meditation

In this meditation you will explore your inner desires and purpose. You will explore the feeling of desire in your body, imagine the your desire has been completely fulfilled, and then go a little bit deeper before considering the actual state of the present moment.

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This meditation begins with a body scan to help calm the mind and body. Then we open our awareness to all the senses, and rest in an awareness that reminds us of the ever-changing nature of life.

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The opposite of the stress response is the relaxation response. The relaxation response essentially turns off the fight-or-flight response. Meditation, breathing exercises, tai chi, and related practices can all be highly effective in calming the body. In this meditation you will focus on any single point that feels pleasurable.

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Our bodies sense the world all day long, and yet it can be easy to ignore those signals as we move through daily life. In this meditation, pay attention to our senses, including sounds, smells, and touch and observe the effects. We notice if senses are pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral without trying to change them.

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In this practice, you will count your breath in order to stay anchored in the present moment, aware of what is happening in your body and mind.

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In this meditation we explore the connections between our bodies, our breath, and the rest of the world. This calming practice can serve as a reminder that you are not alone and that your life is deeply dependent on the world around you.

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In this practice, you visualize your heart as a warm, glowing source of light. With each in-breath, the light begins to glow a bit more brightly, filling your body, your surroundings, and eventually the whole planet. This practices can help you sense your inter-connectedness with all beings on this earth.

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In this mindfulness exercises we will examine our bodies as the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind. These four elements represent the qualities of solidity, cohesion, temperature, and motion. This practice can help you quiet your mind and allow you to learn more about yourself.

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In this meditation, we start with focused attention to encourage feelings of calm and relaxation. They we observe the flowing nature of the present moment and allow space to cultivate a sense of non-grasping, or surrender. This practice allows you to develop your capacity to be in the here and now.

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One kind of meditation that has been show to be effective for reducing stress is a form of mindfulness meditation called body scan meditation, in which the practitioner focuses their attention on the various parts of their body. Body scan meditation is one of the techniques that the Buddha taught and it continues to be taught in many different present-day settings. Body scan meditation — which can be performed sitting, lying down, or in other positions — is frequently used in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs.

More information about body scan meditations is available at https://matthewtift.com/managing-stress-body-scan-meditation. To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/48. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.