meditation


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Episode Number
73
Our society conditions us to be "human doings" rather than "human beings." But what might it be like to let go of our TODO lists, our goals, and our compulsion to always be "doing"? In this meditation we pause to feel the body and attune to our feelings in this moment.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/73. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Episode Number
71
Many of us get so wrapped up in ideas of trying to "become"" or to "get rid of" that we fail to notice the moments in our life. This meditation uses a quote by the wise sage, Dr. Seuss, to help us wake up to the present moment: "Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you!"

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/71. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Episode Number
70
This guided meditation uses imagery to relax the body. Your mind is represented as blue sky illuminated by rays of light. This practice is intended to bring about feelings of nourishment, protection, and relaxation.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/70. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Bike leaning against a bench in a park

I'm not sure what to call it. Biking meditation. Bike yoga. Meditation in motion. Meditative biking. Maybe just mindfulness meditation while biking.

But I know something happens on my bike. Riding by myself, unplugged, no earbuds, outside in nature feels good. It relaxes me. It helps me let go of concerns about the future or past. If I have a problem I've been trying to solve, I often arrive home from a ride with a solution. Especially if I was not trying to solve the problem.

Episode Number
69
Psychologists use the phrase "decentering" to denote the difference between our thoughts and reality. It's a practice the removes you from the center of your thinking. In this meditation we practice a variety of decentering techniques designed to help shift from a self-centered perspective to a nature-centered perspective.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/69. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Episode Number
68
In this meditation, we examine the body as four elements: the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the air element. This practice provides a method to go into the body based on material conditions. Not the stories the mind tells about the body. Not judgments. The reality of this moment. This practice can help us learn to let go of attachments and judgements about ourselves and other people

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/68. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Episode Number
67
Sometimes loving-kindness meditations focus on categories of people, starting with you, and then moving to someone who is easy to love, then family, friends, acquaintances, people that you do not like, people you've never met, etc. Other times, loving-kindness meditations take a more geographical approach, such as starting with you, the people you live with, neighbors, people that live in the same city, state, nation, or world, etc. In this meditation, we drop most of those categories and focus on the feeling of loving-kindness.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/67. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Matthew meditating on a rock near a river

Last weekend I attended a 4-day retreat put on by a nonprofit organization called onelove.yoga. The title of the retreat was: "Moments of Silence Yoga and Meditation Retreat to Grand Marais." As is often the case for me with meditation retreats, I left feeling nourished. Even better, I had a breakthrough. I realized why this weekend led to feelings of relaxation, renewal, and joy.