meditation

This Sunday, September 12, will be the grand reopening of the new Spirit of the Lake studio at 6140 Lake Linden Drive in Shorewood. There will be free outdoor classes and in-studio classes running throughout the day, as well as chair massages, free hourly give-aways, and an opportunity to connect with the Spirit of the Lake yoga community. Sign up online to save your spot as the indoor classes are limited.

Guided meditation for all? You betcha! I started a new meditation podcast called Pretty Good Meditation.

Previously I have offered live guided meditations through Spirit of the Lake, in assorted settings at Lullabot, in a combined Yoga & Meditation class, as well as in prisons, churches, and other settings. Some people have asked about additional opportunities for guided meditation, and a podcast seems like the most accessible format for me to provide a consistent stream of guided meditations.

Mindfulness as a general awareness of the present moment receives a lot of attention these days. This kind of awareness is sometimes labeled "bare attention" or "present moment awareness." Some, however, teach mindfulness as one aspect of a practice that aims to do more. In certain yoga traditions, for instance, the ultimate goal is to still the fluctuations of the mind. Paradoxically, the most effective way to still the mind often requires more than just sitting still, and finding out what methods work requires experimentation. This article explores one method that many people find useful to cultivate mindfulness: the simile of the gatekeeper.

Starting tomorrow, I will be teaching a new "Morning Yoga & Meditation" class (online) at Spirit of the Lake on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30am to 7:30am Central. No previous experience is required for this class, which includes a 15-20 minute guided mindfulness meditation and a Hatha yoga practice. All aspects of this class support the development of peacefulness and clarity.

Over the past few decades, Ajahn Sumedho has said much about "intuitive awareness." Most often the Pāli word sampajañña is translated as "clear comprehension," but Ajahn Sumedho prefers to foreground the notion of "intuitive awareness" as a way to extend and elaborate how we understand this important meditation concept.

Yogis around the world regard Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras as a foundational text. Patañjali offers helpful advice on a wide variety of topics, but this article will focus on just one: loving-kindness.