In this meditation for beginners, we begin by bringing awareness to the body before settling our attention with the breath. For some people, using the breath to anchor the attention can actually have the opposite effect and produce anxiety rather than feel calming. If it’s difficult for you to be with the breath, you can always anchor your attention on awareness in the body instead: sensations in the feet or hands, or maybe the pressure of the seat or floor against your sit bones. See what works best for you. And remember: if your mind feels busy—even extremely busy—this is very normal, especially for someone new to meditation. Let me know how your experience was in the comments!

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Equanimity refers to a state of being where we are able to maintain a balanced and steady state of mind regardless of what’s happening in our lives, whether it’s on a small scale or a large scale. I felt inspired to offer this talk for the new year because I think it's a good time to be reminded that we have the capacity to relate to our experiences differently. On any given day, and especially within an entire year, there are so many things that happen to us—big and small—that are out of our control and can throw us off center. But through cultivating equanimity we can stay rooted regardless what comes our way.

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Happy New Year! In this meditation we slow things down and welcome in several deep, long breaths to fill the body with new energy and carry out stagnant energy. The New Year often comes with tremendous energy and a desire to work toward new goals and visions. In this meditation we practice pausing and slowing down to rest in the New Year before pushing ahead. Enjoy!

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The Winter Solstice is a beautiful and special time in nature when the sun pauses on its axis and we are invited to pause, too. On the shortest day of the year, or maybe in this season of winter, join me to pause in the space of darkness before we welcome the light in. In this meditation we honor the duality in both nature and ourselves as we move with the image of a candle flame through the different parts of the body.

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Standing meditations can help us feel more connected to the body and to the earth below us, increasing our sense of stability and grounding in the present moment. We begin by tuning into the feet, then move our awareness through the body before resting our attention in the body or the breath. We don’t bring much movement into this practice, so if it feels good for you to roll your shoulders or shake out the limbs before starting, please do so!

In this talk, we explore the power of living with gratitude, what can get in the way of feeling gratitude, and how we can intentionally cultivate it in our lives, including recognizing the interconnected nature of life and the impermanence of all things. We’ll also discuss how it’s normal to have moments in life when it feels hard to access gratitude. Then, we’ll close with a brief meditation to help you get in touch with your own grateful heart.

We open this meditation with a body scan, taking our time to tune into and relax various parts of the body. Beginning in the body can help the mind to calm and the body to feel more grounded. We then take some time to be with the breath. Like the poem at the end speaks to, when we take time to be with ourselves and connect with the breath, it is like sowing clover for a world in need of so much care.

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This is a calming and grounding meditation that invites a softness into the body and a softness around the heart. Sometimes when we sense tension in the heart space, what we need is to pause and lean into the vulnerability of what we feel.

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This five minute meditation invites the body to calm down and drop into the moment. The practice "pause, relax, open" can be especially helpful in moments when we're caught in reactivity or notice the grip of familiar thought and behavioral patterns. By pausing, relaxing, and opening, we interrupt this habitual process.

For more products, writings, and resources centered around mindfulness, visit www.samanthacase.com

A full day of work can leave us feeling worn out and checked out. This can make it difficult to turn off from work and be present with our loved ones and ourselves. Often times, presence and stillness can be just a few deep breaths away. In this meditation we create space for deep breathing to help the nervous system relax. Let this meditation be a restful transition from work to the rest of your day.

For more products, writings, and resources centered around mindfulness, visit www.samanthacase.com