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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
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Hi, welcome back to
your Daily Mindfulness.
In today's session, we're going to talk
about one of the goals of meditation in
relationship to working with thoughts.
So I'm going to share a quote with you.
It's anonymous and it says, "The
goal of meditation is not to
control your thoughts, but to
stop letting them control you."
The goal of meditation is not
to control your thoughts, but to
stop letting them control you.
So notice how that lands for you.
I would add some nuance to this because I
do think one of the things we are doing in
meditation is developing a sense of agency
and influence over our thinking mind.
We're practicing being aware
of the thoughts as they arise.
And learning to redirect our
attention back to the breath
or some object of focus.
And you could argue that that
is a form of learning to control
your thoughts, thoughts, and
work with them more skillfully.
But as it relates to the deeper
freedom we can access in meditation,
the deeper internal peace, yes.
That is a different game where it's
not about controlling the thoughts,
but really developing a relationship
with our thoughts where they no
longer have the same control over us.
So how do we do that?
Because much of the time when we sit
down and we practice, there is this
sense that especially in the beginning
of a meditation practice,, that our
thoughts are creating stress for us.
And the, the peace that we tend to
find, or think that we're working
toward is contingent upon the absence
of thoughts or by focusing really
strongly, and then when the mind is
centered, then we have that's a peace.
But if you also notice that there
might be times in your practice where
the mind can be thinking, going off in
whatever sorts of thoughts, positive
or negative, but there's also a sense
of ease and grounded-ness in your body.
It's almost as if the thoughts are
happening in the background, like radio
noise, where they're there, but they don't
have the same emotional charge to them.
That's one of the things we're working
toward in meditation, and we could argue
is one of the primary goals of meditation.
Where the thinking mind can exist
because it's always going to exist.
As long as we're human,
we're going to have thoughts.
And while it might be useful to learn
to redirect our attention, if we're
always creating a sense of stress or
getting activated by those thoughts
when they're there, then we're still in
a sense enslaved to the thinking mind.
However, in our meditation practice, we
can practice dropping into those spaces
where we allow thoughts to be there
and just watch them coming and going.
And one of the ways I like to do this
is to notice when I'm tensing around
my thinking mind, when I find myself
going, oh, I don't like this right now.
I'm frustrated by this thought or
really trying to rip my attention back
to whatever it is I'm focusing on.
In those moments, those are really
the opportunities to look at how your
relationship to your thoughts is still one
of trying to control them and making your
peace contingent upon controlling them.
That's an opportunity to soften.
Relax the tension in your
body and just go, it's just a
thought, it's just a thought.
You might have to do that a hundred
times, a thousand times, 10,000 times
over the course of years, but eventually
what will happen, it won't take years.
You will develop a from relationship
to thoughts and instead of them
controlling you, you all have a more,
a sense of inner freedom and inner
peace that allows them to be there
without the same emotional activation.
So again, the goal of meditation is
not to control your thoughts, but
to stop letting them control you.
Take that into your day and your practice.
Thank you for your practice and let's
settle in for today's meditation.
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- 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.
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You get a lot of useful tips for handling stress and anxiety in 'real life'.
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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.
-
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