Today's Meditation Pulse
Superstruct partners with OpenUp to offer free mental‑health support to festival artists
Superstruct Entertainment announced a partnership with mental‑health platform OpenUp to give performing artists free, confidential access to psychologists and wellbeing experts at its festivals this summer. The pilot will roll out across more than 80 events in the Superstruct portfolio, extending a service already used by the company’s staff.
The Uses of Equanimity
The article explains that equanimity, while appearing as calm concentration, can conceal subtle attachment and delusion. It warns that staying absorbed in a state of equanimity without probing can prevent genuine insight. Practitioners are urged to use equanimity as a platform to investigate impermanence, stress, and non-self, rather than mistaking the absorption for awakening. Continuous inquiry ensures the mind does not become complacent or falsely confident.
Meditation Benefits Without Long Retreats—Try Our App
Will you try sharpening your mind through meditation? And I should add, meditation retreats are objectively great but you do not have to go on a 45 day retreat to notice the benefits of a practice. If you're meditation curious...
5 Yoga Practices on YouTube to Help You Find Your Calm
Yoga Journal highlights five YouTube yoga sessions designed to reduce stress and promote calm. The videos range from 10‑minute supine stretches to 18‑minute movement flows, covering gentle hip openers, bedtime routines, and strength‑building sequences. Each practice emphasizes breath, mindfulness, and...
Limit News Consumption to Preserve Your Nervous System
Staying glued to the news doesn’t make you more informed. It makes you more dysregulated. Protect your nervous system so you can actually help people. 💜🙏🏼🌈
Rethinking Equanimity: Margaret Cullen on Equanimity and Quiet Strength
Margaret Cullen’s forthcoming book Quiet Strength delves into equanimity as a distinct, teachable virtue, filling a gap in the crowded mindfulness market. After rejecting a workbook proposal, she pursued a deep‑dive manuscript that positions equanimity alongside mindfulness, compassion, and love....
Choose Balance: Neither Stuck Here Nor Lost Beyond
Your nervous system speaks two languages: HERE — grounded, boundaried, present in your body BEYOND — expanded, permeable, dissolved into something larger Your therapist tells you to stay HERE. Spiritual gurus tell you to go BEYOND. Wellness culture sells you expensive retreats that...
New Study Examines Psychedelic Use–Schizophrenia Connection
Exciting & important new study from my lab. Have you ever wondered how strong that alleged connection is between psychedelic use and #Schizophrenia? This project aims to point the telescope there & give it a focused look. Please share widely. @AlexaM_Molinaro...
Why Trauma Is Stored in the Body (Not Just the Mind)
Modern neuroscience shows trauma resides not only in memory but also in the nervous system, muscles, and stress pathways. Persistent physical symptoms—such as chronic tension, sleep disruption, and hypervigilance—signal that the body remains in a survival state long after the...
Mindfulness: Simple Pauses Over Long Meditations
Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean long meditation sessions. It can be as simple as pausing during the day and fully experiencing a moment. Put the phone down. Notice the light, the air, the people around you. Let yourself actually experience the...
Massive Global Study Links the Habit of Forgiving Others to Better Overall Well-Being
Researchers analyzed data from the Global Flourishing Study, covering 207,919 adults in 23 nations, to examine whether a dispositional tendency to forgive predicts later well‑being. Using two waves of surveys spaced a year apart, they found that higher forgivingness was...
The Sound of Silence
The essay explores how incessant internal dialogue functions as a form of noise pollution, clouding clarity and driving dualistic thinking. It presents chanting the name of Kanzeon—or any pure, intention‑free sound—as a pathway to a pre‑conceptual awareness that transcends mental...
Break Negative Thinking: 7 Habits that Build Resilience
The article outlines seven mental habits that can curb chronic negative thinking, ranging from self‑awareness to daily gratitude and mindfulness. It explains how each habit interrupts automatic pessimistic loops and replaces them with more balanced, controllable thought patterns. By practicing...
Presence Is Default; Notice It by Stopping Effort
There is no point in "trying to be present." You're always in the present moment, but you're too stuck in identity and mental constructs to notice "Being present" thus is less about "doing something" and more about NOT doing much at...
How I Found Focus and Presence When Meditation Didn’t Work
The author describes how conventional seated meditation felt hostile, prompting a shift to spontaneous, nature‑based attention. A simple pause by a tree, observing a leaf without intent, softened her tension and revealed a gentler path to presence. Repeated micro‑moments of...
Parents’ Stress May Be Quietly Driving Childhood Obesity, Yale Study Finds
A Yale-led trial found that reducing parental stress can curb childhood obesity risk. In a 12‑week randomized study of 114 families with overweight toddlers, parents who completed a mindfulness‑based stress program (PMH) showed lower stress, improved parenting behaviors, and their...
The Neuroscience of the Sunday Scaries
The blog explains that the "Sunday scaries" stem from anticipatory anxiety, where the brain treats upcoming work stress as a real threat. Neuroimaging shows the amygdala and stress‑hormone systems activate, releasing cortisol even without actual danger. This triggers physical symptoms...
When Progress Becomes an Excuse to Quit Breathwork
My jaw dropped when I heard why someone had stopped coming to my weekly breathwork session: they wanted progress.
Get Free Insight on 60-Day Silent Vipassana Retreat
Leave a 💙 if these new favorites resonate. Which slide is for you? Credit from the first post onward: @vexking @case.kenny @thirdeyethoughts @adamgrant iuliastration @wordsarevibrations @jillianturecki @matthewzaremba @the.alchemist @heycoryallen Comment “read” and I’ll DM you the new free article that...
The Responsibility Shift: Care, Power, and Liberation
In this episode the host explores the distinction between being "responsible for" something—trying to control outcomes—and being "responsible to" someone—showing up with integrity while honoring their agency. They discuss how this shift impacts parenting, relationships, and personal well‑being, emphasizing self‑reflection...
Stop Imagined Suffering: Stop Catastrophizing Future Events
We're so good at creating suffering that doesn't exist yet—catastrophizing about meetings that haven't happened, arguments that might never occur, worst-case scenarios that live only in our heads. By the way, my new audible original with Sebene Selassie, “Even You Can...
Discover Zen’s Core: Zazen, Posture, Modern Insight
This is looking pretty cool at @BerkeleyAlembic tomorrow. Ryuen Sensei returns to The Alembic to uncover the basic essence of Zen teachings, how this essence speaks to modern culture, and how it applies to your everyday life....
Why Too Much Stress Makes Us All Regress
Prolonged, high‑intensity stress shuts down the prefrontal cortex, limiting reasoning and empathy. This neurological regression spreads socially, creating a feedback loop of dysregulation that fuels conflict across families, workplaces, and nations. The article outlines how simple physiological tools—breathing, cold exposure,...
Dark Showers: Quick Calm for Overstimulated Nervous System
I'm neurodivergent and have a PhD in healthcare research. Here are 14 ways to regulate your nervous system you’ve probably never heard of: 1. Shower in the dark (reduces sensory input and is one of the fastest ways to calm your overstimulated...
Discover Breath Techniques to Calm Your Nervous System
If you would like to join me tomorrow (Sunday) online to learn about how breath can help support your nervous system and help you feel better, comment below or send me a message :)
Whale & Dolphin Song
In this eclectic episode titled "Whale & Dolphin Song," the hosts weave together a collage of ambient sounds, spontaneous gratitude, and brief spoken interludes, including a nod to spiritual teacher Mooji. While the narrative is largely abstract, listeners are treated...
Rest Is Enough; You Don’t Need to Finish Everything
You don’t have to complete everything on your to do list today. You can just BE. REST. It’s enough for today. Close the laptop. Drop your shoulders. Breathe.
Seeing Truth Breaks the Mental Traffic Jam
" We are caught in a traffic jam of discursive thought" ~ Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche Ever catch yourself in this traffic jam? Well you are not alone. Truth is at least you see it, which is one step above most people...
Does Mindfulness Help Kids? There’s A Better Question to Ask
Recent large‑scale school studies in the UK and Denmark found that ten weekly mindfulness sessions delivered by teachers produced little measurable improvement in adolescents’ mental health, sparking doubts about the efficacy of universal programs. The author argues that these findings...
Suppressed Childhood Rage Fuels Adult Autoimmune Disease, Depression
The rage that you swallowed and held inside as a child becomes the autoimmune disease and depression you develop as an adult.
Accept Others' Paths, Release Your Judgment
We don’t actually know how others should live their lives. Most of the time, we’re still figuring out our own. In this video, I reflect on how remembering this can loosen the grip of judgment. ▶️ https://t.co/ao218rxwzQ #judgment #selfawareness #innerwork
Is There a Real Career in Mindfulness? (Jobs, Salary & 2026 Outlook)
The mindfulness sector is evolving into a viable career path, with corporate wellness programs, digital platforms, and therapeutic services driving demand. Roles such as mindfulness coaches, app developers, and certified instructors now command salaries ranging from $70,000 to over $100,000....
Meditation Made Easy: 4‑Hour Audiobook for Beginners
“I can’t meditate.” Cool. This audiobook was made for you. 4 hrs, 2 mins. That’s it. Your calm era starts now. Check out my new audiobook with Sebene Selassie, "Even You Can Meditate" only on Audible. IPMF.
Insight Timer Named Best Meditation App by Sensor Tower APAC Awards 2025
Sensor Tower’s 2025 APAC Awards named Insight Timer the Best Meditation App, highlighting its position as the top APAC‑origin meditation platform in global charts. The app now serves 32 million registered users and offers an ad‑free library of 300,000 resources in...
Discover Your Boundless Home Through Awake Awareness
Meditation: Inhabiting Awake Awareness (21:49) 💕🙏 This meditation begins with collecting attention with the breath, and awakens us to the experience of aliveness and inner space by scanning the body. We then open to receive all the senses in awake...
Top 5 Untangle Episodes: On Mindfulness, Love and Inner Peace
The Untangle Podcast’s top five episodes explore how mindfulness, self‑compassion and loving‑kindness can be applied in life’s messiest moments. Experts such as Mark Coleman, Jerry Colonna, Waylon Lewis, Alonzo King and Sharon Salzberg share practical tools—from labeling the inner critic to a daily pause...
Love Without Limits
The article explains Buddhism’s view of love as a practice rather than a fleeting emotion, centered on the four immeasurable qualities—loving‑kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. It argues that genuine love begins with self‑understanding and acceptance, which then enables compassionate...
Finding Our Way
The author recounts a journey from alcohol‑driven darkness in Juneau to a life anchored in Zen practice and recovery. By immersing in the San Francisco Zen Center, he discovers that brokenness, when faced, becomes a source of healing, illustrated through...
Happiness Break: A Meditation For Connecting In Polarized Times
The Science of Happiness podcast released a "Happiness Break" episode featuring author Scott Shigeoka leading a guided visualization that trains listeners to approach contentious conversations with curiosity. The practice combines breathwork, mental rehearsal, and vivid imagination to reframe tense moments,...
Understanding Interoception: Reconnect with Your Body’s Signals
Have you ever heard of the word "interoception?" Interception is your body's ability to sense what's happening on the inside. Hunger, fullness, thirst tension, your heart racing... It's the system that tells you what your body needs. And for a lot of people...
Meditation: Inhabiting Awake Awareness (21:49)
Tara Brach’s 21‑minute guided meditation, “Inhabiting Awake Awareness,” begins by anchoring attention on the breath before expanding into a full‑body scan that highlights the sensation of aliveness. Listeners are then invited to open all senses into a boundless, receptive awareness,...
Anxiety as an Obstacle in Meditation Practice
Anxiety often blocks meditation, emerging as everyday worry, entrenched habit, or existential fear triggered by deep insights. The article illustrates how insights can challenge self‑identity, creating resistance to practice. It outlines a two‑step approach: first, dissect anxiety into thoughts, sensations,...
All You Need?
The article examines a growing Western interpretation that the four brahmaviharas—loving‑kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—constitute a complete path to awakening. It contrasts this view with early Pali canon passages that consistently link the brahmaviharas to rebirth in Brahma realms...
Everyday Mindfulness: Definitions & Common Misconceptions
Everyday mindfulness is defined as non‑judgmental, present‑centered awareness that blends intentional attention with an open attitude toward experience. The article debunks common myths—such as mindfulness being a relaxation technique, a mind‑emptying practice, or a quick fix for stress—and clarifies that...
What’s the Difference Between Pain & Suffering?
The Buddhist "Second Arrow" story distinguishes inevitable pain from the optional suffering we add through our reactions. The first arrow symbolizes unavoidable hardships such as loss, illness, or workplace stress, while the second arrow represents rumination, self‑pity, and negative narratives...
The Rising Demand for Mindfulness Teachers (2026–2030 Industry Forecast)
The mindfulness education sector is projected to surge between 2026 and 2030, driven by corporate wellness initiatives and rising consumer interest in mental health. Forecasts estimate a compound annual growth rate of roughly 12%, translating into a demand for 250,000...
Underrated Sources of Mental Tension in Meditation
Recent insights highlight overlooked sources of mental tension that hinder meditation depth. The author identifies five habitual patterns—predictive monitoring, selective attention, frantic intention, over‑control of thoughts, and rigid time‑space tracking—that create unnecessary stress. Practical tricks are offered to loosen each...
A Meditation to Nourish an Undefended Heart
Vinny Ferraro presents a guided meditation aimed at nurturing an “undefended heart,” encouraging practitioners to meet personal and others’ pain with compassion. The practice combines body awareness, heart‑centered intention, and repeated compassionate phrases toward familiar individuals and broader acquaintances. Ferraro...
Vagus Nerve, HRV and Gentle Movement: The Biology of Calm You’re Probably Not Activating
The post argues that chronic cortisol elevation, not cortisol itself, drives stress‑related health issues by keeping the HPA axis overactive. It highlights the vagus nerve’s role in shifting the nervous system toward parasympathetic dominance, measurable through heart‑rate variability (HRV). Gentle,...
Reflections on My Mindful Teaching Journey
Roberta Schnorr reflects on integrating her personal mindfulness practice with the unpredictable demands of classroom teaching. She describes how daily meditation, targeted breath and body‑awareness exercises, and intentional self‑inquiry help mitigate reactivity, anxiety, and over‑attachment to outcomes. By tuning into...
Learning How To Stay
In this episode of "Let's Have the Conversation," host Desiree B. Stevens explores the concept of "staying"—maintaining presence and regulation within community work and difficult dialogues. She outlines three core practices: staying in your body to avoid dissociation, staying without...