Health Journal Online

Tag: meditation

A Meditation to Get Into the Flow of Sensations
This week, Toby Sola guides us through a practice to hone attention and tap into the effervescent joy of flow state.
You may have heard of “impermanence” as an important theme in meditation practice. In this guided practice, Toby Sola introduces us to the ease of flow state with two simple but profound techniques: exploring impermanence directly by noticing changes in our body sensations, and using labels to hone concentration.

Note that this meditation includes long pauses of complete silence as part of the practice. If you want more time, feel free to pause the recording as you go.

A Meditation to Get Into the Flow of Sensations

Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.
1. In this guided meditation, we’ll explore the theme of flow. Let your legs relax. Let your pelvis be heavy. Lengthen your spine and neck. Tuck in the chin a little. Relax the face. Relax the shoulders, arms, and hands. Relax the belly.
2. Next, bring your attention to any body sensations. Maybe you feel the touch of your clothes. The expansion and contraction of your chest as you breathe. Or an emotion in your belly. It’s all good, just bring your attention to whatever you’re feeling in the body.
3. If your attention is pulled to sounds, thoughts, or other experiences, that’s okay. The distractions don’t have to go away. Just let them come and go in the background of your awareness and bring the spotlight of your attention back to the body.
4. As you focus on body sensations, see if you can notice any changes. For example, a body sensation beginning or ending. A body sensation getting more intense or less intense. A body sensation changing in size. A body sensation vibrating or undulating.
5. Now, let’s add labels. A label is a word or phrase that briefly describes what you’re focusing on. There are many label systems, but here’s how we’ll use labels for this practice. As you focus on body sensations, if you’re noticing a change, say flow. And if you’re not noticing a change, say stable. You can say labels out loud or in your head. The pace should be steady and the tone should be calm and matter of fact. I’ll give an example of what it can sound like, and then give you a chance to try it for yourself.
6. If you’re spacing out a lot, speak the labels out loud. Spoken labels can help you keep concentration. Make sure to say either flow or stable about once every 15 seconds, depending on whether you’re noticing a change in your body sensations.
7. Now, just keep practicing. Notice sensations, notice changes or sameness, and label them silently or out loud. (The audio for this meditation ends here.)
8. Continue noticing and labeling for another minute or two. Eventually, you should notice a sense of ease, like you’re bobbing gently in a flowing river of attention.
9. When you’re ready, take a few breaths to conclude your practice, and gently return to your regular day.
Source link
August 28, 2025
A Body Scan Meditation to Prepare Mind and Body for Sleep
Summary

What Is a Body Scan Meditation? A guided practice where attention is systematically moved through different parts of the body to release tension and increase awareness.

Benefits for Sleep:
- Improves sleep quality, especially among those with sleep disturbances
- Reduces physical tension that may prevent falling asleep
- Calms the nervous system and reduces stress
- Helps disconnect from mental activity that keeps the mind active
Research Findings: Clinical trials from UCLA found that mindfulness meditation improves sleep quality among older adults with sleep disturbances.

Practice Application: Can be done lying down in bed as preparation for sleep, helping transition from wakefulness to restfulness.

The Science of Sleeping Better with Mindfulness

A good night’s sleep has a significant impact on our health—helping us feel more energized, less stressed, and able to perform better mentally. Unfortunately, according to a 2024 poll, many people struggle to get a full night’s rest, with 57% of Americans reporting that they would feel better if they got more sleep.

If you’re the kind of person who finds themselves wide awake at 3 a.m. contemplating the shadows on their ceiling, practicing mindfulness may offer the secret to sleeping better. A randomized clinical trial from UCLA found that mindfulness meditation improves sleep quality among older adults with sleep disturbances. The following guided meditation was used in that study to help people fall asleep. May it do the same for you.

We’ll be noticing these sensations without trying to change them or make them different, simply bringing a mindful attention of curiosity and openness to the present moment.

During this guided body scan meditation you may find yourself drifting off to sleep. This is fine, so you can allow the meditation to turn off on its own. If you notice thoughts such as worries or concerns arising that take your attention away from the meditation, this is also normal. See if you can redirect your attention back to the body scan, gently letting go of these thoughts.

If it’s possible, we’ll be noticing our body lying down on the bed. We’ll be feeling the body’s sensations that are present, scanning the body for any kinds of obvious sensations like vibrations, tingling sensations, heaviness, pressure, movement, heat, coolness. We’ll be noticing these sensations without trying to change them or make them different, simply bringing a mindful attention of curiosity and openness to the present moment. If you notice yourself starting to think about the sensation or think about something else, see if you can simply come back to the feelings and sensations present in your body.

A Body Scan Meditation to Prepare Mind and Body for Sleep

1. Begin the meditation by noticing the sensations at the top of your head. Simply note what you feel. You might notice vibration or pressure.

2. Focus your attention on your skull as it makes contact with the bed or the pillow. There might be a sense of pressure or other sensations. Simply be curious about these sensations.

3. If you can, allow any tension you feel to gently release. If that doesn’t seem possible, simply notice what it is that you feel.

4. Scan your face area, forehead, eyes, and nose. Notice your cheeks and mouth. There may be sensations of tingling, temperature, tightness; let it all be there. Be curious about your experience, and begin to notice the sensations in your throat.

5. Now bring your attention to the sensations present in your shoulder area. Notice any tension arising. Sometimes in the act of noticing tension, you may find yourself relaxing. If that’s not possible, you can breathe gently, directing the breath to your shoulders.

6. Notice the sensations in your left shoulder, and then bring your attention down your arm. Notice any vibration, tingling, coolness, pressure, or movement in your elbow, your lower arm, and then your hand. Be curious and open to the sensations that are present in your hands and fingers. Allow your hands to soften and relax.

7. Now, bring your attention up to your right shoulder, noticing any sensations that might be present. Start to scan your right arm for vibration, tingling, or movement. Notice your elbow, your forearm, your hands, and fingers. A lot of sensations are usually present in the hands and fingers. But if at any point there’s no sensation, just notice the absence of sensation.

8. Let your attention go to the top of your shoulders and to your back. Imagine a zigzag sensation or an up-and-down movement across your back. Can you be open and curious to whatever the experience is? Be kind to yourself no matter what comes up.

9. Notice your upper back, your mid-back, and the sensations in your lower back. If thoughts arise as you’re doing this—worries, concerns—see if you can let them go. Let them be like clouds floating in the sky, moving across your mind. Or, come back to my words and this body scan.

10. Bring your attention to the top of the chest area. Gently scan your chest, your rib cage, and your stomach. See if you can soften your stomach. Breathe deeply while directing the breath to that area—allowing it to soften and relax.

11. Now, notice your pelvic area and the places where your body has contact with the bed. Feel whatever sensations are present. Gently bring your attention to your left hip and down your left leg. Notice the sensations in your thigh.

12. Bring this kind and curious attention to your leg, your knee, and your left calf. Notice whatever sensations are present: vibration, tingling, itching, warmth, coolness, heaviness. Then bring your attention to your ankle, left foot, and toes.

13. Now, notice the sensations in your right hip. And again, bring your attention down to your right thigh. You can circle your attention on your right leg or notice it in any other way that makes sense to you. Feel any vibration, tingling, temperature, heaviness, or movement in your knee and calf. Scan your leg down to your right ankle and toes.

14. Now that you’ve scanned your body, you’re welcome to start again. This time, you can start at your feet and go back up through your body until you get to the top of your head. Feel free to scan your body up and down as many times as it is helpful to you.
The Ultimate Guide to Mindfulness for Sleep

Sufficient sleep heals our bodies and minds, but for many reasons sleep doesn’t always come easily. Mindfulness practices and habits can help us fall asleep and stay asleep. Consult our guide to find tips for meditation, movement, and mindfulness practices to ease into sleep.
Read More

Mindful Staff

July 13, 2023
Source link
August 14, 2025
Meditation to Be At Peace With How Things Are
How can we be at peace with how things are right now? In this week’s guided meditation, Dr. Mark Bertin offers a practice to help us be gently aware of sensations, feelings, and thoughts that come up in practice, building presence in the rest of life.
This is a practice that is both concrete and compassionate. Dr. Bertin guides us to take note of our tendency to either deny or try and “fix” what’s going on in our lives, and then find a third way—one where we aim to see things as clearly as possible, so that our decisions are filled with awareness, skill, and care for everyone involved.

A Meditation to Be At Peace With How Things Are

Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.
1. Start with finding a comfortable posture that you’ll be able to sustain for these few minutes of practice. Bring a sense of kind and patient awareness to our body first. Notice how you’re sitting. Make adjustments so that you feel awake and alert. Notice areas of tension, and see if you’re able to release them a little bit, gathering your awareness and bringing it to the sensation of breathing.
2. Let go of any need to do anything or make anything happen right now. You can reframe moments where you become distracted from the breath as a success. The mind always stays busy. Things happen that draw our attention and awareness away throughout the day, and each moment you come to the breath is a moment of awareness, a moment of intention. When you get distracted, just remember this sense of intention with clarity. You can say to yourself, Oh, my mind is busy —and then let go and simply come back to the next breath.
3. Next, expand your awareness to the entirety of your body. Most of us live with experiences of pleasure, and also moments of discomfort or pain at times. And if something definitively needs adjustment to relieve you of some physical pain right now, that’s always okay. But for anything else that’s either comfortable for you to work with or unchangeable in this moment, see if you can simply notice it, and then come back to the breath.
4. Now, continue to use your breath lightly as an anchor, shifting your awareness to notice your emotional state. Emotions are part of our experience. They’re there whether we acknowledge them or not. They tend to influence how we think and how we interact with the world, so it’s empowering to cultivate a sense of open and caring awareness. Living peacefully with our emotions as they arise and pass is core to living at peace in the world. It’s also core to staying in touch with our best intentions, as emotions tend to drive the bus if we’re not paying attention to them.
5. See if you can give yourself permission for these next few minutes to stay aware of your emotions. Offer care if they’re difficult. Offer compassion and give yourself permission to experience them at all. Let go of any need to fix or change them. Right now I’m experiencing happiness, or Right now I am experiencing sadness, or whatever emotions come to mind. Can you bring to this part of the practice a sense of compassion, too? Lean toward the intention to treat yourself as you would a young child or a close friend.
6. Remember, if your mind gets distracted, there’s always the option of coming back to following the breath again.
7. Now, let’s shift our awareness to thoughts. Thoughts can feel so all-consuming, and even through meditation, we can’t make them stop. That’s never the point. Rather, we’re asking if we can live more at peace with this part of our experience, recognizing we each have our own habits. We each make up stories, stories that try to make sense of our past or that project into the future. Problems can feel sticky and all-consuming and ruminative. So for these few minutes of practice, can we note thoughts simply as thoughts? Fears simply as fears. Fantasies simply as fantasies. Observe them like clouds passing in the sky, and also with a sense of peace and care. My mind is in an agitated state right now. This is really exhausting. Or at a different time maybe we experience a quieter mind, a simpler mind, noticing the thoughts as they arrive with more ease. But through the practice, simply noticing and naming: Oh, there is that thought, and then coming back to the breath again.
8. The intention and perspective we bring to the practice is fundamental to the practice itself. Through the practice, we can aim to live life—even during exceedingly difficult times—with more awareness and compassion and self-care. This leads to a better ability to stay in touch with our own best intentions when we need to act precisely or communicate well. So when we practice, whatever happens will happen. But can we do our best to stay aware, to stay clear of thought, and to stay kind.
9. As we bring our practice to a close, settle back into the breath for a moment. Then, perhaps set the intention to continue this sense of compassionate and kind awareness as you move on into the rest of your day.
Looking for mindfulness-based tools to live better with ADHD?

Together with ADHD Life Coach and Certified ADHD Educator Dana Crews, Dr. Bertin is leading a retreat October 10-12, 2025, to support adults navigating life with ADHD. Hosted at the Menla Retreat Center nestled in the serene Catskill Mountains, Held and Whole is a restorative and educational three-day ADHD retreat that will offer practical, mindfulness-based tools to strengthen emotional regulation, deepen self-awareness, and foster authenticity.

You can get more information and reserve your spot here. Plus, listeners to this podcast can claim a limited-time 15% early bird discount when they enter code “Mindful” at checkout. Spots are limited!
Source link
August 10, 2025
What’s the Difference Between Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness? A Teacher Explains

Meditation is everywhere these days. Guided meditations or visualizations, mindfulness, walking meditations, body scans, and even mantra meditation are taught in classrooms and workplaces as well as being featured on popular meditation apps. Some people swear by their specific type, others dabble in different ones, and many are simply curious to try but have not yet.

For me, mantra meditation—more specifically Transcendental Meditation (TM)—has been life-changing. In this piece, I explain what TM is, explore its benefits, and discuss differences between TM and mindfulness meditation.

Fifteen years ago, in 2009, I began meditating. At the time, my life was shifting in almost every possible way. I had just moved back to my hometown of San Francisco after seven years of teaching in Los Angeles. I had been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, ulcerative colitis. Now, even today, we don’t know everything about this disease, but what we do know is that stress is a major trigger. There I was, diagnosed with a chronic illness, trying to understand my symptoms, manage them, and plan for an unpredictable future. At the same time, another major life event was unfolding: I had just turned 30 and was embarking on the difficult journey of trying to have a baby—an experience that ended up taking three years, filled with doctor’s visits, uncertainty, and loss.

On top of all this, I was transitioning professionally—moving from being a classroom teacher in LA to working in the central office for SF Unified School District’s new teacher Induction program. It was a lot—personally, professionally, emotionally—and this was the exact moment I started meditating.

What Is Transcendental Meditation (TM)?

The style of meditation I learned in 2009 was Transcendental Meditation (TM), through a grant from the David Lynch Foundation offered to employees in the San Francisco Unified School District. TM is a form of mantra-based meditation where you silently repeat a specific word (mantra) to help you focus and transcend ordinary thought patterns. The idea is that the repetition of the mantra allows the mind to settle into a deep state of rest and alertness, fostering a sense of inner peace.

TM is a form of mantra-based meditation where you silently repeat a specific sound or word (mantra) to help you focus and transcend ordinary thought patterns.

Learning TM typically involves enrolling at a TM center and paying for instruction, which may be delivered one-on-one or in a small group. When I learned, the program was offered free of charge to SFUSD employees and was conducted in a small group over several sessions, with monthly group check-ins. At the time, the foundation was conducting a clinical trial to explore TM’s impact on health, so participants were divided into two groups: one received instruction in the mantra-based meditation practice immediately, while the other (the control group) began six months later.

Regardless of whether you learn TM individually, in a group, or as part of a study, you are given a personal mantra by a certified TM teacher. This mantra—a nonsensical, lyrical word—is meant to be kept private and not shared with others. Some have noted that mantras are assigned based on the age of the practitioner at the time of learning.

Though TM has its roots in India’s Vedic traditions—some of the oldest known spiritual and philosophical systems, dating back over 3,000 years—the form of TM practiced today originated in the 1950s. While the use of mantras may be linked to ancient Sanskrit texts, TM is taught as a secular practice, distinct from any religious framework. It is presented as a scientific method for reducing stress and enhancing overall health. The technique gained widespread popularity, in part, due to high-profile advocates like The Beatles, who helped bring attention to this form of meditation.

Scientific research has shown that TM can reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve overall well-being, immune function, and sleep. It has been found to enhance cognition, increase creativity, and even help with mental resilience during challenging times. Many people continue to be drawn to TM because of its structured nature—it’s easy to learn, and practitioners are typically taught one-on-one by certified instructors, which provides personalized guidance.

For me, TM quickly became an anchor in my daily life. As someone who values routines, it was a simple ritual that brought a deep sense of peace and clarity. I found myself looking forward to that post-meditation feeling: lighter, more grounded, and better equipped to face whatever was swirling around me. The anxious thoughts that used to loop endlessly—about infertility, miscarriages, managing colitis through diet, or the stress of potential layoffs as well as the economic recession—began to feel less heavy, less consuming.

Inspired by the power of TM, I also began to shape a personal approach to mantra-based meditation, one that felt more flexible and accessible. I was curious about how choosing my own mantra or intention might shift the experience. The concept is simple: pick a word or phrase, repeat it silently, and let the mind soften and settle. It’s a calming, effective practice that doesn’t require expensive training or long hours. While TM is one established form of mantra meditation, there are many variations, each adaptable to your own rhythm, needs, and curiosity.

What Is Mindfulness Meditation?

Mindfulness meditation is all about being present in the moment, observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. As teacher and educator Diana Winston explains in her Tedx Talk, this type of meditation can be understood as “paying attention to present-moment experiences with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be with what is.”

While it’s common to incorporate an intentional focal point in mindfulness meditation—like the breath, a visual cue like a candle, or bodily sensations—this technique is often practiced by simply sitting or lying down in silence and just being with whatever arises. If worry, anxiety, pinging thoughts, or physical pain cause distraction, the meditator notes the distraction without judgment and then gently returns attention to the present moment.

This type of meditation is accessible, flexible, and encourages people to start where they are. Similar to TM, studies have shown that mindfulness meditation is effective in reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, improving sleep, and increasing the markers of physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

While mindfulness can be highly effective for calming the mind, some people find it challenging, especially if their mind is constantly racing. The free form offers lots of room for personalization, but that same lack of structure or focus can be frustrating, especially for newer meditators.

If you’re someone who has tried mindfulness meditation and found it difficult to make progress, let me share why I gravitated toward mantra meditation.

Mindfulness vs. Transcendental Meditation: Which Is Right for You?

So, how do you decide which type of meditation is best for you?

It really comes down to what resonates with you. Mindfulness meditation is all about being present in the moment, observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment. It’s often practiced by focusing on the breath or bodily sensations. While mindfulness can be highly effective for calming the mind, some people find it challenging, especially if their mind is constantly racing. That’s where mantra-based meditation can be helpful. By focusing on a simple word or sound, it can provide an anchor for the mind, making it easier to enter a state of calm.

For some, mindfulness offers a deeper connection to the present moment, fostering awareness throughout your usual daily activities. For others, TM or mantra meditation can provide quicker relief from mental chatter, especially in stressful moments.

For some, TM or mantra meditation can provide quicker relief from mental chatter, especially in stressful moments. But for others, mindfulness offers a deeper connection to the present moment, fostering awareness throughout your usual daily activities.

In my experience, mantra meditation offered a structured way to quiet the mind, whereas mindfulness meditation required more of an open awareness toward the thoughts and emotions that pop up during practice. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to meditation. Some people thrive with mindfulness, while others prefer mantra meditation. And of course, many benefit from incorporating both practices, depending on the situation.

A Simple Mantra Meditation Practice for Anyone

Starting a meditation practice can feel intimidating. There are so many styles, techniques, and ideas about what meditation “should” look like. But in reality, it’s incredibly simple. You don’t need expensive accessories. You don’t need to sit a certain way or clear your mind of all thoughts. You just need a few minutes, a comfortable seat, and a willingness to try.

There are so many styles, techniques, and ideas about what meditation “should” look like. But in reality, it’s incredibly simple.

I practice using a mantra, a simple word or phrase that I repeat silently to focus my mind. I set a timer, close my eyes, and let my thoughts come and go while gently returning to the mantra. That’s it. No pressure, no perfection, just presence. Over time, this small practice has helped me become more creative, more patient, and more resilient. It’s allowed me to meet life’s challenges with a clearer mind and an open heart.

Start small—just five minutes. Try it for a week and see how you feel. And if you ever have questions or want to learn more about my mantra-based technique, reach out via my website.

At the end of the day, any form of meditation—mindfulness, mantra, TM, guided or another type—is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. It’s a practice that supports you through life’s toughest moments, enhances your best ones, and ultimately helps you show up as the best version of yourself.

So, what do you say—let’s get more people meditating! With that goal in mind, I’ve launched a series on TikTok and Instagram called #DeadOrMeditating, aimed at making meditation go viral. Remember when planking took off and people were posting photos of themselves planking in public spaces? That simple trend raised awareness and sparked conversations. Why not do the same with meditation?

Source link

August 8, 2025
10 Tips to Mindfulness Meditation
Curious about how to start your own mindfulness meditation practice? This infographic from the Garrison Institute is a great place to begin.
When it comes to learning a mindfulness meditation practice, or learning anything new for that matter, it helps to bring in some visual representations. Here’s the latest meditation infographic from the Garrison Institute.

Get all 10 tips below, or click here for the Garrison Institute’s page. Plus, if you’d like a full description of each step, just scroll down.

10 Steps to Start Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice
1. Create time and space. Choose a regular time each day for mindfulness mediation practice, ideally a quiet space free from distractions.
2. Set a timer. Start with just five minutes, and ease your way up to 15-40 minutes.
3. Find a comfortable sitting position. Sit cross-legged on the floor, on the grass, or in a chair with your feet flat on the ground. You can also lie down, or find some other position to accommodate mobility or pain issues. The best mindfulness meditation practice is one that works for you and your body’s needs.
4. Check your posture. Sit up straight, hands in a comfortable position. Keep neck long, chin tilted slightly downward, with your tongue resting gently on the roof of your mouth. Relax your shoulders. Then, close your eyes or use a soft gaze downward 5-10 feet in front of you.
5. Take a deep breath. Deep breathing in any mindfulness meditation practice helps settle the body, relax the nervous system, and establish your presence in the space.
6. Direct your attention to the breath. Focus on a part of the body where the breath feels prominent: nostrils, back of throat, diaphragm, chest. Keep one focus; try not to switch.
7. Maintain attention to your breath. As you inhale and exhale, focus on the breath. If attention wanders, that’s okay. It’s normal for this to happen in any mindfulness meditation practice, even for people who have been doing it for decades! Simply return to the breath. When thoughts come in, which they will, think of them as floating by. Don’t get “hooked” on them—just let them float by and return your attention to your breath.
8. Keep repeating steps 6-7 for as long as you like. Your mind will wander. Just keep bringing it back to the breath. Think of it like reps in weight lifting: getting distracted isn’t bad, and you’re not doing it wrong, and every time you bring your attention back, you’re actually training and strengthening your focus.
9. Be king to yourself. Don’t be upset if your focus occasionally drifts, or if you fall asleep. If it helps, you can keep your eyes open, or adjust your posture to keep you more alert if you need to.
10. Prepare for a soft landing. When the timer goes off, open your eyes when you’re ready. Acknowledge your practice with gratitude.
Looking for more ways to build your own mindfulness meditation practice? Check out Mindful’s Getting Started page.
Source link
August 6, 2025
Boost Compassion With A Loving-Kindness Meditation

Time required

15 minutes daily

Loving-kindness meditation:

Relax Your Body:

Close your eyes. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. Relax your whole body. Keep your eyes closed throughout the whole visualization and bring your awareness inward. Without straining or concentrating, just relax and gently follow the instructions.

Take a deep breath in. And breathe out.

Bring Your Attention To The Warmth of Your Heart

Keeping your eyes closed, think of a person close to you who loves you very much. It could be someone from the past or the present; someone still in life or who has passed; it could be a spiritual teacher or guide. Imagine that person standing on your right side, sending you their love. That person is sending you wishes for your safety, for your well-being and happiness. Feel the warm wishes and love coming from that person towards you.

Now bring to mind the same person or another person who cherishes you deeply. Imagine that person standing on your left side, sending you wishes for your wellness, for your health and happiness. Feel the kindness and warmth coming to you from that person.

Now imagine that you are surrounded on all sides by all the people who love you and have loved you. Picture all of your friends and loved ones surrounding you. They are standing sending you wishes for your happiness, well-being, and health. Bask in the warm wishes and love coming from all sides. You are filled, and overflowing with warmth and love.

Send Loving-Kindness to Loved Ones

Now bring your awareness back to the person standing on your right side. Begin to send the love that you feel back to that person. You and this person are similar. Just like you, this person wishes to be happy. Send all your love and warm wishes to that person.

Repeat the following phrases, silently:

May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.
May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.
May you live with ease, may you be happy, may you be free from pain.

Now focus your awareness on the person standing on your left side. Begin to direct the love within you to that person. Send all your love and warmth to that person. That person and you are alike. Just like you, that person wishes to have a good life.

Repeat the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.
Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.
Just as I wish to, may you be safe, may you be healthy, may you live with ease and happiness.

Now picture another person that you love, perhaps a relative or a friend. This person, like you, wishes to have a happy life. Send warm wishes to that person.

Repeat the following phrases, silently:

May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.
May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.
May your life be filled with happiness, health, and well-being.

Send Loving-Kindness to Neutral People

Now think of an acquaintance, someone you don’t know very well and toward whom you do not have any particular feeling. You and this person are alike in your wish to have a good life.

Send all your wishes for well-being to that person, repeating the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, may you also live with ease and happiness.
Just as I wish to, may you also live with ease and happiness.
Just as I wish to, may you also live with ease and happiness.

Now bring to mind another acquaintance toward whom you feel neutral. It could be a neighbor, or a colleague, or someone else that you see around but do not know very well. Like you, this person wishes to experience joy and well-being in his or her life.

Send all your good wishes to that person, repeating the following phrases, silently:

May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from all pain.
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from all pain.
May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you be free from all pain.

Send Loving-Kindness to All Living Beings

Now expand your awareness and picture the whole globe in front of you as a little ball.

Send warm wishes to all living beings on the globe, who, like you, want to be happy:

Just as I wish to, may you live with ease, happiness, and good health.
Just as I wish to, may you live with ease, happiness, and good health.
Just as I wish to, may you live with ease, happiness, and good health.

Take a deep breath in. And breathe out. And another deep breath in and let it go. Notice the state of your mind and how you feel after this meditation.

When you’re ready, you may open your eyes.

This article was adapted from Greater Good In Action, a site launched by UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. This exercise draws on a guided meditation created by researcher Emma Seppälä, Science Director of Stanford University’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and author of The Happiness Track (Harper One, 2016) and Sovereign (Hay House, 2024).

Source link

July 29, 2025
12 Minute Meditation: Transform Shame Into Self-Trust
Exploring difficult emotions and experiences may be the key to loosening their hold over us. Gentle awareness of our inner world allows us to transform shame in this practice from Patricia Rockman, MD.
Becoming familiar with a difficult emotion means getting interested and curious about the experience, like you might do when visiting a new city. Take it slow, uncovering new “territory” a bit at a time instead of trying to get to know it all at once. As you navigate shame, you learn that you can sit with uncomfortable feelings, and that they will eventually pass. Over time, you develop resilience, self-knowledge, and trust in yourself—the best antidotes to the self-judgment that shame inspires.

Thoughts and feelings are larger and scarier when they’re left unexplored and kept in the shadows.

Whether you’re experiencing feelings of shame right now or have buried shame that you’ve been avoiding, are you willing to get to know it a bit better? Remember, thoughts and feelings are larger and scarier when they’re left unexplored and kept in the shadows.

12-Minute Meditation: Transform Shame Into Self-Trust
1. Take a comfortable meditation posture, eyes closed if comfortable. Begin by bringing attention to the body sitting. Attending to the base of the body as it makes contact with the surface you are resting on. Allowing the jaw to soften, shoulder blades sliding down the back and hands at rest in the lap or on your thighs.
2. Turn your attention to the sensations of breathing at the level of the belly. Attending to the in-breath and the out-breath, the rising and falling of the abdomen. Perhaps letting the breath move in and out of the body naturally, as best you can.
3. And now, gently bringing to mind an experience or memory, a time in which you felt shame. Maybe it was something you did or something that someone else said about you or to you. Whatever it is, turning toward this memory, experience, or situation gently, as best you can, checking in with what thoughts are present, what emotions, and what body sensations.
4. Without needing to change or fix anything, beginning to explore what is arising or what is here right now. If there are specific thoughts, as best you can, experiencing them as sensations of the mind, as events that come and go. If there are emotions, naming or labeling them as they make themselves known. Saying to yourself, “Shame is here,” or fear, anxiety, or guilt, whatever it is, and staying with these for a few moments.
5. And now, shifting your attention to any associated sensations in the body. Investigate these with friendly interest, getting curious about them, even if they’re unwanted or intense, really getting to know them, if that is possible in this moment.
6. If the sensations are particularly intense or strong, saying to yourself, “This is a moment of difficulty. I can be with this, it’s already here.” If it is helpful, breathing into the sensations, expanding on the in-breath and softening on the out-breath, staying with these sensations as long as they are capturing your attention.
7. If this is too difficult or feels overwhelming, there is always the choice to return your attention to the breath at the belly or to open your eyes, letting go of this practice. Otherwise, continuing with this attention to the sensations in the body…
8. And now, returning to the sensations of breathing in the abdomen, to the rising and falling of the belly with each breath, breathing in and breathing out.
9. And when you’re ready, bringing attention to the entire body, to any and all sensations, resting here in a more spacious awareness, if this is available.
10. Then gently, with this shameful experience in the background now, asking yourself: Can I let this be as it is? (It’s already here, after all.) Can I let it go? (It’s already happened.) Does it need addressing? Do I have to take an action? If so, what? Can I shift my attitude, bringing a different perspective to this experience? And then gently opening the eyes if they have been closed and letting go of this practice.
Source link
July 23, 2025
Mindful Movement: How to Boost Fitness Results with Meditation and Awareness (Target keywords: mindfulness, fitness, meditation)
As the world becomes increasingly fast-paced, people are looking for ways to improve their physical and mental well-being. One approach that has gained significant attention in recent years is mindful movement, which combines the principles of mindfulness, fitness, and meditation to achieve better health outcomes. By incorporating mindfulness and meditation into their fitness routine, individuals can experience a range of benefits, from enhanced physical performance to improved mental clarity and reduced stress levels.

The Power of Mindfulness in Fitness

Mindfulness, at its core, is about being present in the moment and paying attention to one’s thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations without judgment. When applied to fitness, mindfulness can help individuals develop a greater awareness of their body and its movements, allowing them to optimize their exercise routine and achieve better results. By focusing on the present moment and letting go of distractions, individuals can tap into their inner strength and motivation, leading to a more enjoyable and effective workout experience.

One of the key benefits of mindfulness in fitness is its ability to enhance physical performance. When individuals are fully engaged in their workout, they are able to tap into their full potential, resulting in improved strength, flexibility, and endurance. Mindfulness also helps individuals develop a greater sense of body awareness, allowing them to move with greater precision and control, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall technique.

The Role of Meditation in Mindful Movement

Meditation plays a crucial role in mindful movement, as it helps individuals cultivate a greater sense of awareness and calm, both on and off the mat. By incorporating meditation into their fitness routine, individuals can experience a range of benefits, from reduced stress and anxiety to improved focus and concentration. Meditation also helps individuals develop a greater sense of self-awareness, allowing them to tune into their body’s needs and respond accordingly, whether that means taking a rest day or pushing through a challenging workout.

There are many different types of meditation that can be incorporated into a mindful movement practice, including loving-kindness meditation, transcendental meditation, and guided meditation. Loving-kindness meditation, for example, involves focusing on sending kindness and compassion to oneself and others, helping to cultivate a greater sense of empathy and understanding. Guided meditation, on the other hand, involves following a guided audio or visualization, helping individuals to relax and focus their mind.

How to Incorporate Mindfulness and Meditation into Your Fitness Routine

Incorporating mindfulness and meditation into your fitness routine is easier than you might think. Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Start small: Begin by incorporating short periods of mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine, such as taking a few deep breaths before a workout or practicing a quick meditation session after a run.
- Focus on your breath: Bring your attention to your breath, noticing the sensation of the air moving in and out of your body. This can help you stay present and focused, even in the midst of a challenging workout.
- Listen to your body: Pay attention to your physical sensations, noticing areas of tension or discomfort. This can help you adjust your workout routine and avoid injury.
- Practice mindfulness in daily activities: Mindfulness isn’t just limited to the gym or meditation cushion. Practice mindfulness in daily activities, such as eating, walking, or even doing the dishes.
The Benefits of Mindful Movement

The benefits of mindful movement are numerous, ranging from improved physical health to enhanced mental well-being. Some of the key benefits include:
- Improved physical performance: Mindful movement can help individuals develop greater strength, flexibility, and endurance, leading to improved overall fitness.
- Reduced stress and anxiety: Mindfulness and meditation can help individuals reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a greater sense of calm and well-being.
- Improved focus and concentration: Mindful movement can help individuals develop greater focus and concentration, leading to improved performance in all areas of life.
- Enhanced self-awareness: Mindfulness and meditation can help individuals develop a greater sense of self-awareness, allowing them to tune into their body’s needs and respond accordingly.
Common Mindful Movement Practices

There are many different types of mindful movement practices, each with its own unique benefits and advantages. Some of the most common practices include:
- Yoga: A physical practice that combines movement, breath, and meditation to promote flexibility, strength, and relaxation.
- Tai chi: A slow, flowing practice that combines movement, breath, and meditation to promote balance, flexibility, and relaxation.
- Pilates: A physical practice that combines movement, breath, and meditation to promote core strength, flexibility, and body awareness.
- Walking: A simple yet powerful practice that involves paying attention to the sensation of your feet touching the ground, promoting relaxation and reducing stress.
Conclusion

Mindful movement is a powerful approach to fitness that combines the principles of mindfulness, fitness, and meditation to achieve better health outcomes. By incorporating mindfulness and meditation into their fitness routine, individuals can experience a range of benefits, from enhanced physical performance to improved mental clarity and reduced stress levels. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting out on your fitness journey, mindful movement can help you achieve your goals and cultivate a greater sense of overall well-being.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is mindful movement?
A: Mindful movement is an approach to fitness that combines the principles of mindfulness, fitness, and meditation to achieve better health outcomes.

Q: How do I incorporate mindfulness and meditation into my fitness routine?
A: Start by incorporating short periods of mindfulness and meditation into your daily routine, focusing on your breath, and listening to your body.

Q: What are the benefits of mindful movement?
A: The benefits of mindful movement include improved physical performance, reduced stress and anxiety, improved focus and concentration, and enhanced self-awareness.

Q: What are some common mindful movement practices?
A: Common mindful movement practices include yoga, tai chi, Pilates, and walking.

Q: Do I need to be flexible or have prior experience with mindfulness and meditation to practice mindful movement?
A: No, mindful movement is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, ability, or experience level. Start slow, be gentle with yourself, and have fun!

Q: Can I practice mindful movement at home?
A: Yes, mindful movement can be practiced anywhere, at any time. Find a quiet space, put on some calming music, and get started with some simple stretches or movements.

Q: How often should I practice mindful movement?
A: Aim to practice mindful movement at least 2-3 times per week, ideally daily if possible. Consistency is key to experiencing the benefits of mindful movement.

mindful-movement-how-to-boost-fitness-results-with-meditation-and-awareness-target-keywords-mindfulness-fitness-meditation
July 19, 2025
An SOS Meditation to Unwind Anxiety
In this week’s guided meditation, teacher and author Melli O’Brien offers a practice to unwind anxiety by connecting with a gentle and steady awareness when you are feeling stressed.
Often the toughest part of experiencing anxiety is just the sense of being helplessly caught up in the thought loops that keep us feeling stuck and stressed. It’s tough to unwind anxiety, and we long for the kind of support that could actually help escape the tangle of those anxious webs.

In this week’s guided meditation, teacher and author Melli O’Brien offers a practice that uses gentle, steady awareness to help you find your calm center again when you’re feeling wound up with stress or anxiety.

SOS Meditation to Unwind Anxiety

Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.
1. If you’re playing this meditation, chances are that something has you feeling a bit stressed or anxious or the body and mind are feeling really tense or wound up. I’m here to support you in finding your center again and helping you to ground in a gentle and steady awareness.
2. Make sure that you are sitting comfortably. Even if the mind is very busy or the body’s really tense right now, we’re still taking the time to settle. You might even like to lie down on the ground or on a lounge chair or a bed. When you’re ready, allow the eyes to gently close, if that feels okay for you, knowing that you have this time and space just for yourself.
3. Remember, you don’t have to try to figure anything out or mentally fix anything. There’s nothing you really need to worry about during this time, and there’s no problem to solve. You’ve given yourself this time for meditation, so give yourself full permission to let go of everything else for a while and simply be present, grounding yourself in the here and now and following these instructions as best you can.
4. Start by letting go of any agenda to get rid of stress or anxiety, or actually to get rid of any part of your experience. Instead, we’re going to practice relaxing with this moment just as it is, and making peace with it.
5. Take some deeper, slower, and fuller breaths into the belly. As you breathe in, allow the belly to swell a little like a balloon. As you breathe out, allow the belly to soften and subside. Again, long steady and smooth breath in, filling the belly. And then a long, steady, smooth breath out. If anything about this practice feels uncomfortable for you, you can feel free to just let the breath be natural. If there’s any sense of strain or gasping for air, then you can make the breath much more gentle, much more subtle. You might even like to place a hand or both hands on the belly, so you can really feel that rising and falling sensation. Focus on the feeling of the breath in the belly and allowing the movement of the breath to soothe you and settle you. You’re doing great.
6. As you continue breathing into the belly like this, see if you can get a sense of softening and relaxing a little more with each and every exhale. Let tension begin to melt and soften in the body. Really surrender the weight of your body into gravity, knowing that the ground beneath you is more than able to take your weight and support you and that it’s safe to let go and relax the tension into the here and now.
7. At the top of this next inhale, if it feels okay for you, hold the breath for a count of three. So breathe in and hold for 1, 2, 3, and then let the breath go. Continue on like that, holding the breath in for the count of 3, and then letting it go. If that doesn’t feel right for any reason, then just continue as before.
8. Now, after the next exhale, let go of controlling the breath at all. Let the body settle back into its own natural rhythm of breathing, but continue to focus on that rising and falling sensation of the breath in the belly. Again, you can place a hand or both hands there and just feel the hands rising and falling. That’s it.
9. As you follow the breath, if at any point you get lost in thought again, it’s not a problem. Each time you’re drawn by a distraction, mentally note to yourself, Just thinking. Then guide your focus back into the breath, feeling the rising and falling of the belly. Ride the waves of breath moment by moment, letting everything else go, resting here in the present moment and breathing, giving yourself this time to rejuvenate, to tap into inner strength. Notice how the body is being rocked and cradled by the flowing sensations of the breath moment by moment.
10. Remember, distraction is normal. You can return as many times as you need to, settling into the breath, letting yourself soften into the present moment. Continue practicing like this.
11. As this practice begins to draw to a close, take another deep, slow, full breath in, and let it go. Two more in the same way, so breathing in…and breathing out. One more time breathing in, this time rolling the shoulders up toward the ears a little on the inhale. As you exhale, relax the shoulders down. Then begin to wriggle your fingers and your toes. Open your eyes, looking around the room, taking in the colors and the shapes all around you.
12. As you prepare now to go about the rest of your day, make an intention now to take this more centered energy with you into the rest of your day. Thank you for your practice. Go gently with yourself today. And as always, let’s go out there and be kind, be brave, and be the change we want to see.
Source link
July 15, 2025
A Meditation for When You Need a Break
Mindfulness teacher and author Kimberly Brown offers a relaxing practice for whenever you need a break. Take this moment to pause and reconnect with yourself.
Sometimes, when we need a break, the best gift we can give ourselves is just a moment set aside for quiet, breath, and reminding ourselves of who we really are.

In this gentle guided practice, Kimberly Brown uses simple repeated phrases to ground attention and offer a place to rest and reset.

A Meditation for When You Need a Break

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

Turn inward. You can say to yourself, Hello, I’m here. Hello, my beautiful self, I am here for you. Whatever is arising in me is welcome.

Note that this practice includes longer pauses of complete silence for reflection and presence. If you want more time, feel free to pause the recording as you go.
1. To begin, remember that, for these few minutes, you don’t have to do anything. Make a decision and a commitment to yourself to shut off your devices, to stop talking, and to find a quiet place where you can be undisturbed. So if you need to, pause this recording and take a couple of minutes, find your spot, and then come back. Then, when you’re ready, get still.
2. Take an attitude of welcoming. Say hello to yourself and whatever you’re experiencing right now. Put one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly and really turn the attention toward you. It’s very likely you’ve been looking out. Turn inward. You can say to yourself, Hello, I’m here. Hello, my beautiful self, I am here for you. Whatever is arising in me is welcome.
3. Now gather all of your attention and bring it to your hands, feeling the tops of your hands, the palms of your hands, each finger as they are resting on your heart and on your belly. Connect through your palms with your breath. You can experience your body moving on each inhale and each exhale as you rest your attention on the tops of your hands and the palms of your hands and each finger. Just for a couple of moments, choose to keep your attention here, on your hands, feeling your breath. And when your attention moves away, gently but firmly bring it back, like a kind parent keeping a child safe.
4. Where is your attention right now? Do you need to gently come back to the feelings of your breath, to your fingers and your palms? Just for one more minute, rest here.
5. Now, with your attention gathered to your hand on your belly and your hand on your heart, imagine you’re with someone who loves you easily. This could be a dear old friend, an aunt, an uncle, a pet, a teacher. Imagine the two of you are in a place that’s meaningful to you, a place that is comfortable and safe to you. I’d like you to notice their face and their beautiful presence. And notice how you feel in their presence. Now, say to them and to you, May we stay connected to our true selves. May we be steady and brave. May we stay connected to our true selves. May we be steady and brave. For just a couple of minutes here, keep this visualization of the two of you, continuing to repeat these phrases like you’re giving a gift. May we stay connected to our true selves. May we be steady and brave.
6. Have you lost your connection with the two of you? Are you planning or remembering? It’s okay. Gently come back, imagining you and this dear being, beginning again. May we stay connected to our true selves. May we be steady and brave. Just for another minute or so, repeating these phrases like you’re giving a gift.
7. Allow yourself to give this gift of kindness to this loved one. Just check in with yourself. If your attention has wandered from this dear one, reconnect. See their lovely face. Continue repeating, May you stay connected to your true self. May you be steady and open.
8. Keeping your hands on your heart and on your belly, you can let the visualization dissolve. Just be here in this moment with your presence, with your experience, with your beautiful self, and giving yourself the same wisdom. May I stay connected to my true self. May I be steady and open.
9. I encourage you to continue practicing, even after this recording ends. Alternatively, you can conclude it now and practice it again and again when you feel that you need a break. Before you get up, open your eyes, re-engage with your life, your busy-ness—before you do that, thank yourself. Remember how valuable it is to get in touch with your compassion and your wisdom, your true nature. Thank yourself for this practice, and I thank you for your practice and your good heart.
Source link
July 9, 2025