Linda Cohen, Special for The Republic | azcentral.com 11:35 a.m. MT March 15, 2017

A woman is in a sitting meditation on the grounds of the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) Retreat Center in Barre, Mass.(Photo: Insight Meditation Society/Associated Press)

Question:

I am very upset right now. I am 22 years old and doing well in my career. I'm a capable and intelligent woman, but I'm having a difficult time with my family.

We are a close extended family and get together often for family dinners.At one of these dinnersI told the family that I'm doing a lot of meditation with a group and love it.The family went ballistic when I said this and the reaction was over the top.They accused me of joining a cult and likened it to the Jones Massacre of many years back.It wasn't just a few in the familybut the entire group that jumped on it.

I told them I wasn't changing my religion (and the family isn't very religious), but that the benefit to me was feeling relaxed, grounded, more energetic, and increased decision-making skills.

This made no difference to my family.I get phone calls several times a week giving me lectures, and I've even declined dinner invitations because I feel bullied.I might mention that as a family we don't generally have this kind of behavior so it's of great concern to me.

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I am the baby in the family and don't know if that makes any difference, but I feel like lying about the whole thing and telling everyone that I've quit the group.

By the way, the people in the meditation group are all educated and successful people and do practice their born religions while embracing the practices of meditation.I don't know what to do but I feel a lot of condemnation from the people I love the most.

Meditation Madness

Dear Meditation Madness:I admit the family is behaving in an emotionally "over the top" manner and seems to be totally ignorant of the benefits of a meditative practice (I'm a practitioner myself).It's safe to say that billions of people globallypractice meditation, and in most of these countries there is a high "happiness quotient."This is the case in Bhutan, which is a country noted for its Gross National Happiness and where meditation is a way of life.

Have you asked the family why they are so against this practice? I can't imagine a response that would justify their extreme reaction.

You must feel so disappointed because you were trying to share something meaningful to you with people you care about.

Here's the kicker:You are an adultand don't need the approval of your family to follow what is important to you and your well-being.I suspect that your family's opinion has weighed heavily in other areas of your life. It's fine to listen to opinion, but in the end YOU have to make the decisions that benefit your life.

If the subject is raised at the next family gathering, just be assertive and let everyone know that you will follow your heart and that the subject is closed.

I might even suggest inviting them to a meditation session, or download some meditations from the Internet (there are many choices).If only one of your relatives follows suit and sees the benefit the rest might just let it lie. All you need is one ally and the whole situation will be history.

Remember, you are an adult and don't need approval from anyone but yourself.

Linda Cohen is a Scottsdale life coach and Arizona licensed professional therapist with a specialization in marriage andfamily therapy. Do you have a question about life challenges?Send it to "Ask Linda," c/o suzanne.lambert@arizonarepublic.com. Questions will be published anonymously.

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Family goes beserk over practice of meditation - AZCentral.com

JOHN BOYNTON

Last updated09:52, March 17 2017

John Boynton / Stuff.co.nz

Tess Moeke Maxwell has written a meditation book and launched an app inspired by her partner Nette Scurr's breast cancer journey.

NetteScurr was in search of peace.

After being diagnosed with grade three breast cancer in 2015, Scurr wantedclarity before she underwenther mastectomy surgery.

Scurr, who lives in Waiuku with her partner Tess Moeke Maxwell, is a nurse who hasbeen part ofbreast cancer research projects and has also worked in palliative care.

JOHN BOYNTON/FAIRFAX NZ

Tess Moeke Maxwell, left, and her partner Nette Scur. Their new resources mix New Zealand's natural landscape with meditation readings and Maori mythology.

Despite fearing she had breast cancer, Scurr waited a long time before going for a mammogram.

After shewas diagnosed, Scurr started to meditate withMoeke Maxwell to help ease her anxiety.

"She found her mind calmed down by doing the simple meditations and daily affirmations," Moeke Maxwell said.

On a sunny afternoon, while drinking coffee in a central Auckland cafe and reading their meditationbook, Scurr said something that struck Moeke Maxwell.

"I looked over at her and she saidTessI'm the happiest I've ever been."

Moeke Maxwell said Scurrwanted to shareher story about how meditation helped to calm her mind and the idea to write Stars of Aroha was born.

The book was released last year, and the full version of the app launched this month.

Every meditation in Stars of Arohaisbased aroundthe New Zealand environmentand includes Maori mythology stories, meditation readings and original music.

MoekeMaxwell has a background in psychology and womenand gender studies and said she was raised with a strong sense of spirituality.

"We were big believersin wairua and the continuation of life - for me that's just a natural part of who I am as a Maori woman."

Stars of Aroha,Moeke Maxwell saidcould help a range of people - from those suffering with illness,mental health issuesor people with anxiety.

"Ordinary people who are just struggling with the everyday challenges that lifebrings - problems with relationships, problems with kids, financial stresses, stress with jobs."

She turned to kaumatua for advice on the book and said shemixed her personalviews as a Maori womanwith acontemporary sense of spirituality andmeditation discourse.

"I felt it was a taonga and I needed to nurture it.

"I'm not a tohunga, I'm not a kaumatua or anything like that but I listen to my tupuna and they guide me."

In October last year, the couple's phone started to ring off the hook when Moana Te Oriwa Papa shared her story with The Listenerabout how the book had helped her cope with meta static breast cancer.

Te Oriwa Papa died last month, and the couple never got to meet her.

"We cried - I still cry," Maxwell Moeke said.

"To write a little book and to help a beautiful woman like that."

Moeke Maxwell said she hopedthe book couldhelp others along their journey.

"We're new at this so I think we're trying to present something in a very simple way.

"Trying to help people that are unfamiliar with trying to calm their mind."

-Stuff

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Waiuku couple launch meditation book and app in quest to help others find peace - Stuff.co.nz

New York Times

So You Think You Can't Meditate? New York Times Left on my own, meditation time turns into nap time, so I knew I needed some organization and supervision. I had heard that meditation studios are the new yoga studios, and I was intrigued. I chose Mndfl, which has locations in Greenwich Village, on ...

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So You Think You Can't Meditate? - New York Times

Deep in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley, a prestigious military college in southern Virginia steeped in more than a century of tradition has embraced meditation courses as a way for cadets to become more mentally fit.

Dr. Matt Jarman, a psychology professor who focuses on leadership and mental exercise.htm" id="ramplink_fitness_" target="_blank">fitness, and Dr. Holly Richardson, a physical education professor who specializes in exercise physiology, both teach courses involving meditation at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.

Meditation is not this kind of soft, fluffy thing, Jarman said. Youre facing your fears, youre facing your stresses head-on or leaning into them, and its giving you the tools to do that more effectively and not get swept away by them.

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Jarman has made mindfulness practice a centerpiece of his Modern Warriorship class. Mindfulness is a series of meditation techniques that are designed to slow the mind, focus on the breath and bring attention back from distraction.

From my perspective, a warrior is one who is creating change in a process for the benefit of others, Jarman said. And warriorship, the way Im talking about it, is the mental and physical training, the discipline training, to allow you to be a more effective warrior, to allow you to be more mentally and physically able to, when the time comes, to help others.

Jarman said he has his students practice meditation for 15 minutes every morning and then five minutes before they start homework, as a way to tie the meditation to a habit.

They have to do work, at some point, right? So if they can tie the meditation to that, then hopefully, even when they leave this class, they still have that cue to prompt this behavior, he said. Habits dont require you to exert willpower because you just do it.

Richardson teaches a mindfulness class following the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness curriculum, which focuses on stress reduction. She introduced meditation on campus as a way to help cadets handle stress better, whether its studying for an exam, preparing for a big game or having to go see the commandant of cadets, who oversees the colleges daily military regimen.

We talk about when they have to go see the commandant for a demerit, again they have their breath, have that presence to breathe three-five times before going in and [then] having a more productive conversation, Richardson said.

Many VMI cadets have plans to serve in the military after graduation or some have already served in the military and come to the college as veterans. Jarman acknowledged that there are critics who have raised ethical questions about teaching meditation to soldiers when they may be ordered to kill another person during wartime.

From my perspective the mental training allows you to be better at making decisions [while] acting quickly, he said. So in my mind, it allows you to do your job better which hopefully results in as few casualties as possible. So I would rather, if someone is in a profession that requires that sort of action, that they be as mentally sound as possible.

Richardson added that there is science that shows meditation can help soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder because the practice helps them remain present, and reset the channel instead of playing the same tape over and over when they come home from war.

Jarman and Richardson said they have received little pushback from VMI cadets when they have them practice meditation. Richardson said some cadets will say they dont have time. Jarman added that some cadets have told him their roommates will make fun of them for practicing, but he says he turns that around to show the cadets that practicing meditation can help make them tougher.

If you cant do something as simple as meditating and be OK with the fact that others might think that its a little weird, then youre not really getting into the training yet, Jarman said. In modern warriorship, part of being someone who can make change when change is necessary means youre going to be going against a lot of people, so I view that as wonderful practice.

Download and subscribe to the "10% Happier" podcast on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher and TuneIn.

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Military college professors teach cadets meditation to help them be effective warriors - ABC News

Lam rim Kadampa Buddhist Center is offering a one-hour meditation class from 6 to 7 p.m. March 22 at the Art Center of Burlington, 301 Jefferson St.

The Wednesday session includes an explanation of the benefits of meditation and how to meditate followed by a short, guided breathing meditation to calm the mind. Another guided meditation will follow. Meditation is meant to change attitudes from negative to positive.

This class is designed to be straightforward and great for people new to meditation. The meditations are short and practical. The class will emphasize how we can apply what we have learned immediately in our life in order to solve our daily worries, problems and difficulties in a peaceful, positive and healthy way, said Joe Gauthier, a resident teacher at Lamrim Kadampa Buddhist Center in Davenport. By presenting the timeless wisdom of Buddha in a way that is immediately accessible and practical for modern people, this class can benefit individuals from all walks of life.

Registration is not required. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students.

For more information, call (563) 322-1600, email info@meditateiniowa.org or visit http://www.meditateiniowa.org.

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Meditation classes offered at Art Center - Burlington Hawk Eye

Sylvia Maldonado, whose father founded West Loop wholesaler La Criolla, is opening breathe bar, a meditation studio at 946 W. Randolph St. in the West Loop. View Full Caption

breathe bar

WEST LOOP After stints in Guatemala and New York City,the daughter of a Randolph Streetfood wholesaler is opening a business of her ownback on Randolph Street.

Sylvia Maldonado, whose father foundedWest Loop food wholesalerLa Criollaat 909 W.Randolph St., will open breathe bar, a meditation studio at 946 W. Randolph St., on March 31.The second floor "meditation oasis" will featureteacher-ledmeditationclasses, on-demand meditation booths and other health and wellness services.

Maldonado got her first crash course inbusiness at age 5, following her fatherAvelino "Lilo" Maldonado on sales calls to Hispanic grocers across Chicago. Specializing in spice blends, AvelinoMaldonado founded the La Criolla Foods out of the trunk of his car. After he died in 1992, Sylvia's mother Carmen took over the business.

"I feel like I have this startup mojo from my dad," Sylviasaid.

An Emmy-winning television producer, Sylvia Maldonado launched her own career in TV at Harpo Studios just down the block from her family's business and went on to work as a producer at Towers Productions.She was first introduced to meditationwhile working at Harpo.

"I took the classes and I highly,highly disliked it. I had 'monkey mind,' I couldn't stop my thoughts, and I thought 'I'm not good at this,'" she said.

Fast forward two decades, Maldonado was now living inNew York, and a doctor recommended meditation as a way to cope with stress. The second time around, she was hooked.

"As soon as I tried it, it wastransformative," she said. "Icould feel my heart rate lower, myblood pressure lower. I wasreally able to create that space."

After working in New York City and working for a non-profit in Chicago,Maldonadovolunteered for the Peace Corps in Guatemala before returning home in 2013 to help her mom expand the family business. LeadingLa Criollawas stressful at times, but Maldonado used the challenges to deepen her meditation practice.

While La Criolla was sold at the end of 2016, the business is still at 909 W. Randolph, and Maldonado is proud to continue her dad's legacy six decades later and spread the power of meditation and mindfulness tothe masses on Randolph's restaurant row.

"I created breathe bar to remove preconceived notions aboutmeditationso people can truly see what ameditationpractice can do for their liveswe want to meet you where you are at, whether youve been meditating for years or this is your first time," she said.

The 3,600-square-foot studio above Starbucks will offer 30-60 minute teacher-ledmeditation classes that will reflect on a variety of practices,including insight meditation, mindfulness, mantra, soundand visualization. For busy professionals who can't make a class, breathe bar also offers on-demand meditation. Guests and members can settle into a private booth at breathe bar, put on noise-canceling Bose headphones and use an iPad Mini to experience a 3-7 minute guided meditation byAura Health.

Breathe bar offers two types of monthly memberships: a $75 package featuring four teacher-led classes and unlimited on-demand meditation and a $125 unlimited membership.Drop-in teacher-ledclasses cost $22 and drop-in on-demand classes are $15.

Friends and family can also split a $225 unlimited membership, and breathe bar is offering discounted memberships through the end of May.

Breathe bar officially opens March 31 with a 6 a.m. sunrise meditation. The full schedule is online.

Breathe bar, a new meditation studio at 946 W. Randolph St., will open on March 31. [breathe bar]

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New Meditation Studio In West Loop Urges You To Breathe Deep - DNAinfo

Right in the heart of the University of Vermont, Burlington campus, there's a big dormitory going up, with room enough for 700 students next fall.

The dorm is being set aside for students like Azilee Curl, a first-year studying neuroscience who has taken a pledge of sorts to live out her college career at UVM with her health in mind.

She's part of a growing group on campus who all live together in a clean-living residence hall, have fitness and nutrition coaches at the in-house gym, and can access free violin lessons, yoga and mindfulness training.

There's also zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol use here one infraction and you're out.

Dr. Jim Hudziak, a pediatric neuropsychiatrist at UVM's Medical School, started the program about two years ago. His message is clear: Take good care of your young mind.

"The most critical part of the brain, for paying attention, for regulating your emotions, for making good decisions, has not even been organized yet," he says, talking about the college-age brain.

For the program, he teaches a mandatory course called "Healthy Brains, Healthy Bodies" where students learn that even at 18- and 19-years-old, their brains are still developing, and will keep doing so even after they graduate.

"When I heard about it, it made me really excited to come to UVM. It really, really sparked my interest," says Azilee Curl. Studying neuroscience, she says "It just didn't make sense to read about it and not live it."

Hudziak says UVM, which has a reputation as a party school, is trying to mitigate risk of binge drinking, and other risky behaviors, as soon as students arrive on campus.

"You get accepted to college, and we celebrate the fact that we are putting a wildly unprepared, underdeveloped brain in a high-risk environment."

But grooming health-conscious students might not be the only incentive for UVM. As colleges compete for a smaller pool of students in New England, administrators hope applicants find Hudziak's program a reason to come to the Burlington campus. It's a heavily marketed option for incoming students.

UVM administrators predict Hudziak's program will grow, too. They're expecting more than 1,200 students to enroll next fall, up from 400 total students this year. And maybe the messaging is working. According to reports, drug violations are down on campus.

Still, for every one student in the wellness program, there are about 25 who aren't.

"It was probably gonna be too regimented for my lifestyle," says 19-year-old Emily Bruggeman from Hebron, Conn. "I like to be a little bit more autonomous in terms of my well-being and stuff like that." You hear that a lot on campus.

For those already in the program, Hudziak says, nearly everyone sticks around for a second year.

"I have this prevailing belief that young people, given the opportunity to make good decisions, would choose to make good decisions. But they have to be in an environment where those choices are as easily available as high-risk decisions."

His program is capturing the attention of higher education leaders across the country. He says leaders at more than 20 other schools, including New York University, Tulane and Boston University, have reached out seeking advice.

Lydia Emmanouilidou contributed to the reporting for this story.

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Meditation, Nutrition, Fitness: One 'Party School' Tries To Tame The College Brain - NPR

Nidhi Kumar, MD 12:04 p.m. ET March 15, 2017

Snow falls on the corner of Harry Road and Fairmount Avenue in Bridgewater. Pam Mackenzie/Staff Video

University of Arizona student Nick Sergeant, formerly of Montville, demonstrates Flow" also known as getting in the zone. Flow is thought to be another form of meditation. This topic was explored earlier this month at Saint Peter's University Hospital.(Photo: ~Courtesy of Saint Peters University Hospital)

Saint Peter's University Hospital will host a Mindfulness Meditation Workshop from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, March 20, in its Sister Marie de Pazzi Conference Center.

Buddhist monk Bhante Sujatha, an expert in the technique of mindfulness meditation, will lead the seminar. The purpose of the event is to equip participants with tools that can be used to create a healthier state of mind and body for themselves.

Teaching a mind to meditate the practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, object, visualization, the breath, movementor attention itself in order to increase awareness of the moment can help the healing process for a lifetime. For this reason the medical community is embracing the ancient technique of mindfulness.

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The benefits of mindfulness extend far beyond what was believed to be purely a relaxation technique. Studies have shown that the mind can alter the course of disease in several important ways. Practicing mindfulness has cardiovascular benefits such as lowering blood pressure, regulating heart rate and reducing heart attacks. Mindfulness can also cause profound changes to the hormonal system of the body. By reducing cortisol levels, mindfulness can help to boost the immune system, decrease pain and reduce the risk of developing diabetes.

Studies of people who learn to practice mindfulness have demonstrated neuroplasticity the ability to physically change their brains. Meditators can decrease the size of their amygdala, the area of the brain that relates to stress, anxiety and pain. They can also increase the areas of their brain that relate to personal perspective and compassion. The end result is the creation of a healthier state of mind. These findings were present across all age groups in those studies.

Saint Peter's Healthcare System recognizes that starting this dialogue and instruction in the community is essential. Given the rapidly changing healthcare landscape it is paramount we empower patients with valuable techniques to optimize their health. Traditional algorithms and practices will also need to be modified. Perhaps the solution to this problem is simply in our heads in the end.

Seminar participants may dress however they choose. This is a hands-on workshop in which those who attend will be taught breathing techniques while seated on a chair. Pre-registration is not required, although donations will be accepted in support of the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center in Woodstock, Illinois, where Sujatha is head monk. Email jen@ataboystudios.com for more information.

Nidhi Kumar, MD, is director of womens health at Saint Peters Healthcare System.

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Buddhist monk to lead mindfulness meditation seminar - MyCentralJersey.com

Now children can find their happy place any time, with Trolls from Dreamworks Animation, releasing a meditation app today in collaboration with Smiling Mind and 20th Century Fox.

The much-loved Trolls character, Cloud Guy, helps kids relax by injecting a touch of humour into mindfulness.

The Trolls-inspired meditation is available free and is designed to nurture positive mental health in young children.

Little ones' minds will be transported up into the clouds with the voice of Cloud Guy to help calm children, teach them mindfulness and how to find happiness within.

The app is the brain child of an eleven year old avid meditator, Willow Bailey. Willow asked her mum to approach the not-for-profit Smiling Mind with the idea, to harness children's love of movie characters.

Dr Addie Wootten, Smiling Mind CEO and clinical psychologist, saidwhen the idea was presented she thought it would be hugely beneficial.

According to Wootten, the new meditation would inject some laughter into mindfulness meditation to engage children. "Children love movies and story-telling and we know the enormous benefits children experience from doing even a short five-minute meditation," she said.

"Mindfulness and meditation has a huge evidence base now, that this practice can aid children in a range of ways including: enhancing well-being, improving sleep quality, improving concentration in class, and enhancing awareness and management of their emotions," said Dr Wootten.

"Given these benefits, Smiling Mind is always looking for innovative ways to deliver meditations that are accessible and engaging to a wide audience."

Smiling Mind, which was developed by psychologists using mindfulness techniques, is already being used in 18,000 classrooms in Australia and internationally, with more than one million students having experienced the benefits.

The Trolls meditation is available on the free Smiling Mind app, download it here. It launches today in conjunction with the Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital release of the Trolls movie. The Trolls meditation will be live and available to download until September.

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The Trolls-inspired meditation app your kids will love - 9Honey

Breathe in, breathe out. Photo: Shutterstock.

Im not going to lie, as much as I love the ocean, I started surfing to get the attention of a girl. I know Im not the only person tohave done that, even if I am part of the small minority who would admit it.

Im also not lying when I say that it was only a few days in that I started falling in lovewith surfing, not the girl. It only took a few sessions to see surfing as a lifestyle more than a sport; a lifestyle that I could see myself enjoying for the rest of my life. I was 21 at the time.

Weeks went by, my skills improved accordingly and the buzz and excitement that I got from surfing was higher than ever. Im still not the most skilled surfer today, but even from that beginning, Ive always been one of the happiest surfers. It was about two years in that I started taking surfing more seriously, taking on heavier surf along Portugals shores.

It was during this time that, although I was used to the wipe outs and washing machine tumbles in the summer, the strength and power of the winter months proved to be ruthless. And on one rainy November day, I was handed my absolute worst wipeout. The struggle was real, and like many of us have experienced once or twice, the thought I might die did cross my mind. Id always heard that most people in water accidents diequicker by panicking than if they remained calm. I cant quite remember how I was able to exit the water. I remember being exhausted and nauseated and took me a while to fully recover. That was the last day I surfed for a very long time, and as I used to say, I was jinxed on that day.

At this time my personal life was a mess and even though surfing was my escape, I wasnt actually surfing at all. The idea of getting back to the water terrified me. Months went by without surfingand my head and heart filled up, constantly ready to burst. It was at this timewhen I felt like I could take it any longer, that I stumbled upon meditation.With plenty of hesitation, I decided to give myself a break and commit at least 10 minutes to thinking about absolutely nothing. The challenge was to set aside 10 minutes for 10 days.

There is a common misconception that meditation is a very difficult and spiritual experience that requires a lot of your time. The truth is with even just 10 minutes a day you will start feeling small and subtle changes.

I kept going after those first ten days. Slowly, I started to feel better. The problems around me were still there but the way I reacted to them became different. I started to feel that need to surf again, so one day I finally grabbed my gear and headed to the beach, not caring what the forecast had in store.I was a bit anxious when I arrived. It was kind of stormy and windy and it took me a minute to understood what was I doing there and how will I surf in those conditions. I went to the water and felt so uncomfortable. In that moment some little voice inside me

I was a bit anxious when I arrived at the beach that day. It was kind of stormy and windy, and it took me a minute to remember what I was doing on a surfboard. When I got into the water, I felt uncomfortable. In that moment some little voice inside me said, just breathe, you got this. In the lineup, I tried something Id never tried while surfing before. Focusing on my breath, on the single moment, on how grateful I was to be surfing, on the way that the waves caressed my skin, and every sensation that came with surfing. My mind was calm and peaceful but sharper than ever. I waited for a wave and then waited some more, as the good waves were scarce that day. When one finally arrived, I positioned myself and paddled as hard as I could. Right there in that moment, when the wave pulls us in, I got nervous and started to recall that last wipeout.Feelings of insecurity rushed over me, but in that moment I remembered the meditation training I had been doing in all my time away from surfing.

I didnt do anything special on that wave. But that moment between going and panicking all over again had set me free. The body may be well prepared to surf, but if the mind isnt trained as well its just a soulless machine and surfing becomes a soulless endeavor. Surf needs soul. Surf fills our soul.

It took me two years, but I did find my soul again.

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How Meditation Saved My Surfing - TheInertia.com