INSIGHT TIMER REVISITED

In a previous blog I referred to the smart phone application, Insight Timer while talking about the benefits of structure and consistency of structure. Since then, Insight Timer has added additional features for meditation including Guided Meditations. So, rather than just keeping time for your meditation session, the application now provides you with meditations you can listen to. Today, I enjoyed listening to the featured guided meditation by Tara Brach called "Gateway to Presence." I typically find that meditation helps to relax the mind, which in turn can help relax the body. However, "Gateway to Presence" is particularly helpful in relaxing the mind as well as the body through its guided suggestions, thus producing the Relaxation Response I so often encourage those with whom I work to experience at least once a day. When you can, give it a listen and I trust you will notice both the mental and physical feeling of peace and relaxation.

The Conversations in Our Heads

Have you noticed that while you are going about your business you have these imagined conversations going on in your mind? Sometimes it is you having a conversation with you, perhaps criticizing yourself for how you handled something, or a commentary on the activity you are doing, or maybe a discussion you recently had with a coworker. But many of the imagined conversations typically involve irritation, annoyance, or anger towards others and imagining what you would say or should say to these individuals. I find that the majority, if not all, of these imagined conversations never occur and are mostly distracting and counterproductive. When you decide that such “in-house” mental discussions are of no benefit to the well-being of you or others, label them mentally as “distraction” and come back to your present focus. Of course, this takes practice, but you can anticipate that your mindfulness will sharpen over time with this technique.