If youre anything like me, you research all the different kinds of meditation techniques our there or youve downloaded a ton of apps onto your phone. Great, youve got all this information at your fingertips, but you have no idea where to start. The more you look, the more overwhelmed you get, and the more discouraged you are to try meditating. That, or you just have trouble meditating in general.

When I first started meditating, I found that my mind was exceptionally busy and it was impossible for me to stop the hurricane of thoughts rushing in my head. It took me a really long time to learn how to focus so that I could do meditations without letting my mind wander. I want to share some of the tips that really helped me.

Just breathe. If your mind is too busy to focus on any guided meditation, put some soothing music on (or sit somewhere quiet/use earplugs) and just breathe. In your mind, think about this: breathe in through the nose for a count of five-eight, whatever feels natural to you. Hold for five-eight counts, then release through the nose or mouth for five-eight counts. Focus on the counting, on breathing in as much air as you can, and releasing all that stale air on the exhale.

If the breathing technique doesnt work, or even it does, try this one: Go for a five to ten minute walk. It doesnt matter where you go, in the park, down the street, etc. The key to this exercise is noting how you feel while you are walking. Once outside, begin taking mental notes on how the sun feels against your skin. Is there any wind? How does the wind feel? What other things do you feel as you are walking? Try to keep your mind focused on how you are feeling and what you are feeling as you complete this walk.

Another technique that sometimes helped me is listening to relaxing music. Go toy YouTube or SoundCloud or whatever you like and find some relaxing music, something that you think is nice and soothing. When youve found something, sit somewhere comfortably and close your eyes. Listen to the music and focus on the sounds. Is there a piano? A violin? Are there any nature sounds like running water, thunder, the ocean, birds, etc? Focus on all the things that you hear. If you can, begin noticing how the sounds make you feel. Do you feel a little more relaxed? Do you feel happy, sad, or angry? Then, if possible, dig a little deeper to discover what makes you feel that way or why you feel that way.

Find something to look at that calms you. For me, a picture or video of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, the sound of running water in a Japanese garden, or even just watching sakura (cherry blossoms) is calming. Focus on this picture of video (with or without sound, if a video) and just watch/look at it. Start at the top and work your way down as you notice every little detail about it. In your mind, describe the detail. For example, if Im looking at a photo/video of cherry blossoms I might think this: The sky is a beautiful shade of blue and the trees dark bark contrasts against it. The long branches, reaching out everywhere with pale pink, delicate flowers. Green leaves pop out among the clusters of pink. Stray petals of pink cascade onto the ground when the gentle breeze caresses the tree. The petals are raining down onto the ground in pink drops. The trunk is dark and sturdy, deeply rooted into the ground. The green grass peeks out from under the blanket of pink petalsetc.

Find an object and hold it in your hands. For example, I have a small figurine of a wolf, which is my favorite animal. I can hold it in my hands and look at it, noticing all the intricacies of this figurine. Examining it, noticing how it feels in my hand (light or heavy, rough or soft, etc.) the colors that are used, the detail in the eyes or mouth. Run your fingers over it and feel the texture in your hands.

Do stretches. Find a mat or somewhere where you can stretch. Focus on the movements that you are doing and the counting. Stretch out your neck by placing your chin down towards your chest. Hold for ten seconds, then slowly move it up and around in circles, very slowly. When your ear is against your shoulder, hold it for another ten seconds before you continue to move around. Do this again when your other ear reaches your shoulder. Move to your shoulders, raising them up and down, then around in circles one way, then the other. Next, stretch your arms. Lift them above your head, grasp your right wrist with your left hand, and pull your right arms gently towards the left so you feel a stretch in your arm and your right side. Hold for ten seconds, and then do the same to the other arm. Bend forward like youre trying to touch your toes, let your arms hang loose towards the floor or rest them on your legs. Hang there for a moment, and then slowly raise yourself up vertebrae by vertebrae while you head remains down. It is the last thing to come up. Next, do a lunge and have your arms where its comfortable for you. Hold the pose for ten seconds, or more, depending on how you feel. Do the same to the other leg. Lift your left or right leg up slightly and rotate the ankles in a circle, slowly. Repeat on the other side.

The last recommendation I have is writing. Get out a notebook or open a new word document and just let your mind take control of your fingers as you write whatever comes into your mind. Dont think about it, just let your hands move and write/type out words on the paper/screen. You might write how youre feeling, or the thoughts that are troubling you or that are running around in your head. Use this as an emotional release for you and focus on the paper/screen and your emotions. Keep writing until your fingers stop. This is a good way to clear your mind before you start meditating.

These exercises really helped me learn how to focus. Im the type of person that needs to do a variety of things in order for my mind to clear, or even learn, for that matter. I need to see, touch, hear, and write. Maybe one of these works for you, or maybe two work for you. Perhaps all of them work for you. Whatever it is, just keep doing it and when you feel like youve got the hang of one or two, or all of them. Try meditation again, whether its by yourself or guided meditation.

Some apps I really recommend

1. Atmosphere. This app has a variety of sounds and music to help you focus on sounds from a variety of different environments.

2. Calm. This has some background sounds like birds and water. It has a button for deep breathing that tells you when to breathe in, hold, and breathe out in case you need to see it rather than count it. They also have a learn the basics of meditation. It gives you seven days of meditation. Day one tells you what its used for and you start your first session. Its a good guided meditation for beginners. The only thing I dont like about this app is that you have to pay for other features and meditations, but for a beginner, those first 7 days are a good place to start.

3. Headspace. Many people really seem to like this app, including Emma Watson (if you care). Its also a good place to start for beginners and you get Take 10 free, which are 10 free days of meditation. Its kind of a cute app that lets you add friends, see your progress, and has a timeline that you can view or go back to. I dont like this app because its voiced by a man with a British accent. I love British accents, but I find that listening to a man makes it harder for me to concentrate and causes some anxiety. You also have to pay for more content.

4. Stop, Breath & Think. This is a cute app as well with some drawings. It asks you to check in before meditation on how youre feeling and it gives you a list of recommendations based on how you feel. Once you finish meditating, it asks you to check in again with how you feel. You gain awards by meditating for certain amount of minutes/hours and for logging in every day. It also lets you view your progress. Some are free, but most meditations are paid. So, if you like to do different meditations every day, you might get bored with this one fast since your variety is limited as a free member.

5. Pacifica. I havent really played around with this one a lot, but its kind of neat. You log in your mood and it gives you a list of suggested activities to do: for example, I said Im good so it recommended take a moment to relax, journal, set a goal for today, complete a healthy habit, and post to the community. I selected take a moment to relax and it gave me a list of meditations that I can try, a few are free, but the rest are paid. You can track your sleep, exercise, add daily habits and set daily reminders.

6. Meditation Music. The name says it all. You have 12 choices and you can set a timer for any number of minutes or hours, you can change the volume in the app, and pause it.

7. Leaf for Bellabeat. This app is used with your Bellabeat Leaf or Leaf Urban. They have a variety of meditations and breathing exercises that you can do. I dont like the breathing exercises because the pace of breathing is WAY too quick for my tastes and I feel like Im going to hyperventilate. The meditations are okay, but I dont use them anymore because I found an app that I prefer, which is #8. Leaf lets you track your meditations and set a meditation goal for the week. I track my meditations using this app as it allows you to choose the start time and how long you meditated for.

8. Insight Timer. This app is my FAVORITE app. I use this app every single day! During the day, at night, etc. I love this app because there are thousands of FREE meditations that you can use and bookmark. There are tons to choose from! Categories include sleep, pregnancy, music, breathe, accepting and letting go, forgiveness, healing, etc. You can search for anything you want. You can also add friends, send messages, bookmark meditations, and keeps track of your total time, averages, and when you log in. You can also get stars for completing x amount of days that youve used the app in a row.

Eren Wiebe is a blogger at sakuradaisuki, writer, editor, figure skater, amateur photographer, and mom to her fur baby, Piko.

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Healthy Mind: Meditation for beginners, baby steps - The Suburban Newspaper (blog)

Ally Fegley and Kenzi Case look over their music for the OMEA solo and ensemble contest which will be held on Saturday in St. Marys. The students perform in front of a judge and are given ratings on their performance. (DHI Media/Jim Langham)

DHI Media Staff Writer

jlangham@timesbulletin.com

VAN WERT Students from Van Wert area schools are collectively placing hundreds of hours into final preparations this week before the Ohio Music Education Association Solo and Ensemble Contest which is Saturday in St. Marys.

Van Wert flute player Briana Kesler is literally spending two hours a day in practice time in preparation for her participation in a woodwind trio, a woodwind quartet and flute solo.

Theres a lot of time that goes into this, especially the week before, said Kesler. There is one ensemble that is more prepared than the other, so we break things down more in practicing with the less prepared.

Kesler loves music because it gives her an opportunity to express her many-faceted feelings in different ways. When she isnt involved with school music, she plays in the area community band.

Music really helps me relax, said Kesler. Its something that helps me to strive to be better in my life. I like to use music as a way to prove myself.

Like Kesler, Van Wert junior Steele Stabler has been practicing many hours this week for his participation in two different woodwind ensembles and a clarinet solo. Stabler noted that he practices ensemble work during a free period in school but works most of his solo work at home.

I like how each piece of music can be interpreted in a way that is very individualistic, noted Stabler.

Lexi Walker, also a junior at Van Wert, likes the way groups break down into individual smaller groups in preparation for their performance. She likes the way groups with similar instruments bond in their preparation.

Just before performance, Walker said that she always takes a deep relaxing breath.

I always make sure I have a really good nights rest before the performance, said Walker.

At Lincolnview, junior Lainie Jones is preparing to sing in chior, a select ensemble and a solo performance of American Lullaby.

This is definitely a chance to work together with smaller groups of choir members, said Jones. It demands a lot of hard work and team work. It helps us to get over the fear of being in front of people, to be more relaxed to give a better performance.

Jones said that she relaxes all she can in mental preparation, although the last three minutes before performance, she practices her expressions.

I love music because it is an outright way to express a lot of emotions, said Jones.

At Crestview, Ally Fegley and Kenzi Case interact in a different way for contest. Although they are in two different musical groups, they also combine as one for their performances. Fegley plays a trumpet in the jazz band which provides the backup music for the show choir, Knight Vision, where Case performs as a dancer.

The first part of the year the jazz band and Knight Vision work separate, said Fegley. Its important for us to put style in our music so we can execute together in practice.

Fegley said that she takes her trumpet home and practices with discipline because she is first chair.

I have higher notes to play and that takes a lot of practice and work, she said. Im really working hard. This is my senior year and I want to make it count.

Case said that very few people realize all of the preparation that goes into setting things up right before the performance.

Right before performing we pray together, said Case. That is such a help.

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Local students preparing for solo and ensemble contest - Times Bulletin

Shhh. Hear that? No? That's surprising. Odds are, you can hear something right now: A siren, the hum of a fan, the blur of background conversations, the ticking of a watch. It's seldom our worlds are fully silent so seldom that complete silence feels shocking.

Image by Antonis Spiridakis via Unsplash.

We welcome sound into our lives sometimes to our detriment. Silence, perhaps, is our most under-appreciated productivity tool. So let's talk about noise.

It's common knowledge that the jarring sound of a jackhammer or the loud blasts of a rock concert can damage our hearing, but that's not the only type of harmful noise.

Two types of everyday noise can be bad for us. One is excessive noise, such as the prolonged loud noise of being near an airport. The other is simply the distraction of general noise around us, such as conversations or interruptions from colleagues in the workplace.

The former may seem worse, but both can be detrimental to our productivity and sanity.

Being around excessive noise has been found to affect our health quite seriously. Epidemiologists have found correlations between chronic noise sources such as highways and airports and high blood pressure, something that in turn can lead to other health risks, including damage to our brains and kidneys.

Other studies have found links between noise and sleep loss, heart disease, and tinnitus. People who live in consistently noisy places also commonly have elevated levels of stress hormones.

Quite ahead of her time, Florence Nightingale reportedly considered quiet an important part of patient care. Concerningly, modern hospitals have become far noisier than they were in the past. As more technology is added to wards, the average noise level in hospitals is well above the World Health Organisation's hospital noise guidelines for patient rooms, something that is detrimental to patient health and recovery. Such a noisy environment can even cause doctors to confuse similar-sounding drugs a potentially deadly mistake caused by excess noise.

So what about those of us who don't live or work near an airport or a highway? How does general daily noise affect us?

For most of us, daily noise tends to involve interruptions and distractions. Coworkers, meetings, phone calls, bustling cafs, street noise, and our phone's various notification sounds all vie for our attention as we try to work.

If you work in an open plan office, you'll probably find this is an even greater problem. Ollie Campbell, CEO of Milanote and part of Navy Design's multi-disciplinary team, says open plan offices come with their own implicit values. They make team members feel that disruption is acceptable, collaboration is the key priority, and serendipity is worth the interruptions it requires. According to Campbell:

In most workplaces, focused work is left to chance. If nobody's called you for a meeting that day, you might get an afternoon to yourself.

If you're lucky.

Distractions and interruptions are such a common part of our workdays, we don't even think of them as excessive noise anymore. It's often more obvious when we don't hear the noise of distractions around us at work than when we do.. A study at the University of California, Irvine, found that knowledge workers have focus periods of just eleven minutes on average, in-between interruptions. As Campbell said, "if you need to focus, 'work' is pretty much the worst place you could be."

Collaboration is important, but so is focus particularly for those of us who are creators. For knowledge workers, our work happens between us and the blank page. Disruptions and noise only interrupt that process.

Between interruptions, distractions, background noise, and general lack of calm and quiet, the noise of the office can be harmful. With a buzzing office around you, a bustling street out the window, and something distracting you every three minutes, it's almost impossible to create anything of value.

Shutting both types of noise out literal (and excessive) sound, and the more general commotion of the modern workplace can improve our ability to focus and create our best work.

Here's why you should replace noise with silence.

For a long time, researchers used silence as a control in experiments testing the effects of sound or noise. After realising silence was fascinating in itself, researchers started focusing more on the effects of silence than relegating it to control status.

In one experiment testing how the brain reacts to different types of music, silence was used as a control between the different music clips. But silence actually produced one of the most interesting effects. When compared with so-called "relaxing" music or even long silence before the experiment began short, two-minute silent pauses between the music actually proved more relaxing on the brain. It seems the effect of silence is heightened by contrasting it with noise.

Perhaps our strong reaction to silence's relaxing effects is related to how our brains work when they're not bombarded by the outside world. Research suggests our brains are never really quiet instead, they're always working, even when we're not actively engaged in a conscious activity. In fact, science suggests when we do engage our brain in a conscious effort, it actually overrides the brain's "default mode," temporarily diverting resources to what we want to do.

Complete silence, then, allows the brain to return to its normal default state and continue its processing.

Our brain's ongoing background processing seems to be responsible for the sounds our brain makes, too. For instance, when a song you know well is stopped in the middle of the chorus, your brain will often fill in the gap by creating the sound of the next line of the song. You're not actually hearing anything, but rather creating that sound inside your mind, according Robert Zatorre, an expert on the neurology of sound. "In the absence of sound, the brain often tends to produce internal representations of sound," says Zatorre.

Silence isn't simply relaxing for the brain, either. One study of mice found that listening to silence for two hours every day prompted the subjects' brains to grow new cells in the hippocampus, which is related to our brain's memory abilities. While new cell growth doesn't always provide health benefits, in this case those new cells did become new, functioning neurons within the mice brains. In other words, silence could make you a little smarter.

The ability to shut out the world around us can be beneficial, beyond the pure benefits of silence. Both thinking creatively and considering long-term decisions are skills that, according to psychologist Jonathan Smallwood, "allow us to generate novel solutions to problems," and to stick to our plans long enough to reach our goals.

"It seems that the capacity to disengage from the outside world when the external environment is sufficiently benign reflects a skill set that is important to almost every human endeavour," says Smallwood. Put simply, these skills help us achieve success.

Smallwood isn't the only one who thinks getting away from the noise of the world is a useful habit to build. French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal believed humans should learn to be quiet more often, as expressed in his famous quote: "All the unhappiness of men arises from one simple fact: that they cannot sit quietly in their chamber."

Derek Sivers, writer and founder of CDBaby, says spending time alone, away from the noise of the world, provides the best opportunity for creating new work:

It's not that I hate people. The other best times in my life were with people. But it's interesting how many highlights were just sitting in a room, in that wonderful creative flow. Free from the chatter of the world.

For Sivers, spending time unplugged, disconnected, and in silence is where he feels most creative. "Silence is a great canvas for your thoughts," says Sivers.

At design agency Navy, the struggle to get work done in the office was real. The constant distractions and regular noise was such an issue that employees were staying home when they really needed to focus. To fix this, the Navy team instituted daily "quiet time."

Before lunch at Navy HQ, the team agrees to be completely silent. Not just in person, but online, too. No emails, no slack, no tapping colleagues on the shoulder, and especially no meetings. They even put their phones away in drawers so they can really focus. As Campbell explains, "Quiet time is a contract: a few hours a week where we agree to work even if we don't feel like it."

Though it took months to get used to regular quiet time, after doing it for four years the team is now 23 per cent more productive. They're also less stressed overall and are able to take Friday afternoons off because they get so much done during the week.

It worked. "Work has become the best place to get things done," says Campbell.

But when you can, it's worth choosing silence. Perhaps you can start by adding a period of strict quiet time in your workplace. Strive to find small pockets of silence for yourself during the day, and savour the silence. Or, if you can, perhaps it's time to add extra insulation and block out the consistent noise from your home and office, something that might pay for itself in increased focus and direct health benefits.

Finding silence and a calm space for yourself won't just improve your health it will help you do the best work you can.

The Power of Silence: Why You Need Less Noise for Work and Your Health [Zapier] Belle Beth Cooper is the co-founder of Exist, a personal analytics platform to help you understand your life. This post originally appeared on the Zapier blog.

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Sometimes in life you lack perspective. Sometimes youre just too close. To the situation, to the person. Sometimes untenable attitudes or ideas become normalised. Like theyve always existed, like they cannot be questioned. In cases like these it often takes a fresh set of eyeballs, a rogue outsider. It takes that radical voice in the crowd to shatter the illusion. The emperor has no clothes. Today I am those eyeballs. Today I am that outsider. Today I am that voice in the crowd.

Like most people, my knowledge of maths is limited to the skills I need to function in society. (I blame crappy high school teachers for that.) However, the diversity and implications of maths theory is truly fascinating if you're willing to give it a chance. This animated map breaks down the basics.

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Why You Need Less Noise For Work And Your Health - Lifehacker Australia

When it comes to unidentifiable incoming phone calls, Ill admit Im wary to answer them. I feel distrust, even fear, of the unknown caller. Some menacing stranger may be on the other end, poised to steal my identity or my money.

Last June my cell phone blinked with just such a number, the call originating in Lewiston, Idaho. I decided to let it ring, but at the last minute chose to pick up the call. On the other end wasnt a scary monster, but rather a nurse named Morla.

Morla works for the health insurance company Regence Blue Cross as a case manager. At first I was suspicious of her offer to help me. How much was this going to cost? Morla assured me her services were free. I had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. I expected Morla to be all business, laying out deductibles, covered and not covered expenses, and procedural paper work. After all, she worked for an insurance company. Instead, I was greeted by a woman who truly cared about me. She answered all my questions, and the questions she couldnt answer immediately, she did so within a day. She called me almost daily to see how I was doing, both physically and mentally. For five months, she figuratively held my hand through biopsies, surgery, wound care, and more. Our last conversation was bittersweet. I was happy that my ordeal was considered over by the insurance company, but sad to say goodbye to Morla.

Morla was a stranger who chose to reach out and take care of me. She didnt know anything about me my politics, religious preferences, or sexual orientation. And it was clear that being a Regence Blue Cross case manager was much more than a job to her.

Other strangers reached out to me as well. Women from The Pink Project, a The Dalles group that supports women with cancer, made me soft blankets and a hat and gifted me with relaxing music, chocolates, and other items to pamper me. Finally, there was Earline, a fellow yoga student who happened to lay her yoga mat next to mine. I know little about Earline, other than that shes as tall as me, plays tennis, and has a lilting accent that sounds like its roots are in the deep south. Two weeks before my surgery, while attending yoga class, I began to weep quietly, overwhelmed by thoughts related to my cancer. At the end of class, Earline approached me, gave me a hug, and said simply, You are adored.

Saying You are adored to a near stranger is very different than when someone says I love you, I care about you, or I adore you. Those statements can seem too personal or too trite. For me, on that day, You are adored felt like the whole planet cared about me, and cared about what was happening to me. It was a magnificent feeling.

I read with two Mid Valley kindergarteners each week as part of the SMART reading program. Two weeks ago, I saw them for the first time since early December. Winter vacation and the winter snows had kept us apart for those weeks. As Nancy, a particularly exuberant 5-year old, entered the room, she rushed towards me, arms apart, and said Teacher, I missed you! I dont know much about Nancy, nor does she know much about me. Shes simply my weekly reading buddy. As an English language learner, I doubt shes ever heard or seen the word adore. Still, on that wintery afternoon, her body and voice confirmed to me that I am adored.

At a time when the fearmongers are determined to escalate our collective paranoia, we need to work hard to stem our fear of the unknown. Im as guilty as anyone of diverting my eyes when passing a homeless camp, being wary of a stranger approaching my door, or deciding not to answer the telephone. A dear friend of mine volunteers at the warming shelter, and tells me about the wonderful discussions she has with the homeless who take shelter from the cold each night. She may not tell them, You are adored, but she sincerely communicates, You are cared for; you are listened to.

On this upcoming Valentines Day, lets celebrate the triumph of love over fear. Answer the phone or stop on the street, and without hesitation, tell a stranger, You are adored.

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Cascade Observations: 'You are adored' - Hood River News

Local News

Feb 8, 2017

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Michael Wagner, 10, a fifth grade student at Fort Dodge Middle School, responds to a question about a Quidditch Quaffle ball during the after school Quidditch club at the middle school Tuesday. It was the first meeting of the new club.

Theres no shortage of clubs at the Fort Dodge Middle School to spark the imagination of students.

Between cheerleading, the Quick Fixin Young Chefs Club, music and even Quidditch, theres bound to be something that entices students to get involved.

Students can choose between 10 different clubs, according to Kim Bodholdt, culture and climate grant coordinator.

The teachers are responsible for creating the clubs.

The teachers choose whatever their interest might be, Bodholdt said. They design the club, they pick the grade levels and the content of the club.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Trish Taylor, a counselor at the Fort Dodge Middle School, shows students a stick used in the game of Quidditch Tuesday afternoon. One student thought it looked more like a giant Q-Tip. The game, inspired by Harry Potter, is one of many new clubs at the school.

A school climate transformation grant covers the cost for teachers to have the clubs and pay for needed supplies, Bodholdt said.

The different clubs met Tuesday after school.

Connor Thoma, 11, was interested in something in which he could get physically active.

He joined the Quidditch Club.

Quidditch is a game made famous in the fantasy world of Harry Potter.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Noah Glass, 11, left, and Caron Hulsebus, 11, both fifth graders at Fort Dodge Middle School, react to music created by students in previous years who were part of the same after school music club.

Thoma said he liked the Harry Potter movies and even has a Harry Potter video game at home.

You get to throw balls around, Thoma said.

Trish Taylor, school counselor, is leading the Quidditch Club.

She spent the afternoon laying down some ground rules for the game.

At one point Thoma picked up one of the balls, pretending to be LeBron James, a famous athlete from another sport entirely.

In Quidditch, there are two balls one for scoring and one to get people out, according to Taylor.

Taylor held up one of the balls and asked the students if they could identify it.

Michael Wagner, 10, knew right away that it was the Quaffle ball.

Of course, students wont be able to play the game in mid-air like the movies.

But with broomsticks, some rackets and a couple of balls the club is set.

Katlyn Ashenfelter, 12, wanted to join a club that was a little more calm.

She settled on the Yoga Club.

Its really relaxing, Ashenfelter said. After tests and everything during the day its nice to relax.

She added, and its better than sitting on the couch.

Down the hall, the Music Club also made its debut.

Tara Smith, middle school band instructor, is running that club.

The students there will have an opportunity to create their own music using a program called GarageBand, which can be accessed on their iPads.

We have so many ways of composing music electronically now, Smith said.

Within the program, one possibility is to have an orchestra playing behind the students in their music.

Smith showed videos to students of previous recordings that were composed in the club.

One was a rendition of Let it Be by the Beatles.

Students reacted with excitement as they saw the possibilities of what they could create.

Smith said one of the goals of the club will be to have each student make a video of them playing an instrument.

By the end, we will have a recording of you playing a song, Smith said.

A website will also be available so parents can listen to what their kids create, Smith said.

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Ways to be involved - Fort Dodge Messenger

London - Many dog owners like to leave the radio on to keep their pet company when they have to pop out.

But working out what type of music your pooch wants to listen to has been a little difficult until now.

Researchers have looked into what genres dogs enjoy the most, and it would appear that they are fans of soft rock and reggae.

Both lowered the animals stress levels and made them behave better according to the study, which was published in the journal Physiology and Behaviour.

Glasgow University researchers played music into the kennels of dogs that were waiting to be found homes by an animal charity.

When soft rock and reggae were played, the dogs heart rate variability was significantly higher, showing their stress rate had fallen. They were also calmer and more relaxed, spending less time standing and barking.

It follows a previous study in which dogs were discovered to find classical music soothing but got bored with it after a day.

Neil Evans, professor of integrative physiology at Glasgow University, said: "Overall the response to different genres was mixed, highlighting the possibility that, like humans, our canine friends have their own individual music preferences. That being said, reggae music and soft rock showed the highest positive changes in behaviour.

"There is some evidence from work in humans that suggests that the relaxing effects of music are related to aspects of tempo or repeated motifs that can be present in the music. Possibly the reggae and soft rock have that more overtly expressed."

The study examined dogs in a rescue centre run by the Scottish SPCA in Dumbarton over a fortnight.

Researchers looked at the dogs stress levels, which was measured through heart rates, saliva samples and observation of behaviour. They found the levels decreased significantly after listening to music.

The charity says it is now going to buy sound systems to pipe music into the kennels of all their re-homing centres.

Daily Mail

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Bach? No, your pooch would rather listen to Marley - Independent Online

Colorado consumers show with their pocketbooks their desire for organic foods. An increasing number of Colorado farmers are working to ensure stores and farm stalls are stocked to meet the demand.

In three years, Colorados organic agricultural industry has more than doubled in sales, growing from $66.2 million in 2012 to$155.2 million in 2015, according to the U.S. Department of Agricultures annual Certified Organic Survey.

Consumers are more and more engaged in their food purchases than ever before and are not only wanting to know where their food comes from but also how it was produced, wrote Tom Lipetzky, the director of marketing programs and strategic initiatives at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, in an e-mail.

In 2011, the USDA reported that about 100,000 acres of Colorado farmland were certified organic, meaning it met specific requirements for farming and ranching methods. Now, organic farmland covers more than 155,000 acres statewide, with another 70,000 acres dedicated to organic pastureland and rangeland.

Transitioning from traditional to organic farming methods can be expensive. It takes about three years to gain organic certification, and there are expenses attached to complying with regulations. Many farmers transition slowly, beginning with a few acres.

The Hungenberg farm started on 7 acres in Greeley in 1907 and now covers 4,000 acres, largely planted in cabbage and carrots. Last year, for the first time, Hungenberg Produce dedicated about 62 acres to growing carrots using organic farming methods.

With the market trends, its not going away, co-owner Jordan Hungenberg said of consumers desire for organic foods. People buy organic a lot, so we decided we were behind the eight ball and decided to try it.

For farmers who sell to major supermarkets, the ability to put USDA certified organic stickers on produce goes a long way to ensuring financial success, said Becca Jablonski, an assistant professor and food systems extension economist at Colorado State University.

Tim Ferrell, owner of Berry Patch Farms in Brighton, has seen positive results. That (sticker) carries weight in the consumers mind, he said.

Ferrells farm has been certified organic for decades. He chose to grow organic for ethical reasons. We just do not feel comfortable using fertilizers that would infiltrate the water table, he said.

Ferrell also was drawn to the higher sales prices of organic foods.

Organic farming has a reputation of being expensive, but producers say that technological innovations have allowed them to grow and protect their crops efficiently and cheaper than in previous years while still using certified organic methods.

As more and more research is done, we can use products on the plant that arent chemical, said Kaylee Armstrong ofAbundant Life Organic Farms in Hotchkiss. People complain about costs and say organic is so much more expensive. We actually increase our prices to meet with conventional growers.

Hungenberg said his company expected to lose 25 percent of its organic crop the first year, and he knew hed have to hire more people to work the fields. Last season the company paid about 200 workers, as opposed to the usual 150-180, to work the fields, he said. Hungenberg lost about 65 percent of its organic crop, partially to a mid-summer hailstorm, but it remained profitable.

All in all it was a success, Hungenberg said of the first year of organic farming. We made a little bit of money on the deal not as much as we hoped, but we were still flush and that was a good thing.

Hungenberg plans to triple its planting of organically grown carrots next season, becoming the largest source of organic carrots in Colorado.

There are other concerns in the industry. One step in the evolution of organic farming that concerns Amstrong is the introduction of large corporations to the market.

We dont want to see them lobbying the government to make regulations lower, she said, which could lower the general quality of organic food. Weve already seen it in the egg industry, she said.

Programs exist to assist farmers with the costs involved in transitioning to certified organic farming methods, Jablonski said. In addition to a thriving market, Colorados dry climate is particularly hospitable to growing organic crops.

We have less humidity less diseases There are nota lot of organic sprays that one can use to combat mold and fungus, Ferrell said. We are in an ideal situation. Colorado is a fine state for farming organically.

Samantha Fox of the Greeley Tribune contributed to this story.

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Colorado farmers going organic to meet rising demand - The Denver Post

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 doesn't 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 doesn't 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.

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"Meditation can be achieved in the middle of Times Square," says 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," says 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 - there's nothing else besides me, the iron and the goals I place around it," says 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 shouldn't 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 one's awareness and intention."

Carlson says that by focusing all of one's 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 it's 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 that 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 you're feeling: 'Do I need to sit down?' 'Do I need some fresh air?' 'Do I need to take a nap?' " she explains.

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.

Tiffany Louise, 34, a cognitive behavioral therapist and spokeswoman for Lean for Life, part of the Lindora Clinic chain of weight-loss centers in Southern California, believes that emptying the mind, even for a short time, helps clear away anxiety and stress.

I frequently work out in the afternoon, after a full day of work and child care and running kids to and from activities. As soon as I step into the gym, I leave the stress of the day behind. I don't worry about what I'm cooking for dinner or how much laundry is waiting for me at home, I just hit the weights. And when I'm done, I've sweated out the stress of the day, and I head home re-energized, my mood lifted, ready to power through the demanding routine of dinner and cleanup and homework and baths for my four young children. It's like a computer restart for my mind and body.

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.

Brusie is a writer and nurse in Michigan.

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Just me and the iron: Using weightlifting as meditation - Chicago ... - Chicago Tribune

Background:

Ive never had an interest in meditation, mostly because Im horrible at clearing my mind. Whenever I try to, it starts wandering more than usual and soon, Im making up couple names for Disney characters. I always feel as though I have better things to do and am too busy, but this week, I decided to force myself to meditate.

Research:

According to Web MD, meditation improves both physical and emotional responses to stress. One study showed that people who meditated regularly for six weeks showed less activation of their immune systems and less emotional distress when placed in a stressful situation. In a University of Wisconsin study, increased electrical activity in the left frontal lobe after eight weeks of meditation was observed. This part of the brain is more active in optimistic people.

Meditation also improves concentration, according to The Huffington Post. This is apparently related to the increased amounts of energy that meditation provides. It also leads to increased self-awareness and self-acceptance.

And, obviously, meditation induces relaxation. This increases the compound nitric oxide in the body, which cause blood vessels to open up, and blood pressure subsequently drops. In fact, a study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine showed that 40 out of 60 high blood pressure patients could stop taking their blood pressure medication after beginning meditation.

Trial:

Every night, after I finished class, homework and any meetings I had, I would listen to a guided meditation video to help de-stress. I had to listen to the whole thing, I had to barely move, I had to really try to clear my mind and I couldnt make jokes (even mentally) in response to what the video was telling me.

I may not have felt less stressed after any of the videos, but they definitely did help in the relaxation department. I did this for four days, and I fell asleep in the middle of every. single. video. After the third day, I realized I had been selecting (randomly, although as youll find, most of the top results are by a channel called The Honest Guys) meditations for bedtime and deep relaxation.

So, the fourth day I picked one that was labeled as detachment from over-thinking because it was one of the only ones not labeled specifically for nighttime. And I still fell asleep.

Conclusion:

I may never know if meditation is the answer to becoming healthier, happier, or less stressed, but I do know where to go if I ever have trouble sleeping.

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Every Wednesday night, ICE Event Center and Grill provides Oklahomans an avenue to express themselves through poetry and spoken word.

Its an opportunity for people to share their hearts, minds and souls.

'Dope Poetry' is a weekly event started back in 2016 as a way to fill a void of poetry nights in Oklahoma City.

We decided to go ahead and make it happen, make it a nice free event where people are able to come out, and just express themselves and get everything on their chest out, said co-host J. Wiggins.

Everyone is welcomed to go watch and listen as others share.

People are also encouraged to get on stage, whether its your first time or a veteran to the stage.

Wiggins said its important to make everyone feel loved and encouraged, because its hard for someone to "recite a poem in front of a bunchof strangers."

Poetry has always been an emotional outlet for everyone. Unfortunately, a lot of times, the very first poem people write is generally a heartbreak poem and, from there, they move to other things they have going on in life, Wiggins said.

Nothing is off-topic on Wednesday nights.

Stories ranging from ones first love, the pain of an absent parent or social issues are topics people can expect during a night of what some are calling "therapy."

Co-host Anthony Crawford was one of the first poets to perform when ICE Events Center started 'Dope Poetry.'

ICE Event Center's owner, Marc Flemon, invited him to perform and host on a regular.

Crawford said he started writing poetry as a way to get through a rough patch in his life.

He said performing every Wednesday is where he can release himself and it truly is "like meditation" for himself and others.

The best thing to me is seeing them come out of their shells. Its hard getting on stage in front of people and expressing something that you bury deep inside yourself. Its the emotions, its the passions, its the love that you want to get out there for others to hear you. And, here (at ICE), we hear you, Crawford said.

Wiggins said poetry is a "beautiful thing" and people get discouraged when asked if they would like to perform.

He said the response is always Im not a poet.

Wiggens encourages people to use writing as an outlet for your heart and mind and said ICE Event Center can be their outlet to perform.

ICE is simply the rose that grew from the concrete. Thats ICE right there. People, in the past, may have had a bad reputation about coming over to the east side of Oklahoma City. But, once you walk through those doors, you'll see and hear the most beautiful things you ever heard in your life, Wiggins said.

ICE Event Center has weekly events for you to enjoy from poetry, karaoke and open mic nights.

Not only can you enjoy their daily events, but you can fuel your appetite with a full menu seven days a week.

35.467560 -97.516428

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'This is therapy, like meditation,' Oklahomans express themselves through weekly poetry nights - kfor.com