Have you ever wanted to feel more connected to others, deepen your sense of compassion, and reduce your own stress? Tonglen meditation might be exactly what you’re looking for. It’s an ancient Tibetan Buddhist practice that turns our usual approach to dealing with pain on its head, helping us open our hearts to the suffering of others while transforming our own discomfort. If you would like to be selfish, you should do it in a very intelligent way. The stupid way to be selfish is … seeking happiness for ourselves alone. … the intelligent way to be selfish is to work for the welfare of others. —His Holiness the Dalai Lama What is Tonglen Meditation? Tonglen, which translates to “giving and taking” in Tibetan, is a meditation practice designed to cultivate compassion and empathy for others. In essence, Tonglen invites us to breathe in the suffering of others and breathe…

Anxiety, when left unchecked, can fill the mind with fear, leading to negative thoughts and beliefs that can quickly become difficult to control. Bad habits tend to form as a coping mechanism, like finger biting, hair pulling, lip biting, or scratching. Our lifestyle can also make things worse, like drinking too much caffeine, taking or smoking nicotine, or consuming a lot of alcohol. It’s important to find healthy ways to cope with anxiety. Whether you’re feeling general anxiety, work-related anxiety,  death anxiety or relationship-based anxiety, here are some specific meditations you can use when your anxious feelings start to overwhelm you. Meditations For General Anxiety As someone who has dealt with general anxiety for most of my life, I can say for certain that without daily meditation, I’d still be in a bad mental space. General anxiety is tough to deal with because you can’t always explain why you’re anxious.…

Guided Meditation Videos & Visualizations Guided meditations are one of my favorite ways to practice. Although unguided meditations can be just as helpful, I find that I’m able to focus for longer periods of time when I have a teacher guiding me through visualizations. Some of my favorite visualization meditations include things like meeting with my spirit guide, overcoming imposter syndrome, visiting my “inner garden” and chakra cleansing. Check out these 7 free guided meditation videos from YouTube. Balance your chakras, cultivate loving kindness and meet your spirit guide. You can also check out my article on the top 10 best meditation apps. Top 7 Guided Meditation Videos (YouTube) 10 Minute Chakra Balance Guided Meditation for Positive Energy Balancing your chakras on a regular basis has so many benefits. It’ll change your attitude and perspective so that you can visualize things in a more positive way. You’ll be more grateful.…

In this post, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about meditation cushions. I’ll answer questions like: Why should I use them? How do I use them? What ways can I sit on them? And what type of meditation cushion should I get? Why should I use meditation cushions? Using meditation cushions is going to be far more comfortable than sitting on the bare floor! Your body needs reliable hip and spinal support. If you don’t have that, you’re going to be re-adjusting a lot during your practice, which will inevitably ruin your concentration. Meditation cushions lift your hips and allows them to roll slightly forward, supporting the natural curve of your lower back. This should make it easier to keep your body still and come out of the practice without a sore bum or back! Of course there’s the option of lying down, but I don’t…

Practicing meditation can give you a sense of calmness and inner peace that can benefit both your mental and physical health. According to the National Center For Complementary and Integrative Health, practicing meditation may reduce blood pressure, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression, and insomnia! Whether it’s for 5 minutes or 1 hour, setting aside time for meditation is vital to finding your “inner yoda.” If you’re new to meditation practice, you may have some questions like: How do I meditate? Where should I do it? And for how long?  But let’s be honest. Calming the mind is an incredibly difficult task. We are constantly on the go, whether it’s working overtime or taking care of the kids, and that’s when we forget to be in the present moment. We become so absorbed with defining our future and regretting our past that we let each moment pass us by.…