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Archive for June, 2012

Feel the Joy – Set Your Chime Meditation Timer to Practice Feeling Joy Each Day

Feel the Joy:  Utamaro Kitagawa, The Courtesan Hanaogi of Ogiya

Feel the Joy: Utamaro Kitagawa, The Courtesan Hanaogi of Ogiya

You don’t have to work for happiness. It’s already here to be experienced in every moment.

Janet began her long-planned kitchen remodel filled with dread, certain it would be a difficult experience. A self-described “aversive type,” she knew that her often uncompromisingly high standards, coupled with a tendency to dwell on all the things that might go wrong, were likely to make the project a source of frustration and tension. Janet decided that instead of her usual cycle of anger and impatience, she wanted to have a more positive, joyful experience with the remodel.

Getting clear on her intention to feel joy helped her realize that the attitude she had toward the project would determine not only how she would feel about its outcome but also how rewarding the process would be. She realized that making friends with the workers on the job would be a major step in supporting her positive outlook. “I grew to really care about the people doing the work and looked forward to seeing them each day, learning to trust their judgments and taste,” she said.

She also reasoned that if she could feel satisfaction about the work as it progressed, then that same satisfaction would be there in the completed kitchen. She made a point to look each day for different ways the project gave her a chance to feel pleased. And her theory proved to be true. The pleasure she took in the details of the completed kitchen went deeper than pleasure at the cosmetic and structural improvements.

“When I look at that space, when I get a glass of water or cook a meal, I feel so happy. The whole house feels happier to me and more precious,” Janet reflects. To her surprise, the remodel became a joyful experience from beginning to end.

How do you turn a dreaded kitchen remodel, or any other potentially difficult circumstance, into a nourishing experience and a source of happiness? By changing the default setting of your mind and heart toward greater well-being and feelings of joy.

Feel the Joy

Feel the Joy

You do not have to create joy; it is an innate quality already within you, like the capacity to walk or to be kind. You come into this world as an innocent baby with a natural joy. You can still squeal with delight, given the right circumstances. What you likely forget, though, is that you can feel this joy even when the circumstances aren’t just right. In fact, this natural joy is available at all times, and you can consciously cultivate it so that it’s easily accessible, even during difficult moments.

Joy comes in many flavors. For some, it’s an energetic radiance; for others, it’s a quiet feeling of connection. We all have our own way of expressing joy that comes with our unique temperament. In fact, the word “joy” may be a stretch for people who long simply to not be miserable! Those who find “joy” awkward might prefer another word, like “contentment,” “delight,” “happiness,” or “aliveness.” When I use the word “joy,” I often think of it simply as a feeling of well-being.

Truly happy people are not happy all the time. The 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows, to use the Taoist phrase, are part of the full tapestry of life. Being joyful does not mean you stop feeling the full range of human emotion. Life is often hard. You get disappointed. A loved one becomes ill or dies. You feel stress in your relationships, finances, or crowded schedule.

Awakening your joy does not mean denying any of these things. Rather, those who discover the secret of well-being are capable and centered and able to be authentically engaged with whatever circumstances life presents. Although you feel the full spectrum of emotions, you know that anger, sadness, and fear are only temporary visitors. With practice, a feeling of well-being can become the baseline that you return to, rather than an occasional surprise. How do you begin this process? The important first step, as Janet discovered, is to set a clear intention to foster greater well-being in your life.

Put Happiness First

We all want to be happy, but many of us don’t put this desire at the center of our lives. We think that if we are successful, rich, or well liked, happiness will follow. But to awaken our natural joy, it’s essential that we consciously prioritize our intention to be happy. For instance, once Janet decided she wanted her project to be a source of joy rather than frustration and anxiety, she was more motivated to find strategies that would support that central intention. In getting clear on your intention for happiness, you access the place inside that truly wants you to be happy.

The next key step is understanding where real happiness lies. In order to experience genuine well-being, the Buddha encouraged developing what he called wholesome, or healthy, states of mind. These states, such as kindness or generosity, have an expansive quality; they open your heart and create more ease in your mind. They are different from unwholesome states, which fan your desires and provide fleeting pleasure but actually contract the mind and lead to suffering. Taking an honest look at what states contribute to an inner ease and expansiveness, and then cultivating them, is an important part of the process.

The Buddha points out that accompanying these healthy states is a natural feeling of gladness. For example, in the middle of a random act of kindness, you can notice this gladness. By bringing mindful attention to the sensations generated in the body and mind, you strengthen this “gladness connected with what is wholesome,” as the Buddha describes it. More than just “feeling good,” you learn to recognize what it feels like to feel good. By becoming more aware of the landscape of well-being, you amplify your joy.

For example, one practice the Buddha recommends to develop well-being is simplicity, or what I refer to as “the joy of letting go.” This is particularly relevant if you tend to fill up your life by taking on more than you can possibly handle. Simplicity can mean bringing more balance to an overcrowded, busy life. To use simplicity as a joy practice, consciously choose to say no to the next delicious invitation, or decide not to add one more “important” task to your schedule. Then notice how good it feels in your body and mind to give yourself the space that opens with that de-cluttering.

Feel the Joy

Feel the Joy

With some practice, you can not only feel happy in the moment but you can also develop that joy as a habitual response. In one discourse, the Buddha simply and profoundly explains how habits are created: “Whatever the practitioner frequently thinks and ponders upon, that will become the inclination of his mind.” You are making either skillful grooves or unpleasant ruts with repetitive habits of thought. Modern neuroscience has corroborated this: Through repetition you strengthen positive neural pathways in the brain. By frequently inclining the mind toward thoughts associated with greater well-being, you begin to shift your habitual thinking. And the shift becomes deeper still when you act on those thoughts and impulses. As you practice being present for moments of joy as they occur and nourish your spirit in healthful ways, you create the conditions for well-being to arise naturally.

As Janet found, “Even in difficult and challenging moments, there is a deep vein of joy underneath that can be mined. This joy is found whenever I can be present with exactly what is. I’ve never experienced this as joy before, but now I do. I have learned to notice the deep joy I experience in simply being alive.”

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Chime Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

Adapted from YogaJourna.com by James Baraz, a founding teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, leads an online course, Awakening Joy, and has co-written the book, Awakening Joy.

Now & Zen – The Chime Meditation Timer and Alarm Clock Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Chime Meditation and Yoga Timers and Alarm Clocks

Chime Meditation and Yoga Timers and Alarm Clocks

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks


Replace Your Alarm Clock

Sanmonji, sleeping cat

Sanmonji, sleeping cat

Perfect alarm clock gift makes waking up a calming  and relaxing experience

Replace Your Loved Ones Alarm Clock, so that you don’t have to be awakened by their Frightening, Beeping Alarm Clock…

Are you tired of your husbands alarm clock?

What makes this gentle awakening experience so exquisite is the sound of the natural acoustic chime, which has been tuned to produce the same tones as the tuning forks used by musical therapists. According to the product’s inventor, Steve McIntosh, “once you experience this way of being gradually awakened with beautiful acoustic tones, no other alarm clock will ever do.”

Boulder, Colorado—an innovative company has taken one of life’s most unpleasant experiences (being startled awake by your alarm clock early Monday morning), and transformed it into something to actually look forward to. “The Zen Alarm Clock,” uses soothing acoustic chimes that awaken users gently and gradually, making waking up a real pleasure.  Rather than an artificial recorded sound played through a speaker, the Zen Clock features an alloy chime bar similar to a wind chime.  When the clock’s alarm is triggered, its chime produces a long-resonating, beautiful acoustic tone reminiscent of a temple gong.  Then, as the ring tone gradually fades away, the clock remains silent until it automatically strikes again three minutes later.  The frequency of the chime strikes gradually increase over ten-minutes, eventually striking every five seconds, so they are guaranteed to wake up even the heaviest sleeper.  This gentle, ten-minute “progressive awakening” leaves users feeling less groggy, and even helps with dream recall.

zen alarm clocks for a peaceful awakening

zen alarm clocks for a peaceful awakening

Now & Zen’s Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Progressive Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits, Well-being


Getting Enough Shut-eye? Zen Clock Store News

getting enough shut-eye?

getting enough shut-eye?

Children and Sleep: Is Your Child Getting Enough Shut-Eye?

How to tell if your child is not getting enough sleep

For many active school-aged children, sleep can be as hard to come by as it is for busy adults. After-school activities, homework, and playtime with family and friends can all lead to a packed schedule. Add to that the lure of electronics such as TV, computers and videogames, and you have the makings of chronic sleep deficit in kids.

Since school-aged children need between 10 to 11 hours of sleep, parents must be vigilant about enforcing bedtimes, setting up good sleep routines, and watching for signs of fatigue in their children. It’s especially important for school-aged kids to get enough rest. For one thing, one of the factors that can reduce one’s immune system’s ability to fight off infections is not getting enough sleep, and as we know, kids in school are constantly exposed to transmittable illnesses such as colds from classmates. Lack of sleep in children has also been associated with health problems ranging from obesity to mood swings, as well as cognitive problems that can have an impact on a child’s ability to concentrate, pay attention, and learn in school.

Signs of Sleep Deprivation in Children

If you think your child might not be getting enough sleep, look for these signs that she is not getting the amount of sleep she needs. Your child is sleep deprived if she:

  • Has trouble waking up in the morning
  • Exhibits irritable behavior
  • Seems overly emotional and moody
  • Is hyperactive
  • Has difficulty concentrating in school
  • Has trouble staying awake during the day

If you see signs of sleep deficit in your child, try setting up some good nighttime sleep routines and healthy sleep habits to help your child get the amount of rest she needs to be at her best both at home and at school.

Remember that waking up in the morning should be as pleasant as falling asleep at night. The Zen Alarm Clock’s gradual, gentle awakening is transformative.

The Zen Clock’s long-resonating Tibetan bell-like chime makes waking up a beautiful experience – its progressive chimes begin your day with grace.

When the clock’s alarm is triggered, the acoustic chime bar is struck just once … 3-1/2 minutes later it strikes again … chime strikes become more frequent over 10 minutes … eventually striking every 5 seconds until shut off. As they become more frequent, the gentle chimes will always wake you up – your body really doesn’t need to be awakened harshly, with a Zen Clock you’re awakened more gradually and thus more naturally.

Waking up in the morning should be as pleasant as falling asleep at night. The Zen Alarm Clock’s gradual, gentle awakening is transformative.

Waking up in the morning should be as pleasant as falling asleep at night. The Zen Alarm Clock’s gradual, gentle awakening is transformative.

By Katherine Lee, About.com Guide

Enhance your sleep rituals by getting the most soothing alarm clock

Enhance your sleep rituals by getting the most soothing alarm clock

Now & Zen’s Headquarter Clock Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

The Zen Alarm Clock Store in Boulder, CO

The Zen Alarm Clock Store in Boulder, CO

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Natural Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits


Just Wake Up and Do Something to Fight the Urge to Sleep Too Much

wake up and do something

wake up and do something

How to Fight the Urge to Sleep Too Much

Not getting enough sleep can sometimes be a bad thing. But did you know that getting too much sleep is just as bad?

One Solution: Wake up and do something. Once you’ve done your routine, get moving. Walk to work, or if you drive, park a bit out and take the stairs up. On the weekend, you can go for a walk or vacuum. Whatever you do, get your blood moving. It’ll let you clear mental cobwebs left by sleep and settle into wakefulness.

Boulder, Colorado—an innovative company has taken one of life’s most unpleasant experiences (being startled awake by your alarm clock early Monday morning), and transformed it into something to actually look forward to. “The Zen Alarm Clock,” uses soothing acoustic chimes that awaken users gently and gradually, making waking up a real pleasure.  Rather than an artificial recorded sound played through a speaker, the Zen Clock features an alloy chime bar similar to a wind chime.  When the clock’s alarm is triggered, its chime produces a long-resonating, beautiful acoustic tone reminiscent of a temple gong.  Then, as the ring tone gradually fades away, the clock remains silent until it automatically strikes again three minutes later.  The frequency of the chime strikes gradually increase over ten-minutes, eventually striking every five seconds, so they are guaranteed to wake up even the heaviest sleeper.  This gentle, ten-minute “progressive awakening” leaves users feeling less groggy, and even helps with dream recall.

What makes this gentle awakening experience so exquisite is the sound of the natural acoustic chime, which has been tuned to produce the same tones as the tuning forks used by musical therapists. According to the product’s inventor, Steve McIntosh, “once you experience this way of being gradually awakened with beautiful acoustic tones, no other alarm clock will ever do.”

Zen Clocks will Peacefully Help You Awake

Zen Clocks will Peacefully Help You Awake

Shop our Zen Clock Store

Now & Zen, Inc.

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in intention, Natural Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits


Summon Your Consciousness Awake Gently

Waking Gently

Waking Gently

Waking Up in the Morning as a Form of Spiritual Practice

Waking up in the morning is a metaphor for life — a kind of daily microcosmic reenactment of our overall purpose for being in the world.  That is, just about every religious tradition emphasizes spiritual growth.  And the connection between “awakening” and spiritual growth can be found in practically all forms of spiritual teaching.

So if waking up in the morning really is a metaphor for our larger spiritual lives, this perspective might help us treat our morning ritual of getting out of bed as a kind of spiritual practice.  Indeed, when approached in this way, how we wake up in the morning can make a larger difference in our lives overall.
Perhaps this is stretching the matter, but there are many people who do recognize that something as simple as waking up in the morning can be an authentic form of spiritual practice.  For those who don’t have to go to work or get the kids to school, waking up naturally, whenever their body feels like it, can be a wonderful version of this practice.  Waking up without an alarm, whenever your body has had enough rest, is probably the healthiest option, and the one that will leave us feeling most refreshed and ready to start the day. However, there are few of us that have this luxury, especially during the week.
Fortunately, for those who want to wake up right, without being startled awake by an annoying alarm or some radio DJ, there is The Zen Alarm Clock.  This clock was designed to make waking up a kind of spiritual practice.  The Zen Clock wakes users with a built-in 10 minute gradual progression of acoustic chimes.  And this gradual form of “progressive awakening” has been thoughtfully designed to include esoteric features that are fitting for a form of spiritual practice.  For example, not only is the hardwood Zen Alarm Clock beautiful to see and hear, the clock’s chime is tuned to produce the same frequencies as the tuning forks used by musical therapists in their healing work.  Moreover, the Zen Clock’s pre-programmed 10 minute chime progression sequence advances according to the “golden ratio,” which reflects both the natural proportions of our own bodies and the patterns of growth used in the overall evolution of the universe.
Family of Zen Alarm Clocks for a Peaceful Awakening

Family of Zen Alarm Clocks for a Peaceful Awakening

Now & Zen Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Natural Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits


Yoga For Bedtime – Set Your Yoga Timer and Chime Alarm Clock

Yoga for Bedtime

Yoga for Bedtime

Need help sleeping? Doing yoga exercises before bedtime can be just what you need:

Sit up in bed comfortably, either with your legs folded or straight in front of you; whatever you can do with the most ease. Sit up and lean slightly back on your pillows or backboard. Close your eyes and rest your hands on your thighs and just breathe here for a few minutes. This doesn’t have to be a serious meditation but just a short while to do nothing but breathe.

Yoga for Bedtime

Yoga for Bedtime

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

adapted from Women’s Magazine by TARA STILES

Yoga and Meditation Timers with Chimes and Gongs

Yoga and Meditation Timers with Chimes and Gongs

Now & Zen – The Yoga Timer Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks


The Ins and Outs of Better Breathing – Set Your Gong Meditation Timer for Practice

The Ins and Outs of Better Breathing

The Ins and Outs of Better Breathing

The ins and outs of better breathing

Try this relaxation exercise from breathing guru Andrew Weil, MD, best-selling author and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona. The payoff? “Blessed relief” from constant thinking, Weil says.

  • Sit with your back straight.
  • Place the tip of your tongue against the ridge just behind your front teeth.
  • Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
  • Inhale quietly through your nose with your mouth closed to a mental count of four. Hold your breath for a count of seven.
  • Exhale completely through your mouth, this time whooshing to a count of eight.
  • Inhale again and repeat the exercise three times for a total of four breaths.

    How to Improve Your Breathing

    How to Improve Your Breathing

TIP: If you have trouble holding your breath, speed up but stick to the four-seven-eight count. Practice twice a day, but don’t do more than four breaths at a time for the first month; later you can work up to eight breaths. You may feel a little light-headed, Weil says, but it will pass.

Now & Zen – The Gong Meditation Timer Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Set Your Gong Meditation Timers for a Breathing Exercise

Set Your Gong Meditation Timers for a Breathing Exercise

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks


Meditation, Yoga Might Switch Off Stress Genes – Set Your Yoga Timer with Chime

Meditation and Yoga

Meditation and Yoga

Researchers say they’ve taken a significant stride forward in understanding how relaxation techniques such as meditation, prayer and yoga improve health: by changing patterns of gene activity that affect how the body responds to stress.

The changes were seen both in long-term practitioners and in newer recruits, the scientists said.

“It’s not all in your head,” said Dr. Herbert Benson, president emeritus of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “What we have found is that when you evoke the relaxation response, the very genes that are turned on or off by stress are turned the other way. The mind can actively turn on and turn off genes. The mind is not separated from the body.”

One outside expert agreed.

“It’s sort of like reverse thinking: If you can wreak havoc on yourself with lifestyle choices, for example, [in a way that] causes expression of latent genetic manifestations in the negative, then the reverse should hold true,” said Dr. Gerry Leisman, director of the F.R. Carrick Institute for Clinical Ergonomics, Rehabilitation and Applied Neuroscience at Leeds Metropolitan University in the U.K.

“Biology is not entirely our destiny, so while there are things that give us risk factors, there’s a lot of ‘wiggle’ in this,” added Leisman, who is also a professor at the University of Haifa in Israel. “This paper is pointing that there is a technique that allows us to play with the wiggle.”

Meditation and Yoga Reduce Stress

Meditation and Yoga Reduce Stress

Benson, a pioneer in the field of mind-body medicine, is co-senior author of the new study, which is published in the journal PLoS One.

Benson first described the relaxation response 35 years ago. Mind-body approaches that elicit the response include meditation, repetitive prayer, yoga, tai chi, breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, guided imagery and Qi Gong.

“Previously, we had noted that there were scores of diseases that could be treated by eliciting the relaxation response — everything from different kinds of pain, infertility, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia,” Benson said.

He believes that this study is the first comprehensive look at how mind states can affect gene expression. It also focuses on gene activity in healthy individuals.

Benson and his colleagues compared gene-expression patterns in 19 long-term practitioners, 19 healthy controls and 20 newcomers who underwent eight weeks of relaxation-response training.

More than 2,200 genes were activated differently in the long-time practitioners relative to the controls and 1,561 genes in the short-timers compared to the long-time practitioners. Some 433 of the differently activated genes were shared among short-term and long-term practitioners.

Further genetic analysis revealed changes in cellular metabolism, response to oxidative stress and other processes in both short- and long-term practitioners. All of these processes may contribute to cellular damage stemming from chronic stress.

Another expert had a mixed response to the findings.

Robert Schwartz, director of the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s Institute of Biosciences and Technology in Houston, noted that the study was relatively small. He also wished that there had been more data on the levels of stress hormones within the control group, for comparison purposes.

However, Schwartz called the study “unique and very exciting. It demonstrates that all these techniques of relaxation response have a biofeedback mechanism that alters gene expression.”

He pointed out that the researchers looked at blood cells, which consist largely of immune cells. “You’re getting the response most probably in the immune cell population,” Schwartz said.

“We all are under stress and have many manifestations of that stress,” Benson added. “To adequately protect ourselves against stress, we should use an approach and a technique that we believe evokes the relaxation response 20 minutes, once a day.”

Use our unique “Zen Clock” which functions as a Yoga & Meditation Timer.  It features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings your meditation or yoga session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal. Our Yoga Timer & Clock can be programmed to chime at the end of the meditation or yoga session or periodically throughout the session as a kind of sonic yantra. The beauty and functionality of the Zen Clock/Timer makes it a meditation tool that can actually help you “make time” for meditation in your life. Bring yourself back to balance.

There’s more on meditation at the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Yoga and Meditation Timers with Chime

Yoga and Meditation Timers with Chime

Now  & Zen – The Yoga and Meditation Timer Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice


Eating In Season for Health, Quality, and Cost – brought to you by The Zen Alarm Clock People

eating in season

eating in season

Summer–for most of us it’s the season of fun, a time to get out of our homes and enjoy the sunlight. In addition to the bright summer days, many delicious and unique foods are in season.

By Brooke Holmgren

Foods eaten in season contain peak nutrients and generally put less of a dent in your budget than if purchased out of season. Whether you want to grow your own fresh produce in your backyard, stop by a farmers market, or shop at your local grocery or co-op, the following hints and tips lead you to the freshest produce and where to find it.

Summer Produce
First of all, to eat in season means choosing fruits and vegetables at their natural peak growing times. When produce is grown in conditions that require minimal care, they’re in season; think of how berries grow fat and ripen in the hot steamy months of July and August. Here is a list of commonly known produce best eaten in the summer months: basil, green beans, beets, all kinds of berries, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots,
celery, chicories, collard greens, cucumbers, fennels, arugula, all kinds of herbs,
lettuce, mustard greens, onions, peas, peppers, radicchio, spinach, summer squash, tomatillos, and tomatoes.

Some produce is best grown in your backyard, while others taste better left to the pros. So, which vegetables are best purchased fresh or picked from your yard?

The Joys of Gardening
There are several benefits to growing your own produce. For one, you know exactly what has been placed on or around the garden. This is the only certain way to know if your produce is organic or not. You’ll also have a greater appreciation for where your food comes from. Starting a garden from seeds or young plants is also much cheaper than buying produce from a grocery store. In addition, it’s fun to pick a cucumber or tomato from your back yard to include in your dinner. In this way, gardening tends to be a rewarding experience.

>>What to grow : While vegetable (and fruit) gardening varies by temperature zone (see garden.org/zipzone/to find your specific zone), there are a few staples that can be grown just about anywhere. These include tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, and lettuce.
Berries grow best in moderate climates, especially in the northern United States, but citrus fruits are best grown in year round heat…think of Florida’s famous oranges.

>>What to do with too much produce: Sometimes your tomato plants offer up far too many tomatoes for you and your family to eat. Canning these vegetables preserves the taste and freshness throughout the year. How nice it would be to open a jar of tomatoes in
winter to include in a soup or stew!

>>The environmental benefits of gardening: In addition to the immediate cost benefits of gardening on your monthly grocery bill, the cost of gardening is also minimal on the environment. Consider those imported Chilean blueberries you can buy at the supermarket in January. Those blueberries were picked before they were fullyripened (drastically reducing vitamin and mineral contents) in order to ship them to your supermarket before spoiling. Thousands of gallons of fuel are consumed by tractors, trucks, and airplanes in order to get those blueberries to your table. The same is true for
most, if not all, fresh produce purchased during winter months if you live in northern climates. Of course it’s always beneficial to your health to eat fruits and veggies, but consider where these foods come from. The closer the food is grown, the better for your health, your wallet, and the environment.

Fresh Farmers Markets
Whether found in urban city centers with hundreds of vendors or a roadside stand with five farmers, there has been a recent farmers market revival due to the high quality of the food.

>>More bite for your buck: This  rise in popularity is mainly due to the generous amount of food you get for your dollar. At a farmers market, you’re buying directly from the farmer or the farmer’s family, eliminating the markupfrom supermarkets and grocery stores. In addition, the foods purchased are fresh! Like foods picked from your garden when ripe, the produce sold at farmers markets are rarely picked prematurely. This ensures the best taste and nutrient value.

>>Fewer dents in the environment: Like gardening, the environmental impact of shopping for produce at a farmers market is much less than shopping at a conventional supermarket. However, some farmers and consumers may have to travel long distances to participate in a farmers market, especially urban markets. Regardless, shopping at a farmers market is a great way to ensure food quality and healthfulness.

>>Conecting with the farmer: At farmers markets you often purchase produce directly from the farmer and can speak to him or her about the food you’re buying. Knowing the person or people who grew your food can be a rewarding experience. It makes you feel more connected to the food you’re eating.
Farmers markets can also be a great place to socialize. What other place can you think of where urban dwellers and rural farmers mingle? There are often people from all walks of life depending on where the market is. Urban markets tend to be larger and feature more ethnically diverse foods.

>>Popular market eats: According to a 1998 study done by Rutgers University, the most popular foods purchased at farmers markets are apples, blueberries, broccoli, carrots, melons, peaches, peppers, snap beans, strawberries, sweet corn, and tomatoes. In addition to freshly grown food, there are often artesian-baked goods available. Other commonly available items are plants, flowers, jams/jellies, fresh fruit juices, dried fruits, cheese, organic meats, honey, farm fresh eggs, and nuts.

Again, there are seasonal aspects to farmers markets. Often times there are summer, fall, and winter markets featuring respective produce. Winter markets are likely to favor gourds, squash, sweet corn, and canned or preserved goods. Depending on what produce or goods you’re looking for, shop in season. Mid to late summer is the best time for abundant farmers
markets.

Boulder, Colorado—an innovative company has taken one of life’s most unpleasant experiences (being startled awake by your alarm clock early Monday morning), and transformed it into something to actually look forward to. “The Zen Alarm Clock,” uses soothing acoustic chimes that awaken users gently and gradually, making waking up a real pleasure.

What makes this gentle awakening experience so exquisite is the sound of the natural acoustic chime, which has been tuned to produce the same tones as the tuning forks used by musical therapists. According to the product’s inventor, Steve McIntosh, “once you experience this way of being gradually awakened with beautiful acoustic tones, no other alarm clock will ever do.”

Maple Zen Timepiece

Maple Zen Timepiece

Now & Zen – The Zen Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks


Try Not to Hit the Snooze Button – Set the Chime Clock with Built-in Snooze Instead

sleeping problems

sleeping problems

How to Fight Too Much Sleep

Not getting enough sleep can sometimes be a bad thing. But did you know that getting too much sleep is just as bad?

Set an alarm . It doesn’t have to be too early, just enough to get anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep. Do this for at least a month and your body will get used to waking up at this time so you won’t have to use the alarm. Try not to hit to snooze button, however, it trains your body to stay tired in morning. If you have a coffee machine that will start at certain time automatically, set it so you can wake up to the scent of fresh brewed coffee.

Or just use an alarm clock that is not disruptive!

Fortunately, for those who want to wake up right, without being startled awake by an annoying alarm or some radio DJ, there is The Zen Alarm Clock.  This clock was designed to make waking up a kind of spiritual practice.  The Zen Clock wakes users with a built-in 10 minute gradual progression of acoustic chimes.  And this gradual form of “progressive awakening” has been thoughtfully designed to include esoteric features that are fitting for a form of spiritual practice.  For example, not only is the hardwood Zen Alarm Clock beautiful to see and hear, the clock’s chime is tuned to produce the same frequencies as the tuning forks used by musical therapists in their healing work.  Moreover, the Zen Clock’s pre-programmed 10 minute chime progression sequence advances according to the “golden ratio,” which reflects both the natural proportions of our own bodies and the patterns of growth used in the overall evolution of the universe.

adapted from Wikihow.com

Chime Alarm Clock for a Gradual Awakening

Chime Alarm Clock for a Gradual Awakening

Now & Zen’s Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Natural Awakening, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Progressive Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits


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