SOUTHBURY Meditation will be introduced at the Love andKnishes Lunch on noon Wednesday, February 22in the social hall at the Jewish Federation of Western Connecticut, 444 Main St. North.

All area adults are invited to make reservations for the lunches, which feature great programming, good company and delicious food catered by Creative Events by Bonnie.

The Jewish Federation will be hosting Janaki Pierson from Woodbury Yoga Center.

Guests are promised adelicious lunch followed by a guided meditation and discussion on the fundamentals of developing theirown yoga practice.

Whether guestsare experienced with meditation or not, this program is sure to provide themwith insight, thoughtfulness and some ideas on how to enhance overall well-being through the act of meditation.

Ms.Pierson is the co-founder, executive director and principal instructor of the Woodbury Meditation andYoga Center.Ms. Pierson presents seminars on Hatha yoga, meditation, stress management, death and dying,life and living, elementary Sanskrit and thinking into being.

Ms. Pierson has been teaching meditation for more than30 years and has practiceddaily for 35 years.

She teaches extensively throughout New England in medical, educational, corporate and community settings.

Lunch reservations should be made by the Monday before each lunch.

There is a suggested lunch donation of $7.50 for adults age 60 and older.

To RSVP, interested parties may call 203-267-3177, ext. 340 or email rsvp@jfed.net.

More:

Meditation Program Planned - PrimePublishers.com

Photo: / Michael P. Mayko

Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto administers the oath of office to Adam Pacheco as a new Housing Authority commissioner on Jan. 4, 2017

Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto administers the oath of office to Adam Pacheco as a new Housing Authority commissioner on Jan. 4, 2017

HUD clears the way for Pacheco to serve on Derby Housing Authority

DERBY-The ;U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cleared the way for Adam Pacheco, a city landlord, to serve on the Housing Authority despite having a tenant who receives Section 8 subsidies.

Pachecos January appointment came on the heels of Mayor Anita Dugattos decision not to re-appoint Joseph Romano to the Housing Authority. Romano is the father of J.R. Romano, the state Republican Party chairman.

Many city Republicans including J.R. Romano accused the mayor of playing politics. Both the elder Romano and Stan Muzyk, a Housing Authority member, pointed out that Pachecos appointment could be in violation of HUD regulations.

Pacheco owns a four-family home at 91-93 Caroline Street which he resides in. One of his tenants, who resided there prior to Pacheco purchasing the property, receives HUD subsidies.

As a result Dugatto contacted HUD and requested a waiver of the conflict of interest clause for Pacheco.

In a letter dated Feb. 8, 2017, Jennifer R. Gottlieb Elazhari, HUDs program center coordinator, wrote: Form the facts as stated, we find good cause to grant the waiver of the conflict of interest as the issue is isolated to one family and the Commissioner does not have extensive rental property in the town of Derby.

Furthermore, in the State of Connecticut landlords are required not to discriminate against Housing Choice Voucher participants and so any rental property owner can be faced with this situation, she continued. Although Mr. Pacheco is a DHA board commissioner, it does not appeart that in his role he would excercise functions or responsibilities with respect to the programs at DHA.

However, Elazhari warned Pacheco against becoming involved in other DHA issues relates to this tenant.

Muzyk said he is "happy to learn that Mr. Pacheco received the waiver necessary to be in conformance as a HUD landlord who receives HUD rental income as he is already a valuable contributor as commissioner at DHA.

However Muzyk believes Dugatto should have obtained the waiver before appointing Pacheco.

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HUD clears the way for Pacheco to serve on Derby Housing Authority - CT Post

Fremont Health and the University of Nebraska Extension are partnering in a community-wide health program called Eating Smart and Moving More. This nutrition education series will focus on the fundamentals of eating healthy meals on a budget and the importance of physical activity.

Each weeks lesson will be taught by a Registered Dietitian and will focus on a different topic to help you to Eat Smart and Move More.

Lessons include: Plan: Know Whats for Dinner; Shop: Get the Best for Less; Shop for Value, Check the Facts; MyPlate; Choosing to Move More Throughout the Day; and Smart-size Your Portions and Right-size You

Shopping lessons will also include a grocery store tour led by a registered dietitian.

The Eating Smart and Moving More program is open to everyone and free of charge. It is offered as a six-week series that starts Feb. 23 and meets from noon to 1 p.m., and a three-week evening series scheduled to start April 6, meeting from 6-8 p.m. Classes are held at the Dodge County Extension Office located at 1206 W. 23rd St. in Fremont.

To register, call Beth Nacke RD, Dodge County Extension, at 402-727-2775, Ext. 23, or Rachael Nielsen, APRN, Fremont Health Internal Medicine, at 402-727-5200.

See the original post here:

Program to focus on nutrition, excercise - Fremont Tribune

16 Feb 2017, 11:30 a.m.

Parkes aqua aerobics is attracting big numbers this summer season at the Parkes Pool

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (centre) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (right) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

THRILLED: Parkes aqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing (centre) is thrilled so many locals are turning up to exercise at the Parkes Pool.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

BIG NUMBERS: More than 50 residents have been turning out for aqua aerobics this summer season.

It appears Parkes residents are just flooding in to take part in aqua aerobics at the Parkes Pool.

Thats according to localaqua aerobics instructor Bev Laing, who said more than 50 participants have been turning up per session.

The classes held on Mondays and Thursdays at 9amare run through the College for Seniors andare usually intended for seniors.

But Bev said she doesnt knock back anyone whos interested in coming.

[On January 21] we had 55 attend, which is just incredible, she said.

On February 6, 60 people were present.

Were promoting health and exercise in older people and we have lots of happy faces there, Bev said.

Bev has been instructing in Parkes since the 90s.

She worked for 10 years before taking a break and returning in 2016.

She said the response this summer season has been much bigger.

We had about 30 people per class last year, Bev said.

Now weve almost doubled.

Im very satisfied and Im enjoying it immensely myself, its been helpful for me too.

Bev attributed the growing numbers to people realising how important exercise is to maintain a healthy body, especially in older people.

I just want to get as many people in and exercising as I can, she said.

For those interested in participating, people are required to sign up to the Collegefor Seniors for $20 a year.

There is also asmall fee for the class.

For more information and inquiries call Bev on 0418 114 826.

Originally posted here:

Aqua aerobics attracts big numbers - Parkes Champion-Post

Weve all had those days when work drags you down, bills seem to be coming out of your ears, and life tends to get a little too much. Somehow, you need to relax and find serenity in and amongst the chaos, and thats where this charming puzzler comes in. It may be simple in principle, but Semispheres is the perfect game to bring you down from a particularly rough day at the office.

Its a game of symmetry, and each level has two puzzles stood opposite each other on screen, one orange coloured and one blue. The aim of the game is to get the orb in each puzzle to an escape portal located elsewhere within that puzzle. The controls are simple, relying on moving your orb as the only command necessary. Using the left stick moves the orb on the orange puzzle on the left, and moving the right stick does the same for the blue on the right.

As you move around the puzzles, there are certain obstacles to get past, such as guards with an allocated field of vision (guards that are other balls of light, albeit with an unstable glow). Sometimes, the only way to the escape portal is moving past these, but without the help of some of the abilities, or the orb youre controlling on the other side, it can be difficult to proceed.

You can collect a range of abilities to use on both puzzles; making a soundwave gets the guard to move from its spot and investigate, whichll give you an option to move past if there is the space. Another ability is a portal, and if say, the blue orb makes a portal, they can appear visible in the other puzzle on the other side of the screen; however, the orange guard wont be able to see you. This means you can provide a distraction for the other orb in the other puzzle, allowing them to get through and reach the escape portal.

The game does get tricky as you move forward, but the intriguing story element makes you want to progress. The puzzles themselves offer no kind of plot, but after completing one of the pockets of stages, a selection of storyboards pop up revealing sketches of a boy and his robot; as you complete more puzzles, more of the story unlocks and youre introduced to a story you never expected; it feels very hidden and unobtrusive, but its these subtleties than provide such a pleasant surprise.

Controlling both orbs at the same time can be tricky, and occasionally you can get confused with what youre doing, but Semispheres eases you in and allows you to take as much time as you need. The music is soothing, and features elongated synths that give the experience a layer of calm you may not have been expecting when you start. Its score is written by Sid Barnhoorn, and being a huge fan of The Stanley Parables music, I was pleased to hear his soundtrack for Semispheres.

The visuals are simple, but entrancing, and the vibrations on the screen are almost hypnotic; pairing that with the soft, relaxing music and youre likely to fall into a peaceful sleep. There seems to be inspiration from games like Portal not just for the colours, but for the portal physics and general respect for the players intelligence. It always feels challenging, but youre never struggling for hours on end with one puzzle; you learn as you play, and Vivid Helix have a good grasp on its difficulty spikes.

If youre looking for something to take you away, challenge you, and provide you with a peaceful hour or two at the same time, Semispheres is the perfect game for you. Its smart, serene, and has some great puzzle designs, along with a sweet story that unfolds after every five puzzles or so. The music is glorious, and the design is effective in its minimalism, providing a nice surprise for even the greatest puzzle solvers.

Excerpt from:

Semispheres Review - God is a Geek - God is a Geek

Dahlia Ghabour Staff Writer @DGhabour

The world of classical music is a small one. Even before they came to Sarasota, many of the longtime Sarasota Orchestra musicians already knew each other from various festivals and schools. By the time they began to play together, they already were old friends.

Somewhere along the way, their love of music turned to a love of each other. There are nine married couples performing in the orchestra, and there are others who are dating or engaged.

If it wasnt for the Sarasota Orchestra, none of us would be together, concertmaster Dan Jordan said. Having so many married couples in this orchestra just adds to the feeling that we are all one family.

Dan and C.Y.

It seems that concertmaster Dan Jordan knows everyone. Jordan and his wife, Chun-Yon Hong both violinists were introduced by Chris Takeda at the Aspen Music Festival in 1995. Jordan and Sean ONeil went to high school together. Jordan and Jennifer Best-Takeda are both New World Symphony alumni. Now, they all work together.

Jordan joined the orchestra in 1998. Hong arrived four years later. They were really good friends for a long time, said Hong, who is known to her friends by her initials "C.Y." Jordan added that they had a long journey to finally being married in 2011. They now have a 4-year-old son, Spencer. One of their greatest challenges has been providing a routine for their son when the orchestra doesnt really have one. Because the orchestra doesnt have its own hall, the musicians perform in different places and have varying rehearsal schedules each week.

If you look at my schedule with babysitting, some weeks we have five different people, Hong said. All the moms in the orchestra call each other asking for babysitters. And I will trust these people. I know I can call them in the middle of the night if anything happens.

Jordan said it makes sense that the orchestra is so close but also that this one is especially tight-knit.

When you sit down to play, thats the one escape from the stress of being a parent with a 4-year-old, and all the outside pressure of the world, he said. Theres a camaraderie that comes from making music together that spills over into friendships.

Sean and Lena

Sean ONeil moved to Sarasota cold, grabbed a job at Starbucks, worked for the Sarasota Opera when he could and hoped for a position in the Sarasota Orchestra. He met his future wife, Lena Cambis, at a party.

We met in the last two weeks of off-season from the opera, he said. She was just a girl at a party that I saw across the room ... .

For which he had an obsession about, Cambis interrupted, her French accent curling her words with amusement.

I fell in love instantly, said ONeil.

I did not, said Cambis.

Cambis had come to Sarasota from France for a vacation in 2002 and loved it enough to stay. The two married in 2003, and now have two children together: 5-year-old Balthazar and 2-year-old Celeste. Both violinists, the couple sits together in the orchestra when performing.

The way she says things can be rather blunt, ONeil said, And there are couples who dont see how I use that to my advantage. I take her advice. I play for her to better myself.

Cambis said that what keeps them close is not performing together, but sharing the same goals, and I know wed still be together even if we didnt work together.

Larry and Roxane

Co-principal horn Larry Solowey and violinist Roxane Frangie Solowey didnt plan to settle in Sarasota. Larry arrived in 1991, Roxane in 1992. Two years later, they were married, and they have been here ever since.

We always say we got stuck, but if you have to get stuck somewhere its a pretty amazing place to get stuck, Larry said. Every year, it gets better and better. Once you have kids, this is home.

The couple have two children: Michael, 19, and Daniel, 16. Both played instruments and sports. Daniel still plays clarinet. Things are easier now that the children are older, but Roxane still remembers how difficult it was.

I remember when we discovered that going to work was relaxing, she said. Work was the one place I felt like I knew what I was doing.

Every time they went to work, though, it would cost $50 in babysitting fees. Larry recalled one year they had hired babysitters for 150 nights of the year, an extraordinary amount of money.

Both of them said the juggling schedules was, without a doubt, worth it.

Giving kids an environment of having two artists as parents played well for them, I think, Larry said. We have beautiful, sensitive kids. I think what we do with our lives was really helpful in their development.

Fernando and Betsy

Principal bassoon Fernando Traba and principal flute Betsy Hudson Traba make it work by understanding pressures.

If Fernando has a killer bassoon part, I know to lay low and give him lots of space and time with his instrument, Hudson-Traba said. The pressure on the job ebbs and flows, and being married to someone who understands that in a deeply intimate way is hugely helpful. I cant imagine trying to explain it to someone who doesnt know what we do.

Married in 1998, now with two children, the Trabas experienced the same struggles with child care in the beginning but said that finding those trustworthy people to become babysitters is like making them part of the family.

Fernando said that having children at a later age helped them gain experience, and that some younger couples in the orchestra come to them for advice.

Its nice to see, he said. It has actually created better intergenerational relationships with members of the orchestra.

They both find great joy in teaching on the side, helping other kids learn how to do the things they do.

I find that after teaching a lesson, Ive been revived, Hudson-Traba said. Youre connecting with a young person who is coming with wide-eyed earnestness to an instrument you know a fair amount about. Theres so much that you learn from watching someone play one-on-one. Its really rewarding.

Bharat and Anne

Anne and Bharat Chandra, violin and principal clarinet, said that for them there is no line between their work and home lives. Several other of the couples agreed.

So much of our job is emotional, Anne said. Its not something that stops and starts when we get there; its all intertwined.

Bharat said the music was in his mind all the time, constantly, especially if there are pieces coming up that are difficult to play.

Any relationship has to find a language and an emotional, professional context that allows for communication about the jobs you guys have to do, he said. Youre friends, but you also have to create an excellent musical product, and you might have different ideas about that. You constantly have to learn how to talk to each other.

The two married in 2004 and have two daughters. They both recognized the need to relax by doing activities that didnt involve music dancing, yard work, driving.

Even when they first arrived in the area, Bharat said he could tell Sarasota was a community that loved the arts and the orchestra, and that it served as an inspiration and motivation for him.

If you ask any human being how music has made them feel, you get some amazing answers, Bharat said. To have the ability to create that for other people is an unbelievable high.

Chris and Jennifer

Violinists Chris and Jennifer Best Takeda met years ago at an audition in Washington, D.C., but really didnt get a chance to talk until Dan Jordans birthday party in 2005.

We talked the entire night and that was basically it, Chris said.

We were married in 2012, Jennifer added. Only took him six years to propose. Its fine.

Chris said he and Jordan have been friends for more than 20 years; now that they are all settled in Sarasota, theyre even more inseparable. Both couples have young children, too the Takedas have a 3-year-old son, Carter.

Were incredibly close to all the couples in the orchestra, Dan and C.Y. especially, Jennifer said. If theres a night we want a sitter we call them up and go, Do you want to go to that new sushi place? People look at the four of us together and are like, Are you never apart? Do you never do things alone?

Chris holds a position that was created for him when the late artistic directorPaul Wolfe retired: associate concertmaster. Jennifer is the assistant concertmaster.

Jennifer said that the orchestra being really young compared to most orchestras is another aspect of the quality of life she loves best about working in Sarasota.

Its more than about the status of your job, she said. We both have great jobs here, were both titled players in a great orchestra thats kind of an impossibility. And were living in a beautiful city, have great friends. I look at our job as all encompassing; its just a great reason to stay here.

More here:

Notes on love: Romance and marriages blossom over music - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

(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

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

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.

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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