Most of us live a very busy life. Whether it's because of work, school, or personal life, it seems like we always have something to do. Even our devices, which help us stay connected to the people we care about the most, often make us even more stressed.

Fortunately, your devices can also help you become more present, focused, and relaxed. You just need the right apps for the job, such as mindfulness apps. These apps can help you improve your quality of life without ever leaving your home.

So, what exactly is mindfulness? It's considered a therapeutic technique that helps you become more self-aware and present. The main goal of being mindful is to help you become more focused and calm while helping you get rid of negative emotions. Meditation is a form of mindfulness that can impact your life in more ways than you can imagine.

If you're new to mindfulness, there's no better place to start than with mindfulness apps. Read on to discover 8 Mindfulness Apps to Help You Improve Focus and Meditate.

If you have an Apple Watch with watchOS 8, you already have a built-in Mindfulness app to help you begin. You'll get reminders to breathe or to help you become more aware of yourself and your loved ones.

If you want to take it one step further, you can subscribe to Apple Fitness+ and do one of the meditation exercises available.

Just keep in mind that the Mindfulness app isn't the best option out there. However, it is free and easy to access on your Watch.

Mindfulness Coachis an extremely cool app, but it might not be for everyone. This app was created by VA's National Center for PTSD to mainly help Veterans and Service members, but you can still use it even if you're neither.

Another cool thing about the Mindfulness Coach is that it's free. It doesn't require any add-on purchases to work. All you need to do is download it and start using it. Plus, the app also states that it doesn't track or share any of your personal information.

Overall, this is a great app to start on your mindfulness journey, whether you're a Service member or not.

If you're more of a visual learner, you might loveLojong: Meditation & Sleep. You've probably never heard that word before, but Lojong is a mind training practice whose goal is to purify a person's motivations and attitudes.

As you can probably guess, the Lojong app tries to help you do just that by providing exercises to practice relaxing and mindfulness. It also helps you relieve the feeling of anxiety and manage stress.

What's cool about this app is that it teaches you about meditation with the help of animated videos. If you love animations, this might be the app for you.

Present - Guided Meditationis a great app for both beginners and experts. It doesn't matter if this is your first time practicing mindfulness or you're already a pro; you'll find something to love about Present.

This app has many different meditations done by experts. These meditation exercises will help you practice mindfulness, relax, and sleep better. It also helps you track your progress and your time spent working on yourself.

Another cool thing Present has something called SOS sessions. These are basically sessions you can use if you have a panic or anxiety attack.

Calmis one of the most popular apps on the App Store, and there's a reason for that. Calm is a feature-packed app that will help you meditate, practice mindfulness, and take your exercises to another level.

There's a little bit of everything for everyone in the app. You'll find breathing and stretching exercises, relaxing music, a Daily Calm program, and a progress tracker. Plus, you can let your kids use Calm if you want to. The app comes with sleep stories to help them relax while going to bed.It also comes with different programs depending on your experience level.

Just like other apps on the list,Abidemight not be for everyone. But if you're looking to mix your Christian faith with mindfulness, then it might be worth a try.

Abide comes with Christian meditations to help you relax. These sessions can go from 2 to 15 minutes. Plus, it comes with Bible stories to help you sleep better. You can also use it to schedule either your meditation or your prayer sessions within the app. And you can save it all the Apple's Health app.

You get the general idea with the app's name, but3 Minute Mindfulnessis more than that.

One of the app's main features is a 7-day mindfulness course that will help you get started in your mindfulness journey. Each lesson is approximately 3 minutes, which is perfect to start building a habit without feeling too overwhelmed at first.

Other than that, you also get guided meditations that'll take you just three minutes. Plus, there's a bunch of breathing exercises that have different benefits.

The best part is that you can create your own reminders to never miss a class and even connect the app with Apple's Health app to track your progress.

If you want to learn meditation and mindfulness from experts,Headspaceis a great place to start.

This app comes with a bunch of features to help you get started and get into the habit of mindfulness and meditation. It even comes with short 3-minute sessions like the previous app, which are perfect for getting started or if you have a busy schedule.

In addition, it comes with mindful exercises, SOS sessions to help you during panic and anxiety attacks, and sleep casts and stories to help you sleep better. It also has something called Move Mode, which helps you get moving so you can release some stress and tension.

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8 Mindfulness Apps to Help You Improve Focus and Meditate - iDrop News

Spider Man: No Way Home star Marisa Tomei says that her meditation practices have been crucial in building her self-esteem and worldview. (Photo: Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

The friendship between Marisa Tomei and her longtime pal Lisa Bonet has lasted decades, since they first met on the hit sitcom A Different World.

In a new sit-down with Interview magazine, the two women open up about how their similar meditation and spiritual practices make them better humans and even better friends.

I have been healthy and feel grateful for that, Tomei said in regards to the pandemic. I actually appreciated very much the slowing down of a lot of the extraneous noise in my life not being on a plane all the time, just getting to have my roots.

The Spider-Man: Far From Home star added that she recently got a house in the country, wheres shes been able to practice meditation to help deal with basic anxiety.

I had meditated for years and years you brought that into my life after Phylicia Rashad taught you, Tomei said to Bonet. During this time its been such a deep pleasure to meditate for longer and longer stretches, and feel my body unwind. A real layer of noise seems to have peeled off.

Honing into that kind of practice, she added, has helped her tune out the extra noise from the news cycle so that her authenticity can shine.

Its definitely been a process for me to find my voice, to speak true words from my heart, Tomei said. I do that, but I have a lot of anxiety, so I appreciate the quiet. I feel like there was always some kind of rush happening in my household when I was a kid. Im used to hopping to it and running. Slowing down is the simplest thing, but its really done profound things for me.

[I am] definitely learning how to be authentically me, Bonet added of her own discoveries. Learning to be new, and following this invitation from the universe to step into this river of uncertainty. Weve eliminated all this extra noise, and now its time to grow our roots deeper into our own values.

Lisa Bonet and Marisa Tomei have been dear friends since they starred together in the hit sitcom A Different World. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/VF18/WireImage)

Bonet further explained that the more still we are, the more clearly the guidance comes through, especially during this time in our culture.

Story continues

The revolution is definitely here and were all feeling the squeeze, said Bonet. If you arent, youre in total denial, and the more you resist, the more you will suffer. Everything is crumbling out there. The personal work is understanding where empire and those archetypes live within us. The revolution is on the inside, and learning to be new in this new world.

All this revolution thats going on is something Ive been talking about for a long time, Tomei explained. I honestly didnt think Id see this much change in my lifetime, this much calling on the powers that be, this much tearing down of the old paradigms. Its really heartwarming, and it brings me to tears. Its not an easy process, but Im really filled with joy that theres so much waking up happening.

Tomei, who just turned 57 earlier this month, added that she made sure to dance on her birthday, adding that sometimes pursuing pure joy as one ages can be the most important thing to hold onto.

Sometimes I feel like, Wheres that spark? I just dont have that anymore, she said. I dont, but thats OK. Its actually a relief not to have that as much.

Indeed, Tomei hasnt kept her meditation practices secret from the world. In fact, shes always been happy to share some of her age-defying secrets with fans.

Moving meditation, like dance meditation, makes me feel at home in my skin; it helps me on a spiritual, mental, and, ultimately, physical level, she told Vogue magazine in 2017.

Age has also brought her more confidence onscreen, especially when it comes to showing skin, as she told InStyle magazine that same year.

"I felt more confident being naked on screen as I got older, and I was glad I didnt do it when I was younger," she explained at the time. "With the things that people say, its easier when you get older to go: Thats their projection, not me. It comes back to the word projection what people want from me and trying to make everyone feel that."

And that's not all that's changed with age, as Tomei says that with more life experience comes wisdom.

"The drive is still there," she told InStyle. "I still have lots of passion for what I do, and I want to keep doing it, and that requires putting some elbow grease into the business aspect of it. But I also find that lately, I feel like I can say: I am who I am. Im more comfortable. I have so many interests, and making a mark is not really at the top of that."

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Marisa Tomei on how meditation has helped her cope with anxiety: 'A real layer of noise seems to have peeled off' - Yahoo Life

Seattle heavy metal practitionersDARK MEDITATIONwill release theirPolluted Templesfull-length via Satanik Royalty Records on January 28th, today unveiling the records first single, artwork, and preorders.DARK MEDITATIONmay hail from Seattle, but their sound is steeped in traditions associated with other corners of the globe Englands working-class cities, frosty Scandinavian towns, Southern California meccas of the 80s. Or as the band puts it,DARK MEDITATIONsounds like the bastard amalgamation of Venom and Judas Priest fighting it out on the Sunset Strip while Danzig and King Diamond cheer them on. While such reference points may suggest a nexus of evil kitsch and arena-level theatrics, the bands debut albumPolluted Templescomes from a place of down-and-out urgency and punk ethics, adopting the gloomy anthems and riff worship of heavy metal titans for their sonic exorcisms rather than their rock n roll panache. Its an album that basks in big hooks, righteous guitar work, and an arena-level stomp without compromising any grit, grime, or guts.

Polluted Templeswill be released on LP and digital formats. Find physical preorders atTHIS LOCATIONand digital preordersHERE.

Polluted TemplesTrack Listing:1. Horus Rising (Prelude)2. Babalon.Money.Magick3. Haunt Of Fear4. Strange Caress (Of The Night)5. Masters Coil6. Desolation Days7. The Howling Wild8. Drink Of The Blade9. Nocturnal Forever10.

Polluted TemplesOriginally conceived by vocalist A.D. Vick, guitarist Rane, and guitarist/synth player Ian as a recording project intended to provide personal catharsis,DARK MEDITATIONcame to serve as a crucial artistic outlet for the entire five-piece band a salve during trying times. Along with compatriots JW Mullett (bass), and Will Klintberg (drums), the founding trio poured four years of blood, sweat, and equity intoPolluted Temples, though the inner-band relationships go back even further. The members ofDARK MEDITATIONall cut their teeth and crossed paths in various niches of the underground, churning out visceral and vitriolic bangers in acts like Emeralds (SEA), O.S.S., R.I.P., and Wildildlife. A punk ethos permeated their earlier acts, and while they may have excised some of that primitivism in their current project, the members ofDARK MEDITATIONhave not skimped on the aural punishment and physical intensity.Recorded over two weeks during Seattles record-breaking heatwave of June 2021 by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, The Sword, Soundgarden),Polluted Templesis the culmination of nearly half a decades worth of work. Not only does it represent a triumph over recent adversities, it serves as a negation of ingrained prejudices and social mores. Most of our songs deal with personal consequences of our actions and how it effects the world around us, Vick says of his lyrics. But there is also the looming specter of evangelical Christianity that I was brought up in and trying to break away from the dogmatic concepts that were pushed upon me in childhood.These themes are displayed on songs like Haunt Of Fear, where Vick explores the idea of the devil as an invented boogeyman used to govern by fear and instill hatred in the populace while the band lays down a thunderous foundation of first-wave black metal riffage, wailing pinch harmonics, and dueling guitar solos. On a similar tip, the albums title tracka perfect blend of melodic gloom and pounding force bolstered by synth-colored choruses and heroic guitarsuses the biblical metaphor of the body as a temple to examine how physical pleasure-seeking turns people inward and away from the rest of humanity. This kind of social commentary manifests in the relentless chug of Babalon.Money.Magick, where the increasing disparity between the haves and have-nots is reflected Seattles new construction and tent cities. And it pops up again in the mid-tempo death rock strut of Desolation Days, where manipulative institutions and power-hungry people are brought to task for valuing the dollar over human lives.Ultimately,DARK MEDITATIONs true power lies in their razor-sharp musicianship, addictive songwriting, and fist-pumping instrumentation. Its no small wonder that the bands early demos warranted an official release by Austrias boutique black metal label Doctrina Carnis before theyd even played their first live show.Polluted Templesmarks a substantial progression in both performance and production, and with that evolution comes the requisite support of a strong stateside label. [Bio by Brian Cook] ForDARK MEDITATIONcoverage contactliz@earsplitcompound.com.http://www.facebook.com/Darkmeditationhttp://www.instagram.com/darkmeditation206http://www.satanikroyaltyrecords.comhttp://www.facebook.com/satanikroyaltyrecordshttp://www.twitter.com/recordssatanikhttp://www.instagram.com/satanikroyaltyrecords

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DARK MEDITATION To Release Polluted Temples - XS ROCK

In todays fast-paced world, stress has become one of the most common issues faced by people. It has many causes, some of which are work, studies, difficult relationships and more. Before you learn how to manage stress, you should be able to recognize it. So lets give definition to this term!

Stress is an overwhelming feeling of emotional or physical tension that is not possible to control. In fact, its a normal human reaction to changes or challenges in the environment. Stress occurs when one is unable to cope with specific demands and events. But in some cases, it may become a chronic condition. When stressed, the body produces larger quantities of cortisol, epinephrine and norepinephrine, which leads to the following physical reactions: increased blood pressure, sweating, muscle tension and alertness.

Its impossible to completely avoid stress in our lives. However, you can reduce its frequency and intensity. If the biggest source of your stress is work, then you should do your best to maintain a work-life balance. Try not to take too many responsibilities and delegate your duties when possible. Its very important for your mental health not to stay at work until late at night and stick to your schedule. Overworking inevitably results in stress, so dont exceed the number of hours set by your employer.

Another big source of stress is studies. If you are a student, you may struggle with numerous assignments, regular assessments and hard exams. College life is very demanding, so you need to make much effort to keep up with everything. Luckily, there is a great solution that can make studying easier. You can turn to so-called assignment writing companies and ask them for help. Professional writers working there will complete a paper in any subject for you. Whats more, there are a lot of essay examples on their official websites. You can access them absolutely for free, just quickly choose one essay about stress in our life to see how it works. Why do you need those examples? Well, you can learn a perfect essay structure from them and use it in your own work. Paper samples also provide you with useful terms and phrases for your home assignment.

Its a well-known fact that music as well as meditation have many great benefits for stress management and mental health. Furthermore, listening to music, if done properly, can be a kind of meditation itself. Actually, you can take any activity, including walking or even washing the dishes, and make them a meditation by adding more awareness. This way, any experience can become richer and more satisfying.

Listening meditation can be a very powerful practice. If you consider the experience of so-called dhyanas or jhanas, which are calm, focused and blissful states of meditation, you may realize that you feel the same while listening to your favorite music. So why not treat music as a meditation object?

Music has a profound effect on both our feelings and body. For example, fast music usually makes us feel more alert and helps to concentrate better, while upbeat music makes us feel more positive and optimistic. Music with a slower tempo quiets the mind and relaxes muscles, so we can feel soothed and less stressed.

Research confirms that music is effective for relaxation and stress management. According to some studies, tracks with 60 beats per minute help the brain synchronize with them. As a result, the brain functions on alpha waves, which are frequencies from 8 to 14 hertz per second that promote relaxation. Whats more, music can induce sleep by causing delta brainwaves of 5 hertz. Scientists say that listening to music changes brain functioning nearly to the same extent as medication. But to achieve positive results, one needs to devote at least 45 minutes to this practice.

Surprising enough, Celtic, Native American and Indian music has the most powerful effect. Various stringed-instruments, drums, and flutes are extremely effective when it comes to relaxing the mind. Also, different nature sounds, such as rain, thunder and bird singing, may be relaxing. Its especially nice when they are mixed with other genres, like light jazz and classics.

Since we dont count beats while listening to music, how to choose tracks that have a relaxing effect? The answer is completely up to you because you must first like the music being played. So start exploring different types of music and see what works best. Never force yourself to pick relaxation music that irritates you as it will only create additional tension.

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Music and Meditation: How to reduce stress - The Music Universe.

SEATTLE One of 2021s most authentic and compelling films is the psychological drama "The Lost Daughter."

The Netflix movie is adapted from a novel and offers an unflinching look at the internal struggle many women face between motherhood and their own intellectual and sexual needs.

Olivia Colman stars as a woman on a solo vacation in Greece. There, she crosses paths with a mysterious young mother played by Dakota Johnson and they share an instant connection.

Throughout the movie, Colman's character comes to terms with her own experiences as a young mother, including frustration, depression, and selfishness. But for all the heaviness, the experience on set even as they shot during the pandemic was upbeat.

"Wouldn't that be great if you could just continue to work with people that you really loved? Johnson asked.

Colman agreed, adding, "It was so enjoyable, and every day you woke up and went, 'Oh goody, we get to do this again and do some fun scenes.' And be directed by Maggie."

Known for her acting, Maggie Gyllenhaal directed, produced, and wrote the screenplay.

"I wouldn't have been invested in thinking about motherhood in the same way if I hadn't been a mother for 15 years, Gyllenhaal said. "There was some silver lining in a way in the pandemic because [my kids] could come with me to Greece, they were doing remote school anyway, so it really was an ideal time for us to be away from home."

It was a true family affair, because Gyllenhaal also cast her husband, Peter Sarsgaard, in a small but pivotal role.

"I felt incredibly nervous just because I didn't want to be the weak link, he said.

"The Lost Daughter" is rated R and debuts on Netflix Dec. 31.

Excerpt from:

Netflix movie 'The Lost Daughter' is a haunting meditation on motherhood - KING5.com

Yearender 2021: As we leave behind 2021, and welcome 2022 in a couple of weeks, it will not be easy to analyse how we fared at health and wellness front this year. While some of us were proud of the lifestyle choices they made by sticking to mostly home-cooked and nutritious food, many of us regretted becoming screen addicts and putting ourselves at a grave risk of many health issues triggered by sedentary lifestyle.

Morning walks and fitness routines were re-introduced in our lives after easing of restrictions, but we continued to stay largely at home managing work, home and our kids' online classes together with high stress levels.

Wellness trends in 2021 primarily showed how people's idea of staying fit and healthy shifted in diverse ways - from gymming to yoga and meditation, from rushed eating to mindful eating and from fad diets to sustainable weight loss.

A look at some popular wellness trends that made a lot of waves in 2021:

ALSO READ: How to develop mindfulness, shares bureaucrat-turned-Yogi Hasmukh Adhia

1. Mindful eating

Mindful eating is the latest wellness trend that is being embraced by people who have realised the importance of these golden 15-20 minutes that one spends on eating meals staying in the present moment and relishing every bite.

Being mindful of what you are eating makes a great difference in not just making the right food choices but also reduction of stress levels.

"Mindful eating is a conscious awareness of the food and drink that we consume on daily basis. When we are aware of how food makes us feel, we choose the right food," says nutritionist Preeti Seth, Founder of Pachouli.

"Most of us are physically distancing ourselves from the world and turning to food for companionship. Binge-eating while binge-watching our favourite shows along with minimal physical activity is bound to result in weight gain and none of us want that. It takes more than self-control to avoid overeating," says Jyotika Diwan, Nutritionist and Diet Advisor.

2. Sustainable weight loss

While they could not step outsides their homes, 2021 gave people an opportunity to choose the food that helped them lose weight over a period of time, instead of quick weight loss diets that did more harm than good.

"One of the major problems with FAD diets is they cause nutritional deficiencies along with major hormonal imbalances which negatively impact hormonal health and metabolism. People are waking up to the fact the FAD diets are quick fixes which can backfire if not adhered to," says Palki Chopra Dietician & Weight Loss Expert (Nutritious Bites)

ALSO READ: 4 simple hacks for permanent weight loss revealed by nutritionist

The dietician says that people have found the right food wisdom in their grandmothers kitchen after navigating through many weight loss plans and are exploring the age-old formulas of a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.

Having plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grain, seeds, nuts, legumes and limiting added sugars, saturated fats and processed food can make you lose weight sustainably.

3. Desi superfoods

Moving over broccoli and kale, people are increasingly realising the power of desi superfoods as they are stocking their kitchen with ghee, amla, ragi, makhana, spices and herbs.

"The moment we read the term 'superfoods', we immediately imagine broccoli, blueberries, kale, quinoa and olive oil. But, not anymore, because our local Indian traditional foods have been granted the superfood status and are now being sold and valued all over the world. These are ghee, amla, Ragi, makhana, turmeric, jau, curd, spices and jackfruit. Our grandmothers always used each one of these superfoods in their kitchen, but they were forgotten once we embraced the western culture. However, their gaining superfood status all over the world now has helped in boosting their sale all over," says Sonia Bakshi, Nutritionist & Founder of DtF.

4. Meditation

During the unpredictable pandemic times when people were highly stressed and extremely confused about what to do next, millions of people resorted to spiritual practices like yoga. The practice of yoga and meditation is believed to provide clarity to the mind and manage anxiety levels.

"The virus taught us that life can be extremely unpredictable and it is better for us to be prepared for any kind of challenge that may present itself. Meditation has helped many people to improve their mental well-being during lockdown, and social isolation even while they were suffering from risk of personal and financial losses. More and more studies prove to us the importance of practices like yoga in order to improve not only physical health but also our overall wellness quotient. Therefore it is crucial to make meditation part of our everyday life and to be able to reap the benefits of these productive practices during times of crisis," says renowned Yoga Guru Grand Master Akshar.

5. Intermittent fasting

We saw how Bharti Singh lost oodles of weight with intermittent fasting when she found out she was at risk of diabetes. Intermittent fasting involves different eating patterns where you have cycles between eating and fasting. There are various kinds of intermittent fasting. Under 16:8 method, you fast for 16 hours at a stretch and eat between the window of 8 hours, while in 5:2 method, you eat normal diet for 5 days and go on a strict diet for 2 days.

There are researches that show that the diet helps with insulin resistance, reduces oxidative stress, inflammation and prevents against diseases, says Meghana Pasi, nutrition expert, My Thali program, Arogya World.

"The advantage of intermittent fasting over other fad diets is that it tells you when to eat and not what to eat," says Pasi.

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Originally posted here:

Yearender 2021: Meditation to mindful eating; wellness trends of the year - Hindustan Times

Photograph by Jade Womack.

Hello Neighbor,

I tested positive for Covid last Thursday, and am under quarantine until the 23rd. I am feeling much better today, as the first few days I had a terrible fever, sore throat, chills, headache, and congestion. For those interested, I documented my experience on my instagram here and here, as well as my symptoms here.

I wont be able to attend events for a while, but moving forward I included a new emoji which indicates an event requires proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test.

Please be safe, and well during these unprecedented times!

For your convenience, this newsletter includes emojis to help you during these unprecedented times:

1. Get Your Last Holiday Performances In. Catch the last performances of A Christmas Carol at Fords Theatre (until the 27th, $36+, , Penn Quarter) or The Nutcracker with the Washington Ballet at The Warner Theatre (until the 26th, $65+, , Downtown). Theres also some comedic holiday performances of Under The Tree with Jackie Beat (Tues, $25, , Capitol Hill) and The Constituents: A Happy Holiday Hangover (Sun, $30, , The Wharf). Or join the Choral Arts Chorus for A Family Christmas (Fri, $20, , Kennedy Center).

2. Finish Up Your Holiday Shopping. Theres aQueens English Holiday Market (Tues, , , Park View). Stop by the Baltimore Christmas Village (until 24th, weekdays or $5 weekends, , Baltimore) or the Downtown Holiday (until 23rd, , , Penn Quarter) before it closes.

3. For those missing Zoolights. Go to a holiday light zoofari at Roers Zoofari which will be open Christmas Day (until Jan 2, $32 adults, , Vienna).

4. Pay Your Respects on Christmas Day. The Doughboy Foundation and Taps For Veterans will be having a Taps and Wreath-Laying Ceremony at 4:50 p.m. at the National World War I Memorial (Sat, , , Downtown).

5. Waterskiing Santa. In its 36th year, watch a spectacular show involving waterskiing Santa and his merry crew (Fri, , , Alexandria).

6. Find Some Peace before the New Year. Attend aHappy Hour Yoga (Wed, $25, , Downtown) or attend a Meditation & Music Medicine Soundbath (Thurs, $25, , Downtown).

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of this newsletter,

Jade Womack (@clockoutdc)

Join the conversation!

Jade Womack is an energy economist by day, and an events blogger by night. She started her blog, Clockout DC, when she was moonlighting as a bartender in 2019. She grew up in Arlington, and currently lives in Adams Morgan with her dog.

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Waterskiing Santa, Meditation, and the Last Holiday Performances: the Best Things to Do in the DC Area, 12/20-12/26 - Washingtonian

Get ready to start the New Year feeling calm and centered.The Camden Public Library is kicking off its annual Jumpstart January series on Thursday, January 6, at 6 p.m., with a guided Yoga Nidra meditation class that participants can enjoy from the comfort of their own homes. The program is designed to help bring relief and recovery from post-holiday exhaustion.

This free online program will be facilitated by Camden-based health and wellness coach Hester Kohl Brooks. Find the Zoom link to register to attend atlibrarycamden.org.

Yoga Nidra is a sleep-based meditation in which your mind is guided to the deepest state of relaxation imaginable, said Brooks, in a Camden Public Library news release. As your body relaxes, you become open to meeting emotional and mental patterns that are holding you back, combining the benefits of meditation with the benefits of sleep.

To participate, audience members simply need to log-in, find a cozy spot to lie down or recline, and listen to the guided meditation. There will be an opportunity at the end of the program for participants to reflect on the experience and ask questions.

Brooks is a trainedDaring to RestYoga Nidra facilitator.She specializes in helping women with anxiety find their inner island of peace through developing a Yoga Nidra practice.

The librarys Jumpstart January series is a collection of programs aimed atstimulating creativity and inspiring people to try something new in the New Year. Find information about the other four programs in the series, Writing a Legacy Letter on January 7, Dancing with Your Muse on January 11, Coat Pins . . . with Intentions on January 12, and Cardboard Portraits on January 25, atlibrarycamden.org.

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Resting into the New Year with online yoga nidra and Camden Library - PenBayPilot.com

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Video: How Thai Buddhist monks celebrate New Year's Eve

Time is an illusion, the Buddha taught. So, how do the Thai Buddhist monks of Wat Mongkoltepmune spend New Year's Eve. Four hours of chanting.

James McGinnis, Bucks County Courier Times

Bang pots. Catch some fireworks. Or go seek inner peace.

On New Years Eve, five Buddhist monks will gather at the Mongkoltepmunee temple in Bensalem to chant age-old blessings of happiness, protectionand peace.

After two hours of incantationstarting at 10 p.m., the monks will stop at midnight to meditate and bless all thosein attendance at the temple at 3304 Knights Road.

Then, they will return to chantingfor another two hours before the sun rises onJan1, 2022.

New Years is not a particularly importantevent for Thai Buddhist monks, who believe time is an illusion. The Buddha taught to live in the present moment. Don't worry about the future or past.

Yet, karma is also a factor for the faithful. The things you doin 2022coulddetermine your status in the next life.

We set the intention for happiness and peace, said Monk DhammaratMahorjan of the New Year's ceremony.

You must find happiness and peace," he explained."If you are not at peace, how can you help others?

Blessings will be chosen for peace and happiness in the new year, Mahorjan said.

If you go to Mongkoltepmunee, masks are required when inside the temple, and you mustremove your shoes uponentry.

More local treasures: The legend of Buckingham's 'Quaker Joe' Smith and news from the Durham Mill | LaVO

More: The forgotten story of Alice, who captained Dunk's Ferry with George Washington as passenger

Monks of Theravada, or "School of Elders," Buddhismbelieve the spirit is polluted by the trappings, temptations and fears of modern life.

During meditation, they visualize the spirit, or consciousness, as a glass orb filled with a luminescent light. This orb of consciousness rests in the center of the body, just above the navel.

Monks of the Wat Mongkoltepmunee (pronounced Mong-kol-tape-mu-nee) first began their work in Bensalem in 2008 where they constructed aglittering temple off Knights Road.

The seven-story temple is adorned with trimmings of red and gold imported from the Far East.

Climb the cascading stairs and you might come face to face with a 6-foot golden Buddha imported from Thailand. Inside, chandeliers splinter the sunlight.Outside, glimmering bronze deities dance atop pillars of evergreen.

The Mongkoltepmunee order has long held meditation classes for the general public. Novices are invited to meditation practices at 4 p.m. every Saturday.

Many in-person temple activities were cancelled because of COVID-19. Chanting for the sick and some meditations wereconducted on Zoom. Incantations such as Ratana Sutta became a protective chant and blessing used during the pandemic.

Bensalem'sfiveMongkoltepmunee monks rise and meditate from 5 to 7 a.m. every day before breakfast. They cannot eat after 2 p.m. and must fast until the following morning.

On a recent Monday, Maree Kirkpatrick, of Bensalem, was volunteering in the temple. The monks do not makerequests for specific meals, as they should avoid desire and temptation for any item.

Kirkpatrick prepared for the monks an aromatic dish of chili and garlic over rice, she said. "They do not request it, but I know what they like."

Contact reporter James McGinnis at jmcginnis@couriertimes.com

Link:

How to celebrate New Year's Eve with Buddhist monks at Mongkoltepmunee temple in Bensalem - Bucks County Courier Times

Ashley Tisdale opens up about her approach to mental health. (Photo: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers)

The Unwind is Yahoo Lifes well-being series in which experts, influencers and celebrities share their approaches to wellness and mental health, from self-care rituals to setting healthy boundaries to the mantras that keep them afloat.

"I believe wellness starts with self-love; you have to love yourself to take the steps to feel better," actress, singer and mental health advocate Ashley Tisdale tells Yahoo Life. "Everyone struggles with something and to me, Im always trying to tell people its good to be interested in yourself. You may find out things you may not like but youll find out a lot of things youll love. And youll learn how to manage the things you don't like!"

Working with a therapist is also important, but remains inaccessible to many. This winter, Tisdale is doing her part to remedy that problem by partnering with Amwell to launch "Mind Your Mind," a new mental health initiative designed to raise awareness and help people schedule their first virtual therapy session for only $10. (Use coupon code ASHLEY10 from December 2021 to February 2022 to get the discount).

Ahead, Tisdale opens up about speaking out about her own mental health, practicing meditation and learning to juggle self-care with a new baby at home.

Whats your approach to mental health?

My approach is meditation anything that helps me feel good and sets my day up really well.

Because you meditate, do you have a mantra?

I actually don't have a mantra; I totally relate to people who don't think they can't meditate. Its really just about trying and for me, specifically, I use apps for guided meditation to get into a deeper meditation. Im a huge fan of 5- or 10-minute guided meditations, or even 20 minutes which is rare these days with a new baby [laughs].

Tisdale's partnership with Mind Your Mind offers $10 therapy sessions. (Photo: Courtesy of Amwell/Mind Your Mind)

Congratulations on becoming a new mom. How are you taking care of yourself these days, and do you have any small self-care rituals that help you reset?

Story continues

Yes! All the rituals [laughs]!I ground myself by creating rituals that make me feel good every day; I share these mood-changing tips on my blog, Frenshe. Some of it is opening the windows and doors or lighting candles just letting the energy in the room change.

I think as a mom, its important to still take those moments. After the baby goes to sleep, Ill take a bath and put on my favorite show. You definitely have to take care of yourself in order to take care of others.

What brings you joy?

So many things! Once you become present, really small things bring you joy, versus the big things, so just sitting outside, being surrounded by trees, going for a walk, being with my baby, my dogs, my family all of that brings me joy.

What stresses you out?

I try not to get stressed but work can get stressful. Im in a moment where Im trying to figure out the balance of it all. This is so new, being a new mom. Even though Im working from home, finding the balance of work and still being with her and figuring out schedules... Ive never had to think about [another person's schedule], so sometimes I get stressed out managing it all, juggling it all.

Im sure you work around the clock too, which people dont tend to realize.

With brand deals and blogging, youre never not doing something [laughs].

Who do you look to for wellness inspiration?

I don't follow a lot of people; thats part of why I created Frenshe. A couple of years ago, I was facing my anxiety and depression and recorded an album based on my issues [Symptoms]. I felt like no one was talking about [depression] at the time, but Id lost someone to depression and I felt like it was super-important to start [the conversation]. People speak openly about anxiety, but theres a stigma around that word [depression]; I think they go hand in hand. ... Its been my mission to be open about my struggle and what helped me. Growing up in the public eye, I was always setting boundaries but I really do like to [speak up on] my mental health journey. Thats why I was excited to partner with Amwell to offer a $10 online therapy session. A lot of people say they can't afford therapy and its helped me a lot so I was SO excited when I was asked to do this, especially at this time; so many people are going through so many different things.

Whats the best advice youve ever been given?

Its not advice but Ive always loved it: "You should talk to yourself like you would your best friend." Its hard to learn; people who have mental health issues often have negative thoughts. Any time we feel we have failed, we tend to beat ourselves up, but if your best friend came to you, you wouldn't say negative things to them. Youd want to cheer them on and be positive. We should cheer ourselves on, too!

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

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Ashley Tisdale on sharing her 'struggle' with anxiety and depression and practicing self-care as a new mom - Yahoo Life