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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, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today I'm going to share three tips for meditation. First, don't worry about clearing the mind. Now one of the most common misconceptions for both beginners and very experienced practitioners of meditation is that the mind is supposed to be clear. And then there's this assumption that if the mind isn't clear, something's gone wrong.
So meditation is not about stopping your thoughts. It truly, honestly, isn't. Sometimes the mind can be very still and clear as a side effect of meditation, but it's not at all the goal. The goal of meditation is simply to be aware of what's happening so you can be aware of a busy mind and you can also be aware of a still mind. So just practice keeping your attention on your object of focus in the meditation as best you can.
And if the mind wanders, just bringing it back to awareness. It's really that simple. So don't worry about clearing the mind. Second tip, develop a kind attitude. This is big.
So when thoughts and emotions arise during meditation, as they will, just aiming to meet them with a compassionate and friendly attitude. So rather than seeing thoughts or emotions as inconveniences or enemies to overcome, seeing if you can befriend them and allow them to be part of your present moment experience. The same thing goes for sounds and sensations. You want to have this attitude of welcoming everything, resisting nothing. And this attitude of kindness, of course, also gets extended towards yourself.
Now, I think for most people, when they sit to meditate, they're very often quite hard on themselves. You know, they tend to be very self-critical, they get frustrated with themselves when the mind wanders, or they feel like they're not progressing as quickly as they hoped they would in meditation. But if you imagine every time you meditate that you were leading a dear friend through the practice, you wouldn't be harsh and impatient with them, right? You'd just gently coach them through the process. That's the kind of attitude that you want. So in the same way, see if you can have a warm and patient and kind attitude towards yourself during meditation, treating yourself like a dear friend.
Tip number three. Really simple, but not so easy. Just stay with whatever arises. And this is where so much of our learning and our growth happens in meditation. It's in learning to simply stay with what's happening with a kindly and curious awareness.
This is also really big because in daily life when we feel uncomfortable feelings like frustration or boredom or anxiety or sadness, we tend to want to avoid them. And we have all kinds of ways that we try to escape or numb or distract or suppress. So it's incredibly transformational this practice of just gently staying with the feelings for awhile. Just stay and be curious. Now, if things become totally overwhelming at any time, of course, it's fine to tap out for a while.
Then when you're feeling okay, you can simply try again. Just try gently staying with your experience. So one, don't worry about clearing the mind. Two, develop a kind attitude. Three, stay with whatever arises.
We'll explore this more in today's meditation. So let's settle in for that. And of course, as always, thank you for your practice and your presence here.
Three Tips for Meditation
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, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today I'm going to share three tips for meditation. First, don't worry about clearing the mind. Now one of the most common misconceptions for both beginners and very experienced practitioners of meditation is that the mind is supposed to be clear. And then there's this assumption that if the mind isn't clear, something's gone wrong.
So meditation is not about stopping your thoughts. It truly, honestly, isn't. Sometimes the mind can be very still and clear as a side effect of meditation, but it's not at all the goal. The goal of meditation is simply to be aware of what's happening so you can be aware of a busy mind and you can also be aware of a still mind. So just practice keeping your attention on your object of focus in the meditation as best you can.
And if the mind wanders, just bringing it back to awareness. It's really that simple. So don't worry about clearing the mind. Second tip, develop a kind attitude. This is big.
So when thoughts and emotions arise during meditation, as they will, just aiming to meet them with a compassionate and friendly attitude. So rather than seeing thoughts or emotions as inconveniences or enemies to overcome, seeing if you can befriend them and allow them to be part of your present moment experience. The same thing goes for sounds and sensations. You want to have this attitude of welcoming everything, resisting nothing. And this attitude of kindness, of course, also gets extended towards yourself.
Now, I think for most people, when they sit to meditate, they're very often quite hard on themselves. You know, they tend to be very self-critical, they get frustrated with themselves when the mind wanders, or they feel like they're not progressing as quickly as they hoped they would in meditation. But if you imagine every time you meditate that you were leading a dear friend through the practice, you wouldn't be harsh and impatient with them, right? You'd just gently coach them through the process. That's the kind of attitude that you want. So in the same way, see if you can have a warm and patient and kind attitude towards yourself during meditation, treating yourself like a dear friend.
Tip number three. Really simple, but not so easy. Just stay with whatever arises. And this is where so much of our learning and our growth happens in meditation. It's in learning to simply stay with what's happening with a kindly and curious awareness.
This is also really big because in daily life when we feel uncomfortable feelings like frustration or boredom or anxiety or sadness, we tend to want to avoid them. And we have all kinds of ways that we try to escape or numb or distract or suppress. So it's incredibly transformational this practice of just gently staying with the feelings for awhile. Just stay and be curious. Now, if things become totally overwhelming at any time, of course, it's fine to tap out for a while.
Then when you're feeling okay, you can simply try again. Just try gently staying with your experience. So one, don't worry about clearing the mind. Two, develop a kind attitude. Three, stay with whatever arises.
We'll explore this more in today's meditation. So let's settle in for that. And of course, as always, thank you for your practice and your presence here.
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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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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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