Long-term stress: Meditation lowers cortisol concentrations

Meditation (from the Latin word meaning to think, to think) includes various methods, often very ancient and religiously based. Meanwhile, several scientific studies have shown that meditation can have positive effects on health. A new study now shows that meditation training reduces stress in the long run.

Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Neurosciences (MPI CBS) in Leipzig and the Max Planck Societys Social Neurosciences Research Group in Berlin found that mental training that enhances skills such as alertness, gratitude or empathy enhances focus and reduces the stress hormone. Cortisol in the hair. The amount of cortisol in the hair indicates how strong a person is by maintaining it Stress laden.

like him in Message From the institute, according to a study by Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), 23 percent of people in Germany often experience stress.

Not only does this condition affect peoples well-being, but it is also linked to a number of physiological diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental disorders such as depression, which is one of the major causes of disease burden in the world.

Therefore, effective methods are being sought that will reduce daily stress in the long run. This is a promising option Mindfulness trainingWhere participants train their cognitive and social skills, including attention, gratitude, and compassion, through meditation and various behavioral exercises.

Various studies have already shown that even healthy people feel less stressed after a typical eight-week exercise program. However, it is not yet clear to what extent the training actually contributed to reducing the ongoing exposure to daily stress.

The problem with many previous studies on chronic stress: study participants usually have to assess their own stress level after training. However, this self-assessment using questionnaires can distort the effects and make the results appear more positive than they actually were.

See also UNESCO sounds the alarm: Research must grow worldwide - Wikipedia

The reason for this bias: the test subjects knew they were training mindfulness, and lower stress levels was the desired effect of this training. This awareness alone has an effect on the information presented later.

If you are asked if you are nervous after training that has been advertised as reducing stress, even dealing with that question can distort the statements, explains Lara Pullman, an MPI CBS doctoral student and first author of the primary publication. It was recently published in the specialized magazine psychosomatic medicineHe was released.

Factors such as social desirability and placebo effects played a role here. Unlike pharmacological studies, for example, in which study participants do not know whether or not they have actually received the active ingredient, so-called blind checks are not possible during mental training.

Participants know they are taking the antidote, Polman says. In mindfulness research, we are increasingly using more objective methods, that is, physiological methods, in order to be able to more accurately measure the stress-reducing effect.

According to experts, the concentration of cortisol in the hair is a suitable measurement variable for exposure to constant stress. Cortisol is a hormone that is released when, for example, you are faced with a formidable challenge. In each case, the stress hormone helps put the body on alert and mobilize the energy to meet the challenge.

And the longer the stress is, the longer the increased concentration of cortisol circulates in the body and the more it builds up in hair, which grows an inch a month. In order to measure the participants stress level during the nine-month training, the researchers, in collaboration with Clemens Kirschbaums working group at the University of Dresden, analyzed the amount of cortisol every three months in the first three centimeters of the hair, starting on the scalp.

See also Mystery about early medieval grave pits - Wissenschaft.de

The mental training program consisted of three modules of three months each, each of which was aimed at training a specific skill area with the help of western and eastern mental exercises. The focus was either on factors of attention and alertness, on social and emotional skills such as empathy and gratitude, or on the so-called social-cognitive skills, in particular the ability to take a perspective on ones thoughts and those of others. .

Three groups of about 80 subjects each completed the training modules in a different order. The training was carried out for up to nine months, 30 minutes a day, six days a week.

In fact, it was found that the amount of cortisol in the participants hair had significantly decreased after six months of training, an average of 25%. According to the information, initially slight effects were observed in the first three months, and intensified in the following three months. In the last third, the concentration remained at a rather low level.

Therefore, researchers hypothesize that only long enough training leads to the desired stress-reducing effects. The effect does not appear to depend on the training content. It is therefore possible that many of the mental approaches examined may be similarly effective in improving dealing with chronic daily stress.

In a previous study, researchers examined the effects of training on dealing with acute stressful situations. Participants were put through a stressful job interview and asked to solve challenging math tasks under observation.

Shown here: Those who completed social-cognitive or socio-emotional training emit up to 51 percent less cortisol than those who did not. In this case, not the amount of cortisol in the hair was measured, but acute cortisol attacks in saliva.

See also Why you can get lung cancer as a non-smoker

Overall, the scientists concluded that training can improve handling of particularly acute and stressful social situations and chronic daily stresses.

We hypothesize that different aspects of training are particularly beneficial for these different forms of stress, says Veronica Engert, Head of the Research Group Social Stress and Family Health at MPI CBS.

There are many diseases around the world, including depression, that are directly or indirectly related to long-term stress, Polman says. We have to work to prevent the effects of chronic stress. Our study uses physiological measurements to show that meditation-based training interventions can also reduce general stress levels in healthy people. (Ad)

This text complies with the requirements of the specialized medical literature, clinical guidelines and current studies and has been examined by medical professionals.

Resources:

important note: This article is for general guidance only and is not intended to be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. It cannot replace a visit to the doctor.

View post:

Proven to reduce stress through meditation - a healing practice - The Weston Forum

Meditation is a practice in which an individual focuses his mind on a particular thought, object, or activity to achieve a mentally clear and calm emotional and stable state.

Meditation lowers the heart rate, lowers stress hormones, lowers blood pressure, reduces anxiety and depression, reduces pain and improves self-awareness and controlling attention. Meditation is good for your body and your brain and is included in practices like diet and exercise to have overall excellent health based on lifestyle. Long-term benefits include more happiness and peace of mind, greater enjoyment of the present moment and less emotional reactivity with fewer negative emotional and mood swings.

Meditation is easier than you think. A quick taste of meditation can be done by these simple steps:

1) Find a quiet place and sit comfortably with your back relatively straight.

2) Take a few deep breaths, close your eyes and relax your body.

3) Choose a word or phrase that has special personal meaning to you.

4) Begin to breathe through your nose and repeat the word or phrase quietly to yourself. An alternative is simply rest your attention on your breath as it comes in and out.

5) Keep the meditation going for five or 10 minutes and then slowly get up and return to your daily routine.

The good part about meditation is the basic practice is quite simple and you dont have to be an expert to receive the benefits.

Meditation practices have spiritual roots, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hindu and Buddhism. Spiritual meditation practices help obtain higher states of consciousness and ultimately achieve the pinnacle of their particular spiritual paths. Christian meditation is a form of prayer to get in touch with and reflect upon the revelations of God. Christian meditation aims to aid in the personal relationship based on the love of God. The gentle repetition of prayers is a way to move to deeper meditation and open ourselves to Gods word and the Life of Christ.

An excellent aid in meditation is by using an app. I use the app called CALM on my phone and find it helpful. This app encourages you to use a daily calm, which usually lasts 10 to 15 minutes. It welcomes you and encourages you to sit, close you eyes and relax your body and breathe according to instructions. Concentrate on your breaths in and out and keep your attention on this and nothing else. Music or a pleasant sound of nature is used to enhance your focus and attention. It encourages you to focus on how you feel and continue to relax and be peaceful. You are encouraged to have positive thoughts and emotions.

Designing you own practice of meditation is an individual choice and can include many different paths uniquely suited to your needs. You may want to experiment with different forms of meditation and trust your intuition to tell you which ones are best suited for you. Meditation may be done by yourself, with a group or class, or with the internet or app. Motivation, discipline and commitment will help make it a part of daily life. The more you meditate, the more you will receive the benefits, and the more you will want to continue this practice.

Meditation has been labeled advanced technology for the mind and heart. More great reasons to meditate:

1) Awakening the present moment.

2) Making friends with yourself.

3) Connecting deeper with others.

6) Increase gratitude and love.

7) Deeper sense of purpose.

8) Experiencing focus and flow.

9) Feeling more centered and balanced.

10) Enhancing your performance at work and play.

I am trying to make meditation a regular part of my lifestyle like proper diet, exercise, rest, learning and socialization. I believe this practice will make you a healthier and happier person.

Dr. Eichelberger is retired from Greenwood Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Montgomery Family Practice Residency Program. He is is a physician volunteer with Hospice and Palliative Care of the Piedmont. Send comments to: The Doctors Prescription, P.O. Box 36, Ninety Six, SC 29666.

The rest is here:

Guest column: What is meditation and is it good for your health? - Index-Journal

Mental health is critical. It impacts how we feel, assume and act each day. Our mental fitness also influences decision-making, hassle solving, addressing strain, and connecting to others in our lives. This is why we should usually take care of our mental health. Our mental fitness performs a crucial role each day, encouraging productivity in activities. If you adapt effortlessly to new areas, it means that your mind and heart are wholesome.

Have you ever felt depressed or unhappy? Im certain you all have.

Let me tell you something. It is okay to sense sadness, feeling low, or anger. However, do not permit such feelings to paralyse your capability to grow and live.

This is where the daily practice of meditation can work wonders on your overall well-being. There are numerous meditation practices; however, the foremost force is an experience of relaxation and our internal peace, which may enhance your mental health.

Here are a few things that daily meditation will help you achieve:

Effective communication: Bottling up your emotions can lead to stress, anxiety and depression. However, if you express whats going on in your mind through verbal or written communication, it will automatically lead to your mental peace. Meditation clears up the mind, thus giving us the ability to communicate clearly.

Stay positive: Thanks to meditation, we can look at those things that are the most important. Because it quietens the mind, our focus on life and important matters shifts. It helps us realise that instead of getting stuck in the past and constantly feeling remorse for our mistakes, we can learn from them as they are a part of our lives and teach us a lot.

Practice kindness: It is only when you show kindness towards one another that you will truly blossom. Meditation relaxes the mind, and this wakes us up to the ability to be kind. You will feel a sense of calm in helping others or just by bringing a smile to their face.

(To receive our E-paper on whatsapp daily, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)

The rest is here:

Guiding Light: The link between meditation and mental health - Free Press Journal

Uncle Ray: David Bolgers uncle played the scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. Photograph: Ros Kavanagh

Pavilion Theatre, DnLaoghaire Uncle Ray is a trio for a television set and two dancers, David Bolger and Donking Rongavilla. But it also features the spirits of three deceased men: both dancers fathers and Ray Bolger, the American actor best remembered as the scarecrow in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz.

Bolger, who also choreographs and directs, reminisces on the world of television in 1970s Ireland. Black-and-white TVs were rented and connected precariously to RTs single channel and HTV, in Wales (if you were on the east coast), usually via a wire coathanger stretched into a diamond.

This monochrome world nightmarish for millennials and Gen Z-ers was emblazoned by the yearly visits of Uncle Ray to Bolgers home through Christmas broadcasts of The Wizard of Oz metaphorically emblazoned, in fact, because the black-and-white screen filtered out MGMs Technicolor glory. But the tall tales and family lore created by Bolgers father, Andy, enrich this childhood and still resonate long into adulthood.

Similarly, it is through television that Rongavilla reflects on his recently deceased father, who, under the stage name Rommel Valdez, was an actor and stuntman in the Philippines. Both dancers lament their fathers, but they are at different stages of that grief: for Bolger it has been 9,843 days, for Rongavilla just 193. At times this is manifested physically, Rongavillas sharp and angular street dance more raw and pained than Bolgers more reflective movements, his soft arms tracing spheres as if embracing the past.

In less than an hour Uncle Ray offers a rich meditation on fathers and father figures. They might create worlds for us as children, but do we believe and accept those stories? Do we choose the imaginative possibilities of a shared surname with an American actor, or cold genealogical facts? Ultimately, the dance suggests ways to reconnect with the past, celebrate its formative magic and grieve those who made it possible. And, like Dorothy following the Yellow Brick Road, to continually search for ways to find home, where everybody loves you.

Runs at the Pavilion Theatre until Saturday, October 9th, as part of Dublin Theatre Festival; it is also available online from Friday, October 15th, until Sunday, October 17th

Uncle Ray moves to the Mac, Belfast, on Wednesday, October 13th, and Thursday, October 14th, as part of Belfast International Arts Festival

Continued here:

Uncle Ray: David Bolger, Donking Rongavilla and a rich meditation on fathers - The Irish Times

FICTION: Believe in Me, Lucy Neave, UQP, $32.99

Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent, wrote Ludwig Wittgenstein. On the other hand, as Audre Lorde warns, your silence will not protect you. In Believe in Me, Lucy Neave charts a course between these two imperatives, putting the unsaid into words to reflect on the powerful effects of silence. This adroit, elegant novel follows Bet, a young woman living in Sydney in the early 2000s, as she tries to repair decades of miscommunication and reconstruct the story of her mother, Sarah.

Lucy Neaves second novel show how love is sustained over decades Credit:Hilary Wardhaugh

Bet draws on her memories and the fragmented words and images she finds in Sarahs scrapbooks to reveal a dramatic history. Sarah grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York, in a devout churchgoing family that shielded her from the sexual revolution of the 1960s. As a teenager, she travelled to Idaho with a missionary. She was sent to Sydney alone after becoming pregnant, staying in a home for unwed mothers, and then raised her daughter as a single mother in Adelaide.

Distance is a fascination of Neaves. Her first novel, Who We Were (shortlisted for ACT Book of the Year in 2013), was also set between America and Australia, and Neave has lived in the US several times, including on a Fulbright grant. The distance between past and present is also a theme. Believe in Mes richest scenes bring to life textured accounts of America and Sydney in the 1970s and Adelaide in the 80s.

Credit:

Sarahs experiences of predation and neglect, including at the home for unmarried mothers for which Neave drew on research into the Abbotsford Convent, are harrowing. As the book progressively tells the lives of Sarah and her daughter, it shifts between their viewpoints and offers fascinating, detailed scenes as well as lightly sketched fast-forwards through decades.

Believe in Me does not provide the kind of immersion in another time and place of, say, a Kate Morton novel. Published by UQP, known for its literary fiction list, Neaves novel balances storytelling with an explicit intellectual edge, a meta-commentary on the process of imagining. This scaffolding is foregrounded from the beginning, when the reader is told that little is known of Sarah and that Bets memory is unreliable. Like Poppy by Drusilla Modjeska, another mother-daughter story that is also a meditation on biography, the act of trying to understand is as much a focus of the novel as the life story it tells. The conceptual commentary feels somewhat cool, but delivers a satisfying payoff as the ideas in the book come together.

The interplays between silence and words, stasis and action, inner worlds and outer expression run through the novel. Sarah often seems to be a character to whom things are done, rather than one who drives the action. In Neaves hands, this apparent passivity becomes an intriguing trait. Sarahs religiosity means she tries to accept suffering as Gods will, but she also uses passivity strategically, as a form of strength. Neave skilfully creates a character who often refuses to speak or act, but who nonetheless crafts moments of drama, cunning, violence and, ultimately, self-fashioning.

One of the quiet ways both Sarah and Bet express passion is through the care of wounded animals. The novel opens with teenaged Sarah raising an injured fox from the woods outside her home, and Bet becomes a veterinarian (as Neave was for a number of years). This deep, wordless love for animals is a powerful touchstone in the book, a complement to other forms of connection that words cannot express: not only between people, but in how characters relate to themselves.

Believe in Me is a compelling meditation on love and its power to withstand long periods of misunderstanding and disconnection. The broad historical sweep of the novel allows Neave to show how love is sustained over decades. The friends, mothers and daughters in this novel are separated, but find their way back to each other. Imperfect, damaged love endures. As Bet promises, You will be known, Sarah ... I will try to make you known, at least to me.

Loading

Read more:

Lucy Neaves compelling meditation on love and its power - Sydney Morning Herald

Parisa is taking refuge in her home. Its 2020. She is unable to work because of COVID-19 and she cannot afford her rent. She takes a bath twice a day because she is so afraid of COVID-19. At dusk on Dec. 11, 2020 in Ratchaburi, Thailand, a team of researchers catch bats as they fly out of the Khao Chong Pran Cave. The team studied the saliva, excrement, blood, and tissue from the bats, attempting to understand the origins of COVID-19. Brianna Noble, an urban cowgirl, attends a Black Lives Matter movement on horseback on July 26th, 2020. Her strength and values in social justice were magnetic, and she ended up leading the protest. These stories, from photographs entitled In Quarantine by Maryam Saeedpoor, The Virus Hunters by Adam Dean, and Brianna Noble: Urban Cowgirl by Deanne Fitzmauric are not just photos; they are photojournalism, which captures a diverse set of experiences that the public would have otherwise not known of.

The List Gallery, started in 1991 to showcase exhibitions from contemporary artists, in the Lang Center for Performing Arts is currently displaying an exhibit entitled 2020 In Perspective, which includes over 190 images taken during the COVID-19 pandemic by 36 photographers representing nineteen different nationalities. These images act as physical documentation of how people experienced 2020 globally. This exhibit serves as a way to process the year in which race, science, nature came to the forefront and truly tested humanity. The List Gallerys photographs and accompanying website 2020 In Perspective portray primary-source evidence of the year 2020 and how it impacted a diverse population.

Swarthmore Professor Ron Tarver, List Gallery Director Andrea Packard, and Tess Wei, the assistant to the director of the List Gallery and visiting Assistant Professor of Art, selected the award-winning images from the Pictures of the Year international competition. The collection includes photographs displaying how a diverse group of individuals experienced COVID-19. For example, Birthday shows a woman celebrating her 98th birthday surrounded by nurses, having just survived COVID-19. Other images examine racial justice protests following the murder of George Floyd, the ongoing climate crisis, and everyday people living through a global pandemic. The exhibit is available to Swarthmore students, faculty, and staff members from Sept. 9 to Oct. 19, 2021.

Judging the Picture of the Year contest as Professor Tarver did in the 90s and again in 2020 gives viewers an outlet to discover what photographers focus on, and to create connections based on themes. When asked how the documentary images shaped his understanding of 2020, Professor Tarver discussed how photographers focused on water.

Water seems to be on everybodys mind in all different kinds of ways, you know, pollution or the lack thereof, the challenge of just getting water, Tarver said.

In particular, New Danger to Underwater Life COVID-19 Wastes by ebnem Cokun from the List Gallery raises not only the impending dangers related to water but also COVID-19. The photo depicts a scuba diver in a highly polluted part of the Mediterranean Sea collecting trash, and holding a face mask in hand.

One of the main roles of 2020 In Perspective is to act as a place of reflection and processing for viewers. It encapsulates themes from the entire year, and because of this, acts as an outlet to process the year 2020 as a whole. An image captures a split second that may have otherwise been unnoticed or forgotten in time, but with photography it is possible to reflect on that moment a year after it occurred.

Wei said, [The exhibit] allows us to look in retrospect and try to take in or have a moment and contemplate everything that we either werent aware of or part of.

2020 In Perspective elevates the importance of photojournalism. The photographs in this collection, which deal with difficult situations with compassion and care, came mostly from news publications and articles. Without photojournalists acting as a canary in the coal mine as Tarver described them doing documenting disastrous events alongside first responders this connection and empathy may have otherwise not been fostered.

Because of the List Gallerys position within the college, it is not concerned with selling its artwork, but rather working with students and serving as an educational tool for the community as a whole. As Tess notes, the List Gallery has a certain emphasis on looking, feeling, and learning from work in this space as opposed to other criteria.

Another role of the exhibit is to discover what the photographers valued. One of the goals of the exhibit is to shed light on the perseverance of humanity throughout the years struggles.

There are a few photographs that made particular impacts on Tarver and Packard. For Packard, Eid in Syria by Anas Alkharboutli stood out for its display of persevering humanity and connection through COVID-19 and military destruction. The image displays residents of a destroyed neighborhood (their neighborhood had been destroyed by military operations in Aleppo province) breaking fast together. Packard noted that if this piece had been portrayed as a painting it would have been altered to show more lighting in a particular place to create nuance.

But, Packard noted, This isnt about nuance, this isnt about perfection, and some ideal composition or beauty or color theory. This is reality. So thats what this show is letting us explore: the truth behind these pictures, and the experience and the bravery of the photographers that lets us go places we couldnt otherwise.

Fighting Locust Invasion in East Africa by Luis Tato specifically touched Tarver. This image displays Henry Lenayasa, a Samburu man and chief of the Archers Post settlement, trying to scare off a swarm of locusts next to Archers Post, Samburu County, Kenya on April 24, 2020. This image conveys a humans fight against nature. Henry Lenayasa is fighting a losing battle, according to Tarver. Lenayasa is in the center of the photograph, looking straight ahead, bent over. His raised right hand resembles how Jesuss right hand is often illustrated in portraits.

2020 In Perspective was extended to McCabe Library because there was an abundance of notable photographs that Tarver, Packard, and Wei wanted to display. McCabe offers a more academic setting for the photographs, as well as a more accessible setting for students. At the front of the library, one of the displayed collections includes And In Darkness You Find Colors by Elisabetta Zavoli which includes twenty images, most of them taken at night of her two sons outside. Tarver, Packard, and Wei also selected these photographs from the POY competition. 2020 was the first time photographers were able to digitally alter their photographs in the competition, and Zavolis photos are unique in that they were manipulated. These imaginative photos display a creative, magical innocence, and they were all made with simple materials at home. While it is important to document historical events, Packard argues that these images are also important to view.

She said, Imagination is also real. We live in our heads, why cant that also be captured?

In Professor Tarvers words, the creation of these photographs was just true ingenuity and the voice of wonder, in the midst of this big crisis that the whole world was in, and the pictures were just magical images, but they spoke to the depth of creativity that I think photographers have and just need to get released.

But I think for journalists, they have a different perspective on the world. And so I think they focus on issues that are really difficult. But how do you pull from that humanitarian side, an aspect of the service, the global aspect of the situation, without making the whole thing look like the world is on fire?

See the original post:

2020 in Perspective: List Gallery Offers Reflection, Meditation on Tumultuous Year - The Phoenix - Swarthmore College The Phoenix Online

Mike Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor) has described Midnight Mass as his most personal work. The unsettling series is an inquiry into the double barrels of faith and addiction both of which Flanagan has struggled with. The setting, a remote island, also draws from Flanagans life as he spent his childhood on a lonely little island.

Also Read | Get First Day First Show, our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema, in your inbox. You can subscribe for free here

The show opens with the arrival of two people to Crockett Island. Riley (Zach Gilford) returns home after serving four years in prison for killing a teenager while driving under the influence. The other arrival is a young priest, Paul Hill (Hamish Linklater), who comes as a temporary replacement for Monsignor Pruitt. The aging parish priest has gone on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Rileys homecoming is prickly; though his mother Annie (Kristin Lehman) is welcoming, his father Ed (Henry Thomas) is not as forgiving. Having lost his faith in prison, Riley finds it difficult to integrate into deeply Catholic Crockett. Erin (Kate Siegel), who used to date Riley, has also returned to Crockett. She is pregnant and staying in her mothers house and teaching in school like her mum.

Midnight Mass

Rileys teenage brother, Warren (Igby Rigney) like Riley is an altar boy at church. Warren with fellow altar boy, Ooker (Louis Oliver) and Ali (Rahul Abburi), the son of Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli) goes to an isolated part of the island to smoke up. That is when they realise something is off with the feral cats and hulking presence.

Bev (Samantha Sloyan) is the overbearing driving force at St Patricks riding roughshod over the more temperate Mayor Wade (Michael Trucco) and his wife Dolly (Crystal Balint). Bev bosses everyone around from the handyman Sturge (Matt Biedel) to the sheriff. She is the one who convinces all the townsfolk to agree to a settlement when an oil spill wrecked the coastline and the fishermens livelihood. Meanwhile, the mayors daughter Leeza (Annarah Cymone) is wheelchair-bound after a shooting accident at the hands of the town drunk, Joe (Robert Longstreet).

Sarah (Annabeth Gish) is the island doctor caring for her mother Mildred (Alex Essoe), who suffers from dementia. Covering the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, Midnight Mass has used the names of books from the Bible for the episodes, starting with Genesis through Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Gospels and Acts of The Apostles culminating in Revelation.

Midnight Mass is at its strongest as it meditates on humanity, faith and the afterlife. Sheriff Hasans reasons for coming to the island, Erins coming to terms with her loss, Rileys meditation on mortality, Bevs scary conviction of being right and everyone else being wrong, Eds resentment for his son, and Joes refusal to forgive himself all create characters we care for intimately. The sonorous hymns including Abide with Me (a personal favourite) add texture to these lives lived in quiet desperation.

A lovely-looking and deeply-unsettling show, Midnight Mass draws you in gently and keeps you in a devilish vice. It is towards the end when all is revealed that the show loses its punch moving from disturbing and humanist to a splatter fest. All the cast members are great with Linklater and Sloyan zooming to the top of the class. Linklaters Father Paul sheds three skins revealing a distinct character under each one while Sloyan has nailed zealous Bev perfectly.

If you can forgive the incredibly talky bits (they are admittedly well-written), the distortion of comforting prayers (you will not be calling on the angel of god, guardian dear anytime soon) and the rather silly conclusion, Midnight Mass asks many disruptive questions that would stay with you much after the fire and brimstone ending.

Midnight Mass is currently streaming on Netflix

See the article here:

Midnight Mass review: A terrifying meditation on humanity, faith and the afterlife - The Hindu

There's no denying that Yoga's incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person's overall health. In fact,modern science has confirmed that yoga has tangible health benefits like improved brain function, increased immunity, denser bonesand better nervous system functioning.

This is exactly why yoga has been one of the most revered exercises known today. Without further ado, let's look at fivehealth benefits that you can enjoy once you start doing it religiously:

Improve your flexibility with the help of yoga. Photo: Pexels The relaxing approach of yoga helps ensure that body stretching is done safely. Thus, allowing your nervous system to release the muscles into gentle and effective stretches.

Releasing your muscles tensions can also help them relax to help your body open up more. A study in 2013 proves that yoga does improve balance and mobility in older adults.

Reduce inflammation with the help of yoga. Photo: Pexels Inflammation is a normal immune response to your body. However, chronic inflammation can contribute to the development of inflammatory diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Doing yoga twists gently massages your organs and encourages new blood flow. This twist generates flexibility in the spine and reduces chronic inflammation.

In addition, a study conducted in 2014 revealed that 12 weeks of yoga reduced the inflammation in breast cancer survivors.

Get rid of your stress with the help of yoga. Photo: Pexels Yoga is known for its ability to ease stress and help people relax.This can be the perfect solution to your modern and fast-paced lifestyle.

Along with the relaxation that yoga brings, it also has a positive impact on improving activity levels. Studies show that adding yoga to your daily routine can promote better sleep. It alsohelps ease depression, anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

Improve your breathing by doing yoga regularly. Photo: Pexels Scientific studies have found that practicing yoga does improve breathing and improves lung capacity. It also promotes healthier lungs that do better oxygen circulation throughout your body.

Get a healthier heart by doing yora regularly Photo: Pexels Practicing yoga is known to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It also lowers excessive blood sugar levels in people with diabetes and reduces their need for medications.

In fact, yoga is included in many cardiac rehabilitation programs due to its cardiovascular benefits.

Changing your lifestyle can be challenging without knowing the basics first. Yoga Download provides everything you need to know and will guide you through the whole process until you develop a functioning and productive routine.

Yoga Download is one of the best ways to maintain yoga sessions regularly. Photo: https://yogadownload.com You can also get unlimited access to all yoga classes when you sign up on their site. They offer online classes and let you choose your own yoga instructor. You can even choose your own musicduring the entire session! Sweet!

Another great option for your yoga journey is Wai Lana. They offer yoga products such as mats, music for meditation, eco-friendly gearsand pilate kits. Healthy living can even come naturally with the lifestyle products they also provide, making the practice of yoga easy and accessible to all.

Wai Lana Yoga is a great way to maintain doing yoga. Photo: https://shop.wailana.com Aside from yoga, they also offer lifestyle course tutorials in the form of DVDs. You can also draw inspiration from the inspirational stories found on their website!

With yoga, your body can have the incredible ability to heal itself by helping you practice being calm and mindful amidst your hectic lifestyle.

Live a healthy life --with yoga.

Here is the original post:
The Science Behind Yoga: Its Benefits And Why You Need It

Hayley Simonson, Managing Editor October 7, 2021

Take advantage of the group fitness yoga classes at the UNF wellness center, and embrace all the benefits that come along with attending yoga classes.

According to Hopkins Medicine, yoga has many benefits backed by scientific studies.

A common benefit most people recall is that yoga improves your strength and flexibility. Slow stretching and deep, focused, continuous breathing stimulates blood flow and warms up the muscles. Depending on the pose, one can build a lot of strength during yoga. This is due to the use of muscles that other exercises sometimes dont focus on.

Most students dont deal with too much back pain or arthritis, but yoga does ease these issues. The stretching poses are a safe route for increasing mobility without harsh movement. The American College of Physicians actually recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain and gentle yoga has been shown to ease some of the discomforts of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis, according to a Johns Hopkins review of 11 recent studies.

If these are issues you experience, or you know someone with these conditions, try it out and recommend the practice of yoga. Yoga is especially beneficial for athletes who put a lot of strain on their bodies. It can help with aiding or preventing injury.

Yoga is also very good for the health of the heart as it reduces stress and inflammation. It benefits heart health and helps you sleep better. Yoga also helps people sleep better because it slows down your breath, body, and mind and prepares you for rest.

The practice not only is mood and energy boosting but it seems to be ideal for reducing levels of stress, a common symptom of being a college student. If you need help managing stress and anxiety, yoga may be a great solution and self-care ritual.

According to the National Institutes of Health, some scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management and mental health.

Yoga is an excellent way to get connected to a community while putting your health and happiness first.

The UNF gym offers yoga classes throughout the week that Ospreys can attend free of charge.

Group fitness yoga schedule fall 2021:

Mondays: Relaxing Yoga at 7:30-8:25 am, Mixed Level Yoga at 6:00-6:55 pm

Tuesdays: Relaxing Yoga at 10:00-10:55 am

Wednesdays: Relaxing Yoga at 7:30-8:25 am, Mixed Level Yoga at 6:00-6:55 pm

Thursdays: Meditation 11-11:30 am, Mixed Level Yoga at 10:00-10:55 am, Relaxing Yoga 12:00-12:55 pm.

___

For more information or news tips, or if you see an error in this story or have any compliments or concerns, contact[emailprotected].

The rest is here:
The Benefits of Yoga UNF Spinnaker - UNF Spinnaker

Educated people and those who have been brought up on the internet are challenging expert advice. They think that they know everything. Even though they may know a little bit about many things through the internet, they still do not have the knowledge and wisdom gained by the experts through their in-depth study, reflection and practice.

People often forget the old sayings: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing or the more you know, the more you know how little you know. Americans in particular are brought up to believe in their radical freedom or leave me alone mind-set. I know as much or more than anyone else because I can read and write and get information from the internet. Therefore, I do not have to rely on the experts. I even know more than the experts.

This might lead to some major problems. For example: Experts and policy makers are two different kinds of people. Experts advise, whereas policy makers listen to this advice and take their own decisions affecting many people. Experts have no power except that of advising, whereas the policy makers might take wise decisions or politically motivated ones depending on their own priorities.

However, a number of people who use Facebook might utilize it as their major source of information. Since they learn about the COVID-19 virus and this pandemic from other people like them, they take their decisions on that basis. Nevertheless, the country in which we live to enjoy its comforts of electricity, gas, water, clean air, food and other amenities is also the one with whom we have signed an un-written social contract. In keeping with this alliance, we are committed to doing our part and society will do its part. We are a teamthat works together to achieve victory in the game of life. If 30% of the members of any team say that they would not go along with the other 70%, of the players, the end result might be a humiliating defeat for the entire team and its supporters. This pandemic might be our testing ground! Are we going to beat this opponent or is it going to defeat us. The choice is ours!

At present, our society, the world and each of us are facing the challenge of COVID-19. This pandemic is a test of whether we can follow our social contract. Since we belong to one humanity, we can beat this menace together. As human beings, we have survived through millenniums of adversity. We can also beat this calamity if we leave selfishness aside.

We should think about our children and grandchildren, whose future is being decided upon today by our actions. Do we want to leave the world safe for our offspring and, if so, how could we accomplish it? That is a big question. Can we bracket off our selfishness and think about the future of humanity during this pandemic? Are most of us going to be vaccinated to save our children and grandchildren? Our destiny and that of our offspring is in our own hands. Are we bold enough to take that difficult decision? Are we ready to confront this situation head-on? Once again, the choice is ours!

Most of us who try to digest bits and pieces of this enormous information feel stressed out. When this problem becomes unbearable, we rush to adopt some technique to lessen this mental anguish. During these uncertain times, we try to figure out the correct way to wade through this un-charted territory of information. We search for a tool to help us become one-pointed. We might explore various techniques.

One of them available to us is that of mindfulness meditation. Philosophers call it reflective thinking, whereas religions name it as prayer.

Driven by our intellectual or religious inclination, we might adopt one or the other which is convenient to offer solace during this difficult time. At present, to reduce this stress people might opt for the practice of yoga and meditation. When we are desperate, we are ready to seek the advice of the philosophers or religious people.

Whatever one does, hopefully it will lead to the easing of tension we are undergoing. We might be willing to take our chance. During a conversation between Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, they offered a distinction between prayer and meditation that might be useful here: Through prayer, you can talk to God to provide help to get through difficult time, however, through meditation God talks to you so that you can help yourself and others. The choice is yours!

Caution: The exercise below is a suggestion only. If done on a regular basis, it might help.

Suggested exercise

Sit in an easy posture on a mat or in a chair. Keep you back, neck and head straight up. Close your eyes. Breathe in and out for two minutes. Observe the flow of breathing. It will feel good.

Now, when you breathe in, think about love. When you breathe out, think about compassion. If other ideas come through your mind, recognize them and then go back to breathing in love and breathing out compassion.

Do this exercise for five minutes and then stop. Enjoy the relaxed feeling.

This exercise can also be done in bed before you fall asleep or when you get up in the morning.

Dr. Ashok Kumar Malhotra has been a Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He is Emeritus SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and founder of the Yoga and Meditation Society at SUNY Oneonta. His 20 videos on Ashok K Malhotra Yoga Institute Interviews are available on YouTube and his books through http://www.amazon.com and Kindle. Malhotra donates all royalties from books to the Ninash Foundation (www.ninash.org), a charity that builds schools for underprivileged female and minority children of India.

Read the original here:
Yoga Life: Yoga and meditation during this difficult time - Oneonta Daily Star