Mindful Moments with Thai Mama

Many of us have no idea how much tension we carry around in our jaw- we’ve become so accustomed to a tense jaw that it feels like our normal baseline. This sweet meditation focuses on our jaw as the anchor of our attention rather the classic technique of focusing on our breath. Give it a try, you might want to come back to this one again and again…

You don’t need anything special or “extra” to cultivate mindfulness throughout the day. In the simple yet powerful practice, all you need are areas of contact between your body and the chair, or the ground, or your bed… or air.

The perfect meditation break can happen when doing something as ordinary as standing in line at the grocery store. When we’d rather be somewhere else, waiting in line can seem very long. If we see a line as an opportunity to practice mindfulness, suddenly a queue of people becomes a perfect opportunity to strengthen your brain.

We are always breathing, yet we are rarely aware of it. In this basic mindfulness practice, you will discover your breath as if you are feeling it for the very first time.

If you have time to breathe, you have time to do this meditation. I call it Three Sighs and it takes only 30 seconds to practice. It’s a natural circuit breaker to the shallow breathing that tends to occur when humans are stressed or anxious.

Many philosophers and modern teachers of mindfulness tell you to “take a deep breath and relax.” This common wisdom is based on a principle called the Hering-Breuer Reflex. When you inhale fully and slowly, stretch receptors in your lungs signal relaxation in your cardiovascular system and up to the brain, triggering a holistic relaxation response. Try it!

While many people think of the breath as the classic “anchor” for our attention, points of contact is another way to be in the present moment. Your body is always in contact with some thing, whether it’s a chair, the ground, the bed, or even the air around you. This practice is a powerful way to tune in to your present moment experience by being mindful of these points of contact any time, in sitting meditation or throughout the day.

Many people who share their feelings of stress or sadness or anxiety with others are often met with pep talks and positive affirmations such as “Try to focus on the good things” or, This too shall pass”. These unhelpful responses send a message that feeling uncomfortable emotions is a sign of weakness and/or should be avoided. Indeed, the best thing to say to people who are struggling, Including ourselves: “it’s ok to feel this way.” This practice helps us notice and label ALL the emotions, all of which are OK to feel.

Memorial Day, born out of America’s bloody Civil War, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States. I record this days after the last mass shooting in our country, so I think of those two teachers who died in defense of the students they loved. Here is a practice that strengthens our neural networks of focused attention and gratitude, remembering to be in the present moment.

Many of you have requested I record this practice, and requests quadrupled after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I’m sorry it took this long! Tonglen is an ancient form of meditation from Tibetan Buddhists that is a less common but just as powerful mindfulness tool in times that seem filled with uncertainty, trauma and grief. Tonglen means “sending and receiving” and it is the practice of coordinating one’s breathing with mental intentions of goodwill. I hope this helps, dear ones.