(1 of ) Amy's Kitchen team leader Gricelda Barajas Barragan, right, manages production line employees on Wednesday, March 11, 2015. (BETH SCHLANKER / THE PRESS DEMOCRAT) (2 of ) Meals are packaged for shipping at Amy's Kitchen in Santa Rosa in this 2013 file photo. (KENT PORTER / The Press Democrat) (3 of ) William Silver, dean of Sonoma State Universitys School of Business and Economics. (SSU) (4 of ) Big Bottom Market partner Michael Volpatt, left, operations director Donna Prowse, and partner Crista Luedtke with their artisanal biscuit mix at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat) (5 of ) Big Bottom Market partner Michael Volpatt, left, operations director Donna Prowse, and partner Crista Luedtke with their artisanal biscuit mix at Big Bottom Market in Guerneville, California on Wednesday, October 26, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

CYNTHIA SWEENEY

NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL | February 14, 2017, 11:11AM

| Updated 5 hours ago.

Sonoma Countys love affair with organic and artisanal food is showing no signs of slowing down.

As more consumers embrace those food products locally and across the nation, the specialty food and beverage manufacturing sector continues to grow at a rapid clip, in terms of both profits and employment, according to a December 2016 industry report from the Sonoma County Economic Development Board.

Sales of organic food and nonfood products have grown nearly three times as fast as conventional offerings in the last decade, and robust growth in food and beverage manufacturing lifted overall factory payrolls to the highest level since 2006, the report said.

Theres something about the artisanal culture here that seems to permeate all industries here in Sonoma County, even our food manufacturing, said William Silver, dean of Sonoma State Universitys School of Business and Economics.

Silver saw evidence of this at the first Harvest Summit in Sonoma in October. The summit was billed as a gathering of innovative leaders in technology, media, entertainment, food, wine and consumer products. The people that were gathered there, the nature of the conversations and the event itself was not like your typical industry affair, Silver said.

It wasnt a ballroom setting with PowerPoint presentations, he said. Even networking is too 1990s a term to describe what was happening there. It was people from different sectors getting together and using their experiences, talent and excitement about where we live and whats happening here to talk about possibilities for the future. People love what they do here and are passionate about it. Thats where the energy is. Were doing things very differently here than in other parts of the state and the country.

Silver cited the success of local businesses like La Tortilla Factory, Traditional Medicinals, Krave Jerky and Amys Kitchen.

More county food producers are also seeking startup financing, although IT and medical device firms have traditionally attracted the highest share of venture funds. Access to plentiful startup financing in the Bay Area and in the county itself will enable local producers to better compete on the national stage, the economic board report said.

As consumers are growing increasingly health-conscious and aware of environmental and ethical practices of the food beverage and lifestyle products they purchase, the demand for organic and artisanal goods stands to further increase in coming years, to the benefit of Sonomas producers.

Though organic produce, dairy, meat and snack foods tend to be more expensive than conventional offerings, organic purchases are on the rise across income levels. According to the Organic Trade Association, eight in 10 shoppers purchased organic food products at least once in the past year, a marked increase from the start of the decade. U.S. sales of organic foods surged 11 percent in 2015 to $40 billion, or nearly 5 percent of total domestic food and beverage sales.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, sales of organic produce, dairy and meat will increase at a double-digit pace over the next two years, and consumers willingness to pay a premium for organic and artisanal products will safeguard profits despite the countys high business and labor costs.

A tight labor market and rising labor costs will compress margins, though profits for food, beverage and lifestyle products makers will continue to hold firm, the board report report said. Though competition in the organic foods segment is heating up, robust demand will drive revenue growth and preserve county firms pricing power.

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Sonoma County's organic, artisanal food future looks bright - Sonoma Index-Tribune

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --The latest science on the environmental and health benefits of organic food and farming will literally take center stage on March 9 at The Organic Center's 14th Annual Benefit Dinner in conjunction with Natural Products Expo West.

With the theme of "Science Says So," the eventthe single biggest fundraising event for The Organic Center and the largest business networking dinner at Expo Westwill explain organic science to the dinner attendees in a unique, thought-provoking and entertaining way. Marking a first for the dinner, The Secret Ingredient podcast team from National Public Radio affiliate Austin, Texas, based KUT will live-tape, on stage, a podcast episode featuring The Center's Director of Science Programs Dr. Jessica Shade and the chef and creator of the dinner, Chef Matthew Raiford.

The star of the episode will be the all-organic, scrumptious and healthy feast created exclusively for the event by Raiford. The Secret Ingredient hosts Raj Patel, Tom Philpott and Rebecca McInroy will dine on center stage under the spotlight with Shade and Raiford, while the dinner is being enjoyed simultaneously by the benefit's attendees. Shade will discuss the work of The Center and present some of the science behind the ingredients on the organic menu. Raiford of Gillard Farms in Georgia will share his journey as an organic farmer and chef, and focus on the legacy of race in southern food and agriculture, and the opportunities offered by organic.

Raiford is the sixth generation to farm his family's land organically. He is also an executive chef and owner of The Farmer and The Larder, noted as one of the South's most exciting new restaurants, and associate professor of culinary arts at the College of Coastal Georgia.

In their bi-weekly podcasts, veteran food politics writers Patel and Philpott team up with seasoned Public Radio producer McInroy to focus on people whose life's work has been to understand the complex systems of food production, distribution, and marketing, and the impact these foods have on our lives. In each episode, the hosts interview a guest who is deeply versed in a particular foodstuff or aspect of food production or consumption. The show covers the hidden life of foodthe "secret ingredient." Their motto: "We won't tell you what to eat, but we will tell you why you're eating it."

"For something that's such an intimate part of life, food is easy to take for granted for many people in the United States," says Philpott, an award-winning journalist, currently food and agriculture correspondent for Mother Jones magazine. Co-host Patel is a professor at the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Affairs and author of Stuffed and Starved and the Value of Nothing. Host and executive producer McInroy produces a wide range of content for KUT, KUTX and KUT.org in Austin.

"We are excited to be presenting the science of organic in this fun and innovative way," said Shade. "Research does not have any impact if it's kept in a vacuum. The mission of The Organic Center is to make available the latest organic research to all, and enable sound science to make a difference in our daily lives. Making the connection of science with the delicious organic food we are eating will be meaningful and educational for everyone."

Organic is good for you, and good for the earth, research findings have shown. The Organic Center event will highlight credible, evidence-based science on the benefits of organic, while garnering vital support for The Center's work to facilitate and communicate these findings to promote organic agriculture. At the networking dinner, The Organic Center also will debut whiteboard videos on soil health and the role of The Center in promoting research priorities critical to organic production.

Opportunities are still available to sponsor this important event, which helps makes the critical work of The Organic Center possible. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the dinner can be found here. Participants will have the opportunity to meet old friends and make new ones, be inspired and entertained, and enjoy an organic mealall in support of The Organic Center's important work to advance organic research and evidence-based science on organic food and farming.

Current sponsors for the fundraiser are the National Co+op Grocers, New Hope Network, UNFI, Annie's Inc., Josie's Organics and Braga Fresh Family Farms, Nature's Path Food Inc., Organic Valley, Stonyfield, Horizon Organic, Whole Foods Market, Aurora Organic Dairy, BPM LLP, Cal-Organic, Foster Farms, Frontier Co-op, and Driscoll's Inc.

For more information on The Organic Center and the science behind organic food and farming, visit http://www.organic-center.org.

The Organic Center's mission is to convene credible, evidence-based science on the health and environmental benefits of organic food and farming and to communicate the findings to the public. The Center is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) research and education organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/curtains-up-light-the-lights-the-organic-center-benefit-to-put-science-in-spotlight-300407058.html

SOURCE The Organic Center

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Curtains up, light the lights! The Organic Center benefit to put science in spotlight - Yahoo News

New research shows that a specific type of meditation can actually help you worry less.

In astudypublished in Behaviour Research and Therapy, researchers examined the effects of three different types of mindfulness techniques on 77 people.

After each was practiced, anxiety levels and negative thought frequency were assessed.

Acceptance-based mindfulness meditation that was guided by a script was the most successful meditation technique of the group.

This type of meditation focuses on allowing thoughts to be rather than resisting their presence.

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Heres what else the research found and how you can benefit to worry less:

Researchers found the acceptance-based meditation (which is actually also a type of therapy) reduced negative thoughts that occurred repetitively, especially in people who already suffered from depression and anxiety.

Weve all experienced how negative thoughts not only divert our attention, but how they also increase stress and worry.

Thinking of the worst-case scenario is often enough to spike your heart rate and begin to throw you into a fight-or-flight response.

Decreasing the frequency of these negative thoughts is only onepositive side effect of the meditation.

Instead of trying to empty your mind or be totally free from thoughts, acceptance-based meditation focuses on making room for your thoughts and feelings.

Researchers did this by using a simple script to guide their subjects into the meditation:

Direct your attention inwardly notice thoughts, emotions, physical sensations any other kinds of experiences as they show up in the field of your awareness sitting and noticing whats here, right now, for you. Each time you become aware of a private experience, such as a thought, or a feeling turning your attention towards it, acknowledging it, maybe labeling it and as best you can, letting things be as they are making space for your experiences.

Resisting thoughts often strengthens them. Stop resisting.

Instead, allow thoughts and feelings to come and go as you meditate.

When you increase your self-awareness and become conscious of a thought or feeling, observe and acknowledge it. Make room for it to be.

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This type of meditation was proven to be the best above attention-based meditation, which involves focusing on the breath, and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), which focuses on tensing and relaxing certain muscle groups.

Giving your thoughts and emotions even if they are negative a safe, judgement-free space to just be can help reduce these thoughts.

So, how can we reduce the anxiety that comes with them?

Consistency is key when it comes to finding this new meditation helpful.

This interesting new research also found that just one session of this mindfulness practice didnt reduce anxiety. This is because sticking to a routine when doing your acceptance-based meditation is important.

The more you practice this type of meditation, the more it may help you to circumvent stress and depression.

Its easy to practice meditation at home, whether its guided or not. Whats not always easy is sticking with it.

But to experience the benefits, you must.

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After all, the study did conclude that acceptance-based meditation can improve resilience and help people manage everyday worries that can lead to anxiety.

So, whether you choose to meditate for 2 minutes or 30, you can benefit from this simple practice.

Guided meditation may be easier to stick with, or perhaps you already know you do well by yourself.

Regardless, you can stop thinking negatively and reduce your anxiety by doing this simple practice every day.

Subscribe to Elite Daily's official newsletter, The Edge, for more stories you don't want to miss.

Jenn Ryan is a freelance writer who loves writing about many topics and learning about new things. Find out more about Jenn and her work at http://www.thegreenwritingdesk.com

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Here's The Type Of Meditation You Should Try If You Can't Stop Worrying - Elite Daily

I ate, I didnt pray, and I learned a lot about Burning Man.

Im lying on my back on the floor of a yurt at a farm in upstate New York, staring up at a round skylight window as a yoga teacher plays the harmonium. Her goal is to lull us into a meditative state to help us move on from our exes, as we inhale and exhale together. Breathe in let the teacher says as some of the women audibly start to cry. Breathe out go But while it may be working for the rest of the group, it certainly isnt for me instead of breathing, clearing my head, finding a sense of peace or whatever it is people do when meditating, Im counting the wood beams that seem to shoot out of the skylight like the sun, and wondering if the wood-burning stove thats heating the yurt is going to give us all carbon-monoxide poisoning. Is that how I die? By a stove in a yurt?

I found myself in that fateful yurt as one of seven women attending the very first Renew Breakup Bootcamp. The brainchild of Amy Chan, a Canadian relationship columnist who the Observer once said was like a scientific Carrie Bradshaw (as in, she writes about the psychology of relationships), Renew is a three-day retreat of meditation, yoga, group therapy, and organic eating on a luxury farm. I am not a healer, but we are all here as facilitators of healing, Chan told us during the retreat. The facilitators include Amy, a life coach, a yoga instructor, a gorgeous 22-year-old private chef we all flirted with shamelessly, a farmhand, and an empowered wellness psychologist the practitioners at the retreat nearly outnumber the participants.

Chan came up with the idea for the retreat after enduring a difficult breakup of her own, she told me. She worked with therapists and life coaches, and did research into the science of love, before being able to find forgiveness, take accountability, and as she puts it, restore her power. Now, she hopes to help others do the same at Renew. Shed frequently attended yoga and party retreats across the world in the past, but she had never come across one specifically geared towards getting over a broken heart. Her next retreat is set to span a week in late May or early June, and eventually, she plans on establishing a permanent center.

Before attending Renew, I wasnt particularly heartbroken, though I was adjusting to being single for the first time in a while. I had just gotten out of two back-to-back relationships one with an on/off boyfriend of about a year and a half, and the other was a failed attempt at long-distance with a Brit I had dated in New York before he moved away. For the past few years, Id had a tendency to jump from guy to guy. My therapist pointed out that perhaps this wasnt the healthiest of habits, and suggested that I try to sit still and try actually being alone. The problem with that, of course, is that I am an incredibly impatient and restless person, so trying to relax and enjoy solitude goes against my nature. I decided to give Renew a try, to see if getting out of the city and forcing myself to meditate might help me stop feeling so antsy.

Its a wellness bootcamp for those in the Goop or Amanda Chantal Bacon set who can actually afford to shell out a pretty penny to help mend their broken heart.

Renew, it should be noted, is not for those of us on a budget. Instead, with its first three-day retreat costing $1,500 for a private room and $1,000 for a shared room, its a wellness boot camp for those amongst the Goop or Amanda Chantal Bacon set who can actually afford to shell out a pretty penny to help mend their broken heart. The first event took place at the picturesque Prana Farms about two and a half hours north of the city. The property has two houses (that are decorated as if a country home from a Nancy Meyers film mated with an issue of Kinfolk), a barn, sprawling fields, a sauna, pool, the aforementioned yurt, some goats, and four Alpacas who ran out to greet us each day as we walked between the buildings.

Although everyone had a different reason for being here (some were recently heartbroken, others were stuck on a past relationship) there was one thing that unified mostly everyone at the camp: a mutual love of Burning Man. The women talked about it constantly. They had amazing kombucha at Burning Man; they came to new realizations about themselves there; one of them even met her ex at the festival. To them, Burning Man was a fact of life. But to me, the Black Rock Desert festival sounded like my worst nightmare: like Mad Max: Fury Road, only with thousands of people having simultaneous spiritual epiphanies alongside Katy Perry and Adrian Grenier.

On its website, Renew promises to help rewire the heart by bridging the gap between science and spirituality, and it certainly tried to do just that. We had long group discussions about attachment theories and relationship triggers; we wrote out lists of all the people who have hurt us, and reframed the negatives into positives; we had extensive meditation and yoga sessions. Some of the women chopped wood (to get out their anger) or had acupuncture (to calm down afterward), though I opted out of those activities due to a fear of both axes and needles. And at the end of each night, we retreated to our bedrooms, where we were supposed to stay away from our phones and get a good nights sleep. I, however, found out the WiFi password and stayed up late frantically texting my friends about whether Burning Man might not be so bad after all, if a shift in vibrations really is to blame for Donald Trump, and whether I should be eating more leeks. I felt like I was in a parallel universe and my phone was my only link to reality.

Im not a spiritual person, as youve probably guessed the only things I believe in are logic and the inevitability that were all going to die so the retreats New Age-y vibe didnt really work for me. On top of that, I realized that I wasnt really in the sort of headspace that would benefit from such a retreat. If anything, Im feeling bored and anxious by being single. Instead of retreating, I should really just find myself a new hobby. But as I sat in a complicated meditative posture in the yurt, with my head resting on wooden blocks perched on my thighs and a blanket covering my shoulders, I found myself thinking longingly about the barre class I attend in the city. Thats my version of spirituality: A place where I can clear my head for an hour as I tuck and lunge to remixes of Rihanna songs. For me, that may just be more effective than group chanting.

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Yoga, Meditation, and a Yurt: A Weekend at a Breakup Retreat - New York Magazine

When I think of meditation, I picture an image of serenity a wide-open room, a person sitting cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed and mind relaxed. Meditation, to me, conjures up peacefulness, calmness, quietness and stillness.

Which is why the sight of bulging biceps, dripping sweat and a barbell slamming to the floor doesnt exactly fit with that picture. But looking a little closer, the practice of weightlifting actually has a lot more in common with the art of meditation than first meets the eye.

To meditate is to spend time in quiet thought, as the dictionary puts it, and while the purpose of meditation is to still the mind, that doesnt necessarily mean stilling the body. Meditation, many people mistakenly believe, can be performed only through sitting quietly and clearing the mind of intrusive thoughts. In actuality, meditation can be as simple as focusing your mind on a single point of reference, even when intrusive thoughts insist on cropping up.

Meditation can be achieved in the middle of Times Square, said Cali Estes, a psychologist, personal trainer and chief executive of the Miami-based Addictions Coach, which offers help to celebrities and corporate leaders trying to overcome drug, alcohol and other problems.

Meditation is simply the decompression of thoughts and clearing of the mind from any unwanted, negative threats or harmful ideals that can sabotage your success, [and] using exercise as a means to release stress and clear the mind is an excellent tool in both personal and professional life, said Estes, who uses a variety of methods in her work, including exercise and meditation.

And in a world that increasingly has people chained to desks and screens and spreadsheets and Snapchats, it may be more important than ever to free the mind by first freeing the body through exercise.

When I am lifting and seriously lifting theres nothing else besides me, the iron and the goals I place around it, said Janelle Tank, 23, a personal trainer and fitness entrepreneur from Michigan who began weightlifting three years ago to protect against what she calls self-hate and substance abuse. My life up to that point was ... well, I shouldnt be here today.

After experiencing a miscarriage that left me feeling unmoored, weak in more ways than just physically, I also turned to weightlifting, and I soon realized the benefits that could be unlocked through grunting, repping and sweating more than I thought a 5-foot-4, 150-pound woman of 30 should ever sweat. There is such blissful release in the hour I spend at the gym, where I can think of nothing but the next repetition, pushing through the burn, completely focused on one task, instead of the hundreds of to-dos normally flitting through my mind like a relentless Rolodex.

Weightlifting, I have come to find, is my meditation. Breathe in, breathe out, lift, hold and repeat.

Consciously focusing the attention of the mind is the backbone of meditation, notes Larissa Hall Carlson, 41, a yoga, mindfulness and ayurveda expert at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Any activity can be done mindfully, [but] what turns an ordinary exercise into a potent and benefit-rich form of meditation is ones awareness and intention.

Carlson says by focusing all of ones attention on the lifting of weights, indulging in the sensation of muscles contracting and releasing, feeling the roughness of your skin against the weight in your hands, noticing the sweat trickling down your back, and by connecting breath with movement, it is possible to transform a workout into what she dubs meditation in motion.

And its that meditation in motion that fitness experts, such as celebrity trainer Kira Stokes, say can affect the rest of life. Stokes, who is based in New York, trains her clients to focus on every muscle contraction through her Stoked method, a mindfulness practice she encourages them to use throughout the day. Her clients learn to pay attention to their breath, when to inhale and exhale with stress, and to recognize how it feels when their muscles are clenched in tension.

You become more aware on an average day of how youre feeling: Do I need to sit down? Do I need some fresh air? Do I need to take a nap? she said.

I guard my meditation-in-motion time fiercely. That hour is more than just me time; it is also a time that allows my mind to empty enough to tackle the rest of my life.

I started lifting weights because I wanted to feel stronger at a time in my life when I felt the weakest. And it is through weightlifting that I have found my strength in one of the most unlikely of places my own mind.

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Pumping iron able to provide a type of meditation in motion - Northwest Herald

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ - Do you have questions about Buddhism or wanted to learn how to meditate? If so, the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center may have answers for you.

"The basic philosophy of Buddhism is to do good, not evil, and improve your mind," center member Ravi Karunaratnesaid.

The New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center was established in 2003and is located in Franklin Township minutes away from Princeton and a 45-minute bus ride from New York City.

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In Sep. 2009 the Samadhi Buddha statue was built, on the 10-acre property of the Meditation Center. According to theirwebsite, it is the largest outdoor Buddha statue in the western hemisphere. The Buddha is 30 feet tall, sits on a pink lotus and is made of steel and concrete.

Since the unveiling of the statue, the center has been considered a New Jersey landmark attracting a steady stream of visitors throughout the year. It can be seen from Route 27 by people driving by, especially on a moonlit night due to the luminous glow of the statue.

"Our members come from all over - New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Deleware and New York, we have about 600 families," center member Dr. Wije Kottahachchisaid.

According to their website, "the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara is dedicated to serving Buddhists, as well as non-Buddhists in the United States, essentially for religious, cultural and social purposes."

Many practicing Buddhist believe peace can only be found through love, compassion, tolerance, co-existence and non-violence. At the NewJerseyBuddhist Vihara and Meditation Center visitors can learn practical methods to deal with the everyday stresses of life through various programs offered at the center.

Visitors can meditate in front of the Samadhi Buddha statue every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. There is also a scenic redwood tree-lined meditation trail, one can walk to help cleanse their mind, and along the trail, they will see quotes to help with meditation.

On Friday nights between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. are evenings of meditation with the resident monksand after meditation one can take part in discussions on the Buddhist doctrine. There is also a Dhamma school for children to help give them a foundation to assist with the development of rational thoughts, along with positive attitudes.

At the center, you can learn different forms of meditation - Metta Meditation, Anapansati Meditation, and Buddhanussati Meditation.

The New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center provides descriptions of each form of meditation, below is a brief snapshot:

Metta Meditation:"Metta meditation is a good way to calm down a distraught mind and some consider it to be an antidote to anger."

Anapanasati Meditation:" The practice ofanapanasatiis a tool to free oneself from suffering generated by uncontrolled thoughts."

Buddhanussati Meditation:"In thismeditation,we direct the mind to the qualities of Lord Buddha as the object of meditation."

The New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center is in the midst of an expansion project that will include an 11,000 square foot building that would house a library, meditation hall, residence for the clergy, and areas for community gatherings. The meditation trails through the woods will also be expanded and meditation gardens will be built.

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Houses of Worship in Franklin Township - Buddhist Vihara Meditation Center - TAPinto.net

The United Meditation Room will open to Ohio University and surrounding communities at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, on the fifth floor of OUs Alden Library.

Created to support OU students, staff and faculty as well as community members various faiths, beliefs and religious practices, the United Meditation Room is a student-led initiative that has received support from throughout the OU community and beyond. It was designed not only to provide a space at the center of the Athens Campus for individuals to gather for meditation, reflection and/or prayer, but also to recognize the religious and spiritual needs as well as the diversity of the OU community.

More than a year ago, doctoral student Hashim Pashtun took the idea to the staff at OUs Office of Global Affairs and International Studies and reached out to Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones. Those conversations led to a meeting with University Planner Shawna Bolin.

The group conducted research, looking at what other college and universities, including OUs peer institutions, were doing in this realm and found that several of them have dedicated meditation spaces on their campuses. They also reached out to various administrators and offices on the Athens Campus to gauge their level of support. The idea received full support from OUs administration.

OUs Division of Student Affairs contributed the funds to cover minor construction, most notably the relocation of technology in the room and reconfiguration of the rooms entryway to make it a public entryway rather than an office entryway.

Pashtun reached out to individuals in the OU and Athens communities who are affiliated with different religions for their input on how best to make the room a neutral space in which all feel welcome.

Everything from the color of the rooms walls to the minimal furnishings within the room was selected with neutrality and inclusivity in mind. The room will include a mobile partition for privacy, a shoe rack for those whose religious beliefs require shoe removal, and a shelf for books on all faiths and religions.

Guidelines for the meditation room that are being developed will be posted on-site and on a webpage that is being created for the room. The room will not be staffed or reservable and will be open during Alden Librarys regular operating hours.

Pashtun said his hope is that people use this room not only as a space to meditate, self-reflect and escape the stresses of life, but also to witness how others engage in these activities and to seize an opportunity to engage with one another.

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Meditation room to open at OU's Alden Library - Athens Messenger (registration)

Try eating a meal alone istock/LeoPatriziWhen was the last time you did this? According to Rebecca Weible, founder of Yo Yoga!, eating alone without people or your phone, tablet, or a book creates real awareness. "Take the time to notice each bite, including the taste and texture of your food," she says. "This is also great for digestion and portion control." Unplug and take a walk istock/ChalabalaSometimes slowing down is an easy as unplugging from the digital world, including your phone, social media, and email and taking in your surroundings. Weible says to take notice of each step: "The first and last part of your foot to hit the ground with each step, your stride and your pace. See how long you can stay present." Running is also a great way to unplug; here are some easy ways to go from being a walker to being runner. Try out some yoga moves istock/Johnny-GreigAnyone can do yoga, trust us! "Yoga is a moving meditation as you are encouraged to be mindful of each part of your body in every pose and how you are moving from pose to pose," says Weible. In yoga, you are forced to focus on your breathing and muscle control, which makes you totally present in the momenta key to good meditation. You can even try out some easy yoga moves every day.

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Here Are 10 Ways You Can Meditate Every Day Without Trying at All - Reader's Digest

Were well on our way to the middle of February and the examination season next month. Students who will be writing the all-important Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Board Class 12 exams have started studying in right earnest, planning out all sorts of strategies to master all subjects and get good scores.

Many of you wondering how best you can utilise this (almost) one-month period between the exams can check out the smart study routines of Abhishek Sahoo, Manish Soni, Mayank Singh Rathore, Shubham Nain and Tushaar A Madhu, Class 12 students who will be sitting for the exam this year.

Sahoo of Bal Bharti Public School Dwarka does not have a time table as he does not require one. His aim is to do smart, effective work. He selects one subject and goes through it thoroughly and diligently for five consecutive days. After that, he solves mock test papers exactly as if he were sitting in the examination hall just to get used to the process. After completing the test I recheck answers and correct the wrong ones, Sahoo says.

Soni of Mount Abu Public School in Rohini finished his syllabus by the first week of February. He will now start solving the CBSE sample papers which are available on websites for all streams: arts, science and commerce. Solving sample papers helps as these are based on Board exams and give students a feel of what the Board papers are going to be like.

For Rathore of Sarla Chopra DAV Public School Noida the most important thing at this time is to clear concepts of each and every subject followed by adequate revision. He starts studying early by 5.30 am and continues doing so for as long as possible. After a short break, he then devotes two hours each to each subject. I believe more in quality over quantity and make the effort to put in six to eight hours of study covering all chapters, he says.

Tushaar A Madhu of Tagore International School in Vasant Vihar is keeping things simple. Hes doing a thorough revision of his NCERT textbooks. I have my tuitions, but am concentrating solely on NCERT and NCERT notes. Once you revise the examples and exercise I think you are done with 80 to 85% of the Board syllabus and will be able to attempt most of the questions, he says. Madhu also follows a 25-minute- 4-minute rule for an intense study session. Study for 25 minutes without any distractions, keep a timer on your phone, look at the watch, do not do anything except study. Then take a four to five minute break and get back to studies. The intensity with which you study is going to help you, not the hours you spend on a chair. You need to have focused intensity, focused study, he advises.

Nain, also from Mount Abu Public School, gives two hours each every day to main subjects like math, physics and chemistry. English and options get one hour each.

Sahoo studies in the morning though hes up once in a while for up to 1 am or 2 am. However, he makes sure he gets to sleep for seven to eight hours after an all-night schedule. Managing sleep is my fitness mantra, he says.

Sonis a night bird who loves to study after sundown. One should study when ones concentration levels are high. To me its at night. I love to study in the late hours when theres no disturbance, noise, nothing just me and my books, he says.

Madhu is a morning person. He figures out that if he has to write the Board examinations in the mornings he has to be his best and very alert self to give the exams from 10 in the morning to 1 pm. He revises lessons for four to five concentrated hours a day.

Rathore feels his concentration powers peak in the night hours but he prefers studying in the peaceful early morning hours as the grasping power of the mind is at its maximum and you can understand concepts related to each subject easily.

On the toughest subjects, Sahoo finds economics a tad difficult, because it has lots of numericals, lots of graphs and lots of writing and needs thorough practice. He deals with it by taking a break now and then because the mind is like a computer. When the computers memory is full we shut and restart it after a few minutes, which increases its speed, efficiency and storing capacity. So take a break, go out in the open, breathe, exercise and get back to the table, he says.

Rathore does not find any subject to be particularly tough. Give each subject enough time and your wholehearted attention. I believe if you prepare honestly and put in your maximum effort then nothing will be difficult, he says. For Madhu, subjects are not tough but time consuming. You need dedicated effort and the right amount of time to be thorough with them. Math takes up a lot of time. Biology requires reading again and again, he says.

So how are studies and life balanced? Madhu finds it pretty easy to concentrate because he meditates. He is neither too chilled out nor too nervous but in a neutral state. When I am in a non stress state I am able to study with my best concentration and give the right focus, he says. He goes for long walks and meditates which boosts his concentration and reduces stress. Friends are great too. I call up an old friend and talk about how my preparations are going, we chat, he says.

Rathore takes small breaks of 15 to 20 minutes, working out or listening to relaxing music, which keeps his concentration intact and boredom away.

These students are also watching what they are eating. Soni has a balanced diet with carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and proteins. Rathore follows his mothers mantra: Ghar ka khao aur woh bhi pet bharkey (have home-cooked food and eat your fill).

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Class 12 Boards: for students, it's all about smart strategies, right diet, meditation and music - Hindustan Times

Pink curling irons and straighteners sit in their holders. The small shelves nearby hold varying types of hair-care products. Pop music plays softly in the background.

Light streams in from the windows, and one of them has a large, white scissor decal on the front, identifying the newly-opened salon. The space is small, but neat and relaxing.

The relaxing environment and flexibility with her schedule is exactly why Lisa Hedglin, 32, left the hectic pace of a chain hair salon and opened Revive Hair Salon in Kelso, in mid-November of last year.

I just like how laid back it is. I can take my time doing what I need to do, instead of trying to rush and get them (clients) out of here, Hedglin said. A lot of people like how laid back it is in here, how its more cozy.

Hedglin, of Longview, has six years experience as a hair stylist and color specialist. After working for a corporation for several years, she decided she needed a change of pace, and in September 2016, she began the process of opening her new business. While Hedglin said she was initially nervous about opening the salon, she said she started with a loyal clientele base, most of whom are families.

Hedglin works with Tami Martin, who rents a booth from Hedglin. Martin used to be Hedglins manager at their previous location, and said the idea to rent from Hedglin was an easy one. The pair have known each other for around two years, they said. Martin said she enjoys the opportunity to take more time to focus on the person getting their hair done.

When youre a hair stylist its all about your guest and I love it to be all about the person in the chair. Its never about us, and I like that. I have enough of me at home, I like making it about other people for eight hours a day. Its 100 percent about the guests, Martin said. What better business to be in: All day long we get to visit with people and make them feel good. Its not a job, its just fun.

Revive Hair Salon, at 207 Oak Street in Kelso, offers hair coloring, cutting, conditioning, styling and other services. Its open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hedglin and Martin can be reached at (360)-846-0904, or on their Facebook page.

Hedglin said although many people may be unaware of the business opening, the salon has had around 20 clients a week. She said she enjoys the location: The nice view, adequate parking and lots of foot traffic from the drug store around the corner.

Theres always new things to try. I like the part of getting to know people, and then learning new techniques, showing people how to style their hair different if they want to try something different, showing what they can do with their hair if they wanted, Hedglin said. I always thought it (hair styling) would be fun. And Ive tried a lot of different jobs and ... I need something thats going to be changing all the time and that way we can always learn new stuff.

Contact Daily News reporter Denver Pratt at 360-577-2541 or dpratt@tdn.com

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Revive Hair Salon offers relaxing, flexible environment in Kelso - Longview Daily News