Once you’ve learned the basics of mindfulness meditation and feel comfortable with the basics of watching the breath and observing the mind, you might be looking for some things to change up your meditation sessions. Try these 5 techniques to expand and deepen your practice: 1. Body Scan / Muscle Relaxation Many of us hold tension in our bodies without…
Like the popularity of yoga in the West, the practice of meditation has gone from being perceived as a fringe eastern subculture to a modern, mainstream methodology recommended by scientists and spiritual seekers scientists alike. While the popularization of mindfulness has provided countless people with newfound clarity, focus, and awareness, with that popularity comes a slew of generalizations and misrepresentations…
The practice of connecting to the Higher Self is unique to everyone, but mindfulness meditation is always a great place to start your journey. So what is meditation? There are a number of variations, but at its core, meditation is simply an act of being and stillness intended to calm our overactive minds. The most common way to do this…
For many people, the idea of sitting in silence and “observing the mind” can sound like a subtle form of torture. But this fear is usually based on an incorrect (or at least, incomplete) idea of what meditation actually is. The many methods and styles of meditation often leave beginners feeling overwhelmed. Rather than getting lost trying to choose the…
The human brain is the most complex of all known living structures. It controls our thoughts, our memory, our speech, and our movement, but perhaps its most amazing ability is to actually change and rewire itself at a cellular level. Let’s say you’re learning to play the guitar. While your conscious mind is trying to remember chord shapes and stings,…
We are predictable creatures of habit, especially when it comes to our thoughts. Did you know that research has shown 95% of our thoughts are repetitive? What’s even more alarming is of those thoughts, close to 80% of them tend to be negative in nature, rooted in the survival instinct that forces us to constantly look over our shoulder and…
Sometimes, the effort to embrace neutrality and minimalism can be a refreshing way of letting go and relaxing into a clean, restful atmosphere that isn’t overstimulating. In the wellness world, there is often an over-emphasis on “clearing,” “cleansing,” and “letting go,” when in fact what we might actually be craving is the opposite of that feeling. Nourishment of the senses…
Meditation is the most powerful tool we have at our disposal for connecting with our Higher Selves. Through reflection and stillness, we can unlock our highest potential, resolve our lower characteristics, and draw upon the deep wisdom within us. But spending 30 minutes sitting still (let alone hours) is not easy, and getting started is often the hardest part. Make…
Some of the world’s top athletes are frequent meditators: Olympian and professional tennis player Novak Djokovic practices 15 minutes of mindful meditation a day, and other practitioners include A-list competitors like Lebron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Misty May, Tom Brady, and Derek Jeter. So what exactly does meditation do that makes it so popular among elite competitors? While the physical challenges…