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How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners

10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation

What is Meditation?

Mindful LivingSleep
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Cory Muscara

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When Plan A Isn't an Option

Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:

Hey, welcome back to

your Daily Mindfulness.

In today's session, we're

going to talk about what to do

when Plan A isn't an option.

So I'd like to tell you about someone

who spends a lot of time with people

who don't have Plan A as an option.

Chris Feudtner is a pediatrician who

focuses on improving the lives of

children with complex chronic conditions

and the lives of their families.

He often has to have conversations

with parents that he describes as

the most difficult of their lives.

In these scenarios, their deepest,

deepest wish can not be granted.

As he processes this reality with

the family, at the appropriate time

he'll ask, what else do you hope for.

At first, it's nearly impossible

to imagine anything else other than

for their only wish, which is for

the child to survive and be healthy.

But in time, the parents might say, we

hope that he is able to spend as much

time with his family as possible and

for as long as that will be possible.

Chris hears that and responds,

that's something we can make sure of.

What else do you hope for?

Parents might think, and then respond,

we hope that we can all deepen our love

together in the time that we do have.

Chris hears that, says, that's

something that we can help make happen.

What else do you hope for?

Eventually they're able to come up with

a plan and a vision that is the best they

can hope for given the circumstances.

It's not Option A.

It's not even close to Option A, but

it's the best thing that can be hoped

for based on the realities at hand.

So sometimes Option A

is not available to us.

These are painful moments in life,

but perhaps when they happen,

we can follow Chris's lead and

ask, what else do I hope for?

As always thank you for your

practice and for doing this big work.

I'll talk to you in the

meditation and take care.

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