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In the 15 years since she made her National Book Award-winning debut with Three Junes, Julia Glass has written a series of novels notable for their intricately braided narratives, dry wit, and generous embrace of flawed, fallible characters. Those gifts are on pleasing display again in A House Among the Trees, a lovely meditation on the mysteries of creativity and its costs, not just to creators, but to those who surround them. The artist in question here is Mort Lear, a famous childrens book author whose accidental death sparks a swirl of maneuvers and memories that ultimately lead to a fraught weekend of revelations and reconciliations.

Always deft with plotting, Glass builds to that weekend from her first sentence, Today, the actor arrives. Morty agreed to this visit, we learn, shortly before his fatal fall from the pitched roof of his Connecticut home. He was flattered that Oscar-winning movie star Nicholas Greene had been cast to play him in a biopic, but its just one more thing to deal with for Mortys longtime, live-in assistant, Tomasina Daulair. Tommy is reeling from the unwelcome discovery that Morty named her his heir and literary executor, assigning her a series of detailed responsibilities as variously remote from her experience as foraging for mushrooms or Olympic diving. The most unpleasant of these will be informing a New York museum happily anticipating the bequest of Mortys artwork, letters, and archives that he has reneged on that promise in his will.

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With six densely packed but lucid pages of exposition, Glass sets the scene for all that follows and dangles tantalizing hints of disclosures yet to come, such as the reason for Mortys vindictive change to his will. Its a pleasure to be in the hands of a consummate storyteller, and Glasss mastery is particularly evident in her skillful use of Mortys obvious but never overbearing resemblance to the late Maurice Sendak. Yes, theyre both crotchety gay men from Brooklyn (by way of Tucson in Mortys case) who moved to Connecticut after establishing their reputations with controversial books once deemed too scary and dark for kids. From this factual scaffolding Glass constructs a fully imagined fictional figure. The traumas that inform Mortys art are quite different from those Sendak acknowledged to his biographer; more importantly, they resonate with the experiences of other characters as three-dimensional and engaging as he is.

Tommy stands at the center of this varied portrait gallery, wondering whether she gave up too much to spend 25 years as Mortys wife without the sex. This is the bitter assessment of her estranged brother Dani, still resentful that as a boy he was the unwitting model for the protagonist of the book that launched Lear like a NASA space shot. (Those familiar with Sendaks work will enjoy the clever allusions to Where the Wild Things Are in her descriptions of Mortys Colorquake.)

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Meredith Galarza, director of the jilted museum, also feels betrayed by Morty; his flirtatious letters and their bibulous lunches gave no hint of the rage he felt when she told him his art would be sharing space with the work of a younger, hipper childrens author in the museums expensive new building in trendy post-industrial Brooklyn.

Only Greene feels no ambivalence or animosity toward Morty; he understands from his own experience that the pursuit of art involves a certain level of selfishness requiring those around you to adapt or get out of your way. That may be why Morty before his death confided to Nick a startling truth about his childhood even more twisted than the story he publicly told of abuse by an older man.

It takes some plot manipulation to get Meredith and Dani in a car headed to Connecticut on the weekend Nick is visiting, but most readers will accept it. Glass has created such rich back stories for these appealing characters and interwoven them so compellingly that we want to see them work things out together. Putting all four in the same house at the same time may not be entirely plausible, but it feels artistically right. The weekend brings one more big reveal (and a charmingly unlikely tryst), but its central events are the quiet moments of reckoning between people who have learned to forgive each other and themselves. Avoiding clichs about tortured, exploitative genius, Glass crafts a thoughtful, warm-hearted tale about the choices each of us makes, with consequences inevitably both good and bad.

A HOUSE AMONG THE TREES

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By Julia Glass

Pantheon, 368 pp., $27.95

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Selfish Sendak-like author's death spawns meditation on art and costs it exacts - The Boston Globe

Can you cure a stiff neck through meditation? The answer lies in the book Healing the Future The Journey Within, by Deepak Kashyap.

In 1999, I was in Goa, when I suffered from frozen shoulder and a stiff neck. Though I had been practising yoga and meditation, I couldnt move a limb in that condition. And then I wondered if meditation could heal my muscles? Soon, I slipped into a meditative state and remained that way for a good 90 minutes. After a couple of hours, I was perfectly fine, recollects Kashyap, referring to the first chapter, titled The Goa Miracle.

A civil servant by profession, Kashyap was struck by the idea of writing a book when he saw a conversation between an expert and a yoga enthusiast on TV. I once saw a foreigner ask a so-called yoga guru if its okay to meditate for a longer duration on one specific day. The guru compared meditation and hunger, and said, If you cant eat too much on one day and starve another day, then how can you do the same with meditation? To me, that reply was illogical, considering regularity is desirable but intensity only comes through practising meditation over extended periods of time, explains Kashyap.

The cover of the book Healing the Future The Journey Within.

Kashyap says that he was always interested in the occult sciences, and this interest was sharpened after meeting his guru. He first wrote Healing the Future 10 years ago, and now he has updated the book. I thought its important to write to bridge the gap between spiritual phenomena and the rational mind, he says.

His first-hand experiences, such as the Goa incident, have shaped this book. The actual writing of the book took seven to eight months, but before that it required a lot of preparation. One of the challenges was to experience everything myself before writing, he says.

The result is a self-help guide that can enlighten one about the magic of meditation, the power of reiki, and the connection between the spiritual and the practical.

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Healing the Future: The wonder of meditation, discovered though a self-help book - Hindustan Times

FITNESS

Divine Joy Yoga Rincon United Church of Christ, 122 N. Craycroft Road. Visit divinejoyyoga.com to see all locations. 9-10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $6. 808-9383.

Yoga in the Buff Movement Culture, 435 E. Ninth St. Clothing optional co-ed. 4-5 p.m. Thursdays. $5. 250-2331.

Hot Yoga Rooted, 1600 N. Tucson Blvd. Full body flow. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $10. 1-435-671-9033.

Vinyasa Yoga Tucson Chiropractic Center, 570 N. Columbus Blvd. Strengthen, stretch and tone. 8-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $5. 1-435-671-9033.

Tai Chi Balance Sunrise Chapel, 8421 E. Wrightstown Road. Mondays: Tai Chi basics; Thursdays: yang 10 for beginners. 11 a.m.-noon. Mondays and Thursdays. $10; $30 a month. 296-9212.

Tai Chi for Health Resurrection Lutheran Church, 11575 N. First Ave, Oro Valley. Improve balance, mental clarity, relieve pain and create an overall feeling of well-being through natural breathing and slow, gentle, meditative body movements. $10 per class; $60 for nine weeks. 1-2 p.m. Mondays. $60. 780-6751.

Tai Chi for Health St. Francis in the Foothills, 4625 E. River Road. Safe, effective and fun way to improve balance, mental clarity, relieve pain and create an overall feeling of well-being. 9-10 a.m. Tuesdays. $10 per class; $60 for nine weeks. 780-6751.

Seated Tai Chi for Health Ellie Towne Flowing Wells Community Center, 1660 W. Ruthrauff Road. For those who want to improve their health but cant stand to exercise. 1-2 p.m. Wednesdays. $24 for four classes. 465-2890.

Martial arts/meditation and more

Taekwondo Wellness Intuition Wellness Center, 5675 N. Oracle Road Suite 3101. Learn traditional Taekwondo, philosophy and core principles, self-care, stress management, coping skills, social skills and mindfulness meditation. 4:15 p.m class for ages 7-12; 5:15 p.m. for ages 12 and up. 4:15 and 5:15 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. $20. 333-3320.

Capoeira for Kids Studio Ax, 2928 E. Broadway. Children learn the basics of Tucson Capoeira Martial Arts through games and exercises. Ages 5-12. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. 990-1820.

Capoeira for Kids Studio Ax. Learn the basics of Tucson Capoeira Martial Arts through games and exercises. Ages 5-12. 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Intro to Capoeira Studio Ax. Works the whole body, but also the mind. 7-8:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Brewery Bootcamp Dragoon Brewing Co., 1859 W. Grant Road. Bring a sweat towel, bottle of water and a mat or beach towel for something to lay on. Includes your first beer. Ages 21 and up. Registration opens at 10:45 a.m. 11 a.m.-noon. June 18. $10. 465-6895.

Kids Capoeira Movement Culture. Develop: balance, motor coordination, speed and strength. Wear loose pants/sweat pants and t-shirt, training will be in bare feet or martial-art/dance shoes. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays. $10.

Learn to Meditate Workshop Kadampa Meditation Center, 5326 E. Pima St. Beginners. 6:30-8 p.m. June 19. $10. 441-1617.

Tucson Capoeira Beginners Class Movement Culture. Dance, acrobatics and music. 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. $15.

Tucson Tuesday Laughter Yoga Quaker Meeting House, 931 N. Fifth Ave. To promote peace and healing. 6-7 p.m. Tuesdays. 490-5500.

Tucson Capoeira intro class Movement Culture. Introduction to the four core expressions of Capoeira: Movement, music, philosophy, and history. 5:30-7 p.m. Mondays.

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Tucson yoga, Tai Chi, martial arts, meditation and more June 15-23 - Arizona Daily Star

Andrew Berkley Sharpis a 25 year-old social worker living just south of Seattle. He has been interested in meditation since his late teens, writing, I was a bit depressed at the time, experiencing periods of insomnia along with fluctuations in weight, and when I encountered Buddhist philosophy and meditation it was very much a moment of something mentally clicking into place for me. I was studying psychology at the time, and I graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a B.A. in Psychology, focusing mostly on child development.

He continues, It was around the same time that I encountered meditation, and the various literature on the subject, that I also became much more interested in drawing and its relation to the concept of psychological flow. To me, Zen Buddhism, as well as the Hindu practice of karma yoga(the way of work, as they say) gave me a way to use something I loved (drawing) and to merge it with something that would help me (meditation). To this day I find it easiest to meditate while creating something, and it has improved my art as well. Drifting mentally and allowing pictures and shapes to emerge without an attachment to the outcome of the picture gave me clarity, confidence, and calm. It has become the foundation of my belief that meditation is not only useful, but an innate practice for human beings, however the forms of it should be left to the individual to find for his/herself.

In April he put his love of meditation and talent for illustrating together to create the childrens meditation bookHey Mama!, a short walk through the what and why of meditation, as told to a child by his mother.

I asked Andrew what led to the creation of the book:

The book came to mind because in my current job, I frequently find myself having difficult conversations with other people, and in those experiences I have found that conflicts and problems between people are almost entirely due to a lack of the ability for two individuals to express their desires and thoughts effectively with one another, which becomes a frustration with the other person, and eventually a conflict and negative belief about that person.

Written and illustrated in the simplest of terms, in a voice reminiscent of Thich Nhat Hanh, the book begins with the child simply asking what the mother is doing when meditating.

I just sit and breathe, the mother responds, provoking the all-too-common, wow that sounds really boring, response that most any meditator has encountered.

The mother goes on to explain the concepts of mindfulness, understanding cause and effect and impermanence, resilience, and savoring; all in the span of a few pages and in terms that even a toddler can grasp.

These are all aspects of meditation as it is commonly taught in modernized Buddhism. For a good overview of savoring and mindfulness, this Dharma talk by Pamela Lewis will be helpful.

Andrew concludes:

The book is coming from a place of belief that if meditation is explained in the simplest terms possible, it will become available to more people as they will find that they have already meditated in some way at some time. Whether its on a walk, fishing, or just being with a loved one. I feel it is a tragedy for anyone to lose the opportunity to learn this practice because of a believe that it is something which it is not, and to miss the chance for a simpler existence.

For a limited time,Hey Mama! will be available as a perk on the Guideful.org IndieGoGo fundraising campaign here.

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Introducing Hey Mama! a children's ebook on Meditation - Patheos (blog)

Ming Gu Design has grafted a glazed meditation areaonto this historic homein Nanjing, China, which projects out tooverhang a central courtyard.

The Nanjing-basedarchitecture studioadded the gabledmeditation room, which features glass walls, to the centre of the heritage-listed house.

The meditative space protrudes outwards and overhangs the base of the existing structureof the house, appearing as if it is suspended over a gravelled area of the courtyard.

Blinds can be pulled down on either side of the glazing to adjust the light and provide privacy from the rooms that overlook the courtyard. On the underside of the roof, wooden panelling protects the room from direct sunlight overhead.

The glazed room allows a direct view from the inside of the house to the old walls that surround the courtyard, juxtaposing the contemporary interior design with the traditional exterior walls of the house.

"The layout of this house is full of surprising details contrary elements, such as the old alongside the new; the interior and exterior; the light and the dark; the conventional and the contemporary, are found to meet here and merge into a harmonious existence," said the studio.

Ming Gu Design described its intentions as "superimposing" modern architecture onto the courtyard.The glazed roomallows for light to move across the house throughout the day, casting linear patterns across the central space, in contrast to the darker spaces of the older building.

Either side of the courtyard, two long, narrow rooms connect larger communal spaces thatare used for eating and gathering.

A variation of tables and seating areas are dispersed throughout the house, providing both social and contemplative areas.

Recent buildings to incorporate meditation spaces includea Buddhist shrine near the city of Tangshan by Arch Studio, which has subterranean concrete spaces that open up to views of anearby river.

Walters & Cohen Architectsalso designed aBuddhist retreat that featuresa cluster of pitched-roof buildingsarranged around tranquil courtyardsin the English countryside.

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Glazed meditation room overlooks traditional courtyard from Nanjing home - Dezeen

Like so many fitness breakthroughs, this one started with a New Year's resolution. After reading countless articles about the benefits of mindfulness and even hearing some firsthand accounts from friends who had adopted the practice, I decided I had nothing to lose and everything to gain from making meditation a daily habit.

I set a goal to meditate for at least 10 minutes a day and got started with Headspace, an app that guides the user through an introductory 10-day series before offering a full library of guided meditation tracks. One of the first practices from the app was to count my breaths as a way to keep focused on the simple act of breathing. In for one, out for two, in for three, out for four, and so on until I reached 10, then start back at one. Even as I progressed past the 10-day introduction and into experimenting with meditating without the app, I continued to find the act of counting my breaths for 10 counts at a time to be a helpful practice.

While I wasn't sure I was doing it "right" or even exactly what that meant I found myself returning to the act of counting my breaths throughout the day as a way to shrug off stress or simply remind myself to stop breathing so shallowly, a longtime bad habit.

I even found myself trying out the breath counting while I ran, and that's where things got interesting. Although I've been running since high school and even ran my first marathon last year, running has never come easily for me. I'm perpetually slow, often discouraged, and usually desperately counting down the minutes until each run is over. My head is often filled with negative self-talk while I run, doubting that I'll be able to finish, berating myself for being so slow, thumbing through the index of excuses that would justify stopping early. The new focus on my breathing while I ran distracted me from a lot of that.

In for one, out for two. In for three, out for four. Right foot, left foot. Forcing myself to count my breaths while I ran took up just enough mental space that there wasn't much room left for all that negative self-talk. I began linking thoughts or words to my inhales and exhales, repeating the words "gratitude" or "strength" on the inhale and "doubt" or "blame" on the exhale, imagining filling and emptying myself of the respective virtues. It didn't make the run noticeably easier, necessarily, but it felt so much more productive. The effort I exerted with my body was matched by a mental effort to stay focused, stay positive, stay present. That balancing of physical and mental effort made me feel a bit like a superhero, like I was firing on all cylinders and reaching my full potential.

I finished my "meditation runs" feeling winded and sore like I did after any run, but I also finished feeling strong and grateful. I began using the breathing mantras and breath counting in other workouts too yoga, strength training, even steep incline treadmill sprints in bootcamp class. Maybe the focus on my breath was forcing me to breathe deeper and subsequently better oxygenate my body, or maybe the mantras were a form of self brainwashing; all I knew was that this new mindfulness in my workouts made me feel really good. Not about my pace (which was still painfully slow, for the record) or my reps or my jean size or a number on the scale, but about myself.

When people ask me how my resolution to meditate regularly is going, I'm not sure I can tell them that I'm doing it "right," but I can confidently say it's working.

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Sheila Gim

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The Amazing Way My Workouts Improved After I Started Meditating - POPSUGAR

Incorporating meditation into a chaotic day can be challenging. Who has time to sit down and clear the mind when you have a million other things to do? But heres the kickereven though it may seem like you have no time for it, meditation can actually help you feel more focused and productive. And while its a great idea to meditate for ten minutes or more, if youre short on time, you only need a few minutes to calm your mind and boost your mood through meditation. Watch this video featuring Suze Yalof Schwartz, CEO and founder of Unplug Meditation and author of Unplug: A Simple Guide To Meditation for Busy Skeptics and Modern Soul Seekers ($23; amazon.com), for a quick two-minute meditation that will help you de-stress and feel calmer. Follow along as she guides us through a simple meditation sequence. Dont have time to watch? Check out her simple instructions below.

Start by closing your eyes. Breathe in through your nostrils for four seconds. Hold your breath for another four seconds. Exhale through the nose for four seconds. Repeat by holding in your breath again for four seconds. Do this breathing exercise three more times.

Watch the video:A 5-Minute Meditation to Help You Find Your Calm Now

With your eyes still closed, imagine seeing someone you really love (this could be a person or a beloved pet). Imagine that person is simply hugging you. When youre ready, begin to wiggle your toes and your fingers, and open your eyes.

Slowing down the breath slows down the brain and sends a signal to your mind that everything is going to be okay. And thinking about someone you love makes you happy!

Try adding this practice to your routine to de-stress and feel happier every day.

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A 2-Minute Meditation to De-Stress and Feel Happier - Health.com

Freshman year was the most exciting but also the most stressful year of my life. Ive spent some time this summer reflecting on what worked and what didnt, while also thinking about improvements for this upcoming year. One of the most beneficial practices that I learned this past year has been meditation.

I started practicing mindfulness meditation back in December, but it wasnt until March during my alternative spring break trip to Trinidad and Tobago when I was profoundly changed by its effects. Trinidad and Tobago is home to some incredibly lush landscapes, and we were fortunate enough to hike through the rainforest, swim underneath a mountain waterfall and cruise on a boat through the Caroni Swamp.

In all of these things, I really just had one objective: to be completely mindful of the scenes around me. I wanted to be completely aware of the sensation that sticking my head under a waterfall or drinking coffee on a veranda overseeing a flowery mountainside would provide.

I decided not to use my phone or take pictures because I just wanted to be in the moment. Although sometimes I wish I could look back on my own pictures from the trip, Im thankful that I didnt use my phone during the week because I opened myself up to fully experience all those incredible sights, sounds and flavors.

So what exactly is mindfulness meditation? Psychology Today describes it as a practice that teaches us how to be unconditionally present; that is, it helps us be present with whatever is happening, no matter what it is. And for me, mindfulness is more a philosophy I take with me throughout the day that encourages me to live in the moment, not needing to worry about the past or future all the time.

There are various forms of meditation for different purposes, but the kind I practice with the Headspace app essentially teaches me to take deep breaths, to acknowledge my surroundings and to contemplate a certain theme for the day such as appreciation or happiness.

During exam week, which is one of the most stressful times of the year for us all, I decided to meditate for twenty minutes each day to manage my anxieties. I was drinking more coffee than ever before, going through hundreds of slides each day, so I needed to step back a few times throughout the day to just process everything.

When my mind drifted and I started worrying about looming deadlines and exams, I would just pause, take a moment and notice the world around me. I can remember several occasions at Jubala when I worried about my next exam; I would think about how the coffee tasted or what the music sounded like.

By being mindful, I was able to curb a lot of anxieties that used to plague me on a day-to-day basis. Its not ignoring your problems; its saying to yourself that there is so much glory in everyday life that you dont need to worry about theoretical scenarios all the time.

I think everyone at NC State should practice mindfulness meditation because it has genuinely made me a more happy, calm and grateful person. I started meditating because Ive seriously struggled with anxiety my whole life, and I know a lot of people at NC State struggle with anxiety too.

The Counseling Center notes that, 49 percent of NC State students report overwhelming anxiety during the past year. Meditation hasnt stopped all my anxieties, but I have seen vast improvements in my mental health in the past six months.

There is also a lot of scientific research which backs up my experience. One article from the Harvard Business Review highlights the ability of mindfulness to decrease anxiety, boost emotional intelligence, promote creativity and strengthen your ability to focus.

I was sold when I discovered that mindfulness is a common practice for some of the most successful people in the world. From legendary basketball coach Phil Jackson, who makes the Knicks practice group meditations, to Kendrick Lamar, the greatest rapper alive who tries to take 30 minutes a day to step back and process everything, mindfulness is helping the best people in their fields become better at what they do.

If you wanted to try mindfulness, I highly recommend using the Counseling Center in this regard. I dont think enough people utilize this incredible service; stats from the counseling center note that one in six people at NC State use it.

I started going to the Counseling Center in the fall because I needed help with anxiety, and mindfulness was one of the big themes my counselor and I talked about throughout the year. The Counseling Center hosts a variety of workshops on mindfulness and stress management, too.

I also use the Headspace app for at least ten minutes a day, which is a subscription-based meditation app with different packs for themes like appreciation, happiness, and managing anxiety. Who doesnt want to be a more grateful, happy and relaxed person?

Oh, but you might say, Jeremy, I just dont have time to meditate every day. Well, if we just took a little bit of the time we spend on the internet or on our phones and put it into meditation, the rest of our days would be much more enjoyable.

You also might be wondering whether mindfulness meditation is a strictly spiritual exercise, as this was one of my initial hesitations. I was worried that meditation would conflict with my Christian faith, but I would say it is a pretty neutral practice (at least the kind that I practice through Headspace).

You get out of meditation what you put into it, and Ive actually incorporated mindfulness as a regular part of my spiritual discipline, even though it does not have to be.

So lets be more mindful of the world around us. Lets decide to be totally present, not pulled away by the allure of distraction or paralyzed by anxieties.

Fear will tell you to reach back into the past and think about something you can no longer change. Fear will cause you to worry about something in the future that may or may not happen. But mindfulness teaches you nothing is more important than the present moment, and it is this idea that has reduced magnitudes of anxiety for me in the past six months.

Sure, we should spend time reflecting on the past and planning for the future, but you cannot actually affect anything except in the present. I think Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda said it best: Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.

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OPINION: Meditation: A few minutes a day for a lifetime of health and happiness - N.C. State University Technician Online

I first triedmeditationin my office about three years ago, when a group of colleagues met in a conference room for a quick guided session.

I remember that firstsimple meditationso well:After about 10 minutes of sitting with my eyes closed, in a circle of plastic chairs, I felt like Id been in a spa for hours. My mind was quiet and my body moved slowly. I walked back to my desk bleary-eyed and relaxed, like I had just consumed a glass of wine.

What was this, magic? I was hooked.

Meditation, in its simplest form, is the practice ofobserving your breath. It canreshape behavior, change brain compositionand permanently boost your ability to regulate emotions. Studies have also shown meditationreduces inflammation in the brain, thus lowering your risk for cancer and other diseases. Additionally, itsets you up to feel awe, relieves pain and protects the brain from aging. Meditation can help withanxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue.Its no wonder the humble practice has grown into a billion-dollar industry.

Despite the benefits, I hadnt continued to meditate on my own outside of those office sessions. So I decided to try it out for a month. I set a modest goal to meditate for five minutes, three times per day.

I failed miserably. On average, Id say I meditated for five minutes only once per day. But I still noticed results. Theyre by no means scientific and just my personal experience. However, if I feel that Ive changed this much from a relatively small dose of meditation, then just imagine what a consistent practicecould accomplish.

Heres how my month of meditation made a mark on my life:

Since starting my meditation experiment, it feels like my brain works more slowly and rationally. This becomes most apparent when Im speaking. You know how podcast hosts soothingly enunciate every word and outline their thoughts deliberately? Thats how I talk now.

It also helped me stay more aware in the moment. I used to struggle with staying focused in conversations. While my mouth moved, my brain would wander to my to-do list or fall into cyclical thoughts about upcoming plans. Since learning to live in the present with meditation, those issues dont crop up as often.

Experts say meditation canhelp you become more self-aware of your thoughts as they come, which Ive found to be true. I feel like I inherently know whats important to me and what I should focus on in a given moment or conversation. And Im better at letting those other random thoughts go.

Suzy Strutner

Situations that used to make my face burn with anxiety (traffic jams, tightly-packed elevators and time crunches, just to name a few) dont fluster me as much since I started meditating. Without even needing to remind myself, I feel my attention drift toward my breath and it becomes an anchor that keeps me calm until the frustrating event ends.

Yes, Im aware this sounds like mindfulness mumbo-jumbo, and I wouldnt have believed it could happen a mere month ago. But it has. And its backed by science: Research hascontinually shownthat mindfulness can ease stress.

Now that I know meditation improves my mental state, Im hyper-interested in any activity that can spark that feeling. Yogais one of those practices.

I find it easier to stay focused in a yoga class than when Im meditating alone, because its guided and other people are there to keep me on task. Its longer than a typical five-minute meditation session, so my brain feels calmer afterward. I can also write it off as my workout for the day: Research shows it certainly is a healthy form of physical activity. Win, win, win.

Suzy Strutner

Ive learned that taking time to just be is not only permissible, its necessary if I want to feel my best. I dont need to constantly be doing something, going somewhere or achieving some goal in order to feel like Im spending my time wisely.

Sometimes its hard for me to believe that five minutes of forgetting about my to-do list is more productive than five minutes of working on it. But after I take a meditation break, the tasks simply dont feel as urgent or stressful anymore. Ive realized that just being is an okay place to be.

Those five minutes are a small investment that pays off in big ways.

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I Meditated Every Day For A Month And Here's What Happened - HuffPost

In our next installment of the Meditation How-Tos marriage advice series, the Kundalini guide behind Benshen , Desiree Pais, gives you the step-by-step methods you need to practice to stay focused and calm before, during, and after you tie the knot.

A woman is really only as happy as her hormones are balanced. Hormones, the chemical messengers of our bodies, are what keep us looking and feeling beautiful, vibrant, and healthy. They govern everything from how clear our skin is to how toned our body is to how well we sleep at night. Unfortunately, one of the quickest ways to throw our hormones off is stress and, for many, planning a wedding is not exactly a walk in the park.

As I mentioned in our first article of this series, meditation is a simple and powerful way to not only de-stress, but to also bring your body and mind back into balance. Personally, after trying many different flavors of meditation, I have found Kundalini yoga and meditation to be extremely effective. And trust me, the last thing you want to worry about when planning a wedding is hormonal imbalance ( breakouts , bloat, tired eyes) when your main goal is to look and feel your absolute best on one of the most memorable days of your life.

One of my favorite Kundalini yoga meditations is a very easy practice called Kirtan Kriya . Its simple and only takes 11 minutes a day of practice to experience profound results. Dont be fooled by its simplicitythe benefits are numerous and include reducing stress, improving sleep, balancing pituitary and pineal glands (master glands for hormones, meaning it balances your hormones), helping to break addictions and cravings, and, most importantly for long term, it keeps your brain functioning optimally.

See more: How to Stay Present with a Kundalini Guide

This meditation uses a mantra but dont be weirded out! Broken down, "mantra" comes from man, which means "mind," and trang, which means projection. It's just using sound to direct your mind into a positive direction. The mantra used in the meditation, Sa Ta Na Ma, uses the basic primal sounds which act like an atomic bomb in your subconscious mind, breaking up old patterns and creating the space for new positive patterns to develop.

Kirtan Kriya is a gem of a meditation and is a powerful tool to help you feel your absolute best on your wedding day.

How To Do Kirtan Kriya

Find a comfortable seat.

Close your eyes and roll them to the space in between your eyebrows.

The mantra is Sa Ta Na Ma (the A sounds like when you open your mouth and say AH).

On the sound SA: touch your index finger and thumb together.

On the sound TA: touch your middle finger and thumb together.

On the sound NA: touch your ring finger and thumb together.

On the sound MA: touch your pinky finger and thumb together.

Begin in a normal voice for two minutes, then whisper for two minutes, then silently for three minutes. Then come back to a whisper for two minutes, then aloud for two minutes.

To end: inhale deeply, and exhale.

For ease, you can practice this meditation along with this video !

Desiree Pais is a meditation and Kundalini yoga guide, and a natural beauty alchemist. She is currently pursuing a master's degree at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and studied Daoist Healing with Grandmaster Sung Baek. She teaches Kundalini yoga and meditation classes and workshops around New York City. She aims to make these ancient methods available to anyone who is interested in using this profound practice to create the life they want to experience.

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Meditation How-Tos with a Kundalini Guide - Brides.com