When the cold weather is giving you the winter skin blues, nothing has the power to perk up your makeup look like blush. Despite its status as one of the first documented makeup products used in history, blush is often overlooked by the modern beauty in favor of bronzer. Blush is known by makeup artists as the secret to looking healthy, but many blushes are hiding an ugly secret that might make you feel sick.

This Might Bug You To give blush its rosy hue, a pigment made from crushed female cochineal insects is sometimes used. This bright red coloring is called Carmine, but might be disguised in the ingredient list with nicknames like Cochineal, Carminic Acid, Natural Red 4, or C.L 75470. In addition to this creepy crawly secret, some cosmetic companies use other animal-derived ingredients and test makeup products on animals, causing them to suffer in unimaginable ways. Thankfully, you can easily add blush to your makeup wardrobe without harming animals. There are dozens of cruelty-free and vegan blushes available, but weve hand-picked 5 favorites just for you!

Touted by beauty bloggers as a universally flattering blush thats gorgeous on any skin tone,Pacificas Blushious blush in Camellia provides a peachy-pink glow. Pacifica is a cruelty-free and vegan company that uses natural ingredients like coconut and rose in their affordable luxury cosmetics. At just $12, this blush is a steal and a total must-have.

Before blush was powdered and packaged, women used red fruits to color their cheeks. Cruelty-Free brand 100% Pure offers fruit pigmented vegan blushes that are suited for sensitive skin and available in a wide array of shades to suit any skin tone. The classic pink shade Cherry offers a satin finish and a flush of color in adorable packaging. At $35, this blush is less expensive than some better known luxury brands that favor cruelty over quality.

If your lifestyle is a little more active, you might prefer the ease of a blush that you can throw in your bag and apply without brushes.Tarte cheek stain comes in 6 vegan-friendly sheer shades that can be applied on the go and blended with fingers for that I just worked out look. Try the shade True Love, a sheer watermelon hue that looks like youre naturally blushing. Since not all shades are vegan, be sure to select one of the 6 shades that bear the Vegan Friendly stamp on the product photo.

While many blushes have a bit of shimmer, some prefer the natural look of a matte formula. Cruelty-free brand Modern Minerals offers a neutral shade called Love, a matte warm pink with mauve undertones that perfectly suits a minimal no makeup look. This vegan blush is ideal for those who arent comfortable with brighter hues, but want to give blush a try. At just $20, its a low risk option that adds just a little pink to your cheeks without taking much green from your wallet.

If you like pretty packaging and an equally lovely product, youll love Too Faced Long Lasting Blush. While the whole brand is Cruelty-free, only the shades How Deep is Your Love and Your Love is King are vegan so far. The first is described as a watermelon pink and the second is a plum toned rose; both of which would flatter both light and dark skin tones.

You dont need makeup to be pretty, but when you choose to use a cruelty-free and vegan blush, youre making life just a little more beautiful for the animals. To find out which cosmetic brands are cruelty-free, try our helpful database!

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Save Animals Beautifully With Vegan and Cruelty-Free Blushes - PETA (blog) (press release)

Business News Media By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 15 February 2017

The governments Department Of Culture, Media And Sport has announced a consultation on plans to deregulate the commercial radio sector, which would remove a number of the constraints that cover local AM and FM stations in the UK.

The rules contained within the licences issued by media regulator OfCom to local radio operations have been greatly relaxed over the years, though the commercial broadcasters argue that they need relaxing further as stations compete with an increasing number of rival audio services on the digital networks and online.

The broadcast firms also argue that, with so much more choice for consumers today, the media regulator doesnt need to worry itself so much about exactly what kind of content is airing on the AM and FM networks.

The consultation comes off the back of research done by OfCom at the request of former culture minister Ed Vaizey. The DCMS explains: At present, commercial radio has to abide by a series of complex rules regarding content which are enforced by OfCom, many of which were devised in the late 1980s before the emergence of digital technologies. But the government has announced today that it is consulting on changes to the rules that govern much of the programming decisions, and is proposing to give greater flexibility to local radio stations in particular, so that they can have a say in their own content.

The revised rules would allow broadcasters to more easily alter the music and programming policies of their stations, and to network in more programmes from central hubs providing that there was still decent local news provision. The latter change would allow the big radio groups that have already networked a lot of programming across their local stations to also run single prime time shows across their networks too, giving their London breakfast show which usually has the biggest name DJ an audience elsewhere in the UK.

Or in the words of the DCMS: It will further mean that DJs will be free to play more of the music and content they and their listeners want, when they want, without their station needing OfComs permission. Stations will also be able to network more of their services across different stations, allowing them to showcase star presenters throughout the day including at breakfast time.

Although being spun by the government as a move to give radio DJs more musical freedom, critics of the proposed measures will no doubt point out that the changes will actually allow stations that currently have commitments to play a certain amount of music from new acts or niche genres to instead air more shows playing their mainstream core playlist. Meanwhile the promise of celebrity voices over breakfast is code for more local radio stations having no actual local content beyond the headlines on the hour and occasional travel news bulletins.

But, unsurprisingly, the boss of commercial radio trade group Radiocentre, Siobhan Kenny, welcomes the proposed changes, saying earlier this week: Radiocentre welcomes the governments announcement wholeheartedly as we have been asking for the existing rules on both music output and how and where content is made to be updated. Most of the rules are over 20 years old, so effectively designed for a pre-internet age. With 45% of radio listening now on digital platforms and new competition from streaming services, it is high time legislation caught up. The times have already changed so this is excellent news.

Meanwhile, the minister now in charge of radio, Matt Hancock, waffled on thus: In a time of extraordinary change, radio has thrived. But the way commercial radio is regulated is increasingly outdated and holding it back from investing in new content, services and platforms. All these things are essential for radio to stay relevant, especially in an age of unregulated internet audio services.

Noting that Monday was World Radio Day, he continued: So Im delighted to announce on World Radio Day that we will be asking industry and members of the public for their views on the deregulation of local radio. Under our new proposals we will be giving local radio stations more freedom and flexibility to meet the needs of listeners across the country.

The DCMSs consultation will take submissions until 8 May.

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Government opens consultation on relaxing rules for local radio in ... - Complete Music Update

For residents of Oro Valley, Catalina State Park has long stood as one of the areas greatest focal points. With management for the park incorporated in 1974the same year as Oro Valleys foundingit has acted as a pillar for family entertainment in the north Tucson area going on over 40 years as a place for recreation of all sorts: biking, camping, horseback riding and beyond.

For its over four decades in operation, the park has done an upstanding job in embracing traditions common of national parks throughout the world, from preserving nature to hosting outdoor hiking trails and encouraging campouts under starry Arizona skies. What recent years have proven for the parks, though, is that even old dogs truly are capable of new tricks.

With a little help from their associates at the non-profit organization Friends of Catalina State Park, the park has decided on bringing an innovative twist to stand amongst its more traditional proceedings. It is now hosting Saturday concert series, with the events specifically being hosted not too far into the park, all amidst a gorgeous setting of the trees, cacti, flowers and medley of desert wildlife for which the establishment has become renowned.

Iterating his thoughts on the series and assisting the Catalina State Park rangers in organizing their Saturday Concerts-in-the-Park, FCSP president and secretary Richard Boyer said, Friends of Catalina State Park has been involved with notices to our 300 contacts about the Concerts-in-the-Park, and the concerts have been a great hit with visitors and locals alike. The outdoor setting at the trail head stage in the park is beautiful and the Catalina Mountains provide a stunning backdrop.

When asked about the attraction to the series for performers and attendees alike, Boyer said, It appears to meand I have attended almost every concert since they started a few years agothat the concerts enhance the park experience by providing a different experience for those attending, rather than the usual hiking, biking, or running. It is a relaxing event for those attending, providing a variety of musicians at each concert. Musicians love coming to the park and many artists are already scheduled through 2017.

Folks attend, often bringing friends and pets and food to enjoy the free entertainment, he says with a smile. Obviously, the park benefits through increased visitation, and through funds brought in at the entrance station. Mostly, though, I believe that the park benefits by having those attending experience a relaxing evening and a variety of music in a different kind of outdoor setting than they might be used to with other concerts around Tucson.

During a recent show held as part of the ongoing Saturday Concerts-in-the-Park series at Catalina State Park, bluegrass-pickin park mainstays, the Saguaro Sunset Trio, brought a crowd of 200-strong to their feet in rousing applause in-between each of their individual performances. With crisp weather on the horizon for Tucson, the park will likely see an attendance boom during their springtime shows, which are held two Saturdays a month as opposed to the usual one.

Concerts are for all ages, pet friendly, and are free upon park admissionwhich is $7, cash onlyfor a day pass. Concert attendees are encouraged to bring their own foldable chairs for seating, as well as their own bottled water. Furthermore, the Friends of Catalina State Park are present at every event to offer free popcorn to all attendees.

Though the FCSP has less to do with the actual planning for these concerts, including booking the eventsall of which goes to the Catalina State Park rangersthey do assist in providing a place to showcase upcoming events on their handy website, http://www.friendscsp.org. Readers are encouraged to visit the Future Events page on the FCSP website for any further information on upcoming shows. For more information on Catalina State Park itself, readers are encouraged to visit http://www.azstateparks.com/catalina

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Catalina State Park concert series brings music to nature - Tucson Local Media

February 14, 2017 9:54 PM By Marissa Bailey

(CBS) Millions of Americans, women in particular, have problems falling asleep or staying asleep. A new idea may help.

CBS 2s Marissa Bailey has more on what is being dubbed the Sleep Song.

Forty-six percent of woman are sleep-deprived.

Jessica Prewitt; Emilia Schobeiri; Rachel Gerson and Sarah Gulette-Johnson would try just about anything to get a few more hours of precious shuteye.

They would event try the song Weightless by Marconi Union.

Jessica, for one, was skeptical, but Rachel says she was intrigued.

British neuroscientists found the music was 11 percent more relaxing than any other song they tested, including more familiar tunes by Enya; Coldplay and Adele.

They found Weightless reduced overall anxiety by 65 percent and lowered resting heart and respiratory rates by 35 percent.

Rush University Medical Center sleep expert Dr. James Herdegen believes the magic is in the melody.

Weightless starts at 60 beats per minute. By the end eight minutes later it drops to 50 beats per minute. That is key, experts say.

It takes this very melodic, repetitive sound, sometimes with vocals, to help with sleep relaxation, Herdegen says.

But was it relaxing enough to help our ladies fall asleep?

For Rachel and Emilia, no. The song did not work.

But for Sarah and Jessica, Weightless worked wonders.

Says Jessica: This song is emitting some sort of like drug into the air through my phone to put me to sleep at night.

Sarah says the song helps calm down her young children, and Jessica has played it for her niece who has autism and says it relaxes her as well.

For the official version of Weightless on YouTube, click here.

Marissa Bailey is the weekend anchor of the CBS 2 Chicago morning newscasts and a general assignment reporter for the station. Marissa joined the station in March 2012 as a reporter and was promoted to anchor the stations Saturday and Sunday...

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For The Sleep-Deprived, Can A Song Be The Cure? - CBS Local

United Natural Foods Inc. expects to request at least $1.9 million in state tax credits in return.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. United Natural Foods Inc., a wholesale distributor headquartered in Providence with $8.47 billion in net sales last fiscal year, expects to add 150 jobs in Providence by 2020 after selecting Rhode Island from about 30 prospective metro locations.

The company is seeking a long-term lease for a new, shared business services center in the Providence metro area, Gov. Gina Raimondo and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation announced Wednesday.

United Natural Foods expects to request at least $1.9 million in Qualified Jobs tax credits from the Commerce Corporation at its Feb. 27 board meeting, Commerce Secretary Stefan Pryor told The Providence Journal.

About a year ago, Rhode Island leaders responded when the company issued a solicitation to different jurisdictions, seeking answers about office space availability and financial incentives that locations could offer, Pryor said.

The company narrowed its search to three top metro locations places that are leaders in "shared services operations," said Josephine Eke, the firm's vice president of branding and communications marketing. Centralizing in Rhode Island continues the company's effort "to stay nimble and evolve to the market changes," she said.

"Clearly, we have a great relationship with Rhode Island because our headquarters is here," Eke said in a phone interview Wednesday. "This is about building a business for the future, trying to do the best for our customers as well as our associates, and I think we're thrilled to be able to continue our relationship with Rhode Island."

Eke said she does not know how many of the jobs would be new and how many would move from other locations, or whether there might be layoffs elsewhere.

The wholesale distributor moved its headquarters from Connecticut to Rhode Island in 2009 and has grown exponentially since then.

As it seeks tax credits from Commerce, the firm could request more credits if it exceeds its current expectations for job creation, Pryor said. The board will likely consider a higher amount of credits, not yet negotiated, that the firm would redeem if it hires about 250 or more employees, Pryor said. Neither Pryor nor Eke could immediately say what median annual wages would be.

"It's exciting that Rhode Island-based operations such as United Natural Foods are deciding in Rhode Island's favor when they are considering where to expand," Pryor said. "Some of our recent victories include companies moving into Rhode Island from outside our borders. It's enormously encouraging that companies such as UNFI are joining A.T. Cross and Ocean State Job Lot, and other Rhode Island companies, in growing right here."

United Natural Foods (UNFI:Nasdaq) identifies itself as the largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of natural and organic foods and wellness products to the natural, organic and specialty industry in the United States and Canada.

The company's net sales have grown from $3.4 billion in the fiscal year that ended in 2008, the year it announced its move to Providence, to $8.47 billion in the fiscal year that ended July 30.

The company employs about 9,800 people at 33 distribution centers throughout the United States and Canada, with about 450 employees at its Providence headquarters, Commerce spokesman Matthew Sheaff said. United Natural Foods distributes more than 100,000 organic, natural and specialty products to more than 43,000 customer locations throughout North America.

In Rhode Island, the company now expects to open a "shared services center," Steven L. Spinner, the company's president, CEO and board chairman, said in a statement issued by the Commerce Corporation. That "new, centralized location" is expected to support business operations that includes services such as accounts payable and accounts receivable, Sheaff said.

A lease hasn't been signed, but the company is working toward a long-term lease in the Providence metro area to accommodate the new employees, the Commerce Corporation said. The company's headquarters is 313 Iron Horse Way, the American Locomotive Works building in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, the same complex where the Commerce Corporation is located.

We look forward to expanding our presence in Rhode Island with the opening of our shared services center, which will enable us to drive greater efficiencies and improve the customer experience as we further simplify and standardize our supplier and customer interactions, Spinner said in the statement.

Weve long been proud that UNFI calls Rhode Island home, and today were pleased that its decided to grow here, Gov. Gina Raimondo said in a statement. The business climate weve worked to create over the past couple of years is one thats mutually beneficial for businesses and our residents, and were careful to ensure that the opportunities we create pay off in both the short- and long term.

The company is moving forward with hiring plans soon, with an open house scheduled for March 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at its corporate headquarters.Hiring managers expect to conduct interviews at that time.

Last fiscal year,Whole Foods Market was the company's only customer whose business represented more than 10 percent of total net sales, with about 35 percent, according to United Natural Foods' annual report. In late 2015, the company announced it had extended its wholesale distribution relationship with Whole Foods until Sept. 25, 2025, extending a prior agreement that would have expired in September 2020.

In 2014, United Natural Foods acquired California food distributor Tony's Fine Foods for approximately $202.7 million.Last fiscal year, Haddon House was its largest acquisition, at approximately $217.5 million, and with other acquisitions, the company took on an additional 1,000 employees, according to its annual report.

Excerpt from:

RI-based distributor of natural, organic food to add 150 jobs - The Providence Journal

Mashable

Whole Foods is struggling despite a booming organic craze Mashable The high-end grocery chain said it would close nine stores last week after a year and a half of falling same-store sales. Yet ironically, the organic food craze it ... What would it mean to modernize the Endangered Species Act?Grist Whole Foods was a half-step behind industry changes, and it hurtFlorida Weekly Global Organic Food & Beverages Market 2016 Amy's Kitchen Inc, Dean Foods, Evol Foods, Organic Valley ...Albanian Times WholeFoods Magazine all 9 news articles »

Continued here:

Whole Foods is struggling despite a booming organic craze - Mashable

Consumers face big challenges when it comes to shopping organic because of inaccurate and misleading food labeling, confusing nutrient values and sometimes outrageous pricing

If you are a dedicated organic-only food shopper, no matter what the cost, this column is not for you. But if you wonder about getting your money's worth in terms of healthier food at a reasonable price, then read on.

Consumers face big challenges when it comes to shopping organic because of inaccurate and misleading food labeling, confusing nutrient values and sometimes outrageous pricing.

Here's my story.

Standing in front of a brightly lighted dairy food case triggered my comment, recently, to the guy standing next to me. "Isn't $7.29 a gallon is a bit high for a gallon of milk," I asked. "Don't they have cheaper alternatives?"

The guy, who looked to be in his late 30s or early 40s, gave me a thoughtful stare and responded to my question with a crisp, "no." But he wasn't finished. He then told me that he and his wife shop at second-hand stores for clothing so they can afford to spend more of their household budget on organic food for their kids. Organic milk at $7.29 a gallon being a primary purchase.

"We're willing to make the sacrifice because we believe in locally sourced, fresh, pure, hormone-free organic food," he said with passion. His short lecture caught me by surprise. I took a deep breath and quietly said, thank you.

What did I expect? I was shopping in a new co-op grocery store down the street from my son's urban apartment. Almost everything in the store is organic and pricey. Why wouldn't I get a "talk" about the glories of paying more than $7 for a gallon of milk while the Safeway store less than a mile away sells milk for just under $3 a gallon?

Here in the Northwest, the natural-food-GMO-free organic-only movement is embraced as religion, wrapped up in doing good things for the planet and for our children. How can you not believe?

But investigative reporters at the Los Angeles Times and other big newspapers, plus a range of food experts, say the nutritional content from conventionally produced foods and those with the organic label are indistinguishable.

For instance, Mayo Clinic researchers do not consider organic food significantly different than conventionally produced foodstuffs in terms of nutritional value. The clinic looked at 50 years' worth of scientific articles about nutrient content. Journal of Dairy Science recently reported that in terms of nutrients in milk "there is nothing distinct about organic milk that makes it unique from conventionally produced milk."

A study reported by the New York Times a couple of years ago, explained that Stanford University researchers analyzed 237 studies of organic produce, meats and dairy foods and concluded that organic foods are no more nutritious than their conventional counterparts.

Sorry, guy at the dairy case who buys second-hand clothes for his family to afford organic food purchases.

Here's the problem. Huge money is being made by food retailers by perpetuating the public's belief that paying higher prices for organic food is worth it.

Kroger, Albertsons, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, even Safeway are all growing revenue on the organic wave. More grocery shelf space is going organic for that reason.

A food shopper intent on holding down costs must now be aware (at every turn) of the big price differences between organic and conventional fresh vegetables and between hormone-free and conventional meats and milk.

According to Consumer Reports as sighted by the LA Times, organic foods and beverages run an average 47 percent more in price than conventional alternatives. In some cases, the markup can be more than 300 percent.

You are paying more because organic food is more expensive to produce, safer and is more healthful and nutritious, right? But profit margins on organic food sales are far greater than for conventional food. Supermarkets earn a measly 1- to 2-percent on conventional food sales, while organics will generate averages of 3.5- to 6 percent.

"Organic foods often include a price market up of 29- to 32-percent when only a 5- to 7-percent premium is needed to break even," says the National Academy of Sciences.

Organics are a huge profit opportunity for the cut-throat trillion dollar grocery industry.

Labeling confusion

Then there's the whole labeling thing: 100 percent organic means just that while a singular "organic" label means the product is 95 percent organic. Products that contain just 70 percent organic ingredients can say "made with organic ingredients."

Terms such as natural, all natural, free-range or hormone-free should not be confused with organic foods. Who has time for all this label-reading and primary research?

Grocery vendors are counting on time-strapped shoppers to not take the time to figure this all out and instead grab the higher-priced organic stuff without comparing cost.

For young families on a budget who face rising household expenses, it may be worth it to check out the cost of organics verse conventional food. Is buying milk for a family of four with a $4-a-gallon price difference, worth it? Or as the LA Times headline asked, "Is organic food worth the higher price? Many experts say "no."

Julia Anderson is the Smart Money columnist for the Portland Tribune

Continue reading here:

Smart Money: Is organic food worth the higher price? Experts say no - Pamplin Media Group

In the past, my family and friends would've typically described me as pleasant but hurried. My baseline restlessness and edginess, however, have now nearly vanished.

Without difficulty, I have sustained attention when my young children spend time with me. Instead of constant surveillance of my phone, there is an ability to quickly hyper-focus on the task is at hand and a corresponding joy of living in a distraction-less world.

This change seems to have started the end of last year, after I spent a morning meditating with the Dalai Lama.

First off: Yes, I do feel a little ridiculous writing a line like that, and I didn't feel worthy of his invitation at the time. Even though I meditate, I've never been sure whether I was using proper technique or whether there was an acceptable way to meditate in the presence of His Holiness.

If he was looking forward to a good meditation partner, I worried he was unlikely to find it in me. Even my posture is terrible when sitting cross-legged on the floor. My back starts to hurt, followed by my knees. Thus, my breathing, which is supposed to drive my focus, sounds raspy and uneven. All this makes my mind race instead of slowing down and calming.

Just thinking about meditating with His Holiness was making me anxious.

Nevertheless, who says "no" to a chance to meditate with the Dalai Lama? I agreed to join him early the next morning at his private residence.

At 81 years, old, the Dalai Lama keeps a very active schedule. I met him in Mundgod, India, at the Drepung Monastery, where he was overseeing a symposium bridging Buddhism and science.

The monastery itself is a dazzling bejeweled structure built 600 years ago. Inside, there are enormous golden Buddhas standing next to ornate walls. The discussion hall itself is grand but warm, with doors and windows open to the hot South Indian sun.

For three days, his Holiness moderated sessions on weighty metaphysical topics such as the criteria for valid reasoning, the fundamental constituents of the universe, origins of life and the subjective experience of the mind.

It was fascinating and mind-bending -- but also mentally exhausting. It was difficult to stay awake, let alone keep up with the rapid-fire debate between the Buddhists and the scientists. Yet his Holiness was mentally engaged and inquisitive throughout, even more remarkable given more than half the comments were being translated for him.

The Dalai Lama typically wakes about 2:40 a.m. and starts his daily meditation routine at 3 a.m., even as most of his staff is still snoozing.

This was the backdrop when one of his senior staff members picked me up outside the monastery early one morning. We drove in a three-car convoy to the gates outside his private residence.

From there, several more staff members escorted us to a small conference room where his security detail was slowly waking and drinking their morning tea. Finally, his chief of staff walked me just outside the personal quarters of the Dalai Lama.

There were a few minor instructions before we entered. Eye contact is not a problem, and shaking hands is acceptable if you use two hands, not just one. Try not to turn your back to him when leaving the room, and instead walk backward, as much as possible facing him. When sitting cross-legged on the floor, don't point your feet at the Dalai Lama. And the correct address is "your holiness."

Shortly after, the doors opened, and I nervously walked into a very modest room where the Dalai Lama was sitting on a raised platform, already deep in meditation. I slipped off my shoes, sat cross-legged at a slight angle on the floor to avoid my toes being pointed in his direction, closed my eyes and started to focus on my breathing.

All my meditation insecurities immediately started to kick in. After a few minutes, I heard his deep, distinctive baritone voice: "Any questions?"

I looked up and saw his smiling face, starting to break into his characteristic head-bobbing laugh.

"This is hard for me," I said.

"Me, too!" he exclaimed. "After doing daily for 60 years, it is still hard."

It was at once surprising and reassuring to hear him say this. The Dalai Lama, Buddhist monk and spiritual leader of Tibet, also has trouble meditating.

"I think you will like analytical meditation," he told me. Instead of focusing on a chosen object, as in single-point meditation, he suggested I think about a problem I was trying to solve, a topic I may have read about recently or one of the philosophical areas from the earlier sessions.

He wanted me to separate the problem or issue from everything else by placing it in a large, clear bubble. With my eyes closed, I thought of something nagging at me -- something I couldn't quite solve. As I placed the physical embodiment of this problem into the bubble, several things started to happen very naturally.

The problem was now directly in front of me, floating weightlessly. In my mind, I could rotate it, spin it or flip it upside-down. It was an exercise to develop hyper-focus.

Less intuitively, as the bubble was rising, it was also disentangling itself from any other attachments, such as subjective emotional considerations. I could visualize it, as the problem isolated itself, and came into a clear-eyed view.

Too often, we allow unrelated emotional factors to blur the elegant and practical solutions right in front of us. It can be dispiriting and frustrating. Through analytical meditation, His Holiness told me, we can use logic and reason to more clearly identify the question at hand, separate it from irrelevant considerations, erase doubt and brightly illuminate the answers. It was simple and sensible. Most important, for me -- it worked.

As a neuroscientist, I never expected that a Buddhist monk, even the Dalai Lama, would teach me how to better incorporate deduction and critical thinking to my life -- but that is what happened.

It changed me. And I am better for it. I practice analytical meditation every day, usually early in the morning. The first two minutes are still the hardest, as I create my thought bubble and let it float above me. After that, I reach what can best be described as a "flow" state, in which 20 to 30 minutes pass easily.

I am more convinced than ever that even the most ardent skeptics could find success with analytical meditation.

Over the holidays, I spent as much time as possible relaying the Dalai Lama's teachings to my family and friends and teaching them basic principles of analytical meditation. This was the gift I most wanted to share with them. And now with you.

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Dr. Sanjay Gupta: Lessons from meditating with the Dalai Lama ... - CNN

When most people think of visiting a museum, it might conjure images of looking at dinosaur bones, paintings by famous artists and Egyptian sarcophagi.

The Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh is trying encourage people to broaden their interpretation of the museum with their winter wellness events held throughout the season.

The February event, Meditation and Movement at the Museum, is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Feb. 26.

We really want people to come into the space and think about the museum in a different way, as a place of self care and a place you can go to refresh, said Laura Zorch McDermit, manager of social and entrepreneurial experiences at CMOA. With this programing they experience the space that way and it carries on in daily life as well.

Last year was the first time these classes were offered and according to Zorch McDermit they have been very popular, including last months event.

We did a yoga series in our Hall of Sculpture and paired it up with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and they had musicians accompany the yoga practice, she said. People like doing yoga at the museum. People come to the museum to reflect so it seemed like a pretty good match.

After experiencing last years success, Zorch McDermit said the museum decided to expand their offerings this year.

Our first Winter Wellness event was in January. That included yoga, a ballet barre fitness class with the Pittsburgh Ballet School and an African drum and dance class. People got to play the drums and dance, she said.

The schedule of events is 9 a.m. yoga, 10:15 a.m. Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School Barre Fitness & Core Conditioning Class with Kristy Boyle and 11:30 a.m. African drum dance with Yamoussa Camara.

For those who prefer to relax more than move, there is another track that will appeal to them.

There is also a simultaneous track that is the meditative opportunities, said Zorch McDermit. We have our docents that are interested in mediation, and they practice on their own, and they will take people through the tours.

The schedule for the relaxation track is 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. gallery tours with meditative stops; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 15-minute chair massages by Pittsburgh Massageworks; and 10 a.m. healing sound bath with Brooke Smokelin.

The sound bath, which will be held in the Hall of Architecture, comprises of Smokelin using special types of bowls to make sound waves that wash over the participates creating a relaxing feeling.

Our spaces are so enormous and so grand. Brooke, who leads the sound bath experience, she was overwhelmed at how great it (the sound bath) was in that space, said Zorch McDermit. It kept reverberating off these architectural casts and making this (acoustic) landscaping. It was really cool.

While health and wellness is important all year round, Zorch McDermit feels that the museum provides people with a wonderful opportunity especially catered to the winter months.

When it is dark out and gloomy, we have this incredible space, and the atmosphere here is never gloomy and it is lovely. You can take a moment to be in front of Monets Walter Lilies and you can throw some color into your life, she said. In the summer there are so many other opportunities to get outside. There are always these unique fitness experiences where you can do yoga on Mount Washington or Point State Park. In the winter it provides the opportunity to be in a space like ours.

Tickets for Meditation and Movement at the Museum are $30 for non-museum members, $25 for members and $20 for students.

Tickets can be purchased online at cmoa.org.

After a day of moving and relaxing, Zorch McDermit hopes that people will see the museum in a different light.

What we have seen through these events is there are a lot of new first time visitors and a lot of our members are coming as well. We want everyone to have a new, fresh experience, like Oh my God, I cant believe I can do this in the museum! she said. I want people to understand that the museum is for them at all times. We are constantly changing. These are all different kinds of events that you can experience that interpret our collection in all different ways. Whether it is in quiet moments like Winter Wellness or a high energy event. There are different ways you can come and be a part of the museums.

Read more here:

'Meditation and Movement at the Museum:' CMOA to host a winter wellness event - Uniontown Herald Standard

Im trying to start a daily sitting meditation practice, but I hear a lot of conflicting opinions on how long I should meditate for. Whats your advice?

Illustration by Nolan Pelletier.

There are two different views on this: 1. Any time spent meditating is good, no matter how short. 2. The longer you meditate for, the better. The thing is, theyre both right. Even five minutes a day is better than nothing, and a longer meditation session can be more beneficial than a shorter one.

Half an hour a day might be a good starting point, but the key is what works for you. The most important thing is keeping a regular meditation practice. If you practice for so long that it infringes on the rest of your life and stresses you out, or it feels like a chore and you dont enjoy it, then youll be less likely to do it every day.

There is one objective guideline, though. You should meditate long enough for your mind and body to settle down. Only when your thoughts have calmed down and your body is relaxed can you really start your practice. That may take the first five or ten minutes of your meditation session, so try to sit long enough to go through the settling-down phase and have enough time left to really enjoy and benefit from the practice.

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How long should you meditate for? - Lion's Roar