Suffer Less

In mindfulness practice we emphasize allowing things to be as they are, not resisting reality. Accepting what is reduces suffering and leads to the clarity to act to make change. But sometimes, Wise Resistance is exactly what's needed, for example toward the current political regime in the U.S. Finding the balance between not resisting on a personal level, and wise resistance in a political context means taking what action you're able to and also taking care of yourself. The guided meditation helps you to relax, open your awareness, and let go into the wholeness of your being without resistance.

We all have preferences, all the time, from unconscious to passionate, and it's perfectly natural to prefer one thing, person, thought over another. However, strong attachments to these preferences can lead to unnecessary suffering. Can we recognize just how much of our attention is about our preferences? Can we learn to let go of attachments to our preferences and thereby suffer less?

Many mindfulness practices can help mitigate the crushing grief of loss. A dear friend is dying: How am I able to still find joy and beauty in the world around me? Expanding our perspective, offering compassion to ourselves, helping to others, and accepting the truth of impermanence can all help to take the edge off of grief. Not numbing or pushing it aside, but spreading it out, holding its hand. Plus "Just Like Me" meditation.

What is contentment? What practices can help us cultivate contentment, and how can we find peace within our own lives in light of the larger suffering in the world? No absolute answers, just some helpful suggestions.

It's human nature to want things to be different than they are. In our day to day existence, we want many things to be different than they are, little things, big things. But we suffer less when we learn to let go of things we can't control, like the past and other people; and when we learn to let go of things we can control, including unhealthy habits of mind and body. What does it feel like in the body to allow things to be just as they are in this moment?

Any type of meditation relies first and foremost upon the ability to train the unruly mind to concentrate and focus on that which you have chosen to meditate on. Mindfulness of Breath meditation is the most commonly used meditation to develop concentration. Here we touch on the importance of breath, and offer a guided meditation with a number of different ways to facilitate holding the attention on the breath.

Everything changes, all the time. If we can truly comprehend and accept this simple truth of life, we will suffer less. Acknowledging and accepting small everyday changes, we grow more comfortable with this fundamental truth of Impermanence, and have more resilience to handle bigger changes in our lives, especially those which are beyond our control.

We are all interconnected and interdependent with everyone else, with all living beings, with the planet itself. Some practical ways to experience a felt sense of this, and a guided meditation to help you feel how we are all connected through the breath itself.

What's the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations? How do expectations get in the way of our enjoying or experiencing our lives to the fullest?

We need to make discerning judgements to get through the day. But we don't need to make negative judgements about ourselves, others, or situations. With practice, we can live with more ease and less suffering by shifting our needless negative judgements into curiosity or compassion.

How much can we influence our experience of reality? A lot, with practice. All we need to do is train our attention to go where we want it to and stay there. It's that simple, but it's not easy. It takes a sincere desire, some skills, and remembering over and over that with mindfulness practice, we really can suffer less.

Anyone can benefit from some simple mindfulness practices. What are some of these benefits, and how can they improve overall well-being? Your host's experience with mindfulness practice and her introduction to the meaning of Compassion, plus a simple tip to get started on your mindfulness journey: What you attend to becomes your reality. A fifteen minute guided Mindfulness of Breath meditation follows, suitable for beginners as well as advanced meditators. Music by kgmr.