Tag: practice
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OCD as Meditation Practice: When a Compulsion Becomes a Mantra
In the case of tracing a pattern in the carpet, the mind settles almost naturally. By meeting the movement with awareness rather than resistance, I can deepen my practice in real time. I am not pulled toward the experience or pushed away from it. The internal commentary quiets. What remains is direct contact with the…
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Your Mind and Unwelcome Guests
“The mind is not attacking us. It is doing exactly what it was built to do, rehearse old pain in the hope of preventing new pain. The freedom comes when we finally realize we do not have to invite every thought inside and give it the run of the house.”
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The Science of Staying Awake While Trying to Sleep.
Or, “I Thought I Was Practicing Self-Care. Turns Out, I Was Practicing Insomnia.” For years, I believed I had the perfect bedtime ritual. TV until 10. Phone until 11. Fireplace blazing like a luxury lodge. Weighted blankets, flannel sheets, and a room warm enough to grow orchids. Two dogs, two cats, one husband, and a…
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Are Your Habits a Kind Way of Maintaining Your Addictions?
What if the routines we call healthy habits are simply a kind way of maintaining addiction? Questioning the Question There is no shortage of best-selling titles encouraging us to build better habits. Wake early, journal, meditate, work out, repeat. These routines can be helpful. But ask yourself: Can you easily say no to one of…
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Painted Tigers: Meeting Fear with Mindfulness
When Joseph Goldstein speaks about fear, he often invokes a vivid image from Zen lore, the painted tiger. A monk once painted a tiger so lifelike that when he stepped back to admire his work, he became terrified of it. Goldstein says, “We paint pictures in our minds of what will be, and then become…
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Five Simple Ways to Begin a Mindfulness Practice
Starting a mindfulness practice doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, the most powerful practices are often the simplest. Below are five ways you can bring mindfulness into your everyday life, each connected to a common challenge many of us face. 1. Mindfulness for Pain When discomfort arises, our instinct is often to resist or…
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What’s on Your Mind?
It’s possible to find a number of different definitions for the word, ‘mindfulness’. One of the clearest I’ve heard is, ‘Mindfulness is simply a non-judgmental awareness of your moment-to-moment experience’. It sounds simple, yet most of us know how quickly our minds fill with thoughts, distractions, and worries. In this blog, we’ll explore what mindfulness…
