winter hibernation

In the depths of winter, do you find yourself wanting to sleep more, eat more and curl up by the fire? We often behave as if seasonal changes are irrelevant to a modern lifestyle. After all, in many ways, civilization is all about overcoming nature. But our bodies are evolutionarily old and remember how weather once dictated behavior. In winter, we hunkered around a fire, repairing tools and telling tales that wove our culture. We packed our bodies close and slept long.

Now we act as if it’s always summer, demanding consistently high productivity at work and at home. But our bodies require cycles of activity and rest—daily, annually. When days are long, our metabolisms and energy levels amp up.  In winter, we produce hormones that make us sleepy, giving us time to restore body, mind and soul.

And there’s nothing wrong with that cycle—except that we work against it, forcing ourselves to operate at summer levels even in winter. No wonder so many people feel depressed at this time of year!

How SAD is that?

You’ve probably heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. You might even suffer from it—as many as half a million U.S. citizens do, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. The fact that most clinicians address the issue via technology (daily exposure to high-intensity electric light) and/or medication provides an interesting perspective on our time. But some have noted that SAD’s symptoms have more in common with hibernation than with clinical depression.

Could SAD be a result of modern living’s demand to move at top speed all day, every day—and mostly indoors, disconnected from the sun’s cycles? Could we give in to a bit of hibernation?

Time for Winter's Nap

Oh, to hibernate!

Hibernation is a survival strategy some animals use to get through foodless winters. Though humans don’t hibernate, some cultures have come close.

In 1900, the British Medical Association published a description of winters among Russian peasants. For centuries, they survived scant winter food by engaging in lotska—sleeping the whole season away. “At the first fall of snow the whole family gathers round the stove, lies down, ceases to wrestle with the problems of human existence and quietly goes to sleep.”

The peasants woke daily to eat some bread and drink some water and then dropped off again, taking turns keeping the fire going. After six months, “the family wakes up, shakes itself, goes out to see if the grass is growing, and by-and-by sets to work at summer tasks,” the article states.

In a 2007 New York Times editorial, historian Graham Robb similarly described rural 19th-century France:

Economists and bureaucrats who ventured out into the countryside after the Revolution were horrified to find that the work force disappeared between fall and spring…Villages and even small towns were silent, with barely a column of smoke to reveal a human presence.  As soon as the weather turned cold, people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end.

slowing down

Dreaming of a better world

What if we indulged our inclination to slow down in winter? We’d sleep more and demand less from ourselves.  We’d be more inward and reflective.  I once met an artist who had mastered this. Perusing her work, I asked how she stayed creative as a painter, writer, weaver and sculptor. Her answer:

She changes media each season. In summer she’s out on her deck chiseling a sculpture. In fall, she is reflective and poetic. In winter, she works with warm fiber at her loom. And as spring beckons her outdoors, she sets up her easel in the meadow. Should our lives be any less a work of seasonal art?

One of the ultimate Zen like experiences is waking-up from a great slumber refreshed and energized. Your mind and body are harmoniously one, both alert and focused. Having a refreshed mind and body are two keys to a natural and Zen lifestyle. Waking up in the morning should not be a loud and abrupt awakening, but rather it should be a peaceful positive experience.  The right natural alarm clock can transition your deep and tranquil sleep into a serene start to consciousness. Imagine a long-resonating Tibetan bell-like chime waking you up to a beautiful morning experience.

The right alarm clock can be the most beneficial investment for you. With our Now & Zen natural alarm clock you are awakened more gradually and thus more naturally. Now & Zen is focused on creating a naturalistic lifestyle, and our clocks are an example of our philosophy.

Adapted from Natural Home Magazine, January/February 2009 by Carol Veniola

Zen Alarm Clock

Now & Zen – Natural Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

“Mindfulness” is the spiritual practice of being aware of your present moment.

Take a moment to be still

World famous Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh has developed the use of the bowl/gong in a practice he calls the “mindfulness bell.” When you hear the sound of the mindfulness bell, you are invited to take a moment to breathe in and out and center yourself in the present.  During this practice, the resonating sound of the bowl/gong periodically connects you to the peace and tranquility that resides inside you right now.  This delightful practice reduces stress and improves your overall health.

Zen Enso

Zen Timepiece, Zen Alarm Clock and Digital Zen Alarm Clocks can serve as a mindfulness bell in two ways:  it can be set to strike on the hour (providing an hourly moment of stillness), or it can be set to strike at a programmed interval, such as every twenty minutes, or even every three hours.

Mindfulness

Further Reading:

• Thich Nhat Hanh Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life.  Bantam Books 1992
• Tolle, Eckart The Power of Now.  New World Library 1998
• Kabat-Zinn, Jon Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.  Hyperion Press 1995
• Fontana, David The Meditator’s Handbook: A comprehensive guide to Eastern and Western meditation techniques.  Element, Inc. 1992.
• Brooke, Avery Learning and Teaching Christian Meditation. Cowley Publications 1990.

Hokusai Wave

The Zen Alarm Clock is a consciousness-raising tool.  No material object can actually raise your consciousness, but you can use information and devices such as this clock to stimulate your growth.  The Zen Alarm Clock can effect your awareness in a variety of positive ways, all of which require your participation.

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.

Gradual Chime Clock Store and Meditation Timer Shop

Now & Zen – Meditation Timer and Gentle Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Early Morning Grogginess Reduced by Gradual Awakening - Ukiyo-e Print by Kitagawa Utamaro

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.

Dark Oak Zen Alarm Clock with Chime

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 Alarm Clocks, made by Now & Zen, Inc., come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Now & Zen’s complete line of natural lifestyle products can be seen at:  (www.now-zen.com), or by calling the company at (800) 779-6383 to request a catalog.

The Gradual Chime Alarm Clock Store

Now & Zen – The Gradual Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Five tips to fall asleep faster

Having trouble falling asleep? Try these tried and true methods to help you fall asleep faster.

Take a walk. In Chinese medicine, insomnia caused by your brain’s inability to shut off the day’s stress is called “disturbed shen qi,” or a disturbed mental spirit. Releasing daytime stress before bedtime by taking a brisk walk or a warm bath is often more effective than taking a sedative.

Turn down the heat. Most people sleep more soundly in a cool room. A 2004 University of South Australia study found that the body needs to drop its core temperature for sleep to initiate normally.

Pump up the serotonin. Serotonin is a natural hormone associated with inducing sleep. Deficiencies in tryptophan, vitamin B6, niacin, magnesium or other nutrients can inhibit the hormone’s functioning. The best way to maintain proper nutrient levels is to eat a balanced diet. A daily multivitamin may help supplement dietary gaps. If you suspect a severe serotonin deficiency, consult your medical health professional.

Take charge with the 20-minute rule: If you lie sleepless for more than 20 minutes, get up and do a task. Get your mind out of the circular problem of being kept awake by the inability to fall asleep. Read, iron that pile of clothes or write in your journal.

Balance your blood sugar: If you’re not sleeping well, ask your doctor about testing your blood sugar levels. People suffering from hypoglycemia can experience blood sugar fluctuations at night. A drop in blood sugar signals the body to produce hormones and neurotransmitters that stimulate sugar release, which may wake you up. If you are hypoglycemic, ask your health care provider whether nutritional measures are appropriate for you.

One of the ultimate Zen like experiences is waking-up from a great slumber refreshed and energized. Your mind and body are harmoniously one, both alert and focused. Having a refreshed mind and body are two keys to a natural and Zen lifestyle. Waking up in the morning should not be a loud and abrupt awakening, but rather it should be a peaceful positive experience.  The right natural alarm clock can transition your deep and tranquil sleep into a serene start to consciousness. Imagine a long-resonating Tibetan bell-like chime waking you up to a beautiful morning experience.

The right alarm clock can be the most beneficial investment for you. With our Now & Zen natural alarm clock you are awakened more gradually and thus more naturally. Now & Zen is focused on creating a naturalistic lifestyle, and our clocks are an example of our philosophy.

adapted from Natural Home, November/December 2010

Gentle Wake Up Alarm Clocks with Chimes

Now & Zen – The Natural Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Zen Alarm Clocks for a Gradual Awakening

One of the ultimate Zen like experiences is waking-up from a great slumber refreshed and energized. Your mind and body are harmoniously one, both alert and focused. Having a refreshed mind and body are two keys to a natural and Zen lifestyle. Waking up in the morning should not be a loud and abrupt awakening, but rather it should be a peaceful positive experience.  The right natural alarm clock can transition your deep and tranquil sleep into a serene start to consciousness. Imagine a long-resonating Tibetan bell-like chime waking you up to a beautiful morning experience.

The right alarm clock can be the most beneficial investment for you. With our Now & Zen natural alarm clock you are awakened more gradually and thus more naturally. Now & Zen is focused on creating a naturalistic lifestyle, and our clocks are an example of our philosophy.

Our natural alarm clocks begin your day with grace. When the Clock’s alarm is triggered, an acoustic chime in our clock is struck just once, and strikes again in 3-1/2 minutes, and again in intervals of 10 minutes. The combination of calming chimes and intervals creates a serene start to your day. “Now & Zen natural alarm clock, wake up peacefully.”

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.”

Access Deep Peace -- Choose a Soothing, Chime Alarm Clock for Your Wake-Up

Now & Zen’s Soothing Chime Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pear Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

meditation guide

With practice, this beginner meditation will hold the mind steady even during periods of stress.

A well-trained, stable, and focused mind is an asset in every sphere of life, and essential for any spiritual endeavor. The practice below will develop your concentration, clarity, and inner stability, by providing a single object as the resting place for your mind’s awareness—the universal mantra soham. Practice daily at about the same time, set your Meditation Timer by Now & Zen for 10 minutes, starting with 10 minutes, and gradually increasing to 20–30 minutes, or longer.

Step  1.

Begin by training your body to be still and comfortable in a sitting posture. When the spine is erect with the pelvis, chest, and head vertically aligned, the breath becomes smooth, and the mind alert and relaxed. Sit on a chair, or cross-legged on the floor with a cushion or a folded blanket under the hips. Use enough support to lift the hip joints slightly higher than the knees. This minimizes the effort needed to keep the lower back from rounding.

Step  2.

Close your eyes and mentally draw a circle of light around yourself. The circle separates you from the world of daily life—both the outer world of perceptions and activities, and the world of your familiar preoccupations and thinking patterns. With this intention, see yourself sitting inside this circle of light. It delineates a space in which you can contain your awareness; let it protect you from disturbances, distractions, and mental dissipation.

Step  3.

Feel the entire body sitting comfortably still, release any unnecessary tension, and pay attention to the movement of the breath. Refine your awareness as you feel the breath become smoother and more subtle, expanding from the solar plexus into the limbs on the inhalation, and releasing back to the solar plexus on the exhalation. Be aware of the touch of the breath everywhere in the body.

Step  4.

Making sure the body and breath stay relaxed, focus your attention at each of the following energy centers, moving systematically through the body and inhaling and exhaling once at each point: eyebrow center · throat center · right shoulder · right elbow · right wrist · each of the right fingertips, starting with the thumb · right wrist · right elbow · right shoulder · throat center · left shoulder · left elbow · left wrist · each of the left fingertips, starting with the thumb · left wrist · left elbow · left shoulder · throat center · heart center · navel center · center of the pelvis · pelvic floor · center of the pelvis · navel center · heart center · throat center · eyebrow center.

Step  5.

Now rest your attention at the eyebrow center. Feel the ebb and flow of the breath through the inner space of the whole body, while maintaining your focus on the eyebrow center. Sense the vibration of a slow wave of breath. This vibration is the mantra soham (pronounced so-hum). Hear the sound so on the inhale, and the sound ham on the exhale. The breath is subtle and slow, so let your concentration be fine and sensitive, becoming more and more one-pointed, and gradually drawing deeper into the mind. Rest in this awareness as long as you like.

To finish the practice, gradually return your awareness to the flow of the breath in the body, the physical presence of the body, and the space around you. Remain aware of the breath and your inner connection as you release the body from your sitting posture. You may want to open your eyes into the palms of your hands, massage your face, and stretch your arms and legs before getting up.

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.

Meditation Timers with Singing Bowls & Chimes

adapted from Yoga International Magazine, by Sandra Anderson

Zen Alarm Clock, Ukiyo-e Hokusai Wave Dial Face, mediation timer and clock

Now & Zen’s Meditation Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

meditation may increase compassion

Meditation might be your prescription for a happier mind and kinder heart, a new University of Wisconsin-Madison study shows. Scientists worked with 16 Tibetan monks and 16 meditation novices, giving the beginners lessons on compassion meditation two weeks prior to a series of brain-scan experiments. Those brain scans — taken while the participants responded to different emotional cues — revealed that the monks had more activity in certain brain regions involved in processing empathy. The findings, according to study authors, suggest that meditation may train the brain to increase feelings of compassion and happiness.

To start your own meditation practice, try this exercise created by “Untrain Your Parrot” author Elizabeth Hamilton:

• Set your Zen Meditation Timer with Gong for 20 minutes.
• Sitting with your spine erect, breathe deeply, placing your fingertips over the center of your chest if you like.
• As you inhale, picture a person to whom you want to extend compassion. As you exhale, silently say, “May compassion awaken.” Inhale and exhale for several breaths, focusing on the center of your chest.
• Recalling the person, silently say, “May whatever clouds compassion be healed.” Repeat this cycle with the phrase, “May this moment be experienced, exactly as it is,” and finally, “May compassion be extended to all.”
• Repeat the exercise for 20 minutes until your Zen Timer Gongs.

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.

adapted from Body + Soul Magazine, August 2007

Zen Timepiece, a brass singing bowl clock and timer for meditation and yoga

Now & Zen – The Zen Timer Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO  80302

(800) 779-6383

Benefits of Sleep

Wake up! New research reported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science shows that sleep is one of the brain’s most powerful tools for learning and remembering. University of Chicago researcher Daniel Margoliash found evidence that young birds practice singing while they sleep: Brain cells active during waking hours showed similar firing when the baby birds napped. “Birds dream of singing,” Margoliash says. And after navigating a spiral maze all day, rats apparently dream of running. Matthew Wilson of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that the sleeping rodents’ brains replayed electrical signals characteristic of running. In human laboratory experiments, students who were tested and then allowed to sleep before retesting showed consistent improvement.

In fact, Robert Stickgold of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that a period of sleep between tests resulted in a 20% boost in performance without additional training, and “the more sleep the students got, the more they improved.” Says Stickgold, “Modern life’s erosion of sleep time could be seriously short-changing our education potential.” He says that “cramming all night may help you pass a test, but if you want to remember any of it after college, you need to sleep on it.”

adapted from Natural Solutions, Aug, 2002

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.

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.”

Chime Wake Up Clock by Now & Zen

Now & Zen’s Chime

Alarm Clock Store

1638 Pearl Street

Boulder, CO 80302

(800) 779-6383