This summer, I had the pleasure of sharing yoga with several lovely humans new to it. Over the course of the week, we slowly built up to doing a Sun Salutation… and here it is.
Note on breathing: There are many, many schools of thought in yoga on how to breathe. For me, the most important part is that you connect your breathing with your movements, meaning that you time your movements to your breath. Whether you’re breathing in or out during a certain movement isn’t as important as that the movement starts when your breath starts. As you begin to breathe in (or out) you begin a movement. Then as you begin to breathe out (or in) you begin the next movement.
What is Mindfulness? (video, 5:17min) Mindfulness expert Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn defines “What is mindfulness?” and discusses the hard work and rewards of practicing mindfulness. Jan 3, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmEo6RI4Wvs
Mindfulness (good, historical description of modern western mindfulness) http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1256544/mindfulness-meditation-adapted-city-life
Why Mindfulness Is a Superpower: An Animation, Dan Harris, TV Anchor and author describes how practicing mindfulness is one of the single most powerful things you can do for your wellbeing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6T02g5hnT4
What Do We Have All Wrong About Meditation? (video, 4:10), Happify video featuring Dan Harris, dispelling 3 myths: meditation is only for weird people, it’s too hard and I don’t have time to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtsdz_jhB7c
What is Mindfulness? (article) – Dr. Danny Penman’s description of mindfulness (how, observing without criticizing, secular, can sit in chairs or practice anywhere, doesn’t take a lot of time, not complicated, increases clarity vs dulling your edge). http://franticworld.com/what-is-mindfulness/
3 Misconceptions About Meditation (article) – Susan Piver, bestselling author and meditation teacher, explains what meditation is by debunking 3 very common meditation myths (stops thinking, makes you peaceful, form of self-help). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-piver/meditation-practice-3-mis_b_594914.htm
State and Trait Mindfulness (article) – By Peter Malinowski. Research on the importance of state mindfulness, “the immediate experience of being mindful”, and dispositional or trait mindfulness, “something more lasting, of generally being more mindful in their lives.” From Meditation Research, Psychological Science of Meditation, June 26, 2015. http://meditation-research.org.uk/2015/06/from-state-to-trait-mindfulness/
Kindness & Compassion
The Three Components of Self-Compassion (video, 6:18min) Dr Kristin Neff, leading compassion researcher, defines self-compassion. She describes the importance of acknowledging a problem first and giving ourselves care and compassion before going into fixing mode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11U0h0DPu7k
TYPES of Meditation
Overview of 23Types (Though the details laid out in this article aren’t all that clear to me, it makes some generalizations that I find helpful. It can provide a good starting point for understanding some of the big differences between some of the different types of meditation.) http://liveanddare.com/types-of-meditation/
Brief Summary of Mindfulness Research Greg Flaxman and Lisa Flook, Ph.D. (Date?) http://marc.ucla.edu/workfiles/pdfs/MARC-mindfulness-research-summary.pdf
Dan Harris: Hack Your Brain’s Default Mode with Meditation (video, 3:43min) Dan Harris, News Correspondent, explains the neuroscience behind meditation, but reminds us that the ancient practice isn’t magic and likely won’t send one floating into the cosmic ooze. He predicts that the exercise will soon become regularly scheduled maintenance, as commonplace as brushing your teeth or eating your veggies. Harris, an ABC News correspondent, was turned on to mediation after a live, on-air panic attack. His latest book is 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help That Actually Works–A True Story, Aug 19, 2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAcTIrA2Qhk
Studies on Short-term Meditators and Executive Attention (Performance Indicator)
Measuring Mindfulness (video, 6min), Dr Judson Brewer, neuroscientist, shares his research on what objects of focus create a state of mindfulness and which do not. Describes mindfulness is a flow state, “Flow is a mental state when a person is fully immersed in the present in a feeling of energized focus.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9JD4APjSs&list=PLbiVpU59JkValOIEIo2Y65mBopHCjKvBo&index=3
Wandering Mind, Not a Happy Mind (article), Steve Bradt, Harvard Gazette, The mind wanders 47% of the time and this typically makes us unhappy. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/wandering-mind-not-a-happy-mind/
The commodification of our attention (article) (our attention as a resource; companies using more and more public space to place advertisements so that we have to pay attention to them and have less and less uncluttered space); New York Times article by MATTHEW B. CRAWFORD Mar 7, 2015 https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/08/opinion/sunday/the-cost-of-paying-attention.html?_r=0
The Brain
Mind the Bump – Mindfulness and how the brain works (video, 3:50min) Smiling Mind’s description of how the brain works (neuroplasticity – the more we worry the better we become at worrying and if we practice being calm, clear and focused we can strengthen these networks too; frontal lobes – when strengthened can manage strong emotions and respond with flexibility; amygdala – monitors stress and anxiety and releases stress hormones; and how mindfulness helps us regulate all of these things, literally changing the structure of the brain. Published on Feb 2, 2015 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNCB1MZDgQA
After watching this, your brain will not be the same (video, 14:24min) Dr Lara Boyd’s TEDxVancouver presentation on her research into neuroplasticity: how our daily behaviors shape our brain, why practice is important and that we all learn differently. This presentation helps us understand how practicing meditation literally shapes our brain – like all of the activities that we do – and why regular practice is important in maintaining the physical structures and mental benefits. This is one of the clearest descriptions of neuroplasticity I’ve ever seen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNHBMFCzznE
Why the brain needs to rest, relax, sleep (& meditate) (article) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mental-downtime/
Mindfulness changes the structure of the brain (several studies, articles)
How Does Meditation Change the Brain? – Instant Egghead #54 (video, 2:23) Ferris Jabr, editor for Scientific American, describes how mindfulness makes connections in brain more robust allowing more synchronized communication between the different parts of the brain. Studies show in expert meditators have a more wrinkly cortex, the outer layer, responsible for it increases the part of the brain responsible sophisticated mental abilities like abstract thought and introspection. Also increases volume and density of hippocampus, crucial for memory. Areas responsible for sustaining attention that usually shrink with age do not decrease in meditators. Improves attention and working memory (store & manipulate information in one’s mind). can sharpen attention, strengthen memory and improve other mental abilities. Scientific American editor Ferris Jabr examines the changes in brain structure behind some of these benefits. Published on Oct 31, 2013 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0DMYs4b2Yw
How Meditation Can Reshape Our Brains (video, 8:24min): Dr. Sara Lazar at TEDxCambridge 2011 (great video by scientist presenting her work, shy presenter, great content) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rRzTtP7Tc
Mindful Meditation and the Brain (video, 6min) Dr. Shauna Spairo, PhD (Greater Good Science Center) Psychologist, researcher, and mindfulness teacher Shauna Shapiro talks about the encouraging research behind meditation and its potential to change the structure of our brains and our level of happiness. (Happiness set points, changing cortical thickness via neuroplasticity, what we practice becomes stronger.) (Meditation makes us happier by changing the interior experience, we rebuild habits that are kinder, less critical.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqgMo1P05E&list=PLfjLuTKS8Rm0mIwFkRVjtADRIhasWlHFH
Decision Fatigue
Willpower and Decision Fatigue James Clear’s article on how we have a limited amount of will power available in a day, as well as decision making capacity and how both of those two thing affect our ability to be effective and make good decisions. http://jamesclear.com/willpower-decision-fatigue
Habit Creation (Scientific Studies)
How to Build a New Habit: This is Your Strategy Guide (article) Author James Clear’s well researched guide on habit formation with his favorite studies cited. His website is well worth reading for those interested in the current science and ideas behind habit formation. http://www.jamesclear.com/habit-guide
How to make stress your friend (video, 14:28), Kelly McGonigal, Psychologist, Presents research that says how we think about stress changes how it effects our bodies. When asked about how to deal with stressful choices, go after what it is that creates meaning in your life and then trust yourself to handle the stress that follows https://www.ted.com/talks/kelly_mcgonigal_how_to_make_stress_your_friend#
Visual infographic illustrating the main idea from the talk above (How to make stress your friend (video, 14:28), Kelly McGonigal) that if you think about stress in a positive way, you change it’s effect on you.
Managing Stress of An Exciting Life (How much stress is too much? Lists indicators of too much stress) VeryWell.com by Elizabeth Scott, MS in Counseling https://www.verywell.com/how-much-stress-3144560
Meditation 101: A Beginner’s Guide Animation (video, 2:01min) Happify animation featuring Dan Harris, news correspondent with a clear explanation of how to do practice mindfulness meditation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqoxYKtEWEc
Dan Harris Meditation Summary (video 3:35m), Dan Harris’s ABC News Nightline report on meditation, why he started, the benefits and how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni2Mxk0YAY0
Wandering Mind, Not a Happy Mind (article), Steve Bradt, Harvard Gazette, The mind wanders 47% of the time and this typically makes us unhappy. http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2010/11/wandering-mind-not-a-happy-mind/
How to work with thoughts (& Emotions, Physical Sensations)
Mindfulness Dissolves Thoughts — Attention Is What’s Left Over, with Jon Kabat-Zinn (video, 5:28), Jon Kakat-Zin, the creator of modern mindfulness practice, on how to work with thoughts. That you don’t need to do anything with them other than watch them. This awareness makes them disappear like soap bubbles. Great video!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvLRheIPY90
Understanding Meditation | Changing perspective (video, 1:36min), Andy Puddicomb for Headspace; How to work with thoughts: Watching thoughts go by like watching passing cars / traffic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xAeJKgupPI
Don’t Try to be Mindful (video, 11:29min), Daron Larson addresses a common misunderstanding about mindfulness practice, that if our meditation is not peaceful and free of thoughts, then we must be doing something wrong (Getting Comfortable with the discomfort). Also, that repeatedly being aware of little things in any moment will create awareness overtime (We’re interrupting the narrative, the litany of thoughts that we get lost in and thus stop noticing what’s happening in the present.) – Thanks to Dave Potter of Palouse Mindfulness Online MBSR Course for highlighting this video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze6t3 or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_27l2hMYvE&index=2&list=PLbiVpU59JkVbNfFyAG4SrC8NGnC0-D4jg
Why Meditate? How not trying to change creates change! (article) Nancy Colier, LCSW, Rev., describes how to work with the mind, and explains why you don’t have to stop thinking in order to practice meditation. Posted in Psychology Today, 2013. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inviting-monkey-tea/201301/why-meditate
All it takes is 10 mindful minutes. (video, 9min, transcript available) – Andy Puddicomb, former Buddhist monk, co-founded Headspace, a project to make meditation more accessible to more people in their everyday lives. Great description of how to work with the mind during mindfulness: don’t need to stop thoughts, instead have a balanced, focused concentration. [If you prefer, the transcript is available on the same page. Click Play and then on “Transcript” at the base of the video, to the right of the title.] http://www.ted.com/talks/andy_puddicombe_all_it_takes_is_10_mindful_minutes
3 Misconceptions About Meditation (article) – Susan Piver, bestselling author and meditation teacher, debunks 3 big meditation myths (stopping thinking, makes you peaceful, self-help). http://www.huffingtonpost.com/susan-piver/meditation-practice-3-mis_b_594914.html
Why We Find it Hard To Meditate (article): Ed & Deb Shapiro,, Addresing common meditaiton road blocks (too busy, can’t sit still, keep thinking, too many distractions/noisy, not seeing benefits, not doing it right/not good at meditating, this is weird/New Age hype) https://palousemindfulness.com/docs/why-we-find-it-hard.pdf
Being Kind to the Mind (This is a way to understand how to notice thoughts versus getting lost in them.)
Preventing Discouragement (video) – Gen Kelsang Rabten (British) Buddhist monk on how to work with the mind during meditation practice. Brilliant. I really appreciate the clarity of this offering. He teaches in Hong Kong at the Kadmapa Centre in Causeway Bay.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbpu2VEu-RE
The Power of Mindfulness: What You Practice Grows Stronger (video, 13:45 min), Shauna Shapiro, PhD. on how mindfulness changes our brain and our experience, plus the importance of paying attention to our inner experience with kindness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeblJdB2-Vo
The Three Components of Self-Compassion (video, 6:18) Dr. Kristin Neff, leading researcher on compassion explains the 3 parts of self-compassion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11U0h0DPu7k
HABIT Formation
See Science, Habit Creation section for more resources
We’re creating a culture of distraction (We are creating and encouraging a culture of distraction where we are increasingly disconnected from the people and events around us and increasingly unable to engage in long-form thinking. People now feel anxious when their brains are unstimulated. We are losing some very important things by doing this. We threaten the key ingredients behind creativity and insight by filling up all our “gap” time with stimulation. And we inhibit real human connection when we prioritize our phones over our the people right in front of us. What can we do about it? Is this path inevitable or can balance be restored?) by Joe Kruss, Partner at Google Ventures in May 2012 http://joekraus.com/were-creating-a-culture-of-distraction
Flow, the secret to happiness (video, 18:51min) Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, psychologist and the creator or the term “flow state” on flow. One of his subjects described flow as “I have nothing to do with what is happening. I just sit there watching… [my body] in a state of awe and wonderment.” Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has contributed pioneering work to our understanding of happiness, creativity, human fulfillment and the notion of “flow” — a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives. A leading researcher in positive psychology, he has devoted his life to studying what makes people truly happy: “When we are involved in [creativity], we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.” He is the architect of the notion of “flow” — the creative moment when a person is completely involved in an activity for its own sake. [ecstacy, Gk, to stand to the side of something.] https://www.ted.com/talks/mihaly_csikszentmihalyi_on_flow#t-323800
Measuring Mindfulness (video, 6min), Dr Judson Brewer, neuroscientist, shares his research on what objects of focus create a state of mindfulness and which do not. Describes mindfulness is a flow state, “Flow is a mental state when a person is fully immersed in the present in a feeling of energized focus.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9JD4APjSs&list=PLbiVpU59JkValOIEIo2Y65mBopHCjKvBo&index=3
A simple way to break a bad habit. Dr. Judson Brewer (video, 9:28min) Describes how being curious about thoughts and feelings can help us deal with them in a better way: less reactive. He supports with his research that mindfulness helps smokers quit 2x more effectively as the gold standard.
You’re Already Awesome. Just Get Out of Your Own Way! (video, 10:20min), Judson Brewer MD, Ph.D. Presentation about how we can watch thoughts and emotions even as strong as addiction. He seems to encourage the use of measuring equipment to help train ourselves. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE1j5Om7g0U
Part 3 of 3: The last thing that every beginner needs to know is that you will keep thinking during your mindfulness meditation practice and THAT IS OK! In fact, thinking is an important part of the practice.
Mindfulness meditation + Thinking = Good Mindfulness Practice!
I know you don’t believe me. I know you think you have to stop thinking in order to be mindful. You believe you aren’t practicing mindfulness when you’re thinking. It’s a common myth and one that’s really hard to let go of… I imagine this is because we come to mindfulness thinking that our thoughts are the problem and we want to get rid of them!
Mindfulness doesn’t get rid of our thoughts. Mindfulness helps us work with our thoughts in a way that makes them less of a problem. Mindfulness doesn’t make the problem of thinking go away, mindfulness makes friends with thinking and turns it into something we work with – not against.
What if you’re knee was misaligned and really painful because you’d been walking in a way that hurt it. You probably wouldn’t want to cut it off. Instead, you could work with it, re-train how you walk and eventually re-align your knee. This is how mindfulness works with your thoughts. We don’t try to cut them out, we train ourselves to work with them in a better way.
And you don’t have to believe me! This is the best part. To find out for yourself, practice for a while, and experience for yourself what the present moment includes for you. Notice if you have thoughts and experience if you are able to be aware of yourself thinking. Experience how this begins to change your relationship with your thoughts.
Here are some simple decisions you’ll want to make to start your mindfulness practice…
What practice to start with and the importance of choosing one that’s right for you. An easy practice to start with is Simple Breath. It’s easy and a good foundation to have as breath is the basis of 85% of all meditation practices that I know of. Other practices to try after that are on Meditation Practices.
Picking a time and place.
Tracking or logging your practice is a great idea if it helps you.
Choosing a posture or position. For more on choosing a posture check out this blog, Is there a proper meditation position? Also, for clear, specific suggestions on a classic sitting posture, check out posture the Zen Way. Have fun exploring with what’s best for you!
Several people have asked me lately what they need to know to start a mindfulness practice, so here are the basics
In Part 1 I share two important concepts to understand when starting: What is mindfulness or presence? and Why is mindfulness important and what are the benefits?
Note that the word mindfulness refers to two things: a state (a la “being mindful”) and also a meditation practice, called mindfulness meditation. The state is what we’re practicing when we do mindfulness meditation.
Summer is filled with wonderful moments! Time with our family, our friends, our favorite past-times.
How can we make these moments last? Easy! Take a deep breath and let it all in. Take a moment to notice all of your senses… what can you feel, hear, see, smell and taste? Breathe in the richness of the moment and let it sink in.
(video 55sec) Here is the third body strength exercise that Personal Trainer, Joey Hunter, challenged me with. She asked me how long can I hold 3 simple exercises & what goes through my mind as I do them?
I decided to see what would happen if I did each exercise a second time while practicing mindfulness. Would it change my experience? Would I be able to hold it longer?
Above is the third exercise, a plank, done ‘normally’ and while voicing my stream if conscious.
Below is me doing it mindfully! (video 1:16min)
Try this yourself! On your hands and the balls of your feet, hold your body as straight as you can and and see how long you can hold it. Then do it while practicing mindfulness meditation and see if you can hold it longer.
(video 49sec) Here is the second body strength exercise that Personal Trainer, Joey Hunter, gave me. She asked me how long can I hold a few simple exercises & what goes through my mind as I do them?
I decided to see what would happen if I did each exercise a second time while practicing mindfulness. Would it change my experience? Would I be able to hold it longer?
Above is the first exercise, a wall squat, done ‘normally’ and while voicing my stream if conscious.
Below is me doing it mindfully! (video 2:04min)
Try this yourself! Put your back against a wall, thighs parallel to the ground and see how long you can hold it. Then do it while practicing mindfulness meditation and see if you can hold it longer.
(video 2:38min) Personal Trainer, Joey Hunter, gave me some body strength challenges: how long can I hold a few simple exercises & what goes through my mind as I do them?
I decided to see what would happen if I did the exercise a second time while practicing mindfulness. Would it change my experience? Would I be able to hold it longer?
Above is the first exercise, a static arm hold, done ‘normally’ and while voicing my stream if conscious.
Below is me doing it mindfully! (video 3:57min)
Try this yourself! Hold a water bottle at arms length & time how long you can hold it. Then do it while practicing mindfulness meditation and see if you can hold it longer.
(video 12:04min) In Part 1 we covered the idea that when we’re practicing mindfulness, and when we’re being mindful we’re going to keep thinking… And that actually we WANT to think (gasp!).
And now we want to know why we’re told during practice that we should “let go of our thoughts”? If thinking is ok, then why do we need to let go of it?
