Calm is one of the most popular meditation and mindfulness apps available for iOS and Android, and its simple to use. You can get a feel for the type of exercises it offers by visiting http://www.calm.com, clicking Get started and trying one of the sample breathing exercises.

You can use Calms premium features free for seven days, after which it costs $69.99/28.99 (about AU$110) a year, billed annually. Alternatively, you can pay $399 (about 320/AU$630) once for lifetime access. Thats a serious outlay, but if it proves to be a real game-changer for you, you might want to support its developer with a big cash contribution.

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Unlocking Calm gives you access to an original Calm (a type of mindfulness exercise) every day, hundreds of hours of guided meditation, music tracks to help you relax and sleep better (with more added weekly), a library of Sleep Stories (narrated tales to help you nod off), masterclasses taught by experts, and lessons on stretching and gentle exercise.

All of the apps content is developed in collaboration with academic researchers and clinician, and the companys director is an associate professor at Arizona State University in the College of Health Solutions, Exercise and Wellness program.

Calm wont be for everyone, but its well worth taking the seven-day free trial for a spin to see if it helps you feel better in these difficult times.

Start by installing Calm from the App Store or Google Play. There are several lookalike apps, but you want the one developed by Calm.com.

Before you can use Calm, youll be prompted to read and agree to the apps privacy policy. This covers any information you enter into the app when you register for an account, make an in-app purchase, complete a survey form or interact with the developer via social media.

It also allows the developer to receive information on how you use the app, and any third-party apps (such as app stores and calendars) you use in conjunction with Calm.

Its all fairly standard, but take a moment to read through and make sure you agree before proceeding.

Youll now be asked whats prompted you to install Calm (reducing stress or anxiety, building self-esteem, sleeping better or something else). Completing it will allow the app to make better recommendations for exercises that will help you achieve your goals. Select all those that apply to you, then tap Continue.

Youll now be prompted to register for an account using an email address, or sign in using Facebook. This step is optional during the seven-day trial, and can be dismissed by tapping the cross icon at the top left, but youll need an account if you decide to upgrade to the paid-for app later. Creating an account will also allow you to save your progress, whereas skipping this step means youll start from scratch every time. If you opt to sign up with an email address, youll also need to enter your first name and a password.

Youll then be prompted to subscribe, but you wont be charged for the first seven days, or at all if you cancel within that period. Its a good idea to mark the trial expiry date in your calendar so you can weight up the pros and cons before the deadline.

The app will now ask a few more questions to tailor your experience, including whether youre interested in meditation (its a major part of the app, and well worth considering). If you fancy trying it, youll be asked when youd like to try it (consistency is important) and how much experience you have (though you dont need any to get started). You can skip this step by tapping the cross icon at the top left.

Youll now receive some recommendations based on your answers. These might include a beginners guide on how to meditate, an introductory guide to calming anxiety, or a toolkit for managing stress.

Programs are divided up by days (most are seven days long, so you can try a full one during your free trial) and teach your practical tips that will help you stay calm, manage your stress levels and cope with difficult situations. Each program is written by experts and read aloud so you can listen without distractions. While listening, you can skip forwards or backwards 15 seconds, pause the playback, adjust the volume and add the course to your favorites. You can also share a course if you think it might help a friend or relative.

Scrolling down the homepage will reveal more recommendations, including the daily Calm mindfulness exercise, a selection of relaxing music, a set of two-minute lessons, mental fitness guides, sleep stories and guided meditations. Just pick whatever takes your fancy its up to you to decide what feels right today. During any exercise or music track, youll notice a download icon at the top right, which you can tap to save the current track or guide to your device. This is a particularly good idea if youre going to be flying somewhere (once travel restrictions are lifted) and find air travel stressful.

The apps wallpaper (a serene lake) can be changed by opening the apps settings (tap the More icon at the bottom right) and choosing Scenes. A night-time version of your chosen landscape will be shown after dark, helping you wind down and prepare for bed.

If youre feeling particularly anxious, tap More and choose Breathing exercise. Select how many minutes you want to spend calming yourself, then tap Start breathing. A bubble on screen will appear showing you when to breathe in and out, accompanied by audio cues.

The More menu also contains a link to Calm Body, where youll find a selection of quick stretches and simple yoga moves to help relieve tension, improve your posture and loosen tense muscles. Again, these are well worth a try if youre feeling especially tense, as well as at regular periods throughout the day (there are suggested morning and evening stretches).

Youll notice that some of these activities are available offline, which is again particularly helpful for flights and other occasions when youre away from home and feeling tense.

Another option in the More menu is Calm Kids. The Sleep Stories here are particularly good for helping children switch off at night, and taking their minds off the worries of the day.

It could also be a helpful way to add some variety if you're homeschooling, taking the place of an assembly where teachers would normally introduce a new concept like mindfuless or give a lesson on self-care.

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How to use Calm: meditation and mindfulness for tough times - TechRadar India

A meditation practice can help us learn how to be with these intense emotions and shift toward compassion or recognize moments of joy. Photograph: Aaron Amat/Alamy

As physical distancing measures continue, more people are turning to meditation, and Google searches for information are at an all-time high. It is a practice that has been used by many different cultures and in many different ways, but always to quiet the mind and make us less reactive.

In recent years, research on this ancient practice has shown that meditation may improve immune response, and also decrease stress and depression.

With everything that is happening in the world today, with everything that is out of our control, could meditation be the key to surviving quarantine?

When the first physical distancing measures were instated, my husband and I were already working from home. Now, on top of our jobs, we are also forced to manage our five-year-olds distance learning. This juggling act often feels impossible, a rigged game in which nobody wins. Sometimes, being around my family not being able to escape or to focus on one thing at a time makes me want to scream. At night, I cant fall asleep. My mind races.

When I get tired of chasing the thoughts in my head, I lie flat on my back, place my hands on my belly and follow my breath. I scan my body, systematically relaxing each part of me from my toes to my jaw. Finally, I sleep.

Were all feeling intense emotions right now, says Jessica Morey, a mindfulness meditation teacher. Were cycling through panic and fear and overwhelm and sadness. A meditation practice can help us learn how to be with these intense emotions and shift toward compassion or recognize moments of joy.

Theres a myth about meditation that if youre doing it right, you should feel bliss and calm and quiet in the mind, says the meditation instructor Jay Michaelson. Then, when you dont experience that, you think youre doing it wrong. Michaelson suggests starting out with just five minutes of meditation. If you can feel like 10% less of a wreck than when you started, he says, its totally worth it.

You can slowly increase your meditation time by three to five minutes at a time as you feel ready, as you would increase weights or reps as part of an exercise routine.

Anushka Fernandopulle, a Buddhist meditation teacher, recommends picking a time and the place where you can do meditation every day. It can be just a normal chair or a cushion, she says, but the regularity can help a lot with developing a habit.

Morey believes that finding a meditation buddy or a sitting group anyone who could provide an extra measure of accountability could also aid in developing a regular practice. Its the reason why smartphone apps such as Headspace, Calm and Ten Percent Happier, which provide guided meditations and ongoing challenges, are so popular.

Body-based meditations can be particularly grounding, and Fernandopulle shares a seated meditation that allows you to focus on just that.

Meditators should sit in a quiet, stable position, relaxing and bringing their attention to the sensations of the body sitting and breathing. If you remain focused on whats going on in the body, it becomes easier to let thoughts and sounds come and go like so much background noise. And if you find yourself getting lost in thought, just gently bring your attention back to the body and the breath.

Another common meditation and one that can be particularly resonant at a time like this is the Buddhist practice of loving-kindness meditation.

In this case, after settling into your seat, you silently repeat to yourself phrases of goodwill for yourself and for others: May I be well. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease. After repeating those phrases to yourself several times, you can begin to wish others well, starting with your friends and family, moving outward to everyone in your neighborhood, and finally sending loving-kindness out into the entire world.

If you dont feel ready for seated meditation, Fernandopulle says you can practice mindfulness by focusing on your body as you engage in a simple physical task like washing dishes or walking.

Try to keep attention anchored in the body or hands during the task, she says. Notice if your attention goes to daydreaming, worrying or planning. Gently bring the attention back and connect again with the physical activity.

These forms of meditation, which allow us to focus on something simple like the body or the breath, or even a repetitive thought, are accessible to even the most beginner meditator. But as with exercise, if you dont find a form of meditation you connect with, you probably wont maintain your practice.

Many of the smartphone apps have introductory programs as well as higher-level meditation courses you can work your way through.

Similarly, there are some meditation luminaries who offer ongoing courses you can take via daily email, such as Tara Brach and Jack Kornfields 40-day Mindfulness Daily course.

Eventually, you may want to dig deeper in order to find the technique that works best for you. The turning point for me was reading davidjis Secrets of Meditation. His book delves into what he described as the many paths to oneness, and contained chapters on the various types of meditation from bodymind meditation to chanting meditation and the various forms each of those types could take. His website acts as a living reference manual and also contains opportunities to take online courses and teacher trainings.

Sites like Audio Dharma, an archive of Dharma talks given at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California, contain a treasure trove of information on Buddhist teachings and meditation techniques. And Mindful provides also provides guided meditations and courses.

And of course, during this time, many brands and meditation teachers are making their teachings more accessible, with free access to their apps, or with virtual meditation sessions. Fernandopulle herself is doing guided meditations on Instagram Live every week.

Just remember: meditation wont be a cure-all for everything youre feeling right now. But what it can give you is a sense of control, and the ability to react to whatever life throws at you with greater equanimity.

Read more:

How to meditate when it feels like everything is out of control - The Guardian

Many meditation apps are free to download, but then cost a monthly or annual subscription to actually use. Insight Timer is one of a handful that are actually free, offering some 30,000 guided meditations though there is a Members Plus option, should you so choose. Select from meditations for managing stress, falling asleep, coping with anxiety, or even meditation for kids a bonus now that they may be antsy at home.

Specific meditations include Mindfulness For Releasing Anxiety, Let Go of Fear, Worries and Anxieties, Mountain Meditation, or just simply rain and thunder sounds for a good nights sleep.

SIMPLE HABIT

Named a 2019 Apple App Store App of the Day and 2018 Google award winner, Simple Habit now offers coronavirus-specific meditations among their 2,000 or so guided meditations. Those include Overcome Your Fear of Sickness, Find Peace in Any Moment and Feel Calm During Crisis.

If youve been hurt financially by COVID-19, you might be able to get a free premium subscription. According to their blog post, through the end of April, theyll offer free premium memberships to those financially impacted by this difficult time. E-mail help@simplehabit.com.

Free to download app; $12/month or $96/year.

HEADSPACE

An Apple Editors Choice (they note how the Apple Watch app lets you hit a literal panic button) this popular meditation app is now offering COVID-specific anxiety relief among their many options.

In "this time of crisis, were offering some meditations you can listen to anytime. These are part of a larger collection in the Headspace app free for everyone called Weathering the Storm. It includes meditations, sleep, and movement exercises, according to their website.

Theyre also offering free access to Headspace Plus for US healthcare professionals, guided workplace meditations for employers and employees, and help for teachers.

Check site for details. Free to download, free trial. $13 a month, $70 a year.

CALM

If Nick Offerman reading you a bedtime story sounds like a dream, look no further. This acclaimed app bills itself as the worlds happiest app and offers masterclasses taught by field experts, basic meditations, gentle body stretches, calming music, and more.

Calm is now live-streaming a 10-minute meditation Monday through Friday on its Facebook and Youtube pages, according to the website. Theyve also curated a COVID-19 free resource page. Perks include Matthew McConaughey reading a Sleep Story, and a masterclass with Eat Pray Love author Elizabeth Gilbert.

Free to download; $70 a year, with a 7-day free trial.

Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her at @laurendaley1.

Lauren Daley can be reached at ldaley33@gmail.com. Follow her on Twiiter @laurendaley1.

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Meditation apps to help ease anxiety - The Boston Globe

LOUISVILLE, Ky. When I say the word meditation, what comes to mind? Maybe some monks in Tibet, chanting with bells while incense burns around them? If so, just know that this was exactly my reaction a few years ago, too, and because of that I was scared off trying it for quite a while (no disrespect to Tibetan monks, by the way, because Ive met quite a few and theyre awesome).

As it turns out, meditation isnt some lofty, unreachable practice exclusive to guys with man buns (again, no disrespect)its actually simple, approachable, and has all kinds of amazing benefits backed by science. It can help fight depression and anxiety, improve sleep, lower blood pressure, help your body deal with pain, and a lot more.

Still, it can seem intimidating when you first dive in, so I talked to Joyce Scherdin, a licensed therapist in Louisville, to get some tips. She uses meditation with her clients.

In it's simplest, most basic form, mindfulness is being aware of where your mind isthats it, said Scherdin. It's just being aware, which is a practice.

Most people that I begin meeting with are really out of tune with what the body is experiencing. Shortness of breath, tightness of breath, shallow breathing--all of that is a real indication that we're stressed, and just paying attention to that is enough to bring awareness so that we begin slowing the breath down or taking a slightly deeper breath.

Scherdin said a simple way to start incorporating mindfulness into your life is by working two check-ins each day. Sometime mid-morning and mid-afternoon, take a moment to check in with your thoughts and tension that may be building up in your body. Usually, just a few deep breaths will be enough to make you feel less stressed.

"So many people have this misconception that we have to have nothing in our mind, said Scherdin. Well, what I have to say about that is good luck. Not likely to happen.

I like to call in monkey mind--you know, we sit with our breath, and we begin practicing, but our mind just wants to go in every direction. That's what [meditators] are going to notice at first . But a client taught me this beautiful phrase the power of pause. They now have that power to pause, be aware of what their reaction is and then choose their response. And that for me is such a beautiful place to live life from."

If youd like to give meditation a try, Scherdin recorded a short introductory session for our Facebook page.

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How to meditate if you have never tried before - WHAS11.com

Im a bit of meditation wannabe. I have the best intentions, and usually make it out to see my meditation trainer on a weekly basis, but a regular practice has been tough to instill. Im like many of you, chronically overscheduled and feel too busy to justify a timeout, no matter much I may need it.

Now that the coronavirus has upended so many of our lives, stress levels have skyrocketed. I find the uncertainty and insecurity unnerving, sending my inner dialogue into a tailspin of what if scenarios, followed by a considerable amount of jaw clenching. Can you relate?

>> Read More:Perfect time to garden: Playing in the dirt, watching plants grow can relieve stress

Relief from that incessant internal banter can be found in simply sitting in silence. I know because Ive experienced it with my mediation trainer. I also felt grounded and recharged, not to mention considerably less irritable. It feels like the right time to make it more of a habit.

How to begin? I found some great options to try below. Remember, meditating isnt easy, but its also not that hard. If you set a timer for two minutes and just count your breath (in for a count of six, hold for three, and out for six), you may be surprised how much lighter you feel. Im with you on this journey, so lets get started!

>> Read More:Dayton yoga studio grateful for local support during COVID-19 crisis

Given the financial and personal stress put upon so many by this crisis, many meditation apps and websites are sharing resources with the public for free. One of my favorites, Headspace, has a Take a Moment with Meditation page specifically for COVID-19. The three-minute Feeling Overwhelmed guided mediation is perfect for everyone who needs a quick timeout. Walking at Home and Relieving Stress are 10-minute sessions that are sure to boost your spirits.

Calm has also curated a free mix of meditations, sleep stories, music and more, all hand-picked to support peoples mental and emotional wellness through this difficult time. You can find the Take A Deep Breath collection online at Calm.com. The first session, A Heart Less Heavy is a lovely listen and at just 12 minutes long, can fit into your schedule relatively easily.

You can also download the Headspace and Calm apps from the Apple or Google Play Stores.

>> Read More:Small acts of kindness go a long way: Were all in this together just 6 feet apart'

Ive tried various forms of meditation, and the one that I connected to the most is called Heartfulness. Its a silent form of meditation that encourages you, with the help of a trainer, to focus on your heart and let your brain take a much-needed rest.

Every day at 12:15 p.m.,Dayton Heartfulness, a local meditation center, hosts Uma Mullapudi, an experienced trainer, on both Facebook and Instagram Live. The session kicks off with a welcome discussion, which is perfect for newcomers and guides you through a relaxation technique.

At 12:30 p.m., the meditation session begins for a total of 30 minutes. That seems like a long time, however in my experience, thats how long it takes to fully disconnect and calm the mind down completely. At 1 p.m., there is an optional Q&A session. This takes place daily and is free of charge.

Although it may be difficult to do regularly, this one is great to tune into once or twice a week for a truly refreshing experience. Once youve got the hang of it, you can tune in just from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. for the meditation session. If that doesnt work for your schedule, Heartfulness has a completely free app calledHeartsapp, also available at Apple and Google Play.

>> READ MORE: DeWine & Amy: The popular pair have a theme song and video, thanks to Ohio animator

If youre curious to dig deeper, Dayton Heartfulness is also hosting Heartful Living Classes to learn the art of living consciously. Discussions include how to maintain a daily balance and how to have inner poise. This five-week streaming series is live on Tuesdays from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. To receive the link for the online Zoom class, please send an email to Dayton.oh@heartfulness.org. Only registered participants may attend the class.

Whether you take a class to learn more, or simply find a couple minutes for deep breaths, I applaud your efforts to carve out time for much needed inner peace and relaxation.

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Why now might be the perfect time to start meditating - dayton.com

Musician Anoushka Shankar on why she skips cloggy carbs and how peace can be found when everything comes together.

Find your fitI discovered exercise as an adult. The first thing that I loved was yoga, which I started doing when I was 20. Fitness is a way to take care of my body and mind. I find the rest of my day goes better when I exercise. Its an investment that really pays dividends.

Routine readyI am not very militant about exercise as it depends on my kids and my work. I do yoga and pilates. I work with a trainer with whom I do resistance and weight training. I used to jog a little bit before but I am not doing cardio as much since my surgery last summer. For now, I am walking uphill on a treadmill.

Morning mantraI prefer to exercise in the morning. This way, once its done in the morning, I can shower and get dressed for the day. But sometimes its really nice to do a little bit of gentle yin yoga at the end of the day.

Focus groupI have some special exercises that are more focussed on my arms and my back. This includes how to keep my hips more comfortable in the sitting position.

Diet detailsMy diet is balanced. I just try to get enough vegetables. When I want to feel a bit trimmer, like after Christmas, I pare down my meals. For breakfast I will have a green smoothie with greens, avocado, peanut butter, spirulina, MCT oil (medium-chain triglycerides), seeds its really nutritious. Then I will have a big lunch of protein and vegetables.

As a snack, I will have a rice cake with hummus and then I just do broth at dinner. I eat fish to keep my mind sharp.

Mind mattersI try to meditate regularly a short session in the morning and at bedtime. I try to read a lot. Taking a walk in nature also helps me clear my mind.

Soul searchingI can get addicted to busyness and that kind of stressed and adrenalised living, which does not suit my soul at all. So I try to protect times that are not busy or filled with technology or screens. Connection feeds my soul. Connection with myself, other people, nature and art. It takes a lot of elements to come together and be in a good place.

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7 Jun, 2018

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Exercise, meditation, nature: Anoushka Shankars tips to keep body and mind in tune - Economic Times

Still, just over three years later, Ive remained personally sceptical about mindfulness meditation. As someone who writes about mental health and wellbeing as part of their job, I regularly write about mindfulness meditation as a method of self-care (and, as Ive already said, I know lots of people find it incredibly helpful), but personally, Ive always remained a bit averse to giving it another try.

But then came the coronavirus pandemic. There I was, minding my business, managing my anxiety and OCD as I have for the last couple of years, when suddenly the gravity of a massive global event marched right into my (and everyones) life. I, like many people, felt that familiar feeling of anxiety beginning to creep back into my everyday routine. Dont get me wrong my anxiety is nothing like it used to be but it made me aware of how little attention Id been paying to my mental health over the last couple of months.

With this in mind, I decided to give mindfulness meditation a second chance. Instead of expecting it to treat my mental health condition and rid me of anxiety forever, I came at it from a relaxed perspective. At a time when so many of us are trying to take care of our mental health, could mindfulness meditation help me to feel more on top of my thoughts and feelings?

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Does mindfulness meditation actually work? One sceptic put it to the test - Stylist Magazine

Tea ceremony exploration led by Nicoletta De La Brown, with RZA and the campers. Courtesy of TAZO

"I feel [that] transitions and shifts are happening [with us] now. When I was on my walk, I was observing the space in general, and instead of looking at the top of the trees, I was visually [thinking of] the roots and [downward]. Doing that helped me see that we're all connected," said camper Peter Lange. All of the campers were in agreement, sharing that they'd hope to continue a yearly retreat outside of Camp TAZO.

"I'm forever changed because I really am," said camper Julian, who later photographed RZA. "I feel like everyone wants to collaborate and no one wants to do the work, but everyone here has left [an] impact on me [within] 24 hours, and that's crazy to say."

"Yesterday, it was okay to be vulnerable, [we] were touched by everyone's artistic ability. What I got from walking to the water and listening to [Guided Explorations] the rocks are there, but the water was high, which means shit was heavy. We all [have] weight on us, but the water was not out of bounds, it's still in control," said camper Tishmone.

Fellow camper Marjua Estevez, who was moved to tears from the experience, shared that she previously didn't want to attend Camp TAZO, as the trip was held shortly after she moved to Miami, leaving her feeling displaced. "The last place I wanted to be was here, I didn't want to be with strangers, I didn't want to share anything about myself, I wanted to shrink myself and be invisible," she said. "Knowing what I know now, I would've regretted not coming here. Hearing everyone's stories gave me permission to reclaim parts of myself that I had lost."

It seemed that our intentions from the first day had been fulfilled, prompting an emotional finale of Camp TAZO: Zen. RZA explained that the program wasn't just for advertisement purposes, but connecting participants to fulfill their own artistic vision, just as he did with Wu-Tang Clan. "My potential is bringing people together, and when they come together, it's up to them to exchange, stay together, and create something great," he said.

After we left for our respective states, despite only attending the retreat for two days, our group chat still remains active. Whether seeking wisdom from RZA or wanting an opportunity to travel, each camper reconnected with their creative abilities and a new alliance.

For RZA, the group's connection was simple: "I looked at everybody [and thought] that maybe there was something I could add on to. I saw a spark in every one of y'all [and] understood where you guys were in your creative process," he said. "All these different personalities are within this group of people. I chose everybody for a specific reason, and I feel really confident in that."

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I spent 3 days at an exclusive 'zen' meditation retreat on Staten Island, where Wu-Tang Clan's RZA led tea ceremonies and told us how to unlock our...

[Source: @hannahmcswain via Twenty20]

Gaining the ability to mold and manipulate metals was one of humanitys great leaps forward. It has allowed us to build and make things, like tall buildings and great ships, that have strength and permanence to weather the vicissitudes of nature and time. So much technology that makes our lives comfortable todaycars, trains, computers, and moredepend on it, too.

Also, metal carries energy better than any other element. Electrical wires and circuit boards are evidence of this. Metal is also necessary for life, and our bodies must have metals like zinc, copper, and iron in the right amounts to function properly. Thus, when we connect to the energy of metal, we are connecting to a source of strength and to a means of energy circulation.

In our lives, we can take on the characteristics of metal to make ourselves stronger, both mentally and physically. When we exercise in a gym, we can pump iron to make our muscles big and strong, and we will become weak and listless if we dont consume enough metal micronutrients, like iron and copper. But, more importantly, our minds need to take on the traits of metal to develop strength of character and the drive to succeed. Otherwise, we are just like a building built of sticks instead of steel beams, and we will fall over when the first storm comes along.

But how does one develop true metal, a character that maintains drive and tenacity, even when everything seems to be going terribly wrong? This is a very important question since this trait is what allows achievement and separates greatness from mediocrity. Fortunately, this is something you can nurture within yourself; you do not have to be born with a steely personality. Focusing on the energetic nature of metal can help you build it within yourself.

To bring the elemental energy of metal into your daily life, I recommend having some metal objects in your home, such as bronze sculptures, metal picture frames, or brass fixtures. However, you dont need these things to bring this energy into yourself. The standing meditation below uses very common metal objectscoins or even your favorite jewelryto connect with metal and to build strength in your physical energy center, the dahnjon. Heres what you do:

While this exercise will indeed strengthen your physical body, it will also strengthen your resolve. At first, it will not be comfortable and you will need to force yourself to complete 5 minutes and then to add minutes later on. By adding time little by little, you will teach yourself to accept temporary, minor discomfort for the sake of a goal.

As you practice this, try to also watch yourself and your own character closely as you go about your day. When do you choose comfort in favor of moving forward toward your goals? If you are willing to take yourself out of the comfort zone little by little while moving toward your goals and visions, you will also be moving yourself toward the highest version of yourself.

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Five Elements Nature Meditation: Metal for Strength and Determination - Patheos

Meditate with scenes from the North Shore.

Derek Montgomery for MPR News

A guided meditation with North Shore scenes.

With Minnesotas stay-at-home order extended until May 4, were all finding our lives changed, disrupted and paused in any number of ways.

Despite orders to stay in place, it can still be difficult to find a sense of stillness with the constant flow of news, especially if we live with others or work in an essential field.

Ben Connelly is a Soto Zen and secular mindfulness teacher based at the Minneapolis Zen Meditation Center. He teaches classes focusing on things from addiction recovery to police training. We spoke about how to bring some Zen practices into your life during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been shortened and edited for clarity.

Watch the video above for a short guided meditation.

Zen meditation is practicing being where you are in the way that is most beneficial to yourself and everyone. What that usually looks like is sitting in an upright posture and usually focusing on the breathing, and letting the attention to the breathing help you be more aware of your own body, your own feelings, be more aware of your surroundings, your sensory experience and your mind.

Zen is a sect of Buddhism that originated in China about 1,500 years ago.

In Zen, we focus on sitting meditation practice. A very simple approach to drawing attention into the body and the senses. In our Soto Zen school, Im a Soto Zen priest, we emphasize wholehearted activity. That is doing simple tasks, or actually any tasks with your whole attention and your whole heart, and letting go of a focus on an outcome.

One of the ways its often used is things like cleaning, sweeping. There are a lot of famous Zen stories about Zen masters sweeping the floor. Cooking, washing the dishes. Because its hard to focus in this way sometimes when you're doing something thats very intellectually engaging. We actively say, now I'm going to clean, and Im just going to put all my attention into doing this. And I dont have [to] think about something else or focus on when its going to get done.

I can just be like, this is what its like for me to be doing this right now, washing the dishes or cleaning. Finding some simplicity. As a Zen teacher were trying to make space for everyone to process all their difficult feelings during this pandemic. But also to say as Zen students or practitioners, you have a great opportunity because you are sequestered and can take advantage of slowing down.

You know, the best bet is to focus on doing this starting inward your body and your feelings and then just practice really deeply hearing and seeing the people in your house. So it's very easy to start walking past each other or when you're near each other, you're kind of caught in your ideas about what the other person is. Take those opportunities. You just pause and just see what's going on with the person. And they may be: I'm tired of being with you. You can just be: That's what that person feels. So you just practice tuning your whole attention to the other person without trying to get something out of that. And then it's like a little connection opens up.

But you don't have to do a specific thing. I mean, it's great to, you know, play games and do stuff together. It's great to meditate together, but not everyone wants to do it. So if they want to do it, that's great. But you can just focus on how I am right now and just practice, like when someone turns to me and says something, I'm going to give them all of my attention right now.

The sense of alienation from the world is one of the fundamentals of Buddhist thinking, as one of the drivers of all of our suffering. So a little bit paradoxically, one of the things we do is focus on the body and our feelings. So we turn the light inward and we practice connecting with ourselves. And by my feelings, I don't mean what you think about your feelings, but actually just the feelings. From that strengthened connection, we open up and try and connect with what's going on.

So definitely you want to look for ways to actually connect with other human beings right now. But we live in changed conditions. Basically, you can find ways to feel connected to anything. One of the best ways to do that is to focus less on trying to get something from it or control it or get rid of it. All of that makes you feel alienated from it. So if you just connect with yourself, that will help you feel more connected in general and that will make you better able to connect with other people.

I came to Zen meditation principally because I had a pretty long history with addiction and mental illness and I was suffering a whole lot. So I was looking for a means to be well. I used many of [those means] and still do, including recovery groups and yoga. And I used to do psychotherapy for years. But part of that was meditation. And meditation brought me to Zen because I found that people in Zen practice were really committed to and knowledgeable and good at supporting meditation practice.

A lot of the things that I've been saying before still stand, but for recovering people, the relationship, the human relationship component is so fundamental and so just find it.

Keep looking for means to find a connection. You know, there are lots of online meetings. It's not the same as being there in person, but nothing is more powerful than that. Find shared peer support for working on your liberation and your healing.

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Zencast: Zen meditation and the North Shore - Minnesota Public Radio News