A study in Scientific Reports has helped reinforce our understanding of how meditation and mindfulness affect change in the structure and functioning of certain brain areas, and how these changes lead to increased wellness.

In the study, fourteen university students participated in a 40-day meditation training course. None of the students had any prior training in meditation, which allowed the researchers to evaluate changes in the function and structure of a number of brain regions. In addition, subjects were given self-assessment questionnaires before and after the meditation course to monitor any changes in mood and wellbeing.

After 40 days of mindfulness training, imaging techniques revealed alterations in the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex. These two brain regions are thought to be involved at various levels in self-awareness and consciousness. They also play critical roles in the Default Mode Network, a vast network of interconnected structures that contributes to certain fundamental aspects of personhood, including the perception of ones own emotional state, understanding others thoughts and emotions, and moral reasoning.

In addition to these neurological changes, participants also showed a marked decrease in both depressive and anxious tendencies, as evaluated by the self-assessment questionnaires. More significant reductions in depression and anxiety scores correlated with greater structural changes in the aforementioned brain regions, lending support to previous research in the same domain.

The study, as noted by researchers, should be considered in light of certain methodological limitations. First and foremost, a relatively small sample size of 14 participants limits the studys generalizability. There was also no control group, which is unfortunate, as this makes it difficult to be sure that the observed changes were, in fact, a result of the meditation practice, and not some other, external factor.

Nonetheless, the studys findings are both intriguing and promising: they contribute to our understanding of how brain structures are changed by meditation and mindfulness, and provides a number of opportunities for future research. The most striking finding of the study is that a mere 40 days of meditation was needed to both alter the structure and function of participants brains, and improve the participants quality of life as measured by depression symptomatology and anxiety.

The study, Alterations in Brain Structure and Amplitude of Low-frequency after 8 weeks of Mindfulness Meditation Training in Meditation-Nave Subjects, was authored by Chuan-Chih Yang, Alfonso Barrs-Loscertales, Meng Li, Daniel Pinazo, Viola Borchardt, Csar vila, and Martin Walter.

Original post:

40 days of mindfulness meditation leads to structural brain changes and improved quality of life - PsyPost

Gurnaaz Kaur

In its recent health guideline, the Harvard Medical School said yoga, meditation and controlled breathing are some of the tested ways to address anxiety issues related to the novel coronavirus. The pandemic has us all facing uncertainty and then there is isolation anxiety. Usually, being at home on a workday is a good feeling, but when there is a curfew in the city and all that you have access to is news of growing number of covid-19 cases, it needs some strong coping skills.

Focus in silence

Believe us, meditation can be your guiding force. But how does one start? If you are a beginner, weve got you covered. One could practice mindfulness by becoming aware of the present moment. In simple words whatever mundane chores you do, do them with full awareness. For example, when you brush your teeth, your mind should just be in that act and not thinking of what needs to be done later in the day, explains Hugo (Hartaj), a yoga and meditation teacher.

When you follow this, you become one with the act and the present moment; thats meditation. Similarly, when you do anything, be it cooking, cleaning, dancing or reading, be fully engrossed in it and love the act fully, he adds. Once you learn this meditation in motion, you can graduate to sitting in meditation. There, according to Hugo, one may sit in silence, observe the sounds around you and feel your breath. With time and practice, one reaches a spot where the monkey in the mind goes to sleep and you reach a place of no mind.

The key is regular practice and persistence. Practicing it daily even for five to ten minutes will take you a long way.

Varied techniques

Honey Grewal, a meditation facilitator, says one can begin with visual meditation. Firstly, imagine that your body is made up of light; then visualise the sun right above your head, showering its light onto you and filling up each cell of your body with vital energy. Do this for 10 minutes and gradually increase the time, she says.

Likewise, there is sound meditation wherein you sit quietly and focus on any sound present around you. It could be birds, a fan, a dog or even your own breath. In sound meditation, one can even put some healing, soft sound or mantra on their phone. Just listen to it for as long as you can.

Honey, however, offers a word of caution. When you meditate, it is important to not supress the thoughts. Just let them come and go. Your focus should not change; it is either on the visual or sound. Eventually, the thoughts will stop.

Honey sheds light that meditation is especially important in times like these when staying indoors can cause a lot of mind clogging and too much fearful thinking can negatively affect the immune system, therefore one must have faith in their body and know that the mind is a powerful tool.

Control the mind

While some of us fear losing our jobs or fear getting affected by the virus or are stressed about our families, but is any of this under our control? What is in our control is following the advisory of the authorities. What is also in our control is working on ourselves internally. With all of us locked-down, its good time to focus on our physical and mental health, says Rabiya Gill, a life-coach.

She says one of the best ways to deal with mental and emotional discomfort is to meditate. Meditation helps you calm the mind, brings stillness, helps reduce BP and heart rate; it helps provide proper oxygen to the body, brings clarity of mind, facilitates decision-making and keeps the body healthy.

A beginner, Rabiya adds can start meditation by focusing on the breath. To avoid distractions, sit in a silent place, close your eyes and you can even listen to calming music. But the key is to focus on the breath. Take deep breaths and observe the air going in and out of your body. Keep breathing and allow yourself to feel the breath. If you feel distracted by your thoughts, slowly just start observing them instead of trying to push them away. Make friends with them.

Last, but not the least, count your blessings it calms your mind.

The rest is here:

Beat the stress, meditate - The Tribune India

It is obviously a stressful time.

I suffered an anxiety attack in my sleep last week. I didnt see it comingbut I should have. I was constantly trolling Twitter and news outlets to see what terrible thing could happen next in this pandemic. Id been checking on people every day, including 8 friends I personally know who have coronavirus, which was stressful, then someone I knew passed away from covid, and that hit me hard. I have also been cooped up with a very active and impatient dog, 24/7, which has been exhausting me, and the bleak news notifications on my phone was taking a toll. All of this lead me to think negatively. I was constantly thinking of worst-case scenarios, in the worst possible headspace.

I was practically feeding my anxiety with tons of fuel.

Then I started to feel completely run down, which made me think I had covid. I had taken all the necessary precautions, to an extreme level, so there was no reason why I would have it. This led me to further panic. My neighbor, a paramedic, told me I likely didnt have it, that I was just so stressed out from the times that I was weakening my immune system. And its true. I had been drinking tons of electrolyte water, sleeping 10 hours a day and taking all the proper vitamins (once a day vitamins, immunity boosters, etc). But I was getting to a dark place mentally because of anxiety, which was compromising my health. I feel fine. Im physically and mentally fine now because I took a step back and addressed this situation.

Anxiety and stress can weaken your immune system. This is a fact. Stress weakens your white blood cells that help fight off infection, so coronavirus or not, you can still get sick and many people might start feeling off because they are compromising their immune systems.

Im starting to think that a lot of people who believe they have covid may be incredibly stressed out, leaving their guards down, becoming more susceptible. In fact, almost 50 percent of people with covid start with diarrhea as a symptom, which baffles experts, because coronavirus is a *respiratory infection*. I personally believe, because diarrhea is a symptom of anxiety and stress, and NOT a symptom to respiratory disease, some people are simply getting sick from anxiety first, which opens the doors for susceptibility.

Obviously Im not a doctor, and you should just assume you have it and self quarantine if you feel covid symptoms, but you should take care of yourself mentally, which is just as importantly as physically. In fact, your mental state can have an impact on your physical state. The point is: your stress and anxiety right now could compromise your health.

A friend lent meHealing Back Pain by John E. Sarno, which Ive read three times. I have back issues, and the main takeaway from this book is that a lot of my back pain was attributed to my mental state because physical symptoms *do* transpire from your thoughts and emotions and feelings. Why do people get stomach aches when theyre nervous? Why do people get headaches when theyre stressed? People can manifest certain physical symptoms.

Yesterday, I unplugged from social media and emails all day. I did meditation. I thought about good moments in my life to release chemicals in my brain that suggest Im happy and healthy and in a good place. I had to switch my brain. I took a mental health day, and it helped significantly.

One meditation Im doing is extremely helpful and incredibly simple.

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath for four seconds, and think about positivity and love and light and people you love as you inhale. Hold for four seconds. Then exhale all the anxiety and stress and negativity from your body. Do this five times.

Its just a simple meditation, but I find it to be incredibly powerful.

Its important people are in good mental health right now, so do whatever you can to get there! Travelbinger is proud to be a publisher with Google News. Only few travel publications qualify. Google News consider Travelbinger a blog, making us the only travel blog to be part of Google News. Well take it!

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Please do! Im a one-man team for this website, so any help is sincerely appreciated.

Travelbinger is now on YouTube! Subscribe here for exclusive travel tips and advice from founder Jimmy Im.Were also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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This 1-minute meditation will help curb anxiety and stress - Travelbinger

On four Saturdays - March 28, April 4, 11, and 18, 2020 at 5pm EDT - the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and Music on the Rebound present The World Wide Tuning Meditation. Ione and Claire Chase lead a global performance of the late Pauline Oliveros' The Tuning Meditation, a sonic gathering with a legacy of bringing communities together through meditative singing. Anyone from anywhere in the world is invited to join in via Zoom to sing together from their personal phone or computer. No music experience is necessary.

Oliveros' The Tuning Meditation consists of four steps:

1. Begin by taking a deep breath and letting it all the way out with air sound. Listen with your mind's ear for a tone.

2. On the next breath using any vowel sound, sing the tone that you have silently perceived on one comfortable breath. Listen to the whole field of sound the group is making.

3. Select a voice distant from you and tune as exactly as possible to the tone you are hearing from that voice. Listen again to the whole field of sound the group is making.

4. Contribute by singing a new tone that no one else is singing. Continue by listening then singing a tone of your own or tuning to the tone of another voice alternately.

Claire Chase says, "I remember with deep admiration how Pauline handled the devastating moments after 9/11, immediately calling on artists to come together, to create renewed kinds of community, and to make music more purposefully and more generously than ever. In these confusing moments over the past weeks as we have found our lives and work upended by the public health crisis, many of us have again turned to Pauline, and even though she is no longer physically with us, her music, practice, and the ever-widening spaces of inclusivity and listening that she engendered in her lifetime are very much with us. The Tuning Meditation is perhaps her most inclusive composition, as it invites any number of humans to listen and sound with one another over any distance, and I can think of no greater salve for our souls right now than the gathering of a thousand self-isolated people to share in music making across all kinds of real and imagined borders. I am so grateful to my colleagues at ICE, to Raquel Klein and Rebound, and to IONE and Pauline for their extraordinary collaboration in this. As Pauline always used to say, 'Collaboration is a community of effort.' When there are so many forces at play to divide us right now, we need every effort to stay together, in all of our complexity and all of our beautiful difference, in all of our suffering and all of our hope."

Of the project, Ione says, "'Call it listening out loud." Pauline said once about The Tuning Meditation. I listened as the 500 members of the audience at St John's Cathedral, Smith's Square in London received comfort from their own rising sounds after hearing Pauline's simple instructions. She stood at the front of the vast crowd, hands clasped, head slightly bowed, listening. It was June of 2016 and the news of the positive Brexit vote had just stunned an enormous number of British citizens. A sense of extraordinary community was palpable in the room as the singing concluded. Pauline, very aware of a political climate that might shock and separate us, intended to present The World Wide Tuning Meditation again to meet upcoming new challenges. I am so grateful to Claire Chase, Raquel Klein of Music on the Rebound, and Ross Karre and Bridgid Bergin of the International Contemporary Ensemble who are bringing Pauline's score to us again in its worldwide form. It has the effect of a healing balm to unite us as one community."

Music on the Rebound is an online, interactive music festival designed to bring people together and support performing artists affected by the COVID-19 crisis, streaming March 25-30, 2020 featuring music across genres from esteemed artists such as Claire Chase, Paola Prestini, Ganavya Doraiswamy, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus and more. Donations will go directly to the artists featured in the video or to an emergency arts fund. New concerts are released at 7:30pm EDT each day of the festival.

Program Information The World Wide Tuning Meditation Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 5pm EDT Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 5pm EDT Saturday, April 11, 2020 at 5pm EDT Saturday, April 18, 2020 at 5pm EDT Tickets: Free. RSVP Here to receive Zoom call-in information. Information Link: https://www.musicrebound.com/pauline-oliveros-tuning-meditation

Performers and Administration: Raquel Acevedo Klein - Music on the Rebound Festival Organizer Ione - Co-Organizer, Tuning Meditation Bridgid Bergin - Co-Organizer, Tuning Meditation Larry Blumenfeld - Advisor, interviewer Claire Chase - Co-Organizer, Tuning Meditation Boo Froebel - Producing Advisor Ross Karre - Co-Organizer, Tuning Meditation Erica Zielinski - Producing Advisor International Contemporary Ensemble - Host, Tuning Meditation

Social Media: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/musicontherebound/ Hashtags - #musicrebound #reboundrecover

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International Contemporary Ensemble And Music On The Rebound to Present THE WORLD WIDE TUNING MEDITATION - Broadway World

If youre feeling a little lost or panicky or, you know, just in a full-on anxiety spiral about the state of the world heres something that might sooth your frazzled nerves.

This weekend, youll be able to livestream some seriously calming vibes into your probably-not-very-calm flat.

Famous self-help guru Deepak Chopra is teaming up with The Well, a fancy wellness members club in New York, to bring millions of people together from all over the world during these times of uncertainty and heightened anxiety.

Chopra will be live streaming a free, global mantra-based meditation calledH(OM)E (see what they did there?) into our homes.

The idea is that the meditation will bringing people around the world together, despite them being in their separate houses. The world will breathe as one and, if you believe in that kinda thing, the positive intentions and power of the collective meditation will helpto heal the world. Its worth a go, right?

Tune intoChoprashigh-frequency vibes on Sunday March 29 at12pm EST (4pm GMT).

You can sign up for free here.

Feeling frazzled?

Take a digital yoga class

This greenhouse is live-streaming soothing content

Visit link:

You can join a live, global meditation with Deepak Chopra this weekend - Time Out

Photo taken in Barcelona, Spain

Between the coronavirus pandemic, an uncertain future both economically and environmentally, its not a stretch to say that these are times filled with stress, anxiety and worry unlike what many of us have experienced before.

But with tens of millions around the world being asked to shelter in place for weeks if not months to come, it could also be an excellent opportunity to cultivate a new habit that recent research has shown can reduce anxiety while improving your memory and focus.

Some of you will not be surprised to learn that Im talking about meditation.

A study by researchers at New York University found that less than fifteen minutes of meditation a day for eight weeks can reduce anxiety, fatigue and mood disturbance.

The study published last year in the journal Behavioural Brain Research involved groups of people between the ages of 18 and 45 with little or no experience meditating. One group of participants spent 13 minutes a day in guided meditation while a control group spent 13 minutes each day listening to a podcast.

Throughout the experiment, participants were given tests meant to gauge their response to stress, mood and cognition. After eight weeks, the meditation group was generally in a better mood, able to focus more and remember things while also responding more positively to stress.

Interestingly the participants did not show any results after only four weeks of meditation, suggesting a longer term investment is required to see benefits from the practice.

Even relatively short daily meditation practice can have similar behavioral effects as longer duration and higher-intensity mediation practices, the paper reads.

The study is one of several showing that meditation can improve thinking and might do so by actually reorganizing the networks in the brain.

A regular meditation practice is also recommended for everything from weight loss to improving leadership skills.

The key, the new research suggests, is not how long you can sit in stillness for a stretch, but consistently integrating it into your daily schedule.

With our daily schedules now very much upended and stillness at a surplus for many of us (at least when the kids are asleep), it could be the perfect time to start a new habit that may help you get through the months ahead.

Originally posted here:

Now Is The Perfect Time To Start Meditating, And Science Proves It - Forbes

During this time of uncertainty thats impacting each of us in one way or another, not just here in Berks County, but globally, one thing we have been told to do is to slow down our lives.

Not literally, but with everyones state of normal being turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic, we are essentially being asked to put things on hold to isolate ourselves.

Things like play dates, greeting the school bus, going to a game, movie, gym or maybe even work are no longer possible at least until we get the go-ahead again, whenever that may be.

While we can look at one of the positives of this situation as the gift of time we have been given to focus on our family at home, slowing down isnt going to be easy for everyone.

Slowing down, when youve been running on adrenaline and cortisol, our two major stress hormones, may not be easy for many at first, said Greg Schweitzer, a wellness coach, educator and professional speaker. One of my clients, a physician, called this syndrome 'hurry-sickness.'"

As the owner of Stress Reduction Resources in Spring Township, Schweitzer provides educational workshops on meditation, more specifically what he refers to as effortless meditation.

Effortless meditation encapsulates the idea that it takes literally no effort in terms of any physical exertion to practice meditation.

It is completely effortless, he said. We are not doing much to get a great benefit.

Greg Schweitzer, wellness coach, educator and public speaker.

His approach centers on a mantra-based practice, and Schweitzer said that after just a few days of keeping up with it, you can begin to reap benefits that include feeling happier, having more energy, feeling more awake and more alert, leading to a more enjoyable life.

The mantra is our vehicle to get from that active, turbulent mind to the peaceful mind the mind wants to go there without effort, he said.

Schweitzer, who worked with Deepak Chopra in the 1990s, describes meditation as a natural medicine that heals and has the potential to literally transform peoples lives.

During meditation we experience a very deep state of rest, deeper than what we experience in sleep science shows, he said.

Schweitzer recommends spending 15 to 20 minutes twice a day for maximum benefit to impact your day in positive ways, a small investment of time that has great rewards.

The key is to commit to the practice, to make it as natural as brushing your teeth. If you are short on time on a given day, Schweitzer offered some advice.

If you feel you cant do it for 15 minutes, go for 10 or 5, he said. Anything is better than nothing.

Schweitzer said that to meditate you can sit in a way that makes you comfortable, whether on the ground or in a chair or even on your bed. And you dont have to wear any special clothes.

You dont have to sit in the lotus position, he said. If you had back surgery or are ill and need to lie down to be comfortable, that is fine.

You don't have to wear any special clothes and can sit comfortably in a chair to meditate.

Whether you take a workshop or learn through research online, if you are curious as to how meditation may benefit you, now may be an optimal time for you to learn more about it and give it a try, particularly to help manage any stress associated with the current health crisis.

Chronic stress and pressure is an irritant to our health and well-being, Schweitzer said, adding it can be released during meditation practice. The deep rest, peace and calm that meditation brings are healing for our physical, mental and emotional health.

Since the practice of meditation is typically done on our own time, doesnt require a special location and doesnt cost a dime, it is ideal to do at home.

We can experience the benefit of meditation even if we are isolated or quarantined, he said. We are not dependent upon anyone to deliver this service to us.

You may be wondering what the best time is to fit meditation in if demands at home for your attention are at an all-time high with kids off from school.

If you have young children, an ideal time may be when they are taking their morning and/or afternoon naps.

If your children are older, you can serve as a good role model for self-care by letting them know you will be taking time for yourself to meditate, with ideal times being mid-morning and just before dinner times when you may feel in need of a reset to maximize the rest of your day.

Schweitzer said when he started meditating 45 years ago, he was able to cut out coffee to get himself through the day.

I wasnt relying on caffeine to kickstart my alertness and adrenaline, he said.

The key to reaping the most benefits is being consistent. Once you begin dedicating time to meditation twice daily, you will most likely come to view it as an essential part of your day.

Meditation has the potential to feel like a mini-vacation, something that might greatly enrich your life with minimal effort.

Meditation is self-care at its finest, Schweitzer said. With regular practice, life after meditation quickly becomes more satisfying, enjoyable and healthier it is so important to our life.

More here:

Meditation has many benefits, especially in these uncertain times - Reading Eagle

MindFi is a full-featured meditation app and a great deal at $29.95 for life.

At last count, there were some 37,000 meditation apps for phones and tablets. I mean, that might be an exaggeration, but there are lots. And many, if not most, charge a monthly or annual fee. While you can't put a price on mental health, especially right now, I'd rather not be on the hook for yet another subscription. (Can a meditation app help me reduce the anxiety that comes from paying for a meditation app?)

Have no fear, Cheapskate is here: For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to MindFi for $29.95with promo code MIND25. That's an extra $10 off an already great deal; MindFi would cost you $175 for lifetime access if bought via the app.

To put that in some perspective, popular meditation app Headspace costs $12.99 a month, while Calm costs $69.99 annually or $399.99 (!) for life.

MindFi is divided into four main sections: Breathe, Mood, Focus and Courses. It also starts playing relaxing sounds of rain, the forest, a campfire or the like from the moment you start the app -- just in case you want some white noise.

I like the Breathe section, which has meditations as short as a minute (often all you need to calm down a bit), and Mood, which lets you choose the emoji that best reflects your current state of mind and gives you meditations designed specifically for it. I can't say I fully understand how Focus works, though; it seems like it's just a countdown timer.

Indeed, certain areas of the app could use a little more in the way of explanation, but there's still more than enough good stuff here to help you calm down, reduce anxiety, sleep better and so on. I believe meditation offers those benefits and more; I'm a big fan.

Do note the terms of this purchase: Your license must be redeemed within 30 days of purchase, and once that redemption happens, there are no refunds. I definitely recommend trying out the free version (for Android and iOS) before splurging on the lifetime option.

Your thoughts?

Read more: The best meditation apps of 2020

A Spotify subscription costs $9.99 a month, or $99 annually if you buy a 12-month gift card. The latter option effectively saves you $20, but here's how it can save you $30: For a limited time, and while supplies last, LoadUp Gifts via Rakuten has a 12-month Spotify Premium subscription for $89with promo code LOAD10A. This deal requires you to have a Rakuten account.

Once purchased, you'll receive a digital redemption code via email. As you might expect, the code cannot be used with Family or Student plans, and it can't be applied to Spotify with Hulu plans.

There is, of course, a free tier for Spotify listening; upgrading to Premium nets you ad-free streaming, unlimited skips and support for music downloads (for offline listening).

Now playing: Watch this: Do these 8 things to sleep better tonight

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The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

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Enjoy a lifetime of MindFi meditations for $30 - CNET

Social distancing, by nature, is isolating. And extended periods of isolation can take a toll on ones mental health.

Subscribe to the Crunchbase Daily

With the news cycle churning out updates on the latest COVID-19 developments, the uncertainty about how long the pandemic will last and inevitable economic effects, some people are turning to meditation apps to clear their head. And in turn, some popular apps are making the services free or curating them for certain groups.

Los Angeles-based meditation app Headspace is offering free services and guides to help people and specific groups cope with stress by introducing Headspace for Healthcare Professionals, Headspace for Work and Headspace for Educators.

Headspace for Professionals, for example, gives all health care workers in a public health setting in the U.S. free access to Headspace Plus through the rest of the year, according to a blog post from the company. The workers will be able to access the subscription with their National Provider Identifier (a 10-digit identification number) and email address.

Headspace for Workers and Headspace for Educators offer free access to collections of meditations for teachers and other members of the workforce.

Headspace last raised $53 million in February for its Series C round, which was led by blisce/. The startups other backers include Pacific Western Bank and Spectrum Equity, according to Crunchbase data.

The meditation apps Calm and Simple Habit also are introducing free services. Calm, which is backed by investors including TPG Growth and Lightspeed Venture Partners, has put together a curated selection of free resources. Users can pick from sleep meditations, meditations for kids, practices to find ease and more.

Simple Habit is introducing new meditation collections specifically geared toward coronavirustopics including self-care, mindfulness for kids at home, mindful communication with family and easing fear, according to the company.

We recognize that many people are now being required to stay home, resulting in loss of income and financial uncertainty, Simple Habit CEO Yunha Kim wrote in a blog post. As a response to this macro change, starting today until the end of April 2020, well offer free Simple Habit premium memberships to all people who are financially impacted by this difficult time and can no longer afford to pay. If youre struggling or in need, well take care of you.

Illustration: Dom Guzman

Read more here:

Meditation Apps Address Stress of COVID-19 - Crunchbase News

Paying attention to whats happening in the moment is difficult in the age of COVID-19, but it can also help us cope during an unsettling time.

Are you worried about tomorrow? Just try to focus on today, says Diana Winston, director of mindfulness education at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center. Most of the time, our minds are locked in the past and future, Winston explains. Mindfulness puts you in the moment. Most people are OK in the here and now. If you can put yourself in the present, you can handle difficult thinking.

As people become more anxious as they self-quarantine at home, Winston recommends mindfulness meditation, a practice that has been proven to alleviate stress, depression and insomnia, as a way to cope.

People often feel discouraged when they first give meditation a try, Winston says, because their mind goes in a million directions.

Thats exactly what is supposed to happen.

Keep trying.

Thats part of the process, Winston says. Especially now when there is so much to worry about. Youre not doing anything wrong. Come back to the present moment. Or try to meditate for five minutes. Your practice will only get stronger over time.

Try to avoid what Winston calls worst-case scenario forward thinking and focus on whats happening now. Using a train metaphor, Winston illustrates the ways in which our thinking can help us: The moment that we realize that weve been lost in worry, it is possible to get off the train. If you realize that you are on the train, its important to know that you can get off. As you practice mindfulness, you dont even have to get on the train in the first place. You can stay on the platform and let those scary thoughts go.

Whether you get on the worry train or not, Winston recommends using the STOP acronym, a well known mindfulness tool, to help calm yourself:

S: Stop. When you notice that you are feeling anxious and you need a moment: stop.

T: Take a breath. If you find yourself worrying about the future, bring yourself back to the present. Take a breath, pause, feel your feet on the ground.

O: Observe what is happening inside yourself. Does your stomach hurt? Is your heart racing? Ask yourself, How am I right now? Bring yourself back to the moment.

P: Proceed with more awareness of yourself and what will help you. Connecting with a friend, or having some daily quiet time outdoors, can help.

When under duress, we can get overwhelmed and regress. The key to staying grounded during difficult times, Winston says, is to be kind to ourselves. Dont be hard on yourself for eating lots of chocolate or feeling needy and calling your friends, she says. With so much unknown, its scary. Were not going to be at our best.

Nigel Sampson, owner of Whole Body Method Pilates and Certification Studio in Los Angeles, agrees. Everyone needs to practice a little more kindness, awareness and compassion, says Sampson who also works as a healer. We have to be as present as possible to navigate this moment in time. Its like a new world. In a way, we get to be better people

Sampson offers these simple meditation techniques as a way to stay healthy right now:

Breathe Take a moment every day to do some slow, deep breathing. We tend to breathe a lot more shallow when we become fearful, Sampson says. We have to use all the tools that we took for granted because we were so busy running our lives. We have to breathe deeper; more slowly and reset the nervous system.

Nature Being in nature is one of the most grounding elements that we have. Nature has its own intelligence and its own rhythm, Sampson says. You can sense that the Earth is still supporting you. Go out and spend moments in nature. Brush your hands down a tree. Listen to the birds. Put your hands in water. Make nature a part of you.

Movement Movement is grounding because Your body is a like an antenna, Sampson says. When it doesnt go anywhere, the body shuts down. That results in depression, sadness, isolation. Its important to shake the body up.

Shaking Stand up and shake your arms, legs and feet for a minute or two. You will feel a little bit calmer, lighter and happier. You may even smile and giggle. Sampson suggests doing this in the morning and before you go to bed. It will release all the energy that has been stagnant all day and you can let it go and start fresh. Its like taking an internal shower. You wouldnt go a week without a shower. So dont go a week without shaking.

Visualization You can create anything in your mind. Imagine yourself walking in a forest. Often when you feel fearful, your sensations shut down, Sampson says. Open yourself up to sensations by the practice of conscious visualization, which is just seeing something pleasant. Imagine the sounds of nature, the feel of running water, the smell of lemon verbena. All of these sensations will bring you back to a better state.

Although Sampson is a believer in the benefits of mindfulness meditation, he acknowledges these techniques wont solve the grave financial hardships many are experiencing due to the coronavirus. But they can help put your mind in a better state to tackle the worries that come with the fast-moving pandemic.

Meditation can put you in a state where it can help you make better decisions, he says. It might help you feel a little less hopeless. In the end, its all about the state you are in and how that state can empower you. Once you do these techniques, you might have some empowering ideas and a sense of possibility.

Online resources that offer help with anxiety

Ten Percent Happier

In an effort to help alleviate anxiety, stress and fear, this popular meditation app is offering a free coronavirus sanity guide online. Every day at noon, host Dan Harris, who famously had a panic attack while reading the news on Good Morning America, offers a live sanity break with leading meditation teachers from around the country. The guided meditations are all posted on YouTube so you can watch them anytime youre feeling anxious: tenpercent.com

Headspace

If youve been wanting to try meditation but havent had the time, this subscription-based app offers a free 10-day introduction course that guides you through the basics of meditation and mindfulness. $12.99 per month or $69.99 for a year, which includes access to a full library of courses spanning mindful eating to parenting, as well as a daily meditation, sleep sounds and bedtime exercises. headspace.com

InsightLA

The Los Angeles mindfulness training group offers a variety of classes, including guided meditations, on Zoom. A donation of $5 to $30 is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. insightla.org

Calm

The mindfulness and meditation app is offering a page of resources with free mindfulness tools to offer support during the coronavirus pandemic. Content includes breathing exercises and journaling prompts to help you stay grounded. Like Headspace, the Calm app provides a basic course in meditation for free, with more advanced meditations requiring a subscription starting at $14.99 per month. A seven-day free trial is currently available. calm.com

UCLA Mindful App

Studio-recorded guided meditations and free weekly podcasts led by Diana Winston, a former Buddhist nun and one of the nations best known teachers of mindfulness meditation. Six week online classes are also available. Guided meditations are offered in English and Spanish. uclahealth.org

Whole Body Method

The Los Angeles studio is offering free Instagram live classes on @wholebodymethod as well as Zoom in-home private classes. wholebodymethod.com

Insight Timer

Insight Timer features more than 30,000 free guided meditations on more than 200 topics, including sleep, anxiety, stress and kids (there are upgrades that require a purchase). A yearly subscription is $60, with a 30-day free trial available. insighttimer.com

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Meditation tips for the coronavirus crisis - Los Angeles Times