Meditation can be a good friend as we navigate the ups and downs of life. The practice is simple: We train our mind to behave in wholesome and supportive ways. Refining the practice can be a lifetime’s journey.

In this 19-minute guided meditation, we explore the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation. We settle into the body, steady the mind, and then spread our awareness outward into the world around us. We watch what happens when we rest with loving awareness in the embodied experience of being alive.

There are lots of ways to meditate and it’s worth exploring a range of approaches until you find one that works well for you. Typically, I begin with an anchoring practice - a deep focus on just one thing - until I sense my mind growing calmer and steadier. When and if that happens, I relinquish my hold on my chosen anchor and allow my awareness to spread outward in all directions, awash in the vitality and vibrancy of the here-and-now.

A meditation anchor can be any object of awareness that holds the mind’s attention: the breath, sounds, a mantra, an image, and more. Your chosen mental anchor is like a chew toy for the restless puppy dog of the mind, keeping it occupied with a more wholesome activity than habitual thoughts and worries. After a while, the anchor coaxes the mind to grow quiet enough that we can see clearly and rest with ease among the lovely vicissitudes of life.

You may hear some rhythmic rumbling sounds toward the end of the practice. That’s when my cat - a meditation master for sure - settles onto my lap and begins purring. Feel free to purr right along!

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