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Style Blueprint
02-07-2025
- Health
- Style Blueprint
I Tried Nashville's New SAVA Sound Pod — Here's What Happened
Share with your friends! Pinterest LinkedIn Email Flipboard Reddit If you'd told me a few months ago I'd be spending an hour lying on what looks like a sleek, futuristic cradle surrounded by sound and gentle vibrations, I wouldn't have known what to picture. But after my 7 a.m. session in the SAVA Sound Pod, I had the most productive day I've had in months (or longer?). I was focused and creative. I had one of those 'on fire' days. It's so strange to me, but I'm starting to wonder if sound waves should be part of our whole wellness journey. Pin If you are thinking 'sound bath' (which is totally what I was thinking before going), this does not compare. I absolutely adore a good sound bath, but this was more therapeutic and active. If that's all you need to know, head to Framework Nashville's website to sign up for a 60-minute session. You may know Framework for its saunas and cold plunges, and now you need to know it for the SAVA Sound Pod! But I'm betting you want to know more ;). What Exactly Is the SAVA Sound Pod? Pin It's hard to explain the SAVA Sound Pod without experiencing it. Think of it as part spa treatment, part deep meditation, and part high-tech sound immersion. The SAVA Sound Pod is a state-of-the-art sound-therapy experience that blends vibroacoustic technology, spatial soundscapes, and a cushy four-inch memory-foam pad. Yes, four inches thick so that you basically sink into it! Some people describe the sensation as 'floating,' though I'd say it felt more like melting into a cozy cradle that holds you gently while the sound vibrations ripple through your body. Your session begins by choosing a sound 'journey' — a combination of music, tones, and frequencies designed to evoke a certain mood or state of being. Once you lie back, you slip on the provided eye mask and let the sound waves wash over you — literally. There are photos on the wall that showcase the patterns formed by the sound waves in water — really beautiful, but they also showcase the difference between the options. Pin How It Feels As you saw above, the pod itself looks like a soft, futuristic shell with sweeping sides that curve upward, almost like you're stepping into a cocoon without tall sides or a top. Within minutes, my whole body was humming gently. The sound doesn't just enter your ears; it's carried through the padding into your spine, legs, arms — every inch of you. That all-encompassing resonance lulled my thoughts into a softer rhythm. Some say they feel like floating in water or even in zero-gravity. I can't say I felt weightless, but I did feel lighter — like the knots in my shoulders and the busy thoughts in my head had been set on 'pause.' For me, it was like the sound was actually coming from within my brain, as it was completely immersive. Beyond Relaxation: The Science Behind SAVA This isn't just another 'relaxing soundtrack.' SAVA combines sound therapy and neuroscience, all created by Ray Kelly, a world-renowned injury rehabilitation and performance expert. Ray's background in biomechanics, recovery, and holistic healing shaped the design. The idea is to soothe the nervous system, reduce cortisol and stress, improve sleep, and even help with creative focus. Some early research also suggests sound therapy may support long-term brain health. I had the opportunity to speak with Ray when I experienced my first session. His earnestness to create a product that truly heals and centers you is obvious. My Takeaway I walked into my session curious and walked out feeling clearer and more at ease, as if my body and mind had taken a gentle reset. And, it lasted all day. I've been eager to get back, and I will. Whether you go for stress relief, a little introspection, or to jump-start your creativity, the SAVA Sound Pod is a unique way to truly unplug for an hour. The cost? An hour session is $88. Yes, it's a price point that not everyone can afford, but after experiencing the technology and craftsmanship, I was actually surprised it wasn't more. It just feels like one of those things only the .01% could experience. But, at $88, forgo a dinner out and see if a SAVA Sound Pod session gives you something you might even enjoy more. You don't need any prior meditation experience. Just wear comfortable clothes (they recommend skipping caffeine for two to three hours beforehand), lie down, and let yourself drift whichever way the sound takes you. You can go earlier in the day to help with creativity or later on to help calm you down. Different sound options promote whichever one you are looking for. There is only one sound pod, so you and a friend cannot book simultaneously, but you could book back-to-back time slots! For more details, visit Framework at 1411 4th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37210 ********** To stay in the know on the best of Nashville and around the South, subscribe to our daily emails! About the Author Liza Graves As CEO of StyleBlueprint, Liza also regularly writes for SB. Most of her writing is now found in the recipe archives as cooking is her stress relief!
New York Post
04-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Michael Goodwin: Colorado attack proves America needs some common sense on immigration
During a long-ago spate of police misconduct issues, then-NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly noted with dismay that some of the accused had only recently joined the police force. 'It's frustrating,' Kelly told me at the time, 'because we try very hard not to recruit our problems.' It's a common-sense principle that America has lost sight of when it comes to immigration. From antisemitism to street crime, the nation is bedeviled by an explosion of violence and hate. Even a cursory review reveals that a significant portion of the wrongdoing is being committed by immigrants, most of them here illegally, thanks to Joe Biden's insane open border policy. Turning on America A key distinction involves the leaders of the pro-Hamas campus turmoil. Many are foreign students from Muslim nations legally admitted on student visas, only to turn on America and Israel once they got here by supporting a terrorist organization. The result is that in both street crime and antisemitism, we have been importing far too many of our problems. The two streams came together in the heinous attack in Boulder, Colo., where Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national, was charged with throwing firebombs at people marching in support of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Twelve people were injured, some with serious burns. Soliman and his family were living in the US illegally — a fact most media accounts didn't mention. Boulder County Sheriff's Office/AFP via Getty Images Witnesses said Soliman was shouting 'Free Palestine' as he threw Molotov cocktails, and he later said he aimed to 'kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,' according to the FBI. Reports say he was planning the attack for a year and told officials he would do the same thing again if given the chance. Soliman and his family were living in the US illegally — a fact most media accounts didn't mention. He arrived in August 2022 on a B2 visa, which is granted for tourism and family visits. It expired in February 2023, according to the Department of Homeland Security, which said he then applied for asylum, and got work authorization permits that also had expired. His wife and five children were taken into custody by ICE officials, and Fox News reported Tuesday they are being fast-tracked for deportation. None of this is to suggest all immigrants are likely to commit violent crimes. Rather, the recent pattern points up the need for serious vetting of immigrants before they are admitted. It also means there must be continued monitoring of their conduct, lest they violate the conditions of their stay and victimize Americans. Our nation doesn't need them because millions of people around the world who play by the rules and wait their turn to enter are almost certain to contribute more to America. They will be better citizenship candidates than those who simply walked across the border and made a phony claim of asylum. Common sense For most of our history, those were regarded as common-sense standards that were supported by both political parties, and most people were proud to call America a nation of immigrants. But as trust in the federal government declined and leftist ideologues rewrote history to declare the US a hotbed of racism and xenophobia, the government backed off enforcement. Biden was the absolute worst. His decision to let in as many as 15 million people without vetting is already proving to be one of the biggest, enduring mistakes any president ever made. The good news is the open border was a top reason Donald Trump was elected. Although his abrupt moves with tariffs have diminished public confidence in his handling of the economy, the president remains in solid positive territory among voters for his hard-line approach to illegal immigration. For good reason — he managed to virtually seal the border, as he said he would, and is trying to keep his promise to deport criminal aliens. Similarly, his aggressive moves against Harvard, Columbia and other elite colleges over the rampant harassment and intimidation of Jewish students aims to force the schools to fulfill their obligations under civil rights laws while also deporting foreign students who violate the terms of their visas. Naturally, Democrats oppose all this. Not a single congressional Democrat objected to Biden's unprecedented decision to leave the border open for the better part of four years, nor did blue state mayors and governors demand that he shut it. The invasion remains an economic and social disaster that cost the federal government, states and cities untold billions of dollars, a bleeding that hasn't ended yet. New York City alone spent at least $5 billion to house and feed more than 200,000 people who showed up uninvited, and a significant number have been arrested for shoplifting, robbery and other crimes. Around the nation, some who came during the Biden madness have been convicted of notorious murders while others have been arrested on human trafficking, gang and narcotics charges. Although studies of previous immigrants show they commit crimes at lower rates than native-born Americans, the vast numbers Biden allowed in dwarf any other four-year span in our history. Consider that over 50 years, from 1880 to 1930, some 27 million people legally migrated to the United States in what has been called the largest migration in human history. On an annual basis, the illegals came in far greater numbers under Biden and present a continuing potential source of trouble. If even 10% of the 15 million commit just one crime a year, that's an additional 1.5 million crimes annually. Against that backdrop, it is absolutely bizarre that so many Dems have made a top priority of letting foreign troublemakers stay in the United States. Whether it's a criminal gang member or a student leading riots, they effectively take the position that nobody should be deported without a due process system that can drag on for years. Many gang members Never mind that some are hardened gang members, drug dealers, human traffickers and mental patients who were kicked out of their home countries and prisons and sent to America. Naturally, the leftist media also opposes anything Trump does, including his effort to deport criminal aliens. The Colorado case seems to have provoked handwringing in many newsrooms, to judge by hair-splitting accounts about whether the suspect was here legally. Trump had no doubts, posting on social media that Sunday's attack was 'yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland.' Like him or not, he's absolutely right.
ABC News
02-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Calls for more community programs combating rising type 2 diabetes in Western Sydney
Kelly Anderson's life fell apart when she suddenly lost her daughter in 2017. She stopped leaving the house, started eating unhealthy food and rapidly gained weight. "I was in a really dark place," she said. The Dhungatti and Gumbaynggirr woman sought advice from a doctor after finding a lump in her breast, which was ultimately deemed benign, but the GP delivered a searing reality check. She was diagnosed with high cholesterol and blood pressure, bursitis, chronic pain and type 2 pre-diabetes. "I was 151 kilos, I was morbidly obese … I was really lucking out," Ms Anderson said. A counsellor from Indigenous health service Marrin Weejali in Mount Druitt recommended she reach out to exercise physiologist Ray Kelly, who runs community lifestyle program Too Deadly for Diabetes. At that point, Ms Anderson could barely walk around her local park without losing her breath. "It took me maybe 30 to 45 minutes to walk around the park, I had to stop every 10 to 20 metres," she recalled. Mr Kelly remembers meeting Ms Anderson for the first time. Mr Kelly runs the 10-week lifestyle program that promotes nutrition, exercise and practical steps to lowering blood glucose levels. The program targets Indigenous people with diabetes in NSW, recently other remote regions, and is typically facilitated through a local medical centre. "When people first come to us there's a bit of fatalism around their diabetes or their health in general," Mr Kelly said. Type 2 diabetes is the most prevalent chronic disease in Australia and one of the largest health challenges facing Western Sydney. One in 10 adults have been diagnosed with the disease in the western suburbs, costing the state about $1.8 billion a year according to NSW Health. Factors like lifestyle, diet and cultural and family markers play a role, as well as limited access to affordable and healthy food. But advocates believe a lack of community exercise programs is also contributing to the issue. "We know that the rates of diabetes in Blacktown is twice as high as it is in Mosman," Western Sydney Diabetes director Glen Maberly said. "It's related to the fact that people are unable to get out there and do as much physical activity, there's more car driving … there is a higher concentration of fast food outlets." A federal parliamentary inquiry into diabetes last year made 23 recommendations, including expanding efforts to increase exercise in neighbourhoods. None of the recommendations are yet to be implemented and no additional funding was allocated towards research or prevention in this year's federal budget. "Whilst measures to reduce the cost of medicines and increase bulk-billing were welcome, there is simply not enough being done to curb the alarming growth in numbers of people living with diabetes," CEO of Diabetes Australia Justine Cain said in a statement. Ms Anderson believes the exercise and diet plan, combined with the emotional support Mr Kelly's program provided, ultimately saved her life. She found a love in exercise, particularly boxing, and her GP said she no longer has type 2 pre-diabetes. "I followed the meal plan, and in that first week I was like, should I just stay morbidly obese," she joked. "Losing my daughter was my biggest motivation of turning my life around and improving my health. "She doesn't get to live out the rest of her life, but I have an opportunity to do that."
The Irish Sun
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Skorts saga shows backwards thinking in Camogie Association but isn't the only example still around in Ireland
THERE are certain phrases which, when they appear in statements, should set off alarm bells. They sound like they been devised by so-called communications experts and are often heard from organisations when they find themselves on the back foot. Advertisement 2 This year's inter-county season has been flung into doubt amid continued player unrest 2 Camogie Association president Brian Molloy tried to explain his organisation's stance earlier this week while appearing on RTE Radio They are designed to convince you that something is black when your own eyes tell you that it is, in fact, white. 'Player welfare is at the heart of everything we do' is one such phrase. It is the sort of line might hear from a sporting federation when a player is unable to say what day of the week it is after taking a hit to the head. Substitute animal for player and it can also be used by, say, a company transporting livestock in cramped conditions for hours on end on their way to the slaughter house. Advertisement Read More On GAA Spoiler alert: The welfare of the player or animal is not always as important as they claim it is but maybe they believe if they repeat it often enough they might convince people, perhaps even themselves, that it is true. The above line was used by the Camogie Association in the If the likes of me are sitting up and paying attention to a row within Gaelic games, then you know you are in trouble. I am well and truly out of my lane and I am curious to see where this drift takes me. Advertisement Most read in GAA Hurling If this continues, expect opinions on farming, period dramas and golf next week. The Camogie Association's president Brian Molloy may have had a similar sense of discombobulation when he found himself in 'It's a failure on the camogie association' - RTE GAA pundits don't sit on fence over 'no-brainer' skorts saga We all know that, if you are explaining, you are losing. And the crux of the matter is that you would struggle to describe this issue to a foreigner who has grown up in a liberal country — Advertisement Because how can you begin to explain that, in 2025, in order to compete in a sport it is a requirement for girls and women to wear a hybrid garment which the majority of players dislike? Maybe it is because girls are used to being told what and what not to wear — how often have you heard a boy be told, 'You're not leaving the house in that'? — that there was just a weary acceptance that this is the way things were and have always been and that resistance is futile. But, in insisting that Dublin and Kilkenny's players change out of shorts if they wanted their Leinster Championship semi-final to proceed, referee Ray Kelly may have unwittingly done them all a favour. The Dublin County Board presumably had good intentions in instructing officials to allow matches to proceed even if teams were not donning skorts but, in reality, it was an Irish solution to an Irish problem. Advertisement It perpetuated rather than challenged the absurdity of the dress code but, in seeking to apply the rules, Kelly highlighted their ridiculousness to the point that they could no longer be ignored. MATTER OF TIME It is not a question of if they will be changed but how and when. You do not need to be an expert on our native sports to see how the governing body has not handled this well and has suffered reputational damage which may well prove to be irreparable. Molloy — who said he favours choice in the matter — told This Week: 'There's a process that I've got to go through. Advertisement 'It's bottom up, not top down, I don't make these decisions, I have to go through a process.' The process is a Special Congress this month when motions can be tabled to resolve the sport's wardrobe malfunction. But the notion that it is 'bottom up' is in itself flawed. Because, as has become clear, not least by the postponement at short notice of the Munster final between Cork and Waterford in an attempt to avoid a stand-off, players have not yet been listened to even though arguably they are bottom of the pile. Advertisement Yet it is not they who will decide on the change and there are no guarantees that their voices will be listened to. If player welfare was, indeed, at the heart of everything they did, then the ongoing situation would not have occurred in the first place. PLAYER SENTIMENT Instead, prior to the vote on motions concerning players' attire at the organisation's Annual Congress last year, the opinions of players themselves would have been canvassed. It is unlikely the results would have differed significantly from the Gaelic Players Association survey released last week which found that 70 per cent of players surveyed had experienced discomfort while wearing a skort, while 83 per cent said they should have a choice between skorts and shorts. Advertisement The notion of any sport knowingly endorsing a uniform code which is uncomfortable and, it is not unreasonable to extrapolate, affects performance is just bizarre. Think of the millions of Euros invested in both kit and equipment across various sports to maximise performance and here is one code which steadfastly sticks with one which inhibits it. To what end is not exactly clear. Many who believe that the skort should be the only choice are not particularly good at explaining their position — a sure indication that the position is indefensible — bar mumbling about tradition and femininity. Advertisement That stands in sharp contrast to the ability of players to articulate the issues. Teenage girls canvassed last week spoke of their embarrassment of having to constantly adjust the skort and the unflattering images which can result from making normal sporting movements in it. And Dublin captain Aisling Maher, 'How are female players still having to push for permission to wear shorts while they compete at the highest level of their sport? Advertisement 'In no other facet of my life does someone dictate that I have to wear something resembling a skirt because I am a girl. Why is it happening in my sport?' SCHOOL EXAMPLE But, while her last point may be true for her as an adult, it is not for thousands of girls up and down the country. Some schools — including those which are girls-only and have a religious ethos — have had the good sense to offer their female students the choice of wearing trousers rather than skirts if they so wish. Others have not, so the sight of teenage girls being forced to expose their bare legs to the Irish winter remains a familiar one. Advertisement How, in this day and age, can anyone justify that? The truth is nobody can and, as the skorts issue has shown, all it takes is for a light to be shone upon it for people to realise that it is something which cannot be tolerated any longer.
The Irish Sun
08-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Under-fire Camogie chiefs urged to grant skorts exemption until Special Congress motion decision held over controversy
UNDER-fire Camogie chiefs have been urged not to punish players for wearing shorts instead of skorts. The Camogie Association today announced it will Advertisement 2 The Camogie Association will hold a Special Congress on May 22 in a bid to resolve the controversy over the mandatory skorts The Special Congress follows a campaign from players who say the garments are uncomfortable and deter girls from taking up the sport. If the motion passes, teams would have the option of wearing shorts or But with games scheduled for the next two weeks, the Camogie Association was today urged to grant an exemption immediately. Labour TD Alan Kelly, who is Chairperson of the Oireachtas Advertisement Read more in GAA 'Players should not have to wait three more weeks. We must give them that now.' Camogie officials today moved to call a Special Congress after Advertisement Most read in The Irish Sun The Munster finalists ramped up the pressure on the Camogie Association after a Leinster senior semi-final match between Dublin and Kilkenny camogie players wear shorts in protest against skorts Referee Ray Kelly warned both groups that the game would be abandoned if they did not change. Maher, who described the moment as a 'career low', today welcomed news that the Camogie Association could finally move on the skort issue. Advertisement Camogie Association rules insist on players wearing skorts - a skirt with a pair of integral shorts hidden underneath. A motion was set to be brought to the Camogie Association Annual Congress in 2026 to address the issue. But following a major backlash, officials will now consider the matter at the end of the month. 2 If a motion passes, teams would have the option of wearing shorts or skorts from May 24 Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Advertisement
