appeal to people who are actually traveling to such places.

Several apps, including Buddhify, Calm, OMG. I Can Meditate and Simple Habit, offer specialty meditation sessions for travelers on planes, trains and city streets, making their way across oceans or simply across town, be it "Waiting at the Airport" or "Commuting: A Mindful Journey."

On my first trips of 2017, I tried several such apps, including some veterans, to see if they could alleviate the stress of long lines, crowded planes and busy streets. Meditation is personal the teacher's voice, words and methods affect each of us in different ways so I didn't rank the apps. Instead, I've highlighted certain features and to whom they may or may not appeal.

Research began at Newark Liberty International Airport, where my plane was being de-iced. I put in earbuds and tapped the "Prepare for Travel" session from Simple Habit, an app with meditations for situations as varied as remedying procrastination and easing PMS. Users can choose from sessions that span the vacation process, from "Waiting at the Airport" to "Just Landed" to "Relaxing on Vacation" and "After Vacation." To gain access to all of Simple Habit's sessions, you need a subscription ($3.99 for seven days; $11.99 for one month; $99.99 for a year on iOS). As with other app subscriptions, you can cancel through iTunes. (I used an iPhone, but the apps are also available for Android.)

"Travel can sometimes be a tumultuous experience," a male voice said. "You just got your seat on the plane?" the voice said. "Just this breath. Just this moment."

Another app, OMG. I Can Meditate (access to all sessions, $12.99 a month; $89.99 a year on iOS), offers sessions like "Mindful Walking," "Waiting in Lines," "Public Places" and "Mindful Eating," which I selected during breakfast.

"Notice all the different colors, textures, shades, different food types," a female voice said. The travel-related meditations on this app may appeal if you're beginning to practice mindfulness and want step-by-step instructions. The eating session, for instance, asks listeners to rate their hunger from 1 to 10 to help them learn when they are full.

Experienced meditators may want to try an oldie but goodie: Buddhify ($4.99 for iOS and $2.99 for Android), which has a rainbow wheel with the question "What are you doing?" in the center. Users can select slices of the wheel with sessions like "Walking in City." I tapped one that said "Traveling" and up came options like "Connecting with stillness in a busy place" and "A unique meditation for when you're on a plane."

The latter is about 10 minutes. A soft male voice asks you to notice the sounds of the plane, and the people within. To help you stay present, the voice suggests that when your thoughts drift to the past, you say to yourself the name of the city from which you're departing. If your thoughts drag you into the future, you say the city where you're headed. Simple but effective in gently guiding the mind.

Meditation sessions for travelers? There's an app for that 02/16/17 [Last modified: Thursday, February 16, 2017 4:39pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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Meditation sessions for travelers? There's an app for that - Tampabay.com

Reflecting on a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., Jeremy Mohler relates it to how meditation helps us adjust to reality, and helps us act to change ittoo.

Reality during the early days of President Trumps administration has mostly felt surreal, but there are moments where it feels like a cold shower. One of those moments was the morning after he banned immigration from seven majority-Muslim countries. I awoke earlier than normal and lay in bed trying to imagine what I could do about it. With no one to talk to, I scrolled Facebook to see what friends had to say. Someone shared a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr.: Human salvation lies in the hands of the creatively maladjusted.

The idea of being maladjusted, and that what we are asked to adjust to society could be in conflict with being human, attracted me, so I looked for the quotes source. It comes from a sermon King gave many times called Transformed Nonconformist. In one variation delivered in November 1954, when King was a mere 25 years old, he used a metaphorborrowed from a socialist Methodist pastorto describe the individuals place in society:

Im sure that many of you have had the experience of dealing with thermometers and thermostats. The thermometer merely records the temperature. If it is 70 or 80 degrees it registers that and that is all. On the other hand the thermostat changes the temperature. If it is too cool in the house you simply push the thermostat up a little and it makes it warmer. And so the Christian is called upon not to be like a thermometer conforming to the temperature of his society, but he must be like a thermostat serving to transform the temperature of his society.

King went on to rail against mass mind and rugged collectivism, claiming that many had become afraid of not conforming. He says of this mindset, Instead of making history we are made by history. This was the 1950s, of course, in the Holocausts aftermath and at the high point of Stalins authoritarian brand of communismmany people feared manipulative leaders who claimed to speak for the majority. Kings point was that to oppose injustice we must shed the fear of standing alone. He argued we must make history rather than being made by it, echoing Karl Marxs call at the end of Theses on Feuerbach: The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways; the point is to change it.

This idea of changing rather than merely interpreting could also be applied a little closer to home. Kings temperature metaphor also describes the human mind. The connection can be seen through meditation practice. On the cushion, we open to the moment and space around us. Our mind tends towards being a thermometer. It follows whatever comes up, whether thoughts or emotions, and we spin off into discursive thinking. We plan our day or reflect on yesterday.

Meditation has us practice being a thermostat. When a thought or emotion appears, we watch and note it and return to our anchor, the breath. The goal is to stay steady with whatever comes up, with the riptide of thoughts, with our aching back or numb legs. From this place of steadiness we can fully feel the moment. Like a thermostat transforming the temperature, we simply guide our minds attention back to the breath over and over again. We practice returning to feeling grounded, a comfortable room temperature of 72 degrees. Eventually we stay relaxed in the space around uswe align with the present moment and no longer fight against it by being elsewhere in our mind.

Off the cushion, in everyday life, the metaphor still applies but gets a little fuzzy. So lets add a new element to our thermostat metaphor: a teenager. Our teenager is happy to complain about the temperature, wishing it were different, but lacks the money to pay the electricity bill. Buddhisms second noble truth says that suffering comes from grasping for things we like and pushing away things we dont like; in essence, wanting to change that which we cant. Like the temperature, life is always changing, and rarely in what wed consider an agreeable form. And like the teenager, we tend to complain about that.

If weve practiced on the cushion, though, were more ready for lifes constant change. Many people, before trying meditation, have an image of a solitary monk sitting for years in a cave. This leads to the notion that the goal of meditation is to detach from everything, to not be moved by anything.

But the truth is quite different. Meditation helps us feel everything more fully. Our ability to notice our grasping or running away becomes sharper and quicker, allowing us to let go and get back to feeling the present moment. Meditation helps us feel, not detach.

From a deep sense of presence, we are then able to act mindfully, to, like a thermostat, adjust to whats around us andthis is the keyto adjust whats around to us. Meditation not only helps us quit fighting the present moment; it also helps us forget the lie that we are separate from the present moment to begin with. We become present along with everything else around us. It may sound like a Buddhist clich, but we are becoming one with our surroundings.

Like a thermostat, we must feel the temperature of the moment, which includes our thoughts and emotions, and gently adjust it to our intentions, and meditation can help us do that. This is another way of being creatively maladjusted, or simply being human.

I still havent figured out what to do about the immigration ban, other than to stand in solidarity with immigrants, especially Muslims. But later that day, having meditated in the morning, I experienced the power of being creatively maladjusted. I was having tea with a good friend who had once been a lover. My heart trembled like the edges of a frying egg. I could feel my love for her, but I didnt grasp. I instead appreciated her new role in my life. By staying present with my feelings instead of thinking about what could have been, I fell upon my real intention, to simply enjoy our time together.

Adjusting society may take other, collective practices by the late 1960s, King would be calling for a radical redistribution of economic power. But meditation practice, by helping is adjust to both the present moment and our deepest intentions, is a powerful tool for building the very connections and community we so passionately want to heal.

A different version of this piece was originally published on Medium.

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How Meditation Helps Us to Be One With and Affect Change - Lion's Roar

President Trump's antipathy for the news media was on full display at his 75-minute solo press conference on Thursday, and as he usually does, Trump singled out one news organization for special abuse: CNN. But Trump is doing more than throwing the phrase "fake news" at the network that pays Jeffrey Lord to defend him on the air; he has also sent his son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner to complain to executives at CNN and its parent company, Time Warner, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday night, citing "a White House official and other people familiar with the matter."

In a recent White House meeting with Time Warner executive vice president Gary Ginsberg, for example, Kushner reportedly argued that CNN was unfairly critical of Trump. Kushner "has taken issue with specific CNN contributors including Van Jones, a Democrat who served in the Obama administration, and Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist, who have each criticized Mr. Trump in harsh terms," The Wall Street Journal reports. Navarro did not seem particularly concerned:

As it turns out, Time Warner is awaiting federal approval for an $85.4 billion sale to AT&T though "people familiar with the matter" told WSJ that Kushner and Ginsberg, longtime friends, did not discuss the merger in the White House meeting. Trump opposed the merger in the final weeks of the presidential campaign, specifically citing CNN, which isn't normal, according to University of Maryland journalism historian Mark Feldstein. "Lord knows that every president has been angered by their news coverage, going back to George Washington," he said. "But to engage in that kind of bare-knuckled tactics is extraordinary."

The unidentified White House official suggested that CNN be more like Fox News, saying "it's obvious" that CNN's "ratings have suffered as a result" of it's "dishonest coverage of the president," while Fox News' "ratings have never been better," thanks to their "mostly fair" Trump coverage. According to Nielsen, CNN's daytime ratings are up 51 percent this year in the key 25-to-54 demographic, while Fox News' ratings are up 55 percent among the same groups. You can read more at The Wall Street Journal. Peter Weber

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There are more than 1300 apps dedicated to mindfulness and meditation - The Week Magazine

Its hard explaining the appeal of animals to people who dont like animals. Its like trying to explain color to a blind person theres really no way to convey just how deepthe love one can have for a pet, or for animals in general, can be. Objectively, the whole idea of keeping animals as companions seems strange: they cant talk; your communication with them is limited to commands and observations that yes, you are indeed a good dog; and they have no more understanding of how you see the world than you do of how they perceive it.

And yet, as anyone who does love animals will know, theres perhaps nothing more purely joyous than the company of a cat, or a dog, or any other creature that happens to come across you in its daily routine and stops to hang out for a while. Its a joy thats captured marvelously well by Kedi, which is director Ceyda Toruns paeanto the cats of Istanbul. If youve ever visited the city, youll know that there are many, many cats there it is, after all, the city that gave us this fellow. Kedi provides awonderful portrait of thelives of seven such cats, of the people who love them, and of the city itself.

Plenty of observers have noted that the film is as much about the last two of those subjects as it is about the first, which is true, but its important not to sell the former short; while the film certainly provides plenty of fascinating insights into the life of the city, its first and foremost about the cats themselves. Torun must have shot oodles of film (or, yknow, filled up a ton of flash cards), because her camera captures every aspect of the animals lives: their daily patrols around their appointed territory, thefierce love and care they give to their young, their long hours sleeping and/or derping happily in the sun, the clever ways in which they feed themselves (which doesnt always just involve either getting fed by people or stealing peoples food when theyre not looking), and their social interactions.

All of this is rendered in some of the most beautiful cinematography youll see anywhere Toruns camera follows the cats at street level, making it feel like youre right there with them as they forage and wander, and then pulls back for picture postcard shots of Istanbul (which is, of course, one of the worlds prettiest cities.) Her letter to the audience, which accompanied the films release, relates her own affection for these most fascinating of creatures: I grew up in Istanbul and I believe my childhood was infinitely less lonesome than it would have been if it werent for cats and I wouldnt be the person I am today. It shows.

Her letter also notes that she missed their presence in all the other cities [she] ever lived in. This is an interesting point. Theres a tendency in countries where animals arent allowed to roam the streets of cities willy-nilly countries like America, for instance to assume that street cats/dogs/etc are strays and that they live lives of misery. This isnt true at all these were, after all, originally wild animals, and while a cat that has lived all its life in an apartment and then gets lost will struggle to survive on the street, animals born into this life cope with it perfectly well. Ive lived in cities where there were plenty of local cats and dogs just hanging out on any and every street, and Ive been surprised at how much Ive missed them since. Animals, as I noted above, enrich our lives in unpredictable ways.

This is certainly true for the humans of Kedi. Perhaps the films most memorable non-feline character is the gentleman who appears to spend pretty much his entire life caring for street cats.We follow him as he visits a colony based in a field, and hes familiar enough with the cats that he notices immediately that one is missing no mean feat considering that there are perhaps 30 or 40 cats surrounding him, all rubbing up against his legs and headbutting him affectionately as they wait for him to dole out their treats. The missing cat, it turns out, has just given birth, and we follow the man as he visits her and her kittens, explaining as he goes that he has suffered from crippling depression for years, and that if it wasnt for his cat friends, he probably wouldnt be alive. The tenderness with which he treats the new mother will bring a tear or two to many eyes, and rightly so.

Theres a similar devotion shown by many of the films other characters the boatman who we find feeding several tiny kittens from a bottle, nursing them to health after their mother has disappeared; the baker who explains that he and his colleagues all have running tabs with the local vet, tabs that the vet in question is never overly strict in collecting on; the gruff iron worker who starts by telling us that the cats are only here because hes tried to shoo them away but theyve refused to leave, and a minute later is telling us earnestly how much he loves them. The animals ability to elicit kindness and tenderness from people is as great a gift as the simple and profound peace you feel with a cat asleep on your lap.

The film ends on a pensive note, with a visit to a market in the citys outskirts, which is currently home to a large colony of cats, but which will soon be demolished to make way for a high-rise apartment complex. Several of the people that Torun speaks to express concern for their animal friends: where will they go? What will they do when theres no more food to be had from the market? The answer, in this case, is probably that theyll do just fine cats are survivors, after all. But the situation speaks to a wider point about urbanization and destruction of habitats, and also about the apparent desire on the part of Istanbuls administrators to rid the citys streets of stray animals. We can only hope that this doesnt happen; it would be a cruel and unnecessary extermination of creatures who have lived there for many generations, and it would rob the city and its citizens of one of the things that makes it special.

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Turkish Cat Documentary 'Kedi' is a Beautiful, Profound Meditation ... - Flavorwire

Although Rishikesh is the self-styled "yoga capital of the world," there's lots more to do there than simply run through vinyasas mouthing "Om Shanti."

In addition to being a melting pot of worldly intellectuals, the Hindu pilgrimage site that rests peacefully on both sides of the sacred Ganges river has recently become a hub for outdoor activities.

Here's a basic Rishikesh to-do list which can be explored over several weeks or in just a few days.

Rishikesh boasts one of the world's largest clusters of ashrams, loosely defined as spiritual retreats. The process of bunking on site begins with a 5 a.m. call to mediation followed by a sunrise yoga class, and ends with more yoga, chanting, lectures and group meals.

Heating and hot water can be inconsistent, however, which is worth bearing in mind between November and February.

Aartis, a Hindu religious ritual, are performed on river banks every night at sunset, and involve music and fire as offerings to the Ganges, known as the "mother" in Hindu culture.

It is not uncommon to see bonfires blazing in the distance, signaling a body being cremated with ashes soon to be scattered into the river -- a Hindu ritual that promises to free the soul from the constant cycle of rebirth.

Dipping your feet in the Ganges while setting a flower bed afloat is part of the tradition -- as is full bathing, for those who want a more authentic experience. The river runs rapidly, however, and the banks can be slippery with moss, so do exercise caution.

A day trip to the charming neighboring city Haridwar is worthwhile to contrast its aarti, which is less catered to western visitors. Be wary of false holy men looking to fleece you for a "donation," however.

Rishikesh is home to a number of small temples which act as makeshift venues for musicians performing kirtan (lengthy call and response prayer chants) accompanied by harmoniums, tablas, flutes, symbols and whatever other instruments happen to be lying around.

These sessions can carry on at all hours and participation is usually welcomed (though it is best to ask first with a silent nod).

Technically it's the former ashram of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who famously taught transcendental meditation to celebrities that included Mia Farrow, Mike Love of the Beach Boys and Mick Jagger. But it was the Beatles who put the Maharishi and Rishikesh on the map when they visited his sprawling 14-acre ashram in 1968.

Despite distancing themselves from the Maharishi after their trip, Rishikesh was a creative boon to John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The pair wrote over 30 songs at the ashram, including most of The White Album, while the visit would have a lasting impact on George Harrison both musically and spiritually.

The compound was left discarded after the Maharishi moved to Europe in 1970s. Although the Indian government has done little to restore it, it was opened to the public in 2015. Foreigners like to gripe that they are charged nearly $9 for entry, while Indians pay $2.

Only a 90-minute drive away, Rajaji National Park is home to more than 500 elephants, along with scattered panthers, leopards, deer and even anteaters, and offers on-site accommodation for those who want to take in more than a day's worth. The park is also home to one of India's 48 tiger reserves, though you're more likely to spot a shooting star in the night's sky then a roaming Bengal Tiger.

Rafting has become increasingly popular and can be booked for half or full-day excursions down the Ganges, taking in up to 36 kilometers of glorious scenery along the way.

A more pedestrian form of outdoor activity -- but one that can be just as treacherous -- involves crossing Rishikesh's two narrow suspension footbridges.

Built in 1929, Lakshman Jhula rises 59 feet above water level, stretches 450 long, and is just six feet wide. Though it is mainly used for foot traffic, pedestrians crossing the bridge -- which shakes noticeably -- must maneuver around honking motorcycles and bicyclists, as well the odd cow or family of monkeys swinging from the cables.

Though its sister bridge Ram Jhula was built in 1986 and spans 750 feet, it offers no less of an adventure.

Many pilgrims to Rishikesh bypass this microcosm of India, unaware that a bustling street market exists just minutes from their quiet confines.

Rishikesh town is a maddening cluster of restaurants, sweet shops, vegetable and fruit stands, mechanics and bric-a-brac shops hugging either side of busy Haridwar Road.

Sampling the specialty sweets as well as the fresh peanut brittle is highly recommended.

As a holy city, Rishikesh strictly forbids alcohol and non-vegetarian food, so dining out is a pretty sober affair. Though restaurants are plentiful -- with some making feeble attempts at serving international cuisine -- it's the coffee shops that get buzzy.

Many travelers tend to hang around these cafes for a lot longer than a meal, since Wi-Fi is free and relatively stable. This can be a fun way to exchange stories with other travelers, link to their Instagram accounts (a virtual must-have for travelers in photogenic India), and keep track of their journeys.

As in most parts of India, many different animals coexist with humans around town, including sheep, cows, pigs and dogs. Monkeys are notorious for grabbing food off people as they walk by, or raiding hotel rooms if they spot open windows -- even while attended.

Though it's best to avoid the monkeys, feeding the peaceful dogs any leftovers is a cause worthy of stirring up some good karma.

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Exploring Rishikesh, India: The birthplace of yoga - CNN.com - CNN

By Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle

Photo: Liz Hafalia, The Chronicle

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine is ready to be aged at Miyokos Kitchen in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

CEO and founder Miyoko Schinner, who makes artisanal vegan cheese from cultured nuts and nut milks, shows the Miyokos Kitchen cheese aging room in Fairfax.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production associates Cori Ander (left) and Lance Domdey (back) make High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese at Miyoko's Kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese has its temperature read while churning at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Production assistant Cori Ander readies High Sierra Rustic Alpine cheese to be aged at Miyoko's kitchen in Fairfax in 2014.

Vegan cheese startup Miyokos Kitchen drawing lots of investors

When she started her first vegan food company in 1997, Miyoko Schinner couldnt get anyone to invest in the business, despite its $1 million in annual sales. She closed that company, Now and Zen, in 2003.

People werent putting money into food certainly not vegan food, said Schinner. Vegan food was something you had to explain to people.

Oh, how things have changed. Just over two years after Schinner founded Miyokos Kitchen, a producer of plant-based cheese, the Fairfax company has received $6 million in funding. The investment will help pay for a much larger Petaluma facility and more efficient equipment that will help it keep up with demand. Its products, like cashew-based Cultured VeganButter and Fresh VeganMozz, are sold across the country in at least 2,000 stores, including Trader Joes, Raleys and Whole Foods.

After starting out making 800 rounds of cheese per week, the company now produces 100,000 a month. Schinner expects to hit $10 million in sales this year, and 10 times that in five years.

The explosive growth was not part of the original plan. We were going to be a local, artisanal producer like Cowgirl (Creamery), have a retail shop and sell our products in Northern California, said Schinner, also a cookbook author and co-host of the cooking show Vegan Mashup. It didnt work out that way.

The new investment also will allow Schinner to add a line of more basic cheeses with the same nutritional value as, for example, a milk-based cheddar cheese. They will cost $5 to $6, as compared to the current price of $10 to $13 for packages of her artisanal vegan cheeses. Shes also about to introduce a smoked mozzarella version.

The funding comes from JMK Consumer Growth Partners, joining previous investors like Obvious Ventures, the venture capital firm of Twitter co-founder Evan Williams, which also backs the plant-based companies Urban Remedy and Beyond Meat.

Schinner said that their interest shows how much the market has changed in the 20 years since she started her first food business, a change she attributes largely to Millennials.

People are eating foods that align to their mission in life, she said. Its more about conscious eating and the relationship between the food on your plate and the impact it has, not just on your own health.

Schinner believes her investors are not just responding to current trends but what they think the future will bring: (Investors are) aware of the greater impacts of food and they realize this is the time to get in on it.

Tara Duggan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @taraduggan

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Vegan cheese startup Miyoko's Kitchen drawing lots of investors - SFGate

As Kitchen 17 moves around the corner in Lakeview into a larger space, another vegan eatery will take over the soon-to-be vacated space. Heather Bodine-Lederman hopes to open Chicagos first all-vegan bakery, Pie, Pie My Darling, by August at 613 W. Briar Place. The news has already put a smile on many faces. Vegans have stood in line for hours at pop-up markets trying to procure one of the bakerys popular pies or cakes.

Bodine-Lederman uses canola oil, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening and non-dairy butter substitutes like Earth Balance to avoid eggs and dairy products in her baked goods: I find that butter can sometimes weighs the cake down a bit, she said.

She started out concentrating on pies, but has expanded to cakes, including cheesecakes. When the bakery opens, she wants to make cookies, breakfast pastries, cake and pie shakes, and savory pies. Bodine-Lederman envisions selling grab-and-go items, too.

Right now, the bakerys most-popular item is Funfetti cake. The sprinkles give customers of all ages a child-like feeling, and thats Bodine-Ledermans goalto bring back memories. The space will be remodeled and will feature a totally-new decor. Theyll also serve coffee.

Chicagos vegan community can be a close-knit group, and Bodine-Lederman met Kitchen 17 owner Don Clements two years ago at Vegan Vortex. Thats the vegan festival where Pie, Pie My Darling was a vendor. Clements offered his space to Bodine-Lederman back then, as he had plans to move to a larger restaurant. Bodine-Lederman hopes she can bake for the new Kitchen 17, offering fancy desserts that would be exclusively available at the new restaurant.

While Clements struggles with the oven space at Kitchen 17, Bodine-Lederman said thats not a worry as theyll install new equipment. Bodine-Lederman also wants to broaden her audience to non-vegans. She still relishes how her baked goods make her fellow vegans happy. Few restaurants and bakeries offer vegan choices, and theyre often subpar. That wont be a problem at Pie, Pie My Darling.

I want a bakery that vegans can walk into and have to struggle with what to choose because theres so many choices, she said.

Theyre touting this as Chicagos first all-vegan bakery. Restaurants such as Soul Vegetarian East on the South Side have been selling vegan baked goods for years, but Pie, Pie My Darling has more of traditional bakery/cafe component.

VegNews was the first to report the story.

See more here:

Chicago's First All-Vegan Bakery Will Sell Pies & Cakes In Lakeview - Eater Chicago