Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, I'm going to share a bit about what meditation is and what it isn't. And I'd like to frame this with a quote by the great Zen meditation teacher Thich Nhat Hahn. And he says, "Meditation is not evasion. It's a serene encounter with reality." "Meditation is not evasion.
It's a serene encounter with reality." So remember this thing that we're doing, this practice, this taking five minutes, 10 minutes, 20, 30 minutes to stop and tune in, it's not designed to be a practice of escape or disconnection. It's a practice of moving closer to our experience. But as we do, we relax into it. We find peace within it. The alternative is, yeah, we can try to evade, but it doesn't get rid of our life circumstance.
It doesn't get rid of the thoughts, emotions, sensations. We just tend to then have new troubles that often come from numbing ourselves or shutting down. And so the ability to really find it a true peace, a peace that is grounded in the truth of what's here, that comes from turning toward the reality of the moment, a serene encounter with reality. But I, I want to focus on that word, serene. It's a word many of us have heard before, and I've heard a number of times, but I looked it up to really get a sense of why did he maybe use that word.
And, uh, uh, serene, the word serene actually means calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Calm peaceful and untroubled. And so this, the meditation process itself, it's a turning toward our experience. Noticing the thoughts, being with the breath, feeling all the different things that arise in our awareness. But it's not this pure perception or a judgmental kind of awareness.
Calm, peaceful, untroubled. We're building an internal container that can meet what arises with grace, with serenity. So a lot of this you probably already know from meditating, but I think it's a really important reminder as we continue our practice. So as you go into the meditation today, see if you can embrace it as a serene encounter with reality. See what that would feel like for you.
As always thank you for your practice and let's settle in for our meditation.
A Serene Encounter With Reality
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, I'm going to share a bit about what meditation is and what it isn't. And I'd like to frame this with a quote by the great Zen meditation teacher Thich Nhat Hahn. And he says, "Meditation is not evasion. It's a serene encounter with reality." "Meditation is not evasion.
It's a serene encounter with reality." So remember this thing that we're doing, this practice, this taking five minutes, 10 minutes, 20, 30 minutes to stop and tune in, it's not designed to be a practice of escape or disconnection. It's a practice of moving closer to our experience. But as we do, we relax into it. We find peace within it. The alternative is, yeah, we can try to evade, but it doesn't get rid of our life circumstance.
It doesn't get rid of the thoughts, emotions, sensations. We just tend to then have new troubles that often come from numbing ourselves or shutting down. And so the ability to really find it a true peace, a peace that is grounded in the truth of what's here, that comes from turning toward the reality of the moment, a serene encounter with reality. But I, I want to focus on that word, serene. It's a word many of us have heard before, and I've heard a number of times, but I looked it up to really get a sense of why did he maybe use that word.
And, uh, uh, serene, the word serene actually means calm, peaceful, and untroubled. Calm peaceful and untroubled. And so this, the meditation process itself, it's a turning toward our experience. Noticing the thoughts, being with the breath, feeling all the different things that arise in our awareness. But it's not this pure perception or a judgmental kind of awareness.
Calm, peaceful, untroubled. We're building an internal container that can meet what arises with grace, with serenity. So a lot of this you probably already know from meditating, but I think it's a really important reminder as we continue our practice. So as you go into the meditation today, see if you can embrace it as a serene encounter with reality. See what that would feel like for you.
As always thank you for your practice and let's settle in for our meditation.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
Congratulations on taking the first step towards a more mindful life! As a token of our appreciation, we want to offer you an exclusive opportunity to upgrade to Mindfulness Plus+ for a price you won't find anywhere else.
Mindfulness Plus+ is our premium membership that includes everything you need to learn mindfulness and keep practicing throughout all stages of life.
Take this exclusive offer to further your mindfulness skills and experience deeper levels of well-being.
Annual membership
$0
Just a small sample of the life-changing 5-star reviews we get on a daily basis.
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
Vidyamala’s tips on catching anger as it’s happening or about to happen are great - clear, practical, and doable.
- Vicoir
The little talks before the meditations are priceless. It's like I've found my peeps. The topics, the quotes, the goals—it all makes so much sense to me, things I want to be thinking and learning about. Most importantly, the meditations are kindness-centered, which I love. It feels like a new way to approach meditation.
- Lauren
Incredible, easy to navigate app. I would highly recommend this app to anyone who wishes to reduce stress and anxiety or simply as an aid to improve overall mental health.
- Kirtus
I love how the app gives me pointers to new things to explore.
- Lydia
So calm and soothing. I love the new bundle with Kelly Boys, she’s brilliant!
- EJ
Better than Headspace. I've had the paid version of both apps, and I must say I enjoy this one better.
- Gina, Plus+ Member
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
I am very new to meditation, and am so happy that my first introduction to it has been through this app
The first session was fantastic. I feel safe. And supported. Almost like having someone helping me through my difficult time. I’m very grateful for this app.
- Babi
You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
- Joy
Highly recommend.
- Humanfrst
Kelly Boys is hands down the best. Everytime I click on one of her guided meditations I get excited for the calmness that lies ahead.
-
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.