Your Mindful Coach

The following is a lovingkindness practice. Lovingkindness uses words, images and feelings to produce an inclination towards kindness and care for ourselves and others. Through regular practice, our hearts open and we begin to recognize the interconnection we have with all beings. You can find an extended 20 minute practice of lovingkindness on my website, www.yourmindfulcoach.com by clicking on the “guided mindfulness recordings” button and selecting the entry from September 2015, “Body Sensations and Lovingkindness” - http://www.yourmindfulcoach.com/mindfulmen.html

The following is a compassionate writing or reflection exercise. It is best to have a pen or pencil and paper available but you can also reflect on the questions and see what arises. It was inspired by the work of Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer whose voluminous work on Mindful Self-Compassion has been effective at helping people work with stress, anxiety and the challenges of this human life.

This guided practice begins with a visualization, followed by an inquiry and then a gentle body scan practice. We close by setting an intention and visualize its cultivation and realization. While it was presented to a group of practitioners who had been working together for several months, the inquiry can be valuable to beginners and veterans alike. Check out my recent blog post: “Secure Your Own Mask First” at yourmindfulcoachblog.wordpress.com. It is an exploration of the importance of self-care and intention.

The following is a noting meditation. In this practice, we note or name thoughts, feelings and sensations as they arise. Instead of trying to eliminate these mental formations or clear our mind, we gently acknowledge them and then return our attention to the anchor of our breath. Author & researcher Dan Siegel has described how this simple process of noting or naming triggers neurological processes that can calm and soothe our mind and body.

The following is a 7 minute focused breathing meditation. We use breath to anchor our attention in the present moment. Daily practice can support focus and relaxation. With time, you may find it contributes to a sense of connection, awareness, self-regulation and self-care.

This week’s podcast is a guided “inner smile” meditation. Through breath, visualization, body awareness and inquiry, we bring a smile throughout our body, our mind and our spirit. I’d encourage you to try it out, especially if you don't really feel like smiling. Perhaps you’ll find the physical act causes a shift that impacts your emotions, your thoughts and your experience. After the close of the guided meditation, there is a brief description of 9 surprisingly reasons to smile. You can learn more and access links to this material and other research on my blog which can be found on the bottom of my homepage at www.yourmindfulcoach.com.

This week’s guided meditation works with a difficult emotion. We begin by starting with an emotion that gets us stuck - it might be anger, jealousy, greed, or doubt. We will personify this emotion and imagine and visualize what it might be like for that emotion, whose only job seems to be to get us worked up. By connecting and seeing that emotion, it is possible the feeling softens and perhaps loosens its grip on us. There is a longer introduction to this practice that includes some of the buddhist foundations which can be found by following the blue “guided meditation” button on my homepage, www.yourmindfulcoach.com and looking for the “tea with a difficult emotion” link.

“I have no idea what I’m doing! An exploration of doubt and uncertainty” explores the recurring discursive thoughts that can sidetrack us. We’ll explore concrete steps you can take to work with doubt along with naming and inquiry practices that can empower you to investigate what underlies these thoughts. Listeners should try the “Mindful Tools Noting Meditation” to learn more about the naming practice I discuss. Try this out for size and let me know how it goes at marc@yourmindfulcoach.com.

Sensing into Kindness begins by engaging our bodies in the practice and noticing sensations that arise. We close with a compassionate loving-kindness practice. This practice uses the phrases, “May I be seen. May I be comforted. May I be loved.” This practice is aspirational. We can’t hope to see, comfort and love everything that comes our way just as we can’t expect to be seen, comforted and loved in every situation. That said, I feel the intentionality that comes with reflecting on these phrases has the potential to transform our outlook, our actions and our speech. Thanks to two of my teachers, Jonathan Foust and Kristen Neff for having inspired this meditation. Try this out for size and let me know how it goes at marc@yourmindfulcoach.com.

This exploration of R.A.I.N. practice was recorded for a mindfulness group. We begin with awareness of breath before transitioning into R.A.I.N. R.A.I.N. stands for Recognize, Acknowledge, Investigate, Non-Identify. R.A.I.N. offers a method to explore challenging situations and emotions with gentle kindness. Teacher & Author Tara Brach has written and spoken extensively on this practice. Enjoy!

This walking meditation practice was recorded for a class offered to finance professionals called Mindful Tools for Stress Management. Walking Meditation can be particularly helpful if your regular mindfulness practice has become routine or distracted. As you become more familiar with the practice, experiment with different approaches and settings, remembering to bring awareness and attention to each moment.

This noting meditation practice was recorded for a class offered to finance professionals called Mindful Tools for Stress Management. Building on the Mindful Tools Sitting Meditation, this practice experiments with noting or naming thoughts, emotions and sensations, particularly those that are strong and persistent.

This lying movement practice was recorded for a class offered to finance professionals called Mindful Tools for Stress Management. As with our other practices, the practice of movement or yoga is not meant to achieve any state or condition. It is another method to cultivate present moment awareness. We engage slowly and consciously, using our breath to regulate movement.

This meditation begins with movement and transitions into an exploration of what gives us energy and what drains our energy. It was offered as part of Mindful Men Meeting, a monthly mindfulness practice and discussion group. Thanks to Jonathan Foust (www.jonathanfoust.com) for his teachings and inspirations that contributed to this episode.

Standing Movement practice intended to cultivate present moment awareness.

Sitting Meditation practice intended to practice returning our attention to our breath and the present moment.

Simple awareness meditation of sounds, sensations, thoughts and feelings.

Simple body scan practice connecting mind and body in presence.