Mindfulness


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Difficult Situations

Episode Number
33
We can't spend our whole lives avoiding stressful situations. Sometimes we know about our unhelpful patterns and we can anticipate difficult situations. In this meditation we help prepare for situations that typically create fear, anger, anxiety, and other unhealthy stress. Mindfulness can help us prepare for difficult situations, act with compassion, and cultivate more considered responses.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/33. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

Lake Depth

Episode Number
32
Meditation can be done outside in natural surroundings. We can also imagine nature or listen to sounds from nature. In this meditation, we sit or lie down and visualize the changing nature of a lake. We practice tapping into the stillness from the depths of the lake below the ever-changing surface of the lake.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/32. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

Just Being

Episode Number
31
In this episode, we experiment. We practice clinging to nothing and just being. We don't grab on to sensations and we don't push anything away. This meditation is about resting in stillness and sitting with the experience of life.

In this episode, I accompanied myself on a harmonium. To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/31.

A Leisurely Pace

Episode Number
30
This meditation provides a space to slow the mind and the body. Moving at a leisurely pace can allow us to notice habits that bring us out of the moment. We practice letting go of whatever tries to cart us away from the place where life actually happens as well as allow us to be more fully with other people.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/30. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

No Judgments

Episode Number
29
Awareness of the present moment without judgment is a fundamental aspect of meditation and mindfulness. This approach helps us to separate judgment of experience from the experience itself. In this meditation, we will pay attention to the body, to sounds, and to your whole experience of life without opinion.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/29. To suggest a topic for a future episode or tell me more about yourself and why you are listening, visit matthewtift.com/contact. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

Meditating with Music

Man wearing headphones meditating on a yoga

Most people who try meditation probably think of it as an activity done in silence. They might learn the common meditation technique where they observe sounds that happen to arise and notice the temporary nature of those sounds, but they probably would not expect those sounds to continue throughout their meditation. In other words, sound is understood to be a departure from the "real work" of sitting — or struggling to sit — peacefully in silence. Fortunately, there is more than one way to meditate and there isn't some rule that the only allowable "meditation music" is repetitions of John Cage's 4' 33".

Noticing Space

Episode Number
28
Many of us get so wrapped up in the things around us that we rarely pay attention to the spaces between things. And yet space is always present. In this episode, we pay attention to the space between breaths, between our thoughts, in our physical world, and that surrounds sound. Developing a more spacious view of the world helps to open the mind, dissolve boundaries, and let go of the ego.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/28. To suggest a topic for a future episode or tell me more about yourself and why you are listening, visit matthewtift.com/contact. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

Focus, Flow, and Let Go

Episode Number
27
Some forms of yogic meditation explore three distinct stages of practice: dharana (concentration), dhyana (a blend of will and surrender), and samadhi (surrender). In this meditation, we will investigate these three phases, which we call focus, flow, and let go. This type of practice can induce a sense of calm or relaxation, and, in some cases, bring about deep states of absorption.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/27. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.

Learn How to Tame Your Wild Mind with Mindfulness Meditation

Man and Woman Meditating

Curious about mindfulness meditation? Perhaps you have heard the hype or seen the long lists of benefits. Maybe you are wondering how mindfulness meditation can be such a powerful tool for becoming more present in daily life or how "just sitting" causes people to develop more compassion for both themselves and others. Or perhaps you would like to develop deeper insight into the nature of your mind and the world around you.

Breathe and Relax

Episode Number
26
Learning to breathe and relax can deepen your capacity to stay present to the events of your life. This meditation can provide space for you to notice as feelings and thoughts arise, shift, and fade away. Rather than push away emotions, this practice allows you to tune in to those emotions and learn how to ride the waves of sensations that we each experience throughout our lives.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/26. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.
Mindfulness