Meditate This!

Like all god's creatures, we love each of our guests equally. But we'll admit, when we got on the phone with Robert Thurman, there was something that stopped us a bit in our tracks. Yes, he was completely easy to talk to and, yes, he was willing to answer everything we asked. But his ability to explain the concepts of Buddhism and mindfulness with the weight of a genius scholar and practitioner just brought us to another level of awareness as we navigated his seemingly unending knowledge.  Hear Professor Thurman explain his unforeseeable path to India that led him into the inner circle of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and onto a path of bringing Buddhist thoughts to the West for more than four decades. And be sure to pick up a copy of Thurman's latest book, Man of Peace or explore Tibet House, which he co-founded in 1987 with actor Richard Gere and musician Philip Glass at the request of the Dalai Lama.

She loves me. She loves me not. She loves me. She loves me not... Ever spent a moment...or several years(!) wondering whether your mate is right for you—or if you're right for them? You're sure as hell not alone. Romantic relationships are seriously confusing, and much of the time we're unaware of our true feelings because our brains work most happily in autopilot mode. If you're ready for a deeper dive into the land of love (or, not-love), listen to our conversation with Stan Tatkin, clinician, researcher, teacher, and developer of the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). Stan teaches family medicine residents at Kaiser Permanente, Woodland Hills, CA, and is an assistant clinical professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine. He is author of several books, including Wired for Dating: How Understanding Neurobiology and Attachment Style Can Help You Find Your Ideal Mate, and Wired for Love: How Understanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style Can Help You Defuse Conflict and Build a Secure Relationship, and Your Brain on Love: The Neurobiology of Healthy Relationships. Visit: www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

When Kaiser met Pete in junior high, he could barely have dreamed he'd appear a quarter-century later not once but twice on a world-renowned podcast co-hosted by his new, lanky, piano-playing friend . For one thing, there were no podcasts back then. Heck, Rubik's Cubes were still the rage. Also, neither of them were exactly the most mindful 13-year-olds in the greater Twin Cities area. They'd likely have been shoved in lockers by the school mindfulness bully, if one existed. (We're looking at you, Sven.) But here we are now, welcoming a second fantastic Meditate This! appearance by Kaiser. See, the dream came true. Except for the "world-renowned" part.  Also, if you feel like this intro and really everything else about mindfulness is generally confusing or intimidating, fear no more: Kaiser breaks down just what you need to know and/or think about as you approach meditation—which, happily, isn't all that much. And he simultaneously explains what you don't necessarily need to know or think about as you consider meditation or really any other endeavors during these complicated, meandering minutes we hear ticking on theoretical clocks sitting inside operating systems sitting inside glass and plastic phones sitting inside our 100% (supposedly) cotton pant pockets. All clear? Ok, perfect. Episode 125 everybody! For more Kaiser Clark, listen to Episode 103. www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

By trade, Robert Kuhn asks the world's most brilliant people about life's biggest questions. It sounded pretty familiar to us here at Meditate This!—with one small exception: Kuhn has a background that puts him on par with just about anyone he interviews, giving the questions an extra level of potency.    Kuhn holds a doctorate in brain research and is the author and editor of over 25 books. A long-time adviser to the Chinese government and multinational corporations, he has been a columnist for China Daily and the South China Morning Post, and has appeared on the BBC, CNN, Bloomberg, and more. But perhaps Kuhn is most famous for creating and hosting the public television series Closer to Truth, which presents scientists and philosophers discussing life's most fundamental issues. Hear him tackle those subjects with Pete and Jay while explaining to them just why ping pong remains his favorite refuge from life's daily cacophony. See and hear more at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

Nichol Bradford has an affinity for tech—as evidenced by her work as a former senior executive for gaming at Activision Blizzard (for which she managed operations on World of Warcraft in China), Disney, and Vivendi. But the Wharton MBA also appreciates tech's promise because she believes it's our best chance at helping humanity navigate the variety of impending crises.  As founder and CEO of the Willow Group, Bradford has helped pioneer Finders Course in secular mindfulness based on the scientific findings from eight years of research with over 1,000 participants. The online course uses the most empirical mechanisms for each providing each student a practice that will help them achieve "ongoing and persistent non-symbolic experience." Hear this co-founder and executive director of the Transformative Technology Lab at Sofia University explain how her work is helping 73 percent of students access this state of mind within four months—and why its more urgent than ever that more people join them.      Visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com   

Have you updated your bucket list lately?  We’re guessing there are a few things you may have overlooked.  After this interview, you might decide to add a couple items to your list: the study of transpersonal psychology and achieving self-transcendence.  What are those things you ask?  Well, Pete had the same questions and got some serious answers from his guest today. Sit back and absorb the fresh wisdom from a pioneer in education.  As the President of Sofia University in Palo Alto, Ca, Liz Li, Ph.D. is committed to improving the human condition by continuing a legacy established in 1975.  Founded as the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, this university weaves a unique thread through all of its core curriculum.  And they're getting a lot more attention with the addition of Dr. Deepak Chopra as a professor, to create a new initiative built around transpersonal aspects of consciousness. Ok, you looked confused.  So just hit play and we'll take care of the rest. Visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com Listen on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music.

It's never happened before that a guest has been daring enough to return to the mic for a second round conversation with Pete and Jay, but Judson Brewer was up for giving it another go. And how lucky for the audience because Judson talks through all the ideas in his new book The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits and more, offering perspective on "flow," the idea of a true self, resistance versus resilience, and well, the state of our brains during this unusual political moment. What more could you need? Nothing. Just press play!  See more and visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

So, um...about that thing. You know. The thing no one likes to talk about. Yes, that thing. No, not taxes, the other thing. Right. Death. Ok, we all have different relationships to the word and the concept, and we also all have one thing in common: Nobody knows anything about it for sure. But Sensei Robert Chodo Campbell and Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison have been closer to the experience, with regularity, than just about anyone else. As co-founders of the Zen Center for Contemplative Care in New York City, they established a training program that enables people "to care in mindful and compassionate ways in hospitals, hospices, and homes, as well as their everyday relationships." That means sitting with patients as they transition, time and again. It is heroic work, but as Koshin says, they two consider it a true privilege. Read more about Robert and Koshin, but first, hear our illuminating conversation with them. Visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

Have you ever wondered about the secret to perfecting your meditation practice, increasing your daily degree of happiness, and finding the strength to tackle all those things that scare you? Well, search no more. In less than an hour, Pete and Jay will make every last thing clear and give you the tools to transform your life overnight. Well, it could take two nights. Whatever. Just listen. It's free.  Visit:  www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

Another escapade into the world of mindfulness conferences landed Pete at the Mindful Leadership Summit in Washington D.C.  In this interview, he sits down with Caroline S. Welch, the CEO of Mind Your Brain, Inc. and the co-founder of MindSightMedia, Inc with her husband Dr. Dan Siegel (episode 112 of MT! Podcast).  We cover some key points (4 to be specific) of mindfulness and how the power of presence can bring more well-being into your life. Caroline’s background as a corporate litigator and early exposure to meditation on a silent retreat in Sri Lanka gives her a unique and valuable perspective on how mindfulness can bring clarity and resilience to one’s professional life.  Enjoy this calm and clear conversation with Caroline Welch! See more at www. MeditateThisPodcast.com

JP Sears is trying to raise the planet's consciousness and help people live the most fulfilling life possible. He does this, in part, by making funny videos on YouTube that completely mock the very thoughts and practices that help people realize this kind of change. It leaves many left to wonder, just who is JP Sears? The good news for you—we've got him here in Episode 117 in all his glory: funny but insightful, irreverent but respectful. Take a listen. Or don't. He's cool with you doing whatever you gotta do.

As cofounder and president of Happify, giving people a fun way to pass the time is nothing new for Ofer Leidner. He cofounded and built several digital media businesses, including iPlay/Oberon Media, which offered those downloadable games for phones that consume hours and become an obsession for some. But despite his success, Ofer didn’t feel great about the effects of his work. So he channeled his skills toward a whole new venture, where folks may still become immersed, but now, hopefully, for all the right reasons. Hear how Ofer and his colleagues are helping users break bad habits and start healthy new ones. Visit us at:  www.MeditateThisPodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/MeditateThis/  

John F. Simon, Jr. was riding high in the New York art scene in the early 1990s as a new media artist using LCD screens to project his computer renderings. His work sold quickly and is now part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, among others But all that success rang hollow for him and in recent years he has channeled his creative energy into other modes of expression. In his new book Drawing Your Own Path: 33 practices at the Crossroads of Art and Meditation encourages reader to create their own artistic mindfulness routine, which they can then share and discuss with a community online at drawyourownpath.com. Hear more about why a daily drawing exercise might just be the mindful lift you need. Visit www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

There are plenty of words that describe Agapi Stassinopolous, but they only go so far. Warm, magnetic, wise, theatrical, and honest—they all say the right thing, but in order to really understand Agapi and what she can offer, you really need to listen. The energy and spirit she projects, the way her smile comes through when she speaks, it all confirms the many reasons why hearing Agapi (or see her in NYC on Jan. 10!) helps explain the insight and inspiration she delivers. Her new book—Wake Up to the Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life—offer readers a sense of what's possible, and is available in print as well as audio. Be sure to give it a try and discover why Eat, Pray, Love author Elizabeth Gilbert says: “Open this book at any chapter and you will tap into your calm and joy, no matter what challenges you may be facing.” Also—follow Agapi's journey and learn more about her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and do watch her this Jan. 6 on the Today Show in the 10:00 a.m. hour..  Listen on iTunes, Google Play Music, Stitcher Radio and at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

It's not everyday that you find an MD/PhD who gains as much insight from talking about 2,000-year-old Buddhist philosophy as he does from the latest findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. Judson Brewer is director of research in the Center for Mindfulness at the University Massachusetts Medical School, and holds affiliations at the Yale University School of Medicine and MIT's Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. He also really likes to sit in meditation because, well, it once changed his life. As a young student overwhelmed with figuring out his future, Judson saw firsthand how mindfulness could improve health issues related to stress—as well as the angst of a difficult breakup. With this in mind, he has dedicated his career to helping others transform their lives—especially those riddled with addiction. In his forthcoming book, The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love—Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits, Judson outlines the reasons behind the decisions we make and how we can literally rethink our behavior. It's a highly relatable expansion of his famous TED Talk, which has garnered almost six million views, and complements two very helpful apps he has developed—Craving to Quit and Eat Right Now.   Take a listen to Judson's accessible ideas and be prepared to re-imagine, for good reason, many of your own patterns and habits.

To paint a picture of Dr. Dan Siegel, we could easily provide you with a long list of highly impressive credentials. But that wouldn’t represent Dan the person.  Missing from that list would be how he unwinds at home by blasting his karaoke machine and dancing around the room.  Or that he takes steps to include everyone in the big conversations--making even hard science relatable.  In short, Dan aims for every last person to flourish.    There’s plenty in this episode for everyone to learn, including Pete, who discovered why meditation has changed what life has to offer, and what 14-year-old brains can teach us.  In the end, you may actually learn more about yourself than you do about Dan, but that’s what he cares about most anyway. Enjoy!  -Pete and Jay Listen at iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Google Play Music www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

Ask someone "what" they are and the answer will often be expressed in a single word to summarize their job: accountant...firefighter...salesperson...electrician...chef. For Elise Carr, founder of StellaMuse, the answer takes a lot longer, and seems to radiate like a sunbeam. Some specific things do come to mind, though: Pioneer of Yoni power, divinely empowered woman, sacred spirituality and sexuality director, life empowerment mentor, certified holistic health coach, writer, speaker, Tantra practitioner, Reiki master, model, artist, and trailblazer. Whew!   But beyond these labels, you'll hear why Elise is a person at peace, someone who has found her truth and dedicated her life to enabling others to pursue their own. Hear the series of events that propelled her onto this quest, why a fateful night in Paris changed everything, and where she may be heading next.

Back in 2003, people didn't talk much about acupuncture or meditation or aromatherapy–especially not in relation to treating serious illness. But Penny George saw an opportunity. As a breast cancer survivor herself, she was keenly aware of the need for nurturing the mind and spirit while addressing major issues with one's body. She thought: What if a center with ties to traditional medical care could offer patients the benefits of energy work, biofeedback, healing touch, and more?  Thus, the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing was born 13 years ago and has since grown into the largest hospital-based integrative medicine program in the country as part of Allina Health, the largest healthcare system in the Upper Midwest. This pioneering center is just one of many important philanthropic efforts undertaken by Penny, who holds a doctorate in counseling psychology and is co-founder of Sellergren-George Consulting Psychologists.    In this episode, Penny tells us why integrative medicine is gaining such popularity and offers insight into how she has cultivated a life where growth and change have always remained a priority.

What does it mean to flourish as a human being?  Well, for many of us that might be a question not often asked, but for Aneel Chima it is his life's work to help us figure it out.  While Aneel might be just as happy driving a city bus, he's currently very content as the co-leader of the Stanford University WellnessEd Project, which he co-founded and developed.  In addition, Aneel co-founded At-The-Core, where he facilitates actualization and trans-formative change using emotional, social, and neurophysiological  drivers of optimal team and leadership performance. Above all these lofty goals and ambitions, Aneel is super-nice person, willing to sit patiently and teach what it means to thrive.  We don't guarantee that he would give every stranger he meets a personal walking tour of Stanford University, an hour and a half interview, followed by a falafal dinner, but he certainly made Pete feel welcome by demonstrating what the traits of human flourishing look like up close: compassion, kindness, and wisdom.  

What happens when a listener of the Meditate This! Podcast blows out the candles on their birthday cake?  Their wish comes true and they appear as a guest on Mindfulness Schmindfulness.  We can only assume that's what happened as one lucky listener was invited to the MT! Studios for an interrogation of her life.  Meet Ryan, both skeptic and seeker, as she shares with us her life struggles and some very interesting signposts along the way.  Ryan now says she never realized she could be this happy in life, which we assume has nothing to do with listening to our podcast. Listen at: www.MeditateThisPodcast.com and at iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play Music

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

In 1996 Micheline Nader hit a wall.  Stress had weakened her immune system and resulted in a bleeding ulcer.  Facing the bankruptcy of her business, she says, "I was so terrified that I could not get out of bed.  My fear was more crippling than my pain."  A serial entrepreneur, Micheline couldn't muster one more appearance of "Superwoman" to save the day.  She needed a better plan and that led to her finding what she calls her True Self. Once she found it, everything turned around and her business became a huge success.  Micheline was no stranger to adversity. Having grown up in Lebanon, she endured the pain of losing her father at age 16 to esophageal cancer.  He was the love of her life,  but little did she know that she was on a crash course with a similar fate.  In the depths of her suffering, she made space in her life and connected with her "higher consciousness", which led to the strategy she lays out in her new book, The Dolphin's Dance - a 5 Step Journey into Conscious Awareness.   Listen at: www.MeditateThisPodcast.com and at iTunes, Stitcher Radio, and Google Play Music 3e7g6t5x

NASA engineer, Stanford University lecturer, TED talker, consciousness hacker—is there anything Mikey Siegel can't do? The answer: We'll soon find out. See, Mikey is on one serious mission—to change the word from the inside out by starting with the alleviation of that nasty little bug that bites us all: human suffering. As Mikey explains: "My focus is on supporting the development of totally new transformative tools and technologies that can revolutionize the way we relate to ourselves, each other, and the world. I believe that every single human endeavor can be a catalyst for collective awakening, and that is the evolutionary direction for our species." We can't wait to see what Mikey comes up with next. But first, hear all the hows and whys in this undeniably* mind-expanding conversation. *If you do deny it, you must ask yourself why!

Some couples argue about who should take out the garbage or pick up the kids.  Maureen Pelton and Charlie Hartwell only show hints of frustration when insisting that the other should realize how well-rounded they are. It's a nice problem to have, especially since most of their moments together is spent engaged in their favorite pastime: laughing. The rest is occupied with changing the world by helping raise our collective consciousness. As co-founders of the Shift Institute, Maureen and Charlie aim to help individuals realize their best, truest self. That effort is complemented by the venture capital efforts of Bridge Builders, which invests in mindfulness companies that are utilizing the most innovative technology and communications. In all, Maureen and Charlie are making a difference every day--sometimes one person at a time, sometimes by the millions. Who wouldn't smile at that? Note:  Today's episode features special guest star Cookie in her first live interview.

Achieving the status of being a regular, average guy might not sound like much. But for Kaiser Clark, it’s the biggest accomplishment of his life so far.  Growing up with severe ADHD and struggling with substance abuse from a very young age, Kaiser used to think obtaining mythic powers, changing who he was, and becoming "special" was the answer to his problems. On his quest, he utilized various forms of meditation and even had an experience he called "piercing the veil of consciousness." But Kaiser now feels that none of that really matters much. It’s about surrendering, becoming more of who you are, and living as best you can. Thanks for listening! Remember to rate and review on iTunes!!!! Pete and Jay

Five sure-fire steps to the perfect life. One burrito half-eaten by Ozzie. And Pete making contact. A Schmindfulness for the ages—both here and beyooooond. ..and Happy Birthday Diane!!!!   Be sure to tell a friend about this podcast, rate and review on iTunes, and join our mailing list at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com  

The very fact that you're reading this sentence has something to do with R. Adam Engle. No, he didn't invent the internet or anything. He just happened to co-found the Mind and Life Institute and develop, back in the 1980s, the very first Mind and Life Dialogues between the 14th Dalai Lama and a panel of some of the world's most prominent scientists.  The result? A wave of new research, understanding, and acceptance of mindful practice and effectiveness in the West—culminating (well, sorta) with Time magazine declaring the beginning of a "Mindful Revolution" in 2014. Hear this pioneer describe how a kid from Yonkers helped a 2,500 year old Eastern tradition take root in a country that tends to be more concerned with the latest thing. Listen on: Website:  Meditate This! Podcast    iTunes   Stitcher Radio   Google Play

The very fact that you're reading this sentence has something to do with R. Adam Engle. No, he didn't invent the internet or anything. He just happened to co-found the Mind and Life Institute and develop, back in the 1980s, the very first Mind and Life Dialogues between the 14th Dalai Lama and a panel of some of the world's most prominent scientists.  The result? A wave of new research, understanding, and acceptance of mindful practice and effectiveness in the West—culminating (well, sorta) with Time magazine declaring the beginning of a "Mindful Revolution" in 2014. Hear this pioneer describe how a kid from Yonkers helped a 2,500 year old Eastern tradition take root in a country that tends to be more concerned with the latest thing. Listen on: Website:  Meditate This! Podcast    iTunes   Stitcher Radio   Google Play

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Whether it be on a retreat into literal darkness that helped her contemplate her life so far or the bright and bustling business she has built over the past three decades, Tami Simon pursues truth in every corner it may hide. As the founder of Sounds True, a multimedia publishing company that offers spiritual wisdom from the likes of Eckhart Tolle, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Pema Chodron—among so many others—Simon has built a profound resource for those seeking to understand. And now Simon is adding to the conversation herself with the audio program Being True. Take a listen—right after listening to her tell us the story of how she came to be one of the consciousness movement's most influential promoters. 

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Growing up in Chicago during the 1950s and 1960s, Radhanath Swami (then Richard Slavin) had plenty to be restless about—civil rights injustices, Vietnam, and a general aversion to the trappings of suburban comfort. By 19, he'd had enough. It was time to go in search of something greater. That quest took him—as a penniless hitchhiker—though Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and finally, to India. It was there that he embarked on a more than 45-year study of Bhakti yoga that has included living in Himalayan caves and forests. His early travels were documented in the book The Journey Home and more recent explorations are brought to light in his new book, The Journey Within. But before you read both, be sure to hear Radhanath Swami tell Pete and Jay how he searches for the underlying love and simplicity in everything he does and uses it to guide his every moment.  Please visit us.... www.MeditateThisPodcast.com Twitter: @MeditateThis Facebook: Meditate This

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Charlie Hartwell has always pursued balance.  He complemented his degrees from Brown and Harvard with the education that comes from world travels that included hitchhiking alone by night on desolate roads.  While working on Wall Street by day, he spent nights helping start a charity in Africa.  He excelled at marketing for the likes of Heinz and Pillsbury while always searching for the intangible - the words that couldn't be spoken. It makes perfect sense that he's now using his business acumen to help expand consciousness across the globe.  As the operating partner in Bridge Builders Collaborative and co-founder, with his wife Maureen, of ShiftIt Institute, Hartwell is driving the evolution of an ancient tradition to provide comfort and insight to those who need it most.  Hear how he came to this latest pursuit and why he believes this effort will be the defining achievement of his life. Please visit us.... www.MeditateThisPodcast.com Twitter: @MeditateThis Facebook: Meditate This    

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

All of us talk about it. There's something else we feel like we should be doing—if only we knew what. Or how. Or where. Karan Bajaj was born and raised in the Indian Himalayas, but it was only when he became a successful marketer—earning the title of "top 40 under 40" by Advertising Age in 2007—that he started to feel the call toward a more spiritual path. But that didn't mean abandoning his life and accomplishments completely. Instead, Bajaj embarked on a rather inventive system of working 4 years on and 1 year off. In the "unscripted" periods, he travels the world, writes, and deepens his exploration of Eastern mysticism. Bajaj's books include Johnny Gone Down (a #1 bestseller in India) and his latest novel,The Yoga of Max's Discontent. A beloved blogger who offers regular tips on writing andmeditation, Bajaj has been published in the New York Times, Washington Post, and more. Hear his highly accessible perspectives on living mindfully in a fairly mindless world, the many questions raised when discussing the afterlife, and the art of honoring your inclinations while making your sure always leave that window open for the next adventure. Please... Visit our website:  www.MeditateThisPodcast.com Follow us on Twitter: @MeditateThis Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/MeditateThis

S&M. Meatball subs. Interviewing Swamis. What don't Pete and Jay cover in this episode of "Mailbag"? Hear them answer questions from listeners across the country on the great central issues of our time. This episode tackles quick fixes for anxiety, the roots of their interest in mindfulness, and how they use their natural curiosity to talk to some of the wisest people in the world. Pour yourself a milkshake and get ready for some good old-fashioned fun.  Please submit your questions for our next mailbag to MeditateThisPodcast@Gmail.com.   Or send it via Twitter to @MeditateThis.   OR...post it on our Facebook page.   Thank You! (you're welcome)

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

When one steps into MNDFL, it's easy to think you've made a wrong turn. Meditation studios are supposed to be a little dusty, a little impersonal. They certainly do not look like that Hamptons beach house you saw in that design magazine. But MNDFL's founders, Ellie Burrows (chief executive officer) and Lodro Rinzler (chief spiritual officer), had a different idea when they conceived of their new venture: create a drop-in meditation space where one can feel at home (literally), and where the "tradition" is simply soft music, plush couches, and hot tea. The studio on 8th Street in Greenwich Village has attracted lots of attention from the likes of The New York Times, Vogue, and beyond. In Episode 86, hear Ellie describe her own personal journey as well as the unique ideas that brought this pioneering space to life. Visit us at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com. Please rate and review on iTunes!!! Ozzie says thank you!!

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Hop aboard Cory Allen's spaceship as he explains the many places his music might take you. Feel like spelunking in the labyrinth of your soul? It can do that. Maybe shoot out into the deepest ends of the universe? It can do that too. And when not composing and producing music, Cory can lead you on one serious guided meditation. So sit back and let his smooth baritone words ease you across this spectrum of mindful conversation. After, be sure to listen to his binaural beats and other music—or catch his excellent podcast The Astral Hustle, on which Pete and Jay were honored to be featured for April 11. Be sure to listen to the follow up mini-episode called How I Meditate, where Cory Allen tells us about his personal meditation practice. www.MeditateThisPodcast.com

What happens when excited Meditate This! fans across the United States get a chance to ask Pete and Jay any questions they want? Well, let's just say the U.S. Postal Service had to work a lot of overtime last month—like they do during the Christmas deluge, delivering letters full of dreams and inquiry to Santa Claus. But it was all well worth it because we've got answers to some of your deepest and darkest questions (well, not that dark). So join Pete and Jay as they respond to listeners who wonder how they can de-stress, find more time during the day, and, you know, what exactly happens when we die. Just another day at the office for Pete and Jay. Enjoy! (Note: no reindeer were used in the making of this episode.) 

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

We've all heard about it. The warm, bright light someone sees when they're near death. The angelic, universal hum. The feeling of everything being, as Radiohead once sang, "in its right place." Well, imagine that experience being reflected and championed by a renowned neurosurgeon who understands the mysteries of the brain better than almost anyone. With his New York Times bestseller, Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife, Dr. Eben Alexander gained immediate attention from believers and skeptics alike as he detailed his experience of traveling to a harmonious realm while in a coma after contracting bacterial meningitis. This episode changed him from a materialist scientist to a spiritual mystic in pursuit of bringing the message of unconditional love to the masses. We dive right in with Dr. Alexander and learn how meditation can take us to the domain where consciousness and free-will are the true foundations of this universe. Climb aboard and take the trip!

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

What is your authentic self, and where the heck can you find it?  Before you answer, take note: Our guest in episode 80 discovered her true self 30 years ago during a multi-dimensional, mystical experience. Ever since then, Maureen Pelton has been on a journey to help others along their own path of self-discovery.  She is founder of the ShiftIt Institute, which  includes integrative psychotherapy, coaching, and consulting to 150 organizations, training health care professionals and facilitating workshops.  As Maureen tells us, many people are afraid to search for their authentic self.  It's not always pleasant, and might even challenge your relationships with the people who love you the most.  If you’ve always felt there was something missing in your life, maybe you’re ready to start the journey—right here on Meditate This! Podcast (of all places).  

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Alana Kessler isn't just founder, owner, and director of Sangha Yoga Shala—she's also a member. Yoga, especially Yin Yoga, has provided the perspective she needs to stay healthy and grounded each day. With a master’s in clinical nutrition and a bachelor’s in nutrition and dietetics from NYU, she knows well how essential the relationship is between a happy body and a happy mind.  Hear her chronicle a nearly decade-long struggle with an eating disorder and how she found her way through to the healthy state she now enjoys. When in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, be sure to stop by the studio and say hello or explore her new health and wellness website, The Heart Practice.  

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story. Thanks! Pete and Jay

Welcome to How I Meditate from the Meditate This! Podcast.  This series is intended reveal personal experiences with meditation and mindfulness as a way to help others refine, rejuvenate, or even just begin a practice.  Meditation can seem weird, creepy, and meaningless.  But maybe it helps to hear how it's different for someone else...or how it's not. Each episode answers 4 basic questions: 1.  How do you meditate? 2.  What was is like the very first time you meditated? 3.  An example of when you noticed meditation made a difference in your life. 4.  What other activities help you stay mindful on a regular basis? Please visit the How I Meditate page at www.MeditateThisPodcast.com to learn more and submit your own How I Meditate story.  Thanks! Pete and Jay