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What practice should I start with? Essential Practice I
Two foundational or basic practices are often taught in an introduction to mindfulness meditation course. The first is a body scan, and the second is mindfulness of breathing. There are many guided examples of both of these. I like to start with mindfulness of breath as calming the breath turns down our fight or flight Continue reading
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How do I build a meditation practice?
Building a strong regular meditation practice is like building any other habit. We build all kinds of habits through repetition, attention, and, experiencing some reward. For instance, we build the habit of brushing our teeth starting when we are children. First, because we are told to by our parents, reaping the reward of pleasing them. Continue reading
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Why is it important to work with basic mindfulness practices?
With any skill we want to master it is important to lay a strong foundation for that skill. The same holds true with the practice of mindful meditation. To become an excellent basketball player, we must practice the basics of running, catching and throwing the ball, guarding our opponents, etc. Becoming a good cook or Continue reading
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What is mindfulness meditation?
Three concepts are tied up in the phrase “mindfulness meditation.” Meditation, mindfulness, and mindfulness meditation. Let me start by talking about meditation in general. Many types of meditation are available, and mindfulness meditation is simply one. Meditation is a technique used to train attention and awareness. Many things qualify as meditation, including movement practices such Continue reading
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Is guided meditation bad to use?
It isn’t. Guided meditations are recommended for anyone new to meditation. Using guided meditations can also be useful for learning a new type of practice or to have a different experience. Whenever I teach, I guide meditation so students can learn the basic outline of how to practice. We often repeat guided meditation so students Continue reading
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What is the definition of mindfulness?
Jon Kabat-Zin, a famous mindfulness teacher and author of Full Catastrophe Living, defined mindfulness this way: paying attention in the moment, on purpose, without judgment “Paying attention” “means moving our attention and focus into the present moment where we can experience all that is happening right now. We all have the experience of not paying Continue reading
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What does mindfulness meditation do?
I love this question! It is direct, gets to the heart of things, and is tricky. First, the tricky – mindfulness meditation doesn’t do anything. It is an activity that only creates benefits if we use it. In other words, if we practice. I think of the practice of mindfulness meditation as being similar to Continue reading
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Welcome!
I bet you have lots and lots of questions about meditation and mindfulness. I sure did when I started, some 20 years ago. These posts help answer your questions about most things related to mindfulness, meditation, and living a mindful life. This blog is for you if . . . . . . you Continue reading
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Being Present 