Audio Mindfulness Practice: Practicing Gratitude

Original airdate: October 13, 2021 Guide: Caryl Opening Song: Unstruck Chord by Steve Gold Featured practice: Studies show that practicing gratitude for even a short amount of time increases well-being. Gratitude as an intervention for mental health, relational health, and even physical health. Gratitude is an amazing technology in health that brings along with it […]

Boost your productivity with sound: a playlist for calm and focus

Productivity is a hot buzz word in the world today. But how can one actually increase their output? One survey found that sound is key when it comes to productivity. According to a 2021 Spotify survey,” 87% of people believe productivity touches every aspect of their lives, from work and creative pursuits to managing a […]

Appreciative Joy

  Original airdate: October 6, 2021 Guide: Linda Opening Song: Too High by Moon Taxi featuring Jake Shimabukuro Featured practice: The focus of this practice is appreciating the joy and happiness in our lives through paying mindful attention to a moment of joy. When we are able to recognize our moments of joy and happiness […]

The Practice of Ujjayi Breath

Leads to guided audio meditation

Guide: Caryl Opening song: This Little Light of Mine by Odetta Featured practice/excerpt: Learn and practice the Ujjayi, or oceanic, breath for relaxation and energy. Ujjayi (pronounced oo-jai) breathing gives us the ability to focus our attention through the breath. It translates as  the “victorious breath.” A note about this breath, it can relax us […]

5 Things Mindful Teachers Do Differently

5 Things Mindful Teachers Do Differently   Mindful teachers can be found in many classrooms and in many schools around the world. And even though mindfulness has become a very popular and trendy practice from superstars to professional athletes, some of these teachers don’t even know that they are being mindful.    That’s the magic […]

Let Us Slow Down

Guide: Caryl Featured song: Take It Slow, Ayla Nereo Featured practice: Let us slow down. Bayo Akomolafe says, “The times are urgent, let us slow down.” Let us slow down. Often the demand of urgency requires rapid, habitual responses that create tension and stress. There is an unwritten contract in urgency that says get it […]

Mindfulness in the Youth Garden

I was up unusually early this sunny Saturday morning, having invited myself on a field trip with my daughter, who was meeting my sister for a garden tour. There was a time years ago when I was always up and out of the house early on Saturday mornings. My husband was traveling weekly back and […]

How To Beat The Sunday Night Scaries

Does this ever happen to you?    It is Sunday. You’ve had a great weekend so far. Maybe you spent some time with family or you got outside in your garden or went on a hike. You are feeling relaxed and connected. Then it happens. (cue the theme from Jaws). The Sunday Scaries.    Sunday […]

Letting Go of Fixing

Guided audio practice from the 8/18/21 Connect In virtual community mindfulness practice.  Guide: Linda Snyder Opening song: Epiphany by Riopy Featured practice: It is in our nature to fix things, to problem solve. On days where we may have a problem, practicing mindful meditation may be challenging. Our minds’ natural tendency to wander and problem […]

14 Ways to Take Your Mindfulness Practice Outside

Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. -Mary Oliver, poet   The beloved Mary Oliver wrote volumes of poems and prose that reflect her intentional and mindful engagement with the living earth. In her poem, Sometimes, she leaves us these instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell […]