Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy.
I choose joy over despair.
Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.”
ROBIN WALL KIMMERER
Below are a few favorite practices and inspirations from my 8 Essential Practices of Mindfulness course, and beyond. If you have a favorite resource you’ve experienced or something like to see listed, please email it along to me! ✨🙏✨
New Additions:
WATCH: AWARENESS IN ACTION:POLY-CRISIS. Roshi Joan Halifax, abbot of the Upaya Zen Center and Jon Kabat-Zinn explore activist-embodied Dharma in the face of the planetary poly-crisis.
Meditations
LISTEN: Tara Brach, “Awareness is our Home”
LISTEN: Tara Brach, “Calling on Your Awakened Heart”
WATCH or LISTEN: Jonathan Foust, “Breathe and Rest in Presence” Meditation
EXPERIENCE : Yoga Nidra on YouTube with Ally Boothroyd
LISTEN. Lovingkindness Self-compassion meditation. 20 min. Kristen Neff.
Kristen Neff, Ph.D. is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on self-compassion.
WATCH. Lovingkindness Meditation 20 min. with follow-on talk on Why Metta 30 min. Devin Berry, Insight Meditation teacher.
Devin was a student of Thich Nhat Hanh, is a graduate of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher training practicum and works with a wide variety of groups from children, teens and young adults and elders using culturally-informed approaches.
Inspirations:
WATCH: Kristen Neff on “The Soace between Self-Esteem and Self-Compassion” and listen to her meditation above.
WATCH: Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu excepts from the fabulous “Mission Joy”
A wonderful “laugh out loud” joy-filled conversation between these two master spiritual leaders. Available on Netflix. More info HERE
WATCH. Thich Nhat Hahn “Touching War and Peace Within” 17 min.
In this video teaching, Thich Nhat Hanh offers his kind and gentle reminder of how mindfulness is a way to touch and cultivate the seeds of peace within us so that we can notice both the battles and peace that occur within us and around us without being overwhelmed.
WATCH: Thomas Hubl “Attending to Our Inner Experience is not an Obstacle to Action. 2 min. and “What do I do when I’m Overwhelmed.” 5 min. Thomas Hubl works with the study of and practice of healing from trauma, and in particular, collective trauma. In these two videos, Thomas helps connect the practice of mindfulness with healing and dealine with trauma.
WATCH: A Conversation between Thich Nhat Hanh and Br. David Steindl-Rast (2012) 23 min. http://Z7Mq6f6DhA%9MA/
These two old friends – a Buddhist monk and a Benedictine monk – talk about their common work for peace; gratefulness bringing one into the now; the powers to let go, to forgive and to understand; and the power of community. The young monks at Plum Village speak to Anthony Chavez about their spiritual practice. (From Gratefulness.org)
WATCH, LISTEN (& DANCE). I’m On Your Side. Michael Franti. 4 min. #workhardandbenice
Michael Franti is a singer/songwriter, poet and activist focusing on themes of love, community, and social consciousness with a distinctive cocktail of R&B, hip-hop, soul, folk, rock, and reggae.
Research
Benefits of a Mindfulness
READ: Research summary of Benefits of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) The MBSR program is the teaching of a gentle yet effective methods that encourages the student to practice moment-to-moment, non-judgmental awareness and mindfulness-based coping strategies in everyday life.
READ: Five Myths about Self Compassion. by Kristen Neff. “When we care tenderly for ourselves in response to suffering, our heart opens. Compassion engages our capacity for love, wisdom, courage, and generosity. It’s a mental and emotional state that’s boundless and directionless, grounded in the great spiritual traditions of the world.”
Deb Cook’s Deep Peace Practice 