How Do I listen to Life?

Hello life, what do you want to tell me? There are moments in life when we owe it to ourselves to stop and listen to what really matters. When we hear what life is telling us, we can make choices that help us increase our level of well-being and satisfaction. We have two powerful waysContinue reading “How Do I listen to Life?”

Mindfulness & Self-care

Self-care is an important part of wellness. Many of us take care of others (humans, animals, plants), but do we take the time to take care of ourselves? And what does that self-care look like? When we take care of someone, we are ultimately giving them our attention. In fact, one might even argue thatContinue reading “Mindfulness & Self-care”

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 Connect with the Breath?

All day long, we’re busy going about our day. But no matter what we’re doing, what’s happening around us, how we’re feeling inside, the breath is always there, in the background. In our mindfulness practice, we’ve come to have more awareness of and appreciation for the breath. Many of us have noticed that, when weContinue reading “How Do I Connect with the Breath?”

How Do I Stop Daydreaming During Meditation?

Daydreaming is a very common human mental activity. A large-scale study found that people spend 47% of their waking hours daydreaming! What is daydreaming? When we daydream, our mind is wandering into the past, future, or fantasy. Daydreaming is a way of escaping from the present moment. When we are daydreaming, we are not inContinue reading “How Do I Stop Daydreaming During Meditation?”

How is Mindfulness Related to Buddhism?

Mindfulness is ubiquitous these days. From healthcare and education to executive leadership, it is held up as a powerful practice that can help unlock the deep reservoirs of resilience and confidence that we all have inside. But what is mindfulness and where did it come from? “Mindfulness” is a term/technique extracted from Buddhism, which originatedContinue reading “How is Mindfulness Related to Buddhism?”

How Do I Pay Attention?

“Attention” comes from the Latin word attendere, which means “to attend.” That is a big clue in terms of what it means for mindfulness practice! Mindfulness is simply paying attention to what’s happening right now. To pay attention to this moment means to attend this moment. What does it mean to “attend this moment?” Well,Continue reading “How Do I Pay Attention?”

How Do I Live in the Present?

Many people come to mindfulness practice because they want to learn how to live in the present more. The mindfulness technique is noticing when we are wrapped up in the future or the past, when our mind is caught up somewhere else, and then letting those thoughts go, and coming back to the present. TheContinue reading “How Do I Live in the Present?”

Is Mindfulness the Same as Meditation?

Some people say that mindfulness is the a type of meditation. Some say that meditation is a type of mindfulness. Both are true. Mindfulness is simply present-moment awareness, so it can be done in the format of sitting meditation, or it can be done in everyday activity such as walking, eating, or exercising. From thatContinue reading “Is Mindfulness the Same as Meditation?”

What is the Difference Between Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practice?

Formal practice is the soil, and informal practice is the harvest that comes out of the soil. Formal mindfulness practice is the time we set aside each day to practice the formal mindfulness technique – bringing our attention to the present moment, bringing our attention to the breath. When our mind wanders, we notice theContinue reading “What is the Difference Between Formal and Informal Mindfulness Practice?”