Month: October 2018

October 28, 2018 at 07:00AM First things first, for those who have never heard of hand mudras: They’re not complicated, and you can start incorporating them into your life stat to reap the well-being benefits. To put it simply, mudras are hand positions that are used during meditation to “reinforce specific healing states of mind,” says meditation teacher and transformational coach Sah D’Simone. They help “draw your mindfulness inward and reconnect you with your heart’s language of compassion, kindness, goodness, creativity, and joy,” he says. Sounds beautiful, right? “Mudras draw your mindfulness inward and reconnect you with your heart’s language of compassion, kindness, goodness, creativity, and joy.” —meditation teacher Sah D’Simone Each finger represents a different element, Unplug Meditation teacher Megan Monahan says. The thumb symbolizes space; the index is air; the middle finger is fire; the ring finger is water; and the pinky stands for earth. So it is believed that by creating different mudras with your hands via different configurations of your fingers, you are tapping into that powerful energy. “You have within you the infinite organizing power of the universe,” Monahan says. “No big deal.” Whether you’re a meditation newbie or use the Headspace app every single day, try out the following mudras whenever you feel like leveling up. Read on to learn 9 hand mudras, their benefits, and how to do them. Photo: Getty Images/Javier Snchez Mingorance 1. Varada mudra Meaning: Granting of wishes Benefits: “Varada mudra evokes generosity, charity, giving, compassion, being part of the solution,

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October 28, 2018 at 05:00AM Best friends forever are supposed to last, well, forever, and losing one can be a very rough, painful, emotional experience. Sometimes the distress feels more intense than what comes from a romantic breakup. With a BFF breakup, the one person who’s always there to listen to you vent, take you out for a night on the town to cheer you up, or binge-watch movies with you while downing a pint of nice cream is no longer there to ease the pain. It’s definitely not an easy loss to get over. But, while it’s not easy, do keep in mind that it’s a common experience through which many folks suffer. And, it could be the result of many different issues, says therapist and friendship expert, Miriam Kirmayer. Maybe the friendship was downright toxic and you finally had enough. Maybe there was one big fight that led to the falling out (i.e., your trust was violated) or tons of little things (like a friend being flakey all. the. time.) that signaled to you it was time to go your separate ways. Our lives change. We change. Then one day, you find that you just don’t have anything in common anymore. “More often than not, friendships end because of this gradual distancing process that happens,” Kirmayer says. Our lives change. We change. Then one day, you find that you just don’t have anything in common anymore. Or, it might just be the fact that your schedules don’t match

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October 28, 2018 at 03:49AM Astrologer Jennifer Racioppi is here with the celestial weather report for the week, with a wellness twist! Here’s her best advice on getting the most out of the next seven days with your food, fitness, and self-care choices—no matter what your sun sign is.  Monday, October 29 The week begins on a promising note. With Mercury, the planet of communication, conjoining Jupiter, the planet of good luck, while making a manifesting trine to Chiron, Monday holds great potential and brings ample support. Tune in to this potential and accept it. Today’s aspects support you to foster an even healthier mindset. To that point, spend time journaling, especially about what the last year has brought forth for you. Monday holds great potential and brings ample support. Tune in to this potential and accept it. With Mercury and Jupiter meeting up and blending forces today in the sign of Scorpio, take time to dialogue with yourself. Jupiter has traveled in Scorpio since October 10, 2017. Next month on November 8, it exits Scorpio, entering into Sagittarius, and won’t return to Scorpio until 2029. Consider what you have learned since Jupiter came into this sign a little more than a year ago. How have you grown? Tuesday, October 30 Venus, which continues its retrograde journey, squares the nodes of fate today as it opposes Uranus. This combination pushes you to own your value, and take a stand for your beliefs. Embrace an attitude of grit, determination, and resilience as you own your

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