As we devote more time to meditation practice, we begin to taste what it’s like to be in the present moment. We gain a deeper appreciation for being in the moment, but we also notice how often we get pulled away from the moment by our thoughts and fantasies. At this point, we ask, “howContinue reading “How Do I Stay in the Moment?”
Author Archives: hangruan108
Why Do I Get Sleepy During Meditation?
Mindfulness meditation activates the rest and digest response of our parasympathetic nervous system, so we often feel relaxed during meditation practice. When we are relaxed, it’s easy to doze off, especially if we are tired or sleep-deprived. That’s very natural. In fact, falling asleep during meditation is very common. This tendency is so common thatContinue reading “Why Do I Get Sleepy During Meditation?”
How Do I Quiet the Monkey Mind?
“Monkey mind” is a Buddhist term likening our mind to the restless and unsettled nature of a monkey. Our mind is always jumping around, grabbing at different things, and never staying still. How do we slow down this monkey mind? The good news is, we don’t have to slow it down. All we have toContinue reading “How Do I Quiet the Monkey Mind?”
How Do I Work with Procrastination?
Procrastination is a very common human experience and tendency. With small things or big things, we can at times not want to deal with it at the moment, and defer to a future time instead. It’s good to have that flexibility, but when we keep putting things off that need to be done, anxiety canContinue reading “How Do I Work with Procrastination?”
Is Meditation a Form of Escape?
Meditation is often portrayed as a state of peace and calm. With some practice, we do tend to get a taste of being grounded and relaxed. But, however reassuring that feels, we also quickly learn that this feeling does not last forever. Some of us might start to view meditation as a way to recreateContinue reading “Is Meditation a Form of Escape?”
What is Mindful Eating?
Most of us love food and enjoy eating. We turn to food not only for nourishment, but also for celebration, social connection, and emotional comfort. Food and eating encompass such a huge part of our lives, but how often are we actually aware and attentive of what and how we are eating? Mindful eating, asContinue reading “What is Mindful Eating?”
How Do I Work with Boredom?
Mindfulness practice is simply paying attention to this moment and watching everything that appears and disappears in our mind. Sometimes this practice can lead a sense of relaxation and calm. Sometimes it can lead to a sense of boredom and resistance. So what do we do when we find ourselves feeling bored during meditation? ThatContinue reading “How Do I Work with Boredom?”
How Do I Develop Acceptance?
Human beings have likes and dislikes. When confronted with an experience that we dislike, we often do what we can to prevent, avoid, or minimize it. Whether it is an internal experience like emotions/sensations or an external experience like social interaction, if it makes us uncomfortable, we have countless ways to avoid it. What happensContinue reading “How Do I Develop Acceptance?”
Why Can’t I Get Meditation Right?
Once upon a time, a young fish in a pond asked an elderly fish: “Where can I find the water? I’ve been looking all around for the water, and I just can’t find it.” The elderly fish laughed and said, “You are already in the water! You are surrounded by water, and always have been.”Continue reading “Why Can’t I Get Meditation Right?”
How Do I Practice with Uncertainty?
The human mind is very good at collecting and analyzing information in order to generate knowledge and understanding. Not only do we have a thirst for knowledge, we also crave certainty. We love certainty so much that we even figured out a way to be certain about how uncertain we are about something — confidenceContinue reading “How Do I Practice with Uncertainty?”
Mindfulness FAQ 