Mindful

Why practice mindfulness if it isn’t going to guarantee sleep, remove anxiety, and be a fast track to weight loss? Teacher Elaine Smookler explores the disappointment we face when we look to a mindfulness practice to help us escape the human experience, rather than building the capacity to welcome whatever comes and goes as a teacher. The post Failing on All Fronts appeared first on Mindful.

Holding on to hurt feelings limits your ability to be present. Move past resentment and anger by learning to forgive yourself first. The post Forgiveness Is an Inside Job appeared first on Mindful.

Vinny Ferraro guides a meditation to meet yourself and whatever you're holding in the moment with kindness and understanding. The post Vinny Ferraro: Directing Compassion Toward Ourselves appeared first on Mindful.

Checking in with our bodies can be a powerful first step to notice what’s arising right now and offering ourselves what we need to feel our best. The post 3 Mindfulness Practices for Mind-Body Connection appeared first on Mindful.

The rise of “mental fitness” and optimization-focused tools is reframing mindfulness as performance rather than awareness. But is that really an issue? The post Mental Fitness is Replacing Mindfulness—But is That a Problem? appeared first on Mindful.

Mellow Elephant founder and former English teacher Billy Rosenbeck shares how he became a champion of meditation, found work in prisons and package stores, and made a movie along the way. The post The Circuitous Path of an Unexpected Meditation Teacher appeared first on Mindful.

Thinking things should be a certain way, every time, can get us in trouble. Same goes with meditation. Try practicing with the following tips in mind. The post 3 Ways to Escape the “Perfect Meditator” Trap appeared first on Mindful.

When we're facing the unknown, our thoughts and emotions often go into overdrive and we lose sight of being kind to ourselves. Mark Bertin reminds us that we are not alone and offers a practice to work with uncertainty. The post Mark Bertin: A Guided Walking Meditation to Meet Uncertainty with Compassion appeared first on Mindful.

September’s Teacher of the Month Mark Bertin offers a reflection on why we practice at all, and how our commitment to staying present has a ripple effect on our whole lives. The post Our Practice Starts With Ourselves—But It Doesn’t End There appeared first on Mindful.

Peace In Schools Executive Director Janice Martellucci discusses the benefits of incorporating intentional, evidence-based mindfulness training into regular school curriculum, and the far-reaching value of simply equipping kids to meet and love themselves. The post Uncovering Our Inherent Wholeness: A Conversation with Janice Martellucci of Peace in Schools appeared first on Mindful.

Whether you’re letting go of the old, embracing the new, or both, this meditation is perfect for meeting transition with curiosity and care. The post Janice Martellucci: Meditation for Transitions appeared first on Mindful.

If we view challenges as stressful setbacks, there's an opportunity to shift our perspective and grow from our experiences. The post How to Shift Mental Gears: 10 Ways to Build Resilience appeared first on Mindful.

Jenée Johnson leads a practice to foster returning to ourselves whenever our mind wanders. The post Jeneé Johnson: Build Resilience by Staying in the Moment appeared first on Mindful.

Our brains are prediction machines trying to keep us safe. But over time, we can wind up habitually choosing the relative safety of assumption over the risk of uncertainty. Mindful contributor Cathering Swett examines how we can work more skillfully with what she calls the predictive shadow, so we can keep the awareness without sacrificing vital connection. The post The Predictive Shadow appeared first on Mindful.

A 20-minute meditation from Jon Kabat-Zinn to allow you to tap into your capacity to be in touch with your experience, and be awake and aware with no agenda other than to be awake and aware. The post The Breathscape Practice for Cultivating Mindfulness appeared first on Mindful.

Our hands carry, fold, type, hold, grasp, and steady us all day long. Try these mindful techniques for releasing tension when your hands and wrists need a little extra TLC. The post 7 Simple Techniques for Releasing Tension from Fingertips to Palms appeared first on Mindful.

This week, Kelly Boys leads us in a body scan meditation to let go of stress we may be holding in our bodies so we can surrender into rest. The post A 12-Minute Body Scan Meditation for Letting Go of Stress and Falling Asleep appeared first on Mindful.

If you’ve been struggling to make a new health habit stick—the solution might be easier (and shorter) than you think. The post Do Something That Is Not Nothing appeared first on Mindful.

In this extended mindfulness practice, Rich Fernandez walks us through a process to hone our capacity to shift, to take perspective, and in some ways, to subtract ourselves from our experiences, which can help us be in wise relationship as we navigate difficulty. The post A Meditation to Help Build Your Capacity to Navigate Difficulty appeared first on Mindful.

While fidget toys and other attention-focusing gadgets are now a multi-billion-dollar industry, they are also part of a long mindfulness tradition. Author and educator Alex Tzelnic explores the history and science behind using intentional, focused activity to direct attention and calm the mind. The post Before Fidget Toys, There Were Beads: The Latest Craze is Part of a Long Tradition of Keeping Your Hands Busy appeared first on Mindful.