Zen for Everyday Life with Matt Valentine: Mindfulness | Guided Meditation - Buddhaimonia

This week is “Rise with the Sun” week on the ZfEL podcast and this week’s guided meditation is a guided morning meditation self-titled after this week’s theme that’s all about getting started on the right foot. When you first wake up, do you rush up from bed, scrounge together your things, and race out the door? Do you take a second to stop and read what’s going on inside of you? Rise with the Sun is about taking inventory before the day gets started so that you’re on solid ground and can handle the challenges of your day with more poise and clarity. Also, don’t forget to check out this week’s talk episode, episode #38, How to Craft a Powerful Morning Ritual. This is a subject I haven’t much talked about yet on the podcast and so I’m excited to be talking about it with you now. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week is "Rise with the Sun" week on the ZfEL podcast and today's talk episode is all about crafting both a powerful and nourishing morning ritual (or morning routine). I've tried countless different morning rituals over the past 5-6 years and have learned some really important things. Today, I'm going to share some of that with you. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #39: Guided Meditation - Rise with the Sun, a guided morning meditation. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week is "Zen week" on the ZfEL podcast and this week's guided meditation is the traditional Zen meditation practice of Zazen (literally meaning "sitting/seated meditation" in Japanese). I covered this meditation practice in a previous episode, however, I felt it could have been better and didn't express the nuances of the practice as well as it could have as compared to secular mindfulness or Vipassana mindfulness meditation practice, so I've decided to do a new (and much better) version. Also, don't forget to check out this week's second episode, episode #36, How to Live with the Spirit of Zen in Your Everyday Life. This is a subject I haven't much talked about yet on the podcast and so I'm excited to be talking about it with you now. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week is "Zen week" on the ZfEL podcast and today's talk episode is all about how to live with the spirit of Zen in your everyday life. This is a subject I haven't much talked about yet on the podcast and so I'm excited to be talking about it with you now. In this episode, I explain what I mean by "living with the spirit of Zen", why that's so powerful or beneficial, the major principles behind it, and 10 tips or strategies for doing so along with actionable steps for nearly all 10 points. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #37: Guided Meditation - Zazen. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is another unique practice- mindful smiling. A smile is a power symbol of joy and happiness. However, most don't know that smiling more than just a symbol (or the result of something), it's a powerful tool which can be used intentionally to make us happier and more at peace. This week's guided meditation is all about using the power of intention and the natural effect of smiling with mindfulness. Also, don't forget to check out this week's second episode, episode #34, which is a special guided meditation episode (yes, two this week!) to accompany my new Meditation for Everyday Life video series which was just released this week on how to create and stick to a strong and consistent daily meditation practice amid the chaos and busyness of everyday life. This guided meditation is a preview of my full Meditation for Everyday Life course program. Click below to get access to the first video in the series: Sign up at meditationforeverydaylife.com to get access to the first video in the series. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's talk episode is replaced by a special guided meditation episode to accompany my new Meditation for Everyday Life video series, which was just released this week, on how to create and stick to a strong and consistent daily meditation practice amid the chaos and busyness of everyday life. This guided meditation is a preview of my full Meditation for Everyday Life course program. Click below to get access to the first video in the series: Sign up at meditationforeverydaylife.com to get access to the first video in the series. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #35: Guided Meditation - Mindful Smiling. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is the nourishing practice of mindful eating. If you're looking for a way to live your everyday life more mindfully and even meditatively, this is a great practice which serves as one of the core mindfulness exercises. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #32, which is a special episode on an upcoming Meditation for Everyday Life video series on how to create and stick to a consistent daily meditation practice amid the chaos and busyness of everyday life, which I'll be releasing soon. Sign up at meditationforeverydaylife.com to get on the list to be notified when the video series goes live. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This is a special episode on an upcoming Meditation for Everyday Life video series I'll be releasing next week. The video series will show you ways to create and stick to a consistent daily meditation practice amid the chaos and busyness of everyday life, which I've found to be one of the greatest challenges for meditators. Sign up at meditationforeverydaylife.com to get on the list to be notified when the video series goes live. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #33: Guided Meditation - Mindful Eating. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is the "everyday" informal practice of mindful walking. We've covered the formal practice of walking meditation before, where you walk back and forth or in a circle typically in your room or wherever you meditate (anywhere really) and generally at a very slow pace. Practicing mindful walking in daily life is similar, but still very different in important ways. In this guided meditation, I'll take you through a practice you can do walking about in your daily life, from your car to work, work to your car, around the office, down the street, in a grocery store, and even out for a short walk to check your mail or take out the trash. The opportunities to use this practice are limitless and that's why it's a personal favorite. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #30: 11 Things to Know When You're Having a Bad Day. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

Having a bad day? This week I talk about important things to know, remember, and be mindful of that are sure to help bring balance and peace to your state of mind. This episode ties in a lot of what I talk about on the podcast and has a lot to do with the insights we come to from mindfulness and meditation practice. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #31: Guided Meditation - Mindful Walking. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is the fundamental practice of mindful breathing. When you hear "mindfulness meditation" (which typically refers to the secular practice of mindfulness), this is the practice that's being referred to (hence the slash in the title). This week's guided meditation is the perfect guided meditation for those just beginning their practice or who have thought about trying meditation or mindfulness before but haven't gotten around to it. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #28: How to Take Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice to the Next Level, in which I give practical tips for improving, expanding, and deepening your mindfulness meditation practice. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week I talk all about improving, expanding, and deepening your mindfulness meditation practice. From major general advice for your practice as a whole, to technical tips for improving your sessions and deepening your practice, to simple ways you can improve or expand your practice today. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #29: Guided Meditation - Mindfulness Meditation / Mindful Breathing. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is mindful driving, a powerful mindfulness practice for turning a typically mindless autopilot activity into an opportunity for peace and mindfulness. This is a powerful mindfulness exercise that can transform the act of driving. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #26: The Story of Frederick (Or: Why Tomorrow is Too Late), where I do a reading from Thich Nhat Hanh's The Art of Power about an important true story that holds significance for so many of us. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week I highlight and remedy the dangers of busyness and the pursuit of a "cure" for the void we feel in our hearts. Today's talk is a reading from one of my favorite books, Thich Nhat Hanh's The Art of Power, about the story of Frederick. I won't spoil the story for you. Suffice it to say, the true story of Frederick is a powerful message that everyone needs to hear. I also give my commentary after reading and elaborate on the significance of the story. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #27: Guided Meditation - Mindful Driving, a powerful mindfulness practice for turning a typically mindless autopilot activity into an opportunity for peace and mindfulness. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is mindfulness of body or a mindfulness body scan. Mindfulness of body is a foundational mindfulness practice that allows you to heighten your ability to notice the sensations and communications of the body and better come in touch with the physical body as a whole. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #24: The Buddha’s First Foundation of Mindfulness: Mindfulness of Body which serves as a foundation to this guided meditation (and I'd suggest listening to first). Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week is "Mindfulness of Body" week on the ZfEL podcast. Today I talk about the Buddha's first establishment of mindfulness, mindfulness of body. We'll cover the 4 major elements or "sensations" you can notice through your mindfulness practice, why that's so important and do a short "mindful check-in" to get a feel for the practice itself. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #25: Mindfulness of Body / Mindfulness Body Scan, a foundational mindfulness practice that allows you to heighten your ability to notice the sensations and communications of the body and better come in touch with the physical body as a whole. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

Today’s episode is a special bonus preview episode of my new book This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment. This is the complete Preface + Introduction of the book which not only sets up the book and explains what it’s all about but explains a number of key insights I’ve discovered from my own practice as well. If you enjoyed these sample chapters and would like to purchase the audiobook, go to ThisMomentBook.com to get more information. Also, keep an eye out for this week’s episodes ZfEL 24: The Buddha’s First Aspect of Mindfulness and ZfEL 25: Guided Meditation – Mindfulness of Body. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is mindful cleaning, a powerful mindfulness practice that takes a typically boring and mundane activity and turns it into something nourishing and delightful. Mindful cleaning can be done while sweeping, mopping, dusting, scrubbing the bathroom, washing the dishes, or while doing anything else. This is a unique practice in that cleaning is typically (for most of us, at least) one of the most boring and mundane activities of our life, so to take such an activity and transform it into an enjoyable practice can be quite nourishing. Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #22: 3 Keys to a Fulfilling Life Discovered from the Top Regrets of the Dying. Thank you for listening & let me know what you think. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week I talk about 3 major keys to a fulfilling life I discovered while researching the top regrets of the dying. In the episode, I talk about what the common denominators were among all the top regrets and show a straightforward path to living a more fulfilled life of no regrets. Also, make sure to listen to this week's guided meditation, ZfEL #23: Mindful Cleaning, a powerful mindfulness practice that takes a typically boring and mundane activity and turns it into something nourishing and delightful. Thank you for listening & let me know what you think. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.

This week's guided meditation is the formal version of the cornerstone mindfulness practice of mindful walking (also called walking meditation), which is great when paired after your formal sitting meditation practice. Mindful walking is one of the primary mindfulness practices and for good reason. Mindful walking is something we can do throughout each and every day as well as in a more formal setting (today's version). To walk mindfully is to touch the peace of the present moment with each step. It's a powerful practice and a personal favorite, so I'm happy to be covering it this week. Mindful walking, or walking meditation, is the practice of either counting one's steps or being mindful of the rising, swinging, and placing down of each step. As this guided meditation is on more of the formal practice, I'll be guiding by counting the steps (with plans to do more informal version of the meditation where you'll follow your steps in the near future). Also, don't forget to check out this week's talk, episode #20: Mindfulness at Work: How to Bring Mindfulness to the Workplace. Thank you for listening & let me know what you think. Thank you for listening. Go to Buddhaimonia.com to read my weekly blog as well as guides, books, and other resources, Buddhaimonia.com/newsletter to sign up to the weekly newsletter and get my free eBook The Little Book of Mindfulness, and go to ThisMomentBook.com to get my new book, This Moment: How to Live Fully and Freely in the Present Moment, if you'd like to support the blog and podcast.