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R0
 This book is dedicated to the millions of Buddhist meditation
practitioners who have come before me. Thank you for keeping this
practice alive.
Contents
Introduction

Part 1 The Art of Mindfulness

Part 2 Mindfulness Meditations

Stop and Simply Observe
Coming Home to Your Body
Rain on Your Emotions
Dawn of a New Day
Sink into Sleep
Simply Standing
Listen In
All the Feels
Tend to Your Talk
The Journey Is the Destination
Thought Clouds
Connected
Befriending Yourself
Rock It
Get Down with This
Take Note
Love Yourself
Feel It, Heal It
Good Grief
Lean Back
Share the Goodness
Dig Doing the Dishes
Bless Your Stress
Lend a Hand
Meeting the Judge With Kindness
Mindfully Consuming Media
Countdown to Ease
Sweep Your Body for Sensations
Just This One Breath
 Broaden Your Comfort Zone
This Body Breathing
Let’s Get Physical
Coming Back to Your Senses
Sending Love
Root Down, Reach Up
Stretch from Seat to Sky
Relax Into Balance
Neck Stretch
Massage Your Way to Mindfulness
Bring Life to Your Hike
Build a Backbone
Swiftly Sweep
Choosing Forgiveness
From Painful to Mindful
Peace of Food
Stand by Your Suffering
Late Day Reset
360° Breath
Your Inner Breath
Count Your Way to Sleep

Resources

References

Acknowledgments

About the Author

Introduction
You probably picked up this book because you’re keen to start meditation.
Perhaps your racing mind is causing you anxiety, preventing you from
getting proper sleep, or causing you to be unkind and impatient,
especially with those you love. Maybe, as was the case for me, you’re
turning to meditation as a lifeline to help you deal with overwhelming
emotions. My name is Dawn Mauricio and I aim to provide you with a
personal introduction to this practice. Like so many people, I came to
mindfulness meditation because I was suffering. To be completely honest,
though, at that time it felt very much like I came crawling to this practice.
In my mid-twenties, freshly out of an emotionally and verbally abusive
relationship, I was having regular bouts of extreme anxiety. I would cry
uncontrollably and often felt assaulted by my unrelenting thoughts. The
only time I got a break from these emotions was when I practiced yoga.
The physical sensations brought on by practicing yoga acted as a portal
to mindfulness, and it was the mindfulness—being in the present moment
—that brought me peace. Hours a day and days on end, I clung to my yoga
practice like my life depended on it.
Soon after, I did what any well-meaning perfectionist would do: I
started going on several silent meditation retreats each year and
practicing for two to three hours a day. My mom and my partner at that
time had a meeting with me that felt almost like an intervention—not
because they thought I was joining a cult (although I’m sure that thought
had crossed their minds), but because they both felt I was really impatient
with them and got angry easily, despite my dedication to practice.
Of course, I thought they were the problem. However, what they said
stuck. I soon realized that, by approaching meditation the way I did, I was
using it as an escape from my problems and my role in them. This isn’t
the case for all serious practitioners, but it was certainly the case for me. I
then committed to not attending a silent retreat until the desire came
from wanting to connect deeply instead of wanting to escape. I also
committed to reducing my daily practice time by more than half. Those
two years of practice were incredibly challenging, as I was forcing myself
to deal with the discomfort of daily life—like the ending of relationships,
difficult work situations, or the news of the world—instead of fleeing.
The lessons learned during those two years have impacted my
practice, my teachings—and me, on a personal level—more than I could
have ever known. It is from that place that I teach and from there that
what I share with you in this book originates. Almost two decades later,
this practice has seen me through many highs and lows. The practice is
not always pleasant, particularly when I’m feeling agitated, restless, or
sleepy, or when I’m hit with a challenging time in my life and am filled
with overwhelming emotions. Also, I tend toward anxiety, and so during
anxious periods, getting to practice is challenging. But it is always worth
it, and I’m still in awe of the ways this simple yet powerful practice
provides me with a freedom I have yet to find anywhere else or in
anything else. I have since completed various multi-year Buddhist and
meditation programs, including several long retreats (one a three-month
silent retreat!), as well as a four-year teacher training program. Thanks to
my years of practice and teaching meditation retreats and mindfulness
workshops, I have the opportunity to share mindfulness meditation with
you.
As you make your way through this text, what I hope most is that you
realize you don’t need to go on a three-month retreat or embark on a four-
year training program to start positively impacting your life and, by
extension, the lives of those around you. All that is really needed is an
open mind, a willingness to try something new, a sincere desire to see
clearly, and a real yearning for more contentment and less suffering in
your life and the lives of others.
With this practice, may you find steadiness, resilience, and joy.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book covers what you’ll need as you begin your mindfulness
meditation journey. In it, you’ll find an introduction to mindfulness, 50
meditation practices you can do in various settings, and tips on how to
continue with your practice beyond this book so that it becomes a
mainstay in your life.
In part 1, you’ll find a working definition of mindfulness, uncover the
difference between mindfulness and meditation, get a brief background
on the history of mindfulness, learn the essentials to practicing
meditation, and become aware of other considerations as you set up for
practice. Although it’s not necessary to read part 1 in its entirety before
you start meditating, I suggest you refer back to it regularly. Because your
mind hasn’t practiced being mindful for most of your life, it will most
likely resist practicing at some point. Becoming familiar with the basic
information in part 1 is helpful so that when you do feel resistance, you’ll
have the information and tools you need to validate your experience and
overcome mental roadblocks.
In part 2, you’ll find 50 meditations that range in length from 5 to 15
minutes. These meditations were designed to adapt to your practice on
any given day, as well as to show you the broad scope of mindfulness. The
meditations are suitable for all levels, and you don’t need to work your
way through them progressively. Ultimately, my intention—and hope—is
that you’ll try them all. The meditations can also be done more than once
—in a day or in a life! They will grow increasingly accessible, but because
we are constantly changing and evolving, they will remain novel.
Your journey doesn’t have to end when your exploration of this book
does. I’ll share with you ways that you can continue to deepen your
practice, as well as provide a list of resources that you can explore, at the
end of this book.
 PART 1
The Art of Mindfulness
It is likely that you’ve heard of the word mindfulness. In fact, you
may have heard it so often that you know how to use it in a
sentence in social settings—even though you don’t actually know
what it is!
Not to fret—this section of the book will lay it all out for you.
You’ll learn what mindfulness is and what it is not, different ways it
can be practiced through meditation, tips and tricks to establish
your own daily practice, and how to incorporate mindfulness into
your daily life.
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
Mindfulness is a natural ability we all have, but we don’t realize we have it
because we are largely distracted or have never been taught how to
recognize this quality. For example, when you’re “in the zone” while
playing a sport, making music or art, or intently watching a sunset, you
are most likely being mindful without even knowing it.

Receptivity
Mindfulness is a quality of awareness that we bring to the present
moment that is kind, curious, and nonjudgmental. It is seemingly simple,
yet surprisingly difficult. Our task is to settle the mind and heart in such a
way that we can be open to and observe life however it is occurring right
now—that is, to be receptive to it—even if it means being with a busy mind
or unpleasant emotion. This doesn’t mean we should accept everything
without question, though. With the information we receive, we then
choose how we want to continue being mindful—remaining still or
adjusting, with openness or resistance, for example.

Balance
Balance in mindfulness practice is not like balance in most other things.
For example, when learning something new, like an instrument or
language, a lot of persistence and patience are needed. At the beginning
of our practice, mindfulness is no exception. Yet when we try to be
mindful all the time, we get tired and burned out. We might think our
practice isn’t going well, and so we try harder, mostly because that works
for a lot of the things in our life. But this can lead to more fatigue and
more feelings of burnout, and it’s at this point that a lot of people give up
on mindfulness meditation.
In mindfulness practice, trying harder leads to an energetic imbalance,
also known as unwise effort, which inhibits the sense of calm we’re
looking for. It’s hard to know how much balance is needed—too little and
we fall asleep, too much and we unknowingly block out the benefits. One
of my teachers, Sayadaw U Tejaniya from Myanmar, would often instruct
us to bring the same amount of effort to practice that it takes us to be
aware of our 10 fingertips touching when we gently press them together.
Try it and you’ll see—mindfulness doesn’t need much effort.

Nonjudgment
When we take something in through our senses—sight, smell, hearing,
touch, and taste—an immediate classification happens. Based on our past
experiences, whatever we sense gets categorized as good or bad, right or
wrong, wanted or not wanted.
Nonjudgment, as part of the definition of mindfulness, doesn’t ask us
to stop this natural occurrence but to instead not be controlled by it.
Nonjudgment can also be described as acceptance, where the
invitation is to accept whatever is arising with a spaciousness that neither
grasps it nor pushes it away.

Patience
Mindfulness is a useful quality that acts as a guard to our reactions. It
provides a pause, allowing us to take in what is happening. With practice,
we start to discern ways to respond wisely.
What we might not realize, though, is that throughout this process,
patience is being cultivated. For example, when we want this moment or
this breath to be different somehow and we simply observe that desire
without reacting, patience develops. This process is not to be
underestimated. The more patience we can muster in our practice, the
more we can bring it into our lives.

Awareness
Awareness is a nuanced quality that is used differently depending on the
context or lineage of practice. To put it broadly, while mindfulness refers
to our natural ability to be attentive in a given moment, awareness is a
subtle quality that is a more spacious “knowing.”
A simple analogy shows how the different concepts are related.
Imagine you’re a scientist looking through a microscope. Mindfulness is
the microscope, the act of looking into it is meditation practice, being
engrossed by the bacteria you’re seeing is paying attention, and knowing
you’re at work in a lab and that you’re looking down a microscope at
bacteria is awareness.
When we practice, both mindfulness and awareness get cultivated.
Therefore, I’ll use these two terms interchangeably throughout the book.

MEDITATION
“Meditation” can mean many different things in different contexts, but
here we use it specifically to mean the intentional practice of staying
aware of the present moment. In other words, meditation consists of many
techniques, most of which help cultivate mindfulness.
Typically, mindfulness meditation consists of anchoring your mind to
a neutral “meditation object.” This could be your breath, a physical
sensation, or a sound, for example. The initial instruction is to place your
attention on your meditation object, and whenever you notice that your
mind has wandered, gently redirect your attention toward your object or
point of focus.
The practice of meditation helps to develop concentration, and
concentration acts as a doorway to cultivating mindfulness. In other
words, meditation is a mind training of sorts, much like physical exercise
is for the body. Just like you strengthen your muscles by going to the
gym, you can begin to strengthen your concentration and awareness with
a regular meditation practice.
Without concentration, mindfulness is still possible, although it is
harder. This is because you probably spent decades letting your mind
flutter from one thing to the next—like the past, the future, or some
fantasy—and to suddenly want the mind to start resting on the present
moment can feel impossible. As a result, cultivating mindfulness can feel
challenging.
 Paradoxically, in those difficult times, our task is to meet the moment
where cultivating mindfulness can feel challenging with mindfulness.
That is, we need to be friendly, kind, and patient with ourselves and how
our practice is unfolding.

Why Does Meditation Work?

With mindfulness meditation increasing in popularity, there has been an
explosion of studies to understand its effects. As reported in Neuroreport
and Psychiatry Research, researchers found that after eight weeks of
mindfulness practice, there were significant effects on the brain.
Four parts of the brain linked to healthy brain function saw significant
positive changes: the left hippocampus, which is associated with learning
and houses emotional regulators, such as self-awareness and empathy;
the posterior cingulate, which is connected with wandering thoughts and
self-relevance; the pons, where neurotransmitters that help regulate brain
activity are produced; and the temporoparietal junction, which is
associated with compassion and our sense of perspective. All of these
parts grew in size, volume, density, or strength, resulting in all the
qualities connected to these regions being nurtured.
Furthermore, the amygdala, the area of the brain that produces
feelings of anxiety, stress, and fear, decreased in size. This change allows
us to discern our emotional responses more clearly.

MEDITATION TYPES
The practice of meditation has a vast history, with roots tracing back to
India, c. 5000 bce. It also spans many traditions, from Christianity and
Buddhism to Hinduism, Judaism, and Sufism. As a result, there are many
ways one can practice meditation. The following is a list of the types of
meditation that you will come across in this book; it is by no means an
exhaustive list.

Concentration Meditation
Developing concentration is at the heart of most meditation techniques,
yet certain practices focus particularly on this. Concentration meditation
involves focusing on an object, a word or phrase, a sound, or a sensation
and committing to sustaining that focus.
In my experience, being concentrated in meditation practice can feel
pleasant. A sense of calm and a clear focus can arise, and for minutes at a
time, the mind will easily and naturally block out nearby distractions. The
catch is to not take this concentrated state to mean “This is what
meditation practice should always be like.” Just like life, your individual
meditation practice will change, and when it does, it doesn’t mean that
you’ve done something wrong. It’s simply what your practice is like right
now.

Breath Awareness
Breath awareness meditation is a practice in which you anchor your
attention on your breath. This can mean being aware of your breath at the
nostrils, throat, chest, abdomen, in the back, or anywhere else you might
feel it. For some, feeling the breath can seem abstract; in this case,
employing a technique where you silently repeat “inhaling . . . exhaling”
can serve as an alternative.
Breath awareness is one of the most popular types of meditation
because we can be aware of our breath anytime and anywhere, keeping us
tethered to this practice all day long.
Simply being aware of your breath may change it, but you don’t need
to intentionally control it. Breathing naturally is enough to ground the
mind and connect you with your body. However, just because this is one
of the most popular techniques doesn't mean you need to be able to
practice it. For whatever reason—trauma or sickness, for example—being
with the breath may be activating and not your means of practice at the
moment. In this case, shift your attention to the body, sound, or sight
instead.

Body Awareness
Body awareness is a type of meditation in which we become mindful of
the sensations in our body. We can do this with a body scan, by feeling
the sensations in a particular part of the body, or by noticing how
experiences taken in through the senses manifest in the body.
Being mindful of the body helps us really get to know ourselves. The
sensations present can let us know if a certain emotion is present,
influencing our reactions. Being aware of our looks is not what this
practice is about. Although there is a place for that in our lives, with this
type of meditation we are trying to get to know ourselves from the inside
out.

Movement Meditation
Movement meditation takes body and breath awareness and makes them
more dynamic. This can be done by being aware of the body’s sensations
and the fluctuations of the breath while the body is in motion, or by
integrating moments of pause throughout a given activity to check in
with the body and breath.
Movement meditation can be quite freeing, bridging the techniques of
a more still meditation into our daily life and granting us countless ways
to practice throughout the day. As a result, we can awaken an entire
panoply of experiences that we may have otherwise been asleep to.
Being mindful of your movements is not limited to any speed. What
matters most is the quality of attention you bring to whatever it is you’re
doing.

Heart Practices
Originally taught as antidotes to fear and sorrow, heart practices focus on
cultivating qualities such as loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic
joy, and equanimity. There are many ways in which we can engage in
heart practices. The technique you’ll find in this book uses the silent
repetition of specific phrases, such as May I be happy, May I be free.
When engaged in the heart practices, it’s totally normal to feel the
opposite feelings of the quality you’re trying to cultivate. Often, this type
of meditation is a lot like cleaning a window that has been ignored for a
long time. There might be a lot of grime on the surface, but eventually,
with a sincere effort, the window becomes clear.

Visualization
Visualization entails using your imagination to bring images in your
mind. We can visualize a certain experience with as much or as little
detail as we like, although if we are new to this type of meditation, seeing
detailed images may take some practice. Visualization meditation, in
particular, involves focusing on an image or a person, like a loved one or
yourself as a child. You’ll come across both—visualization and
visualization meditation—in this book.
Visualization isn’t meant to be a promise but rather is meant to help
you increase familiarity with a particular experience before you go
through it, which can relieve any accompanying anxiety. It can also
prepare you to react skillfully in a specific situation.

ORIGINS OF MINDFULNESS
The origins of mindfulness meditation can be traced back to Vipassanā or
Insight Meditation, which is rooted in Theravada Buddhism. While
Buddhism itself is a complex system of teachings and techniques, what
you’ll learn in this book are simply the techniques that are laid out in
Vipassanā Meditation.
Buddhism, and by extension mindfulness meditation, was founded
around 400 to 500 bce in the eastern part of India by Siddhartha
Gautama, who was later referred to as the Buddha.
Buddhism first came to North America in the 19th century via Chinese
immigrants and steadily grew with the arrival of Japanese, Korean, and
Taiwanese immigrants. They built temples and established strong
practice communities. However, very few Westerners joined them, as
their practices were seen as mysterious and unfamiliar.
Present-Day Mindfulness
Present-day mindfulness has been linked to American Buddhist
meditation teachers Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, and Sharon
Salzberg. Before becoming acquainted, they each traveled to South Asia
in the late 1960s and early 1970s to learn and practice meditation.
Unknowingly, they shared some of the same teachers, and after years of
practice, their teachers authorized them to teach in the United States,
encouraging them to create something together. They created practice
communities that were separate from the existing Asian Buddhist
communities, founding the Insight Meditation Society in 1975 and Spirit
Rock Meditation Center in 1985, both of which now host tens of thousands
of practitioners each year. Kornfield, Goldstein, and Salzberg have also
each written numerous books, continue to participate in online courses
and trainings, and are pillars in spreading the practice of convert
Buddhism all over North America.

MYTHS AND TRUTHS ABOUT MEDITATION

One of the best ways to ensure that mindfulness meditation will become a
regular part of your day is by debunking some false beliefs you have
about it.

“I can’t meditate because I have a busy mind.”

This is the equivalent of thinking you’re too dirty to shower!
Mindfulness meditation helps calm the mind, yet some days you’ll
still have a busy mind. The goal isn’t to stop thinking completely but
instead to not get caught up in the content of your thoughts.

“I need to become a Buddhist before I can meditate.”

You don’t need to change your belief system or become a Buddhist to
follow your breath or senses into the sensations of your body. These
practices are universal and available to all.

“I don’t want to practice because it’ll turn me into a doormat.”

 Just as after being receptive in meditation practice you choose how
to continue practicing, in life you take in what is going on around
you and choose how to act. In my own experience, I have started
standing up for what I believe in with a lot more confidence and
clarity than before I started practicing.

“I don’t have time to meditate.”

You might not have time to meditate, but you certainly have time to
be mindful. Because it is so all-encompassing, you can apply
mindfulness to whatever you’re doing. Try doing one or two tasks a
day with a lot of mindfulness, like lathering your hair or body in the
shower, brushing your teeth, or washing your hands.

“I need to have a special place and accessories before I practice.”

Although having a special place to practice mindfulness would be
nice, it’s not necessary. You can practice while sitting in your
favorite chair, standing in a park, or sitting up in bed.

“Mindfulness can only be done during meditation.”

Since the quality of mindfulness is about the particular way we pay
attention, it is not limited to the formal practice of meditation. In
fact, when we can bring mindfulness into our daily lives, we’ll be able
to appreciate the scenery in front of us, the sounds around us, the
food on our plate, and the emotions inside of us more fully.

“Mindfulness meditation is about being happy.”

Mindfulness can help widen our perspective on life so much that we
are able to be with the fluctuations of life without measuring our self-
worth against them. This means being with the highs and lows, the
pleasant and unpleasant, in a steady and resilient way. As a result,
no feeling or experience gets left out. Wisdom gets cultivated with
mindfulness, and with it comes the knowledge that even if we’re
unhappy in one moment, it will eventually pass.
“All I need to deal with my mental health is mindfulness meditation.”
Mindfulness meditation can be an impactful and necessary part of
your healing journey, but it is not meant to be the only tool in your
toolbox. It cannot replace the wisdom, care, and guidance of a
professional, nor can it regulate hormones or brain chemicals that a
specially prescribed medication can. It is best to consult with your
doctor or therapist to see if mindfulness meditation is appropriate
for you at this time.

“Mindfulness is really just relaxation (and I do that all the time, so I

don’t need to meditate).”
Mindfulness and relaxation often get confused with one another,
particularly because they complement each other well. When the
mind races incessantly, anchoring it in the present moment can feel
relaxing. As well, when the body is relaxed, mindfulness can arise
more naturally. However, they are not the same. Mindfulness
involves being aware of the moment regardless of what is happening,
while relaxation focuses on releasing tension and anxiety.

“The goal of mindfulness meditation is to be mindful 100 percent of

the time.”
Not at all! Not only is it tiring, but being mindful 100 percent of the
time would mean that you’d have to be in the present moment all the
time. Sometimes, however, thinking ahead or about the past is useful.
After all, especially as practitioners who don’t plan to practice in a
cave or monastery for extended periods, we need to make plans—and
remember where we’ve left our keys! Instead of being mindful 100
percent of the time, the aim is to be mindful for short moments many
times throughout the day.

THE BEGINNER’S MIND

Sometimes we think our practice should be a certain way, most

 often after we just had a pleasant meditation. However, if we
don’t catch ourselves, the next time we practice we may subtly
try to recreate this past experience—and in doing so, drive
ourselves crazy. That is the trap of “an expert’s mind” or a mind
“that knows.”
On the other hand, whether your practice was pleasant or
unpleasant, applying a beginner’s mind can be refreshing and
take the pressure off.
A good example of beginner’s mind is a child playing in a new
playground. They have a sense of curiosity, awe, and excitement
as they play and explore their environment. They might squeal
with excitement if something pleasantly surprises them or cry if
they don’t like something.
Applying beginner’s mind to practice means approaching it
as if it was the first time, when you were free of any
preconceived ideas of what practice was supposed to be like.
The idea of beginner’s mind first came from the Zen Buddhist
tradition. As Zen monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki wrote in Zen
Mind, Beginner’s Mind, “In the beginner’s mind there are many
possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.”
Of course, just because we decide to practice like this
doesn’t mean it happens easily. We need to constantly remind
ourselves to be like a beginner. This constant coming back to the
beginning represents the essence of any meditative practice,
which is to allow there to be space to start over, and over, and
over again.

UNDERSTANDING THE MIND

Occasionally people tell me they tried to meditate but couldn’t “do it
right.” My response is to ask them to try to not be mindful for 15 seconds.
That means to not hear any sounds, not feel, not see, not be aware of time
as they try not to be mindful, and so on. Try it for yourself.
 It’s impossible, right? Even if you thought, “Hah! I wasn’t mindful,”
you were actually mindful of not being mindful! All this is to say that we
are always aware of something. The question then becomes, Is what we
are placing our attention on good for us? In what way is this helpful or
unhelpful? Apart from looking at the external things we pay attention to,
like emails or the news, it’s noteworthy to look at what we are attentive to
internally, like our thoughts.
When we think negatively, processing thoughts and finding solutions
becomes difficult because our brain coordination is slowed. For example,
according to a study on the cerebellum and emotional experience
published by Neuropsychologia, when we get scared from focusing on
negative consequences, there is less activity in the cerebellum, which
limits the brain’s capacity to process new information. This in turn
minimizes our ability to look for and identify creative solutions to our
problem. Fear also affects the left temporal lobe, impacting our memory,
impulse control, and mood.
In mindfulness practice, even though we are invited to be intentional
and engaged with the moment by choosing what we focus on, we are not
trying to do anything, be anything, or produce anything. Mindfulness
practice meets us where we are.
If you’re a person who thinks negatively, you might hope mindfulness
is your way out. There is no doubt that it can be, but it doesn’t happen
from simply deciding you want to think positively. It happens when you
soften and intend to meet your negative thoughts with a kind and present
attention.
Mindfulness meditation isn’t just about what is pleasant. It’s about
what is true, which contains both the unpleasant and pleasant, as well as
the neutral. If you’re thinking to yourself, “I picked up this book so I can
be happy,” you most certainly can be. By holding yourself and the
paradoxes of life with kindness, especially in the times when you wish
things were different, wisdom is cultivated, right along with happiness.

MINDFUL HEALTH
In recent decades, mindfulness has grown increasingly popular, leading
to a rise in scientific studies about its impact on the mind and body. The
results of a simple online search now reveal countless proven mental and
physical benefits from practicing mindfulness.
Although mindfulness is incredibly powerful, it is not the only tool
you’ll need in your healing toolkit. I have found it most impactful when
combined with other healing modalities, such as psychotherapy and
trauma release work.

Stress
We have all felt stress at some point in our lives, whether it was before an
exam, an unexpected expense, the sudden change in health of a loved
one, or the demands of an unkind superior. Stress is our physical reaction
to change, and even though some change can be positive—like getting a
promotion in a new city or country, or having a new child—we most often
associate stress with negative changes. Whether the change is positive,
negative, good, bad, pleasant, or unpleasant, mindfulness can help reduce
stress; an article in the magazine Mindful stated this in similar terms after
reviewing studies from hundreds of universities. Some of the universities’
suggestions for mindfulness included not taking your thoughts so
literally; pausing before reacting; activating your “being” mode, which is
linked to relaxation; and altering your attitude to change and to stress in
general.

Anxiety
Anxiety is a little more complex than stress. Anxiety is often erroneously
thought to be caused by the rumination of the mind, but it is actually the
physical sensations that stem from the combination of a mental element
like worry and a physical response like stress. For those who are familiar
with the body’s nervous system, anxiety emerges when the sympathetic
nervous system (in charge of our fight, flight, or freeze response) or
parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for rest and digestion) get
triggered by mixed feelings or an inner conflict. The mind, in turn,
interprets this inner conflict as a threat and triggers a fear response.
 A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that a
mindfulness program helped ease anxiety symptoms in people with
generalized anxiety disorder. Whether your anxiety is an occasional
occurrence or a common struggle, mindfulness can help with dropping
the story and easing the worry. By noticing anxious thoughts,
mindfulness encourages returning to the present moment.

Chronic Pain
The University of Minnesota found that when patients learned how to
untangle their feelings or response to pain from the actual sensations of
pain itself, they suffered less. This was done by using mindfulness
meditation to become curious about the sensations of pain, not fighting
them or trying to change them, while also using ways to manage attention
if the pain ever got too intense. This is vastly different from painkillers
that are designed to dull or get rid of pain.

Memory Loss
Memory loss occurs most often as we age because past memories inhibit
our capacity to retain new and recent information, a phenomenon that
researchers call proactive interference. A study published in the Journal
of Experimental Psychology, Learning, Memory and Cognition found that
participants experienced less proactive interference, showing an
improvement in their short-term memory, with the help of mindfulness.
Additionally, the better these participants performed memory tasks, the
more their hippocampal volume increased; the hippocampus is the part of
the brain responsible for the formation of new memories and associated
with learning and emotions.

Addiction
A study conducted in Spain and published in Frontiers in Psychiatry
applied mindfulness to a variety of addictions, ranging from substance
use disorders to behavioral disorders. Researchers found that
mindfulness-based interventions successfully reduced cravings and
dependence, as well as improved emotional dysregulation and mood
states.
In relation to addiction, mindfulness techniques help increase
tolerance for discomfort and provide space and time to observe reactions,
urges, and intended choices, as well as unveil the array of sensory
experiences that already occur in everyday life.

Sleep
Although mindfulness and relaxation are often used interchangeably,
they are complements to one another. For example, the act of slowing
down and anchoring the mind can help you relax, while being relaxed can
help mindfulness arise more naturally.
This is why mindfulness can help you sleep better. A study published
in JAMA Internal Medicine found that anchoring a racing mind in a
relaxed way with a mindfulness meditation technique helps ease any
stress or anxiety in your system that may be getting in the way of a good
night’s sleep.

Problem Solving
If you’ve resigned yourself to believing that you’re just not good at
problem solving or coming up with creative solutions, mindfulness can
help. In INSEAD’s expert opinion and management insights portal
Knowledge, Dr. Natalia Karelaia, associate professor of Decision Sciences,
reported that mindfulness amplifies creativity in large part by enhancing
divergent thinking, a process often used to bring about creative ideas by
exploring many potential solutions. An extra bonus for experienced
decision-makers is that mindfulness-based techniques helped them
detach from their ego, leading to more openness and positively impacting
the way decisions are explored, made, executed, and evaluated.

Mood Disorders
Mindfulness has proved encouraging in the treatment of mood disorders,
such as depression, because it helps people access a present-moment
pathway. According to Zindel Segal, a professor at the University of
Toronto, this is particularly significant when working with sad mood
states.
For example, patients who suffer from depression repeatedly engage
the mental pathways of narrative self-reference and executive control,
which weaken their present-moment pathways. What’s more, stress and
anxiety are serious triggers for depression. Meditation can transform our
relationship to these mental states, thereby delaying oncoming
depression.

Blood Pressure
The benefits of mindfulness can also help with some physiological
challenges, such as blood pressure. A 2019 study in the journal PLOS One
found that mindfulness-based techniques, when used in a multimodal
intervention that also consists of regular use of medications prescribed by
participants’ doctors, significantly reduced blood pressure levels.
According to head researcher Eric Loucks, the study consisted of a 10-
week mindfulness-based blood-pressure-reduction program that also
included lectures on lifestyle behaviors that contribute to high blood
pressure.
The results from the study were still in effect in participants’ follow-up
exams one year after the initial study.

GETTING STARTED
Each meditation in part 2 of this book gives general instructions on
setting yourself up. In this section, you’ll find more detailed information
to prepare you for your mindfulness journey.

Practice Posture
When meditating, set yourself up as comfortably as possible. When your
body is relaxed, it supports a relaxed mind. Unless otherwise specified,
like in the walking or sweeping practices, your practice pose can be
seated, standing, or lying down.
If you choose to sit, set your hips higher than your knees by sitting on
a firm pillow or support. Find a spot on your seat that helps you keep your
spine lengthened without much effort. This typically means you will be
sitting towards the front of your support. Place your hands on your legs or
in your lap with your palms facing up or down; you can close your eyes or
turn them downward.
If you are injured, live with chronic pain, or have an illness, you may
never find that “perfectly comfortable” position. Nonetheless, try to settle
into a position that brings as much ease as possible.

Breath
At the start of every meditation, you’ll be invited to take a few deep
breaths. Not only is this a great way to intentionally start your practice
because you are consciously separating whatever it was you were doing
from your meditation, but it also is an intentional way to get the body and
mind to relax. Although it may not happen every time, breathing deeply
and taking a few sighs creates space in the body, mind, and heart. You
don’t need to be relaxed before meditating, but it does help. When a
balance of relaxation and alertness is present, mindfulness can arise more
naturally.

Mind
Generally speaking, mindfulness meditation can be broken down into
four steps:
1. Pay attention to your breath (or another meditation object).
2. Notice when your attention has wandered.
3. Bring your attention back.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 a few billion times.
 All this is to say, mindfulness isn’t about being 100 percent mindful
for the duration of your meditation. In Pali, the original language in which
the teachings of Buddhism were written, the word for mindfulness is sati.
Sati also means remembering, so in some ways, the practice of
mindfulness is about remembering to be mindful as often as possible.

Self-Care
The practice of meditation is meant to be transformative, not
traumatizing. Depending on your particular life history, some of the
meditations may be triggering for no apparent reason. If things get
overwhelming, please do not force yourself to endure the practice until
the timer goes off. Instead, shift your attention to something else that
feels neutral, perhaps also opening your eyes. Changing your attention is
a wise action, and it does not mean you did something wrong nor that the
practice is not for you. It just means that that particular way of meditating
is not optimal for you right now.

RESET YOUR MIND

Getting discouraged with your practice will most likely happen

at some point. I’m sorry if this is news to you, but I’m breaking it
to you now so that when you do get discouraged, you can
remember that it’s completely normal to feel that way!
Feeling discouraged and unmotivated is bad enough, but
these feelings can also lead to a pestering thought loop telling
you that these feelings are contrary to what got you started on
this path in the first place—which often leads to more feelings
of frustration, making the whole experience all the worse.
When this happens, it’s important to acknowledge the part of
you that is yearning for some ease and wants things to go “right.”
That part of you simply cares about your well-being and might
not have imagined the challenges along the way. If you react out
 of judgment, your meditation practice won’t be a source of joy
but rather another to-do item on a long list.
Whenever you’ve fallen off the wagon, so to speak, be gentle
with yourself as you judge yourself and eventually recommit to
practice. Keep things simple by starting with a length of time
that feels really doable—not everything transformative needs
to be hard! How long you practice and how many consecutive
days you practice is not the be-all and end-all. What matters
most is that you start again, no matter how many times you may
have to.

BUILDING A DAILY PRACTICE

A little planning can go a long way. Before jumping right in with the
meditations, think through some of the following details. They can
contribute to a solid foundation for your practice.

Place
A practice space can be a designated part of your home that is as quiet as
possible, is free from distractions, and has items that inspire a sense of
ease, such as incense or a stone. A space such as this can be quite
supportive; you don’t have to set up or take down accessories, and any
roommates or family members will know not to bother you when you’re in
this space.
However, not everyone has access to or can set up a designated space
or has accessories such as these. This doesn’t mean that practice can’t be
done. Mindfulness is about the quality of attention we bring wherever we
are. You can meditate sitting up in bed or in a corner of your living room
with a few items that inspire ease or practice.
Of course, mindfulness doesn’t need to be practiced only at home! You
can integrate it at work, walking outdoors, or even on public
transportation.
Time
The practices in this book range from 5 to 15 minutes, and regardless of
where you are in your mindfulness journey, you can start with any of
them. Although you might believe the longer you meditate the better,
that’s not necessarily true. With mindfulness, quality matters more than
quantity. If you choose to meditate for 15 minutes and it feels really hard,
there’s a chance you won’t practice regularly. It’s best to start with a short
period of time and build up to a point where the practice feels
challenging, but not unbearable.
Basically, there is no right length of time to practice. Instead, aim for a
length of time that feels both spacious and slightly hard for you.

Consistency
There have been no conclusive findings on how long one should practice
each day. The general consensus, though, is that practicing consistently
yields the greatest benefits. In other words, it’s better to practice 5
minutes every day than to meditate for 45 minutes once a week. Throwing
yourself into practice once a week can feel disorienting and agitating, but
practicing daily helps keep mindfulness accessible in your daily life. If
something at work is testing your patience, you don’t have to remember
what it was like cultivating patience almost a week ago; instead, you just
have to remember back to your last practice, either that morning or the
night before. This helps bridge your meditation practice with your outer
world, and seeing it come alive can motivate you to keep up with it on a
daily basis.

Social Support
Although meditation practice, in a lot of ways, is done alone, practicing
only on our own can feel isolating. When and where possible, practicing
and discussing aspects of meditation with a group of people one or more
times a week can really boost and energize your personal practice. Also,
enlisting a friend with whom you share similar values and can have
regular phone or text check-ins with can be uplifting. If these support
options aren’t possible for you, joining an online community where you
can learn and explore what people are reflecting on can be motivating.

MINDFUL TERMS

Accept or allow: when asked to accept or allow an experience,

you don’t have to like it, just don’t fight it

Agitated mind: sometimes referred to as “monkey mind,” it’s

when your mind jumps from one thing to another, despite your
best intentions
Anchor: what we place our attention on to ground us in the
present moment; examples include the breath or a physical
sensation
Attention: a focused awareness that we apply when trying to
cultivate the quality of mindfulness or when trying to be mindful
Buddhism: the practices in which mindfulness techniques are
rooted; the Buddha was the first teacher of this tradition
Compassion: the natural response when a loving and kind heart
comes into contact with suffering
Curious: an essential quality we bring to our mindfulness
practice that combines kindness and interest to help us stay
engaged
Embodiment: practicing mindfulness in a way where we are not
thinking about practice but instead tuning in to how it feels in
the body
Feeling tone: this natural, immediate, and often unconscious
phenomenon of classifying experiences as pleasant, unpleasant,
or neutral

Felt sense: being present with an experience from the “inside

out” or from an embodied place, instead of an intellectual place
Heart: sometimes used interchangeably with mind; it can also
mean your emotional or mental state
Heart quality: qualities of the heart, such as loving-kindness,
compassion, or joy, which we already embody but tend to forget
with our busy-ness

Insight Meditation: like an older relative of mindfulness

meditation; it includes mindfulness techniques as well as the
profound teachings of Buddhism
Intention: an aim, desire, or resolve that we set without being
too attached to the outcome
Loving-kindness: a heart quality we all have that is friendly and
benevolent; it can be uncovered with practice
May I: the recitation of heart practices starts this way so as to
gently coax our natural state to rise to the surface
Meditation object: another way to say anchor, it is a present-
moment experience we place our attention on
Mental noting: a method used when the mind is particularly
agitated that consists of quietly naming what we are
experiencing as we are experiencing it
Natural phenomenon: refers to experiences that are completely
normal occurrences, whether they are sensations, mental states,
or emotions
Neutral: in regard to feeling tone, neutral is shorthand for when
an experience is neither pleasant nor unpleasant
Nonjudgment: an essential quality to meditation, it refers to
being with an experience without trying to change it in any way

Physical sensations: the bare physical feelings we experience,

such as tingling, heat, or pulsations, before labeling them as
something larger, like “pain”
Pleasant: experiences we tend to classify as “good” are really
just pleasant, not tied to our self-worth
Present-moment experience: being with an experience right
now, as it is, even if it’s about something in the past or future
Sense doors: includes the five senses of seeing, hearing,
smelling, tasting, and touching, as well as thinking as a sixth
sense
Suffering: a broad word that includes subtleties such as
discomfort, feeling “off,” and being separated from what we
want
Unpleasant: experiences we tend to classify as “bad” are simply
unpleasant and don’t mean we are bad or have done something
wrong
Unwholesome: refers to actions or mental states that lead
toward more suffering; can be used interchangeably with
“unhelpful”
Wholesome: refers to actions or mental states that lead toward
less suffering; can be used interchangeably with “helpful”
Wisdom: a quality of seeing things clearly that is cultivated with
mindfulness practice
 PART 2
Mindfulness Meditations
In this part, you’ll find the heart and soul of the book. You can
read all you want about the practice of meditation, but you won’t
access any of the benefits without practicing it.
There are 50 meditations provided here, ranging in length
from 5 to 15 minutes. They are not arranged in any particular
order, allowing you to adapt your practice on any given day. The
meditations are suitable for all levels, and I hope you’ll eventually
try them all, exposing yourself to the broad scope of what this
practice has to offer.
 Stop and Simply Observe
Time: 5 minutes
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth:
not going all the way, and not starting.”
—Unknown

Some days it might feel utterly impossible to get to your designated

meditation space for a formal practice. Not to fret! The good news is
that meditation is a lot more accessible than we think. It’s as simple as
taking a moment to STOP—Stop, Take a breath, 176 and Proceed. On
those it’s-impossible-to-meditate days, set your alarm to ring at some
point during the day and block off 5 minutes for the following
practice.

Steps:
1. Find a place to practice for a few minutes. It doesn’t need to be
anywhere fancy; you could lean against a wall, sit in your car or in
front of your computer, lay next to a pile of laundry, or stand at a red
light. If you’re holding something, put it down or away so you can
fully relax. If you feel comfortable doing so, you can also close your
eyes.
2. Take a few slow, deep breaths. Either exhale deeply or let each
breath go with a big sigh. Take as many of these breaths as you
need. Whenever you’re ready, return to your natural breathing,
whether it’s through your mouth or nose.
3. With your eyes open or closed, observe your surroundings—hear
any sounds, sense any movements, see any objects, smell any
smells, and feel any sensations that may be present in this moment.
4. After a few minutes of tuning in to your surroundings, blink your
 eyes a few times and proceed with your day.

Adjustment: This practice is easily portable and can be done in as

little as 15 seconds! Just stop, take a deep breath, observe, and
proceed.
 Coming Home to Your Body
Time: 5 minutes
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and
that is an act of political warfare.”
—Audre Lorde

Meditation is often mistaken as a mental practice, but really it is an

embodiment practice. All the techniques aim to bring the body and
mind into the same place—right here, right now. As easy as it sounds,
it can be challenging because we are so used to running from one
thing to the next, planning, strategizing, or worrying. Regardless of our
best intentions, efforts, or resolutions, our mind will rest anywhere but
“here.” This practice, and mindfulness in general, helps us live in and
through the body.

Steps:
1. After you’ve settled into your posture, whether it be sitting,
standing, or lying down, bring your attention to your breath. For six
slow, deep breaths, do your best to keep a relaxed, focused
awareness on your breathing.
2. Expand this relaxed, focused awareness to include your entire body.
You’re not dropping your awareness of breath but widening your
awareness to include both the breath and body. From head to toe,
see if anything is attracting your attention. You’re not looking for
anything specific; you’re just opening up your attention in a way
that can receive whatever may be present. If nothing is attracting
your attention, keep your awareness on your breath.
3. If or when a physical sensation is strong enough to become the
dominant experience, place your awareness there, letting go of
being with the breath for a few short moments. Use a simple word to
 describe what you’re feeling, such as “tingling” or “heat.” Afterward,
return to being aware of your breath and body until another strong
sensation arises.
4. Continue practicing in this way, going from the breath and the
body to a physical sensation when one arises.
 Rain on Your Emotions
Time: 15 minutes
“Emotions make us human. Denying them makes us beasts.”
—Victoria Klein

Sometimes we find ourselves reacting or having reacted to an

experience almost as if we were possessed. When that happens,
oftentimes it’s because we were taken over by a strong emotion and
didn’t realize it. Alternatively, we may feel an intense wave of emotion
coming on, which leads to our running away and avoiding it in such a
way that it actually perpetuates harm or unhelpful patterns. Instead of
spending our lives running away from or being ruled by our emotions,
when we move toward them, we step out of the story and into the
present moment, where we can access a different perspective and
cultivate wisdom. This practice uses the acronym RAIN—Recognize,
Allow, Interest, Nurture—to cultivate a new relationship with our
emotions.

Steps:

1. Listen and tune in to your own breathing while keeping a part of

your awareness on your body.
2. Place one or both hands over your heart and check in. How are you
in this moment? There is no right or wrong way to be. Lower your
hands.
3. If a strong or intense feeling or emotion is present, can you name it?
Without getting caught in any particular story or opinion, use one
word to best describe it.
4. Can you allow and accept it being here? If what you’re feeling is too
subtle or too intense, simply place your attention back on your
 breath for the rest of the practice.
5. Be curious about all the ways you feel what you feel. Does your
emotion manifest itself in your body as vibrations, pulses, pins and
needles, throbbing? You may only notice the obvious sensations at
first, and that’s fine. With more practice, you will begin to become
aware of subtler sensations.
6. Offer yourself a moment of nurturing. Some simple yet impactful
ways to nurture yourself are silently repeating, “It’s okay,” or placing
your hands over your heart and taking a few deep breaths.
7. When the feeling no longer feels compelling, return to your breath
until another feeling or emotion arises, at which point you can
begin again.
 Dawn of a New Day
Time: 7 minutes
“Every day is a new beginning. Take a deep breath and start again.”
—Unknown

We might have a general idea of how we want to be in our lives, but we

don’t often deliberately choose it in advance. This meditation uses
visualization to help you integrate how you want to live in a way that is
in line with your values. As a result, this practice is most effective if
done at the start of your day, giving you agency over how you act and
react, even if just for today.

Steps:
1. Place your hands on your torso to create a connection with your
body. Relax into it.
2. After a few breaths, silently ask yourself, “What quality do I most
want to engage today?” Focus on something you know you want to
see more of, like patience, generosity, or kindness. You may already
embody this quality to some degree; this practice is about
manifesting it more regularly.
3. When you know what quality you’d like to cultivate, set that
intention by silently saying, “Today I am going to be . . .”
4. Think through what you have to do today—your morning, what you
will do for lunch, who you will spend time with, the end of your day.
Visualize this in as much detail as possible and imagine you’re
already living out the quality you want to manifest.
5. Identify what might be the most challenging part of your day.
Loosely visualize how you would react to that situation while
embodying the quality you intend to cultivate.
6. Finally, imagine yourself in bed at the end of the day, reflecting on
the day’s events. How would it feel to know you tried your best to
live out that quality? You may not have been perfect, but you did
your best.
 Sink into Sleep
Time: 15 minutes
“Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”
—Brené Brown

A lot of us live full and busy lives, starting the moment we wake up and
ending the moment we go to bed. For many of us, though, our day
doesn’t actually end when we get into bed. If we didn’t provide a
spacious opportunity in the lead-up to bedtime to relax and unwind
(without our devices), we might not realize we are still holding on—
physically and mentally—when we lay down. This meditation invites
you to really and fully settle into where you are with what you are
trying to do—sleep.

Steps:
1. Snuggle yourself into bed and take a few deep breaths. Ground
yourself in this moment by becoming aware of your body exactly as
it is right now.
2. Laying on your back, get comfortable and commit to a relaxed
stillness. Do your best to stay still, since movement activates the
mind and brings energy to the body.
3. Sink your body into the mattress. You may think you are already
relaxed, but we unknowingly bring some of the holding on of our
daily life into bed with us.
4. Place your hands to your body and take full, slow, deep breaths.
With each exhale, tune in to your body, letting go and sinking into
the mattress little by little. It may take time and be subtle. There’s
no rush.
5. At the same time, take full belly breaths that aren’t forceful, as this,
 too, can increase energy. Breathe easefully, making the exhales a
little longer than the inhales.
6. If your mind or energy is feeling some restlessness, scan your body
from head to toe. Each time you scan over a part of the body,
intentionally soften more deeply into the bed.

Challenge: Feeling pressured or stressed to sleep will only make it

harder. When this happens, focus on paying attention to one half
breath at a time.
 Simply Standing
Time: 5 minutes
“Home, in the end, is of course not just the place where you sleep. It’s
the place where you stand.”
—Pico Iyer

Standing is such a regular part of our lives that it is often taken for
granted. If you have the fortunate capacity to stand, take a moment
to be grateful for it, instead of realizing how precious it is only when
your physical health is threatened.

We stand a lot more often than we think—for example, waiting for

the bus, before we cross the street, or in line at a café. These in-
between moments used to be a way to connect, but with technology,
these times have become opportunities to jump into the information
stream. This meditation turns a mundane moment into a possibility for
a deeper connection.

Steps:

1. Stand with your legs coming straight down from your hips. Soften
around the knees so that the weight of your body is being evenly
distributed over the soles of your feet. Let your arms hang slightly
away from the sides of your body and relax your shoulders and face.
2. Become aware of your surroundings—the temperature of the room,
the lighting, sounds, and movements.
3. Feel your body. Without adjusting, notice if you’re leaning more on
one foot than the other, or more toward your heels than toes. After a
few moments, gently sway back and forth and forward and back,
trying to find a balance point.
 4. Bring your attention to your feet, ankles, legs, hips, and lower back
while simultaneously feeling your breath. Is the experience of your
breath different while standing than in any other position? Note
what feels true for you right now.
5. After a few minutes, once again become aware of your surroundings
—the temperature of the room, the lighting, sounds, and movements.

Challenge: Standing still for any length of time can be hard on the
feet, knees, or lower back. If you feel discomfort, mindfully make your
way to a more comfortable position.
 Listen In
Time: 7 minutes
“In every sound, the hidden silence sleeps.”
—Dejan Stojanovic

If you have the ability to hear and haven’t experienced any hearing
issues, you may not have given your hearing much thought. But
before it gets impaired, take a moment to celebrate it! Much like
standing and walking, hearing happens all day long. We’re just not
usually aware of it unless something really pleasant—like birds singing
—or unpleasant—like a jackhammer—catches our attention. This
meditation will guide you through using sounds as an object of focus
and show you that you don’t need to react to everything you hear.

Steps:
1. Once you’ve settled into your meditation posture—sitting, standing,
or lying down—tune in to the sounds and movements going on
around you. There can even be an experience of hearing as a felt
sense in the body.
2. Observe sounds for what they are. Notice how they are constantly
coming and going, outside of your control.
3. You don’t need to do anything with the sounds—you don’t need to
add to them, change them, or make them go away.
4. Notice—without judgment, if possible—any changes in intensity and
volume as sound continues to come and go.
5. Of course you will notice when sounds are pleasant and when they
are not—this is part of mindfulness. If you find yourself getting
tense in response to a sound, take a deep breath and relax. If you
find yourself craving more of a sound, same thing, take a deep
 breath and relax. The sound will come and go, regardless of any
holding on or pushing away you might do.
6. Tune in to the sensations in your body and notice any differences
between when you resist a sound, grasp or want more of a sound,
and when you simply hear a sound.
 All the Feels
Time: 7 minutes
“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.”
—Nelson Mandela

There’s a natural phenomenon that happens when you process

stimuli through your senses—an unconscious categorization of the
stimuli as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. In Buddhism, this is called
feeling tone, or vedāna. It is worthy of exploration because our lives
are chiefly spent strategizing how to increase pleasant feelings and
avoid unpleasant ones. By regularly observing the feeling tone of an
experience, we are cultivating a skill that helps us notice that things
happening outside of us impact us on a subtle level, and from there
we react. With practice, we can begin to see clearly and choose our
reactions wisely.

Steps:
1. Begin the subtle practice of softening—relax your body, relax your
effort. Meet this moment exactly as it is.
2. Turn your attention to your breath and feel it flow in and out
naturally. Keep your awareness of your breath soft, relaxed.
3. When a sound, feeling, or thought grabs your attention, notice if
you have any subtle reaction to it. Do you like it, dislike it, or feel
relatively neutral about it? Your relationship to the distraction gives
you a hint as to whether you find it pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.
When the distraction is no longer gripping, return your attention to
your breath.
4. The next time a distraction takes you away from your breath, tune
in to your relationship with it. Once you’ve recognized the like,
 dislike, or neither liking or disliking of it, acknowledge that your
reaction to it stems from a conditioned and uncontrollable response
to regard it as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. You don’t need to
produce these feelings intentionally, since they arise on their own.
You’re just trying to notice them.
5. As the meditation comes to an end, commit to seeing how pleasant,
unpleasant, and neutral experiences show up in your daily life and
how feeling tone has an impact on the choices you make.
 Tend to Your Talk
Time: 15 minutes
“Honesty and openness is always the foundation of insightful
dialogue.”
—bell hooks

Speech can be an exciting area of practice, as well as vulnerable,

revealing, and powerful. All forms of speech—spoken, written and
inner—leave an imprint. Our words can break relationships, hide the
truth, and divide communities, as well as unveil the truth and liberate.
As a result, what we say matters, making this a valuable practice
exploration. Try this meditation once or twice a day, starting with
written speech and making your way up to phone interactions before
in-person ones. Eventually, with regular practice, navigating even
challenging conversations can feel more easeful.

Steps:
1. Before entering the space in which you’ll speak—a meeting, social
event, phone call, or text messaging conversation—clarify your
intention. For example, I often have the intention to speak in a way
that is kind, helpful, timely, and truthful—in alignment with my
values. How do you want people to feel? Is there something specific
you’d like to express? Acknowledge it and take a few deep breaths.
2. When you speak, keep part of your awareness on your body. This
could be sensing your feet on the ground, your buttocks on the
chair, or your hands wherever they’re placed. One of my teachers,
Sayadaw U Tejaniya, suggests trying to split your awareness 50/50
—50 percent on your body and 50 percent on your speaking.
3. After you’ve spoken, tune in to how you’re feeling. Sometimes, our
energy gets the better of us despite our intentions, and we may have
 interrupted, gossiped, or spoken just to fill the silence. When
listening, again split your attention 50/50 to include your body. If
you’re feeling uneasy or contracted, it might mean that your words
or actions weren’t in line with your intention.
4. As the conversation continues, see if you can align your words and
actions even more with your intention. This might mean holding
back on any urges to interrupt, fill the silence, or engage in divisive
speech.

Adjustment: Try this first with a friend who is also curious about
speaking mindfully. You can set up “dates” where you converse for 20
minutes a week, practicing speaking and listening mindfully.
 The Journey Is the Destination
Time: 7 minutes
“Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh

Walking is something a lot of us get to do on a daily basis, whether

we’re walking to our car, from one place to another, or simply from our
bedroom to the bathroom in the morning. During these times,
however, we’re often lost in planning the next thing we have to do,
rehashing what just happened, fantasizing about something, or
jumping into the information stream via our phones. The following
meditation leads you through a formal practice of walking meditation.

Steps:
1. Find a pathway about 15 to 20 steps long, and begin to walk back
and forth. We practice this going back and forth as a way to get out
of the mind-set of “going somewhere”—this practice is a way to be
here in the present while in motion. Keep your eyes gazing down a
few feet ahead of you, not looking at anything in particular. Choose
a pace that gives you a sense of ease. Fast walking is helpful when
you’re agitated or sleepy. Slow walking is helpful when the mind is
calm and alert.
2. When you come to the end of your path, stop, mindfully turn
around, and start again. As you walk, let your attention settle into
the body. Once you feel connected to your body, let your awareness
settle into your feet and lower legs.
3. Feel the sensations of each step: your legs and feet tensing as you
lift the leg, the movement of the leg as it moves through space, the
contact of the foot with the ground, the cascade of sensations in the
feet and ankles.
4. Whenever you notice that the mind has wandered, bring it back to
the sensations of the feet and legs walking.
5. If an emotion or thought arises and grabs your attention, stop and
be with it. As best you can, avoid getting caught up in story or
judgment. When the emotion or thought weakens, return to your
walking meditation.
 Thought Clouds
Time: 10 minutes
“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he
becomes.”
—Mahatma Gandhi

Some people come to meditation so they can quiet their minds but
then stop meditating when they feel that their thoughts have become
louder. With mindfulness, we’re not trying to stop thinking, but rather
we’re trying to embrace the mind even when it’s agitated and busy.
Eventually, the mind may get more quiet and calm, but the real
indication that your mindfulness of thoughts practice has progressed
is in your ability to gently return your attention to the moment over
and over again with kindness, no matter how many times it wanders.

Steps:
1. Start with a few deep breaths to help create space in your body,
mind, and heart.
2. Place part of your attention on your buttocks touching your seat,
your feet on the ground, or your body laying down. Place another
part of your attention on your thoughts, watching them like clouds
passing across the sky.
3. Whenever a thought is present, simply acknowledge that you’re
thinking by silently saying to yourself, “Thinking, thinking.”
4. After some time, try to be more specific about what kinds of
thoughts you’re having—judging, planning, remembering,
analyzing, or fantasizing, for example. If you get caught up with the
content of a thought, that’s totally normal. As soon as you notice
that, bring your attention gently back to the parts of your body
 touching the ground. Remember, try to let your thoughts pass
through your mind like clouds pass in the sky.
5. If your thoughts get overwhelming or you notice you’ve been lost in
them for a while, take a deep breath or open your eyes briefly.
6. Bring your attention back to this moment, and when you’re ready,
close your eyes again. Continue observing your body and mind.

Challenge: If you unintentionally get caught in your thoughts and it

brings up anxiety, open your eyes and look out a window or note the
things you see until you feel more ease.
 Connected
Time: 10 minutes
“Learn the difference between connection and attachment.
Connection gives you power, attachment sucks the life out of you.”
—Unknown

Given the broad capacity of mindfulness, we can begin to unveil the

unlikely ways in which we can be mindful outside of the formal
constraints of meditation. When we’re able to see this regularly, we
start to understand that nothing is outside the realm of mindfulness,
including being mindful with our phones.

Since smartphones have come into our lives, valuable in-between

moments that used to be opportunities to connect have now become
moments to jump back into the information stream. The good news is
we don’t have to completely give up our phones to find peace.
Instead, we can learn how to interact with them mindfully.

Steps:

1. It’s best to do this meditation with your phone in hand. Go ahead

and place it next to you before settling in to practice.
2. Take a few deep breaths, and then turn your attention to your body,
feeling the parts that are touching the ground. Next, anchor your
attention to the sensations of your hands—feel their position,
temperature, pulsations, and whatever else you notice about them.
3. Stay connected to your body and open your eyes. Look around. If
you feel like sight has pulled you out of feeling your body, practice
moving your attention back and forth between your hands and
whatever you may be looking at.
 4. Reach for your phone, and as you do, feel your body moving. With
the phone in your hand, feel its texture and temperature.
5. While holding your phone, return your attention to your body.
Notice what your breath is like right now—if you unintentionally
held or shortened it—and whatever else may be attracting your
attention.
6. Feel if you have an urge to unlock your phone or open an app if you
haven’t already done so. Sense into how the urge feels—contraction
or expansion, for example. Feel free to interact with your phone
while moving your attention back and forth between what you’re
looking at and your body.
7. Take a deep breath. Put your phone down and place your hands on
your legs or by your sides. Lift your head, lengthen your spine, and
once again reconnect with the parts of your body touching the
ground.

Adjustment: Try this in front of your computer, feeling the keyboard

beneath your fingers and tuning in to how what is on the screen is
impacting you.
 Befriending Yourself
Time: 7 minutes
“You are your best thing.”
—Toni Morrison

Some days, the thought of becoming our own friend can feel
impossible, while other days it can feel selfish. In both cases, we’ll
bypass befriending ourselves, and instead, we’ll quickly be loving and
kind to others. But it’s imperative that we start with ourselves. Much
like how we are told in an airplane to secure our own oxygen mask
before helping others in the case of an emergency, we won’t be able
to love and accept others in a profound way if we don’t love and
accept ourselves first.

Steps:
1. Begin in a position that expresses the loving-kindness you have or
wish to have. Let your body relax and be at rest. Quiet the mind by
focusing on the sensations in your body or on your breath for a
couple minutes.
2. Picture a younger version of yourself when you may have needed
some loving-kindness but didn’t get it. It could be you as a child, a
teen, or an adult, even as recently as today.
3. Silently recite the following phrases, directing them to this younger
version of yourself. Leave a pause between the phrases so the words
can really sink in.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be free from inner and outer danger.
May I be held with compassion.
May I love and accept myself just as I am.
 4. Let any feelings arise with the words, even if they seem
contradictory to this practice. If need be, adjust the words and
images so that you find the exact phrases that best open you.
5. After repeating the phrases over and over for a few minutes, come
back to your breath or body. Notice any feelings and emotions that
have arisen, without trying to change them.

Challenge: It’s completely normal for the exact opposite feelings, like
anger or judgment to arise with this practice. Be gentle with yourself
when these types of feelings arise.
 Rock It
Time: 5 minutes
“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”
—Lao Tzu

I love this practice because it is jam-packed despite its simplicity and

length. It uses the acronym ROCK as its foundation: Relax, Observe,
Curiosity, Kindness. Relaxation is key to this kind of meditation,
because it helps mindfulness arise more naturally and effortlessly.
From there, we are able to tune in to our surroundings without getting
caught up in them, establishing a place for curiosity and kindness to
arise with our intention to relax, whether we like what’s going on or
not. All this makes for a perfect recipe for developing wisdom.

Steps:
1. After you’ve settled into your meditation position, take a few deep
breaths. Let them out with either big exhales or audible sighs. Do
this as many times as you like, eventually returning to breathing
naturally.
2. Relax the parts of your body that don’t need to be holding on right
now. You can do this by either scanning your body from head to toe
or silently saying to yourself, “May I relax” or “May this body relax.”
It’s very possible that you’ll need to remind your body to relax more
than once during this meditation and that’s not a problem!
Relaxation is an open invitation.
3. Tune in to your surroundings, noticing anything that is attracting
your attention. All distractions are welcome—physical sensations,
sounds, or thoughts. Whatever you’re noticing, try to be curious
about it as much as possible. The difference between being
distracted and noticing distractions is that, with the latter,
 mindfulness is your companion.
4. You might get pulled into particular thoughts, such as “That sound
shouldn’t be happening,” or “Don’t they know I’m meditating?!” As
soon as you notice, be kind to yourself, perhaps even playfully
laughing at your mind.

Adjustment: This practice is versatile! Try it as a practice on its own,

right before another practice, or any time during the day.
 Get Down with This
Time: 7 minutes
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is
letting go.”
—Hermann Hesse

A common obstacle to people starting and maintaining a meditation

practice is that they think they have to practice sitting in a certain
way. With all the photos of people looking peaceful in complicated
seated positions, it’s easy for tight-hipped folks to think we’re just not
made for meditation. Au contraire, meditators! The Buddha taught
that we can practice in any position—standing, sitting, walking, and
lying down. This practice explores the ways in which you can be
mindful in a comfortable, reclined position.

Steps:
1. As you set yourself up, make sure your head is slightly propped and
that you are laying on your back on a soft surface. If possible, have
this be a different place from where you would normally sleep or
nap, as a way to let the body know you are doing something new in
a familiar position.
2. If you are feeling sleepy, bend your arms and place your elbows by
your sides in what I call the “robot arms” position. In this position,
your fingers will be pointing up to the ceiling.
3. Take a few deep breaths. With each exhale, now and for the
duration of the practice, see if you can let your body sink deeper
into the surface you’re on.
4. Feel the parts of the body touching down, such as your heels, calves,
buttocks, hands, parts of your back, and your head.
 5. Tune in to the parts of the body that are not touching the ground,
like the backs of the ankles, the backs of the knees, the lower back,
the backs of your wrists, and the back of the neck.
6. Feel your entire body all at once, being particularly mindful of any
sensations that are attracting your attention.

Challenge: When meditating reclined, you may get sleepy. This often
means that your body hasn’t yet recognized this as a practice
position. Keep at it! Your body will eventually get it.
 Take Note
Time: 5 minutes
“Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace,
joy, and serenity.”
—Thich Nhat Hanh

People often assume that if they have a busy mind they can’t
meditate. But it’s exactly for that reason why we should try to learn to
meditate! Some days, the mind can feel busier than other days, and
the temptation to skip our meditation practice on those days can be
strong. Instead of skipping it, give the busy mind what it wants—
something to do! This practice of “mental noting” is great for anxious,
impatient, and even sleepy practice days.

Steps:
1. To help you settle, take a few deep, full breaths and let them go with
big sighs. Eventually, find a breath that feels easeful.
2. Tune in to the qualities of your breath. What is it like right now? Try
to keep a spacious and relaxed awareness of your breath. If it’s
helpful, place one or both hands on your chest or abdomen to
physically feel the rise and fall of the breath at this place.
3. Begin to mentally note your direct experience. When you inhale,
silently say, “Inhaling,” and when you exhale, silently say,
“Exhaling.” Make sure to keep the “internal volume” of your mental
noting low so you can continue to refine your awareness of how the
breath feels.
4. As your attention drifts, gently return to your breathing.
5. Before the end of the practice, let the mental notes go and simply
relax for a few moments. Just be, noticing how you are feeling now.
 Love Yourself
Time: 10 minutes
“Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this
is the beginning of wisdom.”
—Theodore Isaac Rubin

Loving-kindness or friendliness is a quality in mindfulness meditation

that can significantly transform how we relate to ourselves and others.
But just because we decide we want to be loving and kind doesn’t
mean we become so immediately. The good news is that loving-
kindness is a quality that can be cultivated. At first, the opposite
feelings of loving-kindness may arise, but eventually, we begin to love
ourselves wholly and fully, including really and truly loving our faults.
Once we do that for ourselves, we grow to love and accept those
around us wholly and fully, too.

Steps:
1. Begin in a position that expresses the loving-kindness you have, or
wish to have. Gently gather your attention around the sensations in
your body or on your breath.
2. Bring to mind the different parts of yourself—the everyday version
of yourself you see in the mirror, the lovable part, the wise and
teacher, and the mysterious parts. Take a moment to acknowledge
and thank them all for coming together to make up the unique
expression of life that is you.
3. Sense into which part of yourself needs some loving-kindness
today. Let the other parts stand to the side as you begin to offer
loving-kindness phrases to that part of you.
May I have physical well-being.
 May I be free from danger.
May I be kind to myself.
May I dwell in peace.
4. Let any feelings arise with the words, even if they seem
contradictory to this practice at first.
5. Repeat the phrases over and over.
6. Eventually, come back to your breath or body after reciting your
last phrase. Notice the feelings and emotions that have arisen
without judging them or trying to change them.

Adjustment: When time allows, send loving-kindness to all the parts

of yourself, one by one, and then ending with all of them together.
 Feel It, Heal It
Time: 10 minutes
“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”
—Maya Angelou

No matter how much we might try, we can’t control the things that
happen around us, or to us. We can, however, learn how to act, or
react, skillfully. Doing so takes an awareness of our emotions. A lot of
us, however, grew up in ways where being aware of our emotions
wasn’t taught or encouraged. Like so much of mindfulness, it’s a skill
that can be cultivated. We start by paying attention to our emotions
in practice and eventually in our day-to-day lives. This helps us to not
be ruled by them and leads us to choose wisely based on what we’re
feeling.

Steps:
1. Whatever position you’ve chosen for this practice, be sure you’re
able to breathe with ease.
2. Tune in to your breathing while also checking in with yourself. How
are you arriving to this moment? You may be feeling tired or joyful,
inspired or grieving, energized or confused, sleepy or excited,
anxious or peaceful. As best you can, name your particular
experience.
3. It’s very possible you don’t like what you’re currently feeling. See if
you can relax around it by taking a few deep breaths.
4. When you’re ready, get really curious about what you’re feeling.
Does it—the excitement, sleepiness, anxiousness, happiness, or
whatever your experience may be—manifest in your body as
vibrations, pulses, pins and needles, throbbing? Does it feel
 dynamic or like a block? Light or heavy?
5. When there’s nothing left to explore in regard to your feeling, return
to your breath until another feeling or emotion is strong enough to
take your attention away from your breath. If or when that happens,
begin this exploration again.
 Good Grief
Time: 10 minutes
“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the
beginning of something else.”
—Fred Rogers

Grief can be an extremely unpleasant emotion, but it’s not inherently

bad, and if we’re feeling it, it doesn’t mean we’ve done something
wrong. All emotions have a role in our lives and grief helps us process
loss. This practice helps us welcome the waves of grief with
tenderness, so that grief can move through our system and create
space for growth and resilience.

Steps:
1. Create an atmosphere of support, practicing amidst things that
bring you care and comfort—a fuzzy blanket, a warm sweater, or soft
pillows, for example.
2. Feel your breath in your abdominal area. Create connection and
warmth by resting one hand on your abdomen and the other on
your heart, holding yourself gently.
3. Keeping part of your attention on your breath and hands resting on
your body, bring to mind your grieving and your sadness. Allow for
any images, feelings, and parts of the story to arise on their own.
When they do present themselves, hold them and the part of
yourself that is grieving with tenderness.
4. If the practice ever gets too intense, shift your awareness from your
grief and rest in something that is more neutral, for instance, by
opening your eyes and looking out the window. By doing so, you’re
enabling your system to be able to handle the next wave of sadness.
 5. Whatever you’re feeling is completely natural. There’s no need to
make what you’re feeling the enemy, even if it’s very unpleasant. It
is simply the loss moving through your system, clearing space for
something else to eventually grow.

Challenge: Sometimes grief can feel so intense that easing off is a

wise choice. Go for a walk, watch something light, talk to a friend.
Eventually, return to tending to your grief.
 Lean Back
Time: 10 minutes
“I’m not going to say it wasn’t hard. But I had to let go. And I learned
that when you not only let go, but open your arms wide and learn the
lessons, that an experience—no matter how bad—can teach you.
That’s when you rise.”
—Ann Curry

In a world where it’s not just commonplace but expected of us to

always be thinking ahead, our body tends to follow suit. Without our
realizing it, we typically lean forward when walking and sitting, a
reflection of our minds being “one step” ahead of our bodies. It then
becomes a chain reaction: the future-oriented mind incites the body
to lean forward, leading to the mind trying to keep up, and so on. By
being attentive of our back body, we can begin to settle back into this
moment, right where we are.

Steps:
1. Settle into a relaxed pose and take a few deep breaths to help you
arrive.
2. Feel your body’s position and lean slightly back, stacking your head
over your heart over your hips if you’re seated or standing. If you’re
lying down, sink your entire back body into the ground.
3. Bring your attention to the top of your head, the back of your head,
and the back of your neck. Notice any sensations you may feel in
these areas. As you scan over these parts, see if you can physically
or energetically lean back into them a little more.
4. Tune in to your arms, your shoulders, the back of your upper arms
and forearms, your wrists, and the tops of your hands. Are any
 sensations attracting your attention?
5. Tune in to your back and do the same thing, sensing into the upper,
middle, and lower back. What sensations are present?
6. Next, tune in to your buttocks, back of your thighs and knees, and
your heels. What do you feel in these areas? You’re not looking for
anything in particular; you’re simply being open to whatever might
be there.
7. Finish this back body scan by being aware of your entire back body
all at once.

Adjustment: Try this practice of leaning back into your back body
when eating and notice if it changes the quality of your attention
while eating, or even how fast or slow you eat.
 Share the Goodness
Time: 12 minutes
“Love is an action, never simply a feeling.”
—bell hooks

It’s easy to think that one of the goals in meditation is to be loving and
kind, all the time and to everyone. But as anyone who has tried that
knows, it’s not really possible and trying is pretty exhausting. We don’t
need to love everyone—simply tolerating some people can feel like
enough work! So instead of measuring yourself against how you think
you should be, celebrate how far you are from hate, the opposite of
loving-kindness, because although seemingly insignificant, it’s a
movement in the right direction.

Steps:
1. Set yourself up in a caring and comfortable position. Settle your
mind by tuning in to your body or breath.
2. When you feel ready, extend your wishes of loving-kindness to
others. Start with a benefactor, someone who has taken care of you.
If it’s easier, you can even send loving-kindness to a child or an
animal. Picture them and recite your loving-kindness phrases a
couple times.
May you be happy and joyful.
May you be safe from inner and outer harm.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
3. Finish this round by coming back to your breath or body after
reciting your last phrase. Notice what feelings and emotions are
 present now.
4. Next, expand this practice to a neutral person, someone you may
see somewhat regularly but don’t really have positive or negative
feelings for.
5. If you feel ready, expand your focus to include others: friends,
neighbors, even people who you find difficult.
6. Finally, end the practice by sharing the loving-kindness with all
beings, near and far.

Challenge: This practice can be done on its own or along with sending
loving-kindness to yourself for a more complete practice.
 Dig Doing the Dishes
Time: 15 minutes
“Work is love made visible.”
—Kahlil Gibran

I mostly love washing the dishes because I find that there is

something soothing and meditative about it. But I don’t always feel
like that, especially when I’m tired or when a big pile is waiting for me.
In those cases, approaching the task like a practice makes it a lot less
intimidating. I can stay focused on the very dish or utensil I’m cleaning
instead of resenting how much I have left. Whether you initially love
doing the dishes or not, being with one dish at a time helps us get in
touch with the simple pleasures that are present in everyday chores.

Steps:
1. Stand in front of your sink and take a few deep breaths to create
space in your body and mind.
2. Look at the dishes you have to wash and notice if any reactions
arise along with the sense of seeing.
3. As you turn on the water, be present for the process of getting the
“right” temperature. Catch the mind as it goes from unpleasant
when the water is too hot or too cold to pleasant.
4. Feel the sponge’s texture as you add soap to it, and watch the dab of
soap dissolve into the sponge as you wet it. Turn off the water.
5. Pay attention to what you want to start with. Utensils? Glasses?
Plates? Bowls? Notice this intention and then proceed. As you wash,
feel your hands and arms, the texture of the soap and sponge, and
any noises going on around you.
6. When it comes time to rinse, again be mindful as you get the right
water temperature. Watch the soap and food residue rinse off the
dishes into the sink.
7. Feel your body move as you place your dish in the drying rack or
dishwasher.
8. Repeat until all your dishes are done, which might feel sooner than
you think.
 Bless Your Stress
Time: 12 minutes
“You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can
decide not to be reduced by them.”
—Maya Angelou

Stress can feel very real and has real effects on our health. Stress
arises when we feel that the demands on us exceed what we’re able
to handle. In other words, stress comes from the thoughts we create
from feeling pressured by outside sources. We might think the way to
relieve stress is to check off to-do items on our list, but that is a
fleeting reprieve from the feeling. Instead, freedom lies in feeling the
stress. It may sound paradoxical, but doing so gets us out of our stress
story and into the moment.

Steps:
1. Settle into as comfortable a position as possible. We tend to hold
the body when we’re stressed, and being comfortable will help invite
the body to relax.
2. Take three to six consciously deep breaths. If you’re in a space that
allows for it, let each deep breath go with an audible sigh. The more
stressed you’re feeling, the louder the sigh.
3. Tune in to your body. Notice any palpable sensations from having
taken those deep breaths. Also notice if there are any tense areas in
your body that can be coaxed into releasing, like your eyebrows or
eyes, jaw, shoulders, abdomen, or hands.
4. Get curious about the remaining sensations related to your stress.
Feel any shortness of breath, contraction in the body, tingling,
lightness of energy, or whatever else you can sense into. As best you
 can, bring yourself back from thinking about the stress to once
again feeling it.
5. Notice if the sensations get stronger, weaker, disappear, or stay the
same. We’re not trying to change what’s happening or create a
particular experience; rather, we’re trying to cultivate a steady
resilience, regardless of our external circumstances.
 Lend a Hand
Time: 7 minutes
“It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.”
—Nelson Mandela

The Buddha taught that enlightenment can be attained in any

meditation posture—sitting, walking, standing, or lying down. On top
of that, integrating mindfulness with movement, like in walking
meditation, increases our chances that we’ll be mindful more times
during the day. But some days, though we might feel the need to
combine mindfulness with walking, we might be too tired or unable to
walk due to illness, injury, or pain. In that case, we can use our hands
and arms to ground our awareness practice in our bodies.

Steps:
1. If you’re seated, place your hands on your thighs, palms facing
down. If you’re lying down or standing, place your hands and arms
by your sides, palms down if you’re lying down and in whatever way
is comfortable if you’re standing.
2. Tune in to this moment, particularly noticing if there are any
sensations attracting your attention right now.
3. Gather your awareness onto your right hand and feel whatever
sensations may be present there—tingling vibrations, pulsations,
warmth.
4. Begin to slowly turn your right palm to face the ceiling or sky,
paying attention to all the micro-movements and sensations the
hand goes through to complete this action.
5. Lift your right arm toward the sky or ceiling. Any amount of lift is
perfect. There is no need to force beyond what feels good. Again,
 apply curiosity to this entire movement.
6. Turn your palm to face the ground, and slowly lower your arm and
hand back to your starting position, being really aware of anything
that arises.
7. Once your hand touches down, tune in to any sensations present in
your whole body, and sense any differences between your right and
left side.
8. Repeat this process with your left hand and arm.
 Meeting the Judge With Kindness
Time: 10 minutes
“I think every single imperfection adds to your beauty. I’d rather be
imperfect than perfect.”
—Sonam Kapoor

The judging mind is strong and our relationship to it is complicated. It

can be a source of an unhealthy motivation as well as shame; in both
cases, the harm caused by judging ourselves is longer lasting than any
“good” that comes from it. The judging mind tends to scrutinize who
we are instead of what we did. Although we might not always act
wisely, our ability to recognize that in those moments the wounded
part of ourselves got activated and reacted will reduce any shame or
judging cycles we may get caught in, establishing a ground for our
resilience.

Steps:
1. Begin in a position that expresses the loving-kindness you have or
wish to have. Invite your body to relax by taking a few deep breaths
or silently saying to yourself, “May I relax.”
2. For a few minutes, settle the heart and mind further by paying
attention to the sounds around you, the sensations in your body, or
your breath.
3. Bring to mind your fragile and wounded part. This is the part of you
that sometimes gets activated, and in those times, doesn’t make the
wisest decisions, really just out of self-preservation. Offer loving-
kindness to this version of yourself.
May I be peaceful.
May I know safety and the causes of safety.
 May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
4. Let any feelings arise with the words, holding them and yourself
with kindness.
5. Repeat the phrases over and over.
6. Eventually come back to your breath, body, or sounds after reciting
your last phrase. Notice the feelings and emotions that have arisen
without judging or trying to change them.
 Mindfully Consuming Media
Time: 15 minutes
“Emotions are not a choice. Behavior is.”
—Mark Manson

Listening to music or podcasts, watching binge-worthy series, and

reading the news have been part of our lives for a while now, but in
recent years, these activities have started swallowing up large parts of
our awareness. What we might not realize is that what we take in via
our eyes and ears has an impact on our bodies, much like the food we
eat or the products we use—that’s why the term “consuming” is used
here. But similar to food, when we start bringing mindfulness to the
media we consume, we can choose between the ones that create
stress and anxiety and the ones that bring wisdom, knowledge,
connection, and growth, as well as how we take them in.

Steps:
1. Before jumping into consuming your chosen media, take a few deep
breaths.
2. Tune in to your body. What sensations are present? Would you
classify them as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral?
3. Press play on your movie or music or start reading your article.
After a couple of minutes, pause watching, listening, or reading and
check in with your body again. What is here? Can you name the
feeling or sensations? Repeat this step a few times.
4. Once you’ve built up your awareness with your chosen media, try
splitting your attention 50/50 while you’re engaged in the watching,
listening, or reading. This means being partly aware of your body
while also watching, listening, or reading. After a few minutes, press
 pause again and reflect on how much you were able to be aware of
your body during that last round. There is no right or wrong; you are
simply doing your best to cultivate this new skill.
5. Before proceeding, once again check in with your body. What
feelings or sensations are present? Are they pleasant, unpleasant, or
neutral? Tuning in to these feelings will eventually influence the
types of media you engage in and how often.
 Countdown to Ease
Time: 5 minutes
“Now that I knew fear, I also knew it was not permanent. As powerful
as it was, its grip on me would loosen. It would pass.”
—Louise Erdrich

Anxiety can come on subtly as agitation, nervousness, and tension, or

it can come on suddenly as panic and dread. In either case, anxiety
can lock us into a sort of tunnel vision, which then starts a chain
reaction—the limited perspective sparks more anxiety which limits
our perspective further, leading to more anxiety. In the moments
when we have a sliver of mindfulness, we can try the following
countdown. It is an immediate way to get out of our heads and into
the present moment, creating a bigger container, or widening our
perspective in a way that helps ease our anxiety.

Steps:
1. Ground yourself in this moment by taking a few deep breaths or
feeling your feet on the ground.
2. Keeping your eyes open, take a moment to acknowledge five things
you can see, pausing before moving on to each sight. Ensure taking
them in by saying the name of each thing out loud or silently to
yourself.
3. Feel four sensations in your body. Again, really take them in by
saying them out loud or silently to yourself. Pause before moving on
to the next sensation.
4. Notice three things you can hear. Shift your attention so you can
take in three different sounds, instead of noting the most dominant
sound more than once.
 5. Become aware of two things you can smell. If nothing seems
apparent to you, try smelling your clothes, or feel free to move to a
place where odors may be stronger.
6. End this practice by finding one thing you can taste. You might
tune in to the last thing you drank or ate. If that’s not accessible,
bring to mind your last meal and any tastes that were present then.

Adjustment: If you are prone to anxiety, practice this meditation

regularly when you’re not anxious so that it can become increasingly
accessible in those anxious times.
 Sweep Your Body for Sensations
Time: 5 minutes
“The past, the present and the future are really one: they are today.”
—Harriet Beecher Stowe

Sweeping your body and tuning in to its sensations is an effective tool

to quickly drop into the present moment. First, the body is with us
wherever we go—we just often forget it’s there because we spend so
much time up in our heads. Second, feeling the body’s physical
sensations actually helps ease stress and pain, increase our tolerance
for discomfort, and improve relaxation; it can eventually get us to be
more connected to our emotions and feelings, leading us to act more
skillfully. As a result, this is an incredibly impactful and promising
practice, despite its simplicity.

Steps:
1. Settle into a relaxing position and take a few deep breaths to help
you arrive.
2. Bring your attention to your head and face and feel whatever you
feel in these areas. Tune in to the top of your head, forehead, eyes,
cheeks, jaw, mouth, and chin. Relax any of these parts if they are
tense or if you’re holding on.
3. Do the same thing with your neck and torso. What is attracting your
attention in the front and back of your torso? What sensations are
present? Perhaps it’s spaciousness, tingling, or tension. You’re not
looking for anything in particular—you’re simply being open to
whatever might be there.
4. Become aware of your lower body—your pelvis, legs, and feet. What
do you feel in these areas? There’s no right or wrong answer; there
 is simply your experience as it is right now.
5. It’s quite possible that in some parts of your body you notice more
the absence of sensation. That’s completely fine—you haven’t done
anything wrong.
6. Feel your entire body all at once—the parts touching the ground,
any sensations present, even feel the space around your body.
 Just This One Breath
Time: 5 minutes
“Joy and life exist nowhere but the present.”
—Maxine Hong Kingston

Paying attention to the breath is often the first instruction given to

beginners, yet it can be an effective way of practicing no matter what
your level of experience. The reason why the breath is one of the
most common meditation anchors is that it is always with us, wherever
we go. As a result, no matter where we are, tuning in to the breath,
even if for just one breath—something relatively simple—can shift
our perspective in profound ways.

Steps:
1. Bring a relaxed awareness to your breath. Take a few easy, deep
breaths and release them.
2. Without changing or controlling your breath, notice what it is like
right now. For example, is your breath deep, shallow, smooth,
choppy, easeful, or strenuous? Despite any opinions you may have
about how you “should” be breathing, there is no right or wrong way
to breathe. There is just your breath, as it is, right now.
3. It’s possible that it’s hard to tune in to your breath because it’s so
subtle. Relax any effort and be aware of anything you do notice
regarding your breath. For example, where do you feel the breath
the most in your body? Do you feel it most moving in and out of
your nostrils or in the expansion and contraction of the chest or
abdomen? Wherever you feel it most, place your attention there. If it
helps, you can place your hand on your chest or abdomen and
follow it as it rises and falls with each breath.
 4. If your attention wanders, that’s completely normal! When that
happens, gently return your focus to your breath. If possible, let the
return to your breath be as gentle as the breath itself—not judging,
but kind.

Challenge: You might be inclined to control your breath in some way.

When that happens, take a few deep breaths to reset the urge to
control and return to a natural breath.
 Broaden Your Comfort Zone
Time: 7 minutes
“There are opportunities even in the most difficult moments.”
—Wangari Maathai

Given that we can’t control our lives or our surroundings, the next
best thing we can do is to learn how to find ease—even in the midst
of discomfort. Mindfulness helps us do exactly that, not by turning
away from discomfort but by turning toward it. This doesn’t mean we
need to throw ourselves into the deep end of discomfort before we’re
ready; that would be an unwise use of the practice. Instead, we can
lean into it in a way that simultaneously takes care of ourselves while
also broadening our comfort zone.

Steps:
1. Settle into a pose and relax into a stillness that doesn’t make you
feel trapped or rigid. Take a few deep breaths to help you settle.
Whenever you’re ready, breathe naturally, whether that’s through
your mouth or nose.
2. As best you can, for the few minutes of this practice, stay still,
knowing that the more still you remain, the more the everyday
tension you carry will become apparent.
3. What are you feeling right now? What parts of your body are calling
for your attention? What are the thoughts that accompany these
sensations? Are you able to tune in to the body parts that are not
tense or sensitive?
4. Notice any urge that may arise to shift positions to relieve any
discomfort you may be feeling. This is a completely normal
reaction; however, see if it’s possible to be with the sensations for at
 least three more breaths before adjusting, if at all.
5. Once your meditation practice has ended, move in any way you like,
trying to be present for the flood of relief you may feel from
adjusting your posture.

Challenge: There’s a fine line between discomfort and pain. If you

suspect that the discomfort can cause injury, don’t endure it—please
adjust!
 This Body Breathing
Time: 12 minutes
“Please know your immeasurable worth. Every breath you take is
exquisite.”
—Unknown

Although this meditation is great on its own, it can be quite effective

when things feel intense or overwhelming. Although a go-to
mindfulness technique when feeling agitated is to tune in to the
breath, if you’re already breathing superficially, it can actually
exacerbate the agitation. Instead, feeling where your breath moves
your body, trying to notice the subtle and unexpected places, is an
effective way to both ground the mind and widen the perspective,
tending to your agitated heart and mind.

Steps:
1. Once you’ve settled into your posture, listen and tune in to your
own breathing.
2. Where do you feel your breath the most? You may automatically
place your attention on a particular part of the body, but for a few
moments, pretend this is the first time you are being asked to notice
your breath. For these few moments, just receive your breath.
3. Wherever you feel your breath the most, be particularly mindful of
it for 10 to 12 breaths.
4. Ask yourself and observe: How does your breath move your body?
What are its qualities—smooth, choppy, long, short, cold, warm,
light, heavy, floating, blocked, tingling? Are the sensations of your
inhale stronger or more obvious than your exhale, or is it the
reverse?
 5. Expand your awareness to include your entire body and feel your
breath as a full-body sensation, from head to toe. Instead of just one
part of the body expanding and contracting with each breath, feel
the whole body moving with it, even if the sensations are subtle.

Challenge: Our breath can sometimes “get shy,” making it hard to feel.
If that happens, turn your attention to another anchor that feels more
easeful.
 Let’s Get Physical
Time: 12 minutes
“Our ideas are transformed sensations.”
—Étienne Bonnot de Condillac

Although the body itself can’t speak, it certainly communicates with

us, and it does so through the realm of physical sensations. For
example, sensations might be telling us that something is pleasant,
like a movement or an emotion, or unpleasant, like a boundary being
violated. Or sensations might be telling us that we need to pay
attention to our surroundings. These “messages” can point to
particular emotions we’re feeling, even if we don’t yet have the words
to pinpoint what they are. Regardless of our experience, physical
sensations are a portal to our mindfulness practice and a gateway to a
rich, inner world.

Steps:
1. Take a comfortable position and begin to notice the sensations of
the breath, feeling it move in and out of the body.
2. As you sit feeling the breath, you may notice that sensations arise
in your body in a way that is strong enough to take your attention
away from your breath. The sensations may even become the
dominant experience. If this is the case, try not to struggle to push
away the sensations. Instead, use the sensations as your new point
of focus.
3. Make a silent mental note of what you are experiencing right now:
pain . . . tingling . . . itchiness . . . . Find a word that most resembles
what you are feeling, but know that you don’t need to find the
“perfect” word.
4. Integrate the same quality of awareness as you did to note the
breath—relaxed, spacious, open, not trying to control or change your
experience.
5. Notice if the sensation is pleasant and notice the tendency to cling
to it, to keep it. Notice if the sensation is unpleasant and any
tendency to push it away. Relax and open again so you can be with
whatever is there without grasping or pushing it away.
 Coming Back to Your Senses
Time: 10 minutes
“Not the senses I have but what I do with them is my kingdom.”
—Helen Keller

Although obvious, until I started meditating, I never actually realized

that the way we take in the world around us is through our sense
doors. On top of it, most often unbeknownst to us, we are constantly
reacting to and strategizing in response to the things we hear, see,
feel, smell, and taste. Given this and our human tendency to turn
seemingly simple experiences into a whole set of reactions and
strategies, having mindfulness at the door of each of our senses can
help us discern which experiences are worth reacting to.

Steps:
1. Give yourself a few moments to simply observe any sounds,
movements, or sensations in your field of awareness.
2. Turn your attention to your breath, and follow closely the in and out
of six slow, deep breaths.
3. Begin to loosen your grip on the awareness of your breath. Imagine
you’re leaving one hand of attention on the breath, while your other
hand explores the things happening right now that are attracting
your attention. These can be sounds, sensations, smells, tastes,
images (even if your eyes are closed), and thoughts.
4. When one of the senses distracts you, don’t try to shut it out.
Instead, let it in and acknowledge it by silently saying to yourself
“hearing” or “feeling,” for example. We are not trying to analyze
what is happening by occupying ourselves with who, what, and why
type questions, but rather we want to simply be aware of what is
 happening.
5. As soon as you’re done acknowledging or noting whatever it is that
caught your attention, return to your breath. Even if you have to
bring your attention back over and over and over, that’s the practice
right now.

Adjustment: Refine your attention even further by noticing how the

feeling, sound, sensation, or thought physically manifests in your body,
mentally noting any specific sensations.
 Sending Love
Time: 12 minutes
“We’re all just walking each other home.”
—Ram Dass

Having a hard time seeing someone you love suffer speaks volumes
of the love and care you feel. Yet, for some, your version of “being
compassionate” might be to jump into problem-solving mode and
offer the sufferer a list of solutions and actions to help move them
past their suffering. Although this comes from a wholesome place—
wanting a person you love to be happy and filled with ease—this
tendency often leaves a loved one not feeling seen or heard. To
counter this, this particular mindfulness exercise will allow you to
create space for what your loved one is going through or feeling, so
they can feel supported exactly as they are.

Steps:
1. Begin in a position that is a reflection of kindness or compassion.
Settle your awareness by noticing the sounds around you, the
sensations in your body, or your breath.
2. Bring to mind a loved one who might be going through a difficult
time. Take a moment to feel in your body your natural care for them.
3. Become aware of their suffering. If it feels appropriate, place your
hands over your heart and wish them well, opening your heart to
send them ease, to help them carry their pain and meet it with
compassion.
4. Inwardly recite the phrases:
May you be held in compassion.
 May you be free from pain and sorrow.
May you be at peace.
5. Repeat these phrases over and over while holding them in your
heart. Feel free to adjust the phrases in any way so they are more
significant to you or your loved one.

Challenge: If bringing to mind a loved one’s suffering leads you to feel

overwhelmed, shift your focus to something more neutral, like your
breath, or open your eyes.
 Root Down, Reach Up
Time: 7 minutes
“Feeling is the secret.”
—Neville Goddard

The Buddha taught that we can practice mindfulness in four poses:

seated, standing, walking, and lying down. Some would say—and I
happily agree—that there’s even a fifth pose: everything in between!
In other words, it’s not the pose you’re practicing in that matters but
the quality of awareness that you bring to whatever it is you’re doing.
In this meditation, we are extending our mindfulness practice to
include some stretching and movement, using the physical sensations
that the movements bring as a doorway into our mindfulness practice.

Steps:
1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Soften your knees so that the
weight of your body can be evenly distributed over both of your
feet. Let your arms hang slightly away from the sides of your body
and relax your shoulders and face.
2. Become aware of your surroundings—the temperature of the room,
the lighting, sounds, and movements. Feel your entire body.
3. When the urge to move arises, reach up toward the sky or ceiling.
Any amount of lift is perfect. There is no need to force beyond what
feels good. If your neck allows, follow your hands, looking up
between them.
4. As you reach toward the sky or ceiling, root your feet down. Does
that help you reach higher? What sensations are present? Are the
sensations pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral?
5. After a few breaths, bend your knees and fold at your hips, bending
 toward the ground. Relax your head and shoulders, letting all
tension release toward the earth. What is your breath like right now?
6. When you’re ready, keep your knees bent and unroll yourself,
vertebra by vertebra. Try to feel each individual vertebra stack one
on top of the next as you unroll.
7. Repeat as many times as you wish!

Adjustment: If you have high blood pressure, avoid folding down

toward the ground. Instead, fold halfway, keeping your head above or
level with your heart.
 Stretch from Seat to Sky
Time: 12 minutes
“Be sincere; be brief; be seated.”
—Franklin D. Roosevelt

Despite our best intentions, sometimes our meditation practice can

remain a heady experience. This is caused by a few things, one being
that we are using the mind to train the mind to calm down! Albeit an
imperfect training, it’s one that works, and so we carry on—with
wisdom. During the times when we just can’t seem to get out of our
heads, bringing in some mindful movement to shift the energy and
elicit sensation can serve as the perfect solution to drop our attention
into the body.

Steps:
1. In a comfortable seated position, gently stack your head over your
heart over your hips.
2. Take your time to arrive by breathing slowly and deeply for a
minute or two, or about 12 breaths.
3. Reach your arms up to the sky or ceiling. Don’t force in a way that
might feel unpleasant. Hold this pose for a few breaths, inhaling
fully into your entire torso. Notice any sensations that have arisen
with this movement.
4. Fold your body forward any amount, resting your arms and hands
on the ground away from you. Take advantage of your exposed back
and breathe deeply into your back body.
5. If thoughts arise about how you’re “performing,” let them float away
by regrounding your attention into your body and its sensations.
6. Roll yourself up, stacking your vertebrae one on top of the next
slowly, until you are back in your starting position.
7. Pause in this upright pose for another 12 breaths, feeling all the
sensations that have been aroused from these simple, gentle
movements.
8. Repeat these movements at least one more time. If you are sitting
cross-legged, be sure to switch the leg that is in front with each
repetition.
 Relax Into Balance
Time: 5 minutes
“Balance is not something you find, it’s something you create.”
—Jana Kingsford

A common expression is that we “lose balance,” implying there was

something to be lost in the first place. Although the feeling of balance
may seem real, balance in and of itself is a mental construct that is
dependent on many things. If we can remember to be mindful, it
doesn’t really matter if we’re balanced or if we lost it. What matters is
that our quality of kind attention remained.

Steps:
1. Stand on a solid surface with your feet together. Soften around your
knees and relax your shoulders and arms. Take a few deep breaths.
2. Keeping your eyes open, fix a soft gaze on a point that doesn’t move
a few feet in front of you. Bring your attention to your feet and legs
and notice any sensations present.
3. As you root your right foot down and lengthen all the way to the top
of your head, lift your left heel.
4. Notice any sensations in your right ankle—wobbling or pulsing, for
example. Embrace whatever sensations are present.
5. Lift your left foot to place the heel to the inside of your right ankle,
your right calf, or your right inner thigh. Avoid placing the foot
against the right knee.
6. Breathe naturally in this balance pose. If you like, bring your hands
into prayer position in front of your chest or reach your arms to the
sky or ceiling.
 7. Lower your left foot and feel both feet, ankles, legs. Notice any urge
to “shake it out.” Resist the urge, and instead, stand mindfully. Feel
balance returning on its own.
8. Whenever you’re ready, repeat this on the other side.

Challenge: If you’re feeling particularly wobbly, you can steady

yourself by placing a hand on a wall or the back of a chair.
 Neck Stretch
Time: 7 minutes
“The inspiration you seek is already within you. Be silent and listen.”
—Rumi

Whether it’s because of stress and anxiety or prolonged periods of

looking down at our devices, more of us are finding ourselves with a
tense neck and tense shoulders. If this tightness goes unattended, it
can lead to reduced mobility and even headaches. Eventually, with
sustained and consistent practice, mindfulness can act as a
preventative tool. In addition to our becoming aware of our posture
and managing our stress better, both of which positively impact our
tense neck and shoulders, doing these simple movements with
mindfulness can awaken these areas in a way that may not have been
possible before.

Steps:
1. After you’ve settled into stillness, take a few deep breaths to help
you arrive more fully to this moment.
2. Become aware of your neck and shoulders and any sensations that
may be present in these areas. Can you name what you’re feeling?
3. Drop your chin toward your chest and begin to roll your head from
side to side, moving at a pace at which you can stay mindful. As you
do this, notice the mix of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral
sensations.
4. The next time your right ear is over your right shoulder, pause there
and breathe deeply. Reach your left shoulder down and away to
intensify the stretch. Send your breath to the places where you feel
tension or tightness.
 5. After a few breaths there, bring your chin back to your chest and lift
the head. Pause here for a few moments to simply feel. Be
particularly curious about all the sensations present.
6. When you’re ready, repeat these movements on the other side. Feel
free to repeat the movements as many times as you like.

Challenge: As your ear is over your shoulder, reach your opposite

hand down and away from you. You can even add a nod and shake of
your head.
 Massage Your Way to Mindfulness
Time: 10 minutes
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.”
—Cecilia Tran

Some days, it can be hard to feel the body and its sensations no
matter how much we might try. The following meditation is one of my
favorite ways to connect to the body because it doesn’t take long—
and it feels good! Some long-term benefits of this particular practice
include a reduction of tension and stress, as well as an increase in
one’s emotional intelligence. Doing this regularly and tuning in to how
something as simple as this practice can benefit you will begin to
show you that self-care is not a luxury but a necessity.

Steps:
1. With soft wrists and fingers, gently tap your entire head and face.
When you reach your eyes, instead of tapping, gently massage your
eyelids in sweeping motions. Tap the front of your neck and throat,
too.
2. Lower your hands and feel the energy and sensations present at the
face, head, and neck.
3. Make a soft fist with your right hand by placing your thumb on the
inside of your fingers. Outstretch your left arm, palm facing down,
and gently thump the upper part of your arm. Make your way to
your shoulder, lightly tapping the back of the neck. Travel back
down the upper arm, turn your left palm up, and thump the inner
arm and left side chest.
4. Take a moment to feel the left arm, shoulder, and chest, noticing
any vibrations or tingling.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the right side, with your left hand in a soft
fist.
6. With soft fingers, massage your belly area, sending kindness and
compassion to this part of the body that is so often ignored.
7. Make soft fists with both your hands and lean forward. Gently
massage your lower back.
8. Settle back into your meditation posture and feel the energy you’ve
created running through your body.
 Bring Life to Your Hike
Time: 15 minutes
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
—Lao Tzu

There are a few things that can immediately grab our attention in such
a way that our mindfulness becomes undeniable. Being up close with
animals, children (especially when they’re not our own!), and nature
make up part of those enthralling experiences. As a result, hiking with
awareness can really enhance your time on the trail. Yet, if you bring
to your hike a goal and hold to it tightly, that can be enough to
prohibit not only mindfulness from being included but joy as well. For
this practice, it is best to leave all objectives aside and practice being
with each step.

Steps:
1. At the trailhead or park entrance, stop and take in your
surroundings—feel the air around you, take in the smells and sights,
and tune in to how your body feels.
2. Visualize the trail or path you plan to take. If it’s a familiar route,
bring to mind any challenging parts so you can be particularly
aware of them when you come across them. As you visualize
yourself on your hike, try to include how you want to feel.
3. Start your hike or walk, and all throughout pay attention to your
body, breath, and thoughts.
4. When a sight, smell, or sound catches your attention, come to
standing and really take it in. Feel the impact this sight, smell, or
sound has on your body.
5. When your mind wanders to things not on or about your hike, stop,
 take a deep breath to ground yourself, and continue on.
6. Pay attention for subtle internal reactions such as “This is hard” or
“I’ve done enough; I’ll turn back soon,” which are rooted in initial
impressions of pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Shift your focus
from the thoughts to the feeling tone instead and notice if this
changes your hike or endurance in any way.
 Build a Backbone
Time: 10 minutes
“We believe that it takes a strong back and a soft front to face the
world.”
—Joan Halifax

As beings that walk on two legs, with eyes positioned to see forward
and minds conditioned to think ahead, we often forget about the
back of our body. As a result, once we start practicing mindfulness, we
don’t realize we often focus on the front of our body when we tune in
to our breath or look for physical sensations. This practice helps to
balance this out and has two particular benefits: It helps to strengthen
the muscles in our back and begins to enliven this area that we so
often ignore.

Steps:
1. Spread out a yoga mat or blanket on a soft surface and lay face-
down, resting your chin or forehead on the ground with your hands
beneath your shoulders. Take a few deep breaths, sending your
breath to the sides of your body and into your back.
2. Place your elbows on the ground in line with your shoulders and
align your hands with your elbows, palms down to the ground. Your
arms will be at a 90-degree angle. If you’re able, slide your elbows
forward so they are slightly higher than your shoulders.
3. Press the hands firmly down into the ground and engage a pulling
action. Your hands won’t move but they’re pulling at the ground as
if you are trying to pull yourself forward. As you do this, inhale and
lift your chest and head off the ground any amount, paying
particular attention to your lower back, making sure not to pinch it.
 4. When you need to exhale, lower yourself down and rest on one ear.
Pause here for a few moments to feel the residual sensations from
this simple movement.
5. Repeat this as many times as you like, alternating the ear you rest
on between lifts.

Adjustment: This can also be done at a wall. Changing your

relationship to gravity in this way makes the practice a little easier.
 Swiftly Sweep
Time: 12 minutes
“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need,
not more.”
—Mother Teresa

There are plenty of things we do in our lives that are for our well-being
—many of which we enjoy doing and some of which we don’t. In the
latter category for me is sweeping the floor. Much like my running
practice, and sometimes even my meditation practice, I’m happiest
not as I’m doing it but once it’s done. Whatever it is for you,
approaching it in much the same way as this practice turns sweeping
into a meditation—by being present for the process and not overly
focused on the outcome—may make it go by faster, and perhaps
even make it enjoyable.

Steps:
1. Stand in the area you have to sweep with your broom in hand. Do a
quick standing meditation. What do you notice about your body?
What kinds of thoughts are passing through your mind? How do
you feel about sweeping right now?
2. When you’re ready, begin to sweep. For the first few minutes, sweep
slowly, letting each stroke of the broom come to completion before
putting the broom down to sweep again.
3. Pay attention to the movements of your body, the sounds of the
broom, and what your eyes are looking at.
4. What feelings are present? Repulsion at dirt? Satisfaction at the
collecting of the dirt? Any and all feelings are welcome here.
5. Continue at this pace for a few more sweeps. You can eventually
 quicken your pace, moving at a speed where you can remain
mindful.
6. When you’re at the end of the task and you’re about to gather the
dust in the dustpan, notice any judgments, thoughts, and sensations
—about the dirt, cleaning tools, or the little specks of dirt that are
hard to get into the dustpan.
7. Extend your practice to include throwing the dust and dirt into the
bin.
 Choosing Forgiveness
Time: 12 minutes
“It's one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, to forgive. Forgive
everybody.”
—Maya Angelou

When bolstered by sayings like “forgive and forget,” we might be quick

to forgive someone without ever really tending to our own feelings of
hurt, or we might let someone back into our life despite our better
judgment. For these reasons, forgiveness is often the most
challenging and misunderstood quality. It doesn’t condone the past, it
doesn’t mean we need to stay connected to anyone who has caused
us pain, nor is it weak or naive. Forgiveness takes time and is really
about not leaving anyone out of your heart, including yourself, for any
hurt that may have been caused.

Steps:
1. Begin in a position that is an expression of kindness. If it feels
appropriate, place your hands over your heart and tune in to your
body.
2. Bring to mind anyone you may have harmed. Hold them lightly in
your awareness, and silently say, “For any way that I have caused
you harm, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word, or deed, I
ask for your forgiveness.”
3. Pause for a few moments, letting these words land in your body and
heart.
4. In much the same way, bring to mind anyone who might have hurt
or harmed you. Silently say, “For any way that you have caused me
harm, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word, or deed, may I
 forgive you,” leaving a long pause after reciting the phrase.
5. Next, for yourself, silently say, “For any way that I have caused
harm to myself, through judgment, action, self-blame, indifference,
knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word, or deed, may I forgive
myself. And if I cannot do so in this moment, may I be able to
forgive myself in the future.”
6. Let any feelings arise with this phrase, holding yourself in kindness.
 From Painful to Mindful
Time: 12 minutes
“The cure for the pain is in the pain.”
—Rumi

A natural human tendency is to want to avoid anything unpleasant,

and even more so anything painful. Like so many of the meditations
we’ve explored together so far, the most immediate way in which we
can find any sort of freedom is not by avoiding pain but by moving
toward it. However, jumping into feeling the pain before you’re ready
could alter your relationship to what you’re feeling, and not for the
better. As a result, this meditation invites you to gently start leaning
into it so that you can eventually establish a new relationship to your
pain.

Steps:
1. Bring your attention to the sounds happening around you—inside
the room, outside the room, close to you, far from you. Practice
being with them just as they are, not naming them or wondering
where they’re coming from.
2. Turn your attention to a part of your body that is not hurting at the
moment. Notice any sensations in that area, however subtle the
sensations or small the area.
3. Become aware of a part of your body that is in pain right now. Even
if for a very brief moment, try to turn your attention toward it, and
then shift your awareness back to the sounds going on around you.
4. Check in with what it was like turning toward the pain or
discomfort, sensing into what you were able to feel. This is not to be
underestimated! You are already on your way to developing a new
 and healing relationship with your pain, as well as your mind and
body.
5. If you found it challenging, that is completely normal. The good
news is this is a skill that can be cultivated with patience and
kindness. Whenever you feel ready, return to steps 3 and 4;
otherwise, continue following the sounds around you.
 Peace of Food
Time: 12 minutes
“We’re all under the same sky and walk the same earth; we’re alive
together during the same moment.”
—Maxine Hong Kingston

Mindfulness is so all-encompassing that we can integrate it into

anything we do, allowing us to never be too far from our practice.
Even if you don’t have the time or space to practice regularly for
extended periods of time, you will begin to see that there are
countless opportunities throughout the day during which you can be
mindful. With this practice, you'll discover how to eat mindfully, which
suddenly grants you at least three opportunities daily to practice. For
this meditation, it’s best to have some food in front of you, whether it’s
a whole meal or a snack.

Steps:
1. Once you have served yourself some food, pause and take a deep
breath.
2. With your eyes open, take in the different shapes, textures, and
colors of your food. Give a silent thanks to everyone who has helped
make eating this food possible: the server or cashier who sold you
the food, anyone involved in preparing it, the staff where you
bought the food, the delivery people who helped bring the food
from the farm to your grocery store or restaurant, the farmers—those
who planted, nurtured, and harvested the ingredients—even the sun,
wind, water, and earth.
3. Figure out what you’ll eat first and become aware of your body. Is
your mouth watering or are you tense anywhere? Notice whatever
sensations may be present.
 4. Hold your utensils and take a moment to feel them. Pick up some
food and feel your arm lift your food toward your mouth.
5. Open your mouth and put the food in. Before chewing, become
aware of what immediately grabs your attention. Notice any tastes,
smells, sounds, textures, or physical reactions. Begin to chew slowly,
eventually swallowing. Notice any sense of enjoyment and how that
enjoyment may ebb and flow as you get sated.
6. Continue eating in this way, perhaps at a slightly quicker pace
without losing your quality of attention.

Adjustment: Try this the next time you share a meal with others.
Make it accessible by just focusing on eating a few bites mindfully.
 Stand by Your Suffering
Time: 15 minutes
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming
of it.”
—Helen Keller

We are so adept at avoiding that which we don’t want to feel or

experience that we spend a lot of our time running away from
perceived or future pain. At the touch of unpleasantness, the mind
can jump into storytelling about what the pain means and how it can
affect our future. As a result, past pains begin to dictate our future—
we decide prematurely that we will feel pain before we actually feel it.
Although in many circumstances that might be true, we can never be
sure how our body will show up at any given moment.

Steps:
1. Bring your attention to the sounds happening around you—inside
the room, outside the room, close to you, far from you. Practice
being with them just as they are, not naming them or wondering
where they’re coming from.
2. Bring a light touch of mindfulness to the parts of your body that are
in pain. You don’t need to spend much time at all sensing into your
pain, just as much as you can bear, however brief.
3. Acknowledge and honor the part of you that doesn’t want to be in
pain. The deep desire to be pain-free is coming from a wholesome
place—wishing for yourself less suffering in this world. Hold this
part of you with tenderness and kindness.
4. Inwardly recite these phrases:
May I be held in compassion.
 May I be free from pain and sorrow.
May I be at peace.
5. Let any feelings arise with the words, even if they seem
contradictory. If need be, adjust the phrases so that you find ones
that best open you.
6. After repeating the phrases over and over for a few minutes, come
back to the sounds going on around you.
 Late Day Reset
Time: 7 minutes
“Every action has an impact, choose wisely the impact you want to
have.”
—Mindy Hall

Although you might have started your day with sincere and good
intentions, distractions, busy-ness, or simple forgetfulness tend to get
the better of us. This practice is designed to help you recommit to
your original intentions and is best done later in the day, like the late
afternoon or early evening. Try it when you’ve changed environments,
like arriving home from work or school, or you’ve changed situations,
like going from being with co-workers to being with family. It can serve
as a way to reset and leave whatever happened in the first part of
your day in the past.

Steps:
1. Settle into a position of ease and tune in to the parts of your body
touching the ground. Take a few deep breaths to help you arrive
more fully at this moment.
2. Working your way backward, visualize the earlier part of your day—
what you were just doing, where, and with whom, your afternoon,
lunch, and morning. What were some of the things you did? Who
did you come across, if anyone? How did you feel? Picture your
breakfast or morning beverages, if you had any, and even remember
how and when you woke up. Try to imagine your day with as much
detail as you can.
3. Once again, tune in to the parts of your body touching the ground
or your breath.
4. Now bring to mind the rest of your day—how you’ll be spending
your time and with whom. Visualize how you’d like to be for the rest
of your day—patient, kind, or relaxed, for example. You may or may
not be able to be the way you’d like, but you’re setting the intention
for this quality to arise more easily.
5. One last time, feel your body touching the ground. Take a deep
breath and exhale.
 360° Breath
Time: 15 minutes
“Focus on the miracle that your breath is.”
—Jacqueline Whitney

To me, the practice of mindfulness is one of coming home—to our

body and ourselves. We do this by gradually growing increasingly
aware of all the parts of ourselves that make us who we are, internally
and externally, instead of continuing to focus solely on the parts that
we see most often or feel most obviously. The following meditation
invites you to pay attention to an often overlooked area—the back
body—and how it moves with each breath, adding to your full-body
awareness.

Steps:
1. Be able to breathe with ease in your meditation posture. Take a few
deep breaths to create space in the body and mind.
2. Bring your hands to your chest or abdomen. Feel the temperature of
your hands, the contact with your body, and any other sensations.
3. For 12 slow, deep breaths, feel your hands rise and fall with each
inhale and exhale.
4. Move your hands to the sides of your rib cage by either crossing
your arms in front of you or, if your shoulders allow, widening your
elbows and resting your hands on your sides. Tune in to any
sensations, pleasant or unpleasant, of this arm placement.
5. With your hands, feel your rib cage expand and contract for 12 slow,
deep breaths.
6. Lower your hands. Bring your attention to your back, particularly
 the kidney area, which is at the base of your back ribs. Sense how
your breath moves this part of your body, again for 12 breaths.
7. For the rest of the meditation, continue with your slow, deep
breaths, feeling your body expand and contract in all four directions
(front, back, right side, and left side).
 Your Inner Breath
Time: 15 minutes
“Listen, are you breathing just a little, and calling it a life?”
—Mary Oliver

When being mindful of the breath, we can get so concentrated on a

certain quality or focused on a part of the body, we may not feel the
breath as a full-body experience. In addition to food, water, and
sunshine, the breath is a vital way in which we get fed and energized,
yet we may be aware of it in only a broad way. This meditation invites
you to attune more deeply to your breath and body, sensing how
energy gets sent to your entire body with each inhale, and how each
exhale cleanses your entire body.

Steps:
1. Spend a few minutes quieting your mind by gathering your
attention around your breath. Begin by noticing the more obvious
movements of the body in relation to your breath, like the chest,
abdomen, or back body.
2. Get even more curious about the qualities of your breath. How is it
moving in and out of your body? What parts rise and fall, expand
and contract?
3. Eventually, turn your attention to the even more subtle movements
of your breath, observing if one side of the body moves more freely
than the other, or if the body doesn’t expand fully in some areas
with each inhale.
4. Finally, for the remainder of the practice, when you inhale, tune in
to how breathing in sends energy to your entire body, all the way to
the tips of your fingers and toes. When it’s time to exhale, sense how
exhaling draws out old or stagnant energy from all the parts of your
body.
 Count Your Way to Sleep
Time: 15 minutes
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running
with them.”
—Marcus Aurelius

Some people treat sleep the same way they do their goals: If it’s not
happening, they try harder! That approach, though, is the very thing
that prohibits them from falling asleep. This meditation soothes the
busy mind by giving it the task of counting while simultaneously
feeling each breath relax the body. A word of caution to goal-oriented
folks: It’s important to not get fixated on the numbers. Counting your
exhales is a mundane task that won’t grip or energize your mind, while
it also keeps at bay the very thoughts that keep you awake.

Steps:
1. Tuck yourself into bed and take a few deep breaths. Lay on your
back or side and do your best to stay still, since movement can
energize the mind and bring energy to the body.
2. Breathe naturally and tune in to your breath, feeling your inhale and
exhale. If you’re laying on your back, place your hands on your
abdomen or chest and feel them rise and fall as your body expands
and contracts with each breath.
3. Relax your eyebrows, eyes, and jaw. Release your shoulders and any
other place you may be tensing.
4. Begin to calm your mind and body even further by counting your
exhales. Silently say to yourself, “Inhaling . . . one . . . Inhaling . . . two
. . . Inhaling . . . three . . . .” Keep the “volume” of your mental noting
low, focusing your attention primarily on the sensations of your
 breath and on the numbers.
5. Your attention may drift. Don’t worry if your mind wanders, just
return your focus to your breathing.
6. In a relaxed way, see if you can get to 10. If you lose count, simply
start again at one. Once you get to 10, count back down to one.
Getting to 10 or one is not really important; keeping a relaxed effort
is what’s key.
A Final Word
A good and lasting meditation practice doesn’t end when the timer goes
off. The most telling place where the quality of our practice speaks is in
the way we live our lives, not in how calm, quiet, or pleasant the mind may
be.
Mindfulness is an invitation to wake up to the new and exciting, as
well as the familiar and mundane, in equal measures. For example, the
capacity to breathe and to read this book are gifts that we tend to forget
when we’re wrapped up in our own world. Yet when we practice
mindfulness, we can remember that being able to breathe or to see and
read is indeed precious, and we don’t need to wait for something to
threaten to take away these capacities to remind us of their brilliance.
This precious human life is made up of precious human days and
precious human moments. How we spend them is important—how we
spend our time, how we live together, and most importantly, how we treat
ourselves and each other. Mindfulness teaches us that what we do doesn’t
matter as much as how we do it. The invitation then becomes to do things
with openness, kindness, and compassion. We don’t have to be born open,
kind, and compassionate; this practice slowly teaches us how to cultivate
these qualities.
This book was written with the intention that your practice begins
here but doesn’t end here. I sincerely hope your interest has been piqued
and you are inclined to continue practicing and to explore the teachings
of mindfulness more profoundly. If you’re not sure how or where to dive
deeper, check out the resources section for a list of ways your practice can
be continue to be supported.
May your days be full of blessings.
May you taste freedom from life’s suffering.
May you know deep peace.
Resources
BOOKS
Awakening Through Love: Unveiling Your Deepest Goodness by John
Makransky
This book offers an alternative way to practice loving-kindness
meditation. Caretakers, social workers, nurses, and doctors find refuge in
this approach, yet it is accessible to all.

Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community

by Larry Yang
This is one of my favorite books! Beautifully written, it explores the
intersection of the internal work of meditation and the external work of
bringing it into the world.

Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master by Amy Schmidt
Dipa Ma was an extremely influential presence within modern Buddhism,
especially for women within it, who dedicated herself fully to practice
after experiencing immense grief. In this biography of the Buddhist
master, you’ll discover an incredibly loving side to what cansometimes
feel like a dry or serious practice.

A Path With Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual
Life by Jack Kornfield
One of the first meditation books I read and the one I recommend to
people the most. Jack Kornfield magically weaves storytelling with
teachings and includes meditations at the end of almost every chapter.

The Revolutionary Art of Happiness: Loving-Kindness Meditation by

Sharon Salzberg
This book is the go-to book for those who are looking to learn all about
the heart practices of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and
equanimity.

Time to Stand Up: An Engaged Buddhist Manifesto for Our Earth by

Thanissara
This is a very necessary book for our current times. It retells the story of
the Buddha, a great activist of his time, and links it to the climate urgency
that our earth is facing.

The Way of Tenderness: Awakening Through Race, Sexuality, and Gender

by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
Here’s another one of my favorites. It explores the complex intersection of
practice with identity.

ORGANIZATIONS/NETWORKS
Buddhist Insight Network: If you are interested in finding a group with
whom you can practice in person, this site offers a comprehensive
directory.

BuddhistInsightNetwork.org
Inward Bound Mindfulness Education: A nonprofit organization that
organizes and hosts mindfulness retreats for teenagers in the United
States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

IBME.info
Kalyana Mitta: This means spiritual friendship and, specifically in our
context, a network of spiritual friends you travel with on this path. In the
link below, you’ll find instructions on creating your own group of spiritual
friends if you can’t find a group of people to practice with.

SpiritRock.org/kalyana-mitta-guidelines
Spirit Rock Meditation Center: This renowned meditation retreat center
based in California offers a beautiful setting with skilled teachers if you’re
interested in intensive meditation practice. (I teach here!)

SpiritRock.org
True North Insight: A nonprofit organization based in Eastern Canada
that offers intensive meditation retreats, weekly classes, day-long classes,
study programs, and more. I’m a teacher with this organization and am
also on the board.

TrueNorthInsight.org

MEDITATION APPS
These apps take the accessibility of meditation practice to whole new
levels. Although in-person practice with a group or contact with a teacher
is recommended when possible, apps can help maintain and sustain a
personal practice.
Below are a few apps to which I’m a contributor:

Insight Timer: The largest free online meditation community and

library of guided meditations with contributing teachers from all over
the world.

InsightTimer.com

Liberate App: A meditation app that has the core values of equality
and inclusivity. It was created by people of color and features teachers
of color.

LiberateMeditation.com

Meditation Studio App: I’m humbled to accompany over 60 other

qualified meditation teachers on this app.

MeditationStudioApp.com

Neo Travel Your Mind: A truly original app! It is designed to take you
 on a journey, and with the high-quality soundscapes and catered
meditations, you will feel both out of this world and into your body.

NeoMeditation.com/en

HOW TO SIT
If you would like visual examples with more detailed instructions on the
different ways in which you can set yourself up to sit for practice, check
out this PDF I created.
DawnMauricio.com/shop/howtosit
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank and acknowledge the following people, because
without them, I would not be the person or the teacher I am today.
To the city of Montreal, the only place I’ve called home. Thank you for
your consistent support and encouragement and for being open to my
teachings since day one, no matter how clumsy they sometimes were. It is
because of the safe ground you provided that I was able to grow and
evolve so much.
To my mama, Della, and my “second mom,” Auntie Ellen. There will
never be enough expressions of gratitude for the ways you’re present in
my life, for being part of my first sangha, and for being my first examples
of strength and resilience.
Thank you, Dana, my therapist extraordinaire, for both lifting me up
and keeping me grounded in your gentle and unassuming ways.
Gullu, my Dharma husband! Thank you for your eyes and generosity,
and for sharing your wisdom.
To True North Insight, my first spiritual home. Thank you for giving
me a place to grow from a shy volunteer to a teacher and board member. I
look forward to all the ways we’ll continue to grow together.
To Spirit Rock Meditation Center, for catapulting my practice and
teaching in ways I only dreamed of.
To my love, François. Thank you for being my number one
cheerleader. With you, anything and everything feels possible, no matter
how messy I may get in my process.
Pascal, there are no words for the impact you’ve had in my life. You are
so much to me—teacher, friend, and steady presence in my life. Thank you
for seeing me in ways I don’t always see myself, and for reflecting what
you see back to me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dawn Mauricio has been practicing and studying Vipassanā Meditation

since 2005, regularly sitting long intensive meditation retreats in Canada,
the United States, Thailand, Myanmar, and South Africa. She is a
meditation retreat teacher for True North Insight and Spirit Rock
Meditation Center and for teenagers with Inward Bound Mindfulness
Education. Dawn is a value- and purpose-oriented teacher with a passion
for inclusivity and is known to teach with a playful, dynamic, accessible,
and heartfelt approach. You can find her teaching intensive meditation
retreats, day-long retreats, and mindfulness workshops in Canada, the
United States, and online at DawnMauricio.com.