Meditations

Appreciation For Ourselves and Others — A Guided Practice

In this guided practice, we begin by appreciating ourselves. Then we bring to mind someone we care about and appreciate one of their good qualities; next we move on to someone we don’t really know but with whom we interact with in our daily lives and appreciate one of their good qualities. We end by appreciating a good quality of someone with whom we have a difficult or challenging relationship. Making the practice of appreciation part of each and every interaction we have during our day is life changing, enriching our moment-to-moment experience and supporting our well-being.

Focused Attention on the Breath — A Short Guided Meditation

In this very short guided meditation , we simply focus our attention on the breath. This practice calms the nervous system and increases our ability to concentrate. Do it daily. It will change your life.

Opening to Kindness Through Self Investigation — A Guided Meditation

In this guided meditation we bring to mind someone we consider “other,” or someone we hold a grudge against, or someone we have a bias towards. While holding a situation that involves the person we have chosen in our mind’s eye, we recognize what is alive about the situation–emotions, bodily sensations, thoughts, images, and judgements. We allow whatever arises with equanimity–that state of balance, evenness, and non-judgemental big picture scope. We investigate by listening deeply, peeling back the layers, allowing each new layer to arise and come forward with equanimity. We give ourselves self-compassion, letting ourselves know, whatever comes forward is “OK,” and we repeat phrases of loving kindness to ourselves, to allow that self-compassion time and space to sink in. This practice is very healing and freeing. When we are able to be with the darkness, the light comes streaming through.

Open Awareness of What’s Arising in the Moment — A Guided Meditation

In this meditation we open our awareness to bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions as they arise and predominate in our awareness, softly mentally noting as we observe them. We also practice noting the feeling tone–pleasant, unpleasant, neutral– of whatever predominates in our awareness. We use the breath as our anchor. At any time, we are reminded, we can return to focused attention on the breath. And, then, return to open awareness when it feels right to do so.

Cultivating Equanimity — A Guided Meditation

In this meditation we cultivate equanimity through the open awareness of body, breath, bodily sensations, thoughts, and emotions as these predominate in our experience. We strengthen equanimity by noting the feeling tone of experience as it arises, by noting the attitude of mind as experience arises and falls, and by noting whether the mind is reactive or non-reactive.

Feeling Tone — A Guided Meditation

In this meditation on Feeling Tone, we first are mindful of bodily sensations as they arise noting the feeling tone (pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral) of each sensation as it arises. Then, once our minds are more steady, we open our awareness to whatever is arising noticing the feeling tone of each sensory experience. We practice mental noting of feeling tone as a way to help us keep our concentration. In this way we train our minds.

What Is My Intention — A Guided Meditation

Setting an Intention helps us to focus our energy and answers the question, “Why am I here?” When we have an intention it is easier for us to stick with our practice and make it part of something we do regularly.