Meditation Matters

William Edgar Stafford was a poet from Hutchinson, Kansas. Some of his most poignant poems are about the simple beauty of nature and appreciating the moment. Today we'll reflect on his poem "Ask Me". 

It's been said that what we focus on expands and grows. Thus when we focus on the goodness in our lives, we actually create more of it.  Today's podcast will focus on prayer through gratitude. 

You are completing deserving of peace, now and always. From time to time, your mind may begin to wander to a memory of fear. That's part of being human. Today's meditation will focus on welcoming peace with our breath. 

Joy is a state of being you can choose. Joy is infinite and part of who we really are. Sometimes we simply need to reawaken the joy that exists naturally within us.  Today's meditation will focus on the joy within. 

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a mindfulness training program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979. It is supported by a wide body of research showing that is effective in treating stress, chronic pain, anxiety, and even depression. One component of the program is called the body scan, in which we bring awareness to various parts of our body. Today's podcast will focus on the body scan compone...

Welcoming inner peace begins with choice. Our emotions are our emotions. In the words of the American nun Pema Chödrön "Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions." Today's meditation will focus on welcoming inner peace.

Mindfulness is simply expanding your awareness of your own actions, thoughts and feelings. It is the practice of non-judgmental serving. It allows us to liberate ourselves from the extremes of thinking too much and thinking too little. Today's podcast will focus on choosing mindfulness.

Especially in times of uncertainty or difficulty, it's important to remember that we all deserve happiness. True happiness is not dependent on what is happening around us, but is within us and always available. Today's podcast will focus on choosing happiness.

Thich Nhat Hanh once said "Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor." Today's podcast will focus on conscious breathing.

When love is the foundation of your life, there are no limits or problems that cannot be solve. Today's meditation will focus on the healing power of love.

Margaret Atwood is known for her book series The Handmaid's Tale and is regarded as one of Canada's finest writers. She is also an accomplished poet and activist.  Today's meditation will focus on poetry from Margaret Atwood.

We all feel anger from time to time, both in our personal lives and as we bear witness to injustice around the world. Anger is natural, and if properly directed can lead to positive emotions and actions.  Today's podcast will focus on releasing anger.

What is humility exactly? It's not the observation of ourselves as small, but rather viewing ourselves as part of something larger.  Today's podcast will focus on finding greatness through humility.

Bobby McFerrin once sang "In every life we have some trouble. But when you worry, you make it double." Today's podcast will focus on living a stress-free life. 

Today's podcast will focus on meditation to achieve complete relaxation.

Wendell Berry's poetry celebrates the sacredness of life and everyday miracles.  Today's meditation will feature a few of Berry's poems, including "The Peace of Wild Things." 

Today's meditation will focus on sending wishes of wellbeing to others.

Today's podcast will focus on expanding our connection with the entire universe.

George Barnard Shaw once said "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." Deciding to bring more playfulness into our lives is a decision to stay young in mind, body, and spirit. Today's podcast will focus on being lighthearted and childlike. 

There is nothing planned for today's podcast, so instead we'll focus on the act of breathing. Sometimes the greatest gift we can give to ourselves is the gift of mindful breathing. 

Sometimes people judge and say "Don't just sit there, do something." But occasionally it's nice to do the opposite. Today's podcast will focus on simply sitting.

Henry David Thoreau once said that our health requires relaxation and aimlessness. Today's meditation will focus on letting our breath be our masseuse.

It's been said that spirituality is the bravest journey. Today's meditation will focus on strengthening our connection with the divine and fearlessly peering into the mysteries of life. 

Inner peace is always there. It is not necessarily the solution, but it is a way to the solution. Today's podcast will focus on welcoming inner peace.

It seems like stress can be a familiar friend, always with us. But stress is not a mandatory part of life. Today's podcast will focus on enhancing our wellbeing by letting go of stress and releasing worry.