12 Minute Meditation

Even if they aren't particularly into making resolutions, for many people the New Year still feels like a fresh start: a time for taking stock, for reviewing what's passed, for turning the page on one chapter and starting another.  In today's meditation, teacher Frank Ostaseski asks: How do you meet endings? We can learn a lot about how we face the new by looking at how we let go of the old, and here Ostaseski offers a practice to surrender with curiosity and gratitude.  Frank Ostaseski is a meditation teacher who cofounded the Zen Hospice Project. In 2004, he went on to create the Metta Institute to provide innovative educational programs and professional training to foster compassionate, mindfulness-based care. The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter:  mindful.org/signup Show Notes Find more from Frank Ostaseski here. Go Deeper  If you're facing a big change, even if it's completely unrelated to the New Year, mindfulness can help support your well-being as you consider options, make choices, and step into a new season. Check out these articles for more information: Embracing Change: What Nanalan' Teaches Us About Saying Goodbye  Goodbye, Things: Find Peace of Mind By Letting Go of Your Stuff  Mindfulness for Grief and Loss  Finding Your Way Forward When the Path Is Not Clear  And to experience another approach to intention-setting, try A 12-Minute Meditation to Find Stability Amid Change. And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

If you've grown weary of traditional resolutions, but you still carry a glimmer of hope that positive change is possible for us imperfect humans—then you'll love mindful intention-setting.  In this practice from his mini-course, mindful leadership trainer Rich Fernandez shows us how to vividly envision the "imagine if" possibilities. When we tap into meaning, passion, and a felt sense of welcoming what we long for, it's easier to get clear on the purpose behind our pursuits.  Rich Fernandez is the former CEO of Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI). He was previously the director of executive education and people development at Google, where he was also one of the first SIY teachers. Rich previously co-founded Wisdom Labs and has also served in senior roles at eBay, J.P. Morgan Chase and Bank of America. The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter:  mindful.org/signup Show Notes Find more from Rich Fernandez here. Go Deeper There are subtle but crucial differences between making traditional New Year's resolutions and setting intentions for the future—because in mindfulness, everything is anchored in self-acceptance and self-love, rather than a quest for endless self-improvement. To learn more and start practicing a gentler, more sustainable way to change and growth, check out these articles on Mindful.org: Why Do Resolutions Fail? 5 Ways to Invite Positive and Lasting Change  Three Ways to Refresh and Renew—No Resolutions Needed  3 Science-Backed Strategies to Build Healthy Habits in the New Year  The Power of Sustainable Self-Care  The Power and Pleasure of Intention: How to Turn Your Dreams into Daily Reality  You can access all modules of Rich's mini-course on Mindful.org here. And to experience another approach to intention-setting, try A Guided Meditation to Set Your Intentions for the New Year  And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].  

The holiday season can be a time full of commitments, planning, and (pleasant or unpleasant) anticipation.  This extended guided practice with Dr. Christiane Wolf offers a quiet respite that can help you identify what you need, move to care for yourself, and navigate stress that may arise.   Christiane Wolf, MD, PhD is a former physician, internationally known mindfulness and Insight (Vipassana) meditation teacher. She is passionate about translating ancient wisdom teachings into accessible and applicable modern-day language. She is the author of Outsmart Your Pain – Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind and the co-author of the classic training manual for mindfulness teachers, A Clinician's Guide To Teaching Mindfulness. Christiane is the lead-consultant and teacher trainer for the VA's (US Department of Veteran Affairs) National Mindfulness Facilitator Training and a senior teacher at InsightLA. She is the mom of three amazing humans and can usually be found in the Los Angeles area training for ultramarathons and triathlons. The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter:  mindful.org/signup Show Notes Find more from Christiane Wolf here. Go Deeper If the Holidays aren't always merry and bright for you, please know you're not alone. For support, check out these articles on Mindful.org: Curb Your Inner Critic Over the Holidays with Self-Compassion  When Grief Hits During the Holidays  3 Ways to Find Calm in the Holiday Rush  5 Practical Ways to Reduce Holiday Stress  Self-Care Is an Act of Resistance  And for more practices to help you find calm in the chaos, check out: 3 Guided Meditations to Help You Find Balance This Holiday Season  And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

Savoring is a practice of intentionally slowing way down and paying attention to what's right in front of us—whether that's a conversation, an unexpected moment of connection, or a favorite dessert.    Savoring is also a natural way to balance the frenetic pace of the Holiday season. In this meditation, Elaine Smookler shows us how to pause and tune into our senses as a way to notice and appreciate what's happening in and around us.  Elaine Smookler has been a mindful practitioner for over 20 years and is a mindfulness teacher and registered psychotherapist to individuals and corporate clients.  The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter:  mindful.org/signup Show Notes Find more from Elaine Smookler here. Go Deeper Savoring is a quality that we can nurture in our whole lives. It makes good moments sweeter, and it helps us through seasons that feel strained or uncertain. For more on how to take time to appreciate each moment more, check out these articles on Mindful.org: Why the Key to Savoring the Moment is Doing Less   Four Ways to Savor the Dance of Cooking  Get Real with Everything: A Savoring Practice  The Key to Overall Well-Being? Savoring  And for another way to practice what it feels like to savor, try this walking meditation: A Guided Walking Meditation to Savor the Day  And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].

Sometimes seasons of intense suffering show up in our lives—no warning, no easy answers.  This week, mindfulness teacher Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely shares a tender meditation for those in the middle of pain. Based on her own experience with an extended episode of chronic back pain, she offers a moment of reprieve and caring attention to release tension and open to the possibility of joy.  Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely is a California-French educator, writer and mindfulness advocate. As the founder of "Big Belly Breathing," including a podcast and YouTube channel, she offers mindfulness joy resources in English and French for kids and adults alike. Vanessa writes regularly, recently authored the Joy Burst journal, and teaches yoga throughout The City, bringing her passion for well-being to diverse communities. Feel free to connect with her for inquiries or discussions; she's eager to engage with fellow health enthusiasts and life lovers. Find her at www.bigbellybreathing.com. The transcription of this guided meditation will be online at Mindful.org next week.  Stay curious, stay inspired. Join our community by signing up for our free newsletter:  mindful.org/signup Show Notes Find more from Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely here. Go Deeper For additional resources on finding moments of calm in the midst of suffering, check out these articles on Mindful.org: Let Your Pain Be a River: Vidyamala Burch on Living and Teaching With Chronic Pain Where To Start When There Is So Much Suffering  Breaking Generational Patterns of Suffering  Study: Mindfulness reduces suffering associated with pain How Mindfulness Provides Relief from Chronic Pain  And for another meditation you can use when pain flares, try this practice: Filling the Body With Light: 12 Minute Meditation  And more from Mindful here: More episodes of 12 Minute Meditation Let us know what you thought of this episode of 12 Minute Meditation by leaving a review or by emailing [email protected].