The present moment often seems rather dull and unremarkable to the ego. But when we learn to pay attention, to taste the flavor of all that is passing in order to give rise to this moment, then life presents itself as extraordinary. Donate at www.minfulnessplus.org.

What can the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, teach us about mindfulness practice? Quite a bit, actually. Thomas describes two critical dimensions of practice in this episode: liberation and virtue. Like Arnold, you can learn to exercise different muscles for that perfectly symmetrical build.

In this episode Thomas whisks us back to early 19th century Japan for an aesthetic feast in the form of a haiku. This is a poem that captured his imagination as a teenager when he was starting out on the path. Perhaps it will capture yours too.

The three natural states are described metaphorically in Hinduism as waking, dreaming and deep sleep. But what is the practical value of becoming familiar with these states, even proficient? One possible answer that Thomas suggests is Freedom and Love. Join this guided tour and see for yourself.

Our monthly, extended guided meditation to help you get in your groove for Thanksgiving. At the deepest level, we're not grateful for things so much as we are gratitude itself; always thanks-giving through our very being.

It seems almost common sense to believe that our happiness depends on what kinds of experiences we're having in life. "Not so!" say a number of prominent researchers in the field of positive psychology. It turns out that how focused we are on the task at hand is the real predictor of how happy we feel. Learn the concepts, exercise your happiness muscles in this show. And please support us at www.minfulnessplus.org.

I'm so happy to introduce Dr. Lynn Bauman to the Mindfulness+ community. Lynn is a renowned scholar and seasoned spiritual practitioner in his own right. In our conversation, I ask him about his conversion experience to Wisdom when he was young as well as some of his feelings about the Gospel of Thomas, for which he is widely known as a preeminent translator. Get his book here.

A longer, more luxurious meditation this month for all you Mindfulness Plussers. What happens when we don't assume that life is one problem after another to be solved? What do we become aware of when there's nothing to complain about, no problem to be found? Find out in this episode. And please support this nonprofit podcast by donating at mindfulnessplus.org!

When we get something for free, no matter how valuable it is, we tend to value it less. When, on the other hand, we receive a gift deeply and offer something back in return, we relate to the gift in a whole new way. You're invited to explore your relationship to the Dharma in this episode, and to donate to Mindfulness+ to support our future programming! Visit mindfulnessplus.org.