What happens when you are having a tough time, when you're experiencing difficult emotions? Here I'd like to talk through two of our conditioned patterns and then offer two beneficial ways to respond to ourselves during those challenging times
Read MoreAs a teacher of mindfulness and meditation, I often honored to host people who have never meditated before, or never in a group setting. It is such a treat to offer a meditation, and to witness what it is like for people. Many times, people try to put into words what they’re feeling afterward… and find it difficult.
Read MoreWhen I first started meditating about 15 years ago, sitting on the tiled floor of my apartment in the little mountain town of Ifrane, Morocco, where I was working as an English instructor, I didn’t have a meditation teacher or a course, and this was before the time when apps and recordings for learning to meditate were so widely available.
Read MoreHere's the simplest way to feel more happiness in your life: LET YOURSELF BE HAPPY! We know this, but we sometimes forget: little lovely moments are happening every single day. Do we let them skitter by, or do we scoop them them up in our arms?
Read MoreSeasons come and go, of course—that’s true for weather, and that’s true for our own lives and inner experiences. I wanted to share with you a simple practice that has been helpful to me personally and in our Flourish and Bloom Collective calls recently.
Read MoreMaybe you or someone you know is wondering what's the big deal about meditation. What does it actually do? Why is it helpful? There are so many reasons... and here are 11 great reasons to meditate.
Read MoreAn intense focus on being different, being better—especially when it is sourced in "not enough," rather than springing from self-love—can lead us to judge ourselves more harshly, being ashamed of ourselves for our humanity. In the push for a total renovation, we can discount the small but important steps that we’re taking. What if our resolution for 2023 was to get to know ourselves more intimately— with the aim of fully inhabiting who we really are?
Read MoreIn this visualization, the art gallery can be our life, composed of myriad moments—the dark shadowy experiences and the unforgettable bright spots… as well as the little glimpses of beauty and sweetness in a smile, a kind word, or a sunset.
Read MoreI now begin almost every meditation that I lead with the letting-go breath. I use it myself at the beginning of my morning meditations, and most importantly, I use the letting-go breath all throughout the day, whenever I need to slow myself down, put the brakes on rising anxiety or panic, or clear my head from overwhelm.
Read MoreImagine two versions of you. Both versions of you are living through an unprecedented pandemic. Both versions of you are living in an imperfect, often scary and disturbing world, on a personal as well as a global level. See one version of you walking down a path.
Read MoreA walk outside can feel like a respite, a place to breathe and regroup… and if we’re open to it, what we experience outdoors can invite learning and insight that we can carry with us back into our human communities.
Read MoreThe other day I went wading at the edge of the ocean. Just knee-deep in the water, I felt invigorated by the cold and the surprisingly strong pull of the waves. At one point, I looked up and saw an otter pop up out of the surf just a few feet in front of me. Otter looked right at me… and I waved hello.
Read MoreHave you ever felt completely overwhelmed… but in a good way? Last spring, I got to take my mom on a road trip to celebrate her 70th birthday, and the high point of our trip was visiting the Tule Elk Reserve in Point Reyes National Seashore. As we traveled potholed roads through the middle of nowhere toward the edge of a continent, I was on the edge of my seat. I was so excited to see elk, but I kept trying to manage my expectations. Maybe we wouldn’t see any elk and that would be just fine.
Read MoreLet me tell you a story. It began back in August, when I started reading the literature for my Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide training. One of the books that I read first was “What the Robin Knows” by Jon Young. Here I learned so much about bird behavior, like how crows “mob” larger birds like hawks.
Read More“I recently had a magical experience. While being guided through a 10-minute “Outdoor Refresher” mindfulness meditation, I was able to see with fresh eyes, and became completely enchanted by the world around me. It felt as if my senses had been reawakened, and my childlike awe rekindled.” (by Myra Goodman)
Read MoreThe other day I made a strange, but now beloved purchase: I bought a long-handled “grabber.” I had never imagined myself needing a tool like this… and yet I’ve found myself wanting this for a few months now. It all began with a Sit Spot…
Read MoreFor a lot of us, being outside equals moving – walking, hiking, running, swimming, biking. I love these activities, AND from that go, go go, hike, hike, hike, walk, walk, walk, I have begun to really sloooooooow down.
Read MoreEver since I was very young I’ve loved being outside. But I don't think I ever understood the power and necessity of the medicine of the outdoors until I was heartsick.
Read MoreI don’t see us throwing our phones into the ocean and going back to simpler times! And anyway, it’s this kind of all-or-nothing thinking that prevents us from figuring out the complex and nuanced question for ourselves: How can we find our way to engaging responsibly with technology with regard to our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health?
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