Your Mindful Teen

This meditation reflects on three questions inspired by Jonathan Foust and James Clear. As you look forward and backward, What worked well in the last year? What didn't go so well? What are you working towards?

This episode introduces the practice of "Twenty Breaths". This simple exercise can be used any time to return to the present moment. I original learned this practice from Dr. Michael Baime of the Penn Program for Mindfulness.

The following is a meditation on gratitude. We begin with the body and allow a feeling of gratitude to arise for the gifts we hold inside of us. The ability to breathe and move, connect and engage with our world. Gratitude practice is an aspirational practice. We work to incline our mind toward recognizing those things that bring meaning to our lives. This isn’t always easy but intentional practice can be helpful to generating happiness and satisfaction with life while still acknowledging the difficulty and suffering that goes with being human.

The following is a type of body scan meditation where we soften areas of tightness, tension or stress in our body. In this practice, we give our mind a job to soften or relax various areas of our body. This may help to calm the busy mind and create a feeling of peace or ease. That said, an actual softening isn’t necessary. Just by offering an intention or wish for softening can trigger our body’s natural relaxation response.

The following meditation is based on the work of Dr. Les Fehmi and was shared with me by my teacher, Jonathan Foust. I’ve found it a helpful meditation on those busy, hectic days where slowing down might allow me to become more focused and also relaxed. The process of "feeling or imaging" can take us out of our linear, problem solving mind into a more creative experience of spacelessness and timelessness. You might enjoy Jonathan's longer version of this meditation available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OsotDvMJmk.

This month I’m teaching a workshop called Fierce Self-Compassion. Today, I’ll be sharing a brief lovingkindness meditation from that class that focuses on yourself. Self-love is not selfish. I see it as a crucial building block towards living an authentic, wholehearted life. You can find an extended 20 minute practice of lovingkindness on my website, www.yourmindfulcoach.com by clicking on the “guided mindfulness recordings” button and selecting the entry from September 2015, “Body Sensations and Lovingkindness.”

The following is a lovingkindness practice. Lovingkindness uses words, images and feelings to produce an inclination towards kindness and care for ourselves and others. Through regular practice, our hearts open and we begin to recognize the interconnection we have with all beings. You can find an extended 20 minute practice of lovingkindness on my website, www.yourmindfulcoach.com by clicking on the “guided mindfulness recordings” button and selecting the entry from September 2015, “Body Sensations and Lovingkindness”

The following is a compassionate writing/reflection exercise. It is best to have a pen or pencil and paper available but you can also reflect on the questions and see what arises. It was inspired by the work of Kristen Neff and Christopher Germer whose voluminous work on Mindful Self-Compassion has been effective at helping people work with stress, anxiety and the challenges of this human life.

The following is a noting meditation. In this practice, we note or name thoughts, feelings and sensations as they arise. Instead of trying to eliminate these mental formations or clear our mind, we gently acknowledge them and then return our attention to the anchor of our breath. Author & researcher Dan Siegel has described how this simple process of noting or naming triggers neurological processes that can calm and soothe our mind and body. Please also visit us on the web at www.yourmindfulcoach.com or send an email to marc, that’s M A R C at yourmindfulcoach.com. Thank you.

Simple body scan practice connecting mind and body in presence.