The more I pay attention, the more I realize how much energy I spend trying to control every second of my life. I want things to look, feel, and behave a certain way at all times, and when it doesn’t {which is often}, it creates stress and struggle. You do too? October’s meditation series, Giving It Up to Grace, is a lesson in releasing the control we so falsely believe we hold over every waking moment. Invoking a spirit of grace within our meditation practice is what allows meditation to feel l...
Oct 08, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast The more I pay attention, the more I realize how much energy I spend trying to control every second of my life. I want things to look, feel, and behave a certain way at all times, and when it doesn’t {which is often}, it creates stress and struggle. You do too? October’s meditation series, Giving It Up to Grace, is a lesson in releasing the control we so falsely believe we hold over every waking moment. Invoking a spirit of grace within our meditation practice is what allows meditation to feel l...
Oct 08, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast It is SO easy to intellectualize the practice of meditation. To study, to read and to learn without taking time to explore these concepts through the lens of the heart. And yet, this practice of ‘mindfulness’ is often translated to something closer to “heartfulness”. This is meant to be a tender and embodied practice. Not em-brained. Embodied. We let ourselves soften into a practice that feels warm and kind and generous of spirit rather than stern or overly-disciplined. Join me for t...
Oct 05, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast It is SO easy to intellectualize the practice of meditation. To study, to read and to learn without taking time to explore these concepts through the lens of the heart. And yet, this practice of ‘mindfulness’ is often translated to something closer to “heartfulness”. This is meant to be a tender and embodied practice. Not em-brained. Embodied. We let ourselves soften into a practice that feels warm and kind and generous of spirit rather than stern or overly-disciplined. Join me for t...
Oct 05, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast With every potent and powerful transition, it can be SO tempting to turn back. To pretend we didn’t see or don’t know better because it can feel easier to be miserable than to push for the breakthrough to joy. But we are born for joy. The practice isn’t teaching us to be joyful; the practice is helping us access our joy. Some days this can be hard to believe. Here in the States, we just lost a Supreme Court Justice, and both political parties will continue to spew hatred and lies and try t...
Oct 01, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast With every potent and powerful transition, it can be SO tempting to turn back. To pretend we didn’t see or don’t know better because it can feel easier to be miserable than to push for the breakthrough to joy. But we are born for joy. The practice isn’t teaching us to be joyful; the practice is helping us access our joy. Some days this can be hard to believe. Here in the States, we just lost a Supreme Court Justice, and both political parties will continue to spew hatred and lies and try t...
Oct 01, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s practice is a subtle one. The last level of letting go is to let go of the thoughts, and, deeper still, to let go of identifying as the thinker. You see, we are both the one who thinks AND the one who knows that it is thinking. When we are able to let go in this way, our view, in fact our very being, becomes more expansive. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we explore what it looks like to let go of identifying yourself as the thinker and how that impacts your ability to e...
Sep 28, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s practice is a subtle one. The last level of letting go is to let go of the thoughts, and, deeper still, to let go of identifying as the thinker. You see, we are both the one who thinks AND the one who knows that it is thinking. When we are able to let go in this way, our view, in fact our very being, becomes more expansive. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we explore what it looks like to let go of identifying yourself as the thinker and how that impacts your ability to e...
Sep 28, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s practice is a subtle one. The last level of letting go is to let go of the thoughts, and, deeper still, to let go of identifying as the thinker. You see, we are both the one who thinks AND the one who knows that it is thinking. My favorite metaphor for this is to think of the road outside your house or office. Cars drive by, sometimes many, sometimes a few… and never, do you jump up mid-sentence, run outside and get into one of these random cars to go for a ride. Our meditation...
Sep 24, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week’s practice is a subtle one. The last level of letting go is to let go of the thoughts, and, deeper still, to let go of identifying as the thinker. You see, we are both the one who thinks AND the one who knows that it is thinking. My favorite metaphor for this is to think of the road outside your house or office. Cars drive by, sometimes many, sometimes a few… and never, do you jump up mid-sentence, run outside and get into one of these random cars to go for a ride. Our meditation...
Sep 24, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes within our meditation practice, we simply desire a story. We follow a thought that arises because it is interesting - We dissect that dream from last night. We rehearse the argument we will have with our partner later. We think through a problem at work. We write the next chapter of our novels… And, sometimes it can be SO good. The idea that arises is brillant! The problem is solved! I SHOULD reflect on this yummy philosophical exploration…. However, even though we might still be seate...
Sep 21, 2020•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes within our meditation practice, we simply desire a story. We follow a thought that arises because it is interesting - We dissect that dream from last night. We rehearse the argument we will have with our partner later. We think through a problem at work. We write the next chapter of our novels… And, sometimes it can be SO good. The idea that arises is brillant! The problem is solved! I SHOULD reflect on this yummy philosophical exploration…. However, even though we might still be seate...
Sep 21, 2020•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast After learning how to let go of tension in the body {see part 1 of this series}, the next layer of tension we release is the tension of desire, and, oh, it can be so subtle! The tension of desire is the experience of all the things that distract our minds in meditation. This can be the more obvious desires such as, “I am hungry; I should go eat right now.” or “if I don’t respond to that email right now, I’ll never be able to relax…”. Desires can also be a bit more hidden from our awareness. Some...
Sep 17, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast After learning how to let go of tension in the body {see part 1 of this series}, the next layer of tension we release is the tension of desire, and, oh, it can be so subtle! The tension of desire is the experience of all the things that distract our minds in meditation. This can be the more obvious desires such as, “I am hungry; I should go eat right now.” or “if I don’t respond to that email right now, I’ll never be able to relax…”. Desires can also be a bit more hidden from our awareness. Some...
Sep 17, 2020•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast he first level of letting go within a meditation practice is the letting go of tension. As we experience anything in life, the very first level of response occurs in our bodies. We lean in to what we love. We twist away from what we dislike. We furrow our brows when something perplexes us. We tense our shoulders or our jaws when we try too hard or feel defeated… Join me for today’s mini episode of The Mindful Minute as we let go of tension during a guided meditation. These mini meditations...
Sep 14, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast he first level of letting go within a meditation practice is the letting go of tension. As we experience anything in life, the very first level of response occurs in our bodies. We lean in to what we love. We twist away from what we dislike. We furrow our brows when something perplexes us. We tense our shoulders or our jaws when we try too hard or feel defeated… Join me for today’s mini episode of The Mindful Minute as we let go of tension during a guided meditation. These mini meditations...
Sep 14, 2020•16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Within our mindfulness meditation practice, the piece that always receives primary billing is the PRACTICE itself. The effort of concentration or continually returning our mind to the object of focus - most often our breath. However, there is an equally important second aspect of the practice that we will focus on in this month’s meditation series - detachment or letting go. Detachment is the act of releasing all the things we do while “practicing.” When we practice something we are ...
Sep 10, 2020•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Within our mindfulness meditation practice, the piece that always receives primary billing is the PRACTICE itself. The effort of concentration or continually returning our mind to the object of focus - most often our breath. However, there is an equally important second aspect of the practice that we will focus on in this month’s meditation series - detachment or letting go. Detachment is the act of releasing all the things we do while “practicing.” When we practice something we are ...
Sep 10, 2020•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast If we want days that feel joyful, we must look for and call out joy. If we want days that feel peaceful, we must look for and call out peace. It isn’t about making it to the top of the mountain, the end of the trail, or through the tough time. Meditation, and life, is about living fully present and awake, and to move slowly enough to actually enjoy ourselves. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we learn to sit within the pauses. These mini meditations are meant to support a daily ...
Sep 07, 2020•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast If we want days that feel joyful, we must look for and call out joy. If we want days that feel peaceful, we must look for and call out peace. It isn’t about making it to the top of the mountain, the end of the trail, or through the tough time. Meditation, and life, is about living fully present and awake, and to move slowly enough to actually enjoy ourselves. Join me for today’s mini meditation as we learn to sit within the pauses. These mini meditations are meant to support a daily ...
Sep 07, 2020•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The poet dreams of the mountain Sometimes I grow weary of the days, with all their fits and starts. I want to climb some old gray mountains, slowly, taking The rest of my lifetime to do it, resting often, sleeping Under the pines or, above them, on the unclothed rocks. I want to see how many stars are still in the sky That we have smothered for years now, a century at least. I want to look back at everything, forgiving it all, And peaceful, knowing the last thing there is to know. All that urgen...
Sep 03, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast The poet dreams of the mountain Sometimes I grow weary of the days, with all their fits and starts. I want to climb some old gray mountains, slowly, taking The rest of my lifetime to do it, resting often, sleeping Under the pines or, above them, on the unclothed rocks. I want to see how many stars are still in the sky That we have smothered for years now, a century at least. I want to look back at everything, forgiving it all, And peaceful, knowing the last thing there is to know. All that urgen...
Sep 03, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s mini meditation is a practice in resting in our intrinsic joy. It is a refuge from the difficult moments and a celebration of the magic in the mundane. Join me for this short, sweet practice. These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice. You can practice with me live each Monday as I record this podcast. My virtual meditation class i...
Aug 31, 2020•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today’s mini meditation is a practice in resting in our intrinsic joy. It is a refuge from the difficult moments and a celebration of the magic in the mundane. Join me for this short, sweet practice. These mini meditations are meant to support a daily home practice. Tune in every Monday to find your practice for the week! Full episodes are released every Thursday for a longer, deeper practice. You can practice with me live each Monday as I record this podcast. My virtual meditation class i...
Aug 31, 2020•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Joy is intrinsic to each of us. It is our birthright. Across time, culture and lineage, meditation texts tell us that as we settle deeper into ourselves, what we discover is joy. Now, for the joy of it {see what I did there??} perhaps you want to Google the definition of joy. And then happiness. And then happy. And enjoy the lack of clarity that comes with these definitions. So, let us turn to the ever-wise definitions offered by Brene Brown - “Happiness is tied to circumstances and joyful...
Aug 27, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Joy is intrinsic to each of us. It is our birthright. Across time, culture and lineage, meditation texts tell us that as we settle deeper into ourselves, what we discover is joy. Now, for the joy of it {see what I did there??} perhaps you want to Google the definition of joy. And then happiness. And then happy. And enjoy the lack of clarity that comes with these definitions. So, let us turn to the ever-wise definitions offered by Brene Brown - “Happiness is tied to circumstances and joyful...
Aug 27, 2020•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast One of the three qualities of consciousness is a Self that is aware of itself and everything else. What this means in essence is that there is a piece of our consciousness that can see or witness what is happening. This larger awareness knows how we feel about the situation we are in; it knows where we are in space and time; and this knowing is very different from the jumble of thoughts we experience in any given moment. Join me for today’s mini-meditation and discover for yourself: what e...
Aug 24, 2020•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast One of the three qualities of consciousness is a Self that is aware of itself and everything else. What this means in essence is that there is a piece of our consciousness that can see or witness what is happening. This larger awareness knows how we feel about the situation we are in; it knows where we are in space and time; and this knowing is very different from the jumble of thoughts we experience in any given moment. Join me for today’s mini-meditation and discover for yourself: what e...
Aug 24, 2020•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is it that you know, and how does that knowing differ from your thoughts? What or who gives context to your experiences and your ideas of self? When you meditate, what else is happening besides that loud tangle of thoughts and distractions that keeps arising? One of the three qualities of consciousness is a Self that is aware of itself and everything else. What this means in essence is that there is a piece of our consciousness that can see or witness what is happening. This larger aw...
Aug 20, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is it that you know, and how does that knowing differ from your thoughts? What or who gives context to your experiences and your ideas of self? When you meditate, what else is happening besides that loud tangle of thoughts and distractions that keeps arising? One of the three qualities of consciousness is a Self that is aware of itself and everything else. What this means in essence is that there is a piece of our consciousness that can see or witness what is happening. This larger aw...
Aug 20, 2020•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
