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As we reported in the April 2013 issue of Mindful magazine, Ali, Atman, and Andy founded the Holistic Life Foundation in 2001. Starting with 20 fifth-grade boys, the foundation’s after-school program introduced yoga, mindfulness, urban gardening, and teamwork to children in the neighborhood in an effort to revive the community through its youngest, most vulnerable members. In a city where the dropout rate for high school students is routinely higher than 50%, 19 of those first 20 boys graduated and the other got his GED....

Summertime means friends, family and, of course, food! During the summer, my husband and I love a good BBQ – especially grilling up burgers! Hot off the grill, cheese dripping down the sides, adding my favorite special sauce – THAT is what a summertime BBQ is all about. For this group date night BBQ, we have added a twist. We know that sometimes we can get comfortable with our food choices, and tonight’s date night shakes things up a bit....

JG Larochette: 25 kids who maybe got still and silent for 10 seconds in the first five months of the school year dropped into practice, eyes gently closed, bodies still. SD: That’s JG Larochette, he’s the founder and director at the Mindful Life Project. The Mindful Life Project is a nonprofit JG started almost a decade ago to help bring the transformative power of mindfulness and its tools to school kids and school communities....

The Cutest Hair Buns We Ever Did See 1. Braided Bun Updo One of the best things about bun updos, is that they are masters at hiding oily hair. If you’re do for a shampoo but don’t have the time, pop in a little dry shampoo like the Suave Moroccan Infusion Weightless Dry Shampoo to refresh your roots, and wear your favorite easy buns. Then, take a section of hair from right above your ear, and braid it down....

A report by Benoît Tranzer, managing director of branding giant Millward Brown, says the post-recession consumer has abandoned rampant consumerism, possibly for good. They want to shop carefully—mindfully, even—and advertisers are looking for ways to appeal to them. Tranzer maintains that the mindful consumer is doing more with less, turning away from expensive brand names, spending less on luxuries and buying closer to the heart. While the old consumer wanted instant gratification, the mindful consumer considers local community, moral responsibility and the environment....

It can be hard to find the time to commit to changes we think are important, like making our own baby food or doing some sort of daily exercise. So the average parent simply does not have the hours, or the psychological bandwidth, to make self-improvement a part-time job. Still, there must be some practical value to gain from such an inexhaustible knowledge base. Is it possible to be inspired by all the “better parenting” literature, rather than simply discouraged by its demands?...

MBCT combines the best of standard cognitive therapy, which helps people become aware of negative thought patterns and behaviors, with mindfulness-based strategies, which help people form a new relationship to thoughts and behaviors. MBCT consists of guided meditations and breathing practices, mindful movements like walking, and exercises aimed at understanding the stress-pain connection and identifying automatic thoughts that intensify pain. Through MBCT you learn to train the mind to identify and interrupt automatic thoughts, feelings, and reactions to pain and build a new relationship with discomfort....

I am constantly looking around my kitchen for pens, markers, and highlighters. They never seem to be where I left them and I don’t know what happens to them all. This is a quick, easy, idea that is sure to put a smile on your spouse’s face. It serves a practical purpose as well as being a gift for that special person. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here....

Stanford Compassion Training is an eight-week course (plus a week of orientation), which integrates traditional contemplative practices with contemporary psychology and scientific research on compassion. The training is designed to support anyone who wants to cultivate compassion for themselves and for others. No meditation experience is required. For more information and to register, click here.

This one-day conference will take place at Stanford University on December 6, 2013 and will include talks by academic experts and tech industry leaders. It wiill also include a Compassion and Technology Contest where individuals who are chosen for their compassion-inspired technological designs will present and compete for best design idea before a panel of judges and the conference audience. (The three winning finalists are up for some excellent prizes....

“These projects will help us understand whether meditation does indeed produce long-lasting changes in the brain, what these changes are, and whether these practices may be helpful in the daily life of people of those who are suffer from certain health problems as well as those who are ‘normal’,” says Richard J. Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry, and founder and chair of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center....

Give Your Look an Edge with this Slick Fall Style How to get the look If we hadn’t already made it clear, you’re going to need hair gel to create this style, lots of it. Use a gel like TRESemmé TRES Two Mega Firm Control Gel, it will hold this style in any weather and keep it looking shiny and slick all day long. Focus majority of the gel on top of your head and leave your ends dry....

CHRIST-Centered Family Activities and Traditions! We just LOVE Christmastime and all the fun crafts, presents, and goodies that come with it. But as parents, we’re always trying to find ways to make more meaningful memories with our family. With all the chaos and busyness of Christmas, we want to make sure we’re focused on the REAL reason for the season. You might remember that last year we shared LOTS of fun, Christ-centered family activities and traditions....

The Chunky Highlights Revival Read on to see if chunky highlights are for you: 1. Alt-Inspired Chunky Highlights This alt-inspired style offers a high-contrast blend of bleach blonde and dark roots. Ask your stylist to focus your highlights towards the front of your hairline for a flexible style. You can wear your hair pulled back to show off the chunky highlights or wear your strands down for just a subtle hint of color....

Herzfeld calls it the “Global Emotional Awareness Movement” (GLEAM). Her objectives in launching this movement include helping people appreciate the role emotions play in their lives, introducing practices for managing feelings, breaking down the cultural taboos around sharing feelings and inspiring a more emotionally aware and peaceful world. “When we don’t know what we’re feeling and when we’re operating from not knowing, we tend to hurt ourselves and others,” she explains....

Read on to learn which products to use during this time and how it can help you free up some time on your hands during this transitional season: Add These Time-Saving Hair Products to Your Beauty Routine 1. Dry Shampoo Brunch is a state of mind, yes, but getting up for brunch sometimes takes a lot more than mind over matter—particularly during days after you’ve indulged in too much wine by the fire!...

It’s All About Laid-Back Vibes in Denim Jacket Weather Skip the hair ties and move your bobby pins to the back of your vanity. Denim jacket weather calls for lightweight hairstyles that aren’t bogged down by accessories or complicated styles. Consider going easy on the hair products, too. If you’re going to use anything, consider Nexxus Humectress Luxe Lightweight Conditioning Mist. This barely-there hydrating product will give your hair a bit of shine and a healthy feel....

Need help figuring out what you should use on your hair to give it a detox at home? Read on for our top three shampoo picks. 4 Detox Shampoo Options for Your Hair Why use a detox shampoo? In order for you to maintain healthy-looking hair, you need to rid your hair from what is preventing it from flourishing as it should. This could be staying away from heat styling tools for a while, using deep conditioners to repair and replenish your hair strands, or simply using detox shampoos to get rid of buildup on the surface of your hair....

Day 9 is here! Can you believe that we are already over a week in!? Today you will dazzle your darling with these amazing Lyric Love Letters! You are sure to melt the heart of your sweetie with your personalized note written inside one of these beauties! Materials List: Lyric Love Letter Printable Love Challenge – Day 12 One of the best ways to really share our love it to put it in writing....

First you will need two eggs, a bowl, hairspray, gel, and a diffuser. These items will ensure that your hair will hold those scrunched curls longer. I do most of my hair in the shower. Since I can’t post that, wink wink, I did my hair a little bit differently. I started by grabbing the two eggs and a bowl. I cracked the egg but was careful not to let any of the yolk fall into the bowl....