Mindfulness of body allows us to practice being aware of what it feels like to be in this body in the present moment with an attitude of kindness and interest. This week we continue the exploration of the early teachings on mindfulness from the Satipatthana Sutta. Following mindfulness of breathing, the next two instructions for […]
The four foundations of mindfulness include mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of the mind and mindfulness of the mental formation.
Accepting change with mindfulness and meditation brings a greater sense of happiness and peace. If there is one thing that we can count on, it is that change is inevitable. Everything is impermanent. We can either fight against this reality, tightening our bodies and clinging to rigid and inflexible thinking, which most often leads to […]
Letting go of fear can bring a greater sense of peace and freedom. Fear is a normal and healthy response that can protect us from danger. The problem is that we are at risk for automatically reacting to our fear and allowing it to immobilize us even when there is no real danger. When you […]
Dealing with difficult thoughts by approaching our inner experience with mindfulness, with kindness and curiosity, can support our wellbeing. Difficult thoughts can lead to difficult mental states — anger, hatred, resentment –and take us out of the present moment. How many moments have we all struggled with difficult thoughts that lead us to get entangled […]
Cultivating self-compassion can nurture a greater sense of inner peace, happiness, and resilience. In cultivating self-compassion, we practice noticing the moments in which we are treating ourselves with harshness and criticism. We pause, bring our kind awareness to this habit, and choose something different. We can focus on our sense of shared humanity, acknowledging our […]
Silence is a source of great strength. –Lao Tzu Just for today, try to enjoy a moment of silence. Try not filling it with worrying, planning, deciding or regretting. Open your heart and mind to a sense of spacious awareness and find the breath. Be still and embrace the freedom that is available in the […]
Accepting reality is a practice and a habit that can help us to feel a greater sense of peace and wellbeing. Frequently, mindfulness students say to me that they have a difficult time meditating because they feel restless, agitated, bored or experience physical pain or discomfort. Mindfulness is an opportunity for us to observe with […]
Responding vs reacting is a mindfulness approach to stress reduction and resilience. We spend much of our time simply reacting to the various stimuli that we encounter every day. It is possible to change this habitual pattern by bringing awareness to that space between stimulus and our reactivity and expanding it with mindfulness so that […]
Being in silence in meditation is not about achieving anything, including an empty mind. When we learn to practice being in silence, we can access the infinite potential that lies within us. Being still and silent, let go of outer distractions and then turn the attention to deep listening to present moment experience. Pause, soften, […]