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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
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Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session I'm going to share three questions you can use to ground yourself. Now, if you're listening to this, it means that you're human and that also means you're no stranger to what it's like to have an agitated mind. There are a number of reasons why our mind might feel agitated, but often it's because of very primal conditioning that the brain is engaged in related to the external world. Feeling maybe unsafe or out of control, or just confused about how to relate to what's here right now.
And so these questions help address some of those primal concerns that the brain might have so that it can restructure and reorganize itself around a little bit more stability. The first question is simply, in what ways am I safe? In what ways am I safe? So it's a question you drop into your awareness. And as soon as you drop a question into your mind, the mind is going to look for answers. So you say, in what ways am I safe? For me right now, it might be I notice there's a roof over my head. I feel relatively well fed in this moment.
And I don't feel any threats that I can perceive. You might have different answers that arise for you. But just asking that question allows you to orient toward this very basic human need of safety. In what ways am I safe? The next question, what can I control right now? What can I control right now? Now the idea of control tends to get a bad rep in the meditation community, because it's all about letting go of control. We don't have control over anything, right? Not quite.
It is still important to feel a sense of control. Even in meditation, when we're directing our attention back to the breath, that is a form of controlling the mind and influencing with a sense of agency. So the brain really responds well to feeling it's agentic relationship to the world around it, feeling a sense of influence and control. So you might not be able to control everything, but ask, ask yourself, what can I control right now? I can control maybe taking a break. I can control going for a walk.
I can control what I'm going to think about. I can control who I call next and what I do next. All of that helps to orient the brain around a sense of agency in this moment. And then the last question is, in what ways can I let go? But I would actually rephrase this to, in what ways can I let be? So this acknowledges that there are some things that might not be in your control. The idea of letting go can be hard because it feels like we're just walking away from it, which is why I like the rephrase of let be.
Instead of gripping onto it, we're just holding it. We're giving it space to be here. If it chooses to stay, okay, but we're not taking this same gripping relationship around it. In what ways can I let be? So three questions. In what ways am I safe? What can I control right now? And in what ways can I let be? Try these out in moments where you're feeling a little overwhelmed and agitated.
Chances are they'll help calm your mind and help you to reground. Thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
3 Questions to Calm Your Mind
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session I'm going to share three questions you can use to ground yourself. Now, if you're listening to this, it means that you're human and that also means you're no stranger to what it's like to have an agitated mind. There are a number of reasons why our mind might feel agitated, but often it's because of very primal conditioning that the brain is engaged in related to the external world. Feeling maybe unsafe or out of control, or just confused about how to relate to what's here right now.
And so these questions help address some of those primal concerns that the brain might have so that it can restructure and reorganize itself around a little bit more stability. The first question is simply, in what ways am I safe? In what ways am I safe? So it's a question you drop into your awareness. And as soon as you drop a question into your mind, the mind is going to look for answers. So you say, in what ways am I safe? For me right now, it might be I notice there's a roof over my head. I feel relatively well fed in this moment.
And I don't feel any threats that I can perceive. You might have different answers that arise for you. But just asking that question allows you to orient toward this very basic human need of safety. In what ways am I safe? The next question, what can I control right now? What can I control right now? Now the idea of control tends to get a bad rep in the meditation community, because it's all about letting go of control. We don't have control over anything, right? Not quite.
It is still important to feel a sense of control. Even in meditation, when we're directing our attention back to the breath, that is a form of controlling the mind and influencing with a sense of agency. So the brain really responds well to feeling it's agentic relationship to the world around it, feeling a sense of influence and control. So you might not be able to control everything, but ask, ask yourself, what can I control right now? I can control maybe taking a break. I can control going for a walk.
I can control what I'm going to think about. I can control who I call next and what I do next. All of that helps to orient the brain around a sense of agency in this moment. And then the last question is, in what ways can I let go? But I would actually rephrase this to, in what ways can I let be? So this acknowledges that there are some things that might not be in your control. The idea of letting go can be hard because it feels like we're just walking away from it, which is why I like the rephrase of let be.
Instead of gripping onto it, we're just holding it. We're giving it space to be here. If it chooses to stay, okay, but we're not taking this same gripping relationship around it. In what ways can I let be? So three questions. In what ways am I safe? What can I control right now? And in what ways can I let be? Try these out in moments where you're feeling a little overwhelmed and agitated.
Chances are they'll help calm your mind and help you to reground. Thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
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Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
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I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
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Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
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Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
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- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
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A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
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I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
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