Listening To Silence: A 30 Minute Yin Yoga Practice

Listening to silence is a powerful way to drop into the present moment. In this Yin Yoga practice, I offer minimal cues to help you truly connect with stillness and your inner experience. This quiet, meditative session is perfect for creating space in your body and mind while tuning into the subtle power of silence.

Take Time to Pause and Breathe: A Yin Yoga Practice

Pause and breathe with me in this Yin Yoga practice. I’ll guide you through gentle poses and mindful breathing to help release tension, balance your nervous system, and reconnect with the present moment. Grab a blanket, a couple of blocks, and join me as we create space for stillness and ease.

The 5 Meditation Myths Holding You Back

Meditation comes with a lot of expectations.

Calm. Stillness. Clarity.

But when you sit down to practice, it can feel like you’re doing it all wrong.

Your mind won’t stop racing. You can’t find the perfect cushion. You don’t feel relaxed at all.

That’s because we’ve all been told countless myths about meditation—many of which are flat-out wrong.

Today, I’d like to share five of the most common meditation myths that keep my students stuck.

By learning to let go of these myths, you’ll reconnect with your practice in a way that feels natural, intuitive, and alive.

1. The Myth of Perfect Conditions

We think that meditation requires the right conditions:

• Silence.

• A pretty space.

• The perfect cushion.

But none of these really matter.

Life is noisy. There’s traffic outside. Your kids might be playing in the next room. Maybe your neighbor is mowing the lawn.

These things aren’t barriers to practice—they are the practice.

I’ve even sat on retreats where the near-perfect conditions were constantly shattered by hammering from construction or the whir of a leaf blower.

My teachers reframed these distractions—not as obstacles, but as prime opportunities to notice how my mind reacts.

Because the real work of meditation isn’t about creating ideal conditions. It’s about being present with whatever’s here.

And this applies far beyond formal meditation. Waiting in line, sitting at a stoplight, or riding the bus are perfect opportunities to practice mindfulness.

Perfect conditions are a myth.

Equanimity—the ability to stay grounded no matter what’s happening around you—is the deeper intention.

2. The Myth of a Quiet Mind

“I can’t meditate because my mind won’t stop racing.”

I hear this all the time. It’s one of the biggest misconceptions about meditation.

But meditation isn’t about silencing your thoughts. It’s about noticing them without getting lost in them.

I still remember my first mini-retreat—a six-hour afternoon workshop. I showed up expecting to achieve the blissful, quiet mind I’d imagined.

Instead, my mind spun in circles, and I left feeling frustrated and defeated.

When I told my teacher, he smiled and said, “Sounds like a fruitful retreat.”

At the time, I didn’t get it. Now I do.

The act of noticing your thoughts is the practice. Especially when they feel overwhelming.

Over time, your attachment to thoughts—and your resistance to them—soften. The mind begins to settle, and the stillness that’s already there starts to shine through.

But the irony is, the only way to get there is by allowing your thoughts to just be.

3. The Myth of Relaxation

Meditation is often sold as a way to relax. But that’s not the whole truth.

Yes, meditation can calm the mind. But its real power lies in helping you meet your experience—whether it’s pleasant or not.

In Buddhist teachings, meditation has two aspects: tranquility (shamatha) and insight (vipassana). Tranquility calms the mind. Insight helps you see reality clearly.

Feeling restless or uncomfortable during meditation isn’t a failure. It’s a sign you’re paying attention.

Meditation reveals the mind’s patterns. Over time, you learn to let those patterns come and go without resistance.

This builds equanimity: deep peace that doesn’t depend on circumstances.

Relaxation is part of the process, but it’s not the goal. The goal is to meet your experience as it is, without resistance.

4. The Myth of Enlightenment

Enlightenment feels mystical. Even magical.

Most people see it as a far-off goal, reserved for the most intense practitioners.

But awakening isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about uncovering the reality of what’s already here.

The stillness, clarity, and freedom you’re seeking aren’t outside of you. They’re your natural state. Meditation helps untangle the patterns that obscure them.

Here’s the paradox: if you’re chasing enlightenment as something “out there,” you’re moving further away from it.

Awakening is about waking up to this moment—not striving for some imagined future state.

It’s a gradual process, built through small moments of mindfulness. But it’s accessible. And it’s already here—if you make the space for it.

5. The Myth of Monks and Masters

Many people assume that deep meditation is only for monks or for people who dedicate their entire lives to practice.

Wrong.

Over my years of teaching, I’ve met countless people who’ve achieved profound insights while living “ordinary” lives. Musicians. Professionals. Artists.

Through mindfulness, they transformed their relationship with their otherwise ordinary lives.

Daily life isn’t an obstacle to practice. It’s the ideal place for practice.

You don’t need to meditate in a cave or escape the world to experience transformation.

You just need to commit to showing up.

Mindfulness isn’t about escaping life. It’s about engaging with it fully and meeting everything that arises with presence and equanimity.

What These Myths Have in Common

All of these myths frame meditation as something special or separate from daily life.

But meditation isn’t about perfection. It’s not about creating an ideal state or achieving some mystical goal.

It’s about meeting life as it is. Right now.

You don’t need ideal conditions. You don’t need to silence your mind. You don’t need to relax, escape, or become someone else.

You just need to begin. Again and again.

If these myths have been holding you back, check out my free course, The Embodied Mindfulness Method. It’s a step-by-step guide to integrating meditation and yin yoga into your daily life.

And when you are ready to fully immerse yourself in transfromation, the Embodied Mindfulness Membership is now open.

And if any of these myths resonate with your experience—or if there’s one I missed—I’d love to hear from you. Reply, share your thoughts, or ask a question.

5 Meditation Myths Debunked: What’s Holding Your Practice Back?

Meditation myths debunked! In this video, I break down five common myths about meditation that hold people back from progress. Learn why meditation doesn’t require perfect silence or stopping your thoughts, and how relaxation isn’t the only goal. Discover how to work with real-life challenges and deepen your practice, no matter your experience level.

Whether you’re new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this video will help you clear away misconceptions and reconnect with the true purpose of mindfulness.

Yin Yoga for Focused Awareness: Build Concentration Through Mindful Practice

Yin Yoga for Focused Awareness helps you build concentration and anchor attention. This session explores grounding, mindful breathing, and gentle poses to cultivate present-moment focus. Discover how your body and breath can deepen mindfulness and strengthen your ability to stay present.

Why Most People Quit Meditation (And How to Keep Going)

Have you ever sat down to meditate and felt like you were doing it all wrong?

Frustration builds. Your mind won’t stop racing. You start to wonder if you’re wasting your time.

You’re not alone.

I’ve been practicing meditation for nearly 20 years, and I’ve spent 15 of those teaching it to other people. 

Over and over, I see the same struggles—frustration, self-doubt, discomfort — come up.

These are the moments when most people give up. 

Not because they’re failing, but because they don’t realize that these challenges are the practice.

So today, I’d like to discuss why most people quit meditation and give you some practical tips on how to stick with it when it gets tough.

Unrealistic Expectations

Meditation has a marketing problem.

Movies and pop culture have shown us endless images of cool Zen monks sitting serenely on remote mountaintops. 

So when we come to our practice, we feel that by learning a few techniques, we too will be our pathway to instant Zen.

But unfortunately, meditation just doesn’t work like that. 

Those calm, peaceful states will come. But they have to be earned through the process of showing up, again and again, especially when it’s hard.

So when you start meditating, expect some chaos. Your mind will be noisy. Your body might resist. But that’s normal. 

Over time, as you stay with it, clarity and calm will start to emerge.

Self-Doubt

When you’re sitting there with your mind wandering all over the place, it’s easy to feel like you’re doing it wrong.

You might even think, “Maybe meditation just isn’t for me.”

This kind of doubt is something I hear from students all the time. 

But please know that it’s not a sign that you’re failing. It’s a natural part of the process. 

Meditation isn’t about having perfect focus or a completely quiet mind. The core of the practice is in showing up, noticing what’s happening, and learning to let go.

Sitting with your doubt instead of running from it builds resilience.

That resilience is the foundation of the transformation you’re looking for.

Physical Discomfort

Let’s be honest. For most of us, sitting still is anything but easy.

If you’re like most people, your body is tight and your posture habits probably aren’t doing you any favors either. 

So when you sit down to meditate, discomfort will show up. Usually very quickly.

But instead of seeing this as a problem, I encourage you to work with it as a part of the process.

Discomfort invites you to pay more attention. Can you notice how it feels, how it changes, and what happens when you finally stop resisting it? Over time, discomfort can become one of the most powerful parts of your practice.

That said, preparation helps immensely, and Yin Yoga can be a game-changer for meditation practice.

By releasing deep physical tension and learning how to let go in your body, sitting still becomes far less of a challenge.

If you’re curious, I’ve got dozens of free Yin Yoga videos on my YouTube Channel to help you get started. I also go deep into this subject in my free course: The Embodied Mindfulness Method.

Impatience

Modern life has given us the attention spans of goldfish. (With no offense meant to our aquatic friends.)

In almost everything in life, we think that results should come quickly and that effort should be minimal.

Meditation directly contradicts this pattern. There are no real hacks or shortcuts. It has to be a long-term commitment.

Each session, even the tough ones, is slowly transforming you.

Think of it like learning an instrument. You wouldn’t expect to pick up a bass and play like Flea on day one, or even month one. 

Meditation, like all practices, works the same way. 

With each session, you are building your skills. Over time, the compound interest will accumulate, and it won’t feel like such a challenge anymore.

Practical Tips to Keep Going

So now that we’ve unpacked some of the why, here are a few strategies that can help you to stick with your meditation practice over the long term:

• Start Small: Even a minute counts. It’s better to do a little every day than to aim for long sessions and burn out. As you learn to make the commitment, it will be easier to naturally find time for longer sessions.

• Tie It to a Routine: Anchor your meditation to something you already do daily without thinking of it. Think of things like drinking your morning coffee or brushing your teeth. What routine can you add your meditation practice into?

• Use Guided Meditations: Guided meditations can be a helpful tool, especially when you’re feeling stuck. But try to mix them with self-guided practice to build independence.

• Relax the Body First: Practices like Yin Yoga or even a short walk can help prepare your body and mind for stillness. Please see my YouTube channel if you need a place to start.

Why It Matters

Meditation isn’t about escaping your life. It’s about learning how to show up fully for it.

It’s about reconnecting with what matters most. Not by changing your circumstances but by changing how you relate to them.

Over time, your practice will teach you how to let go of stress, cultivate clarity, and meet challenges steadily. 

Each of these small, daily efforts adds up. Each session is a step toward finding balance, and becoming the person who faces life with resilience and presence.

What have been the biggest challenges—or breakthroughs—in your meditation practice?

Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your story.

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If you’re ready to take your practice deeper, check out my free course, The Embodied Mindfulness Method. It combines meditation and Yin Yoga to help you stay consistent and unlock these benefits.

For even more support, my Embodied Mindfulness Membership offers weekly live sessions, a full library of recorded practices, and a community of like-minded practitioners. It’s a space to deepen your practice and stay inspired.

Here's Why Most People Quit Meditation (And How to Keep Going)

Why most people quit meditation (and how to keep going) often comes down to frustration, self-doubt, or physical discomfort. In this video, I explain why most people quit meditation and share actionable tips to help you keep going when it feels challenging. We’ll tackle the unrealistic expectations, self-doubt, and discomfort that cause so many people to quit. By sticking with meditation, you’ll build a habit that brings clarity, calm, and growth.

Release Tension with Yin Yoga | Quiet the Mind, Free the Body

Release tension with Yin Yoga and stop letting stress take over your body and mind.

Tension in your body isn’t random, it’s a signal from your mind.

This practice uses Yin Yoga to help you let go of that tension, physically and mentally, so you can move and think more clearly.

Grab two blocks and a blanket for this session.

Calm in the Chaos: Yin Yoga for Mental Stillness | Find Peace Through Your Body

Life won’t stop just because you’re overwhelmed. Calm in the Chaos: Yin Yoga for Mental Stillness is about learning to stay grounded when everything feels like too much. Through Yin Yoga, we’ll anchor in the body, quiet the mental noise, and find a stillness that doesn’t depend on things going perfectly.

The World Will Never Slow Down—But You Always Can

If you’re a human alive on this planet right now, you’ve likely noticed the immense sense of turbulence in the air.

The world feels more divided than ever. Fingers are being pointed in all directions. Everyone claims to have answers, but clarity remains elusive.

It’s easy to feel trapped in a vortex with no way out.

But here’s a truth you can always count on:

While the world will never slow down for us, we always have the power to slow down for ourselves.

Staying plugged in is seductive.

It feels comforting, necessary even.

We want to read the latest headline, watch the cute cat video, laugh at the newest meme.

But ultimately, it's all just adding fuel to the fire.

Instead, in the face of uncertainty, the answer is to take back control of what you can.

Unplugging from the noise isn't just rebellious; it's essential.

It can give you the clarity you've been searching for.

Here is my invitation for you.

This weekend:

Unplug: Put down your phone. Turn off the news. Give it a break.

Connect: Get back in your body. Go for a long walk. Try a Yin Yoga session—there are dozens on my YouTube page. Do something physical.

Be Still: Sit in meditation for at least 5 minutes. Try for even longer if you can.

Reflect: Observe any changes in your mood or clarity. Consider jotting down your thoughts in a journal.

While we can't control the world, we can always control our response to it.

By taking charge of your environment and behaviors, you can craft the life of clarity that you’re seeking.

It doesn't take much; just honest intention and a little time.

I’d love to hear how this experience goes for you. Please coment and share your thoughts!

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For those ready to dive deeper, I'd like to invite you to join me for my new Embodied Mindfulness Membership.

It will give you the tools and the guidance you need to thrive in this turbulent time.

What's Inside:

• Live Yin Yoga Sessions Twice a Week; all added to an ever-growing practice library.

• Guided Meditations and Talks.

• Supportive Community.

• Optional 1-1 Guidance.

The program begins on December 1st. Sign up before January 1st to receive 50% off your first month.

Click here to schedule a meeting to see if the program is a good fit.

The Sneaky Little Jerk Messing With Your Meditation

The Struggle of Showing Up

It’s 6 am, and while the world outside is still dark and quiet, you’re awake and sitting on your meditation cushion.

Your neck is stiff; your back is sore.

Your mind swirls with half-thoughts—yesterday’s to-do list, fragments of dreams, and a fog that just lingers.

And then there’s that nagging doubt: 'Why am I even here? What’s the point?'

But here’s the thing: transformation in practice doesn’t happen when everything feels perfect.

It happens because you keep showing up, especially on the days when it feels challenging.

Doubt is a Sneaky Little Jerk

Doubt is sneaky.

It whispers that you’re wasting your time, even when things are going well.

And while tension and restlessness hit you directly, doubt creeps in quietly.

It’s that voice that tells you to quit. The one that tells you to constantly shift your posture. And the voice that tells you that none of it is working.

Remember—all meditators experience doubt, and it’s often a sign that the practice is working.

But if you’re feeling doubt, you’ve already cleared the toughest hurdle: showing up.

Because the consistency and motivation to show up day after day is undeniably the most critical factor in a transformative practice.

Consistency is the Key

A famous Japanese proverb says:

“Even dust, when piled high, can make a mountain.”

Chiri mo tsumoreba, yama to naru

ちりも積もれば、山となる。

I heard this proverb years ago, and it struck me because it speaks to the power of the smallest actions. It reminds you that each time you show up, you add another grain of dust to the mountain of practice—small efforts that build something monumental over time.

But this metaphor goes even further when you consider the infinite potential moments of mindfulness throughout your day.

So, the next time you’re stuck in traffic, can you feel the texture of the steering wheel under your hands? While waiting in line, can you feel your weight shift as you stand or notice the sounds around you? Even right now, can you notice your next breath?

Each mindful moment adds another grain of attention to your day.

The more you weave these moments in, the stronger your focus becomes.

And this will lead to more presence and less doubt when you sit down on your cushion for formal practice.

Small Steps, Big Changes

Getting lost in your head and stuck on your expectations about practice is easy.

But the most crucial part is the intention to keep going and to keep showing up, day after day, month after month, year after year.

Just like drops of water can slowly smooth out a rough rock, your daily practice gradually softens and smooths out the rough edges in your mind.

I see this all the time in my students.

The ones who most consistently commit to showing up on the mat are the ones who experience the most profound changes in their bodies and minds.

And all of these profound changes are built during each unit of practice.

Because, in the end, transformation isn’t sudden.

Keep showing up, and those small moments will create something life-changing.

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While showing up is the most crucial factor, having a guide can accelerate your progress and help you to truly thrive on the path.

This is where the Embodied Mindfulness Program helps you stay consistent over the long term.

This ongoing membership will give you access to regular practices, support, and a community to help you succeed in your practice.

Let’s chat and see if the program is the right fit for you.

The Toughest Practice You’ve Probably Never Tried

The Misunderstood Practice

Yin Yoga just doesn’t get any respect…

In my 15 years as a teacher, I’ve had to explain what the practice is all about more times than I can count.

Even after countless explanations, people still don’t seem to grasp its depth.

They shrug it off as nothing more than a deep stretch class.

Or they assume it’s a restorative session meant to simply help you unwind.

Sure, deep stretches and relaxation are part of Yin Yoga, but they only scratch the surface of what it truly offers.

The most frustrating misconception is the idea that Yin Yoga is a beginner’s class.

That it doesn’t measure up to the more dynamic practices like Ashtanga or Vinyasa.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Yin Yoga is a complete practice, and in many ways, it’s more potent than some of its more athletic cousins.

If you think Yin Yoga is simply ‘gentle,’ you’ve got the completely wrong idea.

Today, I want to show you why Yin Yoga is one of the most demanding practices and how it can cultivate an unshakeable sense of strength in everything you do.

The Challenge of Yin Yoga

Whenever I hear someone dismiss Yin Yoga, I have to assume they’ve never truly dived into it or taken a properly taught class.

Because if you’ve ever held Dragon Pose for four minutes, you know it’s not for the faint-hearted.

The intention of Yin Yoga is to teach you how to play at your edge.

Not at your absolute edge but to a place of discomfort that will absolutely make you notice.

Because it’s at that intersection where discomfort meets stillness that you’ll get a real chance to transform.

Physically, that discomfort is a sign that you have gotten past simple relaxation and into working with your deeper connective tissues.

These tendons, ligaments, and fascia often get ignored in more active practices.

But even more importantly, you will test your ability to remain calm against resistance.

In Yin Yoga, your primary challenge isn’t in the body—it’s in the mind.

Building Mental Resilience

Your mind will resist.

It will spin stories and try to make you quit.

It will tell you that you’re too uncomfortable, that you can’t hold the pose any longer, that you need to move.

This is where you have the opportunity to meet that resistance with stillness instead.

(This doesn’t mean you should ignore pain, but rather that you learn how to honestly assess and navigate everyday resistance.)

You’ll learn to find true mental resilience that few other practices can cultivate.

You’ll find a different kind of strength, one that’s quieter but no less powerful than brute force.

It’s ironic how so many ‘tough’ guys who brag about pushing through in the weight room couldn’t make it through a 4 minute Dragon Pose.

Because being still—truly still—requires real toughness.

But Yin Yoga is more than just a mental challenge; it’s a practice that physically rebuilds your body to be stronger, more resilient, and more balanced.

Strengthening the Body from the Inside Out

The long, deep holds in Yin Yoga create positive stress on the deep connective tissues, which are responsible for the body’s structural integrity.

Unlike muscles, these tissues don’t respond to quick, repetitive movements. 

They demand slow, deliberate tension or pressure.

There are no quick fixes here.

This is exactly what Yin Yoga provides.

When you stay in a pose for several minutes, you’re giving your body the time it needs to adapt and strengthen these tissues.

And it’s not just about being flexible. 

You’re building a body that’s resilient and adaptable.

This goes far beyond what a simple deep stretch can give you.

But the benefits of Yin Yoga go beyond the physical.

Hidden Emotional and Energetic Benefits

Each session acts as an energetic tune-up, clearing blockages and stimulating the energy channels in your body.

It’s even been said that Yin Yoga is like getting acupuncture without the needles.

The practice opens up these energy pathways, ensuring that your subtle energy, or “qi,” flows smoothly throughout your body.

When energy flows freely, you feel more vibrant, more alive, and more in tune with yourself.

There are emotional and psychological benefits too.

When you hold these deep stretches, you inevitably encounter repressed emotions.

As your body releases tension, old emotions rise to the surface, giving you the chance to process and heal.

The physical release becomes a bridge to deeper emotional healing.

You might find yourself suddenly overwhelmed with sadness or anger in a pose that seems innocent on the surface.

That’s not a sign that something’s wrong; it’s a sign that something’s finally being released.

The emotional release that comes with Yin Yoga can be as transformative as the physical benefits.

It’s a form of therapy that works from the inside out, addressing issues you might not even know you were holding onto.

On a more practical level, your Yin Yoga practice serves as a laboratory for how you handle stress in daily life.

Applying Yin Yoga to Daily Life

If you can cultivate patience in a long-held pose, you’ll find yourself more patient the next time you’re stuck in traffic or dealing with a difficult situation at work.

Yin Yoga teaches you to breathe through discomfort, to find stillness in chaos, and to stay centered no matter what’s happening around you.

It’s the ideal setting for developing the mental grit that will carry over into all areas of your life.

It’s a prime example of how working gently can actually make you stronger.

The Missing Piece in Your Strength Routine

If you’re already working out regularly to build strength, adding Yin Yoga to your routine could be the missing piece to completing the picture.

It’s the lesser-known, underdog practice that can elevate your wellness to a new level.

And it doesn’t take much to start seeing the benefits.

Just 2 sessions a week to start is enough to start noticing massive changes. (This is why my Embodied Mindfulness program is built around two weekly Yin Yoga sessions.)

You can start right now using these videos on my YouTube page.

The True Power of Yin Yoga

Stillness is misunderstood.

You might tend to think of it as ‘giving up,’ but it’s actually more like diving in.

Diving deep into your mind, into your body, into all the forms of the present moment.

Commit to regular practice, and you’ll uncover a strength within you that goes beyond the physical, extending deeply into your mental and emotional resilience.

Yin Yoga isn’t merely about flexibility; it’s a path to fortitude, resilience, and the enduring strength that sustains you in every aspect of life.

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If you want guidance on your own journey towards awakening, please consider joining The Embodied Mindfulness Program.

Contact me, and we’ll set up a call to see if the program is right for you!

How to Face Your Darkest Meditation Moments – And Find Power By Letting Go

Entering the Dark Night

It’s a cold Massachusetts evening in December 2012, and I’m sitting in the meditation hall at the Insight Meditation Society.

I have diligently followed the practice instructions for the past five days.

Each meditation session has brought me deeper and deeper.

But in the last 24 hours, things have unraveled.

As I try to observe my experience, wave after wave of intense emotions crashes over me.

The feelings run deep into my gut, hitting me on a visceral level.

I can’t hold back the tears; they stream down my face like a faucet.

And yet, for all the intensity of what I feel, I am not sad.

These aren’t tears of sorrow but more like tears of relief.

Little by little, wave by wave, I am working through some of my deepest held emotions.

And with each passing wave, things feel a little bit lighter.

A few days later, by the end of the retreat, it’s as if I’ve gone through years of therapy.

I have worked through the most challenging part of the Dark Night of My Soul, and the experience has forever changed me for the better.

Today, I want to explain this phenomenon and give you the tools to navigate your own Dark Night or any other challenging meditation experience.

Understanding the Dark Night of the Soul

The term ‘Dark Night of the Soul’ originally comes from the writings of St. John of the Cross, a Catholic monk and mystic.

He described it as a profound period of spiritual reckoning, where one must confront the very essence of their relationship with God.

In the mid-2000s, Buddhist teacher Daniel Ingram repurposed this term to describe the Buddhist concept of the Dukkha Ñanas.

The term ‘Dark Night’ is particularly fitting, as in the Theravada Buddhist maps of meditative progress, this phase is recognized as one of the most arduous and transformative experiences a meditator will endure.

Navigating the Dukkha Ñanas

While actual practice is rarely as tidy as the maps suggest, the Dukkha Ñanas usually follow a phase of strong, confident practice.

When a meditator truly grasps the impermanence of their experience and learns to release their attachment to it, they’re ready to peel back another layer.

This stage is often called the ‘rolling up the mat’ phase because many feel like their progress has suddenly vanished, and the urge to quit is strong.

But, as challenging as the Dukka Nanas are, they are actually a sign of progress.

The challenges stem from your no longer avoiding the subtler, more elusive parts of your experience.

Everything you’ve suppressed or ignored now has the space to surface.

This, combined with your sharpened ability to observe, makes the intensity even more direct.

Recurring Cycles: The Depths of the Dukkha Ñanas

The Dukkha Ñanas aren’t a one-time event but a recurring phase you’ll pass through again and again.

Each cycle digs deeper, peeling back more layers and letting go of even more resistance.

In my case at IMS, the retreat’s conditions pushed me fully into this phase.

I was no longer holding anything back, and the full intensity of my Dark Night hit me head-on.

Now, over ten years later, I can confidently say that retreat was the most grueling part of my meditation journey.

But the insights I gained were worth every moment of challenge.

Because once you’ve navigated through your Dark Night, you’ll reach the phase of Equanimity.

In this phase, you meet your experience without clinging or aversion.

You gain a new confidence in meditation and find balance amidst the turbulence.

The mind becomes an unwavering witness, calm and clear.

You’ll have trained your mind to be present, to let go even in the toughest moments, and find contentment in stillness.

Eventually, you’ll move beyond this into the level of Stream Entry—but that’s a story for another time.

Essential Skills for Navigating Your Dark Night of the Soul

Your practice might not feel like a full-blown Dark Night right now, but I promise that tough moments will arise sooner or later.

This is why the wisdom of the Dukkha Ñanas is crucial at every stage.

These skills will help you navigate the rough patches with steadiness and clarity.

And mastering the ability to work through difficult experiences in meditation is key if you want to dive deeper.

Here’s how to handle those challenging moments when they come in your practice.

Focus on Sensations, Not Content

When harsh emotions arise, we often spin stories around them, adding layers of reactivity.

While these stories might seem like they help us make sense of our experiences, they’re actually distractions.

At their essence, emotions are just collections of sensations that come and go.

Whether you’re happy, sad, or angry, etc., break it down to the bare physical experience.

Where do you feel the emotion in your body?

How does its intensity shift over time?

Are you adding reactions beyond the raw feeling?

These questions help you zero in on the core sensations behind your challenging experiences.

On the level of pure sensation, emotions become more manageable.

It’s the stories and reactions that give them their power, not the feelings themselves.

The more you see this, the easier it becomes to relax and let go during tough meditation sessions.

However, an important caveat:

If you’re unable to view your emotions at this level, or if the intensity feels overwhelming, please seek help from a trained therapist.

Meditation can support your psychological well-being, but it isn’t a replacement for professional treatment.

A therapist can help you manage your emotions at a conventional level, allowing you to delve deeper into meditation safely.

Please take this advice seriously!

You Will Want to Give Up - But Don’t!

When meditation gets tough, your mind becomes a master of excuses.

It starts spinning stories, trying to convince you to quit.

(Are you seeing the pattern yet?)

Doubt, resistance, and restlessness peak when discomfort arises.

This makes sense, of course; nobody likes the unpleasant.

But here’s the key: when meditation feels challenging, it’s not an obstacle; It’s actually an opportunity.

The friction you feel points directly to something you’re resisting in your mind.

Learn to see that resistance clearly, and you’ll eventually be able to let it go.

By embracing the discomfort, you transform it into the very fuel that propels your practice forward.

Use Physical Practices to Help You Get Out of Your Head

When seated meditation gets tough, physical practices can be a lifeline.

Practices like Yin Yoga are powerful tools that support the first two points.

Observing your body anchors you in your present-moment experience.

Because the body is tangible, connecting with it directly is easier. (This is why Yin Yoga is the backbone of my Embodied Mindfulness Program.)

In this setting, you can also release the physical manifestations of emotions.

Emotional resistance always manifests in the body, but practices like Yin Yoga help you confront it head-on.

Sometimes, even a simple walk outside can loosen the grip of resistance.

So while it’s vital to commit to your seated meditation, integrating physical practices when things get challenging can be a wise move.

Accept Absolutely EVERYTHING

The Dark Night only holds power over you if you fight against it.

It’s the act of resisting that sharpens the pain, turning discomfort into suffering.

The tension of pushing back intensifies the challenge, making it feel unbearable.

When you find complete acceptance, challenges transform into opportunities.

You will still face tough times, but they’ll become just another part of the journey.

But if you try to compartmentalize or bypass the difficult stuff, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

You’ll only delay the process, allowing the unresolved issues to fester and grow.

The more you push them away, the more intense and overwhelming they’ll become when they resurface.

As Ajahn Chah said: “If you let go completely, you will find complete peace.”

Letting go is always the path to liberation.

The more you practice it, the more peace you’ll experience—even in the face of your most challenging meditation moments.

The Journey Through Darkness

While meditation can bring deep peace, it’s also a journey into your deepest challenges.

So remember, the Dark Night of the Soul isn’t a barrier; it’s a pathway to transformation.

Embrace the discomfort, and you’ll turn it into the driving force behind your growth.

The deepest power of your practice lies in your ability to accept absolutely everything.

Welcome it all—joy, pain, resistance, and release.

Each challenge invites you to look deeper and let go of your most conditioned patterns.

So when the urge to quit creeps in, remember that the real work happens during these difficult moments.

Let go completely, surrender to the experience, and you’ll discover a profound peace beyond the chaos.

Because the lessons of the Dark Night are just the beginning of something far more significant.

---

If you want guidance on your own journey towards awakening, please consider joining The Embodied Mindfulness Program.

Contact me, and we’ll set up a call to see if the program is right for you!

How To Survive The Digital Zombie Apocalypse

The Day I Saw The Zombies

While vacationing in Japan in 2019, I got my first warning of the coming Zombie Apocalypse.

I saw otherwise normal-looking people turned into mindless husks in the blink of an eye.

And the infection rate has only skyrocketed since then.

Danger lurks around every corner, and if you’re not careful, you might get trapped yourself.

So, if you want to survive the Digital Zombie Apocalypse, read on, and I’ll tell you how.

Vacationers or the living dead?

This all went down in a small tourist town in Hokkaido called Otaru, where my wife, Carrie, and I stopped for lunch.

We found a tiny sushi shop - so small it could only seat about 16 people.

We arrived just before the tiny sushi shop opened and joined a line of eager diners.

After the shop opened, every seat was filled, and the servers quickly took everybody’s orders.

But once we placed our orders, we immediately noticed something bizarre.

Ours were the only voices cutting through the silence in this tiny, packed restaurant.

As we looked around, we saw that literally everyone else in the shop had pulled out their phones and was staring mindlessly down at them.

Not a single group was talking to each other. Every person was utterly transfixed by their phones.

And to be clear, these were not busy employees taking a break from work.

This was a super-touristy area, so I was confident they were also on vacation.

But instead of enjoying their precious vacation time, they just stared mindlessly at their screens, ignoring each other.

They had been turned into Zombies by Big Tech and were missing out on their own lives.

These were no longer vacationers —they were the walking dead, lost in the glow of their screens.

The meal was indeed delicious - some of the best sashimi I have ever had - but the experience left a deep impression on me.

And back then, I didn’t realize how much this epidemic would spread over the next five years.

The Spread of the Zombie Epidemic

These days, I see multiple tables of Zombies every time I go out to eat.

Groups of people, including whole families, completely ignoring one another throughout the entire meal.

Instead of enjoying time with their friends and family, they spend it consuming the same old content that is always available at home.

The tech companies have clearly won.

The allure of their products is strong enough to make them prefer it to spending time with their friends.

But I fear there may be something worse going on here.

People are so uncomfortable without stimulation that they can’t even handle sitting through a meal.

And they are so disconnected from themselves that they don’t feel comfortable engaging with each other.

It’s safer and easier to reach for the comforting glow of the screen.

The issue has gotten so out of hand that I’ve even seen people post online, flabbergasted by people on public transit who are NOT playing on their phones.

There's a woman on my Edinburgh to London train just doing the journey raw. No book, no laptop, no music, scrolls her phone a few minutes every hour or so, but otherwise just looks out the window. Incredibly powerful and kind of terrifying

— John Duncan (@Johntheduncan) June 24, 2024

Sitting and just being seems like a foreign concept in this modern world.

The walking dead aren't a fantasy—they’re sitting next to you in the restaurant or on the train.

It’s time we wake up before it’s too late.

The Death of Presence

The problem is that phones are too easy to grab, always available, and endlessly distracting.

Because of this, we are conditioned to reach for them at the first feeling of discomfort.

This is a mistake.

Your phone's greatest trick is making you think you're missing out by putting it down.

But actually, it’s what’s causing you to miss the most important parts of your life.

If you constantly take in new inputs, your brain won’t have time to process anything.

And if you reach for your phone every time you are bored, you’ll never have the focus you need to do deep work.

Learning to let go of your phone might be one of the best Life Hacks you can do, even if it goes against the mainstream.

Practices like meditation can give us some well-needed quiet to help calm things, but they’re not enough.

You need to make regular periods of disconnection a normal part of your routine.

A truism I’ve noticed is an inverse relationship between the amount of time I spend on my phone and my general level of contentment.

Indeed, my best days are the ones when I am out there directly experiencing my own life.

Ditching your phone will remind you of the simplicity of just being.

While Big Tech has tried to rob us of this time, taking it back is easier than expected.

Here are a few simple rules to help you survive the Zombie Apocalypse.

Breaking Free from the Zombie Spell

Don’t grab your phone during every bit of downtime.

For so many of us, it’s become a forgone conclusion to whip out our phones at the first sign of boredom.

This is a trap!

Can you resist the urge and instead just let yourself experience the moment of waiting?

Every time you reach for your phone, ask yourself: is this really how you want to spend this moment?

Initially, it might be uncomfortable, but you are training yourself to be present.

Little by little, you are eliminating the spell of technology.

Regularly leave the house without your phone.

A great way to make this habit more automatic is to have times when you go out without your phone.

This could start with a simple short walk, but eventually, you can go for longer and longer periods.

When you do, notice any irritation or anxiety that comes up.

This is direct evidence of your addiction to it.

But like anything, it will feel more natural after a few tries.

You’ll realize that the phone is an accessory, not a necessity.

Practice the “Phone Foyer” Method when you’re at home.

This is a technique I learned from Cal Newport, but it’s super simple and immensely effective.

At home, always have a designated place to leave your phone.

This should be somewhere that you can’t easily reach during your typical downtime, such as your house’s foyer.

Make it a rule to keep your phone in this spot.

The phone will still be there if you actually need it, but if you need it, you’ll have to get up.

The secret is always leaving it there and resisting the temptation to move it to your seat.

This one trick alone will massively reduce your screen time at home and give your brain some much-needed space.

Forbid using the phone while eating.

This is probably the most straightforward rule to implement because it’s so simple, but it’s the idea that inspired this entire post.

Simply don’t use your phone while eating. Ever!

You’ll enjoy the taste of your food so much more.

You’ll actually be present with your family and friends.

And you’ll be practicing yet another opportunity to weaken the Zombie curse that has been put on you.

Let yourself be present in the world.

The final step is the glue that holds all of this together.

As you wean yourself away from tech’s pull, you now have a golden opportunity to practice presence.

Notice the world around you and all of its input.

Take in all of the various sights and sounds that appear.

This perspective shift will make you the exception to the masses.

Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

The world wants to keep you distracted and disconnected.

Choosing to swim against the stream is not going to be easy.

But it might be one of the most rewarding things that you can do for yourself.

You’ll be rewarded with a better sense of focus and attention.

Life will move more slowly, and you’ll make more meaningful memories.

You will realize all the many ways you have been distracting yourself from something much more wonderful.

Most importantly, you’ll have survived the Digital Zombie Apocalypse—reclaiming your life from the undead grip of Big Tech.

From Fidgety Kid to Mindfulness Mentor: My Journey to Calm and How You Can Achieve It Too

My first-grade teacher couldn’t handle me.

I was so completely unable to sit still during class that my parents had to seek professional help.

What followed was an ADHD diagnosis and years of different attempts at calming my hyperactive energy.

It seemed that sitting still was just not for me.

And yet, as I write this, I have regularly practiced seated meditation for almost 20 years.

I’ve even made sharing stillness my career and have helped thousands of students master their inner calm.

So what changed?

It certainly wasn’t my condition; I still have many of the symptoms of adult ADHD.

What shifted was my approach.

Instead of starting by trying to sit still for long periods, I mastered micro-doses of stillness within the physical practice of Yin Yoga.

This indirect approach allowed me to dip my toe in the water before I took a dive in the pool.

Today, I’d like to explain the power of this physical practice and why it might be the secret to finding stillness in this increasingly distracted age.

Common Struggles

If you’ve struggled with seated meditation, you’re not alone.

So many students give up after a few sessions, and the reasons they give are often the same:

• Too many wandering thoughts.

• Too much physical discomfort.

• Too much restlessness.

These are understandable.

We live in a world of endless distractions where stillness seems non-existent.

This is where Yin Yoga can become the secret sauce for breaking through these initial barriers.

Why Yin Yoga Works

While being still in a seated posture for 30 minutes might sound impossible, holding a relaxed pose for 3 minutes is much more accessible.

This is the exact methodology of Yin Yoga.

Each pose becomes, in essence, a mini-meditation.

Once you’re in the pose, you can focus on the physical sensations.

The ever-evolving experience will give you more than enough to remain interested.  You will become increasingly attuned to the sheer variety of things that will show up for you.

You are, in essence, mastering mindfulness of the body.

You are also creating micro-doses of stillness.

While you should not hold yourself rigidly, you should do your best not to move more than is necessary. 

With practice, fidgeting will become a thing of the past.

Moderate discomfort will show up, but this is a blessing in disguise.

You will master relaxing through discomfort instead of getting stuck in it.

Furthermore, the physical releases that the poses bring will allow you to feel far more comfortable with your seated practice.

The deeper, longer-held poses allow for an opening that is much more than a simple stretch. You are working with the deepest and dense tissues on a fundamental level.

This will unlock your seated practice, making it far more comfortable.

You Can Do It Too

Even just a single Yin Yoga session will do wonders for preparing you for longer seated meditation.

A regular practice, over time, will make sitting still a breeze.

In my journey, twice-weekly Yin Yoga practices allowed me to move into longer, more consistent seated meditations.

The more profound calm I found there also fed into my Yin Yoga practices. 

It became a positive feedback loop that served me well over the years.

If I can master stillness, so can you.

I’ve evolved from a hyperactive child into an adult who doesn’t think twice about sitting still.

And Yin Yoga was the practice that brought me there.

——

If you want to start your Yin Yoga journey right now, please try one of the many practice videos on my YouTube Channel.

If you want custom instruction on Yoga, Mindfulness, Fitness, and Lifestyle, I have a few spots left for private coaching. Please send me a message here, and we’ll set a time for our first meeting.

The Sublime Beauty of This Mundane Existence

When you are new to practice, it can feel like discovering the Holy Grail.

For so many of us, the sense of lightness and connection that we feel is unlike anything that came before it.

If you’ve ever experienced the calm bliss of a long savasana after a challenging class or the sense of clarity after a deep meditation, you probably know what I’m talking about.

In my own journey, practice allowed me to finally reconnect with my body and mind after years of struggling with the numbness of depression. It was like taking a thick veil off from over my eyes. It reminded me of what it was like to feel good.

So, I was convinced that if I felt this good as a beginner, surely, if I stayed with it, my daily life would be a non-stop bliss fest.

The reality, of course, was not quite like this.

The highs of the beginning stages became muted over time — more subtle, less intense.

At first, this frustrated me. I felt as though I had somehow backslid in my progress.

But as my practice matured, I came to realize that the highs, for all their beauty, were never the goal at all.

Ultimately, this mundane reality — with all of its flaws and all of its monotony — is where the real magic of mindfulness can be found.

And through consistent practice, you can actually realize this for yourself.

The Actual Reality of Practice

I could chalk it up to youthful optimism, but I should have known that these things couldn’t possibly last.

For years, I read teachings that awakening was “Nothing Special.” I had heard tales of the utter normality of it all. The lesson was right there in front of me the whole time.

And yet, I thought it would be different for me.

I had the idea that practice would lead me up a never-ending staircase of higher states. 

But really, this was just another form of seeking. 

And any time you are seeking, you are going to suffer.

Because, as the Buddha taught, it’s the act of chasing itself that creates the stress. 

The more you embrace this idea, the more you will realize that many of the things you once saw as problems are not actually problems at all.

This Mundane Reality is the Most Beautiful Thing There Is

If we ignore the world around us, this is our own loss.

And yet, the world we live in makes this easier than ever.

When was the last time you went somewhere without your phone? When was the last time you just sat on a park bench?

The more you can allow yourself to fully be in this life, the more amazing it can become.

The more you practice letting things be, the more beauty you will see everywhere.

It’s there in the crack in the sidewalk, in the rain cloud, and even in the car alarm that won’t stop honking.

It’s there when we let ourselves fully experience each moment just as it is.

The Deeper Wisdom of the Mundane

One of the classic Zen Proverbs reads, “‘Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.”

The lesson here is that what you are trying to awaken to is this actual reality — not some idealized fantasy.

The world we live in — with our jobs, with our chores, with all our challenges  — this is the world that we are meant to 'Wake Up' to.

By practicing mindfulness, we can learn how to be fully within our experience yet not entrapped by it.

…

If you want help developing your mindfulness and yoga practice, I have two open coaching spaces right now.

Please send a message on my contact page, or setup an initial meeting on my schedule page and we’ll figure out how I can best serve you.

Video - Short Guided Meditation For Calm Acceptance

We are constantly bombarded with stimuli every day, but today's guided meditation for calm acceptance will help you to break through.

You might be stressed by work or your commute. Or maybe you are stressed with dealing with your family and our house life. Whatever it is, it seems like no matter what, the only constant is change, and it comes at us with no sense of stopping. This guided meditation is all about finding a sense of calm acceptance. It's about finding a sense of ease within this barrage of stimulation.

Because by training ourselves to find a sense of calm, we'll be able to meet the experience with more poise, with more grace. The stress will not be so much of a problem anymore.

How I learned to do nothing.

The Tao Te Ching famously says: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

But the often-forgotten second half adds: “When the student is truly ready... The teacher will Disappear.”

The wisdom here is that true understanding lies beyond what can be taught.

If you remain fixated on what you learned in the past, you will never be ready for the future.

Over the past few months, I’ve been able to let go of attachment to some of my old techniques.

And I’ve discovered the immense power of simply being with things as they are.

Today, I’d like to reflect on this evolution and show you how you, too, can practice simply being.

My New Teachers Appear

Recently, I’ve been working hard to make new connections and expand my online contacts.

If you’ve been following me on social media, you may have seen some of this.

It was through this process that I had the pleasure of connecting with fellow mindfulness teachers Dan Goldfield and Alex Pappas.

While we first connected for networking, their distinctive energies and teaching styles quickly made a lasting impression on me.

Dan has a cool and relaxed composure like I’ve never seen before. He effortlessly spouts calm wisdom in a charming British accent.

Alex is one of the most empathetic teachers I’ve ever met. In his IG reels, he’s like a close friend talking directly to you, letting you know that everything is okay.

Both of them are well-trained in many meditation styles, but their current methods are far more minimal.

For them, the essence of practice is to allow one’s experience to simply unfold naturally in each moment.

This is true both in formal sessions and in daily life.

The more I spoke to them, the more I realized how fixed I was in some of my own views.

Of course, I was aware of how to rest in a state of natural awareness. My teacher Josh has been sharing these ideas for years now.

But in my own personal journey, I was subconsciously holding myself back.

Some of the modalities that had helped me so much in the beginning had, over time, become a form of hindrance.

I realized that it was time for some of my old lessons to disappear.

Creating a Solid Foundation

When you first come to meditation, techniques are the foundation that holds your practice together.

Most people are so detached from their minds and bodies that they need a strategy to make sense of it all.

Approaches like anchoring with the breath or noting can help you immensely with learning to find a deeper sense of awareness.

(I go in-depth into techniques like these, as well as how to move beyond them in my 8-week immersion: Embodied Mindfulness.)

As you become more familiar with them, these practices become even more profound.

When the mind becomes more focused, you will start to see many of your mental patterns.

You can see the things that you are attached to and the things that you are resisting.

By seeing these things more clearly, you will be able to let them go.

Releasing Unnecessary Duality and Effort

However, over time, these methods can become a form of attachment in and of themselves.

Because, by their very nature, they create some level of reification of our experience. They require you to create dualities between different categories of experience and require you to be actively engaged in the processes of your mind.

This engagement and influence prevent the mind from fully showing all of its movements and reactions.

In effect, the practices themselves actually prevent us from seeing some aspects of our experience.

Because of this, over time, it can be necessary to let them go.

Doing Nothing

The heart of the great Zen teacher Dogen’s teachings is that the simple act of sitting in meditation creates a state of enlightenment.

The practices of his Soto Branch of Zen are based around just that - sitting (Zazen 坐禅)

Not noting. Not becoming absorbed with the breath. Not solving koans. Just resting in experience.

This ultra-minimalist way of practice can allow for a more direct level of connection than more applied systems.

And when you let go of techniques, you will begin to see the subtler levels of resistance that you are still holding on to.

Rather than try to label them or fixating on them, you can just let them be.

By letting them be, the resistance will naturally run its course.

The more you let things be, the more peace you can experience.

It is this way of practicing that will allow you to unlock the deepest levels of realization.

How to Systematically Do Nothing

Over the past few months, I have made this simple act of sitting the core of my daily meditations.

While the practice’s intention is straightforward, a basic framework is still helpful in the beginning.

Here is how you can adopt a simple practice of Just Sitting (Zazen 坐禅):

• Find a comfortable seat facing close to a blank wall.

• You will practice with your eyes open, softly focused on the wall in front of you.

• Find a posture that is comfortable and upright but not rigid. Relaxation is a crucial factor to this work.

• Sit in relative stillness and notice what happens.

• Do not direct the attention towards anything in particular. Just notice everything.

• Over time, thoughts will inevitably come up. Don’t engage with them, nor push them away. Feel the thoughts. Notice the thoughts. But leave them completely alone.

• You will notice a similar process in the body. Discomfort will arise, but don’t resist it. Encourage the body to relax, and adjust your posture if needed. But let the body just sit in stillness.

• Stay like this for the desired time of your session.

Embrace Simplicity

The power of this practice comes from its supreme simplicity.

We are not fighting anything; we are just sitting and being.

Sometimes, it will feel easy; others, it will feel hard. None of these are problems.

Practicing like this is the first step towards training yourself towards greater acceptance and less resistance.

If you can learn to give yourself permission to simply sit and be, you will feel much less stuck in the usual turbulence of daily life.

And without the attachments that can come from more applied techniques, the mind will be able to naturally equalize itself over time.

Because ultimately, the nature of our mind is to be pure and clear.

We don’t need to fix it or make it different from its natural state.

The ultimate wisdom is to simply allow it to unfold its natural radiance.

Doing nothing is the direct path towards revealing everything.

——

Thank you for reading!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop me a line or leave a comment.

If you want me to guide you on a comprehensive 8-week journey that includes the power of techniques as well as how to move beyond them, please join me for my course: Embodied Mindfulness.

Step Out of Meditation Stagnation by Making Each Day a Mindful Retreat

The Spring of 2013 was one of the most rigorous points in my meditation journey. 

I was spending 2 hours a day on seated practice, but I still felt like I was missing something.

I felt a glimmer of hope in the fact that I had an extended meditation retreat scheduled in a few weeks. I was eager to escape from all the usual disruptions of my daily life. Surely, then I would finally be able to find true calm and develop some deep mindfulness.

When I mentioned this to my meditation teacher, Beth, she said something that would forever change the way I looked at practice:

“Why are you waiting for perfect conditions to be more mindful? Why can’t you bring that level of attention to your regular life at home?”

This change of perspective was one of the most critical turning points in my mindfulness journey.

I realized that I had been so focused on formal practice that I was ignoring the infinite other opportunities I had.

Everything changed once I took my practice off the cushion and into every aspect of my daily life. My life and practice were never the same. I saw that full integration was the actual breakthrough I was searching for.

While this might seem like a daunting task, it’s actually easier than you expect.

Here are three easy ways to be more mindful all day, every day.

Anchor in the physical.

Regardless of where you are, the physical sensations of your body will always be present.

What you feel in the body is a direct ticket to present-moment awareness. You can notice the contact with the ground beneath you or the sensations of your breath. The physical sense is always there to be observed.

Anchoring in the body will keep you anchored in the present.

Always be on the lookout for pauses.

While life can feel like a non-stop barrage of stimulation, there are infinite little pauses if you pay close attention.

Consider the time you spend stopped at a traffic light or waiting in line at the coffee shop. In these moments, the default is to just space out or grab your phone — but this is a wasted opportunity. Instead, you can make these spaces a mini-meditation.

Any time you find yourself waiting or just pausing, use that as a moment to bring some mindful attention to the moment.

Let it go.

But simply noticing your experience is not enough; you need to find a sense of ease within it.

This level of practice is a bit more subtle than the previous two, but it’s the one that will make the most significant difference.

Notice the moments when you feel stuck or tense. Is it possible to let go instead? Each time you let go, you suffer less.

If you let go completely, you won't suffer at all. (This is the very first lesson of my 8-week immersion, Embodied Mindfulness.)

Change Your Relationship With Practice.

Infusing your daily life with mindfulness will completely shift your relationship with practice.

You will no longer hold rigid boundaries between formal and informal practice. Every moment can become a chance to be more aware.

But most importantly, you'll feel more connected, more calm, and more alive on a daily basis.

And it will even help infinitely when you do come back to more traditional sitting.

As I said before, it was a profound turning point in my journey. 

I hope that you, too, can join me on the path.

….

What are your favorite ways to be more mindful during the day? Please let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this post, please share it on your preferred social media so that all of your friends can benefit from greater mindfulness during their day!

If you’d like me to guide you through an 8-week immersion that fuses daily mindfulness, yin yoga, and meditation for a true transformation, please join me for Embodied Mindfulness.

A Warning About Your Mindfulness Practice

Warnings are everywhere, from the FBI warning you used to see on your VHS to the do not remove warning on the tag on your pillow.

Also, according to the state of California, pretty much everything will give you cancer.

But what we don’t often hear are the necessary warnings about mindfulness and meditation.

So, in the spirit of safety and full disclosure, today, I’d like to do my due diligence and give you a few crucial warnings about your mindfulness practice.

Heed them, or you might regret it down the line.

It might make you stop wasting time on pointless things.

Mindfulness is like a light that shines brightly into all areas of your life.

When you start to incorporate mindfulness throughout your day, you will notice many patterns and habits that previously flew under your radar. Because of this, you’ll suddenly be made aware of the many habits that are dragging you down. Essentially, mindfulness is like a good friend telling you when you’re acting like an idiot.

The upside to this is that from awareness of our problems, we can start to replace our crappy habits with new, better ones.

It might make you question your conditioned reactions.

Mindfulness is also an excellent dispeller of illusions.

Without a clear sense of awareness, we can find ourselves wholly trapped in the spell of our emotions and reactions. While we shouldn’t deny our feelings, we shouldn’t get stuck in them either. Learning to see that the fluctuations of our minds are always temporary can cause you to react to them less and less.

Over time, mindfulness empowers you, teaching you how to let go when feeling stuck and how to cultivate calm during challenging times.

It might finally set you free.

Complete freedom from suffering is the ultimate promise of mindfulness, offering you a path that many have found liberating across various meditation traditions.

The more clearly we can see our reality, the better decisions we can make. The better decisions we make, the better a life we can build. And who doesn’t want to live a better life?

But these circumstantial benefits are only part of the picture; regular mindfulness can help you to completely break free from the chains of discontent and live more fully in the present moment.

The Ultimate Practice

Diving deep into mindfulness practice has been, without a doubt, the most rewarding practice I have ever brought into my life.

It’s taught me to let go of the many things I didn’t need and to live with more calm and presence every day.

If you want to start your mindfulness practice TODAY, sign up using this link for a free preview of my 8-week immersion, Embodied Mindfulness. The preview has almost two hours of content and is everything you need to start your journey!

Early bird pricing ends TOMORROW, April 6th; sign up using the code “EMEB10” to get 10% off.