Pretty Good Meditation

One kind of meditation that has been show to be effective for reducing stress is a form of mindfulness meditation called body scan meditation, in which the practitioner focuses their attention on the various parts of their body. Body scan meditation is one of the techniques that the Buddha taught and it continues to be taught in many different present-day settings. Body scan meditation — which can be performed sitting, lying down, or in other positions — is frequently used in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs.

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Mental noting is a meditation technique in which we label experiences as they arise, often just using a single word to describe the experience in the current moment, such as "fear," "excitement," "joy," "feeling," or "thinking." The process of mental noting can help keep us grounded in the present moment and allow us to accept whatever is happening.

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In this meditation we bring attention to the points of contact with the body. We explore sensations, such as the feet touching the floor, hands on the lap, and clothing on the skin. These simple bodily sensations can help us to stay grounded in the present moment.

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This meditation includes a centering exercise, some simple breathing exercises (pranayama), and other practices to help promote relaxation.

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Stanley Kubrick once said, "However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light." Given the current state of the world, it can feel like there is a lot of darkness. In this meditation you share your light with the world, visualizing the light emanating from your heart, shining out into the world.

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Thoughts are part of the human experience, whether we are working out a plan or sitting in meditation. Meditation is not a place to escape from thinking or push away thoughts. Rather, it's a place to allow thoughts to settle. In this meditation, we notice the thoughts and practice remaining unattached to them.

The benefits of gratitude meditation include reduced stress, better sleep, and increased happiness. Gratitude is a skill that can be practiced like any other skill. Sometimes we just need some reminders for all of the reasons to feel grateful. In this meditation we reflect on some reasons to be grateful, including the gift of life, our senses, the people we know and do not know, nature, physical items, and more.

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When we practice metta meditation, also known as Loving-kindness meditation, send positive emotions to others as well as to ourselves. In this brief practice, we will purposefully and mindfully offer loving-kindness to ourselves and others. There is nothing magical about this practice.

Yoga nidra is an ancient technique, as old as any yoga, in which the body relaxes completely. It's used by healthcare workers, yoga therapists, the military, and others to help people with a variety of conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder. In this practice, we scan and relax the entire body.

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The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes and the background music is "Organic Meditations One" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), both under CC BY 3.0.

Every moment is important, and we can practice giving importance to whatever comes up in the mind. It doesn't matter how ugly or unpleasant the thought, we can always end up with beauty. In this meditation, we smile to everything, to life in all forms, and bring a caring attitude to whatever arises.

To leave a comment about this episode, visit matthewtift.com/prettygood/39. The theme music is "Maxixe" performed by Edson Lopes under CC BY 3.0.