Question 1

Who is meditation and mindfulness for?

Accepted Answer

Literally everyone from children to seniors who want to create a sense of peace in their mind and body, develop more resilience to stress, and become fully present to experience every precious moment of life. M & M can be utilized for your wellbeing in your personal life, your professional life and the bigger world.

Question 2

What is meditation?

Accepted Answer

Meditation is the inner practice of stillness beneath the thinking mind. In Latin the word meditation means to think, ponder or contemplate.  Meditation is a formal practice that refers to both ancient traditions and modern techniques that are used to settle the nervous system, calm the mind, and train the brain to be more focused and engaged while being less reactive.  Meditation is also a state of  expanding being in restful awareness, that can reach towards the fourth state of consciousness, transcendence.  Meditation = Mindlessness
 
Meditation and mindfulness are very similar yet different, with aspects of each within the other. They are both attentional training practices that require an intention to practice, your present moment attention, and a curious, kind, non-judgmental attitude.

Question 3

What is mindfulness?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness is Awareness. It’s about being aware of what you are doing while you are doing it.  It is the practice of bringing your attention into the present moment and noticing life’s details plus your thoughts, feelings and behaviors with non-judgmental awareness.  Mindfulness is a way of being more conscious in this life that encourages your senses to be more aware. Monotasking = Mindfulness

Question 4

What is neuroplasticity in regard to meditation and mindfulness?

Accepted Answer

Neuroplasticity describes the capacity of the brain to change in response to an experience in your M & M practice.  Science is showing that these brain changes can be cumulative and can increase the grey matter density in the hippocampus associated with memory and emotions and decrease the gray matter density in the amygdala associated with stress, fear and anxiety. For example, when you think about positive emotions while meditating you form new neural connections associated with positive feelings. This is really exciting stuff!

Question 5

What are the different types of practices you teach?

Accepted Answer

Some of the Meditation styles we explore are mindfulness, grounding, breath awareness, body scans, heart centered breathing, mantras, self-inquiry, loving kindness mettas, walking, gratitude & compassion, Chakra clearing & opening, yoga nidras, RAIN, visualization, sound, open-focused vipassanas, labyrinths and more.

Question 6

What are some different themes your meditations can cover?

Accepted Answer

It’s important to be comfortable with the stillness and silence in meditation, but it’s also fun to listen to guided practices. Skies the limit on topics to address in meditation. A few possibilities are meditations for calming and centering, mindful living, healing the mind/body connection, generating love and compassion, forgiveness, soul-centered living, clearing fear and anxiety, manifesting your desires, connecting to your highest soul self, nature walks, empathy, setting daily intentions, brain science, understanding the vagus nerve, sleep hygiene, and friendships, to name just a few.

Question 7

What if I get bored?

Accepted Answer

Well, at some point everyone gets bored. It’s an opportunity to explore your relationship with boredom, because bored people can default to unhealthy habits in their lives. For example, people like looking in the refrigerator or spending too much time online, under the veil of boredom.  Boredom doesn’t have to be judged though and instead can be explored in a meditation practice.  Can you feel boredom in the body or is it the mind being unfamiliar with the stillness and quiet? Sometimes boredom comes from being disconnected to being fully present in your life in that moment.  You can choose to be curious next time boredom appears and tune into how that presents in your mind and body.  It is important to set a timer and stick with the practice until it is complete. This will help you not get hijacked by your monkey mind, if the brain knows it has to stay for the preselected amount of time.

Question 8

Why do I need a M and M teacher?

Accepted Answer

Finding a good meditation and mindfulness teacher can help develop the breadth and the depth of your personal practice. Teachers can customize a schedule that encourages a daily practice for consistency in both your formal meditation times and your informal mindfulness throughout the day. Depending on your interests, with guidance and good instruction, you can explore the ancient traditions, modern research and the endless varieties of techniques.  Learning with a practiced teacher will be fun, interesting and life altering as you journey on your path to a healthy self-encounter.

Question 9

Why should I meditate? What are the benefits?

Accepted Answer

There is a good reason that people have practiced meditation for thousands of years throughout many different cultures and religions. Meditation and mindfulness are rare activities that can affect all of the key aspects of wellness. People can experience the benefits differently during and after their practices.  The benefits are amazing and the physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual benefits tend to accumulate over time. Neuro-science research is still proving the benefits that the meditators already understand.  
A meditation and/or mindfulness practice can reduce stress, help you sleep better, calm the nervous system, ease anxiety, manage pain, regulate your hormones, lower your blood pressure, improve your immunity and vitality, sharpen your mind, increase your focus and attention, support good habits, balance your emotions, enhance creativity, heal unresolved issues, support you through medical treatments, help you take responsibility for sobriety, live a more soul-centered live, and encourage contemplation of life’s mysteries. These are just a few highlights.

Question 10

Where should I meditate?

Accepted Answer

You can mediate anywhere – inside or outside, on the floor or on a chair, in your home or on an airplane. Some magazines display the guru sitting in a lotus position high up on a mountain top, but it’s probably easier to start inside, in an uncluttered and undisturbed space.  No special music, incense, gongs or floor mats are required.  It’s best if you start with a consistent location, so the nuances of the room, temperature, lighting and noises become familiar and non-distracting.

Question 11

Where does mindfulness originate from?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness has existed for thousands of years, throughout many religious traditions. In the last few decades, mindfulness is becoming increasingly popular in the West, yet the practice dates back to over 2500 years ago! The roots of mindfulness go back to the early teachings of the Buddha and even further back to the ancient meditations practiced by Hindus. The word mindfulness originates from the Pali word ‘sati’ which meaning awareness. In the USA, Jon Kabat-Zinn, created the research-backed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program that is taught and practiced in a non-religious way.

Question 12

When should I meditate and for how long?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests optimal mental and physical benefits occur with practicing twice a day for 20 minutes each.  I was taught that the easiest and most effective times are early morning, RPM (rise, pee, meditate), and Happy hour, before dinner. It’s important to meditate on an empty stomach, so either before a meal or one hour after eating. However, some days will be more challenging and practicing meditation is better than not, so be flexible and creative when incorporating your practice into your day. I love the saying….. “if you don’t have 5-10 minutes a day to practice, then your goal is to practice 20!” You can always try setting the alarm 10 minutes earlier in the morning and going to bed 10 minutes earlier.

Question 13

How often do I need to practice M & M for the benefits?

Accepted Answer

Time is a precious resource in life, but it is worth the commitment.
For meditation- self-pacing is an important concept, where you want to be slow and steady in your practice.  The best way to stabilize and be comfortable with your practice is to be consistent with a “daily” sit time 10 – 20 minutes, once or twice a day. With a daily practice you will notice more consistent benefits in your life.
For mindfulness – since mindfulness is a way of being in this world, you can practice anytime, anywhere by choosing to be fully present and engaged in what you are doing while you are doing it.

Question 14

Should I close my eyes during meditation?

Accepted Answer

Closing your eyes helps awaken your other senses and also helps train your attention to the focus of the meditation (i.e., placing your awareness on your breath), but there are varieties of meditations where you leave your eyes open.  On the other hand, developing your daily mindfulness practices will most likely occur with your eyes wide open throughout the day.

Question 15

Is it better to sit or to lie down during a meditation?

Accepted Answer

This is an opportunity to tune into what you need and be as comfortable as possible.  A seated position is easier to sustain since the body is preconditioned to fall asleep when you lay down. So, if possible, start practicing in a seated posture, spine upright and relaxed allowing it’s natural curves, shoulders relaxed back and down, heart slightly lifted, chin slightly tucked down to lengthen the back of the neck, hands in your lap to allow the arms to rest, feet flat on the floor.  This will help avoid you getting too sleepy.  You want to be restful, but wide awake and aware.

Question 16

How do I stay focused during meditation?

Accepted Answer

Simply being aware that your mind might wander off and don’t worry if it does. It is perfectly normal for the mind to drift away during your practice.  When you notice your mind has drifted, very gently guide your attention back to your breath or to the focus of your meditation.  Since you are not your thoughts, you can choose to observe them from a far without attaching to them. See the thoughts as clouds in the sky floating across your mind, but always moving.  Some are big and slow, and some are wispy and fast, as they come and float by. It is helpful, as a beginner, to use a transitional word to engage your brain’s concentration to bring your focus back to your practice, i.e. “thinking” or “drifted” or “come back.”

Question 17

How is Yoga and Meditation connected? How do they work together?

Accepted Answer

Good question! The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are said to be over 4, 000 years old. It is a written guide for living with expanded awareness and growing knowledge of the Self! They are not laws but more suggestions on dealing with situations in daily life. The Sutras cover teachings on ethics, meditation and physical postures.   The word Yoga means to yoke or join. Yoga postures and meditation are gateways into connecting and integrating your awareness of your body, mind, soul, heart, spirit and environment.  There are eight limbs of yoga defined in the Sutras, and five are primarily focused on meditation.  Some yoga poses will help you prepare for your meditation practice.

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