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Archive for July, 2012

Practice Mindfulness Meditation at an Onsen – Bring Your Bowl Gong Meditation Timer

Takaragawa Onsen in Japan

Takaragawa Onsen in Japan

Practice Mindfulness at an Onsen

Practice Mindfulness at an Onsen

An onsen is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs.  As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth.

Onsen come in many types and shapes, including outdoor and indoor baths. Baths may be either public run by a municipality or private often run as part of a hotel, ryokan or Bed and Breakfast.

Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe, NM

Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe, NM

Onsen are a central feature of Japanese tourism often found out in the countryside but there are a number of popular establishments still found within major cities.  They are a major tourist attraction drawing Japanese couples, families or company groups who want to get away from the hectic life of the city to relax. Japanese often talk of the virtues of “naked communion”  for breaking down barriers and getting to know people in the relaxed homey atmosphere of a ryokan with an attached onsen.

The presence of an onsen is often indicated on signs and maps by a kanji,  (yu, meaning “hot water”).

One of Now & Zen’s favorite Japanese onsen is called Ten Thousand Waves, located in the mountains of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Taking Time to View the Koi at Ten Thousand Waves Onsen

Taking time to view the Koi fish at Ten Thousand Waves Onsen

In the larger scheme of things, our days on this planet are few and precious, so it seems fitting that we should begin each day with grace and beauty.  Used as an alarm clock, your Zen Clock thus serves as a useful reminder that each day is a new and sacred opportunity to live life to its fullest.  But in addition to its use as an alarm clock, your Zen Timepiece is also an aesthetically-sophisticated timer that enhances practice activities and social gatherings. It can also serve as a “mindfulness bell” that periodically calls you to stillness.

We often bring our Digital Zen Timer with us as a ‘Travel Alarm Clock’ when we go on a journey so that we can use it to meditate in a lovely hot spring like Ten Thousand Waves.

Meditation Timer with Singing Bowl

Meditation Timer with Singing Bowl

However, our Zen Timepiece’s acoustic 6-inch brass bowl-gong clock is the world’s ultimate alarm clock, practice timer, and “mindfulness bell.”

Now & Zen’s Meditation Timer Store

1638 Pearl St.

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Timer in Bamboo by Now & Zen, Boulder, CO

Timer in Bamboo by Now & Zen, Boulder, CO

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Hot Springs, Japanese Inspired Zen Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Truth, Zen Timers


Massage to Soothe your Cranky Baby – Set Your Zen Timer & Clock

Soothe your little sweetie with a gentle massage

Soothe your little sweetie with a gentle massage

Empirical research suggests our appreciation of massage starts early—as tastes go, it’s one that needs little acquiring. That’s certainly the message behind the growing trend of infant massage, where mothers and fathers (and sometimes caretakers) bond with their wee ones through loving touch and improve their overall health. Parents, nurses, and doctors say that massage helps babies grow better, improves digestion, and eases colic. Studies conducted at the Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami School of Medicine show that infant massage facilitates weight gain in preterm infants, decreases babies’ level of stress hormones, and balances out their sleep/wake cycle. “Nurturing touch is important for children’s physical, social, behavioral, mental, and cognitive development,” says Linda Garofallou, an infant and pediatric massage therapist at Children’s Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. She gives infant massage to patients and also trains others in the technique.

To do an infant massage, choose a time when your baby is well fed and rested. Set your Zen Timer for twenty minutes.  Put a towel in a quiet room for the baby to lie on, choose a natural oil such as coconut, almond, or avocado, and play relaxing music. Assess the baby’s receptivity by observing her response to your touch. If she is stiff or tense, then use your intuition: either hold her closely in your arms until she relaxes—or wait for another time. A gazing, quiet, yet alert state means she is ready to begin.

Mom and baby

Mom and baby

A common stroke, called Indian Milking, entails holding one foot with your hand and then “milking” the leg from the ankle to thigh. Follow this by holding the thigh with both hands and gently twisting and squeezing your hands as you move from thigh to foot. (For more strokes, see Vimala Schneider’s classic book, Infant Massage: A Handbook for Loving Parents [Bantam, 1989] or visit the International Association of Infant Massage, www.iaim.ws/home.html, to find a certified infant massage instructor near you.)

Babes aren’t the only ones who benefit from infant massage. Experts like Andrea Kelly, ceo of the International Association of Infant Massage in Ventura, California say that giving a massage releases nurturing hormones for both the mother (oxytocin) and the father (prolactin).

In addition to bonding, infant massage helps kids born with addictions or serious health problems, says Joanne Starr, MD, director of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Children’s Hospital. She’s seen the positive effects of Garofallou’s infant massage on the tiny heart patients she’s operated on. “I think it’s a very important part of their healing,” says Starr, who adds that many of these infants can’t be held because they are hooked up to ventilators. “It’s such a helpless feeling for the parents, but massage empowers them to do something.”

adapted from Natural Solutions Magazine, October 2007

Although meditation can be done in almost any context, practitioners usually employ a quiet, tranquil space, a meditation cushion or bench, and some kind of timing device to time the meditation session.  Ideally, the more these accoutrements can be integrated the better.  Thus, it is conducive to a satisfying meditation practice to have a timer or clock that is tranquil and beautiful.  Using a kitchen timer or beeper watch is less than ideal.

And it was with these considerations in mind that we designed our digital Zen Alarm Clock and practice timer.  This unique “Zen Clock” features a long-resonating acoustic chime that brings the meditation session to a gradual close, preserving the environment of stillness while also acting as an effective time signal.

Bamboo Digital Chime Clock, a calming timer and alarm clock made from natural materials like bamboo, walnut, and maple

Bamboo Digital Chime Clock, a calming timer and alarm clock made from natural materials like bamboo, walnut, and maple

Now & Zen – The Zen Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, mindfulness practice, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Well-being, Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


The Zen Timepiece Can Help Build a Mindfulness Practice

Flower of Life

Flower of Life

The Zen Timepiece can also be more actively incorporated into your meditation practice as a form of “mantra” or “yantra.”  Mantra is a sanskrit word which means “mental protection.”  In Eastern meditation traditions, a mantra takes the form of a word or sound which is chanted to occupy the mind and keep disturbing thoughts from distracting the meditator.  A yantra is used in Eastern meditation traditions as an image upon which the meditator concentrates until it “disappears.”

Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Boulder, CO

Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Boulder, CO

The Zen Timepiece’s bowl strikes can be used as a sort of external mantra or sonic yantra.  The clock’s countdown mode repeat function (the interval timer) allows the bowl to be struck repeatedly at any set period, so that as the strikes repeat, they serve to bring you back to the focal point of concentration.

Now & Zen's Meditation Timers and Alarm Clocks

Now & Zen's Meditation Timers and Alarm Clocks

Now & Zen’ s Meditation Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Truth, Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


Can Meditation Reduce Stress? Use Your Zen Meditation Timer to Find Out

can meditation reduce stress?

can meditation reduce stress?

Dhyana heyah tad vrttayah.

Meditation removes disturbances of the mind. (Yoga Sutra II.11)

Research shows that meditation can help people with anxiety disorders. Philippe Goldin, director of the Clinically Applied Affective Neuroscience project in the Department of Psychology at Stanford University, uses mindfulness meditation in his studies. The general practice is to become aware of the present moment—by paying attention to sounds, your breath, sensations in your body, or thoughts or feelings—and to observe without judgment and without trying to change what you notice.

Like most of us, the participants in Goldin’s studies suffer from all sorts of disturbances of the mind—worries, self-doubt, stress, and even panic. But people with anxiety disorders feel unable to escape from such thoughts and emotions, and find their lives overtaken by them. Goldin’s research shows that mindfulness meditation offers freedom for people with anxiety, in part by changing the way the brain responds to negative thoughts.

In his studies, participants take an eight-week mindfulness-based course in stress reduction. They meet once weekly for a class and practice on their own for up to an hour a day. The training includes mindfulness meditation, walking meditation, gentle yoga, and relaxation with body awareness as well as discussions about mindfulness in everyday life.

Before and after the intervention, participants have their brains scanned inside an fMRI (or functional MRI) machine, which looks at brain activity rather than the structure of the brain, while completing what Goldin calls “self-referential processing”—that is, thinking about themselves. An fMRI scanner tracks which brain areas consume more energy during meditation and, therefore, which regions are more active.

Ironically, the brain-scanning sessions could provoke anxiety even in the calmest of people. Participants must lie immobilized on their back with their head held in the brain scanner. They rest their teeth on dental wax to prevent any head movement or talking. They are then asked to reflect on different statements about themselves that appear on a screen in front of their face. Some of the statements are positive, but many of them are not, such as “I’m not OK the way I am,” or “Something’s wrong with me.” These are exactly the kinds of thoughts that plague people with anxiety.

The brain scans in Goldin’s studies show a surprising pattern. After the mindfulness intervention, participants have greater activity in a brain network associated with processing information when they reflect on negative self-statements. In other words, they pay more attention to the negative statements than they did before the intervention. And yet, they also show decreased activation in the amygdala—a region associated with stress and anxiety. Most important, the participants suffered less. “They reported less anxiety and worrying,” Goldin says. “They put themselves down less, and their self-esteem improved.”

Goldin’s interpretation of the findings is that mindfulness meditation teaches people with anxiety how to handle distressing thoughts and emotions without being overpowered by them. Most people either push away unpleasant thoughts or obsess over them—both of which give anxiety more power. “The goal of meditation is not to get rid of thoughts or emotions. The goal is to become more aware of your thoughts and emotions and learn how to move through them without getting stuck.” The brain scans suggest that the anxiety sufferers were learning to witness negative thoughts without going into a full-blown anxiety response. Research from other laboratories is confirming that mindfulness meditation can lead to lasting positive changes in the brain. For example, a recent study by Massachusetts General -Hospital and Harvard University put 26 highly stressed adults through an eight-week mindfulness-based course in stress reduction that followed the same basic format as Goldin’s study. Brain scans were taken before and after the intervention, along with participants’ own reports of stress. The participants who reported decreased stress also showed decreases in gray -matter density in the amygdala. Previous research had revealed that trauma and chronic stress can enlarge the amygdala and make it more reactive and more connected to other areas of the brain, leading to greater stress and anxiety. This study is one of the first documented cases showing change ocurring in the opposite direction—with the brain instead becoming less reactive and more resilient.

Together, these studies provide exciting evidence that small doses of mental training, such as an eight-week mindfulness course, can create important changes in one’s mental well-being.

Zen Meditation Timers and Clocks - Boulder, CO

Zen Meditation Timers and Clocks - Boulder, CO

Our Zen Meditation Timer’s acoustic 6-inch brass bowl-gong clock is the world’s ultimate alarm clock, practice timer, and “mindfulness bell.”
It fills your environment with beautifully complex tones whenever it strikes. In the morning, its exquisite sounds summon your consciousness into awakening with a series of subtle gongs that provide an elegant beginning to your day.  It also serves as the perfect meditation timer.

adapted from Yoga Journal, by Kelly McGonigal

meditation tools and gentle alarm clocks

meditation tools and gentle alarm clocks

Now & Zen’s Meditation Timer & Alarm Clock Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, intention, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice, Well-being, Zen Alarm Clock, Zen Timers


Wake Up Naturally Clock – If You Can’t Wake Gradually to Sunlight Choose the Gradual Chime Alarm Clock

wake up naturally

wake up naturally

I recently taught my students about chronobiology—the study of cycles in organisms. We talked about the importance of a good night’s sleep, which is greatly aided by allowing sunlight and moonlight to synchronize our internal cycles. This means gradually awakening to morning sunlight and allowing our bodies to relax before bedtime by avoiding bright light.

Taylor had been troubled by insomnia. After this class, she was ready for a change. A few hours before bedtime, she turned off bright lights around the house and wrapped up her computer use for the day (the light from a monitor can throw off your biological clock). An hour before bedtime, she lit candles and turned off all electric lights. By candlelight, she bathed, got into her night clothes and meditated before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep. In the morning, she was awakened by the gradually increasing sunlight and her chime alarm clock with progressively increasing natural acoustic sound by Now & Zen. She came to class glowing with refreshment and a new sense of empowerment. Now Taylor understands that her body needs a relationship with natural cycles of light and dark. “I’m not nearly as groggy as I used to be,” she says. “Light really is stimulating!”

adapted from Natural Home Magazine, September/October 2009 by Carol Venolia

If you don’t have the luxury to gently wake up to by light — try the next best alternative…waking gently to soothing chimes.  Out Soothing Digital Chime Clock’s long-resonating Tibetan bell-like chime makes waking up a beautiful experience – its progressive chimes begin your day with grace.

Carol Venolia is an eco-architect and co-author of Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House (Lark Books, 2006). She teaches in the Sustainable Communities program at Dominican University of California.

Gentle Chime Clock to help you Naturally Wake-Up

Gentle Chime Clock to help you Naturally Wake-Up

Now & Zen’s Natural Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Chime Alarm Clocks, Natural Awakening, nature, Progressive Awakening, sleep, Sleep Habits, wake up alarm clock, Well-being


Lovingkindness Meditation From The Zen Meditation Timer Shop

meditation

meditation

Put it into practice.

Sit comfortably in a place where you won’t be disturbed. Take three to five quiet breaths. Gently close your eyes.

Imagine the horizon spanning through your chest with a radiant sun rising in your innermost center—your heart. As though being melted by the solar warmth, release tension in your shoulders and across your throat. Soften your forehead and rest your attention inward on the light deep within. Take 
7 to 10 smooth, even breaths.  Set your Zen Meditation Timer to repeat and chime every 10 seconds to help you time your breathing.

As you inhale, invite the glow from your heart to expand toward the inner surface of the body. With each exhale, let the light recede. Take another 7 to 10 peaceful breaths. Inhaling, invite the light to touch the parts of you that interact with the world—your eyes and ears, the voice center in your throat, the palms 
of your hands, the soles of your feet. Exhaling, feel your light shine more clearly. As you continue to inhale and exhale, silently say: “I radiate friendliness for those who are happy, com-passion for those who are unhappy, equanimity toward all.” Continue until your attention wavers. Then, sit quietly for several minutes.

When you feel complete, place your palms together in front of your heart and bow your head. Release the backs of your hands to your thighs and lift your head. Gently open your eyes to return to the horizon of the world.

adapted from Yoga Journal by Kate Vogt

Zen timers for meditation and yoga

Zen timers for meditation and yoga

Now & Zen – The Zen Meditation Timer Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in intention, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice, Well-being, zen, Zen Timepiece by Now & Zen, Zen Timers


How to Get a Second Wind – Use Your Chime Alarm Clock & Timer to Put Your Feet Up

How to Get Your Second Wind - tea ceremony in kimono utagawa toyokuni

How to Get Your Second Wind - tea ceremony in kimono utagawa toyokuni

Second Wind
In the rush of everyday life, you’ll often find yourself racing from one event to the other, with almost no time in between. What can you do to refresh and rejuvenate in just 20 minutes? This quick routine can help you hit the reset button on body, mind, and spirit.

1. First, Unwind
It’s difficult to tap into your own energy resources when you’re feeling tired. This simple exercise will help release the day’s accumulated tensions and allow you to start over again.

Put Your Feet Up
Five to seven minutes – Use your Chime Alarm Clock & Timer,  (by Now & Zen, $124.95) to help gently end your practice gently.

Digital Zen Alarm Clock - Chime Timer & Alarm Clock by Now & Zen

Digital Zen Alarm Clock - Chime Timer & Alarm Clock by Now & Zen

By reversing the effects of gravity and encouraging blood flow to the heart, this yoga pose helps clear the mind. Sit with your left side touching a wall, legs outstretched. Shift your weight to the right, pivot your pelvis, lie back, and raise your legs. If you experience hamstring pain, inch your hips away from the wall a bit. Let your arms relax at your sides, palms up. Roll the shoulders back to open up the chest. Take a deep breath, then exhale completely. Spend five minutes in this position, or longer if you like, breathing deeply and letting go of the day’s tensions.

Roll Out Tension
One minute
This fun Pilates-inspired exercise is a great way to release back tension.

Sitting with hands on your shins or on the back of your thighs, knees tucked in to your chest and core engaged, exhale as you roll backward onto your spine, using your abdominals and momentum to roll back up again.

Begin to exhale on the way down and inhale at the top; find your natural rhythm.

2. Then Invigorate
Drawn from the practice of qigong, this exercise awakens your senses and lets you greet the evening with a renewed spirit.

Pummeling
Two minutes
With a loosely closed fist, start lightly pounding your legs as if you’re knocking on a door. This should be invigorating, not painful, as you stimulate the skin and muscles, releasing tension and increasing the flow of energy, or qi, through your body. Pummel the bottoms of your feet, the inside and outside of each leg, your arms, the sides of your neck, upper back, chest, solar plexus, and belly. Don’t forget the palms of each hand.

Reach around to get your buttocks, lower back, and kidney area, then move up to your shoulders and upper back.

Quick Do-Over
10 minutes
You don’t have to replicate your entire morning routine to feel fresh and energized again. Consider a few shortcuts for a quick head-to-toe mood lift.

Give Yourself a Quick Footbath
Less time-consuming than a full shower, a footbath can energize you from the bottom up. Sit on the edge of the tub and let the water run over your feet or get a basin and soak your feet in warm, soapy water. Or, if you’ve spent the day on your feet and they feel sore, try a cool footbath rather than a warm one. For an extra lift, add a couple of drops of stimulating citrus or peppermint essential oil. Even better, massage your feet with a natural exfoliant containing coarse sugar or salt to help remove dull, rough skin and stimulate blood flow. Rinse your feet and pat dry; follow with a rich body butter or foot cream. Take a few moments for a mini-foot massage, rubbing the soles of your feet to relax and stimulate the whole body.

Touch Up Your Face and Hair
Freshening up doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Simply mist your face lightly with water, blot dry, and reapply makeup basics such as blush and eyeliner, if you wear them. Spritzing your hair will also help activate any styling products you used in the morning. Brush, floss, and you’re ready to go.

meditating mature lady - smiling

meditating mature lady - smiling

Smile
Even if you don’t feel like smiling. Studies suggest that doing so may positively influence your mood. By projecting an image of positive energy, you’ll find yourself feeling it inside as well.

adapted from Body + Soul, November/December 2005

Soothing Chime Alarm Clocks & Timer from Now & Zen - Boulder, CO

Soothing Chime Alarm Clocks & Timer from Now & Zen - Boulder, CO

Now & Zen’s Chime Alarm Clock & Timer Shop
1638 Pearl Street
Boulder, CO  80302
(800) 779-6383

Posted in intention


The Stress Rescue – Set Your Yoga Timer by Now & Zen, Inc.

Yoga Pose

Yoga Pose

At the end of a jam-packed day, you finally arrive home — exhausted. But with your mind still abuzz, rest seems impossible.

When your brain gets stuck in high gear, wind down with a simple seated twist, suggests Jasmine Tarkeshi, cofounder of Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in New York City and San Francisco.

“With this move, you fully tense up and release your muscles before twisting,” says Tarkeshi. “The combination wrings out both physical and mental stress. With your mind and body now free from the day’s tensions, you’re ready to enjoy a relaxing evening and a good night’s sleep.”

Seated Twist
What It Does
Cleanses the body of negative, wound-up energy; rejuvenates and calms the nervous system; relaxes the back muscles, spine, shoulders, neck, and hips.

How To Do It
1. Sit cross-legged and place a blanket under your hips for support. Breathe slowly and deeply through your nose. Inhale for a count of four, then exhale for a count of four.   Set your Zen Yoga Timer to repeatedly chime every 30 seconds.  Continue the exercise 12 times.

2. Inhale and tense all your muscles, from your face to your feet, then bring your shoulders up to your ears. Exhale through your mouth, release muscles, drop shoulders, and stick out your tongue (optional), letting go of all anxiety and stress. Feel your sit bones sinking into the floor.

3. On your next inhale, reach your arms above your head, lengthening your spine. Exhale and twist to the right as you bring your arms down, placing your left hand on the outside of your right knee and your right arm behind you, with fingertips on the floor for support. Turn your head to gaze back over your right shoulder.

4. Stay in this twist for 3 to 5 breaths. Imagine your spine lengthening; each time you exhale, twist a bit deeper.

5. On an inhale, extend your arms back up to the ceiling as you come through the center, then exhale into the twist on the left side. Stay for 3 to 5 breaths, again twisting more deeply with each exhale. Come back to center, reaching upward, and repeat the process on each side two more times.

Adapted from Body + Soul, by Jill Russell

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.

Bamboo Zen Chime Clocks & Timers

Bamboo Zen Chime Clocks & Timers

Now & Zen – The Yoga Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in Bamboo Chime Clocks, Now & Zen Alarm Clocks, Well-being, Yoga Timer, Yoga Timers by Now & Zen


Meditation: Commit to Change – Use Your Zen Meditation Timer & Alarm Clock Everyday

mediation

mediation

As the evidence for the benefits of meditation grows, one of the most important outstanding questions is, How much is enough? Or, from the perspective of most beginning meditators, How little is enough to see positive change?

Researchers agree that many of the benefits happen early on. “Changes in the brain take place at the very beginning of learning,” Luders says. And many studies show change in a matter of weeks, or even minutes, among inexperienced meditators. But other studies suggest that experience matters. More practice leads to greater changes, both in the brain and in a meditator’s mental states. So while a minimal investment in meditation can pay off for your well-being and mental clarity, committing to the practice is the best way to experience the full benefits.

Luders, who was a lapsed meditator when she started her research, had such a positive experience being around seasoned meditators that she was motivated to come back to the practice. “It’s never too late,” Luders says. She suggests starting small and making meditation a regular habit. “The norm in our study was daily sessions, 10 to 90 minutes. Start with 10.”

If you do, you may discover that meditation has benefits beyond what science has revealed. Indeed, it will take time for science to catch up to the wisdom of the great meditation teachers. And even with the advances in brain technology, there are changes both subtle and profound transmitted only through direct experience. Fortunately, all you need to get started is the willingness to sit and be with your own body, breath, and mind.

adapted from Yoga Journal, by Kelly McGonigal

Bamboo Meditation Timer & Gentle Alarm Clock - Boulder, CO

Bamboo Meditation Timer & Gentle Alarm Clock - Boulder, CO

The Bamboo Digital 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.  Unlike artificial recorded sounds coming out of a tiny speaker in a plastic box, natural acoustic sounds transform your bedroom or office environment.

The Digital Zen Clock also serves as a countdown and interval timer for yoga, meditation, bodywork, etc.; and it can also be set to chime on the hour as a tool for “mindfulness.”

Meditation Clocks and Timers from Now & Zen

Meditation Clocks and Timers from Now & Zen

Now & Zen’s Meditation Timer & Alarm Clock Shop

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in intention, Meditation Timers, Meditation Tools, mindfulness practice, Well-being, zen, Zen Alarm Clock, Zen Timers


How to De-Stress Your Day with Exercise – From The Zen Alarm Clock Shop

How to De-Stress Your Day - Print: Toyohara, Kunichika, 1835-1900

How to De-Stress Your Day - Print: Toyohara, Kunichika, 1835-1900

Exercise is one of the most important tools for battling stress. Even when practiced for short durations, regular periods of physical activity can help restore hormone balance and calm your nervous system. When you experience a stressful situation, cortisol and adrenaline ramp up your heart rate within seconds, heightening your mental acuity and rallying your muscle strength. The problem, of course, is that too much marshalling of these forces can overwhelm the body, especially when you don’t take measures to counter the effects.

“When you feel stressed for longer periods of time, the sympathetic nervous system continues to operate in overdrive, and your body may begin to suffer,” says Dr. James S. Gordon, founder and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. “If you’re in this state of fight or flight for long enough, the resulting muscular tension can trigger backaches and headaches. You might also experience a weakened immune system, digestive problems, fatigue, and insomnia or depression.”

Exercise can go beyond just toning muscles and burning calories to actually help rebuild your strength — inside and out. “It can also aim deeper into the systems that need the most help,” says fitness expert and Body+Soul contributor Ellen Barrett. “To undo the ill effects of stress, a blend of calming and energizing exercises will support your overstimulated nervous system.”

One might walk  for  10-minute to promote blood flow to the brain and or take a easy jog, a more  invigorating exercises to increase circulation.

De-stress with a walk

De-stress with a walk

Not convinced that 10 minutes will do the trick? Remember that relieving tension is the goal here. “When you’re overstressed,” says Barrett, “your intention is to repair the body — not give it a hard-core workout.”

adapted from Body + Soul, April/May 2007

The Zen Alarm Clock Shop - Boulder, CO

The Zen Alarm Clock Shop - Boulder, CO

Now & Zen’s – The Zen Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Posted in intention


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