Podcasts about vipassan

Stephan Ebner ist Vater, ehemaliger Finanzchef des St. Claraspitals in Basel und langjähriger Achtsamkeitslehrer. In diesem sehr persönlichen Gespräch reflektiert er sein Leben zwischen beruflicher Verantwortung, familiären Herausforderungen und spiritueller Praxis. Ausgangspunkt ist eine tiefe Erschütterung: der Suizid seiner Frau. Offen spricht Stephan über Trauer, Dankbarkeit und die gleichzeitige Präsenz widersprüchlicher Gefühle.Sein Lebensweg führt vom katholischen Messdiener über Interesse am Jesuitenorden bis hin zum Mahāmudrā und Dzogchen. Stephan beschreibt, wie sich spirituelle Fragen früh in seinem Leben manifestierten und ihn über Jahrzehnte begleiteten. Besonders prägend war ein Erlebnis als Jugendlicher, das ihn mit der eigenen Endlichkeit konfrontierte und zu einer tiefen Transformation führte. Trotz Studium der Ökonomie und beruflicher Karriere blieb die Suche nach einem inneren Halt zentral.Seine buddhistische Praxis, insbesondere Vipassanā, Mahāmudrā und die Auseinandersetzung mit der essenziellen Psychotherapie, ermöglichten ihm, existenzielle Krisen nicht nur zu überstehen, sondern in ihnen einen Weg zur inneren Reifung zu erkennen. In seinem Übungsweg «PRONTO» verdichtet Stephan diese Erfahrungen zu einem alltagstauglichen System, das es Menschen ermöglichen soll, auch in schwierigen Zeiten einen inneren Boden zu finden.Wir sprechen über:

The host of Insight Myanmar was invited to speak on the Light Forest Podcast.Here is a description of this platform:"The Light Forest podcast is a journey of exploration to bring more Light into how we live and regenerate our planet away from 'Dark Forest' systems of extraction and fear. Join me for conversations with change makers from around the world, as we explore philosophies, technology, spirituality, and history that can help us get to the root of our global problems. Together we learn how to play our part in the regeneration of our planet, starting with our own minds, to create a Light Forest world."The following description is added for this interview:"We get into some of the deep contradictions that run through Buddhism in Burma & policy making: How a country that sought to center around Vipassana and meditation became one of the most violent places? We learn the ways Buddhist practices such as Vipassanā and mettā, and other principles are helping leaders in resistance groups, forming a “non-violent” movement as a path to peace and reconciliation."

Returning to the refuge of breath that is present from birth to death, JoAnna Hardy guides listeners through a grounding and connective breath-based practice. Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this practice-infused episode, JoAnna guides listeners through:The first foundation of mindfulness, according to the BuddhaWhole-body awareness and inviting our body fully into the practiceThe individuality of each breath and becoming familiar with our breathRemembering that the breath is always with us, from birth to deathFinding calm, peace, energy, rapture, and joy within the breath Becoming completely interested in each one of our inhales and exhales Our exhale as the connection between us and nature, us and all beings Landing in the rhythm of the breath and allowing it to rock youLetting the breath be our home base and refuge when our mind wanders during practiceBecoming aware of sensations on and in our body via the throughline of the breathFeeling the body rather than thinking about your body Exploring practice one breath at a time, one bodily sensation at a time, with curiosityThis recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.orgAbout JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs. Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “That exhale is going far beyond this body. It's what connects us to this earth, to nature, to all beings.” – JoAnna Hardy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Gaia House)

ĐỨC PHẬT VÀ PHẬT PHÁP | CHƯƠNG 38. CON ĐƯỜNG NÍP-BÀN (NIẾT-BÀN) (III) - Hòa Thượng Nārada Chương 38. Con đường Níp-Bàn (Niết-Bàn) (III) Tuệ Quán (Minh Sát, Vipassanā) 1. Bậc Thánh Dự Lưu (Tu-Đà-Hoàn, Sotāpanna) 2. Bậc Thánh Nhất Lai (Tư-Đà-Hàm, Sakadāgāmi) 3. Bậc Thánh Bất Lai (A-Na-Hàm, Anāgāmi) 4. Bậc Thánh Vô Sanh (A-La-Hán, Arahant) Tại sao, đã đắc Quả Níp-Bàn (Niết-Bàn), một vị Vô Sanh (A-La-Hán) còn tiếp tục sống trong kiếp người ? Sau khi vị Vô Sanh (A-La-Hán) nhập diệt Còn tiếp ... (18h00 thứ 3, thứ 5 và thứ 7 hàng tuần) #ducphatvaphatphap #ducphat #phatphap #ducphatphatphap #narada #quantam #phiennao #thienvipassana #thientuniemxu #thienquantam #vipassana #tuniemxu #thienphatgiao #thien #phatphap #phatphapnhiemmau

Reflecting on the inevitable truth of suffering, JoAnna Hardy explains what we do have jurisdiction over: our action, speech and mind.Today's podcast is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.This time on the BHNN Guest Podcast, JoAnna Hardy explains:Recognizing the first noble truth of suffering all around usBreaking down what we cannot control in lifeHow resistance toward the inevitable causes sufferingReflecting on our ability to control our internal world (priorities, attitudes, etc.)How our speech and actions are in our jurisdictionCultivating a wise, steady, and skillful heart and mindThe mind as our sixth senseThe way we latch on to the stories we tell ourselvesHow one mind-state can feed into anotherRetraining the phenomena of our habitsThe relief we can feel when we let go of what we cannot controlAbout JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs. Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. This recording was originally published on Dharmaseed.org“When we sit here and deeply pay attention to this process of the mind, it's so fascinating. What is under my control, what can I control? Pay attention every time you have a mind moment to what you do with it and to it, and how you hold it, and what you decide your next mind moment is going to be.” – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode you'll learn: How emotions can derail us How meditation helps us solve our thinking problem How calming emotions helps us act more skillfully How to calm these emotions by calming the body and calming the mind What is samādhi The transition from satipaṭṭhāna to samādhi through the seven factors of awakening How deeper levels of concentration help us understand the process of experience How understanding the process of experience with wisdom and knowledge helps put an end to suffering and attain liberation Bhante's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bhantepunnajivideo Bhante's Website: http://protobuddhism.com Bhante's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhantepunnaji

This is the seventh talk from the book Knowing and Seeing by the most Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw read by me and is a gift not for sale / to be sold. It is from the Fifth Revised Edition via https://static.sariputta.com/pdf/tipitaka/1221/1pas-01-knowing-and-seeing-5th-rev-ed-pamc-032019pdf.pdf https://www.paaukforestmonastery.org https://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/ebooks

Moving through the senses, JoAnna Hardy guides listeners in a meditation to acquire stillness of the mind.Today's episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/beherenow and get on your way to being your best self.In this episode, JoAnna Hardy guides us through:The benefits of having clarity and a still mindThe breath-body central focusGaining self-trustPaying attention to the sounds and sights around us without assigning meaningWorking the muscle of awarenessReengaging with the breath when the mind gets busyThis recording is from the Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center: Mindfulness for Educators.About JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs. Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “It's important that we start that way, with this breath-body central focus, to really collect, gather, and sustain the capacity of our mind to be more still. From that stillness, this really beautiful self-trust comes. We can trust ourselves more because we are not at the whimsy of that chaotic mind.” – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Join us for a calming 20-minute Anapana Vipassanā meditation session, designed to enhance mindfulness through the simple observation of natural breath. This voice-only meditation guides you to focus on the sensations of breathing without the distraction of music, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced meditators seeking a pure and undisturbed practice. Learn the basics of Anapana, an essential part of Vipassanā, and use this technique to develop concentration and presence in your daily life. #guidedmeditation #meditation #mindfulness This guided meditation practice is from our app, Declutter The Mind. You can see our full library on our web app or download it for iOS and Android for free. Declutter The Mind ▶ https://declutterthemind.com/  Web app ▶ https://app.declutterthemind.com/  iOS app ▶ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/declutter-the-mind/id1465713447?ls=1 Android app ▶ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.MindDeclutter Consider joining Declutter The Mind Plus on YouTube for $5/mo and support the channel, get access to guided meditation courses, and more. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ZvMgbK5X8j-nCY5CR06xw/join

In a dharma talk on relative and ultimate reality, JoAnna Hardy discusses how to hold the complexity of life.This lecture was recorded at the Insight Meditation Retreat for 18–32 Year Olds and originally published by Dharmaseed.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this episode, JoAnna Hardy offers a talk on:How and why we keep returning to our sufferingDominant paradigms and what is out of our controlThe way that the Buddhist experience introduces us to ultimate realityRelative reality and what is happening on the groundHow we are all invited to be free via the Four Noble TruthsThe ways we struggle with trying to control other peopleAnatta, identity, and the way we hold onto our self-hoodHow we show up in the world through our speech, actions, and thoughtsThe Eightfold Path as the things we can controlPaying attention to who we spend our time withAbout JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs. Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “I've really worked on this practice of looking at a person; I'm not only looking at them. I'm looking at probably thousands of people who stand behind them, who have created them, who have created their way of thinking, their way of being. Every teacher, every friend, every person they come into contact with creates this being that is in front of us.” – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an entire episode of guided practice, JoAnna Hardy leads listeners deeper into the sensations of the body.This dharma talk was recorded at Insight Meditation Society – Retreat Center and originally published on Dharmaseed.org. In this episode, JoAnna guides listeners towards:Stabilizing the mind and slowing downPaying attention to the sensations of our bodiesNoticing the things our bodies come into contact withRecognizing pain, being with it, and redirecting our attention if necessaryUnderstanding our choice in how we have experiencesA walking meditation practiceRemaining connected to the bodies we inhabit About JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs.Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “In this flesh suit of muscle and bone, we can get to know the sensations. What do those sensations feel like without the mind telling us what they feel like? What are the sensations of pain in our body? Tingling, prickly pressure, tension, being curious to knowing it. One of the options can be that we redirect our attention somewhere else in the body.” – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

PHÁP Ở MỌI NƠI 09 - Thiền Sư Tejaniya PHẦN 9 : 01:11 78. Thuyết pháp buổi sáng II / Thiền Chánh Niệm là một tiến trình học hỏi 03:37 79. Kiểm tra lại thái độ 06:08 80. Có hứng thú với những hoạt động của tâm 13:47 81. Hiểu biết rằng Đề Mục chỉ là Đề Mục 17:03 82. Bạn có chắc là có Chánh Niệm không ? 20:15 83. Đừng chạy theo Đề Mục 25:05 84. Định của Thiền Vipassanā 27:56 85. Mong đợi và sự kiên nhẫn 30:15 86. Sống trong hiện tại 32:42 87. Khi tâm có hứng thú là Trí Tuệ đang làm việc Còn tiếp ... (18h00 thứ 3, thứ 5 và thứ 7 hàng tuần)

Offering listeners the gift of receiving metta, JoAnna Hardy leads a guided meditation using The Awesome Book of Love.Today's podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp. Click to receive 10% off your first month with your own licensed professional therapist: betterhelp.com/beherenowIn this episode, JoAnna describes:The ways that love can be felt and expressedTouch deprivation and the power of a hugMātā Amritānandamayī, the hugging saintAllowing ourselves to receive kindness and loveThe generosity in letting someone giveThe Awesome Book of Love and the beauty of listening to storiesA guided meditation on love Ram Dass' Love Serve Remember Foundation and the Alan Watts Organization invite you to open your mind, open your heart, and tap into the living truth of Alan Watts and Ram Dass. Learn more about this special 4-week Virtual Course:"The Presence of the Way: The Dharma of Alan Watts and Ram Dass"About JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs.Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. “Maybe the expression or experience of love, maybe it's through the way that you feed your body, or the way that you eat, or the way that you exercise, or the way that you share a smile with a stranger when you're walking down the street. Maybe it's how hard you work and the care that you put into your profession. Maybe you're a good friend. Maybe you're a good listener. – JoAnna HardySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

JoAnna Hardy gives us perspective on the origins of metta and guides us through a gentle meditation to cultivate loving kindness for ourselves and all beings.“One of my favorite teachings around this idea of metta, or loving kindness, care, friendliness, benevolence, is that naturally from a mind and heart that are at ease, this quality comes alive. So we don't actually have to do anything to make it happen.” - JoAnna HardyIn this offering from a 2018 Spirit Rock retreat, JoAnna gently guides us through a metta meditation, softly exploring:Clearing the hindrances of our being through mindfulness practice and allowing our natural state of metta to emerge The origins of metta Metta as the antidote to fear, aversion, and hatred The undefended heart and the undefended mind How we feel about wishing for the wellbeing of ourselves and of beings who: are easy to love, we feel neutral towards, we have a light agitation towards, feels like a difficult person to loveExplore JoAnna's heartwork hereAbout JoAnna Hardy: JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; she is on faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and a collaborator on many online meditation Apps and programs.Her greatest passion is to teach meditation in communities that are dedicated to seeing the truth of how racism, gender inequality and oppression go hand in hand with the compassionate action teachings in Buddhism and related perspectives to social and racial justice. Graphic via Khwanchai AMstockerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More than ever, the world needs builders – people ready to roll up their sleeves and build solutions for the challenges we face. In this season finale episode, Eboo Patel, Founder and President of Interfaith America, speaks with four leaders already building Interfaith America. Grounded in their faith communities and ethical traditions, these panelists respond from their beliefs to provide hope and inspiration. This panel discussion was a part of the opening plenary at the 2022 Interfaith Leadership Summit. Guest Bios:Panelist: Allison Josephs (she/her)Allison Josephs is the founder and executive director of Jew in the City, a nonprofit that changes negative perceptions of religious Jews and makes engaging and meaningful Orthodox Judaism known and accessible.  She has been involved in the field of Jewish Outreach for over twenty years and is the Partner in Torah mentor to actress Mayim Bialik. Variety named her as an advocate for inclusivity in the entertainment industry in its 2022 Inclusion Impact Report. Allison has been quoted or written about in numerous publications, including Vanity Fair, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, People Magazine, NYPost, Daily News, TMZ, The Daily Beast, and Hollywood Reporter. She has appeared on numerous television and radio networks including CBS, ABC, Fox5, TLC, Associate Press TV, and NPR; her articles have appeared in publications including The Washington Post, JTA, Jewish Week, Jerusalem Post, The Forward, and Kveller.Panelist: Nisha Anand (she/her)Nisha Anand is an Indian-American activist, mom of two teenagers, and leader for racial justice. Once a radical grassroots activist arrested in Burma for passing out pro-democracy leaflets, Nisha's expansive organizing experience and work with mentors like Van Jones, solidified her belief in the power of working with unlikely partners to find real solutions. As Dream Corps' CEO, Nisha leads a diverse group of people who are learning, like her, the value of unconventional relationships. Nisha's journey from punk-rock protester to common ground champion is documented in her TED talk, The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground.Panelist: Sarwang Parikh (he/they)Sarwang Parikh is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT) in CA. He was born and raised within a devotional Hindu Gujarati Indian culture from an immigrant, working-class family in the South. They have been steeped in the practices and study of Yogic sciences & Buddhism for nearly 20 years. Sarwang earned his MA from CIIS in Integral Counseling Psychology, BA in Psychology and Religious Studies from University of SC. Additionally, they have advanced training in the healing arts and have completed Spirit Rock's two-year Dedicated Practitioners Program (DPP5) within the tradition of Theravāda Vipassanā. Sarwang is a long-time sangha member and community teacher at East Bay Meditation Center (STL teacher training); mentors youth with iBme; and currently serves as the Interim Director at Buddhist Peace FellowshipPanelist: Ulysses W. Burley III (he/him)Dr. Ulysses W. Burley III is the founder of UBtheCURE, LLC – a proprietary consulting company on the intersection of Faith, Health, and Human Rights. Ulysses served as a member of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches as well as the United States Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) under the Obama Administration. He has been recognized by the National Minority Quality Forum as a top 40 under 40 Minority Health Leader for his work in faith and HIV in communities of color and serves on the NMQF Advisory Board. Ulysses is an internationally recognized speaker and award winning writer on topics including faith, HIV/AIDS policy, LGBTQIA, gender and racial justice, food security, and peace in the Middle East. Registrations are now open for 2023 Interfaith Leadership Summit -- the largest gathering of students and educators with a commitment to American religious pluralism. Join the hundreds of people who care about the future of our religiously diverse society as they learn to bridge divides and forge friendships across lines of religious and worldview differences. Learn new skills and return to your campus inspired and ready to build.Visit Interfaith America to learn more about the organization and our podcast.Follow us on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with new episodes, interfaith stories, and our programs.

Rehabilitation is the process of re-educating and retraining those who have committed a crime. It generally involves psychological approaches which target the cognitive distortions associated with specific kinds of crime committed by particular offenders – but may also involve more general education such as literacy skills and work training. The goal is to reintegrate offenders back into society. Methods. A successful rehabilitation of a prisoner is also helped if convicted persons: are not placed in health-threateningly bad conditions, enjoy access to medical care and are protected from other forms of serious ill-treatment, are able to maintain ties to the outside world, learn new skills to assist them with working life on the outside, enjoy clear and detailed statutory regulations clarifying the safeguards applicable and governing the use and disposal of any record of data relating to criminal matters. Applications. Norway. Norway's prison system is based on the principle of normalization and away from retribution to focus on rehabilitation. Inmates have access to amenities they would have outside of prison, such as an exclusive mini fridge, flat-screen TV, private bathroom, and access to the outdoor environment. This, along with a shared kitchen and living area "to create a sense of family" among inmates and the absence of traditional prison uniforms contributes to Norway's rehabilitative normalcy system. The prison's structure is composed of Units A, B and C, with Unit A housing those in need of psychiatric or medical attention, thus being the most prohibitive of the three. Halden Fengsel, referred to as the "world's most humane maximum-security prison", embodies the country's goal of reintegration by aiding inmates in sorting out housing and employment before leaving the prison. Rehabilitative measures involve education, job training, workshops to acquire a trade, and therapy along with the humane treatment they receive from personnel who have to complete three years of training to become prison guards. The effectiveness of Norway's methods is evident as they hold the lowest recidivism rate worldwide at 20% as of December 2014. In comparison, in 2007, 14 prisons in England and Wales had reconviction rates of more than 70%, which cost an average of £40,000 a year for each prisoner. This has been accused of being "a huge investment in failure" and "a total lack of consideration for potential future victims of released prisoners". "Better out than in" is Norway's Correctional Service unofficial motto that is in view with their rehabilitative system as a justice to society by integrating inmates as functioning members of society upon release. Meditation. Vipassanā 10-day meditation courses were first taught in prisons in India in 1975. They have since been conducted in the US (1997–present), UK (1998), Spain (2003), Israel (2007) and Ireland (2015). Vipassana meditation aims to reduce negative mental states such as anger and aggression, and provide a path to inner peace. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/law-school/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/law-school/support

Vipassana web: www.dhamma.org Skvělý dokument o Vipassaně: https://youtu.be/tHz4ZcfTRdk Hovory k sobě, ve kterých se zamýšlím nad tématy ze života. Jmenuji se Tomáš Gavlas mám rád filosofii, náboženství a putování. Napsal jsem knížku Karlaz: Cesta člověka, Karlaz: Posel je zprávou a nabízím druhým službu doprovázených poutí. Knihy: www.karlaz.cz Doprovázené poutě: www.putovat.cz

Sharon Salzberg has become America's meditation teacher. In this episode Sharon talks about places of resistance as "tight spots" and methods of transforming resistance to more openness and freedom. Marc and Sharon discuss the practice of loving kindness as well as shame, an emotion that has positive and negative qualities. They discuss the power of presence and the role of meditation. Sharon Salzberg is a New York Times bestselling author and teacher of Buddhist meditation practices in the West. In 1974, she co-founded the Insight Meditation Society at Barre, Massachusetts. Her emphasis is on Vipassanā (insight) and mettā (loving-kindness) methods, and has been leading meditation retreats around the world for over three decades. Her books include Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness, A Heart as Wide as the World, and Real Happiness - The Power of Meditation: A 28-Day Program among others.  

Oleh Bhante Dhammadhīro, Mahāthera

Are you ready for true change? Weaving mindfulness and spirituality into the fabric of Vipassana meditation is an amazing journey towards our true-self. On the Self-Care Goddess Podcast Episode #64, Pouya Iranitalab talks about his experience at a silent retreat and shares how his life became characterized by increased awareness, non-delusion, peace and self-control after Vipassana, to an extent that he was able to endure surgery on his private parts without anesthesia! On this podcast episode we chat about: ✅ The Vipassana Meditation Experience ✅ How To Prepare For The Silent Retreat ✅ The Process of Insight Meditation ✅ How To Integrate The Teachings Into Your Daily Life ✅ And so much more. Connect with Pouya FB.com/ConnectToPI | Instagram @ConnectToPI | https://www.pouyairanitalab.com === ▸ Join the Breathwork Revolution and harness the power of the New Moon every month online. Get your tickets here. ▸ Don't know what to eat for Mental Health? Download Your Mental Health Shopping List ▸ Kick start your day with the Savoia Self-Care Morning Routine ▸ If you enjoyed this episode and it was helpful please share it with your loved ones or a friend and check out www.savoiaselfcare.com for more amazing wellness tips. ▸ Please also leave us a rating now on apple podcast, take a screenshot and send it to info@savoiaselfcare.com. We will reply with a gift as a grateful THANK-YOU! ▸ If you want to upgrade your healthy living and take it to the next level, be sure to join us next week! === With immense gratitude and thanks to our sponsor: ▸ St. Lucian Seam Moss | www.stlucianseamoss.co | @stlucianseamoss === // F O L L O W ▸ instagram | @healthhappinesshacker ▸ facebook | /savoiaselfcare ▸ twitter | /rsavoia ▸ linkedin | Rita Savoia ▸ email | info@savoiaselfcare.com ▸ youtube | SavoiaSelf-Care ▸ website | www.savoiaselfcare.com ▸ podcast | Self-Care Goddess === Disclaimer: This podcast is for information purposes only. Statements and views expressed on this podcast are not medical advice. This podcast including Rita Savoia disclaim responsibility from any possible adverse effects from the use of information contained herein. Opinions of guests are their own, and this podcast does not accept responsibility of statements made by guests. This podcast does not make any representations or warranties about guests qualifications or credibility. Individuals on this podcast may have a direct or non-direct interest in products or services referred to herein. If you think you have a medical problem, consult a licensed physician.

Episode #127: “I basically started meditating about eight years ago, and it's it changed my life completely,” Claire Thorp tells us. For years, Claire had been intrigued observing how her partner kept up a daily sitting and was curious to give it a try herself. Her initial course in the Burmese lineage of S.N. Goenka was very challenging for her. However, she felt sort of a “magnetic pull” to the tradition and returned to start sitting and serving. Some time later, Claire traveled to India for further meditation. She ended up visiting Jaipur, where she took a course in natural dyeing. This would eventually lead to the creation of her company, https://www.satidesign.com/ (Sati Designs), which produces meditation cushions. The Pāḷi word “sati” means “mindfulness,” and that began to guide the company's vision. Claire fell in love with the artisan community in Jaipur. Many of these artisans come from families who have been using traditional techniques for generations, and work right out of their homes. Through her connections, she located sources for every part of the production. Following her second Vipassanā course, she had made a strong resolution to visit Myanmar. From the moment she arrived in 2016, she felt a sense of warmth and inclusion. She took a course at Dhamma Joti, and was immediately struck by how serious her fellow Burmese yogis were, and how long they could sit with only minimal cushions and support. She made wonderful friendships in a short time, and was struck by the way supporting Dhamma is woven through the society. Claire has since been following the unfolding events in Myanmar with sadness, while trying to bring attention and support. Towards this end, she has generously offered a special two-week promotional period lasting from October 14th to the 28th, in which 20% from all sales at https://www.satidesign.com/ (Sati Designs) will be donated to https://www.betterburma.org/ (Better Burma).

In today's podcast episode, we're doing something totally different. My dear friend, Elaine Glass, joined us in our mentorship call and we talked about getting quiet. We did something different from what we normally do and we asked all of our audience members and mentorship clients to tune in while in nature, on their headphones, with no cameras, and no chat, and allow themselves to reflect inward. During this conversation, my camera was off, Elaine's camera was off, and I had my eyes closed for most of the conversation so that I could go a little bit deeper, be less distracted, be more focused, and be much more present. It was such a profound experience for me, I almost want to do all my meetings with my camera off and my eyes closed because I felt it was so much more powerful for me and I got a lot out of it. So what I decided to do is share this very special moment with you, our podcast listeners, with all of you out there who are trying to biome the best version of you, who are trying to listen to the voice that is inside every one of us. To do that requires a certain level of quiet. There is so much noise in our world and so many distractions. With this episode, I'm going to invite you to do the very same: put on your headphones, lay down in bed if you need to, spend some time in nature, sit back, relax, get quiet, and pay attention to the dialog and the conversation. Be present, and in the words of Ram Das, “Be Here Now.” Enjoy this episode.   Key Takeaways: [1:03] Sachin welcomes listeners to a special episode of Perfect Practice. This episode was done with Elaine Glass and a mentorship audience tuning in while in nature, with no cameras and no chat. Sachin had his eyes closed for most of the conversation so he could go deeper with less distraction and more focus. He invites you to do the same.   [4:58] Sachin invites his dear friend, Elaine Glass, to the digital virtual stage of the mentorship call. Sachin tells how he and Elaine met through Michael Fishman, Founder of Consumer Health Summit (CHS). Elaine helps create the energy at CHS.   [6:07] Elaine is the author of Get Quiet: A Woman's Simple Path to Knowing Who You Are, Loving it, and Living It.This episode applies to males and females. When we are constantly being distracted, being able to focus and get quiet is a superpower that we must work on developing. Elaine shares the wisdom she gained in overcoming obstacles and challenges.   [7:41] Elaine was in dentistry for 27 years. She transitioned into being a sage and guide to help people connect with their souls. At that time a friend asked her what she had learned after all those dental patients and getting to know their lives. It came to her that people just need to get quiet. She also needed to get quiet. It has been a decade-long journey developing a method.   [9:21] Sachin talks about the importance of practicing getting quiet.   [10:20] Elaine calls her dental office job her life class. She learned about the human condition and the mental/emotional connection to the physical and she started to connect the dots in her life. She had been struggling with autoimmune disorders, a very difficult marriage, and two small children.   [11:09] She transitioned out of the marriage and became a single mom. This brought up fear. When we are afraid, we speed up. That was a problem. The noise in her life got a grasp on her. She asked herself how she could lessen the fear. She realized she wanted to help people with their lives more than with the health of their teeth. She transitioned into being a guide.   [12:15] There was a lot of uncertainty and a lot of struggle with creating a platform, being an entrepreneur, and betting on herself. She went to conferences. She experienced financial struggles. There were a lot of obstacles to creating a new identity. The more she saw her problems the more she was afraid. She started to slow down, and relax into her brilliance.   [14:01] Being quiet comes when you are afraid to express yourself. Getting quiet is about those moments when you connect to a greater energy for strength, solutions, and answers. It's when you access the greatness within yourself, even if it looks crazy to others. When we get quiet, we access spectacular things and begin to know who we truly are.   [15:50] Sachin recalls a conversation with his four-year-old son, who was thinking about “nothing.” At first, Sachin was triggered, thinking his son was deflecting the question. Then he realized his son was not focused on any thought, he was just being fully present in the world around him.   [17:18] The skill of getting quiet starts with honoring your life at the greatest and deepest level. It's about what Sachin's son was doing, being present. The greatest gift Elaine gives to herself and the world is to sit still and be present in her presence. She sees leisure as a valid human activity. This is contrary to most people's upbringing, which leads to burnout.   [19:31] Getting quiet is about waking up to the life that you're living now, honoring your life, and trusting the voice you hear, admitting where you are, feeling that deeply, because nothing can transform unless you deeply feel. That's when you engage inldifferently. Those are the steps Elaine began to take early on.   [20:30] Sachin and Elaine discuss Vipassanā retreats. On one of these 10-day silent retreats, you are completely disconnected from the outer world and you go inwards. While a 10-day disconnection is extreme, you can practice it in micro ways in daily life.   [21:49] Elaine outlines her daily method to get quiet. It begins with your breath. Get back to a natural condition wherever possible. Connect with the breath of nature, the universe, a higher power, or God, matching your breath with that energy.   [23:07] Elaine uses a labyrinth (not a maze) with a certain pathway where you walk to the center and then walk out. Start at the mouth of the labyrinth. The center of the labyrinth is your soul. Getting there puts you in a state of tremendous self-love. Elaine talks about guidance to know what to do on the path.   [25:14] When you get to the center and unite with your soul, it's like crossing a bridge and you can never go back to the way you thought or the way you were. Everything changes. Something clicks in your brain and you're a different person. When Elaine did this, she developed an unwillingness to deal with things that just didn't matter as much but do what she wanted.   [26:44] Everything changed for Elaine when she got to the center. People that she helped to take this path, their lives have changed, too. Sachin quoted Wayne Dyer, “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.” Our perception is a powerful influencer of our reality.   [27:34] Elaine has helped many people walk this path as a guide and sage, she facilitates their walk. She talks about one woman who was very confused by the concept of the labyrinth. It was new. She had trouble surrendering to the experience. But she had so much pain, she was ready to do something and she trusted Elaine. Elaine had her walk the ancient path of the labyrinth.   [29:39] When people walk to the center, on their own, they feel an energetic shift within themselves. The woman knew something major had happened and she began to cry. She came out and they sat down. She shared her experience. She had seen herself as ugly but now she felt so beautiful. It's one of Elaine's favorite experiences.   [31:08] Sachin says when we see who we are, we see our inner beauty and we vibrate at a different frequency. When we are confident, present, and whole, the energy field around us changes, and the way people feel in our presence changes. We are attractive. Sachin wants this for as many people as possible. You can Google and walk a labyrinth close to you.   [33:01] Sachin has never walked a labyrinth, so he plans to take the opportunity with a client with this new knowledge he has. The labyrinth that changed Elaine's life was located within half a mile of her home for over 20 years and she never realized it. She finally went there in search of answers and for an escape from all the entrepreneurial noise. She needed direction.   [34:07] Since the first time, each time Elaine gets to the center of the labyrinth, she hears a message from a very clear voice. One time she heard a line from a Michael Jackson song that said, ”You are not alone, I am here with you.” She got back to her car, turned on the radio, and the song was playing. Elaine has many examples of synchronicity that confirmed the messages.   [35:18] Elaine is here today at this point in her life because she had trusted those messages she received in labyrinths and she had taken time to get quiet and receive them.   [36:10] Elaine tells how to distinguish between the constant chatter in your mind and a guiding message. It is through this process that you can get this clear tuning in. When you hear that voice, it is just pure love, like a mother's love. The overthinking mind is not very loving. This method is about how to get to that voice of love, the voice that is our self-love.   [37:08] You get to the self-loving voice by clearing out what weighs us down, whether the environment, our bodies, or our minds. You begin to have all these things just fall away until you're a lightness of being when you can access this beautiful, loving voice.   [37:55] Elaine says she received a message about eight energy points in our bodies that shift the genomics of one's body. She immediately thought it was crazy talk but then thought, if you're not thinking crazy, you're not thinking big enough. She thought this was big. She started channeling genomics, which she confirmed with geneticist Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard.   [39:52] Elaine channeled eight bony parts of the body that she says are energy points that can shift the genomics of the body. That corresponds with the eight paths of the labyrinth.   [42:06] The eight energy points are the top of the head, the chest and heart region, the abdominal region (the womb area and all the organs), the hip region, the tailbone area, the leg area from the thigh to the foot (particularly the knee caps), the feet area, and the shoulders. Elaine describes the energies of some of these points.   [48:36] Elaine has thoughts about the metaphysical reasons people show up to their functional medicine practitioner or chiropractor. She says their intuition is guiding them. Their mental and emotional problems show up as physical. The practitioner can help them connect the physical to the emotional or mental.   [50:51] Metaphorically, the body has hardware and software. Medicine focuses on the hardware, the things we can touch and see. The software tells the hardware what to do. It's difficult to measure, so medicine often ignores it. The people listening on this call are very receptive and open to exploring the healing opportunities connected to our emotional being.   [52:20] The hardware is what brings in the clients and patients. It is an opportunity to explore further with our clients, looking at the psycho-emotional aspects of where this problem might be rooted. That might be more of what they need. We leave a lot on the table if we don't explore the software or the emotional components of what's contributing to their dysfunction.   [53:54] The main frustration in Elaine's healthcare years was that they were just focused on the hardware. She knew that she wanted to help people with the software so they could heal themselves. Before sages and guides can help others, they need to connect with their software and heal that within themselves. Then they can help and guide patients.   [56:21] Elaine suggests you walk the labyrinth, feel your self-love, hear that loving voice, and you'll bring that out into the world.   [56:50] Sachin thanks Elaine for being on the Perfect Practice podcast to share this beautiful information.   [58:11] Elaine's last advice: We have to face hard things. Hear the truth, take it seriously, and get the tools and resources to help you through whatever you hear. There's only benefit to facing our lives head-on, the good and the not-so-good to be yourself.   [59:24] Sachin invites listeners to share appreciation with Elaine for this knowledge of being quiet. Elaine says she loves you; she believes in you; keep going, because you are the one who is changing this planet.   Mentioned in this episode Perfect Practice Live Ram Das Be Here Now, by Ram Das Michael Fishman Consumer Health Summit Mark Hyman Get Quiet: A Woman's Simple Path to Knowing Who You Are, Loving it, and Living It (to be published) Vipassanā Wayne Dyer Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard   Elaine Glass Bio:A former dental hygienist by trade and an energy healer at heart, Elaine Glass has helped countless people to combine their intellect and intuition to boost their confidence, improve their health and relationships, find meaning and purpose, and manifest the life of their dreams.   Today, Elaine's clients span worldwide. Yet it wasn't always that way. In 2008, Elaine was a dental hygienist, successful by all measures, yet bored and unfulfilled in her “successful” career. Her true interest was spirituality, finding quiet and new intuition to deeply heal, and while Elaine had trained extensively in these practices for many years, she couldn't imagine leaving her mainstream career for beliefs and practices so far outside the norm.   Yet Elaine's passion kept calling, and finally, in a moment of clarity, she knew it was time to let the past go, embrace her passion for helping others, and follow her heart. In the decade that followed, Elaine consistently coached private clients, further deepened her abilities in energy work, and fell in love.   Elaine found the joy of helping others incredibly fulfilling. Her clients saw profound changes in their lives, particularly when she showed them the power of quiet. Even so, many people in the world were living lives disconnected from their passion, unaware of their true potential.   Elaine knew she needed to help more people, and with a commitment to broader impact the "Get Quiet method" was born. Her mission with this method is to help millions of women discover the quiet inside to foster their deepest healing and personal transformation.   A graduate of Northwestern University, Elaine lives in Arizona and is the proud mom of two sons.   Connect with Elaine: Website: Elaineglass.net More about your host Sachin Patel How to speak with Sachin Go one step further and Become The Living Proof Perfect Practice Live sachin@becomeproof.com To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit   Books by Sachin Patel: Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You're Worth The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done

While perhaps a strange choice for some, Steve Jarand and Kati Schweitzer elected to spend part of their honeymoon meditating in Myanmar. Both being practitioners in the vipassana tradition of S.N. Goenka—a Burmese citizen of Indian heritage who trained in a Burmese lineage—that 2016 trip was something of a spiritual homecoming for them. The visit broadened their horizons regarding their spiritual path. For example, Steve learned to appreciate Burmese Buddhist culture on its own terms through the realization that “it's much more rich and complex than just what I had known about the practice!” And from the start, Kati appreciated how interwoven the practice was in daily life throughout Myanmar. They also found much meaning while staying longer in monastic environments. Overall, there was much joy to remember from the trip, particularly the way they always found their Burmese friends quick to smile, and their amazing generosity. With the memory of that kindness in mind, Steve and Kati speak to the wider practitioner community about how important it is to support the people of Myanmar during these very dark days, since the military coup, and find a way to reciprocate.

Diskusi Dhamma bersama Bhante Santacitto tentang Vipassanā-ñāṇa secara ringkas.

The Sangha discuss Parker's visit to a wat and the centrality of dependent origination in understanding wisdom at the point of contact. #dependentorigination #vipassana #beinginthemoment See the video version of this call on YouTube. ►YouTube Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SvUk4oemZA Weekly Sangha calls, everyone is welcome.  ►The Sangha US - https://join.skype.com/uyYzUwJ3e3TO ►The Sangha UK - https://join.skype.com/w6nFHnra6vdh To meet Dhamma friends, hang out, or volunteer—join our Discord Sangha. Everyone is welcome. ►Discord - https://discord.gg/epphTGY These videos are also available in Podcast form on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more. ►Podbean - https://dhammaratodhamma.podbean.com/ 00:00:00 Parker's visit to a Thai wat 00:10:12 What is a noble? Understanding the Dhamma 00:15:29 Suffering vs. dissatisfaction; dukkha, dukkha-nirodha 00:20:25 Vipassanā, deconstructing experience; separate consciousness 00:23:39 Feelings not emotions; sensations in the body 00:25:12 The centrality of seeing dependent origination (paticcasamuppāda); causes and conditions 00:31:59 Changing information processing; wisdom at the point of contact; a mind fit for work 00:38:30 Data; viññāna and salāyatana 00:43:23 The problem of communication; ānāpānasati; hindrances; the importance of wholesome thoughts 00:53:24 What is wisdom at the point of contact? Stop and look, change your attitude 01:01:04 Relaxation and reaction time; the intellectual level is not enough

What and who are you? In this advanced exploration, you are invited to contemplate what is and isn't definable about your identity.About JoAnna Hardy:JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher. She is also on the faculty at the University of Southern California, a meditation trainer at Apple Fitness+, a founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and a visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society. To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for ”Exploring Identity,” or click here: https://10percenthappier.app.link/content?meditation=a40fbc27-1341-496e-978a-3e462fce5bc0.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

'The X-ray Vision of Vipassanā' - A Dhamma talk given by Ajahn Anan on 11 Jun 2022. To join Ajahn Anan and the Wat Marp Jan Community online for daily chanting, meditation, and a Dhamma talk, you can email wmjdhamma@gmail.com for the link. Daily live sessions at 7.15pm - 9pm, Indochina Time (Bangkok, GMT+7).

On this episode we discuss the ways in which Metta and Vipassanā support each other and how you can use Metta to further develop your capacity to mentalize. Recorded live May, 12 2022.

Samatha Vipassanā 02 Venerable Wagadapola Wimalagnana Thero https://animiththa.org

Samatha Vipassanā 03 Venerable Wagadapola Wimalagnana Thero https://animiththa.org

Samatha Vipassanā 02 Venerable Wagadapola Wimalagnana Thero https://animiththa.org

#Ep625This week on #TheHabitCoach Podcast, Ashdin Doctor is joined by Shonali Sabherwal - Macrobiotic Nutritionist, Chef, Gut Expert, and Instructor where they discuss how Vipassanā Meditation can help us get over the stress and other mental health issues. Ashdin and Shonali talk about the current observations on mental wellbeing and lifestyle industry, how various chakras affect various emotions of our bodies, and the concept of Vipassanā Meditation. Further, they even chat about how Vipassanā Meditation can quiet our mind and shares a few habits to practice meditation in our daily lives. All this and much more!You can know more about Shonali: ( http://soulfoodshonali.com/ )Instagram: ( https://www.instagram.com/soulfoodshonali/ )Facebook: ( https://www.facebook.com/ShonaliSabherwalSoulFood )Twitter: ( https://twitter.com/Sh_oulfood )Youtube: ( https://www.youtube.com/c/ShonaliSabherwal )You can listen to The Habit Coach Kannada Podcast here: ( https://ivm.today/3j0Libf )Send questions to Ashdin Doctor for The Habit Coach Hot Seat Below: ( https://forms.gle/13vgf4MAk7zYKBd38 )Check out the Awesome180 website: ( http://awesome180.com/ ) You can follow Ashdin Doctor on social media:Twitter: ( https://twitter.com/Ashdindoc )Linkedin: ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashdin-doctor/ )Instagram: ( https://www.instagram.com/ashdindoc/ )Facebook: ( https://www.facebook.com/ashdin.doc.9 )You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcasts app on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios, or any other podcast app.

Ajahn Brahmali is continuing from the Noble Eightfold Path series and focusing on the seventh factor satipatthana over four consecutive Saturdays. Workshop 3 : Samatha and Vipassanā (Part 5)  Find the entire series and reading materials on bswa.org here.  Please support the BSWA in making teachings available for free online via Patreon.  To find and download more precious Dhamma teachings, visit the BSWA teachings page: https://bswa.org/teachings/, choose the teaching you want and click on the audio to open it up on Podbean.

In many places they teach to focus solely on vipassanā (insight), but really, in the initial stages, every aspect of the practice is samatha (tranquility). When we develop this way of bringing our hearts to peace, then investigating reality, we'll realize the highest happiness that the Buddha himself gained. To listen to most recent talks, you can visit our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/ajahnanan To join Ajahn Anan and the Wat Marp Jan Community online for daily chanting, meditation, and a Dhamma talk, you can email wmjdhamma@gmail.com for the link. Live sessions everyday from 7pm to 9pm. Indochina Time (Bangkok, GMT+7).

Today's episode is one of the most important conversations we've had on the podcast all year. In this first of our Brovember episodes, Mason chats with Aaron Schultz, the founder of Outback Mind, A mental health and wellbeing programme that helps men from regional Australia manage anxiety and develop the right skills to stay healthy in the body, mind, and spirit. Growing up in regional Australia himself, experiencing the downward spiral of mental health issues, unfulfillment, and toxic environments, Aaron knows first hand the challenges men can face. A healing journey ignited by an introduction to Buddhism and self-love, Aaron has spent the past 20 years building a career around helping men to become more conscious and connected to their true selves. Today, Aaron is a leading Anxiety Management teacher, meditation/yoga teacher, and a specialised mind/body coach, with a great ambition to help others; Particularly men from regional areas. Aaron works to bring about a level of consciousness and understanding to a whole collective of men, born into an environment where a natural trajectory is to work for the economy and serve the colonial system; With little to no cultural ideologies in place that nurture them connecting to their true purpose. His organisation, Outback Mind; Focuses on creating a culture and lifestyle that gives these men the tools and solid foundation needed to deal with emotions and realise their heart purpose. In this soul-centred conversation, Aaron talks a lot about untying the embedded emotion of fear in society. An emotional response instilled in most of us; Fear permeates the colonial structure and has become a default operating system for so many. Fear of judgment, being different, or being vulnerable inhibits a lot of men from discovering their true purpose and potential. This is a beautiful conversation about masculinity, vulnerability, and the destructive cultural ideologies placed upon men. Mason and Aaron dive into Men's holistic health, the changes we need to make in society so men can thrive, and why we can't wait for a system that's not serving us to bring about the changes we need. If we want to change, we have to activate it ourselves by supporting each other and our communities in the areas that matter. This episode honours the strength, spirit, and wellbeing of men and is a much larger conversation about humanity. Tune in.     "It's so important to be able to give guidance and be strong within yourself so you can be a light to others, because that's really what the world needs right now more than ever. I believe my job here is to try and create light so these men can start to become more conscious and take autonomy within themselves". -Aaron Schultz     Host and Guest discuss:   Men's circles Yin Yoga for men. Men's mental health Self love and acceptance. Resources for a purposeful life. Processing anger in a healthy way. Learning from indigenous cultures. Using physical exercise to process anger. Compassion for ourselves and each other. The prison system as an industry to make money. Developing a relationship with the masculine and feminine. The power of daily routine for a purposeful and productive life. Getting in flow with the seasons, cycles and our circadian rhythm.   Who is Aaron Schultz? Aaron Schultz is a leading anxiety management teacher, speaker, and private coach. He focuses on practical solutions to help individuals improve mental wellbeing and overcome anxiety. Aarons vision is to empower people to take a proactive approach to wellbeing, feel safe and supported, and become free of physical and mental illness by building healthy lifestyle behaviours that help individuals become self-aware, live more consciously, and thrive. Aaron is the founder of Outback Mind, a yoga, and meditation teacher (with over 5000 hours of practical teaching experience) specialising in Yin, Hatha, and Kundalini Yoga and transcendental meditation. Aaron also has extensive experience training individuals and groups in high-stress industries to manage anxiety in and out of the workplace. Aaron was recently awarded the People's Choice Award at the Queensland Men's Health Awards for his work creating a healthier future for men and boys.   CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON APPLE PODCAST    Resources: Shen blend Cordyceps Deer Antler Ashwagandha Eucommia Bark Outback Mind website Outback Mind podcast Yin Yoga with Anatomist Paul Grilley     Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast? A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We'd also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or  check us out on Stitcher, CastBox, iHeart RADIO:)! Plus  we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Mason: (00:00) Aaron, thanks so much for joining me, mate.   Aaron Schultz: (00:02) Pleasure, Mason. Thank you for having me.   Mason: (00:03) Yeah, well, yeah, my pleasure. My pleasure. Good. Do you want to just like give everyone a little up to date, little download on what you're doing at the moment, where you're focused at the moment is, and what the grander vision is for yourself and likewise, Outback Mind.   Aaron Schultz: (00:19) Yeah, thank you. I guess I come from a rural background in country Victoria. I was brought up traditionally, getting all the trauma that the education system sort of laid upon me, and that took me into poor lifestyle behaviours and believing what the TV told me. So, I started drinking and doing all the wrong things, and I disconnected from my real purpose and my soul pretty early because of the way society was sort of gearing me. So, sort of went into those poor lifestyle behaviours, and I knew underneath all that there was something greater, but I had to follow the breadcrumbs society had sort of laid out for me and worked hard, did all the things, bought the houses, and had the material stuff, and all that too.   Aaron Schultz: (01:15) And yeah, basically ended up a bit of a mess in my thirties and had to redirect myself. But following that, I've sort of had a real vision to be able to help guys like myself from rural communities to be able to find out who they really are and follow that. Everyone's got something inside them that maybe they haven't had the courage to dive into. So, I've been able to help others through my own experience to fast track that basically by giving them some tools and some guidance and advice around following their true purpose in this lifetime, I guess, at the end of the day, and not having to go through all the shit that I went through, but that's also beautiful in its own essence because we do learn from that sort of stuff. But to be able to help a young man or to help someone get some direction, I think's my real purpose here, and to be able to explore all the beautiful things that humanity has to offer without going into all the negative stuff that takes us away from our true alignment at the end of the day.   Mason: (02:27) With this young, colonised Australian culture that we've got here, I mean, especially in the tribe, what do you see as the biggest thing? You are a part of that culture, and you and others are emerging to fill these gaps that are allowing such big mental health challenges, or just generally not being able to get onto your purpose and everything that kind of comes with that. If you look overall at our culture, what do you think is the biggest thing that we're yearning for, or that's lacking, or there's a blockage around that's enabling all these things that you're solving? What's enabling it to become an issue to start with?   Aaron Schultz: (03:11) Yeah, really. I always say to people "What are traps that are holding you back?" And it's primarily the underlying fact that is fear. We get put into fear early and that pretty much becomes our default. You always keep going back to fear all the time. But to be able to help people understand what helps them feel calm, I need to be able to create a culture and a lifestyle around that because that's really the heart purpose and the soul journey, I guess, at the end of the day which a lot of guys, including myself, never understood or don't understand, and I don't like seeing people go through the whole lifetime without having that connection.   Aaron Schultz: (03:58) I think we've all got something within us which is our true purpose and our true calling. We've got a job here to do, many of us, and to be able to find what that is, to be able to direct your life around that I think's really, really important to be able to make it simple to people. I go back to my own sort of journey. I was sort of messed up in my thirties, and I went to a doctor, and all he wanted to do was tie me up in knots. But I basically just had to take direction for myself and then start to work on myself again and get back to that little boy that was never really nourished, I suppose, at the end of the day.   Aaron Schultz: (04:35) So, that sort of resonates with guys when you talk to them because they sort of see that within them when you're done, and to be able to give them real-life experiences and stories about it but to do it vulnerably I think's really important. I was never courageous enough to be vulnerable about the way I felt as a human, come from a very judgemental environment which most rural communities are. It can be very much like that. And you touch on the colonial model. The colonial model is pretty much all about fear, force, and control, and ourselves are really penetrated with that early on. To be able to release that I think is really important. It's our birthright to feel that freedom, I guess, at the end of the day.   Mason: (05:23) When you work, so especially, I mean this isn't just going to be rural community, but that's where you are predominantly working, when you're working in rural communities with the lads and you start looking at purposefulness, soul journey, I'm sure there's different for them, they resonate with different ways of the connecting with that, and talking about that, I'm sure you've got lots of ways of approaching, what's the outcome? Do you find that it's different where you go? Everything's going to be unique, but for some people, is that purposefulness something that's a big life goal? Are you seeing at the moment, is it just them dealing with some inner turmoil so that they can just do their job purposefully and enjoy where they're at? What do you see the biggest outcome of how they actually feel their purpose, and what does it look like? I'm just thinking for some blokes and women, but blokes that are listening that are like, "What is that?" Is that, all of a sudden, I know my purpose is ABC or how does it look?   Aaron Schultz: (06:23) Yeah, yeah.   Aaron Schultz: (06:25) Men are confused, to be perfectly honest to you. We're educated to support the economy really at the end of the day. We come out of school, we go into uni or work, and we sort of have lost that real connection with our true self. That takes us into poor lifestyle behaviours, getting into relationships which we aren't aligned with. Really, once you start to explain this to people in a men's circle or one on one or whatever it is, people start to actually realise that not so much that they're fucked up, but they've actually taken themselves away from their true alignment to be able to do what society's expected of them or what their community's expected of them, and I was very much like that. I was always trapped in this thing of what other people thought about me and a lot of guys are the same.   Aaron Schultz: (07:21) They're very much at that entrapment of expectation of others. To be able to start to give them tools, to unpack that so they can feel safe within themselves because a man very, very rarely feels safe with who he actually is, to be able to develop a relationship with this masculine, feminine energy too, which took me a lot of work to be able to understand that as well, to be able to release anger, but then also to be comfortable with that anger too so you can develop a relationship with both sides of you and humanity, I guess, at the end of the day. But I think we have this lack of awareness within ourselves about who we truly are, and we're not just put in on this planet to be able to work, pay taxes, get a super, and die, and to be able to bring that back into real-time for people so they can start to work towards their true alignment.   Aaron Schultz: (08:24) One thing that really changed me a few years ago was going and talking to old men at the end of their life about had they had a successful life and nine out of 10 said no because they were never able to reach not so much their potential, but who they really wanted to be and be able to follow their passions because of expectation of fear, judgement , all that type of stuff in these rural communities where I come from. So, that's been said to me. I'm not going to wait. I want to try and fulfil my life well and truly before then, but also to help others do the same. We've all got that ability within us. It's just about sort of untying the knots and the tangles to be able to get some structure on how we live our lives a bit more functionally and freely moving forward, I guess, yeah.   Mason: (09:11) You brought up men's circles. It's an offering. It's an ancient happening. It's something logical, and to be honest, something I've been engaged in a lot, but have kind of just a bit, I think, steered clear of a little bit, while especially the Byron Bay scene kind of figures out without the political correctness, just open a space where you can truly explore what it is for you as a man, without dictating the outcomes and trying to say what a man is necessarily. But just how important are these, not just in rural communities, in metropolitan cities? Is this just a novelty, something we're doing in Bali and Byron? Just how important is this to the emerging and evolving culture of Australia and around the world?   Aaron Schultz: (10:10) Yeah, and you think about it because I had a good core group of friends in primary school, right? It's just been high school, the egos and everything open up, right? You just become cynical, critical, judgemental, all those sorts of things, right? But at the end of the day, strip everything away, you've got a heart connection with your brotherhood, I guess. When you see the egos of others and their judgements and opinions of the mind and all those sort of things, but once you strip away that, all the work's got to be done in the privacy of their own heart.   Aaron Schultz: (10:47) I start a men's circle with a meditation, and I take them on a journey for 11 minutes, and I stripped them away from big citation of the mind and all the things that are going on. We get back to this true purpose again. Okay. After that 10 minutes, we're de-escalated and we're right, and then we can start to open up about what's going on here. So, what I'll do is I'll talk, I'll bring a topic in. I'll pair people up. They'll go and talk about that topic, come back, then they're de-escalated even further. Then we go into a circle and we talk about what's going on in our lives to be able to unpack that and have that support of others as well. So, the vulnerability is the biggest thing for a man actually be able to be vulnerable. As I said, it was a tough thing for me.   Aaron Schultz: (11:33) When new people come along, I'll talk about that sort of stuff so they actually feel safe. That's the thing with a man. We're in this protection mode consistently. We're in this fight and flight, this fight mode. Once we can be free of that protection and start to open up, that's when we can start to unload and start to unpack some of the challenges that we have going on within ourselves, and a great way to do that is to express that around other men, to be able to be vulnerable, but also to be able to tap into the feminine side which we don't understand, which can really help us create great levels of self-awareness at the end of the day which many of just don't have.   Aaron Schultz: (12:13) As I said, we're constantly on chasing the bread crumbs and all the material things that society now thinks that we need to help us feel good. But once we sort of get away from that and start to talk about the way things are and the way things are going on with us, I just think we can start to be more conscious about the way we live our lives at the end of the day.   Mason: (12:36) I mean, it is quite simple. It's amazing, but when you dip in, when you sink into that space, even just that intention, and you can just see. Sometimes, yes, whether it's a group of mates that we have, or if you have a partner, it's incredible to be able to be vulnerable to that partner and share. There's sometimes so much to unpack, it doesn't feel like it's overly appropriate for your lover to be that person that has to cop all of it and hold it, and that's the biggest thing. Having a group of men, strong men, men that can be soft as well just to feel supported in that, that you don't have to bottle it in to protect the people around you as well.   Mason: (13:21) Then also, you mentioned anger. I think it went from that culture where men are just aggressive and angry to that's bad and that's toxic, and then to this point now where no, it needs to be felt. If you've bottled it up that long, it's going to be raging and wanting to come out, and to know that you're in a space of other men that understand it, and ideally a space where you feel you're not going to get judged for it, it feels, yeah, it's obviously very sacred. And just going through your website, I've just gone, "You know what? That's really something that could be healthy for me right now."   Aaron Schultz: (14:01) Yeah, yeah. I appreciate that. I just share a bit about my own journey. I had these little traumas going on in my childhood which I've never dealt with, and that sort of took me into drinking and masking all that sort of stuff. When I hit 37, I was at the stage where I could take my life or I could change and move through that. So, I had that seesaw going on, and the easy thing was to go, "Okay, I've had enough of this. I'm out of here." And that's what happens to lot of guys. I lost my job and I felt worthless because I was attached to that title and that outcome, and yeah, as I said, I've never got to know myself.   Aaron Schultz: (14:51) So, put my foot into the gym and fitness, and a lot of that anger came out with the fitness and lifting more and more chin-ups, and all that sort of stuff, and I went from an average body into a pretty strong, fit body, and all the accolades and everything that came with that. Then I started to win things, and then I started to do these unbelievable athletic pursuits. And I had this moment where I could have went further and went to America and done all this sort of great stuff, or I could have said to myself, "Okay, Aaron, you've done well here. You don't need to do that anymore." That's what I did. I didn't keep pushing.   Aaron Schultz: (15:32) So, that took me into Buddhism, and Buddhism taught me to be kind to myself and be vulnerable. That's where the healing started to happen. With men, we'll keep pushing. That masculine side is very strong. That was the opportunity and the learning curve for me to be able to retreat from that, and then start to find that side of myself which had never been explored or never understood. To fast track things a bit, yin yoga was the thing for me which basically helped solve a lot of problems that I had because it just taught me to settle down, slow down, be accepting of myself, and then to be able to, yeah, learn how to use the body to settle the mind at the end of the day, to be able to develop a relationship with yin and the yang of life.   Aaron Schultz: (16:32) So, if I hadn't kept pushing fitness, that would've pushed me into this yang space, and the ego would've been dominant. To be able to understand the ego and become teammates with the ego, rather than just living that mindset consistently because I think that's what a lot of us try to do. We just think we've got to be a performer consistently to be able to have the vulnerability which was very hard for me with yin yoga because my body was so tight and that. But over time, I just had to keep showing up, and now I teach others, but also, it's part of my daily practise to be able to use the yang and use the yin together and have that harmony to develop that neutrality, I guess, at the end of the day and a high level of awareness.   Aaron Schultz: (17:22) Your mind, the way you are feeling on a basis changes, but if you can provide yourself with the practical tools to manage that better, I think you're not only going to be a better individual personally, but that's going to help spread light to others as well.   Mason: (17:41) How does that go down when you... I know we were talking just before we jumped on the podcast and when you're working in the prison system. Are you still working in the prison systems?   Aaron Schultz: (17:49) Oh, well not really. I don't work for the government, but I was going and teaching yoga in the prisons and doing some self-awareness training for prisoners. That may change now that we've got to be double jabbed so I'm not too sure about that one. Yeah. So, what we do is I'll just talk or the guy from WA will go and help guys come out, put them into a job, and then give them that pathway so they haven't got that vulnerability when they're out. The whole system is about bringing people from punishment or trauma, giving them more punishment, and then they're on their own when they get out. That doesn't work. We actually are able to go in, help identify the right people to match them up with the right employer, give them stability, but my role is to be able to keep them self-aware through mindfulness practises before they're released, so they come out and they've got a daily practise they can tap into so they can keep their job, don't get caught up with all the old belief systems and stay on track.   Aaron Schultz: (18:54) So, we don't get funding for any of this. We're trying to create something here which is going to help humanity in many ways, and that's something I'm really passionate about. That's primarily helping guys that have got lots of issues. We're punishing people consistently for trauma that's not their fault. To be able to help guys identify that, to help them feel safe, and it's okay, they can start to rebuild their lives again, this is something that's groundbreaking, that hasn't been explored before. So, to be able to take a young 25-year-old that's had a terrible life to help them reinvert that or a 55-year-old which has had this constant cycle of incarceration to be able to feel sacred in themselves, to learn some of the life skills which can keep them balanced is really beautiful at the end of the day because everyone's got a purpose in this lifetime and be able to help them become more stable and self-aware about their emotions, I think it's really important, and that's something that I want to try and do more of over the next period.   Aaron Schultz: (20:06) But I've got higher things that I want to do later on. It's just the stepping stone, and I keep getting downloads about this when I do my meditation in the morning that this is my journey and this is my purpose for this time. So, trying to be true to that, I guess, at the end of the day, rather than chasing money and all those sorts of things because I think if you're working in alignment with yourself, then everything else will take care of itself.   Mason: (20:33) What do you see is the biggest consequence here with the trauma? Obviously, the same is happening in various ways for women, but sticking to men, this lack of capacity or want or willingness or ability of our culture, the system, especially the corporate system to identify with a lack of initiations, a lack of support to identify traumas, having men being comfortable in themselves, what's the biggest... When you look at our country and our world, what do you see is the consequences that are rolling out of this being the case of us having this unwillingness and deficiency to support men to get in touch and on that path?   Aaron Schultz: (21:19) Yeah, yeah. Yeah, look, I just think that the whole system is working against this at the end of the day. You say, for example, that someone is experiencing self-doubt consistently. Well, as soon as they drive around a corner, they're seeing a billboard to drink beer. It's going around the other side, they're seeing a billboard to eat junk food, all this type of stuff. So, we're getting mixed messages consistently. Your body is smarter than you. Your body's always trying to give you the truth, but we're blocking that consistently because of the domination of the mind. We haven't been taught how to read what's going on below the shoulders and the message that that's consistently sending us.   Aaron Schultz: (22:06) So, yeah, to be able to find ease within yourself and ease with that trauma, some of the things that have held you back, this has happened for a reason, whether it be good or bad, and then to be able to accept that, and self-acceptance is such a hard thing because we are so geared to keep consistently beating ourselves up. We're consistently beating ourselves up, and I have that issue, not so much now, but I know it pops in every now and then. That is not a bad thing because it's there to protect me and keep driving me in some ways, but sometimes I really need to recheck myself and be kind to myself at the end of the day, and that's a skill that we're lost that ability to be able to nurture ourselves and be kind of to ourselves I think's so important because we've got the foot on the pedal consistently where we're not actually taking that off.   Aaron Schultz: (23:03) So, yeah, to be able to dive into some of those traumas, through my meditation practise now, I'll go into some things that happened to me when I was younger which gave me trauma, and then I'll be able to say thank you to that because it actually helps me move forward. That's a big thing for a guy that's new to this sort of stuff to learn, but you can give them simple things that actually help them on a journey of self-acceptance, then all of a sudden, they're on a pathway to transformation rather than being stuck in the old patterns all the time, if that makes sense.   Mason: (23:39) I mean, it completely makes sense. I mean, it's funny. I know I can go really sinister right now and talk about the motives of a keeping a culture this way and keeping everyone kind of huddled down, and kind of like a commodity, as long as they're just designed and as long as it's all working to design, just working, being in the workforce, and doesn't matter. We can deal with all the issues. And then you add the confusion of there's a lot, and some of it kind of rightfully, some that's gone absolutely too far is the bastardization of men and masculinity kind of thrown in there at the moment, and I'm not sure what your position is around this. It's something that's been obviously going on for years and super prevalent at the moment.   Mason: (24:29) I'm just saying with that perfect storm, for the efficiency's sake, for the resources's sake of our country and our culture, it makes complete sense to put energy in into this, and I guess I can just say for people listening as well, I get the sinister intentions and also get the fact that you're looking, I don't know, looking through the matrix and being like... Even if you guys can't see that this is the greatest thing to bring love, getting people on purpose, men on purpose, better for families, better for women, better for everyone yet you're fighting for funding.   Mason: (25:08) I mean, it always perplexes me, but then it doesn't because I go, "I know if I can have a..." I don't know why it's surprising, but it does still. It's baffling because the yield of benefit from... You imagine rolling out what they've done with PCR testing and vaccination, what they've done in such a small amount of time, if they rolled out with half of that, a quarter of that resource and intention towards let's get everyone properly rehabilitated, feeling purposeful, and getting over the traumas, the amount of efficiency that would be put into our culture, the amount of stress that would come off our medical system from all these mental health... Suicide comes off. All of a sudden, you got all the stress that goes into families when that happens. It really kind of brings it. It makes me really quite emotional. With the work you're doing, I'm sure you feel the gravity of it. Just how much, the utopia, that we're knocking on the door of?   Aaron Schultz: (26:20) I don't get angry about it. I see with compassion because I know there's such a better way. So, the whole government model is keeping people DDC which is dumb, docile, and compliant. Right? The whole system is around keeping people unhealthy because it's good for the economy. We've actually fucking become topsy-turvy here with the way that we really should be directing humanity. You're right. Giving people the tools and skills to be able to deal with those things rather than pushing it the other way is really the key to that.   Aaron Schultz: (26:54) Now, I believe that there's going to be a moment in time over the next, maybe 10, 20 years where there will be a real shift. We can't keep going down this role of basically pushing people away from what we're meant to be doing here as humans. You think about it. At the end of the day, it's only been the last 20, 30, 40 years that we've had so much domination. People were living in those days where they were sharing. Things were much more aligned with the way we're meant to be functioning here as humans, but they've taken away our vegetable gardens, our fruit trees, all those sorts of things to direct us to go to the supermarket. Convenient has become so much more common these days because really, at the end of the day, what it is mostly is it's the economical support and stimulus that goes with it.   Aaron Schultz: (27:49) So, if you look at a person that's incarcerated, that's an industry. The prisons have become an industry. The junk food has become an industry. All these different things have popped up. When I was a young fellow, pubs closed at 10 o'clock. Now, they're free for all because they realise they can keep more people employed. There's emergency services that are going to be employed to compliment all the pisspots, all those sorts of things. So, keeping people mentally unbalanced and physically unwell has become an industry, an entity of its own so that's continually stimulating the economy. But you're right, the counterbalance that is to be able to create a wellness culture which is going to be so much more beneficial at the end of the day, they can't see that at that level. The whole draconian thinking and the draconian model is really wrong.   Aaron Schultz: (28:45) My job here and I believe your job here is to try and create light so people can start to become more conscious and take autonomy within themselves so they can actually start to think, "Well, maybe what I've been fed is bullshit. Now, I'm going to put some decent fertiliser onto my body, and around me that's going to help nourish me," rather than sort of punishment at the end of the day because we're really directed into a world now of self-punishment. Most people are feeling like a shithouse on a daily basis, physically and mentally, and that's the only way that they know. So, where I live, there's a coffee cart. People are lining up there consistently to get their energy. I'm going down and I'm doing meditation on the beach and getting energy from the earth and the sun. People don't see that because the TV's telling them to go and get their fill of coffee, and then at the end of the day, drink beer to find that balance, and I was brought up in that.   Aaron Schultz: (29:42) So, I understand what it's like, but I see that with compassion. I see these people that are making decisions with compassion. I spend time in Parliament House in Canberra, and I've been around the government, and I understand how it all works. I have people that are in fairly high-level roles come to me consistently because they're actually empty and lost with themselves. They're putting energy into all the stuff that they think is real and right, but at the end of the day, it's taking away from their true alignment, and I don't want to see them get to the end of their lives and think what if. We can actually create a culture of self-autonomy and well-being now for them. That's why it's so important to be able to give guidance and be strong within yourself so you can be a light to others because that's really what the world needs right now more than ever.   Mason: (30:38) I mean, you brought up again, getting to the end of your life, whether or not there's regret or whatever. I always like to sprinkle in that it's going to be diverse, I imagine very diverse in terms of little regrets and tweaks, or was I on track or not. It's not just black and white. But I was just thinking, for everyone listening, especially the boys listening, tracking to the end of their life which I think you've been with your meditation practise. I'm sure there's a lot of work in acknowledging your death and the impermanence, and I always find that most of the time, ultimately, my most rewarding and favourite part of my own inner practise is facing my own mortality and always going into that darkness and seeing what emerges.   Mason: (31:32) But I always love thinking about that, either that deathbed or my 80-year-old self, and using that as a lighthouse, and that always gives me insights, and can I map somewhat or an understanding of the terrain. Well, I can feel it. I can feel the terrain and how many things are going to change in all those years. For you in your work, for the guys listening, when they think about themselves kind of on that deathbed, or when they're an elder, hopefully an elder, and they're tracking back, what resources would you recommend for them to have in place which would be the fertiliser to give the capacity for that rich garden of a purposeful life to come about?   Aaron Schultz: (32:15) Absolutely. Look, we're only on this journey in this body for a period of time, but primarily, if you can keep yourself in routine on a daily basis, you will not age. Physically, you may change, but mentally and spiritually, you will stay coherent. So, to be able to utilise a physical body in a manner where it's being nourished on a daily basis, externally by movement, those types of things, to be able to nourish it with the right nutrients externally that come into the body to be able to help it survive and thrive really well.   Aaron Schultz: (32:57) But also, to be conscious and connected to nature and all the things that are beyond that, I think that that will hold you in high regard so you don't leave this life feeling unfulfilled because every day for me is an opportunity to have an opportunity that I've ever had before and I've got to remind myself consistently that every day has been different, and I'm grateful for the days that have gone before because yeah, once you've got that, you will not have any regrets, and every opportunity, every moment is unique, and it's something that we've actually become disconnected with because we're so dominated by the mind and what we think is real.   Aaron Schultz: (33:45) Humans are the only creatures on this planet which are working away from our alignment. Look around at everything else and they know what they're doing. They're sourcing the food. They're doing all the things that nature intended and provided for them, but humans have become disconnected and lost from that. There's so much we can learn from our indigenous cultures that can give us that connection again. You and I are on this land through other entities, by people that have come from other lands that have come here and created us so we've actually lost a sense of purpose as men as well because we haven't got that connection with something.   Aaron Schultz: (34:27) I've learned so much of indigenous people from when I was a young boy, but to also what I'm doing now to be able to really connect and learn from them, and I'm helping indigenous guys connect back to their culture because that's the most powerful gift that they could have while they're in these bodies in these times primarily at the end of the day because that is human, isn't it? You know where you're living, you're living in a community, you're sharing, you're in a tribe, all that type of stuff. This is what I believe we're meant to be doing as humans. We're actually just lost touch with that at the end of the day. To be able to be grounded on a daily basis is so important.   Mason: (35:06) Yeah, I think it's kind of one of those things. I've done a few podcasts lately with some... I just did one with Jost. So, I don't know if Jost from-   Aaron Schultz: (35:17) No.   Mason: (35:17) He's a German Daoist and acupuncturist and can go in all kinds of direction. And again, in this podcast, we just came back to sleep in terms of the ultimate thing to bring that armour in terms of what's going on in the world at the moment and love. It's so often, and that racing part of my mind is like, "All right. So, what's that thing?" And asking you that question, you're like, "All right," that consistency through your day, that routine through your day so that you're grounded. It just landed again. I've tightened it up so much this year, and I'm one of those people that I'm like, "Oh no," if I've got that scheduled dialled and I'm refining it and it's all scheduled and locked in, it means I'm not free, and I've got that little Peter Pan syndrome kind of going on.   Mason: (36:03) But I've just watched what happened to my mental health this year when I just dialled in to that calendar and not really respecting, when I have a meeting, respecting the clock, respecting that I've put that in my schedule for a reason, and keep on refining, don't get down on myself. I can't believe what's happened to my mental health and stability just through that, with movement, with breathwork, with meditation. And again, I'm one that stumbles a lot in that and it quite often doesn't go well, but then just to not give up and just remember, that is the key. You've just given us that that's the key for when you're an old codger. That's what will get you feeling really purposeful when you get there. I find that potent.   Aaron Schultz: (36:48) Yeah, absolutely. It's called [inaudible 00:36:53] on a daily basis if you can do something for 10% of your day. I like to do it early in the morning so you can get connected. If you can have a practise every morning which grounds you, then you get rid of all the uncertainty, the fears, the worries, all that sort of stuff, and get back to okay, this is what it's all about, and then you start to live more from your heart. Yeah, I just think that is ancient wisdom which is much needed in modern times. All the ancient traditions talk about it. And in Kundalini yoga, we talk about juts, so just repeat. You repeat on a daily basis., you've got that foundation for your life. It's so important. It's so easy to get up in the morning and go to the coffee machine and get stimulated straightaway. The average man's going to the TV or the radio, and they're putting the fear in the first five minutes of their day, But if you can say, "No, I'm disconnecting from that. I'm going to do something which nourishes myself." That's turning inward primarily to be able to connect.   Aaron Schultz: (37:56) Physical movement is a great way of doing that. I had to do it through fitness to really push my body and learn to connect with myself again. But really, that took me into meditation. It took me into okay, now I've got rid of all my anger, now I can be still. That stillness, it's come from yin yoga now to be able to help the mindset also. I used to be really rigid on a daily basis with regards to what I had to do, but now I wake up and I have all these tools that I can use. So, I wake up and okay, this is how I feel. This is what I'm going to do, and my practise every morning goes for a couple of hours or more, depending on what's happening on that particular day. But that's my rock and my foundation that I've worked on over the last sort of 10 or 12 years.   Aaron Schultz: (38:48) It's a journey because most guys, they want to get to the end of the marathon before they start. The whole thing is to be really in love with the journey. Don't worry about the outcome. Really be in love with the journey and what's happening because every day is unique, and it's a new opportunity to learn about yourself and others. You've got new experiences going on in your day on a daily basis. So, to be able to be in love with that, rather than the outcome, we're so attached to the outcome. I want the beautiful wife. I want this and that and the other, but just be in mind and love with yourself and work within your own truth, and everything else will take care of itself I guess at the end of the day.   Mason: (39:35) And quite often, I mean, in my experience, it's still those things which you perceive to be superficial in terms of your wanting. They're still there. They are created in your life with substance. Beautiful partner, the ability to get on purpose, get some cash in the bank, build some assets, maybe be a provider, maybe not fall into... Whatever it is, it's still that superficial stuff. From what I could see, it's still there. It's just got something in the middle of it.   Aaron Schultz: (40:09) Oh, a hundred percent. It's really interesting. I'm not huge with social media, but I have these memory popups come up, right? And what I was doing three years ago, five years ago, eight years ago, it's amazing. This is one thing that we don't understand as men, right? I believe that we have this cyclic thing going on within us that we're actually engaged in this type of stuff at particular times of the year. I looked at these popups that have been coming out recently. They're exactly how I'm feeling now. These are just reminders of what's happened at the same time throughout a year in years gone. So, these seasons and cycles that we're going through, we actually don't have any awareness and consciousness around that to be able to be in alignment with that.   Aaron Schultz: (41:00) I think that is something that's really powerful and next level with regards to reaching our potential as humans, but also to be able to be more responsive and conscious of what's going on within our lives at any particular moment throughout the calendar year or whatever that may be. It's been a real light bulb for me to actually observe that. That's been a gift as a reminder to show me those sorts of things. And when your emotions and so forth are out of check, it's usually probably a lot to do with what's going on in nature which we don't really understand that much. The mental health industry doesn't probably understand that much about either because it's all about interventions rather than proactive solutions I guess at the end of the day.   Aaron Schultz: (41:50) So, they're the things I want to try and help people understand. Maybe you're feeling like this because of this reason. How many men know about moon cycles and how that works? None. That's the feminine side of them that they don't want to have anything to do with, but if we could start to educate guys more about this sort of stuff, and how this might be affecting their sleep and their circadian rhythm, and all those types of things which we're unconscious of, I think that's really, really important. That's how we can start to be proactive about mental health rather than being reactive like the whole model is currently because that model is about making money out of people.   Mason: (42:34) Isn't it just? So, you've just touched a lot on circadian rhythm connecting to the land. Something I've been, yeah, saying for a few years now is that it's just very obvious and has been obvious for many people for a long time, and there's somewhat many diversions, but there's especially a diversion. I can see a diversion in the genetics and the way that people want to live right now. One I see is those communities wanting to keep at least a foot but two feet grounded on the earth, and then those that I think I kind of see more going up into the cloud, and wanting to plug into a smart city in a technological way of living that doesn't abide by any connection to nature and circadian rhythm.   Mason: (43:20) I mean, we don't have too much longer. I'm sure you've got some resource, or if you want to quickly share your practises for staying tuned in to that natural rhythm so that you can stay tuned into reality, and maybe the reality of what's going on with you. But I also just wanted to touch, and you mentioned mob indigenous culture, any indigenous lads listening, you've already recommended, it's the number one thing. It's kind of in the faces, connect back to culture, connect back to the song and your dance and language. For the Western lads listening because I kind of find it still a little bit icky around here in terms of still a little bit of spiritual just taking of indigenous culture.   Mason: (44:08) Have you got recommendations or just a reminder of how we can also, through connecting with the land, also connect or respect or learn about indigenous culture in a way that... It's energetically. You can feel it's still like a hive there. There's karmic stuff there. Obviously, there's a lot of developing and forming that energetic relationship where we're living harmoniously together. It's still unravelling. Have you got any tips for guys to how approach it, how approach that?   Aaron Schultz: (44:43) Yeah, definitely. A lot of us have had no connection with spirituality because it's combined with religion, and a lot of us have had religious trauma. So, a lot of this stuff that we believed was right about connection is probably not really filling us anymore. So, to be able to, I wouldn't say disregard that, but just to let go of that now what your beliefs probably were, to be able to be more aware of the universal consciousness is key. What's in this life and what's beyond this life is taking your awareness and dimension to another level.   Aaron Schultz: (45:26) And for me, that came from pushing my body really hard and going running early in the morning before the sun come up because I had no noise. It was no life. All you heard or all you saw was the sky and silence. So, I'd go running at 4:00 in the morning, and lot of the ancient traditions talk about the ambrosial hours as being the best time to connect with yourself because you've got no domination from anything. Yeah, so for me as an individual, it was actually using that time in the day to get grounded. You hear a kookaburra wake up at five o'clock, and then all of a sudden, life starts to evolve. You start to realise that life's so much bigger than yourself, once you actually have got that time for connection.   Aaron Schultz: (46:18) So yeah, if anyone's wanting to challenge themselves, let's say get up in the ambrosial hours. Get outside. Do some meditation, whatever it may be. Get connected with the land somehow so that it can actually give you an appreciation of the gift that we've actually in this lifetime. To be human in this lifetime's a pretty unique opportunity and a unique gift. As I mentioned before, we're going about life incoherently to what was really expected of us or what we're meant to be doing here. So, to be able to connect with the fundamental things I think are really key because that'll keep you grounded on a daily basis, and once you've got that foundation, then the rest of your life will evolve around that.   Aaron Schultz: (47:04) We have this innate connection with ourselves, but also humanity. Once you start to get out of the lower levels of consciousness of fear, shame, guilt, greed, and get into the higher levels of consciousness of gratitude, love, kindness, compassion, all those sorts of things, if you can start to tune into those sorts of things on a daily basis early, then that will spread, and you'll have that connection with yourself but also connection with others as well. I think that's really key, and they're the skills that we don't know as men, we don't understand as men because we've been pushed the other way to be sort of in those lower levels of consciousness of society, as I mentioned.   Aaron Schultz: (47:45) But we think that happiness comes from greed and all those sorts of things where really the happiness comes from love and kindness and compassion and all the things that we're meant to be doing here as humans. We're not meant to be in fear all the time. It's a small part of our life, rather being a major part of our life. That fear's here protect us occasionally, but we're not meant to be living in it consistently. So, use the time you have early in the morning if you can to be able to become connected to what's really important. Then, you do this consistently, and over time, you'll develop these habits which become part of your foundation, part of your strength moving forward.   Mason: (48:26) I love it, man. The little simple reminders that are just how profound the outcomes are there. It's just a beautiful, beautiful reminder.   Aaron Schultz: (48:38) Yeah.   Mason: (48:39) For everyone listening. I mean, outbackmind.com.au is your website. Where are you currently at with your offerings and how people can engage with you, besides your podcast, Outback Mind podcast, is that right? Yeah.   Aaron Schultz: (48:55) Yeah. You know, mate, there's not much really. It's something I'm not really strong at. I probably need to be able to do more in this space to offer up things for people. So, really at the moment, we're trying to set up the Outback Minds and foundation side to be not for profit. What we want to do, I've got a friend here that's helping set up a training platform. So, we want to be able to develop men's circles in regional communities throughout all Australia to be able to train guys in those communities so they can run these heart-based circles of men's circles for many years. And I ran them in Victoria and Tassie, and a lot of them are very ego-driven. It's very much in the masculine which is okay, but I just think if we can actually start to build capacity for people through these things, rather than using it as a tool to get things off our chest, to actually be okay to explore what's been going on with their own lives, but also to be able to build our capacity, and that helps us as a man, but also helps us as a family member and members of our community at the end of the day, and that's a proactive way that we approach mental wellbeing, I guess, to be able to provide people with tools.   Aaron Schultz: (50:09) So, yeah, I bring meditation. I bring yin yoga into the men's circles. So, to be able to train guys with some of the simple tools on how to do this, and that I think's really important to be proactive in that space, yeah, so to do that. And I guess I want to get out into regional communities and talk more, try and get into places where they don't have access to great advice or help. The online stuff's been really good for that, but hopefully, once things open up more, I can get out and start to connect with more people out there.   Aaron Schultz: (50:51) Yeah, as I mentioned to you earlier, my real vision is to be able to set up a Vipassanā centre where I can help people come and be still inside for three and 10-day retreats so they can reconnect with themselves because I believe that's a functional thing for humans. It's just to be silent and still for parts of our year. If we can do that twice, three times a year, that's got to be good for our mental wellbeing. We've got to be able to give our mind a rest, and the mind isn't king here. The heart is king. If you can reconnect with the heart, that's really what it's all about. That's how we can improvements health in Australia rather than be too dominated by what's going on above the shoulders.   Mason: (51:30) I love it, man, and I love your work. Encourage everyone to go and at least subscribe to the podcast, stay tuned in on that way, and yeah, it looks like you've got lots of things kind of planned. I can see there's little life experience, adventures there, and workplace wellbeing, all kinds of things. So, yeah, exciting to see the rollout.   Aaron Schultz: (51:51) Yeah. That's the other thing. The workplace has got such a strong opportunity to be able to help people. We're not just going there to get a paycheck. I want to try and engage more with more of our better employers that are ethical to be able to help people, particularly men in their workplace to feel safe, feel secure, feel supported and really valued in the workplace because that's a problem that a trap we've had as humans is to be able to use people by paying them money, but not really give them any care and support, and that's a huge problem with regards to understanding ourselves and our mental health because if we're not feeling good about ourselves in the workplace, then we take that home with us and that creates issues with domestic violence and drinking, and all that sorts of things.   Aaron Schultz: (52:45) So I just think the more employers that I can engage with to be able to help builds a culture I think's really important. My background, I ran labour hire companies. So, I worked with lots of organisations and industries throughout Australia, and I didn't see many employers that were doing it well. So, now, starting to connect with more employers and give them platforms on how to be able to develop a culture which is coherent in the workplace and starting their day with meditation, and all these sorts of things so people can feel grounded before they start their work, rather than just going there, and working to lunchtime, and then going and finishing their day off just to get home, but you actually feel part of something I think's really important. That's [crosstalk 00:53:33] improved capacity for sure.   Mason: (53:36) Yeah. Integrating the workplace back into cultivating a society and a culture that isn't just... Yeah. It's a funny dynamic. I'm an employer, and the amount of energy that needs to go in at each new evolution of the business, all of a sudden, it's not the same as when you were just a small little crew where all your values and these principles just seem automatically known. There needs to start being an unravelling of some structure so that there can be that flow of humanity and that flow of purposefulness, and there needs to be little checks in place. It needs to be integrated into a HR department. For a lot of people, it's beyond what they can handle. I don't endorse it, but I definitely can see how companies get to that point, and they go, "You know what? There's no actual cultural requirement of me to do this. So I'm just going to go to the efficiency route or the easiest route and just do the whatever culture thing." And you just end up using people. It's crazy.   Aaron Schultz: (54:48) Yeah. That's what it's all about. The whole model to do with MBA and human resources, and that's really about what can you get out of people, all the fear you can put into them, all that type of stuff. Oh, there's an EAP at the end of that. If we fuck them up. I'm saying organisations, and I have been for years, that is a last resort. You've got to be really proactive rather than reactive. If you're fair dinkum about what you're doing, if you can look after people, the results will take care of itself.   Aaron Schultz: (55:17) It's the same as with our wellbeing. If we can show up at a value basis as individuals and do things which nourishes, then the results will take care of itself. So, don't worry about the outcome. You worry about the journey. Help people on the journey and then things will evolve. That's where I believe at sports clubs. I've done a lot of work with sports clubs as well to be able to help them become successful, but not worrying about the outcome. If this is the process that we've got to do, so you can start to tune in with what's really real here, and enjoy the process of the journey rather than the outcome at the end of the day.   Aaron Schultz: (55:51) I've worked for businesses. It's all about KPIs and budgets and all that type of stuff. If people are really in flow and intuitive and enjoying what they're doing, then everything will take care of itself because they're engaged, and the output is significant that way rather than sort of worrying about the results so much, you know?   Mason: (56:13) Yeah, and what I've experienced is when the culture is put in place, all of a sudden, something like a KPI or a budget doesn't have that disciplinary... This is a very hard line. To have optics through the business, like a KPI, have them available so that everyone in the team can see what's going on in other departments and for the benefit of the person who's in that, say, my position as a CEO to have those things be present and then to have it entrenched, not just say it, but so it's felt this isn't about making me wrong or bad. This is genuine feedback loop and genuine neurofeedback so that I'm aware of what my team is doing. I'm aware of whether I'm in a place where I'm flowing or not.   Mason: (57:07) And if, this is the hard one, if there's enough trust that you're not getting in trouble, but if there's something starts not going well, it's really great for us to know it so that we can all rally and be like, "What's happening here? Do you need some support?" It seems simple, but my goodness, it's a bit of a difficult task, I think just because we're all so programmed to be like, "I'm being judged. If I don't get the answer right, I'm marked wrong, and I don't get given other opportunities." It's a pretty insidious little parasite of the culture.   Aaron Schultz: (57:54) Get excited, and if you can get rid of that competition or that competitive nature, and give back more compassion, that's where you can grow. I've worked with business. It's all about achievements on a monthly basis and you're competing against others and all those sorts of things. It's really wrong. Yeah, being able be supportive and nourishing of yourself and nourishing your others, I think that's work.   Mason: (58:17) Because when you don't enlist them, them, me, people, whatever in competition, for me, this competitiveness from this jovial place and this playful place, and often, quite a serious place for me, I can drop into the gravity of which I enjoy around, look, in terms of my life vision, this is what's actually on the cards right now in terms of whether I get this project done in time or not. I've only got a certain amount of time here, but that's an emergence, that competitive charge. I'm not trying to beat down anyone else. That's something I think we've got wrong. We try and project something which is going to get us the result, like competition onto a company structure which then brings about reprimanding kind of culture, therefore for fear verse hey, it's really takes a lot of vulnerability to get this feedback and be vulnerable to your team and how you're performing and how you're doing.   Mason: (59:15) But if you come from a place of trust and you give trust willingly or have conversations to get yourself there to where you give trust, all of a sudden, that natural and organic, that's the fertiliser, then that competitive edge, appropriate for you and your nervous system, can rise up and then go back down as well when it starts getting a little unhealthy. It's a hell of a thing, business culture. I'm aware of the time though. I think we'll go on with this for ages.   Aaron Schultz: (59:46) Just remember, it's a friendly universe and everything's trying to work for us, not against us. If we can just work with that, the flow of everything, then everything will be okay, will take care of itself. When we're forcing where we're getting forced against and that's what competition does, it really does put us into a short-term fix, but really the long-term outcome is not great, but the more you can be able to work with the universal charge, if you've got a product, you let products go without any attachment. You've got something great. You're not producing it because you want to get these outcomes. You're producing because it's something which is going to help people. If you've got that belief, that energy goes into that product, and then it goes out and expands.   Mason: (01:00:40) Yeah. That faith, I mean, I've got a bit of trauma around religion, going to a Catholic school as well, but then when I've reconnected to the natural state of faith for me versus institutional faith, as you said, I'm like, "Oh wow. What freedom." I've got an intention and I trust my intention around herbs and education, and I'm sure you have the same experience, and watch it open up as long as you give it... When you keep on turning up and staying consistent within it. Yeah. It's fun. It is fun. It's a great reminder. And I love your work. I really appreciate you coming on and chatting to all of us during Brovember.   Aaron Schultz: (01:01:26) Thank you, mate. I've given a listen to it and we really appreciate what you've done and what you've created here and the great products that you have. I've only started using Mason's Mushrooms and I'm not consistent. I'm only using them every few days. Maybe I need to have it more up, but I like it with cold water rather than hot.   Mason: (01:01:46) In a smoothie. You got the tropical fruit up there I think coming on at the moment. Yeah, it's all good, goes with it. Whatever, a bit of mango, a bit of mango sorbet.   Aaron Schultz: (01:01:57) They'll be out in a couple months so I be into there, I reckon for sure. So, appreciate it.   Mason: (01:02:00) Yeah, well, yeah. It is that consistency with the mushies and the tonic herbs and even do a little bit more than you think you should be doing. Go up the dose a little bit. With your meditation practise, You'll definitely have a greater capacity for the dose.   Aaron Schultz: (01:02:18) Yeah. Yeah, awesome, mate. I appreciate that. I haven't used any drugs for 25 years, marijuana, or any of that sort of stuff. I've never used magic mushrooms and everyone else around the same seems to. Yeah, this sort of stuff is new to me. I was a raw vegan guy for a long time. So, I know it's like to feel dialled in. It felt amazing consistently, but I just couldn't get the product to keep myself sustained. So, I have to find different things now that can help me, I give it a stab.   Mason: (01:02:51) Nice one. Yeah. That was me. I was raw vegan basically, and a yin yoga teacher, funnily, when I was like, yeah, yeah.   Aaron Schultz: (01:03:01) Unreal.   Mason: (01:03:03) Yeah. So, I definitely relate to what you're saying. My wife is a yin yoga teacher and goes over and studies with Paul and Suzee Grilley, yeah.   Aaron Schultz: (01:03:10) Yeah, yeah. Cool. It's interesting. I was to go over there in 2019, but that got stuffed up, and I've done training with four, five other teachers that have all studied with Paul, but I haven't actually gone and studied with him myself. So, yeah. It'll happen at some stage, I reckon, but yeah.   Mason: (01:03:32) For sure.   Aaron Schultz: (01:03:32) Yeah. [inaudible 01:03:33]. It's been something like I come from Bikram yoga to hatha to Kundalini to yin so I've gone through all those journeys. The Kundalini yoga is very powerful as far as creating connections and that type of thing. It's amazing what the energy that comes from the practise actually can do for you. Yeah, so I was really grateful to sort of fall into that too, but it's all these tools that have sort of popped up over the journey.   Mason: (01:04:03) Yeah, they all fit into a piece of the puzzle.   Aaron Schultz: (01:04:06) That's true. Clearly.   Mason: (01:04:09) Beautiful mate. Well, I look forward to chatting to you on your podcast, and yeah. I'll keep an eye up for everything you're up to. Thanks for coming on.   Dive deep into the mystical realms of Tonic Herbalism in the SuperFeast Podcast!

Exploring the question 'Why do we sit?' JoAnna Hardy takes us on a Buddhist journey through nature, Dharma, wandering forest monks, facing fear, the Second Arrow, & The Four Noble Truths.JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; She is on Faculty at the University of Southern California, Founding member of the Meditation Coalition, a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, iBme, visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, and collaborator on many online meditation apps and programs. For more information, upcoming events, offerings, or to book a one-on-one session, please visit JoannaHardy.orgSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nie było mi łatwo wyjechać na moją pierwszą Vipassanę. Mieliłem temat w głowie dobry rok zanim moje zdrowie psychiczne zaczęło podupadać na tyle, że właściwie nie pozostawiło mi wyboru. Chroniczny niepokój, mętlik w głowie, problemy ze snem i koncentracją, nadużywanie marihuany. Jedną z wymówek było ADHD. Spędzanie 10 godzin dziennie na poduszce do medytacji brzmiało dla mnie gorzej, niż waterboarding i wyrywanie paznokci w syryjskim więzieniu.

About Dana Humphrey: In her social circles, friends describe Dana as a psychonaut. She spent her childhood dragging her family to church. Dana is passionate about self-development and spiritual growth and over the past 20 years has explored many different energetic healing modalities revolving around sound, breath and movement to find her inner guidance or GU (self) RU (teacher).. Some modalities of interest have been Reiki, various forms of meditation including Vipassanā, tantra, tarot, yoga, breathwork, song, plant medicine and dance. Dana has traveled to more than 80 countries and lived in five, she was born in Calgary and has lived in NYC since 2008. After launching and running a successful PR firm for over 12 years, she decided to pivot and use her life experience to coach women desiring to live a more fulfilling life. Learn more about Dana Humphrey Life Coaching here: https://www.danahumphrey.com/. Connect Socially: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danahumphreylifecoach/. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEG2wAhZyb1rFKFNnJ1yxA/ Learn more at http://www.danahumphrey.com/ https://www.instagram.com/danakhumphrey/ https://twitter.com/danakhumphrey https://www.linkedin.com/in/danakhumphrey/ Find her free meditations on youtube YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEG2wAhZyb1rFKFNnJ1yxA/ to reach the host: https://www.facebook.com/catalystforchangestories catalystforchange20@gmail.com YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWXiilXqrHS4YhmkVc8hBg/

Learn more at http://www.danahumphrey.com/ ​ https://www.facebook.com/danahumphrey... ​ https://www.instagram.com/danakhumphrey/ ​ https://twitter.com/danakhumphrey ​ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danakhump... ​ About Dana Humphrey: In her social circles, friends describe Dana as a psychonaut. She spent her childhood dragging her family to church. Dana is passionate about self-development and spiritual growth and over the past 20 years has explored many different energetic healing modalities revolving around sound, breath and movement to find her inner guidance or GU (self) RU (teacher).. Some modalities of interest have been Reiki, various forms of meditation including Vipassanā, tantra, tarot, yoga, breathwork, song, plant medicine and dance. Dana has traveled to more than 80 countries and lived in five, she was born in Calgary and has lived in NYC since 2008. After launching and running a successful PR firm for over 12 years, she decided to pivot and use her life experience to coach women desiring to live a more fulfilling life.   #meditation​ #soundbaths​ #freetimefreespill --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/freetimefreespill/support

Introduzione alla meditazione vipassanā: usare la meditazione come esplorazione e scoperta del proprio mondo interiore. Con questa meditazione introduttiva alla vipassanā, vogliamo toccare gli aspetti più significativi che ci permetteranno di continuare con le meditazioni descritte nel Satipatthāna sutta, i Quattro Fondamenti della consapevolezza.

Introduzione alla meditazione vipassanā: usare la meditazione come esplorazione e scoperta del proprio mondo interiore

Episode #69. Please ignore anything I said about publishing the episode in May. This was my intention. So much happened last month and not all episodes made it in May even though that was the goal. This was a great talk and highly educational and insightful and at the end we talk about our love for cats. We talk self-love, gratitude, and so much more. Dana's BIO: In her social circles, friends describe Dana as a psychonaut. Dana Humphrey is a life coach, death doula and pr person. She spent her childhood dragging her family to church. Dana is passionate about self-development and spiritual growth and over the past 20 years has explored many different energetic healing modalities revolving around sound, breath and movement to find her inner guidance or GU (self) RU (teacher).. Some modalities of interest have been Reiki, various forms of meditation including Vipassanā, tantra, tarot, yoga, breathwork, song, plant medicine and dance. Dana has traveled to more than 80 countries and lived in five, she was born in Calgary and has lived in NYC since 2008. After launching and running a successful PR firm for over 12 years, she decided to pivot and use her life experience to coach women desiring to live a more fulfilling life. Learn more about Dana Humphrey Life Coaching here: https://www.danahumphrey.com/. Connect Socially: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danahumphreylifecoach/. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEG2wAhZyb1rFKFNnJ1yxA/. Instagram: @danakhumphrey Twitter: @danakhumphrey Learn more at http://www.danahumphrey.com/ https://www.facebook.com/danahumphreylifecoach/ https://www.instagram.com/danakhumphrey/ https://twitter.com/danakhumphrey https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuEG2wAhZyb1rFKFNnJ1yxA/. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danakhumphrey/ Please leave a review for the podcast at Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jared-diehl-the-louder-now-podcast/id1454818946 If you need someone to talk to and feel overwhelmed please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 or visit online at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Also you can visit NAMI.ORG for other resources and information. Please email us loudernow88@gmail.com if you would like to be a guest on the podcast or have any other feedback and questions. Please find Jared Diehl on Facebook to join our new Facebook Group for the podcast.

Welcome to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This session elaborates on how to meditate on the Sīlavanta Sutta (SN 22.122) with its deeply penetrative teaching on WHAT THINGS SHOULD BE WISELY CONTEMPLATED (i.e. the things we should be carefully directing our mind towards) TO ENSURE WE ACTIVATE THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH (leading with Right View) and REALISE THE FRUIT OF THE PATH. In this session we: - get an overview of the Sīlavanta Sutta (SN 22.122) - look into the importance and benefits of this teaching - briefly examine the parallels in other suttas - provide some guidance on resistance towards contemplating in this way - deep dive into “What things should be wisely contemplated?” - explain the Five Aggregates subject to clinging - explain each of the 11 characteristics - provide ways to meditate on this sutta - sum everything up with the important short meditation Suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session: — Āsāduppajahavagga (AN 2.125-126) — Mahāvedalla Sutta (MN 43) — Dutiyayonisomanasikārasampadā Sutta (SN 45.90) — Sādhu Sutta (AN 10.34) — Yonisomanasikārasampadā Sutta (SN 45.55) — Dasuttara Sutta(DN 34) — Avijja Sutta (AN 10.61) — Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta (SN 56.11) — Pariññeyya Sutta (SN 56.29) — Sutavanta Sutta (SN 22.123) — Mahāmālukya Sutta (MN 64) — Dīghanakha Sutta (MN 74) — Dutiyanānākaraṇa Sutta (AN 4.124) — Jhāna Sutta (AN 9.36) — Vipassanākathā (Ps 3.9) — Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5) — Aghamūla Sutta (SN 22.31) — Palokadhamma Sutta (SN 35.84) — Suññataloka Sutta (SN 35.85) — Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta (SN 22.59) To read the Sīlavanta Sutta (SN 22.122) - https://suttacentral.net/sn22.122/en/sujato Bohoma pin to the person that requested this talk. A VIDEO of this segment has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YoutTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzlN56EruLA AND on Spotify as a video podcast Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/suttameditationseries/message

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. This is the FULL DHAMMA SESSION conducted on VESAK POYA (26 May 2021) via zoom on "WHY YONISO MANASIKARA IS ESSENTIAL TO THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH". In this Dhamma session we: examine the translation and definition of yoniso manasikara look into the importance of yoniso manasikāra in the Buddha's Teachings “deep dive” into the application of yoniso manasikāra in the suttas and apply some contemplations in a gradual manner directly experiencing the difference between ayoniso manasikara and yoniso manasikara in our contemplations Most of the suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session: — Erakapattanagaraja Vatthu (Dhp 182) — Paṭhamamārapāsa Sutta (SN 4.4) — Paṭhamasekha Sutta (Iti 16) — Yonisomanasikārasampadā Sutta (SN 45.55), — Dutiyayonisomanasikārasampadā Sutta (SN 45.62) — Āsāduppajahavagga (AN 2.125-126) — Ekadhammavagga, Dutiyavagga (AN 1.310-311) — Mahāvedalla Sutta (MN 43) — Vipallāsa Sutta(AN 4.49) — Dasuttara Sutta(DN 34) — Dutiyayonisomanasikārasampadā Sutta (SN 45.90) — Paṭhamasammattaniyāmasutta (AN 5.151) — Dutiyasāriputta Sutta (SN 55.5) — Dutiyakusala Sutta (SN 46.32) — Avijja Sutta (AN 10.61) — Āhāra Sutta (SN 46.51) — Dutiyanandikkhaya Sutta (SN 22.52) — Ajjhattaaniccanandikkhaya Sutta (SN 35.158) — Bāhiraaniccanandikkhaya Sutta (SN 35.159) — Gotama Sutta (SN 12.10) — Sīlavanta Sutta (SN 22.122) — Samādhi-bhāvanā Sutta (SN 22.5) — Palokadhamma Sutta (SN 35.84) — Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta (SN 22.95) — Vipassanākathā (Ps 3.9) Bohoma pin to the person who requested this topic for Vesak poya. PLEASE NOTE - you can send in questions via the voice messaging feature on the anchor.fm website or podcast app OR via email suttameditationseries[at]gmail.com. A VIDEO of this FULL SESSION with presentation slides has been published to the Sutta Meditation Series YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV4bv2pIpwI Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/suttameditationseries/message

TwoSistas on a #TriumphTuesday Podcast were so excited to have on as their guest today, Dana Humphrey. Dana is well known in her social circles. Friends describe Dana as a psychonaut. She spent her childhood dragging her family to church. Dana is passionate about self-development and spiritual growth and over the past 20 years has explored many different energetic healing modalities revolving around sound, breath and movement to find her inner guidance or GU (self) RU (teacher).. Some modalities of interest have been Reiki, various forms of meditation including Vipassanā, tantra, tarot, yoga, breathwork, song, plant medicine and dance. Dana has traveled to more than 80 countries and lived in five, she was born in Calgary and has lived in NYC since 2008. After launching and running a successful PR firm for over 12 years, she decided to pivot and use her life experience to coach women desiring to live a more fulfilling life. Along with being a life coach, Dana is a Death Doula - this is a must listen to!!

Happy New Year to one and all and welcome to this new season (proper) of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. Focussed on practice, this season engages Buddhist teachers, long-term practitioners, and creative innovators engaged in the practising life. Interspersed with regular interviews, this practice focussed season finally gets the podcast off of the couch and responding to the long stream of listeners calling for a practice focus. Our first guest is meditation teacher, artist and author, George Haas. George moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1992. He started practising Vipassanā at Ordinary Dharma in Venice, and studying Buddhist texts extensively. In 1998 he began study with his current teacher, Shinzen Young, at Vipassanā Support International, where he is now a senior facilitator. He began teaching meditation in 2000, founded Mettagroup in 2003, and became an empowered teacher through Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, where he taught from 2007 to 2016. Along with his daily Morning Meditation and full schedule of one-on-one students, he continues to teach weekly classes and intensives in Los Angeles, and offer day-long, weekend and extended retreats around the country. He's also an artist with works in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, the Library of Congress, MoMA and the American Irish Historical Society. Mettagroup Founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the Best Online Buddhist Meditation by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses insight meditation to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, the Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work. Matthew O'Connell is a life coach and the host of the The Imperfect Buddha podcast. You can find The Imperfect Buddha on Facebook and Twitter (@imperfectbuddha). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy New Year to one and all and welcome to this new season (proper) of the Imperfect Buddha Podcast. Focussed on practice, this season engages Buddhist teachers, long-term practitioners, and creative innovators engaged in the practising life. Interspersed with regular interviews, this practice focussed season finally gets the podcast off of the couch and responding to the long stream of listeners calling for a practice focus. Our first guest is meditation teacher, artist and author, George Haas. George moved to Los Angeles from New York in 1992. He started practising Vipassanā at Ordinary Dharma in Venice, and studying Buddhist texts extensively. In 1998 he began study with his current teacher, Shinzen Young, at Vipassanā Support International, where he is now a senior facilitator. He began teaching meditation in 2000, founded Mettagroup in 2003, and became an empowered teacher through Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society, where he taught from 2007 to 2016. Along with his daily Morning Meditation and full schedule of one-on-one students, he continues to teach weekly classes and intensives in Los Angeles, and offer day-long, weekend and extended retreats around the country. He's also an artist with works in the permanent collections of the Hammer Museum, the Library of Congress, MoMA and the American Irish Historical Society. Mettagroup Founded by George Haas in 2003 and named the Best Online Buddhist Meditation by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011, Mettagroup uses insight meditation to help students live a meaningful life. Drawing from Buddhist teachings and John Bowlby's Attachment Theory, the Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work. https://www.mettagroup.org/ Links The Imperfect Buddha site: https://imperfectbuddha.com O'Connell Coaching: https://imperfectbuddha.com/authors-notes Facebook: www.facebook.com/imperfectbuddha Twitter: https://twitter.com/Imperfectbuddha

The healing vibration of soundIf you have ever treated yourself to the a sound healing you know how amazing it is. If you haven't its a MUST. Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Luna Rukmini Devi who I met while living in California and have experienced some of her transformational healing sessions.Luna is an internationally recognized Sound Healer, Meditation Instructor and Energy Healer based in Los Angeles, CA. She creates profound vibrational journeys through the art of sound alchemy working with the energy centers restoring balance and harmony in the body.Formerly known as Maria Goycoolea, Luna was born and raised in Santiago, Chile. She moved to Los Angeles, CA in 2011 to pursue a new career in Marketing and Advertising, which led her to work in some of the most renowned advertising companies in the world. After many years in the corporate environment and battling an autoimmune disease that had led to a significant change in her lifestyle, Luna utterly shifted her path to partake a full-time career as a healer and entrepreneur in the meditation, wellness and healing business.In 2018, she was given the name of Luna ( moon in Spanish) which represents her strong connection with the moon as well as her desire to always shine a light among those who are experiencing moments of darkness.As a native South American who has traveled the world, Luna adds a touch of different cultures to her healing techniques, making each session different and unique and is currently offering sessions and workshops in Los Angeles, online and retreats both locally and internationally.Some Questions I Ask: What lead you to where you are now? (11:56)What was the defining moment for you to leave the corporate world and follow your calling? (26:16)What is sound healing and how does it benefit?(31:56)What I can women do right now to connect with their Goddess nature? (39:46) In This Episode, You Will Learn: The process of shedding and letting go (13:06)How Maria Goycoolea became Luna (14:21)Vipassanā mediation what it is and how it can become the most transformative thing your life. (20:25)How sound baths tune into your energetic field with a powerful vibration that can heal your body. (33:41)How India can help find your Divine Feminine Energy (40:30)How to be aware of how much masculine energy you are bringing into your life. (41:47)The sacral chakra and how it's connected to women in the most sacred part of the body. (43:59)How a woman's moon / mensural cycle is a reminder to us that women are creators. (46:44)How the Pandemic is actually the “Big Pause” inviting us to slow down and go within. (49:00)Connect with Luna: WebsiteFacebook Instagram Contact luna@mindfulluna.comLet's Connect!WebsiteInstagramFacebook Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

On episode 15, I caught up with Whit Hornsberger, a meditation and yoga teacher who recently launched an online course with three 8-week progressions called, Teaching the Mind. I first met Whit in 2003 when I joined the University of Calgary basketball team where Whit was the starting point guard and I was a lowly red shirt. In this conversation we speak about reconnecting with one another and ourselves. Whit first stepped onto a spiritual path when his professional basketball career was ended by an ACL rupture causing his European career to fade away. But as he found yoga and the underlying philosophies his life began to unfold in an unexpected way. He now teaches meditation, yoga and Vipassanā around the world when he’s not surfing, playing music and enjoying life with a growing sense of wisdom and love.   Show Notes: 2:30 Connecting through basketball and ACL injury 4:30 Giving up the identity of being an athlete 7:00 Diving into emotional rehab by way of the physical 11:00 Finding the middle path through Buddhism 12:30 How to integrate the deep insights and healing of ceremony 14:00 The process of de-conditioning the mind 15:40 Nurturing the physical practice 19:35 Young athletes working with yoga and inner practices 22:00 The only thing permanent is impermanence, especially with our bodies 23:15 Going through divorce and relating 27:10 What does, ‘Life is suffering’ really mean? 29:30 The Art of Happiness and introduction to Buddhism 32:45 Experiencing 42 day silent meditation 37:00 The beauty of a mindfulness practice 40:30 Transitioning into teacher from student 45:20 Overcoming fear and making friends with Mara 47:45 How the physical condition is influenced by the mind 54:35 The value of committing to one practice and developing patience 58:45 Learning to see for ourselves and importance of asking questions 62:50 Why should someone start meditating? 67:30 Whit’s top book recommendations 69:50 Moving beyond our survival software into the life we all deserve 70:30 Moving into a ‘new-self’ vs uncovering our ‘true-self’ 72:55 Whit having parents at his workshops and learning from him too 76:20 “Patience endurance is the supreme practice”   Follow Us: Into the Well @readintothewell Ryan Willms @r_willms readintothewell.com

This weeks episode explores Kristy's Vipassana experience. The profound moments of introspect and learnings throughout the process. Plus, after only 4 days she decided to follow her intuition and leave. A big and bold decision but it ended up being a brilliant one! This experience is Kristy's perspective and she welcomes anyone that has had a difference experience to contact her at hello@boundforbeaute.com so she can share your story/journey as contrast. Kristy's Recommendations: Intuition Book - https://www.paulfentonsmith.com/product/intuition-printed-book/ Subscribe >> Soundcloud + Spotify + Apple Podcasts Support >> Rate, review and share this episode with your family, friends or someone that needs to hear this. Find out more about Kristy at www.kristygray.com

#MindfulnessofBreathing is a widely practiced meditation designed to cultivate a fuller awareness of the present moment. By focusing intently on each breath or cycle of breathing, practitioners learn to relax the body and slow the mind, resulting in greater understanding of one's thoughts. Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation - Balance by ...blog.buddhagroove › mindfulness-of-breathing-meditation Body scan. The purpose of this body scan mindfulness exercise is simply to notice your body. It is not necessarily about relaxing your body, however this may occur as a kind of side effect. It is simply about being aware of your body, in this present moment. #Bodyscanmindfulness .livingwell› mindfulness-exercises-3 Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment,[1][2][note 1][3][4] which one develops through the practice of meditation and through other training.[2][5][6] Mindfulness derives from sati, a significant element of Buddhist traditions,[7][8] and based on Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation techniques.[9][10][note 2] Though definitions and techniques of mindfulness are wide ranging.[16] Individuals who have contributed to the popularity of mindfulness in the modern Western context include Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926– ), Herbert Benson (1935– ), Jon Kabat-Zinn (1944– ), and Richard J. Davidson (1951– ).[17][18][19] Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people experiencing a variety of psychological conditions.[19] Mindfulness practice has been employed to reduce symptoms of depression,[20][21][22] to reduce stress,[21][23][24] anxiety,[20][21][24] and in the treatment of drug addiction.[25][26][27] Programs based on mindfulness models have been adopted within schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans' centers, and other environments, and mindfulness programs have been applied for additional outcomes such as for healthy aging, weight management, athletic performance, helping children with special needs, and as an intervention during the perinatal period. Clinical studies have documented both physical- and mental-health benefits of mindfulness in different patient categories as well as in healthy adults and children.[3][28] Research studies have consistently shown a positive relationship between trait mindfulness (see below) and psychological health.[29][30] The practice of mindfulness appears to provide therapeutic benefits to people with psychiatric disorders,[31][32][33] including moderate benefits to those with psychosis.[34][35][36] Studies also indicate that rumination and worry contribute to the onset of a variety of mental disorders,[37][38][39] and that mindfulness-based interventions significantly reduce both rumination and worry.[39][40][41] Further, the practice of mindfulness may be a preventive strategy to halt the development of mental-health problems.[42][43] However, critics have questioned both the commercialization and the over-marketing of mindfulness for health benefits - as well as emphasizing the need for more randomized controlled studies, for more methodological details in reported studies and for the use of larger sample-sizes.[3][need quotation to verify][30][44] In 2017, Richard J. Davidson cautioned against expecting too much of mindfulness interventions: weki --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vegansteven/message

In episode 8 of Human Nurture, we explore PACT's core element of meditation with George Haas the founder of Mettagroup, a meditation center in Los Angeles. We are also joined by Stan Tatkin, the founder of PACT as he reflects on the interview with George and talks about the influence of meditation on PACT theory and practice.George's training and background could not provide a better bridge between PACT and meditation. He teaches Vipassanā (insight meditation) from a foundation of attachment theory and developmental neuroscience. Not only do we have all of this in common with George's teachings, he has also completed PACT level 1 and 2 training. Georges manages to do all of this with a mixture empathy and irreverence which makes for a fun and informative interview.Here is a taste of the way George makes attachment and neuroscience come to life through descriptions of the process of learning to be in the present moment.  "That is why we focus so much on getting people to mentalize their thought processes and understand that if you can be in the present moment and deal with the circumstances of the present moment you don’t need to have all of these afflictive thoughts driving the body into early aging."Follow along of Facebook @humannurturepodcastTime-----00:00:00 - 00:02:00 -Jason Introduction00:02:00-00:33:43 - Jason and Stan Tatkin00:33:45-01:30:29 - Jason and George HaasResources-----Metta Group (George's podcast can be found here)-  https://www.mettagroup.org/ Great interview on the 10% Happier Podcast with Shinzen Young (Stan and George's meditation teacher)-  https://podcasts.apple.com/ni/podcast/64-shinzen-young-meditation-teacher/id1087147821?i=1000382028850 

This practice is part of the core training of the 2020 Meditation Online Course and is fully supported for course members with additional content, training and personally coached support.To find out more about the course, visit our website at: https://2020meditation.comYou can also just subscribe to our mailing list and get updated regularly with new sample content and offers.It is traditional in secular mindfulness courses to teach the body scan.The body scan was popularised by Satya Narayan Goenka (1924 – 2013), commonly known as S. N. Goenka, a Burmese-Indian teacher of Vipassanā meditation.The body scan consists of focusing on the body as you move your awareness over it.I also taught the body scan in my early days as a meditation teacher but soon realised that it wasn’t delivering as a practice because it takes at least 25 minutes. Most people come to mindfulness because their busy minds and lives are overwhelmed. They are among the last group to dedicate that amount of time to a practice that takes so long to benefit them. My focus has always been on accessibility and inclusivity. If a practice doesn’t resonate with my students and it doesn’t benefit their lives then I will find a replacement that will deliver the same benefits.That replacement is the Destress Meditation.We hold stress as muscular tension in our bodies in the same places: the hands, shoulders, back of the neck and from the forehead down to the abdomen.In this meditation, we move the focus of our attention through only these high stress places on the body, but with the focus on relaxation. We relax the area of focus with the outbreath.The order is: hands, shoulders, back and sides of the neck, down the face starting from the forehead and finally relaxing the throat, chest, upper back, areas around the pelvis, abdomen, lower back slowly then back again.Support the show (http://2020meditation.com/coffee)

#Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there's a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment,[1][2][note 1][3][4] which one can develop through the practice of meditation and through other training.[2][5][6] Mindfulness is derived from sati, a significant element of #Buddhist traditions,[7][8] and based on #Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation techniques.[9][10][note 2] Individuals who have contributed to the popularity of mindfulness in the modern Western context include Thích Nhất Hạnh (1926– ), Herbert Benson (1935– ), Jon Kabat-Zinn (1944– ), and Richard J. Davidson (1951– ) --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vegansteven/message

Zniknąłem na jakiś czas….  Początkiem i przyczyną tego , była pewna przygoda…. W swoje 29 urodziny postanowiłem pojechać po raz kolejny juz na 10-dniowe odosobnienie medytacyjne Viapsana. Jadąc tam wiedziałem, że może to być mój ostatni raz. Odpuściłem tam w sobie wiele rzeczy, które powodowały we mnie napięcia , lecz cały ten proces spowodował lawinę zmian w moim życiu. Dlatego zniknąłem i wiele rzeczy będzie teraz wyglądać inaczej.   Uporządkujmy to jednak...  W pierwszym odcinku chciałbym Ci opowiedzieć, dlaczego mogę już nigdy więcej nie pojechać do miejsca, które uważam za tak ważne w moim życiu.  

Kelas pertama di semester ganjil ini adalah untuk mengulang dan menekankan kembali poin-poin penting dari materi yang sudah di pelajari di semester lalu. Di awal kelas disampaikan ciri dari Abhidhamma yaitu sebagai ajaran tentang realitas hakiki (paramattha desanā) yang sangat kontras dengan ajaran-ajaran konvensional dalam hal metode dan cara analisa serta penjabaran Dhamma. Kesadaran adalah realitas hakiki karena memiliki karakteristik alamiahnya sendiri (sabhāva), yaitu mengenali objek (visayavijānanalakkhaṇa). Pengetahuan Abhidhamma akan membantu meditasi untuk merealisasi karakteristik individual (sabhāva lakkhaṇa) dari setiap fenomena. Diibaratkan seperti seseorang yang sudah memahami dan mengenali 89/121 kelereng yang masing-masing mempunyai warna yang berbeda, dia akan mengenali dengan mudah kelereng-kelereng tertentu yang muncul dan lenyap di setiap momen. Pemahaman tentang karakteristik individual akan memperkuat realisasi dari segala hal yang berkondisi (saṅkhata lakkhaṇa) yaitu "muncul-bertahan sesaat-lenyap." Pada saat 3 ciri eksistensi tersebut terlihat jelas maka kita akan melihat dengan jelas pula karakteristik umum dari segala fenomena yang berkondisi yaitu anicca, dukkha dan anatta. Realisasi seperti ini akan membawa seseorang ke keadaan "jijik" terhadap batin-dan-jasmani, atau dengan kata lain membawa ke pencerahan. Jadi, dengan memahami Abhidhamma maka kita akan memahami realitas hakiki dengan lebih baik lagi. Realitas hakiki adalah objek dari vipassanā. Inilah mengapa realitas hakiki dikatakan sebagai wilayah dari pengetahuan tertinggi dan terbaik. Vipassanā tidak mengamati objek yang berupa konsep, semata-mata karena konsep bukanlah realitas yang mempunyai karakteristik alamiahnya sendiri dan dengan demikian, dalam pengertian puncak, tidak ada! Konsep hanyalah merupakan realitas yang ada sebagai konstruksi yang dibentuk oleh batin. Dengan selesainya kelas kali ini, maka pembelajaran Bab 2 tentang Faktor-faktor Mental (Cetasika) akan dimulai. Untuk semua pelajar diharapkan sudah memahami materi pelajaran di Bab 1 sebelum mengikuti pelajaran di Bab 2. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut tentang kelas ini, silakan menghubungi Sekretariat Dhammavihari Buddhist Studies (DBS). Email: yayasandhammavihari@gmail.com Telpon: 0857 82 800 200 Website: dhammavihari.or.id Facebook: Dhammavihari Buddhist Studies.

JoAnna Hardy is an insight meditation (Vipassanā) practitioner and teacher; Founding member of the Meditation Coalition, www.meditationcoalition.com a teacher's council member at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, visiting retreat teacher at Insight Meditation Society, Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center and collaborator on many online meditation programs~

Insight meditation (Vipassanā) teacher JoAnna Hardy shares a toolkit for working with our emotions and thoughts. JoAnna Hardy has received her training in the Theravada insight tradition through the Spirit Rock/IMS program led by Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and others. She brings the Dharma to communities and individuals who don't typically have access to traditional settings. JoAnna is a co-founder of the Meditation Coalition, learn more at meditationcoalition.org

Show Notes: Kerry’s quilt kickstarter (~3:00)Vipassanā mediation/retreats (~5:30) Sitting practice meditation (~12:55) We discuss morning routines and I’m a complete nerd for people’s routines - here are a few examples of morning routines from other thought-leaders (~14:40) Sam Harris morning guided meditation (~17:05) Julia Cameron The Artist’s Way (~22:00) Sam Harris guided meditation app (~23:00) Auburn University Rural Studio (~19:15) Director of Rural Studio and Kerry’s mentor: MacArthur Fellow Samuel Mockbee (~20:38) “You are the architect of your education” and other quotesPhiladelphia Charter High School for Art and Design (~25:40) Big Yellow Arrow (no link, because, believe it or not, this was before Instagram ruled everything we do! Just imagine an 80-foot yellow arrow carried around and positioned across the country...brilliant!) (~27:16) Remaining permeable to new ideas - Debbie Millman and Ingrid Fetell Less discuss this on an excellent episode of Design Matters (~32:20) The idea of streamlining your life to free your mind to focus on your passions (~33:30) My Five-Cut Friday’s Playlists - see all of the playlists on my Spotify account (~45:50) Kerry’s Five-Cuts with the theme “Searching for Space"My Five-Cut Fridays for April 12, 2019 (the date of the release of this episode) A list of five books hand-picked by Kerry: Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön Belonging: Remembering Ourselves Home by Toko-pa Turner You Must Change Your Life: The Story of Rainer Maria Rilke and Auguste Rodin by Rachel Corbett His Dark Materials (Trilogy) by Philip Pullman Where to find Kerry online: Personal website (KerryLarkin.com) Comma Workshop (CommaWorkshop.com) Instagram (@commaworkshop)

Ever wonder why we act the way we do in our romantic love lives? Or why we keep picking similar patterns in partners thinking that this time will be different? George Haas, attachment and meditation expert, takes us on a deep dive into the understanding of attachment theory and how it can empower us to shift our own conditioning to love. In this episode you’ll hear: What is attachment theory as it pertains to our relationships
How to determine attachment conditioning of our own How we can tell other people’s attachment tendencies and why this is important Attachment conditioning as it relates to our patterns in sexuality. Strategies for securely communicating when we become activated Tips and tricks for resolving conflict Messages from our society that may be hindering healthy attachment from occurring The power of insight meditation to help in reconditioning our roles in our relationships Why blaming our parents isn’t going to help.   THE SKINNY ON OUR SEXY EXPERT George is a long time teacher of meditation and attachment theory and the  founder of Mettagroup, which uses Vipassanā, or insight meditation, as a way to help students live a meaningful life. Mettagroup techniques serve as a model of how to connect with other people, and how to be completely yourself in relationships with others and with work. Find more about George at MettaGroup.org   He is also giving listeners to Eat Play Sex a MONTH OF FREE MEDITATION! Click here for this generous offer.   Be sure to check back every second Wednesday (#humpday – how appropriate) for a new episode, and head over to iTunes to subscribe! I appreciate and LOVE reading your reviews, it’s how I decide future topics!  To leave me a review for the podcast, CLICK HERE. Then click on ‘View in itunes’ under our picture square. Your itunes app will open, then click ‘ratings and reviews’ and VOILA, you can drop a love note there!  OR if you’re on your smart phone, I know it sounds ridiculous (itunes did it), but open your ‘podcast’ app, then in the search bar type ‘Eat Play Sex’, then click on our image under ‘Podcast’ headline, then you’ll see ‘reviews’ in the middle tab, then ‘Write a Review’. Thankfully, my goal is to make your sex hormones and sex life more convenient and enjoyable than THAT process…but regardless…I appreciate hearing from you more than you’ll ever know!   Download my FREE sexy guide to help you talk sex. Got a question you’d like me to answer? Email me at drcat@sexloveyoga.com or visit eatplaysex.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/eatplaysex/message

Whit Hornsberger (Vancouver, Canada) is a student and teacher of the wisdom traditions of Classical Yoga and Theravada Buddhism.A former athlete, Whit found the path as a result of a career ending knee injury and the subsequent emotional and mental suffering inherent in losing one's (supposed) self-identity and self-worth. His daily practice and teaching methods stem from the traditional practices of Vinyasa Krama (Krishnamacharya) and Buddhist meditation (Mahasi Sayadaw). A passionate advocate of traditional teachings, Whit expounds the ancient wisdom of these lineages in a relevant manner, making them readily accessible to students at every stage of the path. A passionate lover of surf, travel and nature, Whit teaches internationally offering classes, workshops, retreats and trainings.Whithornsberger.comToday's Episode is sponsored by DoMatcha (DoMatcha.com). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode on The Ugly Truth Podcast, George Markoski interviews Leonie Hampton about her '10 Vipassana'. Leonie Hampton is a Happiness Mentor at Supercoolhappyxxx. 'Vipassana' is a 10 Day Silent Meditation Course. No speaking, no WIFI and no creature comforts for ten days! Leonie shares her journey and her profound experience of ten days without a single peep. Vipassana originated from Burmese monk named Medawi in 1728. The Vipassanā movement, also referred to as the Insight Meditation Movement, stems from a number of branches of modern Theravāda Buddhism designed to attain awakening. The technique of Vipassana meditation is a practical way to achieve peace of mind and live a happy, productive life. It is learned by attending a 10-day residential course with a qualified teacher where the student is free from distractions so that the reality within can be observed. This technique helps practitioners come out of suffering.

Trailblazing is often Sukita's way, from a career in the earthen building industry to how she becomes a mom. It's not always easy, but there are rewards. Sukita finds joy in gardening, hiking, dancing, conversation, puzzles and telling stories. Her name means happy one. S.N. Goenka, a teacher of Vipassanā meditation, gave her mother this name for her. KISS AND TELL February 10, 2018 Sukita Reay Crimmel live at The Old Church Concert Hall in Portland, OR Hosted by Lynne Duddy and Lawrence Howard of Portland Story Theater MAY THE NARRATIVE BE WITH YOU®

James Aspey is a animal rights activist from Sydney, Australia. He is travelling the world giving free speeches to make our planet a more sustainable place. Watch this Full Episode for Free: https://londonreal.tv/james-aspey/   Chapters: 00:00 Trailer. 02:00 Brian’s thoughts on the episode. 04:22 Brian’s introduction. 04:57 London, like the rest of the world, where Veganism and animal rights movements are growing. 05:43 Vow of silence for 365 days, not many people are prepared to put that much skin in the game. 11:07 What James learned from that experience including the power of non-violent protest. 16:19 Why people don’t think about the life and death of the animal or fish in the products they eat. 20:34 There will be a radical change towards veganism and for animal rights over the next century. 21:51 Why governments dare not tell people what to eat. 23:55 Can you really beat a KFC? Why not eat a salmon you’ve caught or the deer you’ve hunted? 30:42 Are we not natural predators just like those in the animal kingdom? 33:34 How James became a good public speaker. 35:26 The biggest argument he hears against veganism which frustrates him the most. 37:39 If you are a vegan you can still be a world record holding strong man. 41:59 The vegan community which sometimes seems to attract controversy. 48:30 A typical day in James’ life, which next year he intends to change completely. 51:11 How James makes a living. 52:25 What it will be like for 150 people camping and fasting in front of a slaughterhouse for 5 days. 57:26 James is not an animal lover he just respects them. 59:11 Are comparisons of animal killing to slavery or to a holocaust, justifiable? 1:00:21 James’ views on other activists in the vegan movement. 1:01:34 Cancer, drugs, struggle with bulimia and Tim Ferris’ influence, 1:13:11 What the book “End Emotional Eating” taught James that helped him fight bulimia. 1:15:50 Is veganism an eating disorder? 1:17:14 Modern life is contributing to more people becoming vegans. 1:19;52 James talks about Vipassan? meditation from his experience of seven 10-day sessions. 1:27:30 How James thinks fellow vegans would say he has influenced the Vegan movement. 1:30:31 What James thinks his life will be like in ten years. 1:33:29 Success Secrets. 1:34:12 The worst (and there really were some) and best days of James’ life. 1:40:26 What James thinks is his superpower, 1:41:47 What scares James. 1:42:50 What keeps him awake at night. 1:43:41 What James has changed his mind about recently. 1:45:27 James has just hit rock bottom with the pressures of daily vlogging. 1:48:37 Why James has started breakdancing. 1:50:24 Phone call to the 20 year old James Aspey. 1:51:39 Best advice ever received. 1:54:28 Advice to the 20 year old listening now who would like to promote veganism philosophy. 1:57:21 Brian’s summing up. FULL SHOW NOTES: https://londonreal.tv/james-aspey/

MEDITATION: IT’S NOT ALL HIPPIES AND PATCHOULI – Why It Matters To Both Your Health AND Bottom Line Links: 7 Types of Meditation (there are many more) https://visualmeditation.co/7-types-of-meditation/ 23 Types of Meditation (there are many more) http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/ Summary of Meditation Types and Practices http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2015/03/24/types-of-meditation-extensive-list-of-techniques/ Summary of Meditation Effects on Brain: https://psychcentral.com/news/2014/05/19/how-different-types-of-meditation-affect-the-brain/70052.html More on the practice and science of meditation http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2016/09/how-to-meditate/ Resources: Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill. Matthieu Ricard. Little, Brown, 2006. Mental Training Enhances Attentional Stability: Neural and Behavioral Evidence. Antoine Lutz et al. in Journal of Neuroscience. Vol. 29, No. 42, pages 13,418–13,427; October 21, 2009. Mind Wandering and Attention during Focused Meditation: A Fine-Grained Temporal Analysis of Fluctuating Cognitive States. Wendy Hasenkamp et al. in NeuroImage, Vol. 59, No. 1, pages 750–760; January 2, 2012. FROM OUR ARCHIVES The Physiology of Meditation. Robert Keith Wallace and Herbert Benson; February 1972. SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN ONLINE Watch talks by Davidson and Ricard at http://ScientificAmerican.com/nov2014/meditation Intro: Broad categories or types of meditation Specific practices Science of meditation How to choose and why Example Creative meditation techniques enable us to consciously cultivate and strengthen specific qualities of mind. Patience, appreciation, sympathetic joy, gratitude, love, compassion, fearlessness, humility, tenderness, and other qualities associated with aspects of nature, Divinity, or the natural world are among the attributes that are most commonly cultivated. Creative meditations invite us to actively nurture these strengths of character by thinking, speaking, and acting "as though" these qualities are more fully alive within us. Types of Meditation: 3 Primary Methods To decide what type of meditation you like best, I recommend doing some experimentation. You may want to try one particular type for 10 days, and if you don’t really like it, try another type. The only way to find the type that you enjoy the most is by testing the waters with some different techniques and observing how you respond. The most popular types of meditation include: Vipassana (Mindfulness) and TM (Transcendental), but there are infinitely more meditations than these two. Nearly all types of meditations fit into a category of: concentration, open monitoring, or effortless awareness. 1. Focused Attention (Concentration) Example: Vipassana All types of meditation that involve enhancing concentration can be classified as “focused attention” technique. These practices involve focusing attention on one specific thing for the entire time with the goal of cultivating laser-like focus. Any concentration meditation will involve consistent mental effort to build up the ability to focus without succumbing to distraction. Certain practices may involve focusing on an external object (e.g. a pen), while others will involve focusing on the breath. In any regard, the goal is to direct 100% focus on one thing for the entire session. When the mind wanders, the focus is calmly brought back to the object. Over time, the mind wanders less and the ability to focus your attention improves for longer durations. 2. Mindfulness (Open Monitoring) Example: Mindfulness With this type of meditation, you aren’t focusing your attention on one specific object. In this case, you are letting your attention flow freely without judgment or attachment. In other words, you are simply observing all perceptions, thoughts, memories, and senses that you experience during your practice. Developing the quality of “open monitoring” is synonymous with mindfulness – you are “mindful” of your experience. Being mindful of your perception allows you to observe your experience almost from a third-person perspective rather than first-person attachment. You notice all sensations that you’re feeling, but merely observe them rather than judge them or react positively or negatively. In Vipassana, qualities of concentration along with mindfulness are generally developed together. 3. Effortless Transcending Example: Transcendental Meditation (TM) This type of meditation is classified as “effortless” because it requires no mental effort or concentration. Some have called this subtype of meditation “pure being” or “transcendental” because it involves emptiness, introversion, and calmness. The goal with this specific type is to essentially help the meditator recognize their pure essence (e.g. “Pure Self”) or the true nature of the self by eliminating all thought. The mind becomes a blank slate with consistent practice. Some have compared effortless transcending to giving the brain a massage or bath. The transcendental process helps the individual silence their mind and become aware of deep (arguably “purer”) states of consciousness. A person who has been practicing this specific type may experience a state of emptiness or nothingness and find that it feels great. They Each do different things! And science is now discovering that they have different effects on the brain. …in one fMRI study, appropriately titled “Putting Feelings into Words” participants viewed pictures of people with emotional facial expressions. Predictably, each participant’s amygdala activated to the emotions in the picture. But when they were asked to name the emotion, the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex activated and reduced the emotional amygdala reactivity. In other words, consciously recognizing the emotions reduced their impact. How Different Types of Meditation Affect the Brain By Rick Nauert PhD~ 2 min read   Be it mindfulness, zen, acem, meditation drumming, chakra, Buddhist, or transcendental meditation, there are countless ways to meditate. Researchers are now parsing how the brain works during different kinds of meditation. “No one knows how the brain works when you meditate. That is why I’d like to study it,” says Jian Xu, M.D., a physician at St. Olavs Hospital and a researcher at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Along with colleagues at the University of Oslo and the University of Sydney, Xu’s research was recently published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Different meditation techniques can actually be divided into two main groups. One type is concentrative meditation, where the meditating person focuses attention on his or her breathing or on specific thoughts, and in doing so, suppresses other thoughts. The other type may be called nondirective meditation, where the person who is meditating effortlessly focuses on his or her breathing or on a meditation sound, but beyond that the mind is allowed to wander as it pleases. Some modern meditation methods are of this nondirective kind. Fourteen people who had extensive experience with the Norwegian technique of Acem meditation were tested in an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine. In addition to simple resting, they undertook two different mental meditation activities, nondirective meditation and a more concentrative meditation task. The research team wanted to test people who were used to meditation because it meant fewer misunderstandings about what the subjects should actually be doing while they lay in the MRI machine. Nondirective meditation led to higher activity than during rest in the part of the brain dedicated to processing self-related thoughts and feelings. When test subjects performed concentrative meditation, the activity in this part of the brain was almost the same as when they were just resting. “I was surprised that the activity of the brain was greatest when the person’s thoughts wandered freely on their own, rather than when the brain worked to be more strongly focused,” said Xu. “When the subjects stopped doing a specific task and were not really doing anything special, there was an increase in activity in the area of the brain where we process thoughts and feelings. It is described as a kind of resting network. And it was this area that was most active during nondirective meditation,” he said. “The study indicates that nondirective meditation allows for more room to process memories and emotions than during concentrated meditation,” said Svend Davanger, M.D., Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the University of Oslo, and co-author of the study. “This area of the brain has its highest activity when we rest. It represents a kind of basic operating system, a resting network that takes over when external tasks do not require our attention. It is remarkable that a mental task like nondirective meditation results in even higher activity in this network than regular rest,” said Davanger. Acem meditation is a technique that falls under the category of nondirective meditation. Davanger believes that good research depends on having a team that can combine personal experience with meditation with a critical attitude towards results. “Meditation is an activity that is practiced by millions of people. It is important that we find out how this really works,” said Davanger. Source: Norwegian University of Science and Technology   Which meditation should you practice? It totally depends on why you want to meditate in the first place. If your goal is to become more relaxed, you have plenty of great options. If your goal is to become more focused, you’d want to use a concentrative type of meditation. Various other types like Vajrayana actually increase arousal rather than decrease it, so be careful with the type you choose. Whether you believe in the spiritual aspect of each (e.g. kundalini) is a personal thing and highly subjective. Assuming you want to meditate, pick a practice that appeals to you and give it a shot. However, keep in mind that the science behind meditation is relatively new in terms of long-term neural and physiological changes. We do know that different types of meditation produce specific neural and physiological adaptations. Therefore choosing one type may literally transform your brain in an entirely different way than another. Many people assume that the benefits of every type of meditation can be lumped into a collective pile, but clearly they cannot. Assuming you practice meditation for a long-term, be sure to choose a practice that you enjoy and that helps you achieve your particular goal. Personal thoughts on meditation… Science clearly supports the idea that certain types of meditation can be beneficial for mental performance and physical health. That said, there are some dangers to be aware of such as: extensive meditation leading to social isolation, meditation worsening depression or anxiety, too much inward focus (not balanced with the external), and falsely thinking that all the answers are found by looking inwards. Humans didn’t evolve to meditate, they evolved to seek out external things in their environment. While meditation has its place to help with spiritual endeavors, relaxation, and mental performance, too much meditation may lead to adverse experiences – especially for a novice. Also avoid trapping yourself in any new age “cult” thinking that meditation and the idea of enlightenment will solve all your problems; newsflash: it won’t. If you’re just getting started, I recommend using the app called “Headspace” which is a form of Mindfulness meditation. The science supports mindfulness for reducing anxiety, depression, and other measures. The nice thing about this app is there is no religious, subjective, “spiritual” hocus pocus, mumbo jumbo, witchcraft, non-scientific voodoo. It simply guides you through the meditation process at a slow, safe pace. SPECIFIC TYPES OF MEDITATION – AN OVERVIEW OF 23 MEDITATION TECHNIQUES By Giovanni 276 Commentsmeditation, mindfulness Ok, so you know that meditation has dozens of benefits, and everybody is doing it. You look for information online or on a bookstore, and see that there are a LOT of different ways of doing meditation, dozens of meditation techniques, and some conflicting information. You wonder which way is best for you. This article will help you navigate the sea of different practices of seated meditation, briefly explaining each of them, and pointing to further resources. There are literally hundreds – if not thousands – of types of meditation, so here I will explore only the most popular ones. You can also check my walking meditation guide, for more dynamic meditation techniques. Or, if you already have some experience with meditation, you might enjoy reading about the meditation experiments I was doing while writing this post.   At the bottom of this page you will find a button to download a FREE PDF copy of this post, for easy reference. The advice regarding the posture of meditation is very similar among the different styles of seated practice, so I will go in to more detail about it only once, when talking about the first technique (Zen meditation). I have strived to include a “Is it for me?” section, with general observations about each practice. Keep in mind these are tentative; they are there to give some direction, and potentially any person could feel attracted to any of these modalities. This article does NOT tell you which is “the best” type of meditation – because there is no such thing, and I’m not here to create controversy. Also, I have here focused more on meditative practices; I may write another article on other similar practices, that are more about relaxation or contemplation. If you are a beginner, you may also enjoy the post on meditation tips and meditation for beginners – how to build the habit. The “best” meditation is the meditation that works for you, at this stage in you life.3 GENERAL TYPES Scientists usually classify meditation based on the way they focus attention, into two categories: Focused Attention and Open Monitoring. I’d like to propose a third: Effortless Presence.  Focused attention meditation Focusing the attention on a single object during the whole meditation session. This object may be the breath, a mantra, visualization, part of the body, external object, etc. As the practitioner advances, his ability to keep the flow of attention in the chosen object gets stronger, and distractions become less common and short-lived. Both the depth and steadiness of his attention are developed. Examples of these are: Samatha (Buddhist meditation), some forms of Zazen, Loving Kindness Meditation, Chakra Meditation, Kundalini Meditation, Sound Meditation, Mantra Meditation, Pranayama, some forms of Qigong, and many others.  Open monitoring meditation2 Instead of focusing the attention on any one object, we keep it open, monitoring all aspects of our experience, without judgment or attachment. All perceptions, be them internal (thoughts, feelings, memory, etc.) or external (sound, smell, etc.), are recognized and seen for what they are. It is the process of non-reactive monitoring of the content of experience from moment to moment, without going into them. Examples are: Mindfulness meditation, Vipassana, as well as some types of Taoist Meditation. Effortless Presence It’s the state where the attention is not focused on anything in particular, but reposes on itself – quiet, empty, steady, and introverted. We can also call it “Choiceless Awareness” or “Pure Being”. Most of the meditation quotes you find speak of this state. This is actually the true purpose behind all kinds of meditation, and not a meditation type in itself. All traditional techniques of meditation recognize that the object of focus, and even the process of monitoring, is just a means to train the mind, so that effortless inner silence and deeper states of consciousness can be discovered. Eventually both the object of focus and the process itself is left behind, and there is only left the true self of the practitioner, as “pure presence”. In some techniques, this is the only focus, from the beginning. Examples are: the Self-Enquiry (“I am” meditation) of Ramana Maharishi; Dzogchen; Mahamudra; some forms of Taoist Meditation; and some advanced forms of Raja Yoga. In my point of view, this type of meditation always requires previous training to be effective, even though this is  sometimes not expressly said (only implied). 1) BUDDHIST MEDITATION Zen Meditation (Zazen) Origin & Meaning Zazen (坐禅) means “seated Zen”, or “seated meditation”, in Japanese. It has its roots in the Chinese Zen Buddhism (Ch’an) tradition, tracing back to Indian monk Bodhidharma (6th century CE). In the West, its most popular forms comes from Dogen Zenji (1200~1253), the founder of Soto Zen movement in Japan. Similar modalities are practiced in the Rinzai school of Zen, in Japan and Korea. Focusing on breath — focus all your attention on the movement of the breath going in and out through the nose. This may be aided by counting the breath in your mind. Each time you inhale you count one number, starting with 10, and then moving backward to 9, 8, 7, etc. When you arrive in 1, you resume from 10 again. If you get distracted and lose your count, gently bring back the attention to 10 and resume from there. Shikantaza (“just sitting”) — in this form the practitioner does not use any specific object of meditation; rather, practitioners remain as much as possible in the present moment, aware of and observing what passes through their minds and around them, without dwelling on anything in particular. It’s a type of Effortless Presence meditation Learn more: Zen Mountain Monastery Open Way (PDF) Visit a Zen Buddhist center near to you. Most of them teach zazen for free. Is it for me? Zazen is a very sober meditation style, and you can easily find a lot of strong communities practicing it, as well as plenty of information on the internet. There is a lot of emphasis in keeping the right posture, as an aid for concentration. It is usually practiced in Zen Buddhist centers (Sangha), with strong community support. In many of them you will find it coupled with other elements of Buddhist practice: prostrations, a bit of ritualism, chanting, and group readings of the Buddha teachings. Some people will like this, others won’t. Personally, I practiced zazen in a Buddhist group for 3 years, and I found that those elements and a bit of formality can also help create a structure for the practice, and in themselves they are also meditative. Vipassana Meditation Origin & Meaning “Vipassana” is a Pali “insight” or “clear seeing”. It is a traditional Buddhist practice, dating back to 6th century BC. Vipassana-meditation, as taught in the last few decades, comes from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, and was popularized by  S. N. Goenka and the Vipassana movement. Due to the popularity of Vipassanā-meditation, the “mindfulness of breathing” has gained further popularity in the West as “mindfulness”. How to do it [There is some conflicting information on how to practice Vipassana. In general, however, most teachers emphasize  starting with mindfulness of breath in the first stages, to stabilize the mind and achieve “access concentration.” This is more like focused attention meditation. Then the practice moves on to developing “clear insight” on the bodily sensations and mental phenomena, observing them moment by moment and not clinging to any. Here goes an introduction, aimed for beginners. To know more I’d suggest following up the links provided or learning from a teacher (perhaps in a Vipassana retreat).] Ideally, one is to sit on a cushion on the floor, cross-legged, with your spine erect; alternatively, a chair may be used, but the back should not be supported. The first aspect is to develop concentration, through samatha practice. This is typically done through breathing awareness. Focus all your attention, from moment to moment, on the movement of your breath. Notice the subtle sensations of the movement of the abdomen rising and falling. Alternatively, one can focus on the sensation of the air passing through the nostrils and touching the upper lips skin – though this requires a bit more practice, and is more advanced. As you focus on the breath, you will notice that other perceptions and sensations continue to appear: sounds, feelings in the body, emotions, etc. Simply notice these phenomena as they emerge in the field of awareness, and then return to the sensation of breathing. The attention is kept in the object of concentration (the breathing), while these other thoughts or sensations are there simply as “background noise”. The object that is the focus of the practice (for instance, the movement of the abdomen) is called the “primary object”. And a “secondary object” is anything else that arises in your field of perception – either through your five senses (sound, smell, itchiness in the body, etc.) or through the mind (thought, memory, feeling, etc.). If a secondary object hooks your attention and pulls it away, or if it causes desire or aversion to appear, you should focus on the secondary object for a moment or two, labeling it with a mental note, like “thinking”,  “memory”, “hearing”, “desiring”. This practice is often called “noting”. A mental note identifies an object in general but not in detail. When you’re aware of a sound, for example, label it “hearing” instead of “motorcycle,” “voices” or “barking dog.” If an unpleasant sensation arises, note “pain” or “feeling” instead of “knee pain” or “my back pain.” Then return your attention to the primary meditation object. When aware of a fragrance, say the mental note “smelling” for a moment or two. You don’t have to identify the scent. When one has thus gained “access concentration”, the attention is then turned to the object of practice, which is normally thought or bodily sensations. One observes the objects of awareness without attachment, letting thoughts and sensations arise and pass away of their own accord. Mental labeling (explained above) is often use as a way to prevent you from being carried away by thoughts, and keep you in more objectively noticing them. As a result one develops the clear seeing that the observed phenomena is pervaded by the three “marks of existence”: impermanence (annica), insatisfactoriness (dukkha) and emptiness of self (annata). As a result, equanimity, peace and inner freedom is developed in relation to these inputs. Learn more: Types of Vipassana (read the answer from Anh-Minh Do) Vipassana Dhura (very in-depth article) Vipassana for beginners (Goenka style) Mindfulness in Plain English (free eBook) Visit a Vipassana center near you Is it for me? Vipassana is an excellent meditation to help you ground yourself in your body, and understand how the processes of your mind work. It is a very popular style of meditation. You can find plenty of teachers, websites, and books about it, as well as 3~10 days retreats (donation based). The teaching of it is always free. There are no formalities or rituals attached to the practice. If you are completely new to meditation, Vipassana or Mindfulness are probably good ways for you to start. Mindfulness Meditation   Origin & Meaning Mindfulness Meditation is an adaptation from traditional Buddhist meditation practices, especially Vipassana, but also having strong influence from other lineages (such as the Vietnamese Zen Buddhism from Thich Nhat Hanh). “Mindfulness” is the common western translation for the Buddhist term sati. Anapanasati, “mindfulness of breathing”, is part of the Buddhist practice of Vipassana or insight meditation, and other Buddhist meditational practices, such as zazen (source: Wikipedia). One of the main influencers for Mindfulness in the West is John Kabat-Zinn. His Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) – which he developed in 1979 at the University of Massachusetts Medical School – has been used in several hospitals and health clinic on the past decades. How to do it Mindfulness meditation is the practice of intentionally focusing on the present moment, accepting and no3n-judgmentally paying attention to the sensations, thoughts, and emotions that arise. For the “formal practice” time, sit on a cushion on the floor, or on a chair, with straight and unsupported back. Pay close attention to the movement of your breath. When you breath in, be aware that you are breathing in, and how it feels. When you breath out, be aware you are breathing out. Do like this for the length of your meditation practice, constantly redirecting the attention to the breath. Or you can move on to be paying attention to the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise. The effort is to not intentionally add anything to our present moment experience, but to be aware of what is going on, without losing ourselves in anything that arises. Your mind will get distracted into going along with sounds, sensations, and thoughts. Whenever that happens, gently recognize that you have been distracted, and bring the attention back to the breathing, or to the objective noticing of that thought or sensation. There is a big different between being inside the thought/sensation, and simply being aware of it’s presence. Learn to enjoy your practice. Once you are done, appreciate how different the body and mind feel. There is also the practice of mindfulness during our daily activities: while eating, walking, and talking. For “daily life” meditation, the practice is to pay attention to what is going on in the present moment, to be aware of what is happening – and not living in “automatic mode”. If you are speaking, that means paying attention to the words you speak, how you speak them, and to listen with presence and attention. If you are walking, that means being more aware of your body movements, your feet touching the ground, the sounds you are hearing, etc. Your effort in seated practice supports your daily life practice, and vice-versa. They are both equally important.  Learn more: Psychology Today (more details on how to practice) Palouse Mindfulness (MBSR free online course) Mindfulness exercises Mindful Schools Is it for me? For the general public, this is perhaps the most advisable way to get started with meditation. It is the type of meditation that is most taught at schools and hospitals, as far as I am aware. The “mindfulness movement” as practiced nowadays in society at large, is not Buddhism, but an adaptation of Buddhist practices due to their benefits in good physical and mental health and general wellbeing. For most people, Mindfulness Meditation may be the only type of meditation they will like, especially if their focus is only the physical and mental benefits of meditation, as it is usually taught dissociated from several of the eastern concepts and philosophies that traditionally accompanied the practice. And for that it is great – it will bring many good things to your life. If your focus is a deeper transformation and spiritual development, however, then mindfulness meditation may be just an initial step for you. From here you can then move into Vipassana, Zazen, or other types of meditation. Loving Kindness Meditation (Metta Meditation) Origin & Meaning Metta is a Pali word that means kindness, benevolence, and good will. This practice comes from the Buddhist traditions, especially the Theravada and Tibetan lineages. “Compassion meditation” is a contemporary scientific field that demonstrates the efficacy of mettaand related meditative practices. Demonstrated benefits include: boosting one’s ability to empathize with others; development of positive emotions through compassion, including a more loving attitude towards oneself; increased self-acceptance; greater feeling of competence about one’s life; and increased feeling of purpose in life (read more in our other post). How to do it One sits down in a meditation position, with closed eyes, and generates in his mind and heart feelings of kindness and benevolence. Start by developing loving-kindness towards yourself, then progressively towards others and all beings. Usually this progression is advised: oneself a good friend a “neutral” person a difficult person all four of the above equally and then gradually the entire universe The feeling to be developed is that of wishing happiness and well-being for all. This practice may be aided by reciting specific words or sentences that evoke the “boundless warm-hearted feeling”, visualizing the suffering of others and sending love; or by imagining the state of another being, and wishing him happiness and peace. The more you practice this meditation, the more joy you will experience. That is the secret of Mathieu Richard’s happiness. “For one who attends properly to the liberation of the heart by benevolence, unarisen ill will does not arise and arisen ill will is abandoned.” – The Buddha9 In this article, Emma Seppälä, Ph.D explores the 18 scientifically proven benefits of Loving-Kindness meditation. Learn more: Wikipedia on Metta Meditation Metta Institute (Buddha’s word on metta) Huffington Post article on the benefits of metta Is it for me? Are you sometimes too hard on yourself or on others? Or feel like you need to improve your relationships? Loving-kindness meditation will help you. It is beneficial both for selfless and self-centered people, and it will help increase your general level of happiness. You cannot feel loving-kindness and depression (or any other negative feeling) at the same time. It is also often recommended, by Buddhist teachers, as an antidote to insomnia, nightmares, or anger issues. 2) HINDU MEDITATION (Vedic & Yogic) Mantra Meditation (OM Meditation)   A mantra is a syllable or word, usually without any particular meaning, that is repeated for the purpose of focusing your mind. It is not an affirmation used to convince yourself of something. Some meditation teachers insist that both the choice of word, and its correct pronunciation, is very important, due to the “vibration” associated to the sound and meaning, and that for this reason an initiation into it is essential. Others say that the mantra itself is only a tool to focus the mind, and the chosen word is completely irrelevant. Mantras are used in Hindu traditions, Buddhist traditions (especially Tibetan and “Pure Land” Buddhism), as well as in Jainism, Sikhism and Daoism (Taoism). Some people call mantra meditation “om meditation”, but that is just one of the mantras that can be used. A more devotion oriented practice of mantras is called japa, and consists of repeating sacred sounds (name of God) with love. How to do it As most type of meditations, it is usually practiced sitting with spine erect, and eyes closed. The practitioner then repeats the mantra in his mind, silently, over and over again during the whole session. Sometimes this practice is coupled with being aware of the breathing or coordinating with it. In other exercises, the mantra is actually whispered very lightly and softly, as an aid to concentration. As you repeat the mantra, it creates a mental vibration that allows the mind to experience deeper levels of awareness. As you meditate, the mantra becomes increasingly abstract and indistinct, until you’re finally led into the field of pure consciousness from which the vibration arose.Repetition of the mantra helps you disconnect from the thoughts filling your mind so that perhaps you may slip into the gap between thoughts. The mantra is a tool to support your meditation practice. Mantras can be viewed as ancient power words with subtle intentions that help us connect to spirit, the source of everything in the universe. (Deepak Chopra) Here are some of the most well-known mantras from the Hindu & Buddhist traditions: om so-ham om namah shivaya om mani padme hum rama yam ham You may practice for a certain period of time, or for a set number of “repetitions” – traditionally 108 or 1008. In the latter case, beads are typically used for keeping count. As the practice deepens, you may find that the mantra continues “by itself” like the humming of the mind. Or the mantra may even disappear, and you are left in a state of deep inner peace.  Learn more: Wikipedia article on Mantra Seven Ways to Meditate with OM Mantra Yoga and Primal Sound (book) Mantras: Words of Power (book) Is it for me? People usually find that it is easier to focus with a mantra than with the breathing. Because a mantra is a word, and thoughts are usually perceived as words, it can be easier to keep the focus on a mantra rather than on the breathing. It is useful especially when the mind is racing with many thoughts, since it mantra meditation demands constant attention. Meditating with a mantra can also make it simpler to  integrate your meditative state into your daily life. In whatever activity you find yourself into, it can be as simple as repeating the mantra in your mind.  Transcendental Meditation (TM)   Origin & Meaning Transcendental Meditation is a specific form of Mantra Meditation introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1955 in India and the West. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Maharishi achieved fame as the guru to the Beatles, The Beach Boys and other celebrities. It is a widely practiced form of meditation, with over 5 million practitioners worldwide, and there is a lot of scientific research, many sponsored by the organization, demonstrating the benefits of the practice. There are over 600 scientific papers, many of them peer-reviewed, and I have used part of their research when composing my benefits of meditation page. However, there are also critics of the Maharishi and his organization, and some accusation of cultish behavior and doubtful research practices.[Image from NurseTalkSite.com] How to do it Transcendental meditation is not taught freely. The only way of learning it is to pay to learn from one of their licensed instructors. The support given seems to be good, though. In general, however, it is known that TM involves the use of a mantra and is practiced for 15–20 minutes twice per day while sitting with one’s eyes closed. The mantra is not unique, and is given to the practitioner based on his gender and age. They are also not “meaningless sounds” – rather, they are Tantric names of Hindu deities. This probably is irrelevant for most people. This is the official site of the movement: TM site. There is another similar technique, called Natural Stress Relief, which was created in 2003 by a former TM Teacher, and is much cheaper to learn (47 USD instead of 960 USD), and has stripped out some mystical elements of the practice of TM, such as the initiation (puja) and yogic flying (part of TM-Siddhi). You can learn more about NSR in comparison to TM here and here. Is it for me? Personally I don’t feel comfortable advising anyone to try Transcendental Meditation anymore, especially if you are looking to go deep into meditation. To know more, check out this answer I wrote in Quora. If you wish to try something similar, for a fraction of the cost or for free, have a look at NSR (above), or Mantra Meditation.  Yoga Meditations Origin & Meaning There is not one type of meditation which is “Yogic Meditation”, so here it is meant the several meditation types taught in the yoga tradition. Yoga means “union”. Tradition goes as far as 1700 B.C, and has as its highest goal spiritual purification and Self-Knowledge. Classical Yoga divides the practice into rules of conduct (yamas and niyamas), physical postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and contemplative practices of meditation (pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi). The Yoga tradition is the oldest meditation tradition on earth, and also the one with the widest variety of practices. How to do it Here are some types of meditation practiced in Yoga. The most common and universal Yoga meditation one is the “third eye meditation”. Other popular ones involve concentrating on a chakra, repeating a mantra, visualization of light, or gazing meditations.  Third Eye Meditation — focusing the attention on the “spot between the eyebrows” (called by some “the third eye” or “ajna chakra”). The attention is constantly redirected to this point, as a means to silence the mind. By time the “silent gaps” between thoughts get wider and deeper. Sometimes this is accompanied by physically “looking”, with eyes closed, towards that spot. Chakra Meditation — the practitioner focuses on one of the seven chakras of the body (“centers of energy”), typically doing some visualizations and chanting a specific mantra for each chakra (lam, vam, ram, yam, ham, om). Most commonly it is done on the heart chackra, third eye, and crown chackra. Gazing Meditation (Trataka) — fixing the gaze on an external object, typically a candle, image or a symbol (yantras). It is done with eyes open, and then with eyes closed, to train both the concentration and visualization powers of the mind. After closing the eyes, you should still keep the image of the object in your “mind’s eye”. This meditation is so important and powerful, that I wrote this post on the subject. Kundalini Meditation — this is a very complex system of practice. The goal is the awakening of the “kundalini energy” which lies dormant on the base of the spine, the development of several psychic centers in the body, and, finally, enlightenment. There are several dangers associated with this practice, and it should not be attempted without the guidance of a qualified yogi. Kriya Yoga — is a set of energization, breathing, and meditation exercises taught by Paramahamsa Yogananda. This is more suited for those who have a devotional temperament, and are seeking the spiritual aspects of meditation. To learn it, you can apply to receive the Self-Realization lessons, free of charge. Sound Meditation (Nada Yoga) — focusing on sound. Starts with meditation on “external sounds”, such as calming ambient music (like Native American flute music), whereby the student focuses all his attention on just hearing, as a help to quieten and collect the mind. By time the practice evolves to hearing the “internal sounds” of the body and mind. The ultimate goal is to hear the “Ultimate Sound” (para nada), which is a sound without vibration, and that manifests as “OM”. Tantra — unlike the popular view in the West, most Tantra practices have nothing to do with ritualized sex (this was practiced by a minority of lineages. Tantra is a very rich tradition, with dozens of different contemplative practices. The text Vijnanabhairava Tantra, for instance, lists 108 “meditations”, most of them more advanced (already requiring a certain degree of stillness and mind control). Here are some examples from that text: Merge the mind and the senses in the interior space in the spiritual heart. When one object is perceived, all other objects become empty. Concentrate on that emptiness. Concentrate on the space which occurs between two thoughts. Fix attention on the inside of the skull. Close eyes. Meditate on the occasion of any great delight. Meditate on the feeling of pain. Dwell on the reality which exists between pain and pleasure. Meditate on the void in one’s body extending in all directions simultaneously. Concentrate on a bottomless well or as standing in a very high place. Listen to the Anahata [heart chakra] sound. Listen to the sound of a musical instrument as it dies away. Contemplate on the universe or one’s own body as being filled with bliss. Concentrate intensely on the idea that the universe is completely void. Contemplate that the same consciousness exists in all bodies. Pranayama — breathing regulation. It is not exactly meditation, but an excellent practice to calm the mind and prepare it for meditation. There are several different types of Pranayama, but the simplest and most commonly taught one is the 4-4-4-4. This means breathing in counting up to 4, holding for 4 seconds, breathing out for 4 seconds, and holding empty for 4 seconds. Breathe through your nose, and let the abdomen (and not the chest) be the one that moves. Go through a few cycles like this. This regulation of breathing balances the moods and pacifies the body, and can be done anywhere. Yoga is a very rich tradition, with different lineages, so there are many other techniques. But the ones above are the most well-known; the others are more specific or complex. For a start, this video is an excellent resource on how to do Yoga style meditation, and it combines breathing, body awareness, mantra, and chakra meditation. Learn more: Meditations from the Tantras (book) Chakras: Seven Chakras, Mind Body Green, Wikipedia article, Chakra Meditation Trataka (LiveAndDare post) Meditation and Mantras (book) Raja Yoga (book) Kriya Yoga (Self-Realization Fellowship) Nada Yoga: Spirit Sound, The Practice of Nada Yoga (book), Wikipedia,  Bindu Magazine (compreenshive article) The Science of Pranayama (book) Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy (book) List of meditation objects in Yoga (George Feuerstein) Is it for me? With all these types of meditation in Yoga, you are likely to find one that you like. If you are a musician, perhaps nada yoga is something that will attract you. If you are a devotional person, kriya yoga is a good option. Kundalini and Chakra meditation should only be attempted with a teacher. Probably the simplest one to try is the “third eye meditation”, which is simple and yields results fairly quickly. For the other types you would probably need more instruction, either of a teacher or a good book (see references above). Besides, Pranayama is definitely something anyone can benefit from.  Self-Enquiry and “I Am” Meditation   Origin & Meaning Self-Enquiry is the English translation for the Sanskrit term atma vichara. It means to “investigate” our true nature, to find the answer to the “Who am I?” question, which culminates with the intimate knowledge of our true Self, our true being. We see references to this meditation in very old Indian texts; however, it was greatly popularized and expanded upon by the 20th-century Indian sage Ramana Maharshi (1879~1950). The modern non-duality movement (or neo-advaita), which is greatly inspired in his teachings – as well as those of Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897~1981) and Papaji – strongly uses this technique and variations. Many contemporary teachers to employ this technique, the most famous ones being Mooji  (whom I’ve personally been with and recommend), Adyashanti, and Eckhart Tolle. How to do it This practice is very simple, but also very subtle. When explaining it, however, it may sound very abstract. Your sense of “I” (or “ego”) is the center of your universe. It is there, in some form or another, behind all your thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions. Yet we are not clear about what this “I” is – about who we truly are, in essence – and confuse it with our body, our mind, our roles, our labels. It’s the biggest mystery in our lives. With Self-Enquiry, the question “Who I am?” is asked within yourself. You must reject any verbal answers that may come, and use this question simply as a tool to fix your attention in the subjective feeling of “I” or “I am”. Become one with it, go deep into it. This will then reveal your true “I”, your real self as pure consciousness, beyond all limitation. It is not an intellectual pursuit, but a question to bring the attention to the core element of your perception and experience: the “I”. This is not your personality, but a pure, subjective, feeling of existing – without any images or concepts attached to it.Whenever thoughts/feelings arise, you ask yourself, “To whom does this arise?” or “Who is aware of _____ (anger, fear, pain, or whatever)?” The answer will be “It’s me!”. From then you ask “Who am I?”, to bring the attention back to the subjective feeling of self, of presence. It is pure existence, objectless and choice-less awareness. Another way of explaining this practice is to just focus the mind on your feeling of being, the non-verbal “I am” that shines inside of you. Keep it pure, without association with anything you perceive. On all other types of meditation, the “I” (yourself) is focusing on some object, internal or external, physical or mental. In self-enquiry, the “I” is focusing on itself, the subject. It is the attention turned towards its source.There is no special position to practice, although the general suggestions about posture and environment are helpful for beginners. Learn more: Guided “I am” Meditations with Mooji: Teachings of Ramana Maharishi: Happiness of Being, David Godman’s blog, Sri Ramanasram official site Nisargadatta Maharaj: Enlightened-Spirituality Quotes apps (iOS) Be As You Are (book or Ramana’s teachings) I Am That (book of Nisargadatta Maharaj, a modern spiritual classic) Is it for me? This meditation is very powerful in bringing inner freedom and peace; yet, if you don’t have previous experience with meditation, you may find it very hard to follow through. As an initial aid to give you a feeling for it, I would advise following some guided meditations from Mooji, in YouTube. 3) CHINESE MEDITATION Taoist Meditations Origin & Meaning Daoism is a Chinese philosophy and religion, dating back to Lao Tzu (or Laozi). It emphasizes living in harmony with Nature, or Tao, and it’s main text is the Tao Te Ching, dating back to 6th century B.C. Later on some lineages of Taoism were also influenced by Buddhist meditation practices brought from India, especially on the 8th century C.E.. The chief characteristic of this type of meditation is the generation, transformation, and circulation of inner energy. The purpose is to quieten the body and mind, unify body and spirit, find inner peace, and harmonize with the Tao. Some styles of Taoist Meditation are specifically focused on improving health and giving longevity. Image from InternalArtsInternational.com   How to do it There are several different types of Taoist meditation, and they are sometimes classified in three: “insight”, “concentrative”, and “visualization”. Here is a brief overview: Emptiness meditation — to sit quietly and empty oneself of all mental images (thoughts, feelings, and so on), to “forget about everything”, in order to experience inner quiet and emptiness. In this state, vital force and “spirit” is collected and replenished. This is similar to the Confucius discipline of “heart-mind fasting”, and it is regarded as “the natural way”. One simply allows all thoughts and sensations arise and fall by themselves, without engaging with or “following” any of them. If this is found to be too hard and “uninteresting”, the student is instructed with other types of meditation, such as visualization and Qigong Breathing meditation (Zhuanqi) — to focus on the breath, or “unite mind and qi”. The instruction is “focus your vital breath until it is supremely soft”. Sometimes this is done by simply quietly observing the breath (similar to Mindfulness Meditation in Buddhism); in other traditions it is by following certain patterns of exhalation and inhalation, so that one becomes directly aware of the “dynamisms of Heaven and Earth” through ascending and descending breath (a type of Qigong, similar to Pranayama in Yoga). Neiguan (“inner observation; inner vision”) — visualizing inside one’s body and mind, including the organs, “inner deities”, qi (vital force) movements, and thought processes. It’s a process of acquainting oneself with the wisdom of nature in your body. There are particular instructions for following this practice, and a good book or a teacher is required. These meditations are done seated cross-legged on the floor, with spine erect. The eyes are kept half-closed and fixed on the point of the nose.Master Liu Sichuan emphasises that, although not easy, ideally one should practice by “joining the breath and the mind together”; for those that find this too hard, he would recommend focusing on the lower abdomen (dantian). Learn more: 1stHolistic.com (detailed practical information) Wikipedia article (Overview of historical development of different Taoist meditation practices) Is it for me? People that are more connected with the body and nature may like to try Taoist meditation, and enjoy learning a bit about the philosophy behind it. Or if you are into martial arts or Tai Chi, this might be of your interest. However, Taoist centers and teachers are not as easy to find as Buddhist and Yoga ones, so it might be a challenge to follow through. Qigong (Chi kung) Origin & Meaning Qigong (also spelled chi kung, or chi gung) is a Chinese word that means “life energy cultivation”, and is a body-mind exercise for health, meditation, and martial arts training. It typically involves slow body movement, inner focus, and regulated breathing. Traditionally it was practiced and taught in secrecy in the Chinese Buddhist, Taoist and Confucianist traditions. In the 20th century, Qigong movement has incorporated and popularized Daoist meditation, and “mainly employs concentrative exercises but also favors the circulation of energy in an inner-alchemical mode” (Kohn 2008a:120). For a deep study on Qigong history, theory, and philosophy, I recommend The Root of Chinese Qigong. Daoist practices may also employ Qigong, but since Qigong is also applied in other Chinese philosophies, I decided to treat it as a separate subject. How to do it There are thousands of different Qigong exercises cataloged, involving over 80 different types of breathing. Some are specific to martial arts (to energize and strengthen the body); others are for health (to nourish body functions or cure diseases); and others for meditation and spiritual cultivation. Qigong can be practiced in a static position (seated or standing), or through a dynamic set of movements – which is what you typically see in YouTube videos and on DVDs. The exercises that are done as a meditation, however, are normally done sitting down, and without movement. To understand more about Qigong and learn how to do it, I’d recommend getting a book or DVD set from Dr. Yang Jwing Ming, such as this one. But here goes an introductory overview of the practice of seated Qigong meditation: Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure your body is balanced and centered. Relax your whole body – muscles, nerves, and internal organs Regulate your breathing, making it deep, long, and soft. Calm your mind Place all your attention in the “lower dantien”, which is the center of gravity of the body, two inches below the navel. This will help accumulate and root the qi (vital energy). Where your mind and intention is, there will be your qi. So, by focusing on the dantien, you are gathering energy in this natural reservoir. Feel the qi circulating freely through your body. Other famous Qigong exercises are: Small Circulation (also called “microcosmic circulation”) Embryonic Breathing Eight Pieces of Brocade (see this book excerpt  & Wikipedia article) Muscle Tendon Changing (or “Yi Jin Jing”, taught by Bodhidharma) The first two are seated meditation, while the latter two are dynamic Qigong, integrating body stretches. Learn more: Wikipedia article Yang Jwing Ming DVDs (YouTube) The Qigong Institute Qigong Forum Is it for me? Qigong meditation may be more attractive to people that like to integrate a more active body and energy work into the practice. If seated meditation is unbearable for you, and you prefer something a bit more active, try some of the more dynamic forms of Qigong. Again, there are several styles of Qigong out there, and you may need to try with different teachers or DVDs to find the one that suits you.Some people have a taste of dynamic Qigong through the practice of Tai Chi. 4) CHRISTIAN MEDITATION In Eastern traditions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Daoism) meditation is usually practiced with the purpose of transcending the mind and attaining enlightenment. On the other hand, in the Christian tradition the goal of contemplative practices is, one may say, moral purification and deeper understanding of the Bible; or a closer intimacy with God/Christ, for the more mystic stream of the tradition. Here are some forms of Christian contemplative practice: contemplative prayer — which usually involves the silent repetition of sacred words or sentences, with focus and devotion contemplative reading — or simply “contemplation”, which involves thinking deeply about the teachings and events in the Bible. “sitting with God” — a silent meditation, usually preceded by contemplation or reading, in which we focus all our mind, heart and soul on the presence of God To read more about this, check out our post on Contemplative Prayer and Christian Meditation. 5) GUIDED MEDITATIONS   Origin & Meaning Guided Meditation is, in great part, a modern phenomenon. It is an easier way to start, and you will find guided meditations ba sed on several of the above traditions. The practice of meditation requires some dose of determination and will-power. In the past, people that were into meditation were more committed to it, and also had strong ideals fuelling their motivation. Their life was more simple, with less distractions. We live in very different times now. Our life is busier. Will power is a less common personal asset. Distractions are everywhere, and meditation is often sought as a means to develop better health, enhance performance, or improve oneself. For these reasons, guided meditation can indeed be a good way to introduce you to the practice. Once you get the hang of it, and wish to take your practice to the next level, I would urge you to try meditation unassisted by audio. It is up to you to decide when you feel like taking this step. Guided Meditation is like cooking with a recipe. It’s a good way to start, and you can eat the food you make like this. But once you understand the main principles and flavors, you can cook your own dish. It will have a different, unique taste; it will be tailored for you, and more powerful. And then you will not want to use the recipe anymore – unless if you are trying a dish of another cuisine.  [Image from BinauralBeatsMeditation.com] How to do it Guided meditation usually comes in the form of audio (file, podcast, CD), and sometimes audio and video. You will find that any guided meditation will fall in one of below categories (with some overlap, obviously). Traditional Meditations — With these types of audios, the voice of the teacher is simply there to “illustrate” or “guide” the way for your attention, in order to be in a meditative state; there is more silence than voice in it, and often no music. Examples are the ones offered by Thich Nhat Hanh and Tara Brach, which are rooted in authentic Buddhist practices. The purpose is to develop and deepen the practice itself, with all the benefits that come with it. Guided Imagery — Makes use of the imagination and visualization powers of the brain, guiding you to imagine an object, entity, scenery or journey. The purpose is usually healing or relaxation. Relaxation & Body Scans — Helps you achieve a deep relaxation in your whole body. It’s usually accompanied by soothing instrumental music or nature sounds. In Yoga these are called yoga nidra. The purpose is relaxation and calmness. Affirmations — Usually coupled with relaxation and guided imagery, the purpose of these meditations is to imprint a message in your mind. Binaural Beats — Binaural beats were originally discovered in 1839 by physicist Heinrich Wilhelm Dove. He discovered when signals of two different frequencies are presented separately, one to each ear, your brain detects the phase variation between the frequencies and tries to reconcile that difference. This is used to generate alpha waves (10 Hz), which is the brain wave associated with initial levels of meditation. There is scientific research into why and how binaural beats work. While they all have their merits, it is the first type that most naturally evolves into individual unguided practice. Learn more: UCLA Free Guided Meditations Head In The Clouds (big collection of free guided meditations) Free Binaural Beats Yoga Nidra (YouTube) Headspace app (Guided meditations on your phone!) Is it for me? If you feel traditional meditation is a bit too hard, or you are unsure where to start, then guided meditations can be the way for you to begin. Or if you are seeking some very specific experience or benefit – like improving self-esteem, working through a trauma, or just letting go of some tension in your body – you can also find some guided meditation that suits you.

Drew Hume is an expert at Thai massage. One of the things he says often while delivering a massage is ‘Slow it down’. Drew believes it helps us all to just:  SLOW … IT ... DOWN. Drew’s Thai massages clear your head and make you feel like he has a surreal connection to your body. From this you can tell Drew isa great person to talk to about Mindfulness. Drew was born in Australia and now lives in Toronto, Canada.Contact InfoWebsite: www.navina.caTwitter: @NavinaTaiYogaInstagram: @NavinaTaiYogaMost Influential PersonS. N. Goenka, a Burmese-Indian teacher of Vipassanā meditation. Born in Burma, he moved to India in 1969 and started teaching meditation.Effect on EmotionsIt's helped me maintain a little bit more equanimity in that I get less caught up in the big negatives and less caught up in the big positives and I can maintain a little bit more equilibrium in how I respond.Thoughts on BreathingI think its a great way to educate yourself on restrictions and tensions within your own body and I also think its a great tool as a reset button if you take an extra deep breath whenever you feel stressed or challenged. It just gives you a little bit of space to make other decisions.Suggested ResourcesBook: The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman DoidgeApp: Notes and Calendaring (Taking notes and recording events in a calendar helps me to stay in the present moment)Advice for Newbie Avoid frustration. When you think that it's an unsuccessful meditation, your reaction to that is still part of the mindfulness practice. Step out of the frustration and just keep bringing it back in.