Part of the goal of meditation is to create more ease, and more of a gentle and open heart—gentle to ourselves and gentle to others. So when we practice meditation, we can have a very light touch with our thoughts. When we let them go and we’re not grasping or judging them, they become more transparent. With the following meditation, we can take this idea beyond the traditional mindfulness practice with contemplation and inquiry....
Remember: To live mindfully, the breath is the key. Breathe in, breathe out release the stress and let it all out. As we being the practice of mindful breathing, focus awareness on the breath. And if you get distracted, just gently, without any judgement, come right back into the breath. Repeat to yourself, “I’ve got my feet on the floor, I’ve got my spine in a line, I’ve got my hands in my lap, I’ve got my heart to the sky....
“I’ve failed once again,” arises, leading to a sense of sluggishness and the next thought, “What’s the point?” There’s another way. It’s important to set goals for ourselves and create plans to reach those goals; this is the underpinning of cultivating hope. Hope is our greatest antidepressant. Three Steps to a Resilient New Year Expect to stray: This is just a fact of life that sometimes we refuse to own up to....
The Mindfulness Room is one of many mindful spaces popping up across college campuses—you can check out offerings in your area on Mindful’s resources page. Bentleigh Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia, took things up a notch last year when they designed a meditation center on campus. Regular classes on meditation, indigenous culture, and environmental sustainability are taught at the center. The inside is designed to be conducive to meditation, “using calming forms and materials” such as rounded columns of polished wood, says Nick Cini, the center’s designer....
The acronym, HALT, is meant to mindfully check in with our simple biological and emotional needs that, if not addressed, will get in the way of making healthy choices. A Simple Strategy for HALT-ing Old Habits: The next time you’re feeling like it’s okay to skip a mediation session, or eat that second (or third) Girl Scout cookie, ask yourself if you’re feeling any of these four biological and emotional barriers to change:...
How to do it There’s no wrong way to keep a gratitude journal, but here are some general instructions as you get started. Write down up to five things for which you feel grateful. The physical record is important—don’t just do this exercise in your head. The things you list can be relatively small in importance (“The tasty sandwich I had for lunch today.”) or relatively large (“My sister gave birth to a healthy baby boy....
But what if I told you the pioneer of mindfulness himself regarded an inquisitive brain that followed its natural instincts not as the enemy of mindfulness, but as another form of practicing awareness? It’s practiced as part of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) curriculum as a technique called choiceless awareness, which roughly translates into being open to what unfolds in front of you, what emerges in your mind. Aimless wandering is also one of those practices....
Whether you are a seasoned cook or just trying your hand at a new recipe, we’ve rounded up a deliciously tasteful variety of Anniversary-worthy bites that are sure to tempt even the pickiest eater! Begin your special evening with a seductively romantic dinner for two using some of these divine recipes. Heart Cake Be still my heart! Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a beautiful and tasty heart cake for dessert!...
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. To learn more about ’em, click here. Before we get to explore more, we HAVE to give a huge designer shoutout to Diva Elizabeth. She helped make these texts a reality with her fabulous designs! Good April Fools’ Pranks over TextSweet and Funny April Fools’ Texts How amazing are those?! Keep on reading to take an even closer look at each of the texts!...
Keep reading to learn about some of the top at-home frizz treatments out there! At-Home Frizz Treatments to Try 1. Try a smoothness booster. One of the best-kept secrets of the hair industry is TIGI Copyright Custom Care Smooth Booster. Infused with bamboo extract and designed to smooth out each and every strand of hair, this small bottle works some major magic. Mix 6-12 pumps of this bad boy into your conditioner and work it through your hair....
No matter where I’ve traveled, I’ve received valuable teachings along the way. I’ve learned how nature allows for mindfulness to develop effortlessly and spontaneously. I’ve witnessed in myself and others how contact with the natural world brings a sense of peace, greater perspective, profound joy and wonder, and a deeper connection with life in all its forms. Being in nature in a contemplative way, especially when we are alone, provides the perfect arena to explore our mind and our interrelationship with the world....
Barry Boyce: You know, just the other day I was having a small hang out with people and I was griping about something and my friend completely changed my perspective just by basically kind of calling into question like, “Really?!” And it was a nice hang. SD: That’s Barry Boyce, he is the founding editor of Mindful and Mindful.org, and in every issue of the magazine, he writes the back page column, Point Of View....
As a PhD student, she studied hormones and behavior in Alzheimer’s patients and healthy older people. By her internship year, she had found her calling in psychosocial oncology and mindfulness. Today, she is a full professor in the departments of oncology and psychology at the University of Calgary and a clinical psychologist and director of research at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Over 2,000 people have been through the yoga and meditation program at the centre, in groups of 15 to 20 at a time....
Sometimes, however, baldness can occur for other reasons—especially when the hair loss is not typical of common male-pattern baldness, or when hair loss is accompanied by other symptoms such as redness, itching, peeling skin, or skin rashes on the scalp. How to Treat Receding Hair So, here’s the bad news: You can’t just regrow a receding hairline, particularly when genetics are at fault. What you can do, though, is prevent or limit hair loss rather than cure it entirely....
Black Hair Spray: Your New Secret Weapon Colorful hair sprays can be a little bit daunting to use if you’ve never tried them before. It’s hard to know how much is too much and how to keep your hair looking natural even through such a strong dose of temporary color. Black hair spray in particular can seem a little challenging. But the truth is, it’s super easy to use....
Chic Wedding Hairstyles for Thin Hair When thinking of wedding hairstyles for thin hair, it can feel like you’re limited on what styles you can and can’t wear. However, that isn’t the case at all. Whether you go for a sleek updo a bra or a braided style, you get wear looks that will help add fullness to your strands. 1. Low Bun Show off your face by pulling your hair up into this regal (and easy!...
Get the Look: Bubble Braid Pigtails on Afro Hair Step 1: Start with your natural hair out Start with clean hair in its natural state. Generously distribute a styling cream such as Dove Amplified Textures Define N’ Moisture Styling Gel throughout the hair to help make styling easier while keeping your coils nourished. Step 2: Split your hair into a middle part Use a tail comb to assist in splitting your hair into a middle part....
Many of the findings have solid scientific support. Lately, however, studies on the epigenetic effects of meditation have been popping up like dandelions in April, making claims that, unfortunately, rest on shaky science—the shark is well and truly jumped. “The science just isn’t as strong as some people are making it out to be,” said neuroscientist Cliff Saron of the University of California, Davis. Saron is hardly a meditation basher: He co-led a study showing possible epigenetic effects from mindfulness meditation....
In the spirit of the occasion, Wisdom has created a Mindfulness Day Facebook page to inspire people to create space in their lives for meditation. Friends are also encouraged to share how mindfulness has impacted their lives, and post their plans for celebrating the day. How does one celebrate Mindfulness Day? Tim McNeill, president and publisher of Wisdom Publications, offers that having a mindful celebration means reconnecting with family, the community and the self in a spirit of quiet contemplation....
This is a scavenger hunt unlike any other! Each clue in the hunt leads you to locations throughout the house and includes super fun Christmas-themed games and challenges to complete together as a family before moving on to the next clue! It is the perfect activity to add some fun holiday memories this season and, as usual, we have it all ready for you in an easy printable download! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links....
