Welcoming a Mindful Future

One of the most important wisdom truths is that the only constant in life is change. We have all experienced chapters of uncertainty in our lives. How can we navigate these times of fear and confusion? I believe we can learn patience and acceptance as well as the compassion that comes from knowing we’ve made it through each time. Meditation is a tool that helps to navigate uncertainty by showing u...

Most meditation traditions use the breath as a concentration anchor. Counting breaths, following the breath through its entire cycle, and being aware of the sensation of the breath going in and out of the body. The breath is used as a focus anchor in most meditation practices because it is ubiquitous. Additional focus anchors would be sound, sensations, body scanning, and eventually, open awarenes...

Sometimes life can be boring, right? Boredom is a feeling we get when we wish things were different – more exciting or engaging – or as children say, more “fun”. Essentially, when we’re bored we have the desire for life to be different than it is right now. Buddhism calls this “grasping” and “clinging” and is said to be caused by thoughts (ideas) of how our mind wants things to be.  In meditation...

“Awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence. Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses. Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.” – John O’Donohue, poet Have you ever just stopped what you were doing and listened? Deeply listened to the sounds and silence around you? Seems like an oxymoron to be encouraging silence and list...

Where we place our mind’s attention is where our character and habits of thought will gravitate, much like a rut in the road that grabs us. This is part of the concept of “neuroplasticity” which means that our brains are malleable (adults and youth) and we can change how we think and act throughout our lives with intention, purpose, and practice. One of my favorite meditation practices is Tonglen...

Practicing gratitude is an extremely important skill because it brings joy and appreciation to our lives through the power of the heart. It is mental health and a daily attitude that helps connect us with that which brings joy. Mindful eating is a practice for welcoming gratitude and connecting to our food. Families can model being grateful before eating a meal by invoking thankfulness to all who...

How do you deal with stress and anxiety in your life? Do you listen to music, do art, exercise, something else? All of those activities help distract our mind at the moment for sure. They also require that you stop what you’re doing and devote some quality time to the activity which may only work while you’re actually doing it. Meditation is a practice that you can do anywhere, anytime, and doesn’...

Loving-kindness, also known as Metta, is a meditation in which we send kind thoughts to ourselves and others. It is a generous practice that anyone can do, no matter the age and level of emotional intelligence.  In this episode, Anne-Marie Emanuelli, Creative Director and Founder of Mindful Frontiers LLC, explains the benefits of Metta or Loving-Kindness meditation. Then, she leads us in a practic...

Meditating in nature is a satisfying activity that anyone can do, no matter their age or mobility. Many people enjoy sitting under a tree or by a stream, lying on their back in a meadow or just sitting on the porch on a hot summer day. Communing with nature can be a rewarding experience, especially if we can feel gratitude and pay close attention to what is around us, appreciating the incredible c...

Mindfulness can be brought into our daily activities so that anything we do becomes a kind of meditation. Doing the dishes, cleaning the house, driving the car, drinking coffee or tea, and walking with a pet can all be done mindfully. The key to mindfulness is to pay attention to one thing at a time and really enjoy what we are doing.  When we engage in an activity mindfully we slow down and REALL...

“Walking the Labyrinth quiets the mind, opens the heart and grounds the body ... Some find answers to questions long asked, some find healing, creativity, a sense of wholeness ... ” (Veriditas.org)  Labyrinths are one of the most mysterious symbols known to mankind.  This unique symbol is a geometric shape that does not occur naturally and yet feels very much at home in the landscape. Labyrinths h...

In this podcast episode, Anne-Marie Emanuelli, director and founder of Mindful Frontiers LLC, briefly explains the history of Tonglen and guides a short compassion practice to generate kindness towards ourselves and others. It is appropriate for families, individuals, and groups.   One of my favorite meditation practices is Tonglen and a well-known teacher of this practice is Pema Chödrö...

The change of seasons is a lesson on impermanence, grasping, and aversion. I’m a green-season person even though I have an autumn birthday and am grateful to live in a region where there is sunshine all year. In this conundrum, mindfulness helps me practice with emotions, thoughts, and sensations conjured up by the change of seasons. I notice the grasping and aversion felt in my body as churning i...

Meditation practitioners and teachers know that mindfulness is all about present-moment awareness. I have been teaching mindfulness to students since 2016 to calm behaviors, transition from one activity to another and to be more aware of the body in space and thoughts in the mind. Since I have been guiding and practicing meditation with adults and children, most self-report that they feel more in...

In this episode, Anne-Marie Emanuelli, creative director at Mindful Frontiers explains how to bring equanimity into times of transition. It is said that the one thing constant in life is change. Transitions are sometimes difficult and we grow in many ways as we experience times of change. Everything changes, from the seasons, our health, our thoughts, our bodies, to our perspectives on life. The w...

Meditating in nature is a satisfying activity. Many enjoy sitting under a tree or by a stream, lying on our back in a meadow or just sitting on a bench in the backyard. Communing with nature can be a rewarding experience, especially if we are showing gratitude and paying close attention to what is around us. In the book, Awake in the Wild , author Mark Coleman writes, “Nature has the power to tran...

Meditating in nature is a satisfying activity. Many enjoy sitting under a tree or by a stream, lying on our back in a meadow, or just sitting on a bench in the backyard. Communing with nature can be a rewarding experience, especially if we are showing gratitude and paying close attention to what is around us. Recently, I spent 4 days in a hermitage at Lama Foundation. This is something I’ve enjoye...

SEL and Mindfulness work well together to nurture healthy relationships. The areas in which mindfulness contributes directly to SEL are self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness. By cultivating an awareness of what is going on in the body and mind right now in the present moment and accepting this with gentleness and kindness, we understand and manage our emotions, thereby nurturing po...

Mindfulness can be brought into our daily activities so that anything we do becomes meditation. Doing the dishes, cleaning the house, driving the car, drinking coffee or tea and walking with a pet can all be done mindfully. In this episode, Anne-Marie Emanuelli shares a practice using the five senses that can be applied to any activity and one that families can do together. Are you ready to bring...

We all have busy schedules and some days are more hectic than others. Just getting out of the house to school can be a major challenge some days. In this month’s podcast, I talk with the Oberczynski family. This conversation is an honest look at how they are trying to bring balance and relaxation into their family routine. Sarah & Sam believe in mindfulness and their energetic children, Zia &a...

Body scans are a fun way to practice mindful meditation when relaxation is desired. How about doing this one with the whole family!   Anne-Marie Emanuelli, Founder and Creative Director at Mindful Frontiers, leads a body scan meditation intended for children 7 to 12 years old. The body scan is a type of meditation where we take a trip through our body using mindfulness and the breath. The pur...

Let's do a body scan using mindfulness! It's like a scavenger hunt through the body, sensing any sensations that come up and then letting them go as we move to the next body part. Body scans are great for getting ready for the day, taking a break, or at bedtime.  Anne-Marie Emanuelli, Founder and Creative Director of Mindful Frontiers, leads this child-centered meditation to introduce the pra...

As we get ready to start a new year, many people will resolve to make changes in their life. Most New Year’s resolutions start with honest determination and end within a few weeks or months with lassitude. In this podcast episode, you will learn some basic ways to bring mindfulness and meditation into your family’s daily routine and make it stick. It isn’t difficult and like any change, it takes w...