Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Try free for 7 days.
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
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hey there. Welcome back to Day Six of our Seven Day Sleep Challenge. Congratulations for making it this far. In today's session, we're going to explore how to help calm and settle the mind. We've been doing this through a variety of different practices from deep breathing, to gratitude, to positive visualization, and to relaxing the body.
But one simple way we can ground our mind is to give it something to focus on and this we can think of as The bicep curl for the brain. Every time the mind wanders into something else, we practice bringing it back. In the same way that the weight of a dumbbell pulls the arm down, we practice pulling it back up and we then strengthen that muscle in the same way we're strengthening our muscle of presence through this particular meditation practice. And the research does show that this practice of meditation, of refocusing our attention, does over time dampen the activity in the amygdala, which is responsible for our fight or flight reactivity, AKA our stress response. However, we can also look at it more practically in the moment.
One definition we have for stress is when our perceived demands are greater than our perceived resources to meet those demands. The key word there though is what? Perceived. Because often what we perceive to be demanding is very different than what is actually demanding. So often our perceived demands are everything that is to come, all the things we have to do the rest of the day and tomorrow, things that haven't gotten done yet. And we bring all of that into this moment.
And of course we feel overwhelmed. Have you had that experience before going to bed? The mind is already thinking about everything it needs to do tomorrow. All the emails you need to take care of ,all the people you need to take care of, the calls you need to make, the things that need to get done. Of course, you're feeling stressed and of course you're not able to sleep. The power of simple mindfulness practice of returning back to this moment over and over is that we reduce our demands to quite simply, what is here now.
What is here now. And often what we see, is this moment is a lot less stressful than the mind is making it out to be. This is what we'll explore in today's meditation. So let's settle in.
The Peace of Presence
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.
Hey there. Welcome back to Day Six of our Seven Day Sleep Challenge. Congratulations for making it this far. In today's session, we're going to explore how to help calm and settle the mind. We've been doing this through a variety of different practices from deep breathing, to gratitude, to positive visualization, and to relaxing the body.
But one simple way we can ground our mind is to give it something to focus on and this we can think of as The bicep curl for the brain. Every time the mind wanders into something else, we practice bringing it back. In the same way that the weight of a dumbbell pulls the arm down, we practice pulling it back up and we then strengthen that muscle in the same way we're strengthening our muscle of presence through this particular meditation practice. And the research does show that this practice of meditation, of refocusing our attention, does over time dampen the activity in the amygdala, which is responsible for our fight or flight reactivity, AKA our stress response. However, we can also look at it more practically in the moment.
One definition we have for stress is when our perceived demands are greater than our perceived resources to meet those demands. The key word there though is what? Perceived. Because often what we perceive to be demanding is very different than what is actually demanding. So often our perceived demands are everything that is to come, all the things we have to do the rest of the day and tomorrow, things that haven't gotten done yet. And we bring all of that into this moment.
And of course we feel overwhelmed. Have you had that experience before going to bed? The mind is already thinking about everything it needs to do tomorrow. All the emails you need to take care of ,all the people you need to take care of, the calls you need to make, the things that need to get done. Of course, you're feeling stressed and of course you're not able to sleep. The power of simple mindfulness practice of returning back to this moment over and over is that we reduce our demands to quite simply, what is here now.
What is here now. And often what we see, is this moment is a lot less stressful than the mind is making it out to be. This is what we'll explore in today's meditation. So let's settle in.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Annual membership
$0
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
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
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
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
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.