hangruan108

How Do I Work with Strong Emotions?

Mindfulness practice is simply watching everything appear and disappear in this moment. Emotions, like everything else, appear and disappear on their own. With mindfulness training, we can just watch them come and go, without getting pulled in different directions. Emotions become difficult and create suffering when they are not able to come and go naturally,Continue reading “How Do I Work with Strong Emotions?”

How Do I Let Go of Thoughts?

First step in letting go of thoughts is to notice them. Being aware that we are wrapped up in thoughts instead of being in the present. Thoughts include all mental constructs/activities: Concepts Imagery Stories Fantasies Ongoing commentary Planning Worrying Memories Judgment Thoughts about thoughts In summary, thoughts are anything the mind does that pulls usContinue reading “How Do I Let Go of Thoughts?”

Why Do I Often Notice Tension in My Body During Meditation?

When we simply pay attention in a nonjudgmental way, we notice more than things about ourselves and our environment. Oftentimes, we may notice some tension in the body. Tightness in the shoulders and chest. Tension in the gut and abdomen. Tightness in the face, jaw, and neck. Tension in the back, hips, and limbs. ClenchingContinue reading “Why Do I Often Notice Tension in My Body During Meditation?”

What is Nonjudgmental Awareness?

Nonjudgmental awareness is seeing reality without filters. It means connecting with our experience in an unfiltered way. Most of us have used or worked with filters in daily life. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of filters: Those that distort/change the original content (e.g., camera filters) Those that let some things through but not othersContinue reading “What is Nonjudgmental Awareness?”

How Do I Work with Fear and Anxiety?

Practicing mindfulness with fear and anxiety is to bring nonjudgmental awareness to our experience in the present moment. That means paying attention to our fear and anxiety in a particular way, consistent with the mindfulness technique. We typically do two things with thoughts and emotions, or anything that arises in our consciousness: Hold on toContinue reading “How Do I Work with Fear and Anxiety?”

How Do I Silence My Mind?

Mindfulness is nonjudgmental awareness of present moment. It’s not about getting rid of thoughts. It’s not about silencing the mind. It’s not about keeping thoughts away or preventing thoughts from arising. It’s about noticing when thoughts come up, and letting them go. We do this over and over and over again, with patience and compassionContinue reading “How Do I Silence My Mind?”

Why is Meditation Posture Important?

Posture supports the activity we are engaging in. Everything we do involves posture. Whether we are playing sports (tennis, golf) or performing a musical instrument (guitar, cello), posture is an important part of our engagement in the activity. Even everyday activities such as washing dishes or gardening involve posture. In mindfulness meditation, posture helps usContinue reading “Why is Meditation Posture Important?”

How Do I Develop Mindfulness Skills?

The mindfulness technique works. If you do the technique correctly and consistently, you will get the result. Mindfulness is simply paying attention to the present moment. It is a skill we can learn and strengthen. Repetition, or training, is an important part of the process. In order to grow in mindfulness practice, it is importantContinue reading “How Do I Develop Mindfulness Skills?”

Why Do We Focus on the Breath?

Mindfulness is paying attention to what is happening right now. And the breath is always happening right now. The breath is always with us, anywhere we go. When we connect with breath, we connect with the present. The breath is a great teacher. It is already teaching us everything we need to know about mindfulnessContinue reading “Why Do We Focus on the Breath?”

Why Does the Present Moment Matter?

Because the present is all that we really have. We don’t really have the future – it hasn’t arrived. We don’t really have the past – it’s already gone. Everything we need is in the present. For instance, the food and water that we need, we can only ingest them in the present moment, whenContinue reading “Why Does the Present Moment Matter?”