Tag Archives: meditation

6 Amazing Apps to Help You Unwind

You may think that the moment you slip off your work shoes and flick on the TV, you unwind. That the ball of yarn in your stomach, which has been winding tighter and tighter all day, will begin to unravel all by itself. Sadly, that’s not always how it works. You need to actively seek out that rest. You deserve it. It’s not easy to find a spare moment in which to have some much-needed “you time.”

By using these six apps, you can ensure you give yourself every possible chance to chill out whenever and wherever you happen to be.

1. Meditation made easy – Headspace

Sometimes, life gets caught in fast-forward mode. You’re watching the scenes play out, but things are going faster and faster, and you have a grand total of zero control. You want to hit pause. Well, you can. Headspace allows you to do just that. Rather than diving you head-first into the deep world of meditation, the app offers a simple introductory course. For the first 10 days, you have to spare just 10 minutes. Soothing sounds accompanied by a calm voice take you through every step. This course should guide you and teach you some of the basic strategies you’ll need, should you wish to incorporate mindfulness into your lifestyle. After the introductory period is up, you’ll have the option to pay a small subscription for the full version. Failing that, you can simply keep using the free app. The bite size meditation sessions can fit seamlessly into even the most hectic of lifestyles.

2. Wind down – Sleep Easy by Shazzie

Similar to Headspace, the Sleep Easy app offers a step-by-step course, which promises to teach you how to meditate and, ultimately, switch off. Shazzie is the writer and founder of the app. She is also an expert in so-called “life transformation programs.” The app features a 26-minute recording which seeks to help you drop off to a meditative sleep state. By the end of the sound bite, the app creator promises you will be “refreshed, renewed and resonating so much more from your heart and a place of stillness.”

3. Slumber in peace – Infinite Storm

infinite stormInsomnia is an increasingly common problem, and one which is oh-so-densely related to stress and anxiety. Spending the twilight hours counting sheep and praying to nod off to never-neverland is no healthy way to rest. According to one intriguing study, introducing white noise into the bedroom environment encourages 73% of children to drop to sleep naturally. There’s no reason that should not apply to adults as well. White noise can be anything from mechanically generated sounds to natural noises, such as rainfall. Infinite Storm is a free app that allows you to choose from a range of sound effects which will help you slumber peacefully. From “heavy storm” to “tin roof rain,” there’s a broad array of options. Choosing the right one for you is most certainly a game of trial and error. It’s worth experimenting with the choices a while, until you find the one that aids your sleep best.

4. Simple breathing tips – Breathe2Relax

This easy-to-use app describes itself as a “stress management tool,” but it can be so much more than that. In times of great pressure, your breathing becomes more and more shallow. Simply put, your brain fails to get the oxygen it needs, and this issue serves to exacerbate the problem. The solution is simple: diaphragmatic breathing. This app teaches you how to control your breathing by using straightforward self-training devices. You may not think that you need an app to help you do what comes naturally; but once you start using it, you’ll reap the rewards.

5. Find your Zen – Calm

calm appIf you’ve ever visited Calm.com, you’ll find the premise of this app is much the same as the site. The web page offers an array of calming sounds, which you can set to a timer on the background of your desktop. While the app version offers this function, it also includes a rather interesting “7 Steps to Calm” program. The instructive guide will teach you vital meditation skills, such as maintaining the correct posture and taking the time to evaluate how you really feel. If you’re new to the world of meditation, this app is a beginner’s crash course in the astounding art.

6. Drift off fast – Power Nap App

power nap appDo you feel drained and slovenly at times? Well, you’re not alone. Many of us experience these feelings, especially when we don’t allow ourselves the rest we need to function. Having a quick power nap may make all the difference. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a 20- to 30-minute sleep can increase alertness and help you rejuvenate your mind. Of course, there is always the unfaltering fear that you will fall into the deepest of sleeps and not wake up on time. The Power Nap App helps you avoid just that problem. You can set a timer of up to 30 minutes for your sleep. During that time, the app plays you pleasantly soothing sounds, such as birds and thunder. When the time is up, you’ll be awoken by your chosen alarm, such as bells or even soft piano music. If you’re struggling to fit a quick sleep into your day, this could be the app for you.

5 Yoga Poses for People Who Sit A Lot

If you feel like sitting in front of a computer from 9 to 5 is slowly killing you, you’re not too far off. Sitting too much is seriously bad for your health. “[But] yoga can help declutter your mind and allow you to refocus on your priorities. It combats poor posture, muscle soreness, and lower back pain by releasing endorphins into your body’s system,” says Sophie George, the founder of Firefly Yoga. Ready to take a stand? Here are five yoga poses (with modifications) that will undo the damage of your desk job.

 

Standing Forward Bend with Shoulder Opener (Uttanasana)

uttanasana beyond words

Bust workplace anxiety, depression, and insomnia with a standing forward bend. Start in Mountain Pose. Clasp your hands behind your back. Then take a deep breath to open your chest. Exhale and fold forward, letting your head fall toward the ground while shifting your weight to the fronts of your feet. Hold for one minute.

Modifications: Stiff? Use a resistance band to clasp your hands behind your back and bend your elbows.

 

Camel Pose (Ustrasana)

ustrasana beyond words

Relieve neck and back pain by bending into Camel Pose. Begin by kneeling with your knees hip-distance apart. Then rotate your thighs slightly inward, and push your shins and the tops of your feet into the floor. Rest your hands on the back of your pelvis with the bases of your palms on the tops of your buttocks and your fingers pointing down. Stretch your tailbone toward the floor and widen the back of your pelvis. Lean back. Tuck your chin slightly toward your chest and press your palms into your heels. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.

Modifications: If you’re not flexible, keep your thumbs on your sacrum and pull your lower belly up and in to work your inner thighs and pelvic floor. Prevent lower back pain.  When you bring your fingertips to your heels, curl your toes.

 

Gate Pose (Parighasana)

parighasana beyond words

If you need a little breathing room at the office, you can open up your ribcage and your lungs—relieving asthma, allergies, and colds—with Gate Pose. Kneel on the floor with your hips and buttocks lifted up off your legs.  Then slide your right leg straight out to the side with your foot flat on the floor and your toes facing the side wall. Inhale your left arm, palm upward, toward the ceiling while keeping your right hand resting palm down on your right thigh, shin, or ankle. Then exhale your left arm to the right, dropping it over your ear. Slide your right palm down toward your toes. Keep your chin off of your chest, looking straight ahead.  Hold for up to one minute. Repeat on the other side.

Modifications: Place a folded blanket under your bent knee.

 

Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

uttana shishosana beyond words

Extended Puppy Pose works the kinks out of your spine and shoulders. Start in Table Top Position. Then slowly walk your hands forward a few inches, lowering your chest down toward the ground.  Gently drop your forehead to the floor. Draw your shoulder blades onto your back and stretch your hips toward the ceiling. Then press into the palms of your hands and lift your elbows and forearms away from the ground. Breathe into your back, feeling your spine lengthen in both directions. Hold for up to a minute.

Modifications: Use a rolled-up blanket or bolster between your thighs and calves.  If you have back spasms, place a yoga block—or large book—between your feet and another between your inner thighs.

 

Reverse Warrior (Viparita Virabhadrasana)

reverse warrior yoga poses

Reverse Warrior clears your mind and skyrockets your confidence, focus, and willpower. Start in Mountain Pose. Then spread your feet 3.5 to 4 feet apart, turning your right foot 90 degrees while pivoting your left foot slightly inwards. Raise your arms out to the side to shoulder height. Exhale and bend your front knee, aligning it directly over the ankle of your front foot. Then flip your right palm over to face the ceiling, and raise your right arm up overhead and begin to reach up and back. Place your left hand, palm down, gently on the outside of your left leg. Keep your hips and shoulders square so that you can achieve a side bend. Tilt your head slightly and bring your gaze to your right hand’s fingertips. Hold for 30 to 45 seconds.

Modifications: If you have tight hips, shorten your stance and straighten your front leg. No upper-body strength?  Place your hands on your hips and work on lifting your chest and lengthening your spine.

The 6 Best Yoga and Meditation Retreats In The World

Life’s responsibilities are no small task. Between work, school, finances, and family, it’s easy to understand how one can become to feel overwhelmed. There are healthy and enjoyable ways, however, to renew your energy and optimism. Yoga and meditation have both proven to have countless physical and emotional benefits. Yoga, for instance, helps protect your spine and prevent the breakdown of cartilage and joints. Additionally, meditation can lessen anxiety and depression, and help develop positive social interactions. While you can do both of these activities in your own home, you can also consider outside yoga and meditation retreats.

With the variety of benefits offered by both of these activities, it’s almost silly not to explore them further. So where do you go for such retreats? They’re popping up everywhere, both in the US as well as across the world, rapidly gaining in popularity and offering a host of luxurious accommodations. While you should do a bit of research into the best retreat for you, we did some of the homework already and found six yoga and meditation retreats around the world that have received glowing reviews.

1. Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health

With breathtaking Stockbridge, Massachusetts as its backdrop, Kripalu offers daily yoga courses, delicious natural-foods cuisine, massage, hiking, saunas, a private beach, and even a labyrinth. And with the scenic view of mountains and lake, getting into a more peaceful state of mind is guaranteed.

scenic Massachusetts
Massachusetts

2. Esalen Institute

This retreat center and educational institute in Big Sur, California boasts cliffside hot springs, a farm and garden, an art center, and overall, 120 acres of beautiful land resting between mountain and ocean. Where do we sign up?

pacific coast
Big Sur, California

3. Eat Pray Move

Eat Pray Move hosts retreats all over the world, with upcoming trips happening in India, Iceland, Morocco, and Croatia. The best part about this organization is its “Give Back” retreats, where 10% of the profits go to global non-profits. Eat Pray Move brings so much more than yoga and meditation, like in-water massages that take place in lagoons.

Sunset in Morocco
Morocco

4. Kalani Oceanside Retreat

This Hawaiian eco-community provides farm-to-table meals, workshops, hula classes, lauhala weaving, qigong, tai chi, and a variety of other classes and activities. The swimwear optional half-Olympic pool, heated saltwater pool, jacuzzis, and sauna are just the cherry on top.

kalani oceanside retreat
Image courtesy of Kalani Oceanside Retreat

5. Pravassa RetreatWell

Pravassa retreats take you everywhere, from India and Indonesia to Thailand and throughout the US. Raw food classes, herbal spa remedies, mud lounges, and bio-dynamic wine are just a few things they offer to help you unwind and recharge your battery.

Thailand waterfall
Thailand

6. Miraval Resort & Spa

Travel to Arizona for yoga, fitness, hiking, meditation, lectures, hot stone massages, and loofa cleanses — and this is barely scratching the surface. Miraval has been recognized by Travel+Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, and Andrew Harper.

meditation retreats
Lake Powell, Arizona

It’s so important to your health and happiness to make time for yourself. Turn off your phone, don’t worry about checking your emails, and focus on your own well-being. Have you experienced any kind of retreat? Let us know where you went and what you thought of it!