(Photos by Dion Ogust)

Blessed are the cold days

When nothing moves and no one stays

The air is clear and bites the face

And all things sleep in winters grace

Nowadays, we dont get the cold here in the Catskills and Hudson Valley as much as we used to. Maybe its climate change or just an attitude copped by old man winter, but I can distinctly recall periods of time up to say a decade ago with a duration that could approach a week at a time where the Fahrenheit would slip below the zero mark, as far down as minus 7 or -8.

On those auspicious days, the hearty among us might get up and get out of the house between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. and walk up Mill Hill Road into the middle of Woodstock, just stroll Tinker Street past the W.A.A., past the library, past Lashers Funeral Home (though you hustled on through for fear you might get stuck there), down toward Bearsville right on the double yellow line in the center of the street, just ambling down the road. Owning the territory, you might do some figure-eight loops covering the width of Route 212, reveling in the freedom of solitude, in the extreme circumstances.

Sweet times are the frozen nights

When all my woes turn small and slight

We nestle warm by the oak wood fire

while the flames kindle old desire

oh your touch restores my soul

and we stay young while we grow old

How cold is cold?

Well, suffice to say that the approximate minus 8 F weve enjoyed and shivered through over the years can feel like a balmy day in Denver.

Heres some very superficial investigations I made, using at least two sources for each on the web.

Turns out that the temperature has plunged to its lowest recorded on the planet, as reported by the World Meteorological Organization in 2023, when, on the East Antarctica Plateau a record of minus 144 degrees Fahrenheit was reported. NASA calls that spot the coldest place on Earth.

That shattered the record of -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit reported in 1983 in Vostok, Antarctica that had been confirmed by the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute in Russia.

Here are several more pieces of perhaps relevant information, without going deeper than this modest meditation can handle.

There are four different scales scientists use to measure temperature: Celsius, Fahrenheit, Kelvin and Rankine. None of them can make it hotter or colder, they just assign different scales and numbers.

Then there is this measurement called Absolute Zero. Physicists call it the coldest conceivable temperature, or the lowest possible temperature. Its calculated to be minus 459.67F. The web tells us that at a temperature of absolute zero there is no motion and no heat.

And finally, as we teeter on subjects we know little about and can conceive of even less, theres the Boomerang Nebula, or a protoplanetary nebula (look it up yourself), some 5000 light years away, which, NASA says provides us with the coldest spot in the known cosmos at one degree Kelvin, or minus 457.87 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cold culture

(Recite the following as fast as you can. Sing the Hank Williams line.)

Cold beer, cold feet, cold hands, cold cuts, how can I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold cold heart, ice cold, cold fish, cold shoulder, cold shower, cold pizza, cold rain, cold war, head cold, cold cider, cold blood, cold turkey, out cold, cold comfort, cold hard facts, Stone Cold Steve Austin, cold cream, cold sweat, cold noodles and on and on

Some opinions about living in cold country hey, it aint Minnesota!

Quote on TV: Hey, its New York. Its supposed to snow

Al, on the street: Just give me June, July and August. You can keep the rest .

Jamey says: Covid taught me to like cold because the only way I could get together with friends was outdoors. So I learned to get better garments on. Once I dressed more warmly, I learned to enjoy it . Tim loves cold weather, and it was always a big difference between us, so it was good for the marriage .

Tim says: I moved up here on New Years Day 1970. I hit the Thruway and saw these ice waterfalls along the road, and I thought, am I driving into paradise here? When I was a kid a state of bliss would come over me when it started to snow .

Geoff says: When its hot I look forward to it, when its here, its bring on the spring.

Tom E, musing on extreme cold: Does anybody like that? I feel like I like it a lot less than I used to like it.

Jana says, Its a shocker. I found a balaclava as long as my ears are warm, Im okay. I took a walk this morning, I layered. Its easier when the sun is out I dont like being cold, but I can deal with it for a little bit. I like moderate,

Oh carry me back to the well

When signs of spring begin to tell

I lean my heart to the howling wind

And arch my back to the grind again

But you are here, and Ill be, too

When the days turn cold, Ill be there for you

Song lyrics by Brian Hollander

More here:

Cold days, a meditation - Hudson Valley One

This post expresses the views and opinions of the author(s) and not necessarily that of The Sun Times News management or staff.

Relax, unwind, and allow yourself to calm the overworked, overstimulated nervous system, by allowing the healing frequencies of sound to flow through you. Sound Bath Meditation is an immersion in soothing sounds and vibrations that are relaxing and rejuvenating for your body, mind, and spirit. Often simply called a Sound Bath, it is an experience that washes you with the sounds of intentionally chosen instruments that bring calming vibrations to reduce stress and tension.

Supporting yourself with blankets and bolsters, surrender to the deeply soothing, all-enveloping musical backdrop using a blend of crystal and metal singing bowls to create layers of soothing sound waves, there will be nothing for it but for you to slip effortlessly into a state of deep release, opening and relaxation. Pure bliss.

Thought to help heal depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia, and to deepen meditation and spark creativity, sound bathing envelopesyou in specific frequencies of sound that can bring both our physical and subtle (energy) bodies into a state of balance.

These classes feel a bit like a yogi slumber party. Even if you do happen to nod off, you'll still feel the powerful vibrations of sound flowing through you. Something will shift. It really is an experience not to be missed!

What to bring: Things that makes you feel super comfy and supported on the floor - a yoga mat, blanket, and maybe even a pillow. While we have several yoga mats, blankets and bolsters to borrow, these items are first-come-first-serve, and participants are also welcome to bring their own. Make sure to wear comfortable clothing and warm socks.

This special event will be instructed by Rob Meyer-Kukan of 7 Notes Natural Health.

Investment: $28.

Sign up here: https://breatheyogaschedule.as.me/february-soundbath

THIS WILL SELL OUT! So please register in advance to secure your spot. If also registering for a friend or partner, please ensure they are registered under their own name and account. No refunds week of class.

See the article here:

Sound Bath Meditation: Mid-Winter Warm Up - thesuntimesnews.com

Beyond fight and flight lies another option for people in stressful jobs like policing.

Its easy, free and anyone can do it pretty much anywhere: Meditation.

All it requires is a few minutes spent concentrating on breaths coming into the body, then exhaled.

Instructor Billy Rosenbeck says concentrating on something the body does automatically takes the mind away from negative thoughts for a few moments and to a more serene place.

Meditation allows the body to step back from the brink, calm itself and return to its non-threatened state.

What it does is it takes your body out of the stress response to its relaxation response, to bring the body into homeostasis, Rosenbeck said.

Rosenbeck has created a four-week how to on meditation for law enforcement professionals called The Warriors Code: Meditation in Law Enforcement. In February, Easthampton police officers, the Hampden County Sheriffs Department and the Hampshire County Sheriffs Department personnel, as well as dispatchers, will learn how to control their own responses to stress.

Rosenbecks introduction of meditation and mindfulness came in the form of a life change. An abrupt change in his emotional state set him in search for something. He didnt know what.

I was pretty much a happy person for a long time until it stopped, he said. A meditation app on his phone called Headspace brought him to meditation.

I would meditate for 10 minutes a day, he said. It was something I needed for myself.

What started as a personal practice blossomed into a life change. He now teaches meditation and mindfulness in classes across Western Massachusetts and is hooking up with academic, corporate, state and municipal agencies to help bring mindfulness training to those who need it. He is available through his website, themellowelephant.com.

For the average cop, work is stressful. Cops are more likely to die from suicide than in the line of duty. They have five times higher rates of depression than the general population and nine to 10 times the rate of PTSD.

The problem stems from the bodys fight or flight reaction that anyone who finds themselves in confrontational situations must deal with.

They are awash in a wave of chemicals their brain sends out when scared or threatened.

It is in the amygdala, part of the brains limbic system. When you are faced with a particularly stressful or unpredictable situation, the brain is going to react in a way that keeps the organism safe, said Rosenbeck.

For police officers, the job can be very predictable, until it is not. A situation, a call comes in and adrenaline is going to spike, and fight or flight is going to kick in. Stress hormones like cortisol get released, which is good for the moment, but lingers around for a while afterward. If there is no process for releasing those stress chemicals, it can be damaging to the body and the brain over the long run.

There is a process, Rosenbeck said.

The basic idea is to bring meditation and mindfulness to places you might not expect to find them, he said. Anyone can come to the presentation. Even if the whole department doesnt want to come, thats OK. Whoever wants to can come.

This is not the first time Rosenbeck has worked with police officers. Easthampton Mental Health and Wellness Coordinator Emma Reilly brought him on board when she was searching for wellness programs for the police and decided to include meditation.

I had surveyed the police force earlier about things that would be interesting to them, and mindfulness and meditation came up. I was surprised but more (officers) than I expected were interested, she said.

After she heard from an officer who knew Rosenbeck, she said it was a natural choice.

We have interest, and we have an instructor, she said. We just put the two together.

Rosenbeck has done preliminary presentations for the department, and some officers find meditation helpful, if initially a little off-putting.

Sgt. Kyle Gribi said he was not exactly open to the idea when it was proposed. I thought it was kind of goofy, he said. I didnt see the benefit right off.

He went to that first presentation dragging his feet. I promised Emma I would go, and I did, he said. I really didnt want to.

Gribi said Rosenbeck put meditation into a perspective he could understand.

Its not all Kumbaya or anything like that, he said, laughing. He talked about stress and how we might be dealing with it, how we emotionally react to things.

Controlling his breathing, and keeping negative thoughts at bay, helped Gribi find a path to relaxation.

It allows me to disconnect from what I think about some things I am dealing with, he said. It helps me shut off part of my brain for a little bit shut my brain down and just chill out for a little bit.

That, Rosenbeck said, is the natural state of relaxation in which we best operate.

Research has measured how the body reacts to long-term exposure to stress and how meditation can reverse some of those effects.

Sarah Lazar, a researcher with the Harvard Brain Initiative, demonstrated that abnormal physical reactions in the brain, caused by prolonged stress and anxiety, can be reversed through meditation and mindfulness.

The Sarah Lazar studies found there are structural changes that take place in the brain in just a few weeks of meditation, Rosenbeck said. CAT scans have shown that the amygdala, where anxiety and stress hormones are triggered, gets smaller while the frontal cortex with focus, learning, memory and emotional integration grows.

Top athletes use mindfulness as a means of improving their performance.

Rosenbeck said the first writings on meditation come from the Bhagavad Gita and the warrior Satria. In Japan, the samurai, steeped in the code of Bushido, practiced meditation and mindfulness. In all the martial arts, meditation and mindfulness help train the mind to be able to pick up a weapon, and to know when to act and when not to.

In all these often hyper-masculine arenas, we think of meditation as the antithesis of police work or combat or whatever, Rosenbeck said. But it has always been there.

Continued here:

How meditation and mindfulness can bring healing for stressed cops - MassLive.com

Im just not feeling it today.

How often have you reached for that excuse? Many of us can be quick to cast ourselves as the victim of a sluggish heart.

Now, making peace with a pokey heart is a very strange phenomenon, even as it now is a widespread assumption and typically goes unquestioned. It may be no big deal if were talking about whether you want peanut butter on your breakfast toast. But far more is at stake when this becomes an excuse for neglecting God, whether in his word, prayer, or Christian fellowship.

Specifically, this excuse has served to undermine habits of spiritual health related to beginning each day with the voice of God in Scripture. Some of us are gaunt, frail Christians because weve learned, like our world, to cater to the whims of our own fickle hearts rather than direct them and determine to reshape them.

In what may be his most insightful and deeply spiritual book, Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (2014), the late Tim Keller introduces us to a side of the great English theologian John Owen (16161683) that is especially out of step with modern assumptions. Owen, according to Keller, would not be so quick to grant the excuse, Im just not feeling it today. In fact, he likely would respond forcefully and many of us might be better for it.

Owen would at least challenge whether our initial feelings determined anything significant at all. He surely wouldnt say to skip Gods word (or prayer or church) to cater to whatever unspiritual inclination you woke up feeling. Rather, he might say, as Keller summarizes, Meditate to the point of delight. Dont give in to your hearts first inclinations. Rather, take hold of them, and direct them. Open the Bible, and turn your attention to the one who is supremely worthy, and keep your nose in the Book, and your mind on Jesus, until your sluggish heart begins to respond like it should.

Thats striking counsel for a generation conditioned to follow your heart and, in time, presume to reshape our external, objective world based on the subjectivity and flightiness of our own desires.

How often do we hear even Christians concede, as a veiled excuse, to be wired a certain way? Indeed, God has wired us in certain ways. But how often do we resign ourselves to being hardwired in ways were actually far more pliable? And the worlds not helping us with this. Our society has come to feign plasticity in precisely the places were hardwired (like biological sex) and to pretend hard-wiring in the places were actually plastic (desires and delights).

Long before anyone talked about neuroplasticity, Owen believed in what we might call affectional plasticity that is, your desires and delights are not hardwired. They are pliable. You can reshape and recondition them. You can retrain them. You may be unable to simply turn them with full effect in the moment to make yourself feel something, but you can reshape your heart over time. Oh, can you. Your desires, good and bad, are not simple givens. Stretched out over time, as the composite of countless decisions, they are wonderfully (and hauntingly) chosens.

In chapter 10 of Prayer, Keller adds his commentary to Owens premodern insights for a much-needed perspective on the wedding of Gods word with our prayers through meditation. Its a perspective on forming and reforming our pliant hearts that will challenge readers today. It will frustrate many, but certainly inspire a few.

In general, we are far too easy on our minds and hearts. We grant we can train the body. In fact, youre always training the body, whether for the better or the worse. And most will agree that you can train the mind the mind is a muscle, so to speak. You can set it on a particular object and learn to keep it there. It will take practice. Such training is vital for engaging with Gods word as we ought, and few skills are more difficult or important to cultivate.

And far more controversial, you can train your heart not just in sinful emotions to avoid but also in righteous emotions to entertain. With a Bible open in front of you, you can learn, as Keller summarizes Owen, to meditate to the point of delight.

Some well-meaning Christians set out to read their Bibles, dont feel much (if anything), move on swiftly to pray a few quick, shallow petitions, and then embark on their day. Owen would say, with C.S. Lewis, you are far too easily pleased that is, if youre even pleased at all. Rather, Owen would have us wrestle like Jacob across the Jabbok, until light dawns. Wrestle with your own sluggish soul. Direct it. Turn it. Grapple with it until it does what its supposed to do, and feels more like its supposed to feel about the wonders and horrors of the word of God. Say, in effect, to the God of the word, I will not let you go unless you bless me, and discipline your heart to receive the joy for which God made it.

Now, a few clarifications are in order to recover this lost art of meditation. Owen distinguished between study, meditation, and prayer. Meditation is the bridge between receiving Gods word (in reading and study) and responding back to him (in prayer). Meditation, says Owen,

is distinguished from the study of the word, wherein our principal aim is to learn the truth, or to declare it unto others; and so also from prayer, whereof God himself is the immediate object. But . . . meditation . . . is the affecting of our own hearts and minds with love, delight, and [humility]. (quoted in Keller, Prayer, 152)

Meditation, then distinct from study and prayer, though overlapping with them might be parsed into three sequential stages.

Begin with Bible intake, through reading, and rereading the slower the better. And as we encounter various knowledge gaps in what the passage says and means, we might turn briefly to some study to learn the truth or rightly understand the text. Beginners will have more questions and need to navigate how frequently to stop and study or just keep reading and pick up clues as they go. But the main point is that meditation begins with immersion in the words of God.

Unlike Eastern meditation, which seeks to empty the mind, biblical meditation requires the filling of the mind with the truth of Gods self-revelation in his Son and Scripture. We dont just up and meditate not in the deliberate sense. We begin with Bible, fixing our thoughts on God and his Son through the content of his word.

Fixing our thoughts can be difficult enough, but inclining the heart is imponderable for many. Not because it cant be done, but because we have been socialized to assume it cant. So, this is where Owen (and Keller) seems forceful, and surprising. But Owen counsels us, having fixed our minds on Gods word, to persist in spiritual thoughts unto your refreshment (Works of John Owen, volume 7, 393). That is, meditate until you begin to feel the word. Preach to yourself until you begin to feel more like you ought. Does the word declare Gods majesty? Feel awe. Does it warn sinners? Feel fear. Does it announce good news? Feel joy.

The goal is not to meditate for a particular duration of time, but to meditate until the point of delight, to persist unto your refreshment. The apostle Peter speaks of the present, not merely the future of joy the Christian experiences now, in this age, not only in the one to come when he says, Though you do not now see [Jesus with your physical eyes], you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory (1 Peter 1:8). Inexpressible, glorified joy is offered even now, and by no better means than fixing our minds on the word of God himself and meditating until he smiles on us, and warms our souls, with some real measure of delight.

Owen offers hope for those who think this is impossible: Constancy in [this] duty will give ability for it. Those who conscientiously abide in its performance shall increase in light, wisdom, and experience until they are able to manage it with great success. Keller then comments, leaning on Psalm 1, Trees dont grow overnight. Meditation is a sustained process like a tree growing its roots down toward the water source. The effects are cumulative. You must stick with it. We must meditate day and night regularly, steadily (161162).

Questions arise not only because of our sin but our humanity. Owen knew this every bit as much as we do, if not far better. Anticipating our objection, Keller writes,

Owen is quite realistic. He admits that sometimes, no matter what we do, we simply cannot concentrate, or we find our thoughts do not become big and affecting, but rather we feel bored, hard, and distracted. Then, Owen says, simply turn to God and make brief, intense appeals for help. Sometimes that is all you will do the rest of your scheduled time, and sometimes the very cries for help serve to concentrate the mind and soften the heart. (Prayer, 161)

A huge difference lies between occasional realism and a daily pattern of resignation. Theres a world of difference between a lazy beginner and the wise veteran, who has learned the lost art and come to experience the third stage with regularity, despite the sometimes of dryness and distraction.

In the final stage, we give vent, or give space, to the enjoyment (or crying out) begun in the second. We fan the flame of fitting affection for the truth in view. This is the high point of meditation enjoying God in Christ which fills our souls with an answering response. As Keller comments, we listen, study, think, reflect, and ponder the Scriptures until there is an answering response in our hearts and minds (55, emphasis added) which leads us to prayer. According to Keller,

meditation before prayer consists of thinking, then inclining, and, finally, either enjoying the presence or admitting the absence and asking for his mercy and help. Meditation is thinking a truth out and then thinking a truth in until its ideas become big and sweet, moving and affecting, and until the reality of God is sensed upon the heart. (162)

And this sensing of God on the heart, through meditating on his word, issues in our response of prayer.

Without immersion in Gods words, our prayers may not be merely limited and shallow but also untethered from reality. We may be responding not to the real God but to what we wish God and life to be like. Indeed, if left to themselves our hearts will tend to create a God who doesnt exist. . . . Without prayer that answers the God of the Bible, we will only be talking to ourselves. (62)

So, we want our prayers to be prompted by and tethered to the intake of Gods word. We would never produce the full range of biblical prayer if we were initiating prayer according to our own inner needs and psychology. It can only be produced if we are responding in prayer according to who God is as revealed in the Scripture (60).

Keller ends this blessed tenth chapter with Jesus himself as the chief focus of our meditation. Not only did the God-man delight in the word of God like the happy man of Psalm 1, but he himself is the one to whom all the Scripture points (163). As Christians, we learn to meditate both with him and on him.

In our reading and rereading and study and lingering over Scripture, we persist to know and enjoy not just truth but the Truth himself. For Christians, the final focus of our meditation is personal, and both perfectly human and fully divine in the person of Jesus Christ.

Read more:

Start the Day Happy in God: The Lost Art of Bible Meditation - Desiring God

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Global Meditation Management Apps Market

Dublin, Jan. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Meditation Management Apps Market Analysis & Forecast to 2024-2034" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The meditation management apps landscape is undergoing a transformative phase, with a recent comprehensive market analysis predicting considerable market expansion over the next decade.

As mental health takes precedence on a global scale, the demand for mobile solutions that cater to psychological well-being is surging. Enhanced consumer awareness and a digital revolution across various regions are propelling the growth of this market.

The latest report sheds light on the expected rise to USD 9.46 billion by 2034 from its valuation of USD 1.50 billion in 2023, navigating through a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.23% over the forecast period from 2024 to 2034.

Notable factors contributing to this significant growth include the heightened prevalence of stress, anxiety, and mental health issues, corroborated by a surge in smartphone penetration, digital health initiatives, and developments in mindfulness app functionalities.

Market Segmentation Insights

The analysis indicates that by platform, the iOS segment has taken the lead in revenue generation for 2023, attributed primarily to the robust adoption of iPhones and rapid digital transformation. Meanwhile, Android platforms are anticipated to witness the fastest growth rate due to the affordability of Android devices and initiatives by key players to tap into this extensive user base.

In terms of deployment type, cloud-based services have emerged superior, providing users with seamless access, cost efficiency, and the flexibility of real-time data monitoring. Prominent market players are increasingly investing in cloud technology, exemplified by the latest release of Mettle, an app devised to improve mental concentration and manage stress.

Story continues

When it comes to service offerings, free services dominated the market in 2023, as users show a propensity towards no-cost meditation management options. Nevertheless, in-app purchase models are poised for the fastest growth trajectory, propelled by rising disposable incomes and the availability of personalized, incentive-laden features within paid applications.

Regional Market Expansion

The North American market is forecasted to maintain its revenue supremacy through the forecast period, bolstered by technological advancements and strategic partnerships meant to enhance mental health support systems. Conversely, the Asia Pacific region is forecasted to chart the most rapid growth, driven by increased smartphone usage and digital health adoption amongst its burgeoning population.

Key Developments in the Marketplace

Launch of 'Lets Get Happi', a mental health app offering 24/7 therapy access for comprehensive, stigma-free mental healthcare.

Introduction of 'Mettle' by Bear Grylls, aiming to assist in managing stress and improving mental focus.

Headspace's strategic initiative to ameliorate healthcare visit-related anxiety and collapse barriers to preventive health screening via its partnership with One Medical.

The report provides an in-depth segmentation analysis of the market, dissecting the data by platform, deployment type, service, and region, fractioning into sub-categories such as Android, iOS, on-premise, cloud-based, paid, free, and regional bifurcations, encompassing the U.S. and Canada in North America; Germany, France, UK, Spain, and Italy in Europe; China, Japan, India, Australia, and South Korea in the Asia Pacific; Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina in Latin America; and South Africa and GCC in the Middle East & Africa.

This study offers a granular view of the current market dynamics, pivotal trends, and future growth potential, serving as an essential resource for stakeholders across the meditation management apps industry spectrum.

Key Attributes:

Report Attribute

Details

No. of Pages

200

Forecast Period

2023 - 2034

Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023

$1.5 Billion

Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2034

$9.46 Billion

Compound Annual Growth Rate

18.2%

Regions Covered

Global

Report Segmentation

By Platform

By Deployment Type

By Service

Paid (In App Purchase)

Free

Companies Profiled

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z77lty

About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

Attachment

Read more here:

Global Meditation Management Apps Market Set for Robust Growth, Forecasted at 18.23% CAGR from 2024-2034 - Yahoo Finance UK

How Julia Hogarth Went from Librarian to Meditation Teacher to Successful Entrepreneur and Creative Coach  LA Progressive

Read this article:

How Julia Hogarth Went from Librarian to Meditation Teacher to Successful Entrepreneur and Creative Coach - LA Progressive

Updated Jan 31, 2024, 10:30 PM IST

It's believed that these bowls have a history that dates back to thousands of years and every bowl has a unique vibration. (Picture Credit: Canva)

Have you ever logged on to any music app or website and just played the Tibetan Singing Bowls? The soothing sound of the Tibetan Singing Bowls are known to release stress and promote relaxation.

For the unversed, Tibetan Singing Bowls are hollow metal bowls (typically made from a combination of metals, including copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver, and gold) that produce soothing sounds when it's rubbed with a wooden mallet. It's believed that these bowls have a history that dates back to thousands of years and every bowl has a unique vibration. It's through these vibrations that healing energy is released.

Tibetan monks use singing bowls in their spiritual and meditative practices. The sounds and vibrations from the bowls serve as powerful aids in meditation, fostering a tranquil and focused atmosphere for practitioners. Monks incorporate these bowls into ceremonial rituals, where the soothing sounds are believed to purify the environment and invoke spiritual energies. Additionally, the therapeutic qualities of the vibrations are utilised for healing purposes, contributing to physical and mental well-being. In the context of chakra balancing, monks explore the harmonics of the bowls to align and balance energy centers within the body. Beyond their functional roles, these bowls become instruments of sacred sound exploration, allowing monks to create intricate sonic landscapes. Used in teachings and lectures, the bowls serve as both captivating educational tools and conduits for conveying spiritual wisdom in a unique and experiential manner.

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Benefits Of Singing Bowls For Meditation

An observational study, "Effects of Singing Bowl Sound Meditation on Mood, Tension, and Well-being" found significant beneficial effects of Tibetan singing bowl meditations on a number of markers related to well-being. As reported in the study, "While it may require a very minimal amount of practice, extensive training is not necessary to learn to play the singing bowls and other instruments; one merely taps or rubs the bowls gently with a mallet. Thus, this type of meditation could be taught to health and counseling professionals and provided in an almost unlimited number of settings to induce the relaxation response, reduce stress, and potentially stress-related disease in the body". Here are a few benefits of Singing Bowl Meditation:

Stress Reduction: The calming and harmonious tones produced by singing bowls can induce a state of deep relaxation, helping to alleviate stress and tension. The meditative nature of the practice encourages a sense of tranquility.

Enhanced Meditation: Singing bowl meditation is often used as an accompaniment to traditional meditation practices. The resonant sounds can serve as a focal point, making it easier for individuals to enter a meditative state and maintain concentration.

Improved Sleep: Regular practice of singing bowl meditation has been associated with improved sleep quality. The calming effects of the bowls may help relax the mind and body, promoting better sleep patterns.

Balanced Energy Centers (Chakras): Some practitioners believe that the vibrations of singing bowls can help balance and align the body's energy centers, known as chakras. Each bowl's unique frequency is associated with specific chakras, contributing to overall energetic harmony.

Mindfulness and Presence: The process of listening to the sounds and feeling the vibrations in singing bowl meditation encourages mindfulness and being present in the moment. This heightened awareness can contribute to a greater sense of clarity and focus.

Follow this link:

Tibetan Singing Bowl: Benefits Of Using It For Meditation - Times Now

Friday, January 26, 2024 - 1:30pm

Improve your mindset while learning various breathing techniques and mindfulness strategies.

Space is limited; please RSVP with Paola Perez at (786) 205-5427 or email atpperez@cutlerbay-fl.gov.

*Active Adults series of events are designed forTown residents aged 60 and over.

See the rest here:

Active Adults | Meditation - Town of Cutler Bay Florida (.gov)

AI companion company Replika partnered with the team behind the AI dating simulator Blush to release Tomo, a wellness and meditation app with an AI-generated avatar guiding users. Its the kind of concept that seemed destined as soon as generative AI took off, but in the time Ive spent with Tomo, I found myself wondering if I can ever open up to an AI like I can with a real therapist.

Tomo, now generally available on the Apple iOS store, brings users to a virtual island retreat, greeted by an AI-generated avatar guide named Tomo. Tomo offers programs to help people explore personal growth, mental well-being, and fulfillment. It also provides guided meditation, yoga, affirmation classes, and, most of all, talk therapy.

Users can try out Tomo for free for three days, after which they have to choose between paying $7.99 a week or $49.99 per year.

I got to try Tomo before the launch. The first time I launched the app, I was greeted by spa music, signaling that the app wants users to feel like theyre in a retreat rather than a therapists office. Then the avatar Tomo, drawn as a young woman standing in front of a traditional Japanese house on an island, asks me if Im ready to begin. Tomo started asking me some questions to figure out what I hoped to work on.

We worked with coaches and psychologists to come up with the programs for Tomo. We focused on the most common problems but also thought about what would work best with conversational AI, Eugenia Kuyda, founder and CEO of Replika, tells The Verge in an email. We had a lot of experience building coaching programs for Replika with clinical psychologists from UC Berkeley; for Tomo, we expanded that to mindfulness teachers to combine Eastern and Western practices.

The approach felt like texting a therapist on text-based therapy services like BetterHelp. I already go to in-person therapy, so the experience of sharing more about myself was not new. Yet I have never been a text therapy fan; I prefer stream-of-consciousness conversation to typing out my anxieties. But for the sake of a hands-on, I kept texting with Tomo. It began building a profile based on my answers. My profile shows I like to focus on work, have money anxieties, and need help coping with stress; in other words, a journalist existing in late-stage capitalism. Tomo summarized our conversation, but it did mistakenly assume I had a determination to pursue pottery when really Im just curious about it as a possible stress reliever.

After the initial conversation, users can explore other activities or areas of the island. There was no virtual pottery for me to apparently pursue; instead, the programs Tomo offers range from mastering the art of work-life balance, driving motivation, and improving sleep, which comes in the form of modules that users can finish in anywhere from two weeks to a month. Eventually, the developers said, people can unlock 3D objects around the island that facilitate a deeper exploration of their inner sanctuary.

Tomo, the avatar guide, is supposed to be powered by generative AI to have better conversations with users. But honestly, talking to Tomo didnt feel much different from speaking with a regular chatbot. I couldnt get it to participate in a little art therapy with me (it wouldnt draw) or retail therapy (it couldnt help with shopping or travel tasks I tried to assign it) which meant that instead of feeling like a fully formed digital being on which I could unload my troubles, it really just felt like someone put background music on ChatGPT.

And while I found the guided meditations helpful, it also felt like other guided meditation apps Ive tried before.Eventually I found myself losing interest, mainly because by the time I remembered to open Tomo, I already had assignments from my therapist to work on.

Using AI for mental health therapy remains controversial, especially as privacy protections still fall short for many technology-based mental health solutions. Its a tricky business, one for which Replika, which is behind Tomos digital avatar, has already gotten into hot water. Italy banned Replika last year for failing to meet security standards in its Replika chat app. But Replikas CEO says it is taking more precautions with Tomo, though the company did not give me its full privacy policy.

We dont share any information with any third parties and rely on a subscription business model. What users tell Tomo stays private between them and their coach, Kuyda said.

Tomo is only available on iPhones; an Android version will be released later this year. Replika also plans to launch an app on Apples Vision Pro, paving the way for an even more immersive Tomo-guided meditation.

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Replika's new AI therapy app tries to bring you to a zen island - The Verge

Many college students experience persistent stress and anxiety, eagerly seeking a release. Many long for a space that would allow them to be fully present, fully engaged and without worry. But when the demands of college seem too great to overcome, a certain psychology professor may be able to provide some guidance.

Professor Michael Baranski floated the idea of a Mindfulness and Meditation Club in the spring 2023 semester. After many discussions and collaboration between students, the club will officially become a reality this spring.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly three out of four students have experienced a sense of overwhelming anxiety at some time. Mindfulness, though unfamiliar to some, may be a solution to this problem.

To some degree, there is no goal. There is no single definition of mindfulness, Baranski said. But one way that I like to think about it is clearly observing your consciousness, whatever makes up your mind right now, as youre aware that it happens.

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Attending college brings a high level of judgment, explains Baranski. Students are being judged on what they learn, and what they intend to do with what they learn in the new future. They experience the stress of a new environment and unfamiliar people.

Who you were in high school and living with your family might be very different from who you are in this new environment youre in, said Baranski. A lot of people feel isolated when theyre in that unfamiliar place, or have trouble connecting.

Connection is an important theme surrounding mindfulness. The solution to the challenges faced by many students could lie in simply connecting with oneself and the environment.

This is what mindfulness means to senior Josh Gutierrez, a student who worked with Baranski to lay the groundwork of the club.

Often, we identify with our thoughts, Gutierrez said. When we are identified with our thoughts, we get carried away into thought patterns, often negative. Mindfulness allows us to connect with the present in order to create meaning in our everyday lives.

Student Amy Grosser, a member of the new club, expressed that the aspect of mindfulness that she has benefited from most is non-judgement.

Learning to extend compassion to yourself and be kind to yourself is huge no matter who you are, said Grosser. Theres also an aspect of impermanence, which leads into the idea that failure isnt final. Just because you got a bad grade on that one paper or test doesnt mean your entire story for that class or semester is written.

Beyond the space in which PennWests Mindfulness and Meditation Club exists, students and professors alike can incorporate mindfulness into their personal lives. Baranski himself employs these ideas in his own classroom.

When I taught a Senior Seminar about mindfulness and meditation that was a big part of it, said Baranski. Lets not just learn about it, but lets experience it. For other classes, I certainly advocate for it.

Baranski explains that there is a science behind his methods, too.

Theres research showing that if you do a few minutes of mindfulness before a course lecture, youll learn more from that lecture, said Baranski. We dont know precisely why; maybe your mind wanders less, or maybe noticing when youre distracted. If youre feeling stressed and overwhelmed, it wont necessarily just take that away. But it helps you relate to it and manage it differently.

Gutierrez expressed that meditation is one of the most important things he has incorporated into his life.

I think the benefits of meditation are only beginning to be discovered by the human sciences. If creating a community of students to discuss, learn, and practice meditation at PennWest is a fraction of the importance to campus life as the meditation has been for me, then we have to do it.

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Mindfulness and Meditation Club Emerges at PennWest California - Cal Times