SGTI is pleased to announce that our co-founder, Dr. Jeanette Banashak, has just had a new book published by  Apocryphile Press: The Mindful Pilgrimage

What happens when you take a mindful pilgrimage? Shift happens!
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Have you ever wanted to walk the Camino or take another pilgrimage?  Are you looking to start a new practice at home or abroad?  Co-founder and director of The Spiritual Guidance Training Institute, fellow pilgrim, and educator for over 20 years, Jeanette Banashak, PhD, EdD, has crafted an accessible guide for anyone desiring to go deeper into their spiritual journey.
Mindful Pilgrimage is small enough to take with you on a 40-day journey or to keep on a bedside table for practice at home.  Full of quotes and wisdom from interfaith and interspiritual leaders, this book helps you start or end your day with intention for the journey. 

Each day for 40 days, you set aside a few moments to read and contemplate sayings of wise teachers.  And, each day, you are asked three questions that you can ponder as you explore your inner landscape.
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Whether you immerse yourself in new culture and territory or stay at home, Mindful Pilgrimage will be with you every step of the way.  Say yes to change, and take the next step on your journey!

You can learn more about the book here. It is available through Amazon.com.

If you are wanting to cultivate presence and compassion in your life, here are 6 apps (out of the 1300+ that are out there these days) that promote mindfulness.  According to wildmind.org, mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience.  Amy Saltzman writes that mindfulness is paying attention here and now, with kindness and curiosity, so that we can choose our behavior.  Jon Kabat-Zinn explains that mindfulness is paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and without judgment.  Mindfulness cultivates calm, peace, and relaxation, all of which help us to lead happy lives.
 
1) Stop, Breathe, Think - https://www.stopbreathethink.com/ - offers 5 minute meditations that support mindful breathing and broadening the mind.  They give 10% of their profits to Tools for Peace, a non-profit that helps at-risk youth.
 
2) Insight Timer - https://insighttimer.com/ - offers more than 8000 free guided meditations and provides meditations in 25 languages.
 
3) Simple Habit - https://www.simplehabit.com/ - an app for busy people that offers over 1000 meditations that last 5 minutes.
 
4) Calm App - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/calm/id571800810?mt=8 - provides guided meditations between 3 – 25 minutes in length.  In addition, it features
* Daily Calm: a new 10-minute program added daily to help ease you into the day or unwind with before bed
* 60+ Sleep Stories: adult bedtime stories guaranteed to lull you to sleep
* 7 day and 21 programs for both beginner and advanced users
* Breathing exercises to relax
* Exclusive music engineered to help you focus, relax or sleep
* Unguided timed meditation
* Open-ended meditation
* 30+ soothing nature sounds and scenes to use during meditation, yoga or to help you sleep
 
5) Take a Break! - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/take-a-break-meditations-for-stress-relief/id453857236?mt=8 - provides you with step-by-step voice instructions. You can choose a work break relaxation (7 mins.) or a stress relief meditation (13 mins.) and listen with or without music or nature sounds.

6) Mindfulness Daily - http://www.mindfulnessdailyapp.com/ - is an app for busy people that helps you nourish a practice lasting a few minutes.
 
Whether you use an app or not, we hope that you find mindfulness practices that bring you relaxation, rest, and peace at any time of day, in any context.

​Jeanette Banashak, PhD, EdD