Eileen Honey has made more than a dozen creative journals since 2007.

Reddingite Eileen Honey was never a diary-writer as a child, she remembered at her home last week over coffee, but since 2007 shes taken to creating intricate journals of her experience in life in abstract and concrete ways.

Honeys artistic journals are varied from the moment she begins work on them; she uses both blank journals, and old, well-bound printed books she finds in Mark Twain Librarys back room as her launching points.

She fills page after page with drawings, paintings, writings, paper clippings, her sons Cub Scout badges, and various other items and tokens shes collected over the years. Shes completed more than 12 since she began 10 years ago.

Sometimes Honeys journals follow a theme, and sometimes they progress less structurally. Often she intersperses her own writing and musings alongside visual aspects of the journal though she doesnt always leave her words legible.

I write a whole lot of stuff on the pages but I cover it up sometimes, she said. Often, I just have to put words down.

Pointing to one entry in a recent journal that was written near one of her birthdays, she noted that whats written there you cant read, but its really the lyrics to a song. Its a memory I was reliving, but [by obscuring it] Im not sharing it completely.

Sharing is an important part of Honeys journaling. She shares many of her pages on a personal blog, and plans to eventually pass these journals down to her son.

Two pages from one of Honeys journals.

While they dont carry the same narrative direction as a plain diary, Honey said she hopes her son will gain a bit of understanding from her journals.

Im hoping he will put these in his own library and will learn more about me by looking at these books than if he was just looking at an album full of photos. They tell a lot about me, and a lot about him, as well. Its kind of my little legacy, she said.

As an activity, Honey said, journaling is an anti-computer activity that allows her to focus on the past, present and future in unique ways.

When youre sitting doing this, it becomes a very meditative activity. You really get deep into what youre doing, which is totally contrary to using a phone, something I find very, very cool.

Honey at the crafting table in her art room.

Inspiration for each page comes from a variety of places, whether it be the phrasing of an advertising postcard in the mail, or the obituary of a woman shes never met (in this case that of Mary Margaret Kasiewicz, a Reddingite who died in 2015).

I never knew this woman who died when she was 70 years old, Honey said. But I saved it because she was amazing and her life was amazing. Even though she was physically challenged, she traveled to Antarctica on a research vessel. She deserved attention.

Sometimes I wonder what she would think about some woman cutting out her obituary who wasnt a friend of hers. But I valued her. Thats what journaling is. Not every page has [such a deep] reason, but many of them do.

For weeks at a time, shell find herself at her crafting table hour after hour, Honey said. At other points, she might not look at her journals for long periods of time.

But one way or another, its an art shes planning to continue for a long time.

I dont know if Ive refined [my process of journaling], or if Ive just changed [since I started]. Some of the pages are different now than they were then, she said.

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Journaling is like 'meditation' for Reddingite - The Redding Pilot

Some Sun City West residents may be pleased to see the finishing touches put on another shared amenity for their community. But at least one voice has spoken out against the project.

Recreation Centers of Sun City West officials expect construction to be completed later this month in anticipation of a March opening for the meditation garden at Beardsley Recreation Center, 12755 W. Beardsley Road.

Grand opening will be scheduled once the lighting and vegetation are completed, said Cindy Knowlton, RCSCW recreation manager. Likely it will open by the end of February or sometime in March.

The project, which has been in the works since 2012, is primarily funded by the Sun City West Rotary Club, which provided the initial $13,800 investment to cover its design and will repay the $49,000 RCSCW invested in its construction. The Rotary Club plans to repay the cost by selling memorial bricks, which will later be installed at the site.

Frank Bagnato is a Sun City West resident who penned a letter to the editor (Mediation garden not likely needed, wanted, Sun City West Independent, Jan. 25, 2017) criticizing the project. Mr. Bagnato is a former RCSCW employee and frequent critic of rec centers management.

In the letter, Mr. Bagnato accuses officials of wasting money on a project residents do not want and of failing to give residents a voice in how their dues are spent.

Perhaps the most egregious example yet of our communitys willingness to say Yes, we can to anybody that asks is now underway the Beardsley Meditation Garden, Mr. Bagnato stated in his letter.

He further alleges the project was snuck in under the radar, that the board did not officially discuss the project, and residents were not given an opportunity to weigh in.

Ms. Knowlton disputes this allegation, saying the project arose from board discussions going back five years, having initially been suggested as part of a study conducted under the direction of previous board president Lake Westphal.

Lake was a bit of a visionary, he had some great ideas, said Ms. Knowlton. He made a priority of creating social gathering places.

The board conducted a study of rec centers core facilities, looking for ideas for new amenities for the community, according to Ms. Knowlton.

The garden area came out of that effort, as well as Kuentz Courtyard, she added.

Kuentz Courtyard is a busy place today, hosting a show per week from October through April, as well as twice-monthly happy hours and jam sessions. The Boomers Club and others use it regularly for events and luncheons.

Its a very heavily used and popular place, Ms. Knowlton said.

Following Mr. Westphal on the board, board member Diane Cheney took up the cause. When the Rotary Club came to invest in a project, Ms. Cheney shared with them the boards vision for a respite garden, according to Ms. Knowlton.

Responding to concerns raised last year, RCSCW Chief Financial Officer Tony Struck defended the project in a letter responding to Mr. Bagnato.

The initial budget for the meditation garden was established in June 2015 at $13,800 subsequent to receipt of a $15,000 donation from the Rotary Club, Mr. Struck stated in his letter. This donation initiated the project, which had been in the works for quite some time.

Mr. Bagnato offered no direct reply to Mr. Strucks letter or his attempt to explain how the project was planned and paid for. Nor did he accept Mr. Strucks invitation to discuss the project in person.

Once the design was completed, RCSCW General Manager Mike Whiting approved $49,000 for construction of the project and a request for bids went out to contractors. Because RCSCWs investment falls below the $50,000 threshold, no official board vote was required to approve the project. But at every step in the process, staff members have kept the board and the public apprised through various channels, according to Mr. Struck.

[The general managers] authority to authorize capital savings also included keeping the Governing Board informed, which he has done via various venues weekly GM report, GM annual goals, Properties Committee, Mr. Struck stated.

The monthly reports, which are published each week on the rec centers website, are formally presented twice monthly at the general managers operations meetings, as well as at regular board meetings. Mention of the meditation garden project is found in no fewer than 28 published GM reports over a 30-month period.

Notable among those reports are two entries.

July 21, 2014: The Rotary Club is working in conjunction with RCSCW Staff to establish a meditation Garden at Beardsley Park.

June 15, 2015: CFO Tony Stark and Cindy Knowlton met with the SCW Rotary Club last week and were presented with a check for $15,000 from the Club as a gift toward the Beardsley Meditation Garden project. Many thanks to the SCW Rotary Club! The Meditation Garden will be a wonderful addition to the Beardsley campus.

At every GM operations meeting, the public may attend and are provided with copies of the GMs report, which is subsequently published online. Board members read through each report and ask questions. They also invite attendees to ask questions and voice their opinions at the meetings. For those who cannot attend the operations meetings, the GM reports to the board at its regular meeting each month, where residents are also encouraged to ask questions and share their concerns.

Despite as many as 90 such public meetings being conducted over the past 2.5 years, Mr. Bagnato accuses staff of pushing the project through under the radar.

Despite attempts to determine who approved this project, we get no answers and told we must attend more meetings if we want to know details, Mr. Bagnato asserts in his letter.

Rec center staff and dozens of public documents tell a different story, according to Mr. Struck.

In recent years, club projects have been either partially or fully funded by the clubs. From Pickleball to the Auto Restoration Club, these projects enhance the value of the community, he said. At the end of the day, it is a capital asset of the association with corresponding revenues to offset the expenditures.

Continued here:

RCSCW officials defend Meditation Garden project - YourWestValley.com

When I think of meditation, I picture an image of serenity - a wide-open room, a person sitting cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed and mind relaxed. Meditation, to me, conjures up peacefulness, calmness, quietness and stillness.

Which is why the sight of bulging biceps, dripping sweat and a barbell slamming to the floor doesn't exactly fit with that picture. But looking a little closer, the practice of weightlifting actually has a lot more in common with the art of meditation than first meets the eye.

To meditate is to spend time in quiet thought, as the dictionary puts it, and while the purpose of meditation is to still the mind, that doesn't necessarily mean stilling the body. Meditation, many people mistakenly believe, can be performed only through sitting quietly and clearing the mind of intrusive thoughts. In actuality, meditation can be as simple as focusing your mind on a single point of reference, even when intrusive thoughts insist on cropping up.

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"Meditation can be achieved in the middle of Times Square," says Cali Estes, a psychologist, personal trainer and chief executive of the Miami-based Addictions Coach, which offers help to celebrities and corporate leaders trying to overcome drug, alcohol and other problems. "Meditation is simply the decompression of thoughts and clearing of the mind from any unwanted, negative threats or harmful ideals that can sabotage your success, [and] using exercise as a means to release stress and clear the mind is an excellent tool in both personal and professional life," says Estes, who uses a variety of methods in her work, including exercise and meditation.

And in a world that increasingly has people chained to desks and screens and spreadsheets and Snapchats, it may be more important than ever to free the mind by first freeing the body through exercise.

"When I am lifting - and seriously lifting - there's nothing else besides me, the iron and the goals I place around it," says Janelle Tank, 23, a personal trainer and fitness entrepreneur from Michigan who began weightlifting three years ago to protect against what she calls "self-hate" and substance abuse. "My life up to that point was . . . well, I shouldn't be here today."

After experiencing a miscarriage that left me feeling unmoored, weak in more ways than just physically, I also turned to weightlifting, and I soon realized the benefits that could be unlocked through grunting, repping and sweating more than I thought a 5-foot-4, 150-pound woman of 30 should ever sweat. There is such blissful release in the hour I spend at the gym, where I can think of nothing but the next repetition, pushing through the burn, completely focused on one task, instead of the hundreds of to-dos normally flitting through my mind like a relentless Rolodex.

Weightlifting, I have come to find, is my meditation. Breathe in, breathe out, lift, hold and repeat.

"Consciously focusing the attention of the mind is the backbone of meditation," notes Larissa Hall Carlson, 41, a yoga, mindfulness and ayurveda expert at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. "Any activity can be done mindfully, [but] what turns an ordinary exercise into a potent and benefit-rich form of meditation is one's awareness and intention."

Carlson says that by focusing all of one's attention on the lifting of weights, indulging in the sensation of muscles contracting and releasing, feeling the roughness of your skin against the weight in your hands, noticing the sweat trickling down your back, and by connecting breath with movement, it is possible to transform a workout into what she dubs "meditation in motion."

And it's that meditation in motion that fitness experts, such as celebrity trainer Kira Stokes, say can affect the rest of life. Stokes, who is based in New York, trains her clients to focus on every muscle contraction through her Stoked method, a mindfulness practice that she encourages them to use throughout the day. Her clients learn to pay attention to their breath, when to inhale and exhale with stress, and to recognize how it feels when their muscles are clenched in tension.

"You become more aware on an average day of how you're feeling: 'Do I need to sit down?' 'Do I need some fresh air?' 'Do I need to take a nap?' " she explains.

I guard my meditation-in-motion time fiercely. That hour is more than just "me" time; it is also a time that allows my mind to empty enough to tackle the rest of my life.

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

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

I started lifting weights because I wanted to feel stronger at a time in my life when I felt the weakest. And it is through weightlifting that I have found my strength in one of the most unlikely of places - my own mind.

Brusie is a writer and nurse in Michigan.

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

Background:

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

Research:

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

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

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

Trial:

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

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

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

Conclusion:

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

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Meditation - The Current

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nothing is off-topic on Wednesday nights.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He said the response is always Im not a poet.

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

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

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

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

35.467560 -97.516428

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

TEE HEE. Hardyharhar. Bahahahahahaha. *snort snort*.

Whatever your laugh sounds like, betcha it feels goodinside and out. Laughing relieves stress, stimulates organs, increases endorphins and improves the immune system. No joke, its science!

But it can be hard to keep up the healthy chuckles, especially when life isnt feeling all that funny. These are trying times for many, and videos of cats using the potty only go so far.

Did you know kids laugh about four hundred times a day, and adults only laugh about fifteen? asks yoga teacher Ann Carroll. We lost a few hundred laughs along the way when we grew up.

Those seeking increased and more intentional giggles might want to check out Carrolls Laughing Meditation Workshop this Sunday, Feb. 12 at Savannah Yoga Center. Shes offered the cackle contemplation class before, but recently decided to put it on SYCs monthly schedule for 2017. The next workshop is March 25, followed by April 2, May 14, June 11, July 16, Aug. 13, Sept. 17, Oct. 8, November 12 and December 3.

I used to just do it sporadically, during the holidays, when people are under a lot of stress, but I think with everything going on in the world right now, we all need the release, says the yogi, who holds a teaching certification in the technique.

We need reminders that life doesnt have to be so serious, even in times of stress.

The 30-minute workshops begin with everyone lying on their backs, heads pointed to the middle of the circle, with full use of mats, blankets and other yoga props to get comfy. After a few opening Om chants, its time get chortling (or snickering, or tittering, doesnt matter, you do you!) for 15 straight minutes. The idea is to witness emotions and stay with the practice.

If you arent feeling the mirth, fake it. Research shows that pretend laughter has the same physiological benefits as the real thing and can turn into genuine guffaws once you get started. Other studies shows that joyful laughter and meditation have similar positive effects on the brain, so perhaps doing both at once brings double the benefits (*not based on any science at all, but hey, lighten up!)

There are some ground rules: No tickling! Respect others space and privacy, though the occasional bump to your neighbor while writhing with glee may be excused.

Also, no judgment. If the guy next to you sounds like a honking donkey, accept it as an opportunity to let your inner hysterical hyena flow.

The workshop ends with ten minutes of relaxed silence and deep breathing, though Carroll recognizes that it can be hard to settle down after all that hilarity. Often other emotions can surface that need to be released during the session.

Sometimes people laugh so hard they cry, and thats OK, too, she counsels.

This is a safe space.

Carroll was first introduced to laughter meditation during her yoga training in 2001, when the shock of 9/11 was still fresh.

It felt auspicious that I was coming out of the ashram right as so many people needed peace. Now seems like another one of those times.

She leads students in a gentle form known as Integral Yoga and is deeply influenced by the unifying spirituality of its founder Swami SatchidanandaThe guy who said the opening prayer for Woodstock, she reminds with merry smile.

In addition to teaching yoga at various studios around the city as well as seasonally on Tybee Islands North Beach, Carroll also teaches childbirth education and serves as a doula to support mothers giving birth. In between she can often be found sitting on her meditation cushion, getting lots of practice for her upcoming workshops.

I often think someone is going to walk by and think Ive lost my mind, she says with an easy chuckle. But then that just makes me laugh even harder!

cs

Originally posted here:

Meditation workshop proves that laughter is the best medicine - Connect Savannah.com

February 7, 2017 10:05 AM ByPaulette CohnParade@paulette49 More byPaulette

This is Us is the most buzzed-about show of the 2016-2017 TV season, and as a result, Chrissy Metzis one of the breakout stars of the year, earning a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television.

Metz, who plays Justin Hartleys twin sister Kate Pearson, was down to 81 cents in the bank when she landed the role, and she says, the reaction to the show has been a life-changing experience for her and in more ways than just having a steady paycheck.

Its very strange. I cant go anywhere without somebody stopping me, which is so cool that I get to connect to people that I never mightve ever spoken to, or they have an impetus to speak to me. Its created a career that I wasnt sure if Id ever really have. I was moving back home to Florida.

Kate, who began the series as her actor brother Kevins (Hartley) assistant, has moved way beyond that. She has tried a few new jobs, but more importantly, she found love and is now an engaged woman, so her storylines are not just about her pursuit to lose weight.

In fact, the former American Horror Story: Freak Show star recently clarified that her This Is Us contract does not say she has to lose weight. Rather, there simply have been conversations that the trajectory of Kates story is that shes going to lose weight.

At the NBC Television Critics Association press tour, she told reporters, We dont have any specifics, theres nothing mandated. Theres nothing set in stone. We havent really talked about weight, or a number, or any of that even for a second. [It is something that all actors do]. They get to go on a journey at some point to lose weight, gain weight, change hair, whatever.

In this interview, Metz also talks about parallels between Kates story and her real-life, how she almost quit acting before landing the role on This Is Us, how she is staying frugal despite the Season 2 and 3 pickups for the series, and more.

So much of Kates story deals with weight issues. Is it weird to be saying lines about what its like to struggle with body-image issues?

Yeah, I think that every actor, specifically for acting, and every human being, we use what we know. People write what they know, and if I wasnt overweight, I wouldnt be able to portray this character in such an authentic way, like feeling the uncomfortability when you sit down in the airplane, or any of those things. That really lends itself to an authenticity that is really hard to portray unless youve experienced that.

Did you share any of Kates journey? Did you go to meetings and all of that?

Sure, Ive been to meetings before, and even with that MomFit class I was like, Im into this. There was something so cathartic about pounding something and really releasing that anger, I have never done anything like that before. Im interested in drumming, but I had never done something like that, and I was like, Oh, everybody should try this.

You obviously seem like someone whos really happy and secure in yourself.

Yeah. I think that my whole journey had been getting to the place where I can accept myself for who I am, to be the woman that Im meant to be, but you have to get there first.

How did that happen?

Spiritual work. I did a lot of meditation, I just realized that it is really about why were here and that [our bodies] are vessels and they get to change. You wouldnt be talking to me and I wouldnt be on the show if I wasnt an overweight woman, but while this is really difficult for me to navigate, part of the reason why Im here is to teach, to educate, to just relate, so I think I just came to that place where I was like, Oh, you cant take yourself so seriously. Come on, theres a bigger picture and its not just about ego and pride.

How much does it impact you when you see the footage of little Kate in incidents like the mean note at the swimming pool?

Its heart-wrenching. I remember being a kid and always feeling a little different than all my friends. I remember the incident where I did decide to put a t-shirt on to go swimming. We were hitting puberty, and it was like, Oh, boys are actually looking at us now. Its heartbreaking because you know that we all want the same things. I dont know why we decide to hurt each other in the process.

You almost quit acting?

Oh, yeah, after American Horror Story there was a year where I had maybe two auditions, and I was like, Maybe this was a fluke and this isnt really going to happen for me. Theres so many layers and levels within Kate, as within me my life had some parallels to the show that its all very overwhelming and wonderful.

When you thought about quitting acting what were you thinking about doing?

I taught preschool previously, so I was like, Oh, I can teach little kids to act, and I can go back home. But my mom was like, You could either be miserable in L.A. or miserable in Florida, but in L.A., you could be pursuing your dreams. I was like, Okay, Ill stick around but I dont know whats going to happen, and six months later this role comes along.

Is there something youre lusting after now that you have a steady paycheck, especially with the series being picked up for two more seasons?

I dont know. For me, material things are likemy grandma always said, You cant take that to heaven, theyre just material things, but I do need to buy myself a laptop.

Was your childhood dream to be an actress?

No, it was to do stand-up comedy, to be a comedian, to just entertain people. To make people laugh instead of cry.

What is it like being on a show that makes people cry since you wanted to make people laugh?

Okay, the irony, right, but comedy stems from tragedy, so its also really closer than most people would think. We do get to play with the comedy, and I do get to joke and all that, so I feel like its such a beautiful balance of both, but, eventually, I want to do some sketch comedy or some kooky really broad stuff. Well see.

What has been some of the fan reaction to this role?

Oh geez. Women have cried. Women have told me that they feel confident enough to walk out of their home, and people have given me health advice, thats always interesting. Im like, I dont need your gastric bypass doctors number, but thanks. Women of all races, all ages, all sizes, everything. Women who are fit, who have never had a weight issue, and its so beautiful that art, something that I wanted to do for so long [produces these results]. This is the reason why we decide to do it but it doesnt always coincide, so its so beautiful.

This is Us airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

Read more from the original source:

This Is Us Star Chrissy Metz on Kate's Weight Issues, Meditation ... - Parade

Two Spring courses beginning in February will provide students with the tools to be able to handle stressful situations.

Continuing and Professional Education will offer the courses "Meditation: A Tool for Making a Difference," and "Meditation: A Tool for Increasing Well-Being."

"Meditation: Tool for Making a Difference," is the in-class meditation experience which will include 4 sessions throughout the months of February and March on Thursday evenings.

"This course could benefit any type of student and I am hoping those who are focused on their long term objective to make a difference in the world consider it," said Margaret Glenn, the instructor of both courses.

Each session will include basic information related to the type of meditation, body scan and breathing practice, as well as the half hour meditation experience.

"Meditation is a mind and body practice. There are many types of meditation, most of which originated in ancient religious and spiritual traditions." according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

"Meditationa Tool for Well-Being," the online class, that will feature four sessions with a real time, web conferencing software. They will focus on resilience, positive outlook, attention and generosity.

In 2012, only 8 percent of adults and 1.6 percent of children in the United States meditated regularly, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Glenn said the course would benefit students health.

"In general, a meditation practice increases brain function, particularly in creative thinking and helps with focus and attention," she said.

Glenn continued, "It decreases impulses that are triggered in many of us by reducing stress and anxiety as well as increasing happiness, and in the long termresiliency."

Glenn has been trained in Primordial Sound Meditation and is certified by the Chopra Center to be an instructor.

She has also participated in teacher-training in cognitively-based compassion training created at the Tibetan Partnership.

"There is a cost that may deter students," Glenn said.

The cost of the in-class section will be $75, the online section will be $99.

"It is not for everyone and I always encourage people to read more about the subject before they start," Glenn said.

Students may register for the course at http://continuinged.wvu.edu/.

The classroom course will be held at 6:30 p.m. on February 9, 16, 23 and March 2 in Room 414 of Allen Hall on the Evansdale Campus.

The online course begins February 20.

"After (the class, meditation) is easily accessible and basically free to practice on your own," Glenn said.

Originally posted here:

Online and in-class meditation courses offered this semester - The Daily Athenaeum

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Follow through on your intention to learn and practice meditation at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb.10, at at Bernardsville Public Library.

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The first meeting of Bernardsville Public Library's new inspirational workshop series, Make YOUR Difference, will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25.(Photo: ~Courtesy of Bernardsville Public Library)

Follow through on your intention to learn and practice meditation at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb.10, at at Bernardsville Public Library.

READ:Heartbeats: Integrate meditation into your daily life

This is a guided meditation session in which different types of meditation are explored, followed by a time of sharing for those who are so inclined. First-timers and those with any meditation experience are welcome.

The group meets on the second Friday of each month. Leaders are Mary Bodenstein and Jean Leigh. There is no charge to attend the program, and no sign-up is needed.

For further information, call the library at 908-766-0118.

Bernardsville Public Library is at 1 Anderson Hill Road in Bernardsville.

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Heartbeats: Monthly Meditations at Bernardsville Library - MyCentralJersey.com

Meditation(Photo: GANNETT)

At Nyack Yoga, reaching your wellness groove can go two ways. The yoga studio has two classes that bring some fun or some peace depending on what you're looking for: Happy Hour Yoga or Floating Meditation.

I think everybody is feeling very stressed, there is nothing taught to us about how to manage stress. I think you have to look for something to help and maybe going to the bar is not working, " says owner Laura Kallen.

Happy Hour Yoga started two years agoon Friday evenings where a mix of regulars and drop-ins let off some steam with music and OMs. We decided to make it fun and rotate the teachers and theme, she says. "We dont kick anyone out right after class and they can walk up the street for a meal in Nyack after class.

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With themed-nights of jazz, beach songsto Bob Marley and George Michael tributes, the Friday night class is all about fun Vinyasa-style. Its about movement and self-expression in the 75 minute class, with low lighting, candles and an LED light show on the wall.

Some weeks there is live music or a DJ. "We encourage the musicians to bring any of their music to sell and/or information about themselves to share with our community," she says."We dont take ourselves too seriously; and we have a really welcoming community," saysKallen.

A new monthly addition, Floating Meditation, occurs on the first Tuesday of themonth. Participantsare guided through a 30-minute meditation while seated in a hammock dangling from the ceiling.

Its a different way to experience mediation because the hammock holds you; like youre being swaddled. Its soothing and very relaxing," saysKallen. She saysthe half-hour class is popular forthose looking for anevening option that is a quick stress-buster.

Using the hammock to rest in is more special than just lying on the ground because of the swaddling effect. If someone is really anxious this is very calming, she says. You are wrapped and its a gentle compression its quite delicious.

Guests are in a silky black hammock with a guided meditation coach for half- hour.

I think you can go to the gym and count calories but you need to spend the same amount of time fixing your mind. You need practices that open up that," Kallen says.

GO:Nyack Yoga. Happy Hour Fridays 6:30 p.m., Single class $20 and $15 for seniors and students. Monthly Meditation first Tuesday of the month $10, 7:30 p.m., Monthly membership $108, 42 Main St, Nyack, 845-675-7135, nyackyoga42main.com

Twitter:@krhudsonvalley

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Try floating meditation in Nyack - The Journal News | LoHud.com