Our sense of purpose isn’t a fixed point, it’s dynamic. In fact, considering what’s most alive for you right now helps you define your purpose.
Although it’s helpful to have a clearly defined sense of purpose, I also see purpose as something that’s really dynamic.
I invite you to consider what’s most alive for you in your life right now.
Let me explain a little bit: In order to further support our journey toward living with meaning, purpose and resilience, it’s helpful for us to articulate a vision for our lives—in a statement.
I’ve found it very helpful for me, over the past couple decades, to have a statement that I can really use as my North Star.
Those statements change over time. In fact, they can change frequently, so the important thing is to attune to what is most alive for you and then, based on what’s most dynamic, derive this guiding statement, this sense of clarity for yourself. That statement can then be used to help us define our purpose.
I lead an institute that focuses on bringing secular and science-based mindfulness and emotional intelligence tools to communities and organizations around the world. Mindfulness has been a part of my life for at least the past 30 years. It started as a personal practice and then more and more became part of my work.
So, when I reflect on what’s alive for me, mindfulness is it. It’s a daily practice and something I treasure and truly enjoy. It also brings a great many benefits to my life.
My North Star is the full integration of mindfulness in every domain of my life. So I aspire to be a mindful parent, a mindful spouse, a mindful colleague, a mindful friend. I say aspire because I’m human, as we all are, and there are times when I’m certainly not mindful, and that’s OK. I still keep this aspiration. I have this purpose that’s really defined—and I really want to call attention to the fact that that purpose also derives from my intention.
From Purpose to Intentions
What are the values that you hold dear? What is the ideal or hoped-for life you want to be living? All of that comes to bear when I think about my purpose because the purpose doesn’t exist alone, independently of intention and meaning.
Meaning—your values, the things that are important to you, the things you aspire to—all inform your purpose. I would encourage you to consider how your values, the things that are meaningful to you, and the things you hope for in your best life could all come together in terms of your purpose.
A Practice: What’s Alive For You Right Now?
So if you would join me, and if you’re comfortable, close your eyes or simply direct your gaze downward and soften the visual field so that we can gather our attention.
Bring awareness to your body, where you find yourself seated or lying down or standing. Bring awareness to this felt experience of your own body and to the very quality of your awareness. How might you cultivate a quality of alertness, of brightness, and yet at the same time, easefulness? This is about being alert and yet relaxed at the same time. Allow your awareness to make contact with the felt sense of your own body, your posture, the places where your body makes contact with the surface of your chair, the floor.
Then begin directing the attention gently but firmly to the breath: the in breaths the out breaths, the full cycle of the breath of air as it moves in and out of your body.
I invite you now to consider what’s most alive for you in this moment. Where is your attention? What are you noticing most prominently? What do you feel? Take note of whatever is arising. Name it. Is this a familiar feeling, what is most alive for you now? And what has been alive for you over this period of time? What has had your attention? What questions have you been asking? What have you been wondering about? What has been returning frequently? And what is alive now? These can be things that are both very positive and encouraging. They can also be very challenging things. Without judgment, simply notice what is alive. What has been alive for you in your experience?
Consider one other very important thing: Whatever has been arising for you in your life and in this moment hasn’t happened in isolation. There are causes and conditions and people who have all contributed to this thing that is very alive for you. So I invite you to consider what support you need to nurture or to work with whatever it is that’s alive for you. What support do you need to work with this? We’re not alone. We’re never really alone in the sense that a whole set of causes and conditions allow us to live our lives each and every moment of each and every day. So in that sense, what causes and conditions or people do you need in terms of support, to work with what’s alive for you?
As you relate to what is most alive for you, and as we close this meditation, let’s take a few last deep breaths. And, if you like, you’re welcome to write down anything that arose for you regarding what’s alive. What questions do you have? What support do you need?
Write down the word or sentence that captures what’s most alive for you in this season of life—and consider how that dynamic energy informs and fuels your sense of purpose.
In a world filled with wellness trends and social media “superfoods,” it’s easy to believe that certain products can give your body an instant shield against illness.
Many brands use terms like immune-boosting foods or super supplements to attract health-conscious consumers, but what truly supports the immune system comes down to evidence-based nutrition. Understanding the line between science and marketing claims is essential for building real, lasting health.
What Are Immune-Boosting Foods, Really?
When people search for immune-boosting foods, they often picture colorful fruits, smoothies, or exotic herbs that promise to “fortify” the body.
However, rather than “boosting” the immune system beyond normal function, certain foods actually help it run properly. The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs; food provides the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients these systems need to work efficiently.
Scientific studies show that a diet rich in whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats helps maintain immune balance. For example, foods like citrus fruits, bell peppers, and broccoli supply vitamin C, a nutrient linked to white blood cell production and immune defense.
Zinc, found in legumes, seeds, and shellfish, supports immune cell growth and wound healing. Meanwhile, fermented foods such as yogurt and kimchi provide probiotics that aid gut health, an important part of overall immune strength.
The idea of “boosting” immunity should be reframed to “supporting” or “nourishing” it. The body doesn’t need a sudden surge of activity; it needs consistent nutritional care that promotes proper immune function.
The Science Behind Evidence-Based Nutrition
The foundation of evidence-based nutrition rests on scientific studies rather than marketing claims. Researchers consistently find that whole, nutrient-dense foods promote immune resilience, while overly processed products can hinder it. Instead of focusing on single ingredients, nutrition experts emphasize dietary patterns.
Some key evidence-backed nutrients include:
Vitamin C: Found in citrus fruits, kiwi, peppers, and tomatoes; contributes to normal immune cell activity.
Vitamin D: Sourced from sunlight, fortified milk, and fatty fish; regulates immune responses and inflammation.
Zinc: Present in legumes, seeds, and shellfish; essential for wound healing and immune enzyme activity.
Probiotics: Offered by yogurt, kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut; improve gut flora balance, which influences immunity.
Whole diets such as the Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil, and nuts, have been linked to reduced inflammation and improved immune markers. This broader approach reflects how nutrition works in synergy rather than isolation.
Drinking one glass of orange juice won’t prevent a cold, but a steady pattern of balanced eating can make the body more resilient overall.
Common Immune Health Myths Debunked
Misinformation surrounding immune health myths spreads quickly, especially online. Many brands and influencers present immunity as something that can be “supercharged” overnight, often with pricey supplements or quick-fix cleanses, according to the World Health Organization.
Here are a few widespread myths worth clarifying:
Myth 1: You can boost your immunity instantly. The immune system cannot be strengthened overnight. It adapts over time based on overall health, lifestyle, and consistent nutrition.
Myth 2: The more vitamins you take, the better. Nutrients like vitamin C and zinc have upper intake limits. Excessive consumption offers no added benefit and can even be harmful.
Myth 3: Detox products can cleanse the immune system. The liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system already perform detoxification naturally. No juice cleanse or tea replicates this complex biological process.
In many cases, myths thrive because they promise fast results, something the human body simply doesn’t work that way. Sustainable immune support relies on gradual, evidence-based habits.
The Vitamin and Supplement Hype
The vitamin and supplement hype is a thriving part of the wellness industry, often fueled by marketing narratives rather than medical evidence. Supplements claiming to “supercharge immune strength” contribute to a multibillion-dollar global market.
While some people may benefit from supplements, for example, those with nutritional deficiencies, older adults, or individuals in low-sunlight environments, most can meet their nutritional needs through nutrient-rich foods.
Clinical research indicates that supplements like vitamin C or zinc can shorten the duration of colds slightly when taken at the first sign of symptoms.
However, over-the-counter “immune booster” blends usually offer limited value for healthy individuals. Many contain high doses or unproven herbal ingredients marketed as miracle solutions.
Healthcare professionals often recommend focusing on diet first, using supplements only when tests reveal deficiencies. A balanced diet with diverse whole foods remains the most reliable way to maintain immune health, and it doesn’t require expensive pills or powders.
Food vs Marketing Claims
Navigating food vs marketing claims can be confusing, especially with appealing buzzwords printed on labels. Marketers use phrases like “immune-boosting,” “functional,” or “superfood” to imply scientifically supported results, even when evidence is weak or nonexistent.
Consumers can protect themselves by evaluating sources critically. When a product boasts immune-strengthening benefits, check for reliable references such as peer-reviewed studies or government health guidelines. If the label avoids specifics or relies on vague health promises, that’s a red flag.
For instance, fortified juices may advertise added vitamins, but they often contain high amounts of sugar, counteracting the benefits. Similarly, trendy superfoods like goji berries or spirulina offer nutrients but aren’t uniquely superior to more accessible foods like berries or leafy greens.
A simple rule applies: real food usually doesn’t need loud claims. An orange, spinach salad, or bowl of lentils can support the immune system as effectively as any packaged product promoted as a “functional health booster,” as per Harvard Health.
Building Long-Term Immune Strength Through Lifestyle
Beyond nutrition, immune resilience depends on lifestyle factors working hand in hand with diet. Adequate sleep (7–9 hours per night) allows immune cells to regenerate.
Regular physical activity enhances circulation and immune surveillance. Stress management, through meditation, breathing exercises, or leisure time, prevents chronic inflammation, which can weaken immune defenses.
Hydration and moderate exposure to sunlight also play roles in maintaining vitamin D levels and supporting mucosal barriers. Together, these habits create the environment the immune system needs to perform consistently rather than erratically.
For most individuals, true immune “boosting” is about steady maintenance through sustainable living, not extreme interventions. Combine whole foods with rest and movement, and the body’s defense systems naturally function at their best.
Smart Nutrition for Lasting Immune Health
Understanding the genuine connection between immune-boosting foods and evidence-based nutrition empowers consumers to make informed choices. Real immune health doesn’t come from expensive powders or trendy products, it comes from daily habits rooted in science.
By debunking immune health myths, looking beyond vitamin and supplement hype, and learning to separate food vs marketing claims, people can prioritize what truly matters: balanced, nutritionally varied meals and a consistent lifestyle that supports the body’s natural defenses.
The best immune support isn’t found in a supplement aisle, it’s built over time, one mindful meal and healthy choice at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can eating the same “immune-boosting” foods every day make your immune system stronger?
No. Variety is key, rotating different fruits, vegetables, and proteins provides a broader range of nutrients that support immune balance more effectively.
2. Is it better to get immune-supporting nutrients from food or supplements?
Food is generally preferred since it provides nutrients in their natural form alongside fiber and antioxidants; supplements should only fill genuine gaps.
3. Do processed or packaged “immune drinks” actually work?
Most offer limited benefits. While they may contain vitamins, they’re often high in sugar or lack the balanced nutrition whole foods deliver.
4. Can dehydration affect your immune system?
Yes. When the body lacks enough fluids, immune cells can’t circulate efficiently, weakening the ability to fight infections.
The sitting practice of meditation is a powerful means to get to know yourself, to introduce yourself to yourself. Meditation is a discipline, a technique to transcend technique. You sit down on a cushion or a chair and simply experience yourself: your body, your breath, and your thoughts. You just be there, very simply.
There are several aspects to meditation that are part of establishing friendship with yourself. One is mindfulness. Mindfulness is keeping track, or keeping a pulse, of being here, in a nonjudgmental way. There is no good or bad. Everything is allowed to be. Among other things, mindfulness is a stabilizing or pacifying influence. The panic of everyday life and every expectation laid on life can subside. This is a huge relief. It is called the discovery of peace.
Awareness is being in a bigger space, recognizing that there is always an environment around our thoughts and feelings. When you begin to sense that atmosphere, there is both intelligence, or sharpness, and relaxation.
Finding peace in the practice of meditation involves slowing down. Physically, you call a halt. You park your body somewhere, and you stay put. Your mind may continue to race for a while, maybe for a long time, but you become aware of the mind racing. Awareness is being in a bigger space, recognizing that there is always an environment around our thoughts and feelings. When you begin to sense that atmosphere, there is both intelligence, or sharpness, and relaxation. You begin to see things much more precisely and your native intelligence begins to awaken.
The Courage to Be Aware
Becoming more aware is a very courageous thing to do. You allow yourself to look honestly at your experience. And that solid sense of self—of who you are—is revealed as being not so solid. You begin to experience gaps, holes in your suit of armor. You realize that you are really more like Swiss cheese than Cheddar.
When you are there, just there, without trying to hold everything solidly together, you also begin to find that you don’t need to sustain a storyline about yourself and your life. Who is it for anyway?
When you are there, just there, without trying to hold everything solidly together, you also begin to find that you don’t need to sustain a storyline about yourself and your life. Who is it for anyway? You can afford to relax with yourself, get to know yourself. You don’t have to put on makeup for yourself; you don’t have to put on a smile. You can leave the mental toupee on the shelf and like yourself just as you are.
There is something genuinely good about being you. You may not like every little thing about yourself, but overall you have an honest heart and you can connect with it through the practice of meditation. You have the courage to face yourself. From that connection with yourself and from actually liking yourself without conditions, you begin to see how brilliant and available life can be when it is without preconceptions or adornments.
As you open yourself to yourself, you become more aware of the world you’re living in. The development of awareness here is a bit like having cataracts removed, or getting a hearing aid: you didn’t know your vision was so obscured until you finally see a brilliant yellow daffodil in the field. You couldn’t hear the first bird of spring singing in the meadow. You couldn’t taste the bitter onion flavor of chives by the stream. You didn’t see the face of your beloved, until you ran right into him. Then suddenly you begin to feel your world. You begin to understand love in an entirely new way.
Noticing the Hall of Mirrors
At that point, as you become more open, you also may begin to see where you’re stuck, how you’re often living in a hall of mirrors that you create for yourself. You see your speed and how that has produced panic. We may actually recognize and experience ourselves as the monkey bouncing off the walls in our house of mirrors. What you’re bouncing off of is often simply the reflections that you project. When you bounce off yourself, this can take the form of self-hatred or it can be twisted into some kind of false arrogance and pride. Unfortunately, your dearest friends, lovers, relatives, and partners are often the mirrors you project your reflections onto most intensely.
We demand a lot from intimacy, often more than it can possibly deliver. We ask ourselves and our closest friends to confirm us by reflecting some things and not others. Essentially, we ask, “Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” And we expect the answer, “You, my love!” This a burden to others and to us, and ultimately it doesn’t work. The mirrors crack.
If you want to live in a hall of mirrors, this is a disaster. If you’re willing to find a true relationship with yourself and others, this is welcome relief from your self-imposed isolation. It reveals the tremendous space that is there when the myth of satisfaction is seen to be a fraud.
Facing reality is not creating something new. It’s allowing a barrier to dissolve.
Over the course of time, if we are committed to meditation as an ongoing practice, then it can provide us with this honest feedback. Although we might try to filter information, if we sit long enough, reality wells up in us and breaks through. This is inevitable, because it is just discovering what is there and we can’t block what is there forever. Facing reality is not creating something new. It’s allowing a barrier to dissolve. It unlocks in us the power of loving-kindness and is the beginning of real warmth toward ourselves and others.
Sleep plays a crucial role in a child’s emotional, physical, and cognitive development, yet many kids today struggle to get the rest they need. Child sleeping problems are becoming increasingly common as busy schedules, overstimulation from screens, academic pressure, and inconsistent routines disrupt natural sleep rhythms. While many parents assume the issue is simply restlessness, the truth is that a wide range of underlying causes can contribute to kids’ insomnia and affect proper pediatric sleep. Understanding these root problems is the first step toward improving nightly rest and supporting healthier long-term development.
These sleep barriers often build gradually, going unnoticed until bedtime becomes a nightly challenge. From dietary choices that spike energy levels to environmental factors like noise or temperature, small habits can significantly shape pediatric sleep quality. Emotional factors such as anxiety, fear, or separation difficulties can also interfere with falling asleep or staying asleep through the night. By recognizing these contributors early, parents can take meaningful steps to reduce child sleep problems and help their children develop more consistent, restorative sleep patterns.
Psychological and Behavioral Contributors to Kids Insomnia
Children are highly sensitive to emotional and behavioral shifts, making their sleep habits vulnerable to stress and routine changes. When the mind remains overstimulated or anxious, it becomes difficult for kids to transition into a calm, sleep-ready state. Understanding these psychological and behavioral triggers is key to addressing the root causes of kids’ insomnia.
1. Anxiety, Stress, and Emotional Triggers
Children may struggle to sleep when dealing with worries about school, friendships, or family changes. Anxiety activates the nervous system, making it harder for kids to relax at bedtime. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety can lead to physiological hyperarousal, directly interfering with the ability to fall asleep.
2. Irregular Bedtimes and Poor Sleep Hygiene
Inconsistent routines are one of the most common behavioral causes of kids’ insomnia. Children who do not follow a predictable bedtime schedule often experience difficulty settling down. Screen exposure—especially within one hour of bedtime—suppresses melatonin and delays sleep onset. According to research from Harvard Medical School, blue light from screens delays circadian rhythms and melatonin secretion, worsening insomnia in both adults and children.
3. Parasomnias and Nighttime Disruptions
Night terrors, sleepwalking, and confusional arousals typically occur when children are overtired or experiencing fragmented sleep. These episodes can be frightening for parents but are usually harmless and temporary. Parasomnias are more likely to occur in children with irregular sleep patterns or insufficient rest. These psychological and behavioral factors are major contributors to kids’ insomnia, especially in preschool and elementary-aged children.
Medical, Environmental, and Dietary Factors in Pediatric Sleep
Not all sleep issues stem from emotions or routines—many children struggle with sleep due to underlying medical or environmental conditions. Diet, allergies, breathing problems, and household habits can significantly affect how well a child sleeps through the night. Recognizing these physical and environmental factors helps parents take a more complete approach to improving pediatric sleep.
1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Breathing Problems
OSA affects an estimated 1–5% of children, often caused by enlarged tonsils or obesity. Breathing interruptions prevent children from reaching deep sleep, leading to daytime sleepiness and irritability. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, untreated sleep apnea can impact cognitive development, growth, and behavior.
2. Dietary Triggers and Stimulants
Certain foods can contribute to bedtime problems. Caffeine, sugar, chocolate, and heavy evening meals may cause discomfort or overstimulation. Reflux, food intolerances, or allergies also disrupt pediatric sleep. Children who consume caffeinated products—even in the afternoon—may experience delayed sleep onset and more nighttime awakenings.
3. Irregular Schedules and Excessive Napping
Skipping naps or sleeping too long during the day affects nighttime rhythms. Without a consistent wake–sleep cycle, children struggle to regulate their internal clock.
4. Medical Conditions Such as Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Although less common in children, RLS can cause uncomfortable sensations in the legs, leading to bedtime restlessness or nighttime waking. Low iron levels or genetic factors may contribute to RLS symptoms. These medical and environmental influences significantly affect pediatric sleep, often requiring evaluation from a pediatrician or sleep specialist.
Hidden Everyday Habits That Disrupt Children’s Sleep
Even minor daily routines can interfere with how well children sleep at night. These habits may seem harmless during the day but can create overstimulation, disrupt natural circadian rhythms, or make it harder for kids to transition into a calm, sleepy state. Parents often overlook these seemingly small behaviors, yet they can significantly impact a child’s ability to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep throughout the night. Understanding how these small factors fit into the bigger picture can help parents build a more consistent, structured, and calming bedtime environment that supports better rest.
Late-Day Physical Activity: Exercise is healthy, but vigorous play too close to bedtime can elevate adrenaline, increase core body temperature, and raise heart rate—all of which delay relaxation. High-energy activities like running, jumping, or competitive sports can keep kids wired longer than expected, pushing bedtime later than intended.
Inconsistent Weekend Schedules: Allowing kids to stay up late on weekends may feel like a harmless treat, but it can shift their internal clock by hours, creating a “social jet lag” effect. This inconsistency makes it harder for children to fall asleep on school nights and can lead to daytime fatigue, crankiness, or reduced focus.
Bright Lighting in the Evening: Overhead LED lights, TV screens, and brightly lit rooms suppress melatonin production, sending a signal to the brain that it’s still daytime. Even an extra hour of exposure can delay sleepiness, especially for younger children who are sensitive to light cues. Switching to warm, dim lighting in the evening can help the body wind down naturally.
Conclusion
Helping kids sleep better begins with understanding the many factors that influence their nightly rest. Emotional stress, dietary choices, screen habits, and environmental conditions all contribute to how easily a child falls and stays asleep. When these issues overlap, sleep problems become more frequent and harder to manage, making a thoughtful, consistent approach essential. Parents who take time to identify these patterns can make targeted adjustments that result in meaningful improvements.
As children grow, their sleep needs and challenges naturally evolve, which is why flexible strategies work better than one-time fixes. By creating calming routines, adjusting evening activities, and addressing emotional needs, families can build a healthier sleep foundation. With patience and awareness, kids can develop habits that support long-term rest, resilience, and overall well-being—making bedtime smoother for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What causes night terrors versus nightmares in children?
Night terrors occur during deep (non-REM) sleep and are often linked to overtiredness or stress. Nightmares occur during REM sleep and are usually triggered by fears or anxieties the child can recall.
2. How much screen time before bed affects kids’ insomnia?
Using screens within one hour of bedtime can significantly delay sleep by suppressing melatonin. Limiting devices after dinner helps improve sleep quality.
3. Can diet changes improve child sleep problems?
Yes. Removing caffeine, reducing sugar intake, and avoiding heavy meals before bed often help. Identifying allergies or food intolerances can also improve rest.
4. When should parents seek help for pediatric sleep issues?
Seek professional help if sleep problems persist for several weeks, if snoring or breathing pauses occur, or if sleep deprivation affects daytime functioning or behavior.
In the chronically-online world of 2025, it’s almost impossible to avoid the saturating presence of podcasters, pundits, and social-media influencers in the “manosphere”—people who promise men admiration, health, and success, but who often have ideas of masculinity that leave men feeling even more wounded and isolated. Jon Macaskill and Will Schneider from Men Talking Mindfulness are devoting themselves to reaching men where they are, in their struggle, confusion, and longing for a life of meaning and connection. In this wide-ranging conversation with former Mindful editor Amber Tucker, Macaskill and Schneider offer a perspective on what mindfulness for men can provide in a world that needs authentic men more than ever. And they share a vision of what it is to be a man that’s less about the performance of manliness and more about being genuinely resilient, wise, and connected.
Two Paths to Discovering Mindfulness
Amber: I would love to start by asking about each of your paths to mindfulness. Jon, I know that you’re a retired US Navy SEAL Commander, and Will came from being a yoga teacher and a coach—two paths that a lot of people wouldn’t see as meshing naturally together. How did you personally discover mindfulness, and what did it take to integrate mindfulness into your lives?
Jon: My path to mindfulness, and I think Will and I have this in common, is that it kind of came out of necessity. I had struggled with some anxiety, with survivor’s guilt, depression, and then over and above that, as a SEAL, you’re trained to push through pain—I would love to say ignore stress, but I think sometimes we even bring stress onto ourselves and then just keep going.
But eventually, you know, that approach broke me. I wasn’t able to handle it anymore, physically, mentally, and emotionally. When I got to a point where all that was at a height—where I was struggling with the post-traumatic stress and sleepless nights—I had mindfulness introduced to me by a counselor. I first laughed at him because I thought that, being a special operator, I didn’t need mindfulness and meditation. He kind of flipped the script on me and he said, “Well, what if I had a pill that I could give to you that would change your performance?” As special operators, we’re always looking for something that’s going to improve our performance. And as you could guess, that pill wasn’t a pill at all. It was mindfulness and meditation.
So, because it was sold to me as a “performance enhancement,” then I tried it. And long story short, I tried for several months, and it did help me to handle the stress and anxiety better. I got that performance improvement that he had promised me, but I also was able to manage stress. At first I didn’t trust it, but it gave me a real shot at not just slowing down, but also being present. What I had perceived as a kind of weakness, practicing mindfulness and meditation, wasn’t that at all. It was a strength, and it gave me these tools to face what I’d been avoiding. It gave me the tools to regulate my emotions better. I wouldn’t say that I’m an expert on regulating my emotions, but I’m better. And then to reconnect: reconnect with my family, reconnect with friends. I think most importantly, the ability to truly connect with my authentic self.
To integrate that into my life, it took some discipline to do consistently. It’s easy to do mindfulness or to be mindful and practice meditation once or twice and then maybe a couple of days in a row and then drop off. But by staying consistent, making it a daily practice, it’s changed how I lead, how I father, and ultimately how I live.
Will: I really found meditation first, even before yoga, back around 2006. I was at a point in my life where I just moved to New York City, and I was pursuing life as an actor here in the city: auditioning, training, doing a lot of theater, I started doing television. I just wanted to be more present, and I also needed to manage the anxiety that comes with performance. I started with Transcendental Meditation (TM) and it started to help. Honestly, it was challenging to sit and meditate twice a day for 20 minutes with the TM on my own, not having a group that I’m meditating with, or not having the online opportunities like we do nowadays. It was very frustrating in the beginning. I’m having all these different experiences, my mind just keeps wandering, and I don’t feel like I’m doing anything. Then about a year and a half later, after the sputtering starts with trying to work with meditation, then I really became more consistent. It helped when I found yoga around the same time, especially yoga asana practice. There was this whole mindful movement inside of me, trying to take care of my mind. At the same time, I was taking care of my body. It felt like, This is my practice. It’s been an incredible benefit to me. It still is, every day that I practice. Now I’ve been with the [Men Talking Mindfulness] show, and the work that I do with coaching, and I incorporate all of these skills into what I’m teaching here now.
Starting the Men Talking Mindfulness Podcast
Amber: Let’s talk about Men Talking Mindfulness, the podcast that you co-host. It’s described as tackling difficult subjects like loneliness, trauma, addiction, the unhealthy elements of masculinity. Could you talk a little bit about some of the most transformative conversations that you’ve had? How have your guests or listeners highlighted the power of mindfulness and addressing those kinds of challenges?
Will: We’ve really “attacked” mindfulness from so many different angles! And with Jon and I both being practitioners, we have a lot of great authors that come on the show. The whole show has impacted my life, because I’m a student first—the expert, if you will, of mindfulness who’s always learning. For me, some of the ones that really stick out were No More Mr. Nice Guy with Dr. Robert Glover. Reading his book and seeing what the whole “nice guy” thing is, and then deconstructing why this whole nice-guy approach to life is not the way to fully embrace all the power of your masculinity, was really profound for me.
And then we had Jon Eldredge on the show, New York Times bestseller. I loved his book, Wild at Heart. That conversation with him included understanding the three core principles that live in the soul of masculinity: always having a sense of adventure, having that relationship in your life, and having a battle to fight, having your mission. I just came back from a two-week trip to Peru, which is quite an adventure. I’m still working on the relationship part, but I definitely have the other two pretty synced up. I keep all the books that I’ve read for the show! One after the other of our guests have just been so helpful. A lot of them come back to the core principles of mindfulness, being present, allowing that presence to light up your biology, and the good biology that we have that really makes us, like, these wonderful human beings that we can be if we let go of the stress and anxiety.
Jon: One conversation that’s jumping to mind right now is our conversation with the two Eds, Dr. Ed Adams and Ed Frauenheim. They co-wrote Reinventing Masculinity, where they challenged the idea that men have to fit into this rigid mold that you’re either tough or you’re not a man. That stood out to me, and it struck a chord with our audience because we heard from men who said things like, “I thought I was broken because I didn’t fit the stereotype,” or “Now I realize there’s strength in being authentic and being who I am.”
We also had Jocko Willink on, fellow retired Navy SEAL. There were a couple of powerful moments in that talk about balancing intensity and presence. There’s a lot of people who think you can’t be intense and present simultaneously, and how mindfulness can actually make you a stronger leader. We’ve had Dr. Mark Gordon on. And Mark shared about all these different kinds of groundbreaking insights on the brain-body connection. He’s a neuroendocrinologist. We’ve had Dr. Rob Kelly come on three times. And he’s talked about purpose and recovering from addiction. We’ve had multi-time Olympic champion, Apolo Ono, come on to reflect about how mindfulness shaped his Olympic career and then his transition afterward. We just had Dan Millman on to explain The Way of the Peaceful Warrior, his book.
We’ve even had Congressman Tim Ryan on to talk about bringing mindfulness into politics. We’ve had Steven Kotler on to share how flow science connects directly to performance and presence, and how that is all underpinned by mindfulness. So sorry, a lot of name drop in there, but like Will said, this show has changed the lives of many of our audience, but it’s also changed our lives. We have learned so much about mindfulness, how it’s tied into leadership, how it’s tied into wealth, how it is tied into health, how it is tied into just about everything that we do and it’s changed us for the better. It’s my spiel.
Will: Yeah, we’re like the little guinea pigs for the show. We just try stuff on, talk about it. So it’s been quite fun to be the students and the teachers in what we’ve created.
Where to Start If You’re Curious About Mindfulness
Amber: That’s incredible. Thank you so much for both sharing some of the breadth of different voices and backgrounds and areas of expertise that you have on the podcast. Definitely many familiar names there for the Mindful reading audience, and also a lot of new names. So I think that’s pretty exciting. You were just touching on… what listeners have shared with you about how the podcast has helped them to discover mindfulness—maybe support for the first time, start to build a daily practice, strengthen relationships, even help to save marriages and a lot of other results that I’m sure you’ve heard from people. I wonder: Why do you think the practice of mindfulness is resonating so strongly with so many men, particularly in this moment in time?
Jon: I’ll go on that one first, Will, if you’re cool with that. What I find interesting is that mindfulness, if you really go back in history, it resonated with men. We had the monks who brought it into the world in multiple different ways, but we also had warriors, these warriors that men today read about.
We read about the Spartans, we read about samurai, and in some way they practiced meditation before they went on the battlefield so that they could be present, so that they could be calm. Rather than bumping chests and smelling these smelling salts before they went out, they calmed themselves down.
I think men are realizing that this playbook of suck it up or man up, it doesn’t work anymore. And men are realizing that we can show vulnerability and authenticity because suck it up or man up leads to broken marriages. It leads to mental health problems or challenges, and it leaves a lot of men suffering in silence.
I think mindfulness resonates because it doesn’t ask you to give up toughness. A lot of people think that if you practice mindfulness, that you’re giving up toughness, and you don’t. I think it truly helps you to redefine what toughness looks like. It takes real strength to be present, to feel your emotions and to regulate those emotions. I don’t want to “control them,” but regulate them. And then it also takes real strength and courage to face your challenges without numbing out, without alcohol, without drugs. If you continually numb these challenges, then you’re not going to come out of them. And that’s why I think guys like the names that I mentioned before, like Jaco, Olympians like Apollo, these big-time thought leaders like Steven Kotler, and then congressmen like Tim Ryan—I think that’s what they’re finding value in this right now.
Will: I think the world is just experiencing a level of chaos that it’s not used to, because what I’m seeing, I’m sure we’re all feeling it, is because of the infiltration of technology in our lives, like everywhere, with social media, with the rate of messaging that you get through, whether it’s text or email or Instagram or whatever platform you’re on, it’s just like message, message, and message. There seems to be a greater demand for our attention in so many different places.
Mindfulness is this natural balance that’s coming into society, because everything has its opposite. If chaos is happening, then what’s the equalizer? I feel for human beings, a lot of it is mindfulness. How do we become not so easily triggered? How do we manage our feelings? And mindfulness is helping us to do that.
I think also for men in particular, the way that we’ve worked traditionally since the industrial revolution has changed dramatically, as well. It requires a whole other set of skills that we didn’t need to activate if we were just doing a regular nine-to-five in the factory. Also the roles in the family have changed. The family dynamics have changed. We have two working parents very often, and what does that require? That requires a lot more communication. How are we communicating? Mindfulness for men is helping men to understand themselves on a more deep emotional level. So they’re not a slave to their emotions, not so easily frustrated or anxious or stressed out, and really being more effective in whatever environment they’re in, whether it’s the family, whether it is work, whether it was with their kids, whether it is some sort of community event. So mindfulness is helping the world in so many ways, but men for sure, because these are skills that were not taught in school. I mean, some of them are now, but nobody over 20 years old or 25 has really been taught these skills in school, and people are looking for this place to learn these tools. That’s one thing that we’re doing, and it’s one thing that all the mindfulness teachers out there are doing—helping people to integrate these tools in their lives so they can deal with this new society that we’re in.
Amber: I really appreciate both of you speaking to that, especially with the predominance of tools like mindfulness and meditation seeming to be marketed toward women in this day and age. It’s good to have a reminder that that hasn’t always been the case. And actually mindfulness is a tool that’s for everybody, regardless of how we’ve been trained, our gender, or anything like that. It can benefit all of us.
Jon: I just want to jump in just with one thing. I’m glad you said that piece. Because the guests that we mentioned are all men. I think every single one of them that we’ve mentioned were all men and even more specifically, white men. We also have had a lot of women and folks of color on. Theresa Larson is a good friend of ours. We’ve had her on to talk about being a mindful mother, which doesn’t sound like something that would go on a men’s show, but we need men to understand what a mother is going through. We’ve had Ali and Atman Smith and Andrés González from the Holistic Life Foundation. We’ve had Uma Naidu to come on and talk about mindful eating. She’s a nutritionist. So I do want to make sure that we capture that the show is a men’s show, but we have a lot of women listeners, and we have a lot of women guests, as well.
Amber: Yeah, thank you for that. You’ve had Amishi Jha as well, I think, right?
Will: Oh, yeah. They spoke so clearly, and it’s awesome to have such a decorated general, like really being a huge advocate for mindfulness, because it affects anything you do, regardless of what you’re trying to do with it, it has an incredible impact. And I’m glad more and more people are waking up to this.
Many Different Ways to Approach Mindfulness for Men
Amber: Yeah, bringing it into these contexts like the military where people both really need it for performance, and also just for mental health and all the other good things that mindfulness can help with. You’ve had a wide range of very influential guests, best-selling authors, Olympians, huge business leaders, politicians, many other people. And how do you think that these diverse voices are contributing to your mission of changing the narrative around masculinity and mental health for men? Some of the people that you talked with on your show may not be mindfulness teachers as such, but they’re still promoting knowledge and perspectives that could fit under the umbrella of mindfulness. Is that an accurate way of characterizing them?
Will: Yeah, I think the way we’ve approached the show is that there are so many different angles you can approach mindfulness. We bring on experts to help us solve a particular problem, or give us some insight into something, or to bring awareness to something that can be beneficial in our lives.
From the masculinity point of view, we’re taught by our fathers, our coaches, our uncles, our brothers, just to be tough. But the 21st century is demanding greater skills, and really that big skill is being more emotionally intelligent. So we’re trying to open that conversation and show how incredibly powerful it is when you become more aware of that whole, your mind, your emotions and your actions, how you can really start to change things. It just takes a little bit of practice. The goal for us is just for men to have happier, healthier, more peaceful lives because of what they’re learning from our show.
Jon: Yeah, and I’ll add to that in…we’ve got this swath of different guests coming to talk about different approaches. I think men often look at these guys, or maybe they look at me and Will and other men that they look up to, and they say, This guy has it all together. What’s wrong with me? And then they hear these high achievers admit that they struggle, too. It normalizes the conversation, shows that mindfulness is for everyone. No matter your background, no matter your definition of success, we’re all human beings and we all have struggles. And no matter what your struggle is, mindfulness is not necessarily going to relieve that struggle, but it’s going to help in managing it.
Will: I mean, one of the principles of compassion is common humanity. We create a space for common humanity so people can connect to other human beings that have been struggling, as well. One thing I’ve seen with all the great leaders we’ve had on the show is that in order to access that greatness, vulnerability and authenticity are essential. You have to take a true inventory of yourself in order to access and unleash that next level of greatness.
What’s Ahead?
Amber: If we look ahead, what do you hope that the long-term impact of Men Talking Mindfulness will be?
Jon: My hope that we help to shift the culture so people see vulnerability, presence, and compassion as strengths, not weaknesses. Let’s say in 10 years, more people are teaching their kids mindfulness. More leaders are leading with that emotional intelligence. Maybe companies are hiring more people based on their emotional intelligence and not just their resume. And then fewer people are suffering in silence. Then I feel that we’ve done our job. Every person who listens and changes, even in a small way, impacts their family, their workplace, their community. Over time, those ripples add up to maybe changing a society, maybe changing the nation, changing the world.
Will: I don’t have much more to say than what Jon has said. It’s exciting to see the impact we’re already having. If we’re able to have this kind of ubiquitous impact with the men that are plugging in now, it’s exciting to see where it can go. It’s just a matter of amplifying this platform and sharing our platform for other people to plug in. We’re just still holding space for people to travel through, get what they need and go out there and be more mindful and live more compassionately and be better leaders and be responsible for how they’re showing up in the world. I see my relationships in my immediate family and my immediate friends changing. I think we have something to do with that, it’s nice to see that impact.
Amber: Well, I think if you’re actually starting to change minds and lives within your circles and your family, that’s almost as big as changing the world, really. In my view, that’s deep change. Those are people who wouldn’t fake changing in front of you.
Will: Yeah, that’s true.
Amber: I think it’s really powerful and really valuable how much you’ve grown what you’re doing and all the people that you’re reaching. So thank you for all the work that you do. I’d love to finish off on a note of helping maybe a few more people, a few more men to discover mindfulness. When you’re talking with other men who might be new to mindfulness, might wanna give it a try, is there a number one practice that you have, like a type of practice or an exercise that you recommend just to give them a first taste of what that feels like and help them get started?
Will: Yeah, we’ve been leading this meditation course through Men Talking Mindfulness for the last year and a half. We’re actually gonna launch a new course coming soon. What we’ve seen from all the stuff that we studied from men is the first thing that you can really do to help or have a significant impact on your life is finding your breath and slowing down your breath and getting to know your breath. I cannot believe the incredible impact in just a few weeks of getting to know your breath and working with your breath a little bit through different breathing practices. The light bulbs start going off, because when you get calm and you begin to use your breath as a tool to get calm, you start to see: Oh my God, that’s anxiety. Why do I have so many expectations? Oh my God, I’m a perfectionist. The whole world starts to change.
We talk about the biological impacts all the time about mindfulness, but getting to calm drops us into who we are, our biology, the moment, and then we can start to find a new path forward. And it’s simple and it’s free, and you can do it all the time in as little as 30 seconds or a minute, or you can do it for an hour.
Jon: I would add on with the breath—absolutely fully believe that’s a great place to start—but I will say, with his yoga classes, and men will come in there and they want to be perfect on day one. And I think a lot of men do the same thing with meditation. I did the same. You have to start simple. One of the biggest mistakes men make is thinking that they need to meditate for an hour a day on day one, or have some perfect setup, right? But taking just five slow conscious breaths, like Will said, whenever you feel stressed out or overwhelmed, that can help you to get to calm. That alone can shift your nervous system from that fight-or-flight into that calm and clarity. Then from there, you can explore longer, more in-depth meditations. And we’ve shared some of those on our show. We have some on our YouTube channel. But start small and then stay consistent. It’s very much like the gym. If you go into the gym, and you crush a two-hour workout and then you don’t work out again for two weeks, that two-hours workout was for naught. If you sit down and meditate and you meditate for an hour and then don’t meditate again for weeks, that meditation was for naught. You stay dedicated and you do 10 minutes, even five minutes a day. You stay consistent with it. You’re gonna get more from that. So I say start small, start simple, and then stay consistent.
Will: We talk about change and transformation, and the C word comes up every single time. Every guest says: Be consistent. Pick one thing. And repeat that thing for weeks. Get the confidence and the courage. It’s been a lot of fun to be able to do that and be able do it effectively and see lives transform.
The MTM Origin Story + Final Thoughts
Amber: Is there anything else that you wanted to say or just briefly talk about that I didn’t mention before we close things up here?
Will: I think to help anybody that’s like reading this article and wants to start somewhere or has been mindfulness-curious for a while, or maybe they’ve tried and dabbled and struggled. I want to say: Get around other people that are doing it or join a group. That group energy around mindfulness is very powerful and very encouraging and you’re more likely to show up. Again, that common humanity is very helpful for people because you don’t feel so alone. You don’t feel stupid or unaccomplished or unsuccessful. You’re like, Oh, well, you’re struggling with that, too. Okay, this is just how it is sometimes. So I think that’s one thing I think people should know as they go on this adventure.
Jon: I’ll throw in there just kind of the origin story of the show. We have a mutual friend, a military member who introduced us to one another. He heard that I was into the mindfulness space, and he had just done a retreat with Will. What was it done in Peru, Will? I don’t know.
Will: No, I was in Bermuda, his name is Scott Tucker. We got to give a little shout out to Scott Tucker but yeah, we’re in Bremuda, but go ahead, Jon.
Jon: Okay, so Scott had just finished this retreat in Bermuda, comes back, he’s like, Hey, you’ve got to meet this guy Will, introduces us. I’m going through my military transition, so I’m getting introduced to a whole lot of people in different industries. Scott introduces me to Will, and I have a phone call with him and at the end of the conversation, Will says, Okay, well, when are we going to talk next? And every time we spoke, Will would say, Hey, when are we going to talk next? So we were having these phone calls once a month about mindfulness and meditation, talking about our revelations, our challenges, new practices that we’ve found, whatever, and then COVID hit. I was watching Will on Instagram, and because Will is a yoga instructor, a lot of his work had to go virtual. So I reached out to Will, I was like, Hey, man, what if we started a meditation and mindfulness Instagram Live where we basically just have those same phone calls that we were having, but we have them on Instagram Live? So we tried it, and we had like, six people tune in for the first few shows. Then we figured out how to rip the Instagram Live audio off and create the podcast. We thought maybe we’d get more listeners as a podcast. So if your readers go back and listen to some of our first shows, you will hear that the audio is way worse. Now we record with professional mics and headphones and somewhat of a studio. Our rooms are set up like studios, but it started really rough. It started as an idea that spawned from COVID essentially and has been going on for five years since then. It’s gone through multiple iterations of different audio software and producers and different video software. But we’ve come a long way, and in and of itself, the show is a mindfulness practice. We pay attention to changes. So that’s a quick down and dirty dump of our origin story, if you will, if you want it to include the story at all.
Amber: Thank you for filling in that gap, Jon. I think there were thousands of podcasts born during the pandemic, and you’re one of the ones that has survived, and I’m sure that all of the mindfulness that goes into it is a big factor in that.
Will: Yeah, and I think it’s also one thing that’s really helped us keep the torch lit is us working together. I don’t know if this would be tough to do alone, because it’s a long haul to get where we are. Jon and I inspire each other, keep each other in the arena. Now we are five years later having a broader impact. We have a team that’s helping us to grow, as well. So it’s just awesome to see where it is today.
Jon: According to Feed Spot, which is a ranking of types of podcasts in the category of mindfulness for 2025, we were ranked number three in the world by iHeartRadio. We were listed as one of the top 10 mindfulness podcasts in the country. And then globally, we are in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide. So pretty proud of that. We’ve come a long way, and we haven’t arrived. We’re gonna continue to press.
Will: Yeah, thank you so much, for real. It’s a big help to get this out there.
Amber: Thank you both. It’s been so wonderful to collaborate, wherever we can over the last couple of years. I’ve really enjoyed it and appreciated it when we get to do things together. I can’t wait to see what’s next for each of you and for Men Talking Mindfulness.
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.
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?
The most effective diet for weight loss may also be the most healthful.
Why are vegetarian diets so effective in preventing and treating diabetes? Maybe it is because of the weight loss. As I discuss in my video The Best Diet for Weight Loss and Disease Prevention, those eating more plant-based tend to be significantly slimmer. That isn’t based on looking at a cross-section of the population either. You can perform an interventional trial and put it to the test in a randomized, controlled community-based trial of a whole food, plant-based diet.
“The key difference between this trial [of plant-based nutrition] and other approaches to weight loss was that participants were informed to eat the WFPB [whole food, plant-based] diet ad libitum and to focus efforts on diet, rather than increasing exercise.” Ad libitum means they could eat as much as they want; there was no calorie counting or portion control. They just ate. It was about improving the quality of the food rather than restricting the quantity of food. In the study, the researchers had participants focus just on a diet rather than exercising more exercise because they wanted to isolate the effects of eating more healthfully.
So, what happened? At the start of the study, the participants were, on average, obese at nearly 210 pounds (95 kg) with an average height of about 5’5” (165 cm). Three months into the trial, they were down about 18 pounds (8 kg)—without portion restrictions and eating all the healthy foods they wanted. At six months in, they were closer to 26 pounds (12 kg) lighter. You know how these weight-loss trials usually go, though. However, this wasn’t an institutional study where the participants were locked up and fed. In this trial, no meals were provided. The researchers just informed them about the benefits of plant-based eating and encouraged them to eat that way on their own, with their own families, and in their own homes, in their own communities. What you typically see in these “free-living” studies is weight loss at six months, with the weight creeping back or even getting worse by the end of a year. But, in this study, the participants were able to maintain that weight loss all year, as you can see below and at 1:57 in my video.
What’s more, their cholesterol got better, too, but the claim to fame is that they “achieved greater weight loss at 6 and 12 months than any other trial that does not limit energy [caloric] intake or mandate regular exercise.” That’s worth repeating. A whole food, plant-based diet achieved the greatest weight loss ever recorded at 6 and 12 months compared to any other such intervention published in the medical literature. Now, obviously, with very low-calorie starvation diets, you can drop down to any weight. “However, medically supervised liquid ‘meal replacements’ are not intended for ongoing use”—obviously, they’re just short-term fixes—“and are associated with ‘high costs, high attrition rates, and a high probability of regaining 50% or more of lost weight in 1 to 2 years.’” In contrast, the whole point of whole food, plant-based nutrition is to maximize long-term health and longevity.
What about low-carb diets? “Studies on the effects of low-carbohydrate diets have shown higher rates of all-cause mortality”—meaning a shorter lifespan—“decreased peripheral flow-mediated dilation [artery function], worsening of coronary artery disease, and increased rates of constipation, headache, halitosis [bad breath], muscle cramps, general weakness, and rash.”
The point of weight loss is not to fit into a smaller casket. A whole food, plant-based diet is more effective than low-carb diets for weight loss and has the bonus of having all good side effects, such as decreasing the risk of diabetes beyond just weight loss.
“The lower risk of type 2 diabetes among vegetarians may be explained in part by improved weight status (i.e., lower BMI). However, the lower risk also may be explained by higher amounts of ingested dietary fiber and plant protein, the absence of meat- and egg-derived protein and heme iron, and a lower intake of saturated fat. Most studies report the lowest risk of type 2 diabetes among individuals who adhere to vegan diets. This may be explained by the fact that vegans, in contrast to ovo- and lacto-ovo-vegetarians, do not ingest eggs. Two separate meta-analyses linked egg consumption with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Maybe it’s eating lower on the food chain, thereby avoiding the highest levels of persistent organic pollutants, like dioxins, PCBs, and DDT in animal products. Those have been implicated as a diabetes risk factor. Or maybe it has to do with the gut microbiome. With all that fiber in a plant-based diet, it’s no surprise there would be fewer disease-causing bugs and more protective gut flora, which can lead to less inflammation throughout the body that “may be the key feature linking the vegan gut microbiota with protective health effects”—including the metabolic dysfunction you can see in type 2 diabetes.
The multiplicity of benefits from eating plant-based can help with compliance and family buy-in. “Whereas a household that includes people who do not have diabetes may be unlikely to enthusiastically follow a ‘diabetic diet,’ a low-fat plant-based approach is not disease-specific and has been shown to improve other chronic conditions. While the patient [with diabetes] will likely see improvement in A1C [blood sugar control], a spouse suffering from constipation or high blood pressure may also see improvements, as may children with weight issues,” if you make healthy eating a family affair.
This is just a taste of my New York Times best-selling book, How Not to Diet. (As with all of my books, all proceeds I received went to charity.) Watch the book trailer. You may also be interested in its companion, The How Not to Diet Cookbook.
In the world of mind-body fitness, two exercise routines often get confused or paired together – yoga and Pilates. While both disciplines aim to improve overall wellness and physical health, there are significant differences between yoga and Pilates, with unique focuses, practices, and benefits. Whether you’re new to mind-body fitness or looking to supplement your existing routine, understanding the distinct differences between yoga and Pilates is crucial in determining which modality suits you best. This article delves into the similarities and differences, discussing what you can expect from each practice, highlighting its core (pun intended!), and demystifying some of the most frequent misunderstandings.
Practical Fundamentals
When getting started, both yoga and Pilates require specific tools, postures, or techniques to execute their signature exercises. In contrast, both disciplines have become widespread enough that many beginners tend to self-teach themselves online, without an actual studio class or personalized mentor. Nevertheless, when commencing your journey with these two modalities, seeking instruction from an authorized coach is vital to secure your posture, learn safety tips, and address specific requirements for body maintenance. While it might sound surprising, understanding correct movements for beginners can set them apart for years.
To distinguish, let us identify, Yoga focuses generally. That can mean practicing several sequences that incorporate some other actions with different names than traditional names for moves to some exercises, not really providing them a certain purpose within. The end-of-action that a physical stretch provides (like this leg that, a more subtle shift and some yoga students feel less in general more significant stretching and for certain groups can help strengthen with many specific actions while having specific parts, where Yoga for various individuals also in particular or to increase control is that there to them they work in one set group called Yoga while using for people, different purposes the.
Pilates exercises. This also shows where. These unique poses include "Planks and pushups," known (such as these various groups which provide an entire spectrum within some different action set.
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Explore this mediation inspired by the Japanese concept of ma, which refers to “the spaces between everything.”
Today’s practice offers a unique approach to training our attention and invites us to explore the empty spaces that exist all around us and inside us.
For instance, we might think of the space between the plants in the garden, or between the notes in a song. It can also be emotional space, like the silences in a conversation. Or the little gaps between our thoughts and emotions.
Often, we don’t even notice these empty spaces—but bringing our awareness to them can reveal new meaning and beauty. By exploring the space in-between through this mindfulness practice, we also enhance our creativity, noticing skills, and awareness.
A Guided Meditation for Noticing What’s Present and What Isn’t
This practice is inspired by the Japanese notion of Ma, the idea of examining that space that exists between everything that’s not actually empty, but is full of potential.
Start by finding a comfortable posture. When you’re ready, you can simply begin to lower or close your eyes, whichever is most comfortable for you.
Now, bring awareness to your breath. Watch and feel the rise and fall of the inhale and exhale. Then, tune also to the spaces between. What is the moment when the exhale finishes before it turns into the inhale? Or the inhale turns into the exhale? Allow your awareness to rest in the stillness between your breaths.
Next, turn your attention to your heartbeat, your pulse. See if you can find that in your body, the sensations or sounds of your heartbeat, and the spaces between each heartbeat.
Whether you’re sitting or laying down, notice now spaces where your body makes contact with the world. What’s behind or underneath you? Feel where your skin makes contact with your clothing, and tune your awareness to these sensations and the spaces between.
Scanning through your body, notice sensations as you might in a body scan, deeper in your body. See if you can pick up on the spaces between, where you notice almost no sensation, or between sensations in space or in time.
Shifting to your other senses now, just listen and notice the sounds around you. Near or far, left or right. Notice all the sounds, and the sounds even within sounds, as well as the spaces and the silences between the sounds. Tune into smells and tastes as you breathe, noticing where these land and the spaces between.
Allow your eyes to open and be aware of when they go from closed to open. Holding your eyes steady, just notice what you see around you and within your field of vision. Furniture or other objects in the space around you. The shapes of all the objects in your field of vision, as well as shapes and sizes of the spaces in between. Beyond the objects, see the walls, the corners where walls come together. Rooms and the spaces between them. Is there perhaps something new you’ve never noticed before? When does light become shadow? Colors and hues—when does one color become the next? Continue to notice these and other spaces between in the physical space around you.
You can also explore your own mind, your own experience of the space between thoughts, emotions, memories in your mind. Rest there when you find it. Explore what’s happening, what could be happening, the potential in all of these spaces between. Continue here for the next few moments.
As you continue with the rest of your day, keep staying attuned to spaces between. Between inside and outside. The shapes between the clouds or the stars in the night sky. The lull between the waves of the ocean. Stillness between the raindrops. Space between you and other people, physical and emotional. Between a joke and a laugh, a question and an answer. Between waking and opening your eyes. Continue to seek out, explore, and rest in all of these spaces between and see if your perspective doesn’t slowly begin to shift on the world around you, and the world inside of you.
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