Meditation

Scientific studies have shown that meditation has many benefits—calming the mind and body, promoting general well-being, even increasing brain cells in certain areas of the brain....

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? How do they usually pan out for you? The new year seems like a good time to start with a...

It’s 3:00 am. You’re wide awake, mind racing. You might be worried about paying your mortgage. You might be puzzling over something someone said to you...

“It is through the body that everything comes to the mind. It is through and with your body that you have to reach realization of being...

In the early 1990s, when I was just a few years into vipassana meditation practice, I sat a 10-day silent retreat. It was my fourth such...

Some traditions of yoga recognize the “seasons” of people’s lives. These traditions advocate for allowing your practice to evolve according to your season. Here’s how it...

In the past few months, I’ve been exploring metta (kindness) meditation in this blog. The first installment covered practicing kindness for an easy being—someone, human or...

Images of meditation have become ubiquitous. In the past, meditation was depicted as something that was confined to monks in the East. You know the images—...

Yoga is everywhere these days. Not only do studios abound in most cities, but asana classes can also be found in health clubs, schools and even...

Round meditation cushions—zafus—are standard fare in most yoga and meditation spaces. For many people, these cushions do the job. They elevate the pelvis to make it...

Most people learn pretty quickly that comfort is crucial when you practice sitting meditation. Maintaining your natural spinal curves in meditation is the key to ease...

Recently I had a wonderful opportunity to work with new police recruits. Self-care and resiliency skills are imperative in our world. What better way to serve...

Do you find sitting meditation uncomfortable? You’re not alone. For many people, the traditional posture, sitting cross-legged, is not ideal. The good news is that cross-legged...

On every silent Insight Meditation retreat I’ve attended—at The Last Resort in Southern Utah, or at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California—meals have always been...

Mindfulness for a New Year I want to say at the outset that I’ve never been big on New Year’s resolutions. It’s not that resolving to...

Just Sitting Our lives are so busy, so rushed. Sometimes it’s hard to find a moment to sit still. It’s one of the reasons that I...

What Does Mindfulness Have to Do with Anything? Patricia has been coming to my yoga classes for more than 15 years. Last week while we were...

Use a Sukasana Cushion for Ease in “Easy Pose” In some ways you could call sitting meditation the ultimate vacation. When you make the effort to step...