Blog

Inquiries into yoga, meditation, sound, and related practices that cultivate peacefulness and clarity

 

Cultivating a Healthy Mind at Work

June 27, 2022
Hacking Culture logo plus the words Stephanie Wagner on Cultivating Healthy Minds at Work
In a recent episode on Hacking Culture I interviewed Stephanie Wagner from Healthy Minds Innovations about their Health Minds @Work program, "hacking the mind," and tools that cultivate and measure well-being. We discussed various critiques of workplace wellness programs and how Healthy Minds might be able to support your company or organization. This article explores a few of the topics we discussed.

It's Time to Celebrate the International Day of Yoga

June 21, 2022
Blue Roll-Up Yoga Mat on a White Background, for fitness and meditation, with the title "international day of yoga"

In 2014 the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 the "International Day of Yoga" and it has been celebrated annually on June 21 ever since. Because so many people around the world embraced yoga to stay healthy and fight social isolation during the pandemic, the theme for 2022 is "yoga for humanity." How can you not like a day that is literally for humanity (the most abundant and widespread species of primate on the planet)?

Passionate about Your Job? Here’s Why That Might Not Be Good for You

May 25, 2022
Positive senior man in eyeglasses showing thumbs up and looking at camera
You might wish you were more passionate about your job. Or that you had the kind of job you could at least imagine being passionate about. Something that made you jump out of bed in the morning, excited about a new day filled with fist pumps and joy. But psychologists differentiate between two types of work-related passion – and they may not both appeal, even if you’re more than a little fed up with your current role.

How to Reduce Digital Distractions: Advice from Medieval Monks

May 23, 2022
Monk drinking from a bowl and filling a pitcher
Medieval monks had a terrible time concentrating. And concentration was their lifelong work! Their tech was obviously different from ours. But their anxiety about distraction was not. They complained about being overloaded with information, and about how, even once you finally settled on something to read, it was easy to get bored and turn to something else.

Body Scans and Action Crises

April 11, 2022
Man in green shirt and blue knit cap sitting on floor
When we encounter difficulties in the pursuit of our most important goals, we must decide to either continue our pursuit or give up. These moments when we must make a choice are called "action crises." At these key points in our life, people make lists of pros and cons, talk to trusted friends and family, or perhaps carve out some time alone to just think. Another method for coping with goal-related difficulties is to practice body scan meditation.

Managing Stress with Body Scan Meditation

March 29, 2022
Peaceful lady sitting in meditation

Stress is a physical and emotional reaction that people experience as they encounter changes in life. Stress is a normal feeling. However, long-term stress may contribute to, or worsen, a range of health problems including digestive disorders, headaches, sleep disorders, and other symptoms. Stress may worsen asthma and has been linked to depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.

Is Group Meditation Right for You?

March 3, 2022
Diverse group of people meditating together

Meditation offers a wide variety of benefits, whether you use an app, watch recorded videos, live streams, or practice alone. Meditation with a group can provide a useful support to your practice and amplify the benefits of meditating alone. When you practice in a group, you might feel accountable to other members of the group or less likely to drop your meditation practice when life starts to get chaotic.