Focused Attention Meditation

• Summary: This technique involves focusing on a single point. This could involve focusing on the breath, on an image, or on a word or phrase. The aim is to refocus attention on the chosen object whenever the mind starts to wander.
• Steps:
  • Choose an object of focus, such as your breath.
  • Whenever your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the object of focus.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the structure (wpm = words per minute)

********

%Part 1. **Introduction and Setting Up for Meditation (125 words)**

   — Key Themes: Introduction, preparation

   — Pacing: Slow, setting the stage for the meditation

   — Techniques: Verbal guidance, reassurance

   — Instructions: Encourages the listener to find a comfortable place, either sitting or lying down

   — Repetition: None in this section

   — Emotional Journey: Anticipation, preparation

%Part 2. **Initial Focus and Deep Breaths ( 100 words)**

   — Key Themes: Focus, breath awareness

   — Pacing: Slow, with pauses for deep breaths

   — Techniques: Guided breathing, focus on physical sensations

   — Instructions: Start with eyes open, soft focus, take deep breaths, notice the body expanding and softening

   — Repetition: Deep breaths are repeated

   — Emotional Journey: Beginning of relaxation, grounding

%Part 3. **Awareness of Surroundings and Body (130 words)**

   — Key Themes: Mindfulness, body awareness

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for awareness

   — Techniques: Guided awareness, visualization

   — Instructions: Close eyes, appreciate the stillness, notice the weight of the body, be aware of sounds and surroundings, notice how the body feels

   — Repetition: Encouragement to notice and be aware

   — Emotional Journey: Deepening relaxation, increasing mindfulness

%Part 4. **Breath Focus and Counting ( 240 words )**

   — Key Themes: Breath awareness, mindfulness

   — Pacing: Slow, with pauses for breath focus and counting

   — Techniques: Breath focus, counting breaths

   — Instructions: Notice the movement of breath, count breaths from one to ten, return attention to breath when mind wanders

   — Repetition: Return to breath when mind wanders, counting breaths

   — Emotional Journey: Deep focus, calm

%Part 5. **Letting the Mind Wander (100 words)**

   — Key Themes: Open awareness, acceptance

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for the mind to wander

   — Techniques: Open awareness

   — Instructions: Let the mind do whatever it wants

   — Repetition: None in this section

   — Emotional Journey: Release, acceptance

%Part 6. **Returning to Body Awareness and Ending the Meditation (70 words)**

   — Key Themes: Body awareness, transition

   — Pacing: Slow, preparing to end the meditation

   — Techniques: Guided awareness

   — Instructions: Bring attention back to the body, notice the weight and contact with the seat or floor, open eyes when ready

   — Repetition: Return to body awareness

   — Emotional Journey: Return to normal awareness, calm

%Part 7. **Reflection and Intention Setting (150 words)**

   — Key Themes: Reflection, intention setting

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for reflection and intention setting

   — Techniques: Guided reflection, intention setting

   — Instructions: Notice how you feel, remember the importance of pausing, resist analyzing the meditation, set an intention to carry the mindfulness into everyday life

   — Repetition: Encouragement to reflect and set intentions

   — Emotional Journey: Reflection, intention, readiness to return to normal activities

Focused Attention Meditation

• Summary: This technique involves focusing on a single point. This could involve focusing on the breath, on an image, or on a word or phrase. The aim is to refocus attention on the chosen object whenever the mind starts to wander.
• Steps:
  • Choose an object of focus, such as your breath.
  • Whenever your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the object of focus.

********

analysis of the meditation

********

## Step 1: Familiarize Yourself with the Text

The text is a guided meditation script that focuses on breath awareness and mindfulness. It encourages the listener to be present, aware of their surroundings, and to gently bring their attention back to their breath when their mind wanders.

## Step 2: Understand the Structure (wpm = words per minute)

The meditation can be divided into several sections:

— Introduction and setting up for meditation (125 words, 174 wpm)

— Initial focus and deep breaths (100 words, 146 wpm)

— Awareness of surroundings and body (132 words, 60 wpm)

— Breath focus and counting (240 words, 75 wmp)

— Letting the mind wander (100 words, 75 wmp)

— Returning to body awareness and ending the meditation (72 words, 120 wpm)

— Reflection and intention setting (150 words, 150 wpm)

## Step 3: Identify Key Themes and Messages

The key themes of this meditation are mindfulness, breath awareness, acceptance of wandering thoughts, and the integration of mindfulness into everyday life.

## Step 4: Analyze the Pace and Intonation

The pace of the text is slow and calming, with pauses for breath and reflection. The speaker uses a gentle tone, which likely contributes to the relaxing and accepting atmosphere of the meditation.

## Step 5: Examine the Presentation Methods

The speaker uses visualization (e.g., noticing the space around you, feeling the weight of the body), breath awareness, and counting breaths as techniques to guide the meditation.

## Step 6: Observe Breathing and Focus Instructions

The speaker frequently instructs the listener to focus on their breath and to return their attention to it when their mind wanders. The speaker also guides the listener to notice the rising and falling sensation of their breath.

## Step 7: Note the Use of Repetition

The speaker repeatedly encourages the listener to return their attention to their breath when their mind wanders. This repetition reinforces the practice of mindfulness and the acceptance of wandering thoughts.

## Step 8: Analyze the Overall Duration

The meditation lasts approximately 9 minutes. Each section varies in length, with the longest sections being the breath focus and counting (about 2 minutes) and the ending reflection and intention setting (about 1 minute).

## Step 9: Reflect on the Emotional Journey

The meditation guides the listener from a state of normal awareness to a focused, calm state, then to a state of open awareness, and finally back to normal awareness with a sense of calm and intention.

## Step 10: Summarize the Meditation’s Structure and Techniques

The meditation begins with an introduction and setting up, followed by initial focus and deep breaths. The speaker then guides the listener to become aware of their surroundings and body, then to focus on their breath and count their breaths. The listener is then allowed to let their mind wander before returning to body awareness and ending the meditation. The speaker concludes with a reflection and intention setting. The techniques used include visualization, breath awareness, and counting breaths.

********

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the structure (wpm = words per minute)

********

1. **Introduction and Setting Up for Meditation (125 words, 174 wpm)**

   — Key Themes: Introduction, preparation

   — Pacing: Slow, setting the stage for the meditation

   — Techniques: Verbal guidance, reassurance

   — Instructions: Encourages the listener to find a comfortable place, either sitting or lying down

   — Repetition: None in this section

   — Emotional Journey: Anticipation, preparation

2. **Initial Focus and Deep Breaths ( 100 words, 146 wpm)**

   — Key Themes: Focus, breath awareness

   — Pacing: Slow, with pauses for deep breaths

   — Techniques: Guided breathing, focus on physical sensations

   — Instructions: Start with eyes open, soft focus, take deep breaths, notice the body expanding and softening

   — Repetition: Deep breaths are repeated

   — Emotional Journey: Beginning of relaxation, grounding

3. **Awareness of Surroundings and Body (132 words, 60 wpm)**

   — Key Themes: Mindfulness, body awareness

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for awareness

   — Techniques: Guided awareness, visualization

   — Instructions: Close eyes, appreciate the stillness, notice the weight of the body, be aware of sounds and surroundings, notice how the body feels

   — Repetition: Encouragement to notice and be aware

   — Emotional Journey: Deepening relaxation, increasing mindfulness

4. **Breath Focus and Counting ( 240 words, 75 wmp)**

   — Key Themes: Breath awareness, mindfulness

   — Pacing: Slow, with pauses for breath focus and counting

   — Techniques: Breath focus, counting breaths

   — Instructions: Notice the movement of breath, count breaths from one to ten, return attention to breath when mind wanders

   — Repetition: Return to breath when mind wanders, counting breaths

   — Emotional Journey: Deep focus, calm

5. **Letting the Mind Wander (100 words, 75 wmp)**

   — Key Themes: Open awareness, acceptance

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for the mind to wander

   — Techniques: Open awareness

   — Instructions: Let the mind do whatever it wants

   — Repetition: None in this section

   — Emotional Journey: Release, acceptance

6. **Returning to Body Awareness and Ending the Meditation (72 words, 120 wpm)**

   — Key Themes: Body awareness, transition

   — Pacing: Slow, preparing to end the meditation

   — Techniques: Guided awareness

   — Instructions: Bring attention back to the body, notice the weight and contact with the seat or floor, open eyes when ready

   — Repetition: Return to body awareness

   — Emotional Journey: Return to normal awareness, calm

7. **Reflection and Intention Setting (150 words, 150 wpm)**

   — Key Themes: Reflection, intention setting

   — Pacing: Slow, allowing time for reflection and intention setting

   — Techniques: Guided reflection, intention setting

   — Instructions: Notice how you feel, remember the importance of pausing, resist analyzing the meditation, set an intention to carry the mindfulness into everyday life

   — Repetition: Encouragement to reflect and set intentions

   — Emotional Journey: Reflection, intention, readiness to return to normal activities

Episode 8: How to Achieve Your Limitless Potential

1. Resting Awareness Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves allowing the mind to rest in a state of ‘open awareness’, without focusing on any particular object or thought.
   • Steps:
     • Sit comfortably and allow your mind to rest.
     • Instead of focusing on a specific object or thought, simply observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they come and go.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Part 5. Guided Meditation Session

09:50
But I’m gonna guide you
as I always do and show you how,
09:53
by training resting awareness
in short durations of time,
09:57
you can actually begin
to build out this skill.
10:01
It’s not only a skill
which is helpful in your meditation,
10:03
but it’s also a skill which is arguably
closest to everyday life.
10:08
And keep in mind, resting awareness
is only one of many meditation techniques
10:12
that we’ve covered in this series,
and each and every one of them
10:15
can be used in different situations,
in different times in our life.
10:20
So before we begin
the resting awareness exercise,
10:23
just take a moment to get comfortable.
10:26
As always, you can do this exercise
10:29
sitting up or lying down.
10:31
As long as your back’s
reasonably straight, that’s okay.
10:33
You can do it
with your eyes open or eyes closed,
10:35
whichever you prefer.
10:37
The most important thing is to make sure
you’re not gonna be physically disturbed.
10:41
for the next few minutes or so.
10:43
So just as you’re getting comfortable,
10:46
just a reminder,
10:48
especially with this technique,
10:50
to just allow thoughts to come and go.
10:52
We’re not trying to stop thoughts.
We’re not trying to change the mind.
10:56
We’re just witnessing
the coming and going of thoughts.
11:01
Remember that in this exercise
in particular,
11:04
it doesn’t require any effort.
11:06
In fact,
perhaps more than any other technique,
11:09
we are simply letting go of everything.
11:12
So there’s no need
to try and achieve anything.
11:17
And finally,
with this particular technique, know that
11:20
it’s really common
11:22
to get lost, for the mind to wander,
11:25
that it takes a little bit of practice.
11:28
We’re gonna start with the eyes open…
11:33
just aware of the space around you.
11:36
So not looking at one thing,
but just a soft focus
11:40
of everything around you.
11:43
And just maintaining that soft focus,
11:46
taking a couple of big, deep breaths,
breathing in through the nose…
11:53
and out through the mouth.
11:58
And each time as you breathe in,
12:01
just noticing how
the lungs fill with air each time.
12:07
And breathing out,
12:09
noticing how
the muscles in the body soften
12:13
as the body exhales.
12:18
And just one more time.
12:19
This next time as you breathe out,
if you’d like to,
12:23
just gently closing the eyes.
12:31
And first thing, just take a moment,
12:34
knowing you have nothing to do,
nowhere to go
12:38
for the next few minutes.
12:40
Just enjoying that feeling
of having stopped, of being still.
12:53
You’re starting to notice
12:55
that feeling of weight.
12:58
The body pressing down into the seat
13:01
on the surface beneath you.
13:10
Starting to notice the sounds around you.
13:13
Noticing any resistance to those sounds.
13:16
And just reminding yourself
to allow any sounds to come and go
13:21
throughout the exercise.
13:29
And as you bring the attention
13:33
back to the body,
13:35
just starting to get a sense
13:38
of how the body feels today.
13:40
So not thinking about it,
13:43
we’re just noticing
whether there’s a sense of
13:46
stillness in the body…
13:50
or a sense of agitation.
13:56
Whether there’s a sense of heaviness
in the body…
14:02
or a sense of lightness.
14:08
And in the same way,
just starting to notice the breath,
14:12
the movement of the breath,
14:15
and how the breath feels today.
14:17
Where in the body you feel
that rising and falling sensation.
14:26
And remember, as always, if you can’t feel
that rising and falling movement,
14:32
just gently placing your hand
on your stomach,
14:41
And just staying
14:44
with that movement.
14:47
So just settling the body,
settling the mind,
14:50
allowing thoughts to come and go,
14:53
and just staying with the breath
14:56
just for a few moments longer.
15:06
So throughout this exercise,
we’re going to alternate.
15:11
Every now and again,
we’ll come back to the breath,
15:13
but mostly we’re just gonna rest
15:16
in awareness.
15:18
Again, I’ll guide you through as we go.
15:22
So letting go of any focus
on the breath now,
15:26
just allowing the mind
to do whatever it wants to do.
15:31
So if the mind wants to think,
let it think.
15:36
If the mind wants to be busy,
let it be busy.
15:40
Just allow the mind to be completely free.
15:45
Remember, the only thing
15:47
you need to remember
15:49
is to realize when the mind has wandered,
15:53
and in that moment, in realizing it,
15:56
the mind is no longer wandering,
15:58
and we’re already back
where we need to be.
16:02
So just allowing the mind
to do whatever it wants to do.
16:49
So allowing thoughts to come and go,
even if they’re thoughts
about the exercise,
16:54
just allowing them
16:56
to come and then go again.
17:04
So we’re aware
of the activity of the mind
17:07
without getting involved
17:09
in the activity of the mind.
17:24
And then just gently picking up
17:27
that movement of the breath again.
17:29
Just gonna stay here for a few seconds.
17:34
So just pausing, again, becoming aware
of that rising and falling movement.
17:48
And then once again, letting go of that,
17:52
and for a few moments longer,
just letting the mind be free again.
17:59
Letting it do whatever
18:01
it wants to do.
18:39
So remember, in this exercise,
truly nothing to do.
18:47
No need to focus on anything,
18:49
no need to think about anything.
18:52
Just allowing everything to come and go…
18:58
seeing it clearly
19:00
as it does.
19:18
And then just gently bringing
the attention back once again to the body.
19:27
Coming back to that feeling
of contact and of weight between
19:32
the body and
19:34
the seat or the surface beneath you.
19:40
Starting maybe to become more aware
of the sounds around you.
19:46
And whenever you feel ready,
you can just gently
19:50
open the eyes again.
19:54
As always, just take a moment
to notice how it feels in the body,
19:59
how it feels in the mind.
20:03
And from this meditation,
20:05
hopefully, we’ll find
a sense of limitless potential
20:08
with the intention
to carry a more spacious,
20:11
more peaceful quality of mind
into everyday life.

20:19

Episode 7: How to Deal with Anger

1. Skillful Compassion Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves focusing on the happiness of others, even those you may have negative feelings towards. The aim is to cultivate love and kindness in your own mind.
   • Steps:
     • Visualize someone you have negative feelings towards.
     • As you breathe in, imagine taking in their difficulties. As you breathe out, imagine giving them all the good things you’ve experienced in your life.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format
Part 5. Guided Meditation Session

05:43
So let’s now apply this idea
of transforming anger
05:46
as we meditate together
05:47
using the technique
of skillful compassion.
05:51
You can do this eyes open or eyes closed,
05:53
whatever is most comfortable for you.
05:56
So as you’re getting comfortable,
05:58
remember, the mind will continue to think.
06:01
Allow the thoughts to come and go.
06:05
When it comes
to this particular technique,
06:08
it’s so different
from everything that we have done in life.
06:13
So give it time.
Again, know that it is a practice,
06:17
something that we will keep on doing
over time.
06:20
And in that practice, we start to find
06:23
a greater sense
of familiarity and comfort.
06:29
So leaving all of that behind now,
06:32
just take a moment
to begin with the eyes open,
06:36
a soft focus,
06:39
just aware of the space around you.
06:45
And maintaining that soft focus,
06:48
just taking a couple of big, deep breaths,
breathing in through the nose…
06:55
and out through the mouth.
07:00
Each time as you breathe in,
just aware as the body
07:04
inhales that fresh air.
07:07
And as you breathe out,
07:08
just noticing how the muscles in the body
begin to soften and release…
07:17
and as you feel the weight
of the body begin to sink down.
07:23
And with the next out-breath,
07:25
if you’d like to,
just gently closing the eyes.
07:32
And for a moment,
07:35
just pause, no need to do anything.
07:37
Just enjoying that feeling
of having stopped,
07:40
of being still.
07:48
Just beginning to notice
07:50
that feeling of the body pressing down
against the seat or the floor.
08:03
Maybe starting to notice
the sounds around you.
08:07
And as always,
don’t worry if there are sounds,
08:09
just allowing the sounds to come and go
08:12
in the same way
as you allow the thoughts to come and go.
08:24
And just beginning to notice
how the body feels today.
08:31
A sense of heaviness
or lightness in the body.
08:41
Is there a sense of restlessness
or stillness in the body?
08:54
And as you become more aware
of the physical sensations in the body,
08:58
just starting to notice the breath,
09:01
that movement of breath.
09:04
So no need to breathe in any special way,
just noticing,
09:08
as the body breathes,
which parts of the body move…
09:14
with that rising and falling sensation.
09:20
Might be the chest,
09:22
might be the diaphragm,
09:24
might be the stomach.
09:27
If you can’t feel anything at all,
09:28
just gently placing your hand
on the stomach.
09:33
Just so you can feel that movement.
09:39
And just staying with that
09:42
for just a few seconds now.
10:10
So just settling the body,
10:13
settling the mind.
10:17
And now I’d like you to imagine
10:23
a person who has, in some way,
10:28
annoyed you, frustrated you,
or given you the conditions
10:33
to be annoyed or frustrated
10:35
or angry in some way.
10:39
And I’d like you to picture them
10:41
sitting in front of you
maybe six, eight feet away.
10:49
And I’d like you to just begin.
10:52
Don’t worry
if the picture’s not too clear at first.
10:55
I’d like you to begin
by just getting comfortable
10:59
with holding that image
very gently in the mind
11:03
whilst at the same time,
11:06
noticing the rhythm of breathing.
11:10
So we’re not changing the breath
in any way at all,
11:14
but we are aware
of that rising and falling sensation,
11:21
the inhalation, the exhalation…
11:25
whilst at the same time,
seeing that other person in our mind.
11:32
And we might already feel
11:35
perhaps a bit of tension in the body
11:37
in imagining that person.
11:40
We already may experience
11:42
more thoughts than usual
as we begin to think about
11:47
that person, the situation.
11:49
As much as possible,
just allowing the thoughts to come and go.
11:55
But very slowly, in your own time,
just beginning…
12:01
to imagine
12:04
that with every in-breath,
12:07
you’re breathing in
12:09
anything that that other person
is struggling with right now.
12:14
It might be a busy and agitated mind.
12:19
They might be struggling
with difficult emotions.
12:24
They might be struggling
with their physical health.
12:28
Might even be different things
going on in their life.
12:30
There’s just a sense that, if you could,
12:33
if you were able to remove
all of their difficulty
12:38
so they could be happy,
12:40
you would do that
with each and every in-breath.
12:45
At the same time with each out-breath,
12:48
we’re going to imagine just breathing out
12:52
everything good in our own life,
the things that make us happy,
12:57
the things that bring us joy…
13:01
and sharing that with that other person.
13:05
And we just stay with that idea,
with that feeling of the breath,
13:10
the image of the person,
and the idea of the exchange taking place.
13:16
We don’t get more miserable…
…as the exercise goes on.
13:21
There’s plenty of happiness to go around.
There’s just a sense of removing
13:25
their difficulty, wanting them to be free
13:30
from any kind of struggle in life,
13:33
and at the same time,
13:35
sharing with them a sense of happiness.
13:39
And as you do this, if you like,
you can even imagine
13:42
the image of them in your mind
starting to change.
13:45
Maybe that person
13:48
is starting to look
a bit more… …relaxed.
13:52
A bit more at ease.
13:56
Maybe you see a smile on their face.
14:01
Just a sense that something is happening.
14:04
Something is changing.
14:11
And just staying with that
for a few seconds more.
14:28
And then allowing that image
of the other person to dissolve
14:34
into space
but allowing the feeling to remain.
14:37
Just gently bringing the attention
back once again to the body,
14:42
to that feeling of contact.
14:47
And whenever you’re ready,
you can gently open the eyes.

14:53

Episode 6: How to Deal with Pain

1. Body Scan Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves focusing on different parts of the body, starting from the top of the head and moving down to the toes. It’s particularly helpful when experiencing pain or discomfort.
   • Steps:
     • Start at the top of your head and slowly move your attention down through your body.
     • As you focus on each part of your body, observe any sensations, emotions, or thoughts that you associate with that part of your body.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format
Part 5. Guided Meditation Session

05:43
So in today’s episode,
I’d like to introduce you
05:45
to a meditation technique
called the «body scan.»
05:48
Now, the body scan is a great technique
to use at any time in life,
05:52
but it’s particularly helpful
when you’re experiencing
05:55
some kind of pain
or discomfort in the body.
05:59
The body scan
06:00
essentially helps us to bring
the body and mind back together again.
06:05
As you scan downward,
starting at the top of the head
06:08
and finishing down at the toes,
06:09
we’re simply moving down,
becoming more aware
06:13
about how the body feels
06:15
and essentially building up a picture.
06:18
And we’re gonna notice
areas of comfort, areas of discomfort,
06:23
areas of pain,
06:24
and areas
of real kind of ease and relaxation.
06:29
It’s not about trying
to change the feeling
06:31
or to resist the discomfort
06:34
but instead
just to get comfortable with it,
06:37
and as much as possible, try to remain
06:40
curious and interested.
06:42
I know that sounds difficult
when you have pain and discomfort.
06:44
The last thing you want to apply…
…is curiosity to it.
06:48
But the more we do that,
the lighter the technique feels.
06:52
The more we create space
in the mind
06:54
between witnessing the discomfort
and the discomfort itself.
06:59
So this is a very, very gentle focus.
07:03
Doesn’t require a lot of work.

07:05
This is the one time in the day
where you can truly let go of any effort.
07:12
So take a moment
to make yourself comfortable.
07:16
You can do this sitting up, lying down.
07:18
If you are experiencing some kind of pain
that makes it difficult to sit upright,
07:22
then please feel free to lie down.
07:29
The temptation is to then get caught up
in thinking about that.
07:33
As much as possible,
07:34
maintaining a steady even scan
as you go down from head to toe.
07:41
But I’ll guide you every step of the way.
07:52
So we’re gonna begin with our eyes open,
07:54
a nice, soft focus.
07:57
Not staring at one thing,
07:58
just taking in
the entire space around you.
08:02
And just maintaining that focus,
08:05
just beginning with some big deep breaths,
breathing in through the nose…
08:12
and out through the mouth.
08:17
So as you breathe in,
08:19
aware of the body
taking in that fresh air.
08:24
As you breathe out,
08:26
just noticing
08:28
how the body sinks down into the seat
08:32
or the floor beneath you.
08:35
And just taking a moment to pause,
to enjoy that feeling.
08:43
And gently close your eyes
whenever you’re ready.
08:46
Allow the breath
08:48
to return to its natural rhythm.
08:53
And just enjoy
that feeling of being still.
09:04
Perhaps taking just a moment
as well to notice any sounds around you,
09:08
notice any resistance in your mind
09:11
towards the sounds around you.
09:14
As much as possible,
09:16
allowing sounds to come and go,
09:18
allowing thoughts to come and go.
09:33
And as you
09:34
become more aware
09:36
of how the body feels,
09:38
before we get into the body scan itself,
09:41
just noticing overall
the feeling in the body today.
09:46
So does the body feel very still,
very quiet,
09:50
or is there a feeling of… of restlessness,
09:53
of agitation in the body?
10:03
Is there a feeling of heaviness,
10:07
maybe lethargy in the body today?
10:10
Or does the body feel very light?
10:21
As you become more aware…
10:25
of that feeling, at the same time,
10:27
just beginning to notice
10:30
the movement, the sensation of the breath.
10:37
So very soft focus,
10:40
just noticing where in the body
10:43
you feel that rising
10:45
and falling sensation.
10:50
And if you can’t feel it,
10:52
just gently placing your hand
on your stomach.
10:58
You can feel that rising
and falling movement.
11:14
Now just settling
11:17
body and mind in that way.
11:22
So we’re gonna shift our attention now
to the top of the head,
11:27
and we’re gonna slowly begin
to scan down through the body.
11:33
And we’re gonna do this a number of times.
11:37
The first time
11:39
we’re gonna move
a little bit more quickly.
11:43
So take about 10, 20 seconds
to scan down through the body.
11:48
So we’re just getting an overview,
really, at this stage.
11:52
Noticing any areas that feel
11:55
particularly uncomfortable,
11:56
any areas that feel particularly relaxed.
12:01
Not getting stuck in any one place
12:04
and scanning all the way down to the toes.
12:28
We then come back
12:30
to the top of the head again.
12:32
This time
12:33
we go at about half that speed.
12:36
So taking about 40 seconds.
12:39
I’ll guide you through on time.
12:42
But just scanning down, and this time
12:46
in a bit more detail
12:48
but still with a very light focus.
12:52
Just beginning to notice…
12:57
those areas of the body.
13:30
And there’s perhaps
a little bit of tension.
13:38
Just as importantly,
13:41
those areas of the body that feel relaxed…
13:48
and at ease.
13:53
Just continuing down
into the lower half of the body.
14:03
We’re not thinking about the sensations.
14:07
We’re just becoming more aware of them.
14:11
Get all the way down to the feet
14:15
and the toes.
14:20
And then we’re gonna return
to the top of the head for one last time,
14:24
and we’re gonna scan down.
14:26
Now, this time,
we’re really gonna slow it down,
14:29
taking about twice as long again.
14:33
And remember at this time,
14:35
noticing the parts of the body that
14:38
maybe were neglected on previous scans.
14:41
The smaller parts of the body, the ears,
14:44
the fingers, the toes,
14:47
perhaps parts of the arms or the legs.
14:54
And not just zoning in
14:57
on one particular feeling,
15:00
one particular place…
15:03
but taking the time
15:06
to notice the entire body.
15:19
Again, we’re not thinking
about the feeling, the sensation,
15:25
just observing it.
16:06
And then continuing down through the body
16:10
and that scan
16:13
into the lower half of the body.
16:29
Slow, steady scan down towards
16:34
the feet…
16:38
and the toes.
16:46
And then just gently bringing
the attention back to the body,
16:49
that feeling of contact
16:52
against the seat or the floor beneath you…
16:58
the sounds around you.
17:03
And whenever you’re ready,
you can just gently open the eyes.
17:12
Take a moment
to notice how you feel in your body
17:16
and in your mind.
17:21
And take a moment as well to see
17:26
how that feels to have a little more space
17:30
in yourself and the discomfort.
17:32
Over time, with a little bit of practice,
17:34
you can even pause
on different areas of the body
17:37
and begin to notice the shape,
17:40
the temperature, the type of pain.
17:43
We can begin
to really create some room in the mind
17:47
so that the pain, the discomfort
can almost do what it needs to do,
17:52
but we don’t get caught up in it.

17:58

Episode 5: How to be Kind*

1. Loving Kindness Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves focusing on developing feelings of compassion and love towards others and oneself.
   • Steps:
     • Close your eyes and generate feelings of kindness and benevolence.
     • Start by directing these feelings towards yourself, then gradually extend this kindness to others, starting with your loved ones and eventually extending it to all beings.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Part 5. Guided Meditation Session
06:39
So let’s just take a moment
to pull this all together now,
06:42
and I’ll guide you through the meditation.
06:46
So, as always,
take a moment to get comfortable,
06:49
sitting down, lying down.
As long as the back is fairly straight,
06:53
it doesn’t matter too much.
06:54
And remember, as always,
you can do this eyes open, eyes closed,
06:58
whatever feels most comfortable,
but do try and find a space
07:01
where you’re not gonna be
physically disturbed
07:04
for the next few minutes or so.
07:07
So as you’re getting comfortable,
as you’re getting settled, just remember,
07:11
the mind’s gonna continue to think,
the mind will get distracted.
07:15
It doesn’t mean
you’ve done something wrong.
07:17
It doesn’t mean
you need to change anything.
07:19
Once you realize the mind’s wandered,
07:21
just letting it go and coming back
to the visualization again.
07:25
And remember with visualization,
07:28
when it comes to effort, less is more.
07:30
We don’t have to try really hard
to imagine the perfect picture.
07:35
Sometimes the picture’s
just not that clear in our mind,
07:38
and that’s okay.
07:39
This exercise is more about the feeling
rather than the clarity of the picture.
07:44
The picture will get clearer over time,
07:46
but for now it’s enough to just focus
on that feeling that comes about
07:51
when we imagine that person in our mind.
07:54
So just starting in the usual way.
07:59
So eyes open, a nice, soft focus
and just aware of the space around you.
08:06
And just maintaining
that soft focus with the eyes,
08:11
just taking some big, deep breaths,
breathing in through the nose…
08:18
and out through the mouth.
08:21
So as you breathe in through the nose,
08:24
just noticing how the lungs fill with air,
the chest expanding.
08:31
And as you breathe out through the mouth,
08:35
just feeling
08:37
the muscles in the body
08:40
relax and let go.
08:43
Just one more time,
breathing in through the nose.
08:49
And as you breathe out through the mouth,
just gently closing the eyes.
08:57
And before you do anything else,
just take a moment to pause…
09:04
to enjoy that feeling…
09:08
of having stopped,
not thinking about the mind,
09:11
not thinking about anything in particular,
09:14
just pausing…
09:17
enjoying the feeling of being still.
09:24
And as you sit or lie there,
just feeling the weight of the body…
09:30
being supported by the seat
or the floor beneath you.
09:38
Perhaps starting to notice
the sounds around you.
09:43
So just settling into that space.
09:53
And use this opportunity,
as always, just to
09:58
check in with the body.
10:01
Notice if there’s
a… a feeling of heaviness or lightness
10:04
in the body today.
10:15
A feeling of restlessness or stillness.
10:24
So just getting a sense
of how the body feels
10:28
and beginning to notice
that rising and falling sensation
10:33
of the breath.
10:35
We’re just gonna stay with that feeling
10:40
for a few moments.
10:42
It’s a very general, soft focus.
10:46
Just noticing where in the body
you feel that movement…
10:54
that rising and falling sensation.
11:14
So we’re just settling the body,
11:16
settling the mind.
11:19
Again, if you find
the mind’s wandered off,
11:21
just acknowledging that, letting it go,
11:25
and gently coming back
to the breath again.
11:32
And then I’d like you to begin
by picturing yourself
11:37
sitting, lying somewhere
that you find really relaxing.
11:43
It’s a place
that energizes you, that refreshes you.
11:49
And picturing yourself
11:52
sat there or lying there…
11:56
I’d like you to imagine…
11:59
in the middle of the body,
12:02
almost sort of a little speck of sunlight«`
12:06
that just begins to grow outward.
12:11
And as you watch
12:13
that sunlight,
that sunshine expanding outward
12:17
in every direction…
12:21
you see yourself looking…
12:26
a little more relaxed…
12:29
a little more at ease.
12:33
You see yourself starting to smile.
12:39
Letting go…
12:42
of any inner chatter.
12:45
Letting go of any tension in the body
or in the mind.
12:53
And you continue in that way…
12:58
until in that image in your mind,
13:02
you simply couldn’t look
13:04
any happier,
13:05
any more at ease.
13:08
And in that moment,
you can just let that image go,
13:13
and in its space this time,
13:16
picturing someone close to you,
someone you care for.
13:21
And in just the same way,
you imagine them
13:24
sitting somewhere
you know that they’d enjoy,
13:27
you’d know they’d find relaxing.
13:32
And we’re gonna watch
that same speck of sunlight
13:36
in the middle of the chest,
in the middle of the body.
13:39
It just begins to expand outward
in every direction.
13:46
And as it fills their body…
13:51
it just begins to bring a sense of ease
and happiness to that person.
14:01
As you watch, you see any tension
14:04
beginning to melt away.
14:09
You see the shoulders drop.
14:13
See the person beginning to smile.
14:18
Essentially looking increasingly relaxed
and happy.
14:27
And again,
allowing that feeling to remain
14:31
but letting go of the image
14:33
and, this time,
replacing it with that person,
14:37
who for whatever reason,
14:39
you might be having difficulty
communicating with right now.
14:44
But in just the same way,
we imagine that same spark of light,
14:49
speck of sunshine
in the middle of the chest,
14:52
the middle of the body.
14:53
And we just watch
14:55
as it begins to expand outward
14:58
in every direction.
15:02
And we see that person begin to relax.
15:09
We see them looking more at ease.
15:15
We see them begin to look happy.
15:18
If thoughts arise in the mind,
15:20
just allow the thoughts to come and go.
15:24
Staying with the visualization
just for a moment longer…
15:29
until it appears as though that person
couldn’t look any happier.
15:37
And in that moment, we let the image go…
15:41
but we allow the feeling to remain
as we come back to that feeling of weight
15:48
and of contact in the body
15:51
just pressing down against the seat
or the floor beneath us.
16:02
Coming back to any sounds around you.
16:11
And whenever you feel ready,
16:14
you can just gently open the eyes again.
16:21
And before moving,
16:23
just taking a moment.
Notice how the mind feels.
16:28
Notice how the body feels.
16:31
Resist any temptation to judge
16:36
the exercise we’ve just done.
16:39
Know that it’s only through practice
16:43
that we get more comfortable in training
16:46
this feeling, this quality of mind.
16:50
But that, in time, it’s possible
16:53
to not only feel that
for ourselves, for others
16:56
but also those people
who we are really struggling with
17:00
in our life.
17:03
And as always, just plant the intention
to carry this quality of mind
17:07
from your meditation into whatever
and wherever you’re going next.

17:18

Episode 4: How to Deal with Stress*

1. Noting Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves taking note of any distractions that pull your attention away from your meditation practice, then gently bringing your focus back.
   • Steps:
     • Begin your meditation as you normally would.
     • Whenever a distraction arises, make a mental note of it, then gently return your focus to your meditation.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Part 5. Guided Meditation Session
08:33
We’re gonna put all of this
into practice now,
08:35
as I guide you through a meditation.
08:40
So as always,
before we begin the exercise itself,
08:43
just make sure that you’re comfortable.
08:46
You can do this sitting up,
lying down, eyes open, eyes closed.
08:50
The most important thing
is just making sure you’re not gonna be
08:53
physically disturbed in any way
during the next few minutes or so.
08:57
Just a reminder,
08:59
the mind will get distracted.
09:00
Actually,
in this exercise, that’s a good thing.
09:03
We’re gonna use that
as part of training the mind.
09:07
Remember that we
are working with the mind
in a very gentle way.
09:12
So when we realize we’ve been distracted,
we’re not getting caught up in
09:16
lots of judgment or criticism.
09:18
This is the meditation itself.
09:21
So just gently acknowledging it
09:23
and gently bringing the attention
back to the breath again,
09:27
knowing that that peace of mind
that you’re looking for is already here.
09:34
So with those things in mind,
just taking a moment now.
09:38
We’re gonna start with our eyes open
and nice, soft focus.
09:42
Not looking at one particular thing
09:44
but just aware of everything around you…
09:49
and maintaining that soft focus,
just taking a big, deep breath.
09:54
Breathing in through the nose…
09:59
and out through the mouth.
10:03
And again, as you breathe in each time,
10:06
noticing how the lungs fill with air.
10:08
As you breathe out each time,
10:11
just noticing
how the muscles in the body soften.
10:16
Just one more time,
breathing in through the nose…
10:22
and as you breathe out through the mouth,
if you’d like to,
10:26
just gently closing the eyes.
10:32
And before you do anything else,
10:35
just pausing…
10:38
to enjoy that feeling of having stopped.
10:48
And just feeling the weight
10:51
of the body press down.
10:55
Just slowly becoming more aware
10:58
of the space around you.
11:00
It might be sounds.
11:06
Noticing any resistance to those sounds.
Just allowing
11:11
thoughts to come and go,
sounds to come and go.
11:14
Just letting go of any resistance.
11:21
And as we begin, just taking
11:24
the opportunity
11:26
to notice how the body’s feeling.
11:32
So always just checking in.
11:34
Is there a sense of heaviness
or lightness in the body?
11:42
Of agitation or stillness?
11:47
So not thinking about it
but just noticing
11:50
how it feels.
12:00
And perhaps just beginning
12:02
to notice that movement
of breath in the body.
12:07
So that rising
12:09
and falling sensation.
12:14
So to begin with, just very general,
12:17
where in the body
do you feel that movement?
12:23
Could be in the chest,
the shoulders, the diaphragm, the stomach.
12:30
No need to breathe
in any special way at all.
12:37
And if you can’t feel that movement,
12:38
just gently placing your hand
on the stomach.
13:07
So just settling
13:09
the attention
13:11
on that movement of breath.
13:21
If you like, you can just…
13:24
follow that movement,
or you can follow the movement
13:27
and count the breath as it passes.
If you count,
13:31
remember, we count one
with the rising sensation,
13:34
two with the falling sensation,
13:37
then three,
13:39
then four, just up to a count of ten,
13:43
and then starting again at one.
If you prefer,
13:47
let go of any counting
13:49
and just stay with that movement.
13:56
It’s our only job in this exercise.
14:00
Body knows how to breathe,
no effort required,
14:04
but in those moments
14:06
when we realize we’ve been distracted…
14:10
just pausing,
14:13
acknowledging it,
14:14
noted as thinking,
14:17
let it go.
14:20
And just gently
14:22
bring the attention
back to the breath again.
14:29
Just try that on your own now.
15:21
So knowing that it’s natural
for the mind to wander,
15:25
not giving yourself a hard time,
15:28
simply acknowledging it.
15:32
Noting it, labeling it as thinking…
15:36
letting it go,
15:38
and coming back to the breath.
15:41
And we’re not trying
to catch every single thought,
15:44
only those moments
when you’ve actually been lost in thought.
15:50
In that moment of realizing,
15:53
noting it
15:54
and coming back to the breath.
16:44
And then just for a moment now,
I’d like you to let go of any focus,
16:48
even any focus on the breath.
16:50
For a few seconds,
16:52
let your mind do whatever it wants to do.
16:55
If it wants to wander,
16:56
now you can let it wander.
17:09
And then just gently bringing
the attention back to the body.
17:15
Just coming back to that feeling of weight
17:19
and contact.
17:24
Coming back to any sounds around you,
the space around you.
17:32
And whenever you’re ready,
you can just gently open the eyes again.
17:37
But before you move too much,
just pausing to notice how the body feels,
how the mind feels.
17:45
So important to recognize
17:49
how it feels
so that we are that much more likely
17:51
to come back and do this again.
17:55
In your mind,
just putting in the intention
17:58
to carry this idea with you
into your everyday life.
18:03
Not just the idea but the feeling,
18:07
that quality of ease,
18:10
into your everyday life,
18:11
and knowing that this noting technique
is not something that we only do
18:16
during meditation.
18:18
You can also do it in everyday life.
18:20
So when you feel
18:21
like the mind is starting to speed up,
18:24
when you feel emotions
are starting to build up, just pausing,
18:28
noting them,
18:30
acknowledging them, letting them go,
and then coming back
18:33
to whatever you’re doing at the time.

18:40

Episode 3: How to Fall in Love with Life*

1. Reflection Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves focusing on a specific question or topic and observing what thoughts or feelings arise in response.
   • Steps:
     • Choose a question or topic to contemplate.
     • Allow your mind to focus on this question or topic, observing any thoughts or feelings that arise.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Part 5. Guided Meditation Session
9:40
So now it’s time to take a few minutes
to put all of this together
09:44
as I guide you through the meditation.
09:47
So, as always, make sure that you are
sitting comfortably, lying comfortably.
09:53
Remember, the only thing that’s important
is that your back is… is fairly straight.
09:57
Other than that,
just make yourself comfortable.
10:00
A few reminders to help you
to get the best out of the exercise.
10:04
Remember,
it’s natural for the mind to wander,
10:07
so just allow thoughts to come and go.
10:11
Remember, it doesn’t need a lot of effort.
10:14
This is the one time in the day
when you can truly let go
10:17
and just allow the body
and mind to unwind.
10:22
And finally, with this specific technique,
10:24
it doesn’t matter what arises
when you ask the question.
10:27
Try to avoid
the temptation to think about it,
10:30
to judge it or analyze it.
10:32
Just allow it to have its own time,
its own moment.
10:35
And don’t worry if it doesn’t even lead
to a feeling of appreciation.
10:38
Like all meditation exercises,
it takes a little bit of time
10:42
and a little bit of practice sometimes.
10:45
But right now, all you need to do
10:48
is to begin with your eyes open.
10:50
A nice, soft focus.
Just aware of the space around you.
10:57
And just maintaining
that soft focus with the eyes,
11:01
just taking a couple of big, deep breaths.
Breathing in through the nose…
11:07
…and out through the mouth.
11:11
So as you breathe in through the nose,
11:15
it’s the sense
11:17
of the lungs expanding,
the body filling with air.
11:22
As you breathe out,
11:25
just noticing how the muscles in the body
begin to soften
11:30
as you exhale.
11:33
And just one more time,
breathing in through the nose.
11:39
And as you breathe out this time,
11:41
just gently closing the eyes
if you’d like to
11:44
and just allowing the breath
11:47
to return to its natural rhythm.
11:51
And just take a moment,
11:54
before you do anything else,
just to appreciate
11:57
that feeling of having stopped.
12:03
Of having nowhere to go and nothing to do.
12:10
Feeling the weight of the body
pressing down into the seat
12:15
or the floor
12:17
below you.
12:22
Perhaps noticing any sounds around you.
12:29
And rather than resisting them,
just allowing the sounds,
12:33
the thoughts, to come and go.
12:40
And just use this opportunity, as well,
just to notice how the body feels.
12:49
So whether the body feels heavy or light.
12:57
And whether there’s
a sense of stillness or restlessness
13:02
in the body right now.
13:12
And as you begin
13:15
to notice those different feelings,
sensations in the body…
13:21
…just starting to notice
the movement of the breath.
13:26
That rising and falling sensation.
13:34
So, as always,
begin in a very general way,
13:37
just noticing where in the body
you feel that movement.
13:43
Whether it’s in the chest,
13:46
diaphragm, the stomach.
13:52
Doesn’t matter where you feel it.
13:55
Don’t need to breathe in any special way.
14:00
And if you can’t feel
that movement at all,
14:02
just gently placing your hand
on your stomach.
14:08
And we’re just gonna stay
14:10
with that rising
14:12
and falling sensation.
14:17
Just as the body and mind begin to settle.
14:47
So remember,
natural for the mind to wander.
14:51
Just noticing the wandering.
14:53
And gently coming back to the breath.
14:58
And you can use your breath
throughout today’s exercises,
15:01
that place to come back to
15:04
if the mind wanders off.
15:11
Now, in having settled
15:13
the mind a little,
we’re gonna ask that question.
15:18
Who or what
15:21
do you appreciate
most in your life right now?
15:26
So ask yourself that question
in the exact same way,
15:29
as though you’re asking somebody else.
15:33
And just notice
15:35
what comes to the surface.
15:46
Without any expectation,
15:49
without any judgment,
15:52
without any hurry.
15:57
Just allowing…
16:00
that feeling to emerge.
16:06
Now, if no particular feeling comes up,
that’s fine. It’s natural.
16:13
Sometimes it takes
a little bit of practice.
16:16
If there’s an obvious feeling,
just allowing that feeling to remain.
16:22
Just resting in that feeling of gratitude.
16:34
If there was no clear feeling,
16:36
just gently asking
that same question again.
16:43
And just creating that space.
16:57
Again, we’re not thinking
about what comes to the mind.
17:01
We’re not judging it,
17:03
analyzing it.
17:05
We’re just creating the space.
17:07
And then if there is a feeling,
17:09
just allowing ourselves
to stay with that feeling
17:13
of appreciation.
17:38
And then allowing
17:41
that feeling to remain.
17:45
Just beginning to bring the attention
17:50
back into the body,
17:54
back to that feeling of weight
17:57
and contact.
18:14
Back to any sounds around you.
18:27
And whenever you feel ready,
18:30
you can just gently open the eyes.
18:36
Take a moment.
Notice how you feel in the body
18:41
and in the mind.
18:45
Know that this is a technique
18:47
it can take a few times
to really get comfortable with.
18:51
And for the mind to be able
to let go of thinking, to relax
18:55
so that you can feel
18:58
that feeling of appreciation.
19:02
And, as always, put in that intention
to carry this with you
19:06
into your everyday life.
19:08
Not just the feeling that you
might be experiencing right now
19:12
but also the intention
to notice those moments in life
19:18
where things are going right,
19:20
where you can pause for a moment
19:23
to be thankful.
19:28

Episode 2: How to Let Go*

1. Visualization Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves creating a mental image of a calming or inspiring scene or concept. The aim is to promote relaxation or personal growth.
   • Steps:
     • Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place or situation.
     • Try to use as many senses as you can, including smell, sight, sound, and touch.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Guided Meditation Session
07:05
Okay. Now it’s time
to put this all together.
07:07
I’m gonna guide you through a meditation.
07:10
So as always, just take a moment
to make sure that you are comfortable
07:12
in your surroundings.
07:14
Maybe decide whether
you’d like to do this meditation
07:16
lying down, sitting up,
07:21
eyes open, eyes closed,
07:23
whatever feels most natural
and most comfortable to you.
07:29
So just as you’re getting comfortable,
07:32
just a reminder
that your mind is still gonna think.
07:35
Don’t be frustrated if thoughts arise.
07:37
The mind will naturally wander.
07:40
Our only job is to notice when it wanders
07:42
and then to gently come back
to our object of focus,
07:45
which today is gonna be
this image in our mind.
07:50
The more effort we apply,
07:51
the less relaxing the exercise feels.
07:54
So use this as an opportunity
to really step back
07:57
and find a sense of ease
in your body and in your mind.
08:02
What we’re looking for is already here,
that idea of the blue sky.
08:05
We don’t have to try
and change something in the mind.
08:10
It’s simply creating the conditions
for the clouds to part.
08:17
We’re gonna begin with the eyes open
08:20
and nice soft focus,
08:21
just aware of the space around you.
08:25
So not staring at one thing
but just seeing everything very softly.
08:36
And just maintaining that focus,
taking a couple of big, deep breaths.
08:40
Breathing in through the nose…
08:45
and out through the mouth.
09:09
As you breathe in,
noticing how the lungs expand,
09:10
the body filling with air.
09:13
As you breathe out,
09:20
a sense of ease
as the muscles in the body soften.
00:09:26
And just one more time,
breathing in through the nose…
00:09:33
and out through the mouth.
00:09:38
And if you’d like to,
00:09:39
you can just gently close your eyes now.
00:09:48
And take a moment…
00:09:52
just to enjoy that feeling
00:09:54
of having stopped, having paused.
00:09:58
Nothing to do, nowhere to go.
00:10:11
And just feeling that sensation
00:10:14
of the body pressing down,
00:10:16
the weight of the body pressing down…
00:10:20
against the seat beneath you,
00:10:23
the floor beneath you.
00:10:30
As always, just checking in with the body,
with the space around you,
00:10:34
maybe noticing any sounds around you,
00:10:39
noticing any resistance to those sounds.
00:10:43
Just allowing everything
00:10:44
just to come and go.
00:10:58
And as you sit there or as you lie there,
00:11:05
just noticing how the body feels today.
00:11:10
Perhaps even any areas where you feel
that maybe you’re holding on
00:11:14
to a little bit of tension…
00:11:19
areas that would benefit from letting go.
00:11:31
And just for a few moments,
00:11:32
just noticing how the body’s breathing,
that rising and falling sensation.
00:11:40
Don’t need to do anything with it.
00:11:45
Taking a moment
00:11:46
to rest the attention there.
00:12:06
Imagine that above your head
00:12:09
is a steady flow of warm sunlight
00:12:14
flowing down into the body,
00:12:17
all the way down
00:12:19
towards the feet and the toes.
00:12:23
We’re going to imagine
00:12:26
that this sunlight fills the body.
00:12:30
And as it fills the body,
it’s just gonna melt away
00:12:33
any discomfort, any tension.
00:12:37
Just softening the body,
00:12:40
softening the mind.
So we’re going to start down at the toes.
00:12:44
So again, imagining that steady sunlight
00:12:47
flowing down through the body…
00:12:53
filling the toes…
00:12:57
the feet…
00:13:01
up past the ankles
00:13:03
and into the lower half of the legs.
00:13:11
So once you set it in motion,
00:13:13
it’s as though it’s just happening.
00:13:16
Sometimes we’re aware of it.
00:13:19
Sometimes the mind wanders off.
00:13:22
Whenever the mind wanders,
we just gently bring it back again…
00:13:27
to that image in the mind.
00:13:28
So again,
as that sunlight moves through the body,
00:13:31
just melting any tension…
00:13:34
moving into the upper half of the legs…
00:13:41
and the muscles just softening.
13:46
As it continues up
towards the pelvis,
13:51
the waist.
13:53
In any muscles, any tension,
13:57
just softening,
13:59
dissolving
14:02
in that sunlight.
14:10
As it continues up through the stomach
14:13
and the lower back…
14:17
and any tension just melting away.
14:28
It continues…
14:33
up towards the chest and the upper back.
14:46
Any tension just dissolving
14:49
in the sunlight.
14:55
Just still that center sunlight
14:57
coming down from above the head
14:59
into the body,
15:00
flowing down, now past the shoulders,
15:05
down the arms…
15:10
and towards the hands
15:12
and the fingers and thumbs.
15:28
As it travels down the arms, again,
15:31
just melting any tension.
15:35
The body just letting go.
15:49
As it continues to flow down, now filling
15:53
the area of the neck and the throat,
15:56
just everything softening into the jaw…
16:03
and lower jaw,
16:05
upper jaw, behind the nose,
16:08
behind the eyes.
16:12
Any tension…
16:16
just drifting away…
16:33
until that sunlight reaches
the very top of the head.
16:37
So even though the entire body
16:41
is now filled with that sunlight,
16:44
that sense of ease, that sense of warmth,
16:46
that sense of space,
16:49
we still imagine
16:51
that it continues.
17:03
And you can let go
17:05
of the focus on that image
17:07
but allow the feeling to remain…
17:13
as you bring your attention back…
17:18
to the body,
17:19
back to that feeling of contact,
17:23
back to the sounds
17:25
and the space around you.
17:47
You can gently open your eyes
17:50
whenever you feel ready…
17:57
but as always, taking a moment
18:00
to notice how the body feels,
18:04
to notice how the mind feels,
18:06
having taken
a few minutes out for yourself.
18:16

Episode 1: How to get Started*

1. Focused Attention Meditation
   • Summary: This technique involves focusing on a single point. This could involve focusing on the breath, on an image, or on a word or phrase. The aim is to refocus attention on the chosen object whenever the mind starts to wander.
   • Steps:
     • Choose an object of focus, such as your breath.
     • Whenever your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to the object of focus.

%All timestamps in mm:ss format

Part 5. Guided Meditation Session:

08:55
The best way of experiencing meditation
is to actually do it,
08:59
not to just talk about it.
09:02
Now, I’m gonna guide you through it,
so don’t worry if you’ve never done
09:05
anything like this before.
09:08
And remember,
some days, meditation’s gonna feel easy.
09:12
On other days, it might feel difficult.
09:14
The trick is
to gently stay with it each time,
09:17
no matter how it feels.
09:21
The most important thing
is that you set yourself up
09:23
in a place
that you’re gonna be comfortable.
09:25
Now, you can do this sitting up
or lying down.
09:29
You definitely don’t have to be
sitting cross-legged on the floor.
09:32
And you can do it alone,
or you can do it with others.
09:37
You ready?
09:38
Let’s give it a go.
09:42
We’re gonna start with the eyes open
and a nice, soft-focus,
09:45
just aware of the space around you.
09:49
And with that soft focus with the eyes,
09:51
we’re gonna take
a couple of big, deep breaths,
09:53
breathing in through the nose…
09:57
and out through the mouth.
10:01
As you breathe in, notice how
the lungs fill with air, the body expands.
10:07
As you exhale,
just noticing how the body softens
10:12
as you breathe out.
10:14
Just one more time,
breathing in through the nose.
10:19
And this time,
10:21
as you breathe out through the mouth,
if you’d like to,
10:23
just gently closing the eyes.
10:28
And just take a moment
before you do anything else
10:32
just to appreciate and enjoy
that feeling of having stopped,
10:38
of having nothing to do, nowhere to go.
10:45
Notice the feeling of weight.
10:48
The weight of the body pressing down
against the seat or the floor beneath you.
10:58
And take a moment as well
just to notice your surroundings
11:01
without looking around,
11:03
just noticing the different sounds,
not trying to shut them out,
11:08
perhaps noticing
any resistance towards them,
11:12
just getting comfortable in that space.
11:19
And use this opportunity as well
just to notice how the body feels.
11:23
Very often, we don’t really take time
to notice how the body feels.
11:29
So is there a feeling of heaviness
or lightness in the body?
11:36
A sense of restlessness
or stillness in the body?
11:49
And as you bring your attention
into the body,
11:52
just starting to become more aware
of that feeling,
11:57
that movement of breath in the body.
12:01
So you don’t have to breathe
in any special way.
12:03
Just allow the body to do its own thing.
12:07
Some people feel the movement of breath
in their chest, their shoulders.
12:12
For some, it’s in the diaphragm,
and for some, it’s in the stomach.
12:17
You can’t feel anything, any movement,
12:19
just gently place your hand
on your stomach,
12:21
so you can feel
that rising and falling sensation.
12:35
So just settling the mind.
12:39
Again,
12:40
thoughts are gonna arise.
The mind’s gonna wander.
12:43
Just notice when the mind’s wandered off,
12:47
and just gently come back to the breath.
12:52
To begin with, we’re just noticing
the breath in a very general way.
12:56
Perhaps starting to notice
whether the breaths are long or short,
13:03
deep or shallow.
13:17
And we might find ourselves thinking
either about the exercise or other things,
13:22
just realizing when that’s happened,
letting those thoughts go
13:27
and coming back to the breath again.
13:32
And just to make it a little easier
to focus on the breath,
13:36
we’re gonna begin
to count the breaths as they pass.
13:39
So, as you feel the rising sensation,
counting one.
13:44
Falling sensation, two.
13:47
Just silently in the mind,
then three and four,
13:52
just up to a count of ten.
13:54
When you get to ten,
you’re gonna stop and start again at one.
14:19
So remember, no effort required.
14:22
The body knows how to breathe.
14:30
Not getting involved in any thinking,
just allowing the thoughts to come and go.
14:51
And in those moments
when you realize the mind’s wandered off,
14:55
just gently bringing the attention
back to the breath again.
15:12
So we’ll just stay with that feeling…
15:17
a rising and falling sensation…
15:22
just for a few moments longer.
15:48
And then, just for a moment now,
15:51
I’d like you to let go
15:54
of any focus, even of the breath now,
15:57
and for a few seconds,
just allow your mind
15:59
to do whatever it wants to do.
16:02
So if it’s been wanting to think,
you can let it think now.
16:05
Just allow the mind
to do whatever it wants to do.
16:26
And now just gently bringing the attention
back to the body.
16:32
Just coming back now
to that feeling of weight,
16:35
that feeling of contact against the seat
16:38
or the floor beneath you.
16:44
Perhaps noticing the sounds
around you again.
16:50
And whenever you feel ready,
you can just gently open your eyes again.
16:57
But before you move,
16:59
just take a moment to notice how you feel
17:02
in your body and in your mind.
17:06
The more often
we do this after meditation,
17:09
the more we’re reminded
of how much we need to pause in our life,
17:15
to take this time out for ourselves.
17:22
And if you can resist any temptation
to analyze what’s happened,
17:27
the benefits, or anything else,
just knowing that in taking the time,
17:32
it’s making a difference.
17:35
And then my final bit of advice is
17:38
always, before you get up,
just remind yourself as an intention
17:42
to take this quality of mind with you
into your life
17:45
It’s great to take some time out,
to close our eyes, to be still, to be quiet.
17:51
And there are real benefits to that,
17:53
but I feel like the real benefits
of meditation are found
17:56
when we take that quality of mind
into our everyday life,
18:00
into our relationships,
into our experience.
18:04
So always putting in that intention
before you get up and move.
18:12

%Part length: 130-270 words

Goal Setting Methods:

1. Establishing Confidence
   
2. Explaining the Scientific Basis
   
3. Presenting a Problem or a Question that Needs to be Addressed.
   
4. Stating the Purpose of a Research or Study.
   

Presentation Methods:

1. Use of Personal Experience
   
2. Use of Scientific Data
   
3. Use of Historical Context
   
4. Explaining Complex Scientific Concepts in an Understandable Manner
   

Emphasis Methods:

1. Highlighting Key Phrases
   
2. Emphasizing the Transformative Power of Meditation
   
3. Repeating Certain Phrases or Ideas to Reinforce Their Importance
   

Style and Tone Methods:

1. Use of a Confident and Reassuring Tone
   
2. Use of a Factual and Informative Tone
   
3. Use of a Reflective and Encouraging Tone
   
4. Using an Inspiring and Motivational Tone to Encourage Practice
   

Example Methods:

1. Use of Personal Anecdotes
   
2. Use of Scientific Studies
   
3. Use of Historical References
   
4. Using Metaphors or Analogies to Make Complex Ideas More Relatable
   

%Part length: 130-270 words

Goal Setting Methods:

1. Establishing Confidence
   Example: «So my hope is that when you meditate, you meditate with confidence…»
2. Explaining the Scientific Basis
   Example: «Now, there’s actually a scientific reason for this. There’s something changing inside of our brain as we meditate…»
3. Presenting a Problem or a Question that Needs to be Addressed.
   Example: «So how do we experience pain? What’s actually happening in the brain?»
4. Stating the Purpose of a Research or Study.
   Example: «In one study, researchers at Fielding Graduate University wanted to find out if practicing self-compassion meditation, including the loving kindness technique, could actually reduce negative body image concerns in women.»

Presentation Methods:

1. Use of Personal Experience
   Example: «When I was a monk, I had no idea that there was something called «neuroplasticity…»
2. Use of Scientific Data
   Example: «In an amazing study, Dr. Sara Lazar of Harvard University helped show how after just eight weeks of meditation training…»
3. Use of Historical Context
   Example: «The origins of this reflection technique come from a set of foundational techniques in the Tibetan practice that date back nearly a thousand years…»
4. Explaining Complex Scientific Concepts in an Understandable Manner
   Example: «So there’s the physical sensation. That’s the tingling, the burning feeling perhaps. And then there’s the other, «Oh, I don’t like this. Make it stop. Why me?» response.»

Emphasis Methods:

1. Highlighting Key Phrases
   Example: «Key phrases include «meditate with confidence,» «neuroplasticity,» «train a muscle,» and «reduce stress, frustration, depression, and pain.»
2. Emphasizing the Transformative Power of Meditation
   Example: «The author emphasizes the transformative power of meditation on the brain and overall well-being.»
3. Repeating Certain Phrases or Ideas to Reinforce Their Importance
   Example: «But beyond all the science, the most important thing is how you feel when you sit to do these meditation techniques, how you can find that sense, that quality of quiet confidence that allows you to sit with a spacious mind, a peaceful mind, and how you can then carry that into your life to experience that limitless potential.»

Style and Tone Methods:

1. Use of a Confident and Reassuring Tone
   Example: «The author uses a confident and reassuring tone…»
2. Use of a Factual and Informative Tone
   Example: «The author uses a factual and informative tone…»
3. Use of a Reflective and Encouraging Tone
   Example: «The author uses a reflective and encouraging tone…»
4. Using an Inspiring and Motivational Tone to Encourage Practice
   Example: «But beyond all the science, the most important thing is how you feel when you sit to do these meditation techniques, how you can find that sense, that quality of quiet confidence that allows you to sit with a spacious mind, a peaceful mind, and how you can then carry that into your life to experience that limitless potential.»

Example Methods:

1. Use of Personal Anecdotes
   Example: «When I was a monk, I had no idea that there was something called «neuroplasticity…»
2. Use of Scientific Studies
   Example: «In an amazing study, Dr. Sara Lazar of Harvard University helped show how after just eight weeks of meditation training…»
3. Use of Historical References
   Example: «The origins of this reflection technique come from a set of foundational techniques in the Tibetan practice that date back nearly a thousand years…»
4. Using Metaphors or Analogies to Make Complex Ideas More Relatable
   Example: «So when you do a brain scan on two people that are experiencing pain, one who’s been practicing mindfulness and one who hasn’t, we literally see two completely different responses.»