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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, we're going to talk about creating more internal ease. So a lot of us get caught in creating internal tension because we're fighting the experience that we're having. We resist the thoughts that we're having, the emotions we might be experiencing, the sensations that might be arising. And all of that we can view as a form of contraction.
I view internal contraction as potentially happening on three different levels. There's a level of psychological contraction where we have an experience and then go, I shouldn't be having this experience. So it sort of shows up as thoughts. There's a level of emotional contraction, which is the emotion that says, Oh, I shouldn't be having this experience, but it doesn't say it through thoughts it says it through feeling. Usually it'll be something like anger or frustration that this is here, emotional contraction.
And then there's physical contraction. And this is where the body quite literally contracts around an already difficult or tense experience. You can imagine, you know, pain somewhere in the body that arises, and then other parts of the body that start contracting in relationship to that pain. So these three different layers of contraction, psychological, emotional, physical, are all ways that we can fight our internal experience and actually create more tension, taking us away from ease. So how do we work with that? Well, here's a simple phrase that you can utilize in relationship to that as it's arising.
And the phrase is, curiosity over contraction. Curiosity over contraction. The great thing about the mind state of curiosity is that it's inherently non-judgmental. It just seeks to get to know what this experience is like right now. It doesn't need to make it better.
It doesn't need to change it. It doesn't need to fix it. And it doesn't really have an agenda. It just wants to know, Oh, what is it like to be me? What is it like to feel this? What is it like to have this thought? What is it like to have this sensation? And do you see how that is, in many ways, the direct opposite of contracting against the experience. Contraction tends to be more fear-based and curiosity, I consider to be the opposite of fear.
So as you're going throughout your day and you notice yourself caught up in this internal contraction on the psychological level, the emotional level or the physical level, I just invite you to drop in this phrase, curiosity over contraction, and bring a sense of curiosity to the experience that's there. The thought that's arising that's maybe frustrating you. What's it like to have this thought? The emotion that's arising. What's it like to feel this? The sensation that's arising. What's the quality of the sensation? And by bringing that curiosity to the experience, it will help you meet it with openness and presence rather than tension and contraction.
So something to try out in your meditation practice and in your day-to-day life. Thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
Curiosity Over Contraction
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, we're going to talk about creating more internal ease. So a lot of us get caught in creating internal tension because we're fighting the experience that we're having. We resist the thoughts that we're having, the emotions we might be experiencing, the sensations that might be arising. And all of that we can view as a form of contraction.
I view internal contraction as potentially happening on three different levels. There's a level of psychological contraction where we have an experience and then go, I shouldn't be having this experience. So it sort of shows up as thoughts. There's a level of emotional contraction, which is the emotion that says, Oh, I shouldn't be having this experience, but it doesn't say it through thoughts it says it through feeling. Usually it'll be something like anger or frustration that this is here, emotional contraction.
And then there's physical contraction. And this is where the body quite literally contracts around an already difficult or tense experience. You can imagine, you know, pain somewhere in the body that arises, and then other parts of the body that start contracting in relationship to that pain. So these three different layers of contraction, psychological, emotional, physical, are all ways that we can fight our internal experience and actually create more tension, taking us away from ease. So how do we work with that? Well, here's a simple phrase that you can utilize in relationship to that as it's arising.
And the phrase is, curiosity over contraction. Curiosity over contraction. The great thing about the mind state of curiosity is that it's inherently non-judgmental. It just seeks to get to know what this experience is like right now. It doesn't need to make it better.
It doesn't need to change it. It doesn't need to fix it. And it doesn't really have an agenda. It just wants to know, Oh, what is it like to be me? What is it like to feel this? What is it like to have this thought? What is it like to have this sensation? And do you see how that is, in many ways, the direct opposite of contracting against the experience. Contraction tends to be more fear-based and curiosity, I consider to be the opposite of fear.
So as you're going throughout your day and you notice yourself caught up in this internal contraction on the psychological level, the emotional level or the physical level, I just invite you to drop in this phrase, curiosity over contraction, and bring a sense of curiosity to the experience that's there. The thought that's arising that's maybe frustrating you. What's it like to have this thought? The emotion that's arising. What's it like to feel this? The sensation that's arising. What's the quality of the sensation? And by bringing that curiosity to the experience, it will help you meet it with openness and presence rather than tension and contraction.
So something to try out in your meditation practice and in your day-to-day life. Thank you for your practice. Let's settle in for today's meditation.
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Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
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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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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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