Sunday night I had a little procrastination dilemma that led to an epiphany. I got off work earlier than usual, so upon arriving at home, I had some spare time on my hands. Great, a voice in my head sarcastically observed, Now you have time to get some things from your to-do list done. Ugh. All I really wanted to do was continue reading the fifth Harry Potter book. What… Read More »To do, or not to do?
Last Friday marked the three-year anniversary of my sobriety. I was a marijuana addict for about a decade, with phases of alcoholism and pain pill abuse sprinkled in here and there. My decision to become clean and sober for the rest of my life has been a resounding success. Since quitting, my physical and mental health have improved dramatically, and I’ve consistently moved in the right direction both personally and… Read More »The River
As I’ve discussed in recent posts, meditation is the primary method for deliberately cultivating the four skills of mindfulness: presence, curiosity, acceptance, and non-attachment. But let us now answer the question posed by George Leonard, author of Mastery: “Could all of us reclaim lost hours of our lives by making everything—the commonplace along with the extraordinary—a part of our practice?” 1 The answer, as we’ll see, is yes. Meditation is… Read More »Everyday Mindfulness
Last week’s post was all about how to meditate, and the previous post was all about mindfulness and its benefits. Today, I’ll briefly explain the connection between the two. How does breathing meditation develop the four skills of mindfulness: presence, curiosity, acceptance, and non-attachment? Presence Presence is a balance between focus and awareness. In breathing meditation, you try to keep your attention on the sensation of your breath and repeatedly… Read More »How Does Meditation Cultivate Mindfulness?