Meditation
May 01, Meditation 1 of 4— Grounding Awareness | Lizzy | 15 mins
A 15-minute yoga nidra practice to ground mind and body, and promote relaxation.
May 01, Meditation 2 of 4— Energy Center Meditation | Lizzy | 15 mins
A 15-minute yoga nidra practice to promote relaxation and clear the energy channels of the body.
May 01, Meditation 3 of 4— Respite in Nature | Lizzy | 15 mins
A 15-minute yoga nidra practice inspired by nature.
May 01, Meditation 4 of 4— Healing Energy of the Sun| Lizzy | 15 mins
A 15-minute yoga nidra practice to promote mental clarity and relaxation.
December 05, Meditation 1 of 4— A Gift of Peace | Lizzy | 15 mins
In this 15-minute breath and meditation practice, experience “box breathing” as a tool to focus the mind and calm the nervous system before settling into a meditative visualization of your most peaceful place.
December 05, Meditation 2 of 4— Floating on the Breath | Lizzy | 15 mins
In this 15-minute breath and meditation practice, explore deep diaphragmatic breathing as a practice to calm the nervous system and focus the mind on the breath before settling into a meditative journey akin to floating on the breath.
December 05, Meditation 3 of 4— Gratitude for the Self | Lizzy | 15 mins
In this 15-minute breath and meditation practice, learn to control the breath through abdominal breathing and chest breathing followed by a meditation on gratitude for three aspects of the self: breath, heart, and mind.
December 05, Meditation 4 of 4— Healing Light| Lizzy | 15 mins
In this 15-minute breath and meditation practice use a series of kriyas (breath exercises) to steady the mind for a meditation on the light within you.
July 04, Meditation 1 of 4— Daily Meditation | Jami | 15 mins
A meditation to help you find focus and clarity while setting the tone and intention for your day.
July 04, Meditation 2 of 4— Grounded Meditation | Jami | 15 mins
A meditation to support you in feeling grounded, calm, and ready to start your day.
July 04, Meditation 3 of 4— Relaxation Meditation | Jami | 15 mins
Relax your whole body during this practice. You’ll emerge feeling calm and empowered.
July 04, Meditation 4 of 4— Always Do Your Best | Jami | 15 mins
This meditation practice is based on Don Miguel Ruiz’ 4th Agreement – Always Do Your Best.
Meditation 1 of 4, May 02— CIRCLE OF CARE | Heather | 15 mins
Using a simple visualization practice, we will tap into networks of inspiration and support already present within ourselves, creating a “circle of care” that can serve as the foundation of our daily meditation practice.
Meditation 2 of 4, May 02— LOVINGKINDNESS | Heather | 15 mins
It’s easy to get stuck on the negative or feel helpless, especially in challenging times, yet these are precisely the moments when we need to touch into our natural capacity for care. Using the phrases of lovingkindness, we will practice connecting with our own innate human wish to be happy and free of suffering, as well as begin to extend this wish out to others.
Meditation 3 of 4, May 02— SELF-COMPASSION AS A SUPERPOWER | Heather | 15 mins
Compassion is the heart’s wish to be free of suffering, yet when we think about compassion, so often, the one we overlook is ourselves. In this powerful meditation practice – traditionally called Tonglen – we will learn how to transform difficult circumstances and emotions into opportunities for strengthening our capacity for self-compassion.
Meditation 4 of 4, May 02— ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE | Heather | 15 mins
Much like growing a garden, cultivating gratitude is a process that requires intention, attention and patience over time. In this five step practice – traditionally called “the condensed heart instructions” – we will discover ways to release habits of mind that keep us stuck, while planting seeds of presence that lead to recognizing, as well as strengthening, our natural capacity for gratitude.
Meditation 1 of 4, April 04— GATHER AND SETTLE | Heather | 15 mins
Sometimes the key to good sleep starts well before you even get into bed. In this classic calm abiding (shamatha) meditation practice, we will learn how to gather and settle our minds throughout the day for a restful night.
Meditation 2 of 4, April 04— RELEASE | Heather | 15 mins
The psoas is the one of the longest muscles in our bodies and is responsible for flexing our hips, but since it is so deeply buried in our core, it also plays a vital role in our stress response. In this simple practice, we will use light pressure techniques, as well as breathing and mindfulness practices to release our psoas muscles. This in turn creates the conditions for the full-body relaxation that is instrumental to a good night’s rest.
Meditation 3 of 4, April 04— REST | Heather | 15 mins
In this practice, we will use the guided meditation techniques of Yoga Nidra (yogic sleep) to ease body and mind into a deep state of relaxation.
Meditation 4 of 4, April 04— RESTORE | Heather | 15 mins
Our breath is a powerful tool in altering our body’s physiological response, as well as impactful to the state of our minds. In this meditative breathing practice, we will channel our breath towards creating a greater sense of ease and well-being in both body and mind.
Meditation Talk, December 27— A Mantra for (Inner) Peace | Heather | 15 mins
Did you realize that almost anything you repeat to yourself can become a mantra? (And the things we tell ourselves over and over again are not always so uplifting either.) In this practice session, we will use a simple, two-syllable sound pattern as a mantra to help focus and settle our minds, as well as find a sense of personal peace.
Meditation, December 20— Increasing Our Capacity for Kindness | Heather | 15 mins
The practice of Lovingkindness is designed to open our hearts, even (especially) in the places where they can become the most stuck, increasing our capacity to offer ourselves as well as others real love and care. In this meditation practice session, we will work with an adapted series of lovingkindness phrases directed at ourselves, a loved one, and a sometimes frenemy.
Meditation, December 13— Offering Ourselves Our Own Attention | Heather | 15 mins
Sometimes, the most powerful gift we can offer ourselves or others is the fullness of our presence. In this practice session, we will explore the way in which the simple practice of checking in and asking ourselves “How are you?” can become a source of healing and kindness.
Meditation, December 06— Resting in Awareness | Heather | 15 mins
In this session, we will see what it feels like to take a step back from the conditioned busyness of our minds and instead allow the naturally spacious quality of our unconditioned awareness to move to the forefront of our experience.
Meditation, November 22— Don’t Believe Everything You Think | Heather | 15 mins
What if someone told you that you were not your thoughts? While this idea sounds simple and logical, putting it to practice can be transformative. In this session, we will work with a meditation technique to help us settle our busy minds and offer a bit of perspective on our relationship to our thoughts.
Meditation, November 15— Moving into Silence | Heather | 15 mins
Silence can be so many things, from refuge to teacher to terrifying, depending on our relationship to it in the moment. In this meditation practice session, we will work with silence as a counterpoint for using sound as an object of mindful attention.
Meditation, November 08— Poison into Medicine | Heather | 15 mins
In this session, we will examine how to turn difficult situations and emotions into an opportunity to train our hearts/minds in compassion.
Meditation, November 01— The 6 Realms| Heather | 15 mins
Ever feel like a hungry ghost? Or maybe you recognize a few jealous gods out in the media? In this session, we will explore the way a teaching from classical meditation philosophy – the 6 realms of existence – can be mapped onto our modern-day experience of our own states of mind from moment to moment.
Meditation, October 25— Breathing Through Stressful Times | Heather | 15 mins
Stress can often feel like an out-of-body experience, but meditation can help bring us back into the present moment, where things are more manageable. In this session, we will learn a simple, four-part practice for grounding and relaxing our bodies as well as calming and re-focusing the mind in stressful times.
Meditation, October 18— Finding Refuge | Heather | 15 mins
When life becomes overwhelming, where do you turn? One of the most resonant aspects of meditation philosophy is the practice of taking refuge. More than just a safe haven, taking refuge acts as a guiding principle for courageous living, grounded in the belief in our mind’s capacity to evolve towards wakefulness and freedom.
Meditation, October 11— Meditation Brush-Up | Heather | 15 mins
Did you know that one of the obstacles to meditation is simply forgetting the instructions? In this practice session, we will review the four steps of a foundational practice for calming the mind and resting in a state of non-reactive awareness called shamatha meditation.
Meditation, October 04— RAIN Practice | Heather | 15 mins
In this session, we will use a four-step practice called RAIN to navigate stormy emotional weather.
Meditation, September 27— Hardwired for Happiness | Heather | 15 mins
If action follows intention, how do we plant the seeds for increased satisfaction in our lives? In this session, we will work with a simple practice intended to increase awareness and cultivate appreciation on a day to day basis.
Meditation, September 20— Comfortable with Change | Heather | 15 mins
Impermanence marks so much of our existence, so why isn’t it easier to accept change? In this practice session, we will examine our relationship to impermanence, as well as work with a meditation for riding its waves within our bodies, minds, and lives.
Meditation, Sept 13— Making Friends with Yourself | Heather | 15 mins
While we hear so much these days about how practices like meditation & mindfulness are good for us, yet sometimes, when we approach these practices with the mindset of “self-improvement,” we tend to forget one of the most powerful aspects of this work; the gesture of friendliness we offer ourselves each time we simply open up and listen to our own heart/minds.
Meditation, Sept 06— Cultivating Contentment | Heather | 15 mins
So often, in our efforts to prepare for the worst, we unintentionally create extra and unnecessary suffering for ourselves. In this session, we will learn how to recognize when we are “suffering in anticipation of suffering,” as well as how to release this habit of mind in the service of creating more contentment in the present moment.
Meditation, August 23— Too Much or Not Enough? | Heather | 15 mins
How do we work with difficult mind states like wanting or aversion? And when we don’t, where do they unconsciously lead us? In this session, we will examine three ethical practices that lead to not only an increased awareness of the subtle impact of our actions, but to finding peace of mind as well.
Meditation, August 16— Speaking of Talking – the Ethics of Communication | Heather | 15 mins
In this session, we will explore the principle of “wise speech” as it applies not only to our interactions with others but as a reflection of our (sometimes unintentional) intentions.
Meditation, August 09— Do These First – The Ethics of Wellbeing | Heather | 15 mins
How do we level up our mindfulness practice from a powerful tool that changes our minds to one that changes the world around us? In this session – the first in a series – we will look at the way the intention of harmlessness plants the seeds of greater good for self and others.
Meditation, August 02— Squash Karma | Heather | 15 mins
Many of us experience the teachings on karma as “what goes around comes around,” when in fact, a deeper look reveals that the cycle of cause and effect is rooted in our own perception of a moment in time and impacted by our past experiences. (Dharma Talk)
Meditation, July 26— No Such Thing as Multitasking | Heather | 15 mins
In the times when we feel like we are spinning in many different directions at once, mindfulness can be a powerful tool for cutting through busy-ness and helping us find a sense of calm focus. (Meditation Practice Session)
Meditation, July 19— Basically Good | Heather | 15 mins
If our view is shaped in part by the things we repeat in our thoughts and words, what is your internal “mantra?” In this meditation practice session, we will use a simple series of phrases as a method for remembering our own inherent goodness.
Meditation, July 12— Change Your Attitude, but Remain Natural | Heather | 15 mins
How is a mind moment created? In this session, we will explore the way view, intention, and action impact our experience of the world around us, as well as how we can begin to bring about real change in our hearts/minds.
Meditation, July 5— Yogi Air Conditioning | Heather | 15 mins
With plenty of HOT summer days ahead, it’s useful to have this simple, cooling breath practice in your back pocket. Known as Sitali Pranayama in the yogic tradition, not this practice not only helps when you are overheated, but anytime you need to find a sense of focused calm.
Meditation, June 28— Cultivating Intimacy with Life | Heather | 15 mins
A contemplation from classical Buddhist meditation philosophy, the Five Remembrances offer us a way to connect authentically with the more tender parts of our shared humanity. These aphorisms don’t provide solutions to our problems, but instead offer a sense of true refuge by normalizing our experience of them.
Meditation, June 21— The Three Marks of Existence | Heather | 15 mins
Feeling stuck? Like you just can’t seem to hold things together? Or maybe both? Meditation philosophy helps us understand that these feelings come as a normal consequence of being human, and that life itself is not permanent or perfect, nor do we need to take things so personally.
Meditation, June 14— RX for Fatigue | Heather | 15 mins
Feeling exhausted? In this constructive rest practice, we will use a breathing technique called Viloma to transform fatigue into an opportunity to find a sense of ease and overall well-being through awareness.
Meditation, June 07— Balancing Your Nervous System | Heather | 15 mins
Perhaps one of the most powerful aspects of the mind/body connection is the way something as simple as harnessing the breath through awareness can impact our nervous system. In this practice session, we will use the yogic technique of alternate nostril breathing to find greater ease in the body, as well as a sense of focused calm.
Meditation, May 24— Just Breathe | Heather | 15 mins
Breathing is something we do all day long, but there is a huge difference in the impact to our nervous systems when we pay attention and take a few conscious breaths. In this practice, we will explore the way a simple shift towards directing the breath through the nose can impact our energy level in the near term, as well as overall health in the long run.
Meditation, May 17— I Am Here – A Practice for the Present Moment | Heather | 15 mins
Arriving is something we do in each and every moment, yet so often, we find our minds lost in the past or planning for the future. In this meditation, we will practice gathering our senses, resting our minds and learning how to meet what is arising “right now” with friendliness and ease.
Meditation, May 10— Touching the Earth with Walking Meditation | Heather | 15 mins
Ever wonder why walking in nature seems to clear your head? In this practice session, we will learn how walking (even across the room) can become a meditative experience that synchronizes body, mind and breath.
Meditation, May 03— Hold Steady (A Balancing Breath Practice) | Heather | 15 mins
Does your mind sometimes feel like an untrained puppy? In this practice session, we will use a simple breathing technique that incorporates brief retentions (holding the breath, on purpose) to find fullness, ease and overall balance in body/mind.
Meditation, April 26— A Home for the Heart – Equanimity | Heather | 15 mins
Allowing our minds to rest in equanimity isn’t a statement of indifference, but instead a kind of steady love that is strong and stable enough to hold whatever arises. In this session, we will work with a simple guided practice to help us uncover this balanced quality of our heart/minds.
Meditation, April 19— A Home for the Heart – Joy | Heather | 15 mins
How can we bring more joy into our everyday lives (and why do we tend to deprive ourselves of opportunities to truly savor it in the first place)? In this session, we will explore the practice of Mudita, or, vicarious joy.
Meditation, April 12— A Home for the Heart – Compassion | Heather | 15 mins
Wherever we place our attention becomes the object of our meditation – a mantra of sorts. In this session, we will explore the ways to awaken our natural sense of compassion, with the intention to align our intentions with the actions that help us be of benefit in the world around us.
Meditation, April 05— A Home for the Heart – Lovingkindness | Heather | 15 mins
Wherever we place our attention becomes the object of our meditation – our mantra so to speak. In this session, we will familiarize ourselves with the practice of Lovingkindness meditation, which is an accessible way to cultivate a mindset of friendliness towards ourselves, as well as others.
Meditation, Week 52— Your Own Personal Ocean | Heather | 15 mins
In this practice session, we will familiarize ourselves with a simple, stress-reducing breathing technique often referred to as “ocean breath.”
Meditation, Week 51— Better Than Coffee | Heather | 15 mins
Meditation, better than coffee — really? (Maybe). In this session, we will examine how even a few minutes of mindfulness/meditation practice each day gradually creates the conditions for relaxed awareness and focused calm.
Meditation, Week 50— Embodied Awareness Practice | Heather | 15 mins
In this guided practice session, we will explore techniques for using the breath to reconnect mind and body, creating space for grounded reflection.
Meditation, Week 49 – What is Mindfulness? | Heather Shaw | 15 mins
What is mindfulness anyway, and why is everyone telling us we should try it? In this segment, we will explore how the simple act of paying attention can help us gather and settle our minds, paving the way to living with more clarity and ease. A brief introductory guided meditation practice is included as a way to begin practicing at home.
Meditation Practice – Tapping Into Your Natural Resilience | Heather Shaw | 15 mins
Dharma Talk – Tapping Into Your Natural Resilience | Heather Shaw | 15 mins
How do we cultivate resilience in uncertain times? And how do we align our intentions with our actions to respond from a place of both wisdom and compassion? Our hearts and minds are imbued with natural strengths that help us reach beyond our perceived limitations, but they can become easily obscured. In these videos, you’ll explore evidence-based meditation and guided breathing practices that connect you with your own adaptability and resilience, which can ultimately lead you toward greater freedom in your life.