Happy Mind: Meditations from the Ancient World to Modernity

The ancient master Plotinus (204-270 CE) was one of the great philosophers and mystics of antiquity. Profoundly influenced by earlier masters like Plato and Aristotle, he directly or indirectly had an enormous impact on writers for centuries to come such as Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, and the great Ibn 'Arabi. He regarded human's true nature as being something wholly different than the one comp...

The ancient master Plotinus (204-270 CE) looms large among the mystics of antiquity. Earlier masters like Plato and Aristotle informed his thinking but Plotinus took it in a more spiritual direction, thereby influencing later giants such as Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, and the great Ibn 'Arabi. He regarded human's true nature as being fundamentally different than the physical stuff that most of...

The ancient mystic Plotinus (204-270 CE) regarded human's true nature as being fundamentally different than the physical stuff that most of us associate with our selves. Instead, he advocated for a conception of a self having nothing to do with our physical forms and mental fabrications. Through spiritual transcendence he believed we could regain contact with the perfect within ourselves. To expla...

In this guided meditation you will take advantage of the Neoplatonic mystic Plotinus' (205-270 CE) ancient methods of understanding your true self. One of the last great philosophers of the Roman world, his influence on philosophy and mysticism throughout the centuries since his time is immeasurable. We will be using his metaphorical mirror as the inspiration for this short 10 minute version of th...

In St. Augustine's words: "And being thence warned to return to myself, I entered into my inward self, .... And I entered, and with the eye of my soul (such as it was) saw above the same eye of my soul, above my mind, the Unchangeable Light. Not this common light, which all flesh may look upon, nor, as it were, a greater one of the same kind, as though the brightness of this sh...

That there is a greater infinitude which we might call light or love, and that we are a small part of this light or love is one of the core messages from the great masters. But how do we touch that? How do we bring a consciousness of who we really are to the fore? And can we touch this truth, experiencing it directly ourselves, if we don't believe in "God"? Medieval Masters like Hafez and Augustin...

The importance of love and light as the essential element of our being is one of the core messages from the great masters. But how do we touch that? How do we bring a consciousness of who we really are to the fore? And can we touch this truth, experiencing it directly ourselves, if we don't believe in "God"? Medieval Masters like Hafez and Augustine shared a way of accessing these truths that the...

That there is a greater infinitude that we are a small part of is one of the core messages from the great masters. But how to we touch that? How do we bring a consciousness of who we really are to the fore? And can we touch this truth, experiencing it directly ourselves, if we don't believe in "God"? Medieval Masters like Hafez and Augustine shared a way of accessing these truths and their words a...

The great masters of old taught that you are not who you think you are. You are not our mind or your thoughts or your body nor any combination of those things. Whether you agree with that statement or not, for the purposes of this exercise, I want you to assume they are right for a few moments. This body of yours is not the whole picture. There is a greater infinitude that you are a small part of....

This 60 minute version of the Peace, Harmony, Unity, Oneness guided meditation stands on its own but should you care to, you can take it to the next level by using as a Chakra meditation. There are seven (or eight, depending on the system) centers or wheels that anchor your so-called "energetic" body. The three lower wheels of energy, or Chakras, align with the base of your spine, your belly butto...

There are seven (or eight, depending on the system) centers or wheels that anchor your so-called "energetic" body. The three lower wheels of energy, or Chakras, align with the base of your spine, your belly button (roughly) and your solar plexus, respectively. Your fourth Chakra is pivot or bridge to your higher self. This higher self can be separated out, like the lower self, into three energy ce...

You have a lower self and a higher self. This can best be sensed by opening your consciousness to your energetic body. There are seven (or eight, depending on the system) centers or wheels that anchor your energetic body. The three lower wheels of energy, or Chakras, align with the base of your spine, your belly button (roughly) and your solar plexus. Your fourth Chakra is a kind of pivot or bridg...

The Chakras aren't mentioned explicitly in this guided meditation but you can use this 20 minute version of the Peace, Harmony, Unity, Oneness guided meditation to activate your 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Chakras. In parallel with you physical body it is said that you have an energetic body as well. There are seven (or eight, depending on the system) centers or wheels that anchor your energetic body....

In parallel with you physical body it is said that you have an energetic body as well. There are seven (or eight, depending on the system) centers or wheels that anchor your energetic body. These wheels of energy, or Chakras, align with a location within your physical body and have a corresponding sensibility. The Chakras aren't mentioned explicitly in this podcast but in this 10 minute version of...

The senses and the thoughts that arise in your consciousness are so distracting that it is easy to forget that we are neither our senses nor our body nor our thoughts. Who we really are is something completely different. But just because you have forgotten your true nature is fundamentally grounded in love doesn't mean it isn't there. You can connect with the flow and foreverness of unity and onen...

There are so many distractions flooding in through our senses and thoughts manifesting in our consciousness that it is easy to forget who we really are. But just because we have forgotten our true nature is fundamentally grounded in love doesn't mean it isn't there. You can connect with the flow and foreverness of unity and oneness. Experience the stillness of peace. Deconstruct the artificial bou...

With the distractions of the physical world flooding in through our senses and occupying the default mode of our ruminating brain it is easy to lose touch with who we really are. But just because we have forgotten our true nature doesn't mean it isn't there or isn't reachable. You can connect with the flow and foreverness of unity and oneness. Experience the stillness of peace. Deconstruct the art...

Deconstruct the artificial boundaries you have erected between you and the universe. Connect with the flow and foreverness of unity and oneness. Experience the stillness of peace. And harmonize with love. All in this 20 minute version of the Oneness guided meditation. For those who like to work with chakra energies, the oneness sensibility aligns with the 7th Chakra (also called the Sahasrara...

Peace, harmony, unity, and oneness. This is your true nature. Use this 10 minute version of the Oneness guided meditation to reconnect to this ground truth. For those who like to work with chakra energies, the oneness sensibility aligns with the 7th Chakra (also called the Sahasrara or crown chakra) so you can concentrate on that part of your energetic and physical body as the meditation unfo...

This 30 minute version of the Unity Guided Meditation is designed to give you a preview of what coming to know the truth of your fundamental nature is like. The path towards enlightenment or self-mastery is said to entail a deeper and more intimate understanding of your true nature. The mystics and saints of old have explained that with enough practice we come to realize that there is a fundamenta...

The path towards enlightenment or self-mastery is accompanied by a growing awareness and understanding of the self and the nature of love and peace. The mystics and saints of old have explained that with enough practice we come to realize that there is a unity or union between our being and Love itself. This 20 minute version of the Unity Guided Meditation is designed to give you a preview of what...

As we make progress in the stages towards enlightenment or self-mastery, there comes a growing awareness and understanding of the nature of our self and its relationship with the sensibilities of love and peace. The great masters and mystics of old have explained that, in fact, with enough work we come to realize that there is a unity or union between our very selves and Love itself. This is a 10...

Through the practice of meditation we progress towards a profound understanding about the truth of existence and the nature of ourselves. At the advanced stages, we come to recognize that there is a higher power called loved that we can harmonize our entire being with. It is often a subtle process and takes a great deal of time and attention. But this is an investment worth making. This is hour lo...

Love fills the universe, at least in one way of explaining an unexplainable truth. You can use this meditation to connect and harmonize with this field of infinite love. This is a 45 minute version of the Harmony Guided Meditation. For those who like to work with chakra energies, the harmony sensibility aligns with the 5th Chakra (also called the Vishuddha, or Vishuddhi, or throat chakra) so you c...

Love is the central wellspring and logic and power. This is the central insight of every great master. Take advantage of this extraordinary truth to calm your mind and heal your body and relationships. Simply by connecting with and harmonizing with this field of infinite love. This is a 30 minute version of the Harmony Guided Meditation. For those who like to work with chakra energies, the harmony...