What happens when you take stock of your day, your life, your purpose? What is the nature of the language you use with yourself? Most of us tend to be harsh and critical of how we are conducting our life. We easily spiral into self-talk of “shoulds:” I should be more...
“May you be happy…” Have you heard this phrase before? It is one of several phrases that might be used in the loving-kindness meditation practice. Others include: may you feel safe, may you be healthy, may you be at peace, and may you live with ease. What is your...
During challenges, I seek refuge in the wilderness. Nothing extravagant – usually a solo hike, sometimes an overnight trip. Physical exertion is a key component – I enjoy a bit of challenge to get me out of my head. At my age, it doesn’t take much: a couple of miles,...
On the final day of a multi-week class, a participant asked a question that I’ve pondered for some time. These are not the exact words, but the query was essentially, “Is there a hierarchy of meditation practices? In this class, did we start with the most basic or...
Last month I wrote about the practice of walking meditation and how this daily activity, or something similar, can be woven into one’s regular mindfulness practice. In this month’s article, I’ll expand on my explanation of walking meditation by presenting some...
If you’ve completed a Mindfulness Northwest multi-week course or attended a meditation retreat, you have likely practiced walking meditation. It is a foundational meditation practice, but at first glance, might be viewed as simply a break from sitting....
Definition: Reification: to make something abstract more concrete or real; to consider or represent something abstract as a material or concrete thing; to give definite content and form to a concept or idea. We humans come equipped with an amazing mind – a mind that...
Open Awareness is the practice of stabilizing attention with a broad, wide-open focus that allows mental objects, sensations, and sensory experiences to come and go. All mindfulness-based practices are oriented towards stabilizing attention. Sometimes a stable...
The R.A.I.N. practice is a 4-step process for meeting the challenges of life in a spacious, curious, reflective way. The four steps of rain are: (1) recognize, (2) accept and allow, (3) investigate, and (4) non-identification with the challenge. We've been amazed by...
Meditations using imagery and symbols can be powerful. The Mountain Meditation envisions your experience as that of a mountain: stable and solid but also always changing. This classic practice, popularized by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is often included in our Mindfulness-Based...
In strengthening the ability to be present and grounded, "anchoring" attention with felt present-moment experience is deeply helpful. While many practices do this using breath as the object of attention, the anchoring meditation helps you explore other options. These...
In this core meditation practice, we direct attention to the sensations associated with breathing as our bodies inhale and exhale. This practice is a powerful tool for grounding in our experience of the present moment. Other breath practices like Breath Counting and...
