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Tag: meditation

  • A Meditation for Working With Our Self-Judging Voice

    A Meditation for Working With Our Self-Judging Voice

    A guided meditation to get familiar with our self-judging voice and how we relate to our flaws, so that we can cultivate compassion and recognize our own worthiness.

    Mindfulness is about paying attention to our present moment experiences with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be with what is. Mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment with openness to things as they really are, as opposed to how we want them to be or how they could be, or wishing that they were different, which we do quite a bit. This includes our uncomfortable experiences—like being with our fear, grief, regret, and that self-judging voice that sometimes makes us feel so small.

    Self-compassion is the idea that even with all of our flaws, we can still care about ourselves.

    Self-Compassion vs. Self-Esteem

    I want to talk about the concept of self-compassion. Self-compassion is different from self-esteem. There seems to be this epidemic of self-judgment in the world, where people are often self-critical and have a lot of self-hating voices in their heads. Self-compassion is not the build up of self-esteem, because the build up of self-esteem tends to lead people to needing a lot of external validation to feel ok. Instead, self-compassion is the idea that even with all of our flaws, we can still care about ourselves, that we can make mistakes, that we can screw up, that we can have problems, but we’re still fundamentally a good human being. We can connect with that understanding and have compassion for ourselves, even with the flaws that we have. 

    What’s so amazing about mindfulness practice is we can use mindfulness to be aware when we have those self-critical voices, and we can label that voice as “judging”. We can notice when we have those judging voices because we have a mindfulness practice that allows us to have quite a bit more self-awareness, more ability to regulate emotions, and all of the positive things that come with the mindfulness practice. When these thoughts come we can be on top of them and not get so caught up.

    I sometimes talk about getting on the train – when you have a really powerful thought and you start thinking about it, and suddenly twenty minutes later you realize you’ve been on this train and were not in the present moment at all. However, the moment you recognize this, you can get off the train. Or, you can recognize this initially and not get on the train in the first place. You can stay at the platform and just let the thoughts go.

    A Meditation for Working With Our Self-Judging Voice

    1. Find your seat. Let’s begin by settling back into our comfortable posture, with your body upright but not too rigid or tight. Put your feet on the floor, hands resting on your lap, and your eyes can be closed. Most of us do this practice with our eyes closed but you don’t have to. You can keep them open but not looking all around, just looking downward. 
    2. Begin to notice your breathing. Begin with a few deep breaths letting you relax a little bit more. Invite in the possibility of relaxation with each deep breath. For this next period of time, you don’t have all of the worries and concerns. You’ve left them at the door, I hope. They may pop up into your mind but you can remind yourself that you don’t have to get on that train, and just come in to the present moment, feeling, or breath, while being present. 
    3. Focus on where you feel the breath most. Bring your attention to your stomach and notice if it’s tight or contracted. Take a deep breath if it is and just let it go. Notice your hands softening, and relax them. Notice your shoulders, jaw, throat, and face, and sense everything that’s obvious to you, maybe on the surface of the skin and maybe more internal. Do this with curiosity and with an eye out to relaxing a little bit.
    4. Let yourself be here right now, in this moment, and see if you can bring your attention to your breathing and to your breath in your body, wherever you feel your breath the clearest within your body. You might notice your abdomen rising and falling, or your chest rising and falling, expanding, and contracting with the breath. You might notice the tingling at your nostrils as air enters and exits. Some people notice the whole torso breathing with the air moving through their body, and that’s fine too.
    5. Shift attention to sounds. Now turn your attention to the sounds around you, just listen to sounds one after the next. Both the sound of silence, and the sounds that come and go. Don’t be lost in a story about the sounds, but just simply listen to them. 
    6. Find an object to anchor your attention. Find a focus for your meditation today. It could be your breath in your abdomen, or chest, or nose, or the full body breathing, or it could be listening to the sounds—any of those things work fine. Go to whichever one seems the most interesting to you, there’s no right way to do. If you can’t decide then just pick one, it doesn’t matter too much. 
    7. Notice the body breathing. Notice your abdomen moving up and down, chest expanding and contracting, air moving through your nose with each breath, full body breathing, or the sounds around you. 
    8. Stay with the sensations of breathing. We begin this mindfulness practice by attending to breath after breath, or sound after sound, staying with it to the best of our abilities, feeling the breath. 
    9. When the mind wanders, label your thoughts. At a certain point your attention will wander, and thoughts will come into your consciousness. When you notice that you’re lost in a thought, you can say a soft word like “thinking” or “wondering”, and come back to your main focus. Keep doing that again and again. This is emphasized for today’s practice because we are talking about how mindfulness can help us with self-judgment, and recognizing that you can notice the type of thought you’re having and give it a label.
    10. You can keep an eye out for judging thoughts, and every time you judge you can say in your mind a soft word like “judging”, or “self-judgment”, or “criticism”, or you can find the word that makes sense to you. It will help you to see the way in which the judgments arise. It’s not personal by the way; you didn’t set out to make yourself feel bad. It just happens. “That person is a better meditator than I am”, or “I’ll never get this right”, or “Why did I do that thing yesterday, it was so foolish”.  These are the kind of voices that come into our mind for some of us frequently. For others they may be rare; that’s fine too. 
    11. Notice self-critical thoughts as they arise. Use mindfulness practice to not judge yourself, to not judge yourself for being judgmental, and just notice judging. If you want to count the occurrences you can; for example “judging 1, judging 2… judging 20.” While you’re noticing these thoughts, you might get drawn to other types of thoughts. If so, you can use other labels like “planning”, “remembering”, “imagining”, and so forth. 
    12. Invite self-compassion. As you do this practice, please keep a quality of kindness towards yourself. Be curious. Notice how interesting your mind is without judging yourself. Maintain the spirit of kindness and investigation. 
    13. Reflect on the quality of your meditation. For the last few minutes of this meditation, just notice how you are doing with this awareness practice, with the mindfulness of breath, and with mindfulness of the way your thoughts operate. You can ask yourself, “Did I get on the train?”, “Did I get off the train?”, or “Did I stay at the platform maybe once or twice?”
    14. Did you notice many judging thoughts? I’m hoping you brought a kind attitude to yourself for the judging thoughts, if they were present. 
    15. Close with kindness. We will do a little bit of kindness meditation to conclude. Notice how you’re feeling, and see if you can also bring to mind someone you love, someone who makes you happy. It could be a dear friend, a child, a pet cat or dog. If you can’t think of anyone, it can be someone you’ve read about who you admire. 
    16. Repeat kind phrases. Say these phrases, and repeat them in your mind (or you can come up with your own). May you be safe and protected. May you be happy and peaceful. May you be healthy and strong. May you be at ease. 
    17. Send kind phrases to loved ones. Send these words and heartfelt feeling out to this loved one. Notice how it feels inside to make those wishes for them. Imagine that they send it back to you. May you be safe and protected. May you be happy and peaceful. May you be healthy and strong. May you accept yourself, just as you are.  
    18. See if you can “take” the kindness. Imagine the kindness moving through your body, wherever you are. Can you bring compassion to yourself exactly where you are, for whatever is happening right now? May I hold this with kindness. May I hold myself with compassion. Take a breath and notice if this is possible, to bring kindness to the best of your abilities wherever you are, however it makes sense to you. May I be with myself exactly as I am.
    19. Open your eyes. When you’re ready you can open your eyes, but take your time. 



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  • Foster Forgiveness With This 10-Minute Guided Meditation

    Foster Forgiveness With This 10-Minute Guided Meditation

    Explore this mindfulness practice to foster forgiveness and let go of the tendency to add to suffering during challenging situations.

    Two monks are walking down the road. They arrive at a muddy stream crossing, and a well-dressed woman declares without introduction, “Don’t just stand there. Someone carry me across this mess.“

    Without pause, the older monk lifts her across. She says nothing, not even a thank you.

    The two monks walk all day. The whole time, the younger one stews in his mind—How could he pick her up? We’re not supposed to touch women, or even talk to them. And she was so rude, someone should say something to her, she didn’t deserve our help.

    Finally, arriving at the inn for dinner, he can’t hold himself back. “What were you thinking?” he asks his friend. “She was nasty, and you broke the rules, and she didn’t even say thank you.”

    The older monk smiles gently and replies. “Wow, I put that woman down hours ago, but you’ve been carrying her all this time!”

    Why We Carry Anger and Resentment

    So what does that mean in real life? We make mistakes. Other people make mistakes. We do things to others. Others do things to us. There’s an actual experience that can be trivial or even traumatic. We add to the suffering with judgment, anger, and blame. It’s sometimes referred to as adding a second arrow after being struck by a first. Something unpleasant happens, but then we add more to the experience.

    With forgiveness, we make amends when needed but let go of the extra baggage. We give ourselves the same benefit of the doubt we’d offer a close friend.

    Forgiveness isn’t the same as condoning ourselves or anyone else for misbehavior. But we so easily hold ourselves infinitely responsible, often for experiences utterly out of our control or from decades past. With forgiveness, we make amends when needed but let go of the extra baggage. We give ourselves the same benefit of the doubt we’d offer a close friend.

    On the other hand, we sometimes allow someone else to influence our lives long after they’ve gone in a similar fashion. Another driver cuts us off in traffic, putting us in danger, and then speeds off. The driver arrives at brunch and relaxes, but we make our own coffee break bitter dwelling in our own anger. It’s a concept that holds across larger situations too. Anger and resentment simmer and grow, while compassionate resolve allows us to address what needs addressing without slinging additional arrows.

    A Forgiveness Meditation to Let Go of Added Suffering

    1. Find yourself a comfortable posture, or take a moment lying on the floor, or a bed.
    2. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of breathing, noting whatever is grabbing your attention, or whatever you’re feeling now, and without judgment, bringing your attention back to the rising and falling of your breath.
    3. Picture something that comes to mind that you judge yourself for. Maybe you feel regret, or irritation, or sadness. Notice how it feels even bringing it to mind. Then focus on these three phrases, not forcing anything but setting an intention: I forgive myself for not understanding. I forgive myself for making mistakes. I forgive myself for causing pain and suffering to myself and others.
    4. Bring your attention back again and repeat the phrases. For a few moments instead of the breath using these phrases as a focus for your attention. This type of practice may become too painful. At any time, without judging yourself, come back and focus on the breath. Allow yourself to settle and return when you’re ready, now or maybe some time in the future.
    5. Our mind naturally holds onto instances where we feel mistreated by others. There may be experiences that were entirely wrong or traumatic or that concretely require our attention or action. At the same time, we can practice avoiding the second arrow. I forgive you for not understanding. I forgive you for making mistakes. I forgive you for causing pain and suffering to me and to others. Letting go of the tendency to add resentment and judgment and everything related to challenging and unpleasant situations. Again, if it’s too much to consider, return to breathing, or if you prefer, focusing on compassion for yourself instead.
    6. Practices of this kind can be quite challenging, so in these last few moments, on each in-breath, noticing and accepting whatever you feel right now. On each out-breath, as you would for a close friend, offering yourself relief, or freedom, or strength, or whatever first comes to mind.

    Forgiveness doesn’t mean being passive or not taking action. It doesn’t mean standing down when we need to protect ourselves or someone else from harm. Do what needs to be done—that might mean taking a pause, settling the mind, and trying to see things as clearly as possible before taking skillful action. Continue to practice forgiveness, over and over again, letting go of whatever holds you back.



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  • A 12-Minute Meditation to Meet the Body In Pain

    A 12-Minute Meditation to Meet the Body In Pain

    This week, Christiane Wolf offers a guided practice to meet your own body in pain and relieve that sense of isolation by internally connecting with others who understand your experience.

    Having chronic pain often feels incredibly lonely. You might not know anybody else who has the same condition. In addition, most people you’re close to, even though they might be well-intentioned, might not understand what you’re going through.

    But the fact is that probably thousands and thousands of people all over the world know exactly what you’re feeling. In this meditation, Christiane Wolf offers a guided practice to meet your own body in pain and relieve that sense of isolation by internally connecting with others who could relate to, have empathy for, and care deeply about your experience. 

    A Meditation to Meet the Body In Pain

    Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.

    1. Start by finding a comfortable position, or as comfortable as possible. You can lie down for this meditation or sit in a chair. You can close your eyes or just soften your gaze, whatever feels best to you in this moment. If you’re sitting, place your feet on the ground. Feel the solid ground under your feet, or maybe have a sense of the floor or the carpet through your shoes or bare feet. Let your back be straight and upright, if that is possible. Lean against the back of the chair and feel the support of that.
    2. Allow the body to relax, if that is possible. Maybe the jaw, the shoulder, the belly. Take a few deep slow breaths and feel the sensations of the breath in the body, like the chest or maybe the belly. See if you can release a little more tension with each exhalation.
    3. Now, notice any amount of pain that you’re in right now, either physically or emotionally. No need to be specific here, just getting a broad sense of what you’re carrying with this pain, with this condition. As a first step, see if it might be possible to acknowledge how hard and difficult it is to experience this pain, to have this pain and to take care of the pain. If it feels right to you, you could say something to yourself like, This is hard. It is so rough to feel this way. Use words that you would find helpful to hear from a dear friend who really gets what you’re going through.
    4. If you like, repeat this a few times. See if you can really listen to yourself saying this and meaning these words. It might feel good to hear these words, or maybe you notice yourself moving a little away and having a hard time accepting this. Whatever your experience is, it’s okay. There is no right or wrong way to do this. 
    5. Having chronic pain often feels lonely. You might not know anybody else who has the same condition. Most people you’re close to, even though they might be well-intentioned, might not understand what you’re going through. But the fact is that probably thousands and thousands of people all over the world know exactly what you’re feeling. Because they do, too. And they might even suffer from the same condition as you do.
    6. Now, in your mind’s eye, invite all these people into your awareness. Maybe as a few people, maybe as a big group, all standing with you or being with you in solidarity with this pain. I personally like to imagine them at my shoulders, reaching back and back. They get me. They know exactly how I feel. They’re feeling the same thing or have felt it before. I don’t have to explain or defend anything, because they already understand. 
    7. Keep practicing this in a way here that makes the most sense to you. Consider what makes it easy or maybe just possible to connect with this idea that there are truly so many people out there who get you, who get this pain. You’re not alone with this. If you notice the mind wandering off, just gently keep bringing it back. Allow this sense of your inner support group.
    8. When you’re ready, allow the image to dissolve. Take another few deeper and longer breaths, longer on the exhale than the inhale. Bring the meditation to an end by starting to move and stretch the body in any way that feels good. Open your eyes if you had them closed. 

    Thank you for your practice today. 



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  • A 12-Minute A Meditation to Get Curious About Your Cravings 

    A 12-Minute A Meditation to Get Curious About Your Cravings 

    This guided meditation helps your get curious about your cravings so you can break free from unhealthy habits.

    It’s normal to want to overcome those habits that aren’t serving you. But what happens when you get curious about your cravings instead of just trying to willpower your way out of them?

    We often imagine that our actions are the result of choice and awareness, which means that we can be extra critical of ourselves when we’re struggling with habits that aren’t serving us. But researchers in the science of habit and craving have found that much of our decision-making process is the result of unconscious neuro-chemical loops that reinforce themselves over time. 

    In this meditation, author and researcher Judson Brewer introduces a thoughtful way to bring genuine awareness and choice back into the equation when cravings arise. 

    This guided meditation was recorded live at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School

    • First, find a comfortable position. We can begin just by settling into a comfortable posture, whatever that posture is for us right now.
    • Now, tune into body sensations. Check in with your body. What does your body feel in this moment — are you holding tension in any places? Perhaps checking in with the feet and other touch points: the knees, the hips, our hands, our shoulders. Even this breath, breathing itself. Just being really curious: What’s alive for us right now in our bodies.
    • Name the cravings in your mind. For the next few minutes we’ll play with working with cravings. Once we’re settled and anchored in this body, just bring to mind something that really gets our juices flowing, whether it’s a food or something else we really like. We’re also bringing to mind those itches that we feel like we have to scratch. Many of us that are in “Inbox Zero,” which is this constant race to keep our inboxes and our e-mail accounts as small as possible. We can bring this to mind: What does it feel like? When I opened up my computer and I have 58 new e-mails in the last hour. So whether it’s something pleasant, or whether it’s something unpleasant that we feel like we have to deal with, just bringing that situation to mind. Really checking in to see what this urge to do something feels like in our body; this urge to hold onto the pleasant or the urge to make the unpleasant go away.
    • Now, notice how the craving shows up in your body. As we identify where it is in the body, we can dial up the curiosity. What does it feel like? Perhaps even naming to ourselves the physical sensations that are most predominant. We can even explore how this feeling shifts and changes as we bring this curious awareness to it. We can even dial up the curiosity a little bit more. If we had to pick is it more on the right side or the left side of our body? Is it more in the front or the back of our body? And what happens simply by curiously exploring where it is? How long does this sensation last? Is one sensation replaced by another that becomes more predominant? And if we notice that the sensation is fading away that was brought up by imagining that food or the e-mail inbox.
    • Notice what it feels like now just to rest in awareness in the body. Notice what it feels like to know that we can become aware of these sensations — That we don’t have to be slaves to our cravings, we can explore them with curiosity, moment to moment.
    • Finally, explore any other urges or cravings that surface. For the next few minutes. Simply resting in awareness of our bodies. Being on the lookout for these urges: Urges to get lost in fantasies or those urges to beat ourselves up over something that might have happened earlier in the day or in the week. Just diving right in. Exploring. Holding each sensation with this kind, curious awareness.

    This guided meditation provides additional information to a feature article titled “Constant Craving” which appeared in the April 2018 issue of Mindful magazine.



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  • A 12 Minute Meditation on Our Relationship to Thoughts

    A 12 Minute Meditation on Our Relationship to Thoughts

    Meditation teacher Vinny Ferraro offers a practice to notice our relationship to thoughts: to see them clearly as they arise, gently note them, and return to the breath and body.

    The nature of the mind is to make thoughts. All day long, mostly without our even noticing, the mind is generating thousands of thoughts. What is our relationship to thoughts? Not only does the mind have a mind of its own, but, literally, we can have thoughts about not having thoughts. All of this is completely independent of our own doing.

    It’s very easy to villainize thought as some kind of enemy of practice. We get in our heads that if there were no thoughts we would be at peace, but even that’s just another thought.

    It’s very easy to villainize thought as some kind of enemy of practice. We get in our heads that if there were no thoughts we would be at peace, but even that’s just another thought. So, we’ll be using a noting practice, where we practice seeing thoughts clearly as they arise, gently noting them, and returning to the breath and body. If there is no mindfulness of mind, we live in a world completely defined by our thoughts. Here, we let go of that orientation and just see things as they are. We still hear the internal talk, we still see the images, but we know them as phenomena. We see their impermanence.

    If we look, we may see how often our thoughts include judgment, fear, grasping, or just arguing our point of view. When we see how compulsively these thoughts repeat themselves, we begin to understand the circular, repetitive nature of thought. So, this training in awareness is a training in wisdom.

    A Meditation on Our Relationship to Thoughts

    We can’t stop thoughts from arising but we can stop getting lost in them. Here we can see our views, our thoughts, our worries, as only one part of a much larger story. As we begin this session, feel your body and allow yourself to arrive. This is the practice of kind awareness. Allow the breathing to be natural, easy. See if there’s a sense of relief that you don’t have to make anything happen or stop happening.

    Just simply note when thoughts arise. When you notice thoughts arise, gently note: “planning, planning,” or: “judging, judging.” We’re not noting things so that we can change them, we’re just turning toward this phenomenon and noticing thoughts that usually fly under the radar, just like the light little whisper. We don’t usually feel their impact; most of the time, we’re not even aware that they’re there and the next thing you know we’re carried off. So, we don’t want to be lost in the dream of our own mental activity.

    Don’t “quiet” your thoughts. You don’t have to control thoughts or quiet them down; we just want to be aware of them as they arise, because any moment we’re aware of them, we’re not lost in them. You can think about it like we’re sitting in a movie theater, and there are images and voices projected on the screen of the mind, but we’re witnessing this phenomenon instead of being seduced by it. This frees up a lot of our awareness, when we don’t have to chase every thought, so we can see the well-worn patterns of the mind and begin to recognize some of the themes that we’re working with.

    Note thoughts without empowering them. Note thoughts without indulging or empowering or needing to suppress or avoid them. This way, whatever arises is known and allowed to simply pass through. Thought bubbles are touched lightly, their content completely irrelevant—they are just another object.

    Rest in your body. Here we are resting in the body, aware of sensation, watching thoughts come and go, and yet we remain. As things pass through the mind, be open and empty. This is a being, not a doing, so we don’t have any need to search for something to note. But as thoughts are known, gently note them. Lightly touching thoughts, not lost in content, not trying to figure it out, but resting in the witnessing of what is naturally unfolding. The practice is to keep noticing, not by bearing down on thoughts or drilling into them, but by resting in your intuitive awareness and opening up your field of attention to include thoughts. Thoughts are so prevalent, they are a worthy anchor for a meditation.



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  • Mind Over Matter: How Meditation Can Boost Your Fitness Game (Target keywords: meditation, fitness, benefits)

    Mind Over Matter: How Meditation Can Boost Your Fitness Game (Target keywords: meditation, fitness, benefits)

    She had always been passionate about fitness, spending hours at the gym and pushing her body to its limits. But despite her dedication, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. It wasn’t until she discovered meditation that she realized the key to unlocking her true fitness potential. By incorporating meditation into her daily routine, she experienced a significant boost in her physical performance, and her overall well-being improved dramatically.

    The connection between meditation and fitness is a fascinating one. While meditation is often associated with spiritual growth and self-awareness, it also has a profound impact on physical health. Regular meditation practice has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep quality, and increase focus and concentration. All of these benefits can have a direct impact on fitness, enabling individuals to perform at a higher level and recover more quickly from intense physical activity.

    Introduction to Meditation and Fitness

    Meditation is a practice that involves training the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. It involves focusing the mind on a single point, such as the breath, a mantra, or a physical sensation, and observing any thoughts or distractions that arise without judgment. By regular practice, meditation can help individuals develop greater self-awareness, improve their emotional regulation, and enhance their cognitive function. When it comes to fitness, meditation can be a powerful tool for improving performance, reducing injury, and enhancing overall well-being.

    One of the primary ways that meditation can benefit fitness is by reducing stress and anxiety. When we experience stress, our bodies respond by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can have a negative impact on physical performance. Elevated cortisol levels can lead to decreased muscle mass, reduced bone density, and impaired recovery. By reducing stress and anxiety through meditation, individuals can create a more favorable environment for physical activity, allowing them to perform at a higher level and recover more quickly.

    The Benefits of Meditation for Fitness

    The benefits of meditation for fitness are numerous and well-documented. Some of the most significant advantages include:

    • Improved focus and concentration: Meditation can help individuals develop greater focus and concentration, allowing them to stay motivated and engaged during physical activity.

    • Enhanced recovery: Meditation has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve sleep quality, and enhance the body’s natural repair processes, all of which can help individuals recover more quickly from intense physical activity.

    • Increased strength and flexibility: Regular meditation practice has been linked to increased strength and flexibility, as well as improved balance and coordination.

    • Better emotional regulation: Meditation can help individuals develop greater emotional awareness and regulation, reducing the risk of burnout and improving overall well-being.

    In addition to these physical benefits, meditation can also have a profound impact on mental performance. By reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus and concentration, and enhancing emotional regulation, meditation can help individuals develop a more positive and resilient mindset. This can be particularly beneficial for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, who often face intense pressure to perform and recover quickly.

    How to Incorporate Meditation into Your Fitness Routine

    Incorporating meditation into a fitness routine can be simple and straightforward. Here are a few tips to get started:

    • Start small: Begin with short, daily meditation sessions, and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the practice.

    • Find a quiet space: Identify a quiet, comfortable space where you can meditate without distraction or interruption.

    • Focus on the breath: Bring your attention to your breath, observing the sensation of the air moving in and out of the body.

    • Be consistent: Aim to meditate at the same time each day, making it a consistent part of your routine.

    It’s also important to note that meditation can be practiced in a variety of forms, including mindfulness meditation, transcendental meditation, and guided meditation. Experiment with different styles and techniques to find what works best for you.

    Common Myths and Misconceptions about Meditation and Fitness

    Despite the growing body of research supporting the benefits of meditation for fitness, there are still several common myths and misconceptions surrounding the practice. Some of the most prevalent include:

    • Meditation is only for relaxation: While meditation can certainly be relaxing, it can also be a powerful tool for improving physical performance and reducing injury.

    • Meditation requires a lot of time and effort: While regular practice is certainly beneficial, even short, daily meditation sessions can have a significant impact on physical and mental well-being.

    • Meditation is only for athletes: Meditation can benefit anyone, regardless of their fitness level or athletic ability.

    By understanding the true benefits and nature of meditation, individuals can unlock its full potential and experience a significant boost in their fitness game.

    Real-Life Examples of Meditation and Fitness

    There are numerous real-life examples of meditation and fitness in action. Many professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts have incorporated meditation into their training routines, with impressive results. For example:

    • Professional athlete, LeBron James: The NBA star has credited meditation with improving his focus, reducing stress, and enhancing his overall performance on the court.

    • Fitness enthusiast, Rich Roll: The ultra-endurance athlete has spoken publicly about the benefits of meditation for his training and recovery, citing improved focus, reduced injury, and enhanced overall well-being.

    These examples demonstrate the powerful impact that meditation can have on physical performance and overall well-being.

    Conclusion

    Meditation is a powerful tool for improving fitness and overall well-being. By reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus and concentration, and enhancing emotional regulation, meditation can help individuals perform at a higher level and recover more quickly from intense physical activity. Whether you’re a professional athlete or a casual fitness enthusiast, incorporating meditation into your daily routine can have a significant impact on your physical and mental health. So why not give it a try? With regular practice and patience, you can unlock the full potential of meditation and experience a significant boost in your fitness game.

    FAQs

    Q: What is meditation, and how does it work?
    A: Meditation is a practice that involves training the mind to achieve a state of calm and clarity. It involves focusing the mind on a single point, such as the breath, a mantra, or a physical sensation, and observing any thoughts or distractions that arise without judgment.

    Q: How can meditation improve my fitness?
    A: Meditation can improve fitness by reducing stress and anxiety, improving focus and concentration, and enhancing emotional regulation. It can also help individuals develop greater self-awareness, improve their emotional regulation, and enhance their cognitive function.

    Q: Do I need to be flexible or have prior experience with meditation to benefit from it?
    A: No, you don’t need to be flexible or have prior experience with meditation to benefit from it. Meditation is a practice that can be adapted to suit any level of experience or physical ability.

    Q: How often should I meditate to experience the benefits?
    A: The frequency and duration of meditation practice can vary depending on individual goals and needs. However, even short, daily meditation sessions can have a significant impact on physical and mental well-being.

    Q: Can meditation help with recovery from injury or illness?
    A: Yes, meditation can help with recovery from injury or illness by reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep quality, and enhancing the body’s natural repair processes.

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  • A Meditation for Kids: Coming Back to the Positive

    A Meditation for Kids: Coming Back to the Positive

    What went well today? Kids and teens can explore this eight-minute guided meditation for noticing the positive.

    Summary

    • Children often focus on scary or unpleasant thoughts, which can effect their mental health.
    • This short kids’ meditation uses conscious breathing and happy thoughts to help them notice the good and feel more positive.

    Our brains are hardwired to notice the negative. It’s part of how our ancient ancestors were able to survive in constantly threatening environments.  

    But this negativity bias can also make it difficult for us and our kids, even in our comparatively less threatening environments, to navigate other daily stressors, like big tests, arguments, or disappointments. 

    In this practice specifically designed for younger meditators, Dr. Mark Bertin shows kids how to gently guide their attention back to the positive things they might have missed, in order to help soothe the nervous system. 

    A Meditation for Kids: Coming Back to the Positive

    1. Lie down somewhere comfortable. Let your arms and legs fall to the ground. Close your eyes gently.
    2. Start to notice how your body changes with each breath you take. Each time you breathe, your belly moves up, and your belly moves down. If it is easier, put a hand on your belly. Or if you want, put a stuffed animal there.
    3. Each time you breathe, your belly moves. Your hand, or your toy, rises, and then falls. See if you can count ten breaths that way. Breathing in, one, breathing out, one. (Repeat for nine more inhales, and nine more exhales.)
    4. When you lose count, don’t worry about it. That’s normal, and happens to everyone. Come back to whatever number you last remember.
    5. Now, shift your attention to your day. Breathing in, focus on your breath as your belly goes up. Breathing out, focus on something that went well today.
    6. With each breath: breathing in, noticing your belly move, and with each breath out, noticing something that went well today.
    7. Now, picture something about yourself that makes you proud. Breathing in, focus on your belly moving. Breathing out, picture something that makes you proud about yourself. If nothing comes to mind, that sometimes happens. If that’s how you feel, picture what you’d wish for yourself instead.
    8. Finally, bring someone to mind who makes you happy. Before we end, try one more practice. Breathing in, notice your belly move. And now, breathing out picture someone who makes you happy.
    9. As you come to the end of this practice, take a few deep breaths, and start to wiggle your arms and legs. Pause and decide what you’d like to do next.
    10. It’s normal to have thoughts that make us feel scared or bad. We should never ignore anything important, but it’s useful to focus on the rest of our lives too. Take a few minutes every day to notice what has gone well, and see what happens next.



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  • A Teaching and Meditation to Relax and Welcome Deep Rest

    A Teaching and Meditation to Relax and Welcome Deep Rest

    In today’s offering, Jenee Johnson guides us through a teaching on the why and how of deep relaxation practices, along with a meditation you can do anytime.

    Rest isn’t a “reward” for working hard enough. It’s a human need and birthright. 

    This week’s episode is a little different. We’re not only sharing a guided meditation from mindfulness leader and professional coach Jenée Johnson, but also her teaching on some of the brain science behind relaxation—why it’s essential for our well-being, how it works, and how to incorporate intentional relaxation practices into your daily life.

    Jenée Johnson is the founder of the Right Within Experience, where she works to cultivate the experience of inner calm, resilience, self-love, and joy through meditation and mindfulness practices for people of African ancestry. She is also the former program innovation leader at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Mindfulness, Trauma and Racial Healing.

    A Teaching and Meditation to Relax and Welcome Deep Rest

    At some point during the day, the body will signal us that it is time to rest, to be still, to withdraw from activity, to be quiet, to take the journey from sound to silence. The mind and body need moments when they can be at ease, free from agitation, pressing, planning, or even celebration. 

    Stress and trauma and tension play a role in our ability to rest and relax. Therefore, it is so important to do daily “relaxation drills” to help counter the bad effects that stress has on the human body. According to Dr. Frank Staggers Jr., people who do daily relaxation drills remain healthier, have more energy, and think more clearly. This is why it’s important to take 20 minutes, once or twice daily, to deeply relax. 

    An effective deep relaxation technique is known as quiet sitting or free-floating relaxation. You simply sit quietly for about 20 minutes and allow your mind to float freely until it settles down. Don’t think about anything in particular. Don’t concentrate on anything. Just allow your mind and body to settle down naturally on its own. 

    An effective deep relaxation technique is known as quiet sitting or free-floating relaxation. You simply sit quietly for about 20 minutes and allow your mind to float freely until it settles down.

    In order to deeply relax, you must let thoughts come and go as they please. As you are relaxing, some thoughts may spontaneously rush through your mind. That’s okay. Don’t worry about these thoughts. Don’t exert yourself by trying to block these thoughts. Don’t dwell on these thoughts, either. Just remain passive. Leave the thoughts alone, and the thoughts will gradually fade into the background so you can continue to relax. 

    The scientific term for the deep state of awake relaxation is the alpha state. This is because the brain calms and produces smooth, harmonious waves called alpha brain waves when it is completely relaxed. The alpha brainwaves have a frequency of eight to 12 cycles per second, whereas arousal or excitation brain waves, called beta brain waves, are much faster at 13 to 40 cycles per second. The alpha state is usually associated with widespread relaxation throughout the entire body and a healthy lowering of the body’s metabolism. 

    Activities like watching TV, listening to the radio, reading, sewing, or fishing will not hit the alpha deep relaxation state, because these activities still place demands on the brain and keep the brain too busy to completely relax. This means that these activities may get you to the shallow states of relaxation, but they won’t get you into deep states of relaxation. Even sleep will not hit the alpha deep relaxation state, because the brain remains very active during sleep, especially during dreaming. 

    Even after sleep, you can still be stressed out. Relaxation drills allow your mind and body to hit the deep states of relaxation.

    Therefore, while obviously essential for multiple other functions, sleep does not completely relax the brain or counter stress. Even after sleep, you can still be stressed out. Relaxation drills allow your mind and body to hit the deep states of relaxation. So settle back, and let’s try a practice together.

    Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.

    1. Sitting in an upright but relaxed position, drop your gaze or close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and an audible exhale out. Breathing in and breathing out, sitting quietly, free floating, invite your body to relax.
    2. When we simply sit and breathe, we activate the body’s calming response. It allows the brain to display the calm, smooth, harmonious waves called alpha brain waves—like the waves of the ocean, coming in to the shore and rolling back out. Coming in and going out. Breathing in and breathing out. Relax.
    3. Drop your shoulders, relax the jaw, and unfurl your brow. Allow your mind to float freely until it settles down. Let thoughts come and go as they please.
    4. Bring your attention back gently to your breath. Don’t exert yourself trying to block thoughts. Just remain passive and remind your body that we’re sitting now, we’re breathing now, we’re relaxing now. Sit quietly, stay with your breath. Like the waves of the ocean, breathing in, breathing out. Let thoughts fade into the background. Relax. To be still, to be quiet, to be at ease. This is the gift of relaxation.



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  • A Guided Meditation You Can Do Sitting at Your Desk

    A Guided Meditation You Can Do Sitting at Your Desk

    Need a mindful break at work? Here’s an anytime, anywhere guided practice that can help you find a moment of calm.

    Since most of us spend a great deal of time at work ̶─whether that’s in an office, a classroom, or in our own homes ̶─knowing how to meditate at your desk can be beneficial. This short practice helps you refresh your attention while at work. What I call the “desk chair” meditation gives you a way to incorporate a short mindfulness practice into your day.

    This meditation can be done anywhere you are able to sit quietly and practice.

    If you work in an open office, you may need to be creative to find a quiet place to practice. Many people have told me that they’re best able to do this practice by leaving their office and finding an empty conference room, or even leaving the building to sit in their car during part of their lunch break.

    The “meditate at your desk” part need not be taken literally. This meditation can be done anywhere you are able to sit quietly and practice—be it the staff room, a park bench, or even an airplane seat.

    How to Meditate at Your Desk

    Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.

    1. Begin by bringing your attention to the sensations of your breath.
    2. When you’re ready, direct your attention to the soles of your feet, opening your mind to whatever sensations are there to be noticed.
    3. Perhaps you are noticing the pressure on the soles of your feet as the weight of your legs rests on them. Perhaps the soles of your feet feel warm or cool.
    4. Just notice. No need to judge or engage in discursive thinking. If your mind is pulled away or wanders, redirect your attention, firmly and gently.
    5. Move your attention next to the tops of your feet, ankles, lower legs, knees, and so forth.
    6. Gradually scan through your body, noticing sensations, noticing discomfort, and noticing areas of your body where you detect an absence of sensations. No need to search for sensations; just keep scanning through your body, taking your time and being open to what is here.

    Excerpted from Finding the Space to Lead: A Practical Guide to Mindful Leadership by Janice Marturano. Copyright ©2014 by Janice Marturano. January, 2014, by Bloomsbury Press. Reprinted with permission.



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  • A 12-Minute Meditation for Cultivating Daily Gratitude

    A 12-Minute Meditation for Cultivating Daily Gratitude

    In this guided meditation, Kim Armstrong walks you through a simple practice to expand your capacity for gratitude in the everyday moments of life.

    We often think about gratitude as happening in response to “good” things, especially if those moments or events are also significant—a new job, a windfall, an amazing vacation. While these high points can easily spark positive emotion, a daily gratitude practice can go much deeper.

    For instance, what about moments that aren’t grand or overtly happy, but are small and emotionally neutral? What does it feel like to notice, take in, and consciously appreciate even the basic things we do every single day?

    This week, join Kim Armstrong as she leads a gratitude visualization practice. This gentle meditation invites you to shift your gaze inward and discover the often-overlooked moments of joy and contentment that punctuate your day. Kim guides us to visualize the warm embrace of our morning coffee, the soft light of dawn, or the comfort of a familiar smile. By focusing on these simple yet profound experiences, we grow our capacity for gratitude, because we begin to realize we can appreciate everything from the mundane to the magnificent.

    A Meditation for Cultivating Daily Gratitude

    1. This practice can be done in the evenings before bed. You can also do it in the mornings, looking back at the day before.
    2. Begin by finding a comfortable posture of your choice. You can do this practice while sitting, standing, or lying down. Shift your body to find what’s comfortable. 
    3. Whenever you feel ready, take three breaths. Breathe in through your nose, and exhale through your nose or your mouth.  
    4. Take a few relaxing breaths. Close your mouth and breathe in slowly through your nose. Then let it out through either your nose or your mouth.
    5. First, tune in to a moment this morning, or yesterday morning, when you first woke up. Note one or two things that you appreciate or are thankful for about that moment. Maybe it was your warm bed, or the pet or the partner sleeping next to you.
    6. Next, move to the moment right after you woke up. It can be anything that springs to mind—putting on your slippers, making a little stretch, brushing your teeth. Note this and say it to yourself, even out loud if you wish. 
    7. Now, keep moving through the morning, taking note of things you remember. For example, the sounds of loved ones, the delicious taste of your coffee or your tea, your cozy robe or your favorite outfit or socks. They can be very small things. 
    8. Next, consider that transition between home life and work life, noticing something you appreciate, something you’re grateful for from that moment.
    9. Keep moving to the next phase of your day—when you were digging into work, school, or caregiving. Take note of something you appreciated in an interaction with a colleague or loved one: a little bit of humor, a little laughter, a little lightness or ease.
    10. Move on to midday, and again, just flag with gratitude some simple moments. This could be the tastes and smells of your lunch, intentionally focusing on all the steps and people involved in bringing you this meal.  
    11. Continue on in this same way, going through the rest of your day: gratitude for the purpose you served that day, for leaving work and arriving home, for moments in your evening as you wound down from the day, a pleasant meal or conversation, a favorite TV show, a comforting beverage. This could be placing your hand on your heart, or giving yourself a hug—whatever would feel soothing and reassuring. 
    12. Remember, these moments do not have to be grand. For this exercise, it’s perfect if they’re small or emotionally neutral, moments you’d usually pass right over and not notice at all. You can say Thank you, in your head or even out loud.
    13. Notice how it feels in your body to go over your day like this. What’s happening? What is the experience like for you?
    14. Close with a breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. 
    15. Thank you for joining me today. I hope you enjoyed this gratitude practice.

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