Regardless of your political affiliation or philosophical bent, it has undoubtedly been a very intense, very combative time lately in American politics and discourse. It is hard to turn on the TV or pick up a paper or open a website without a strong tone of conflict and strife in most headlines and articles, […]
5 Steps (Plus 1 Meditation) to Forgiveness
Do you know how I know meditation is working in my life? For starters, I don’t shame myself or beat myself up about something I’ve done, or failed to do. I show myself the same kindness and compassion that I’d give to my best friend. For example, last week I spontaneously decided to drop […]
How to Connect your Practice and your Life–with Walking
Walking is a fundamental theme in my life. Each step beats like a metronome, both setting my pace and responding to the pace of my life. Step. Step. Breath. Breath. My love of walking started when I was 22. I traveled to Nepal and walked the Annipurna Circuit, a trek which took about 3 weeks. […]
How to Boost your Meditation with Embodiment
Are you in your body? Pause and examine your experience. Right now. Before reading further. I don’t mean that I want a catalog of your sensations, your thoughts and emotions. Observing and cataloging is one way to connect with your somatic experience. It’s a core technique in many mindfulness practices. But observing and cataloging is […]
Your Breath Is a Powerful Ally
One of the most common meditation instructions is to “focus on your breath.” Why? One way of breaking down meditation is into meditation with seed and meditation without seed. Let’s look at how the breath can play into both of these approaches. Meditation With Seed In this form of meditation, we give ourselves something to […]