meditation



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Cultivate the Garden of the Mind

Garden with purple and yellow flowers

Yogis, meditators, mindfulness coaches, Christians, and countless other spiritual seekers commonly employ the metaphor of the garden to represent stewardship. To view the mind as a garden is to view it as a place with potential value and commit to cultivating it. One must locate the space and make effort, which can take a variety of forms. One can tend to the garden of the mind while doing yoga, meditation, or any other activity in life.

What Happened During My First Body Scan Meditation

A meditation cushion on the floor in an a-frame building with fall leaves in the background visible through a large window
The moment I discovered a body scan for the first time, through a simple meditation, revealed how much stress my body was carrying. I share what it felt like, why it matters, and a practical way to start noticing your own sensations. Whether you’re new to meditation or curious to explore deeper, this story offers insight and a gentle invitation to practice.

Warming Up to Mindful Mornings

Matthew sitting in hoodie, an oversized wearable blanket, and wrapped in yet another blanket
I've been creating a cozy space for morning meditation on colder mornings. This practice helps me start my day feeling grounded. While a long morning meditation works for me, research suggests that frequent, shorter mindfulness sessions throughout the day can be just as effective. Simple breathing exercises and mindfulness breaks can reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Even a quick pause to breathe deeply can offer significant benefits, showing that consistency matters more than the length of the practice.

Breathe. You've Arrived. A Reflection on Slowing Down at Kripalu

A sign with a brown backgroud and tan letters that reads Breathe. You've Arrived.

Last week, I returned to Kripalu, a place that feels like a home for my practice and personal growth. I arrived just after lunch, with a few hours before anything was officially planned. In years past, this would have been a green light for me to jump into “maximizing” my time — mapping out a hike in the woods, a stroll by the lake, and maybe squeezing in a class or two. But this time, I did something different. I did pretty much … nothing.

Biking Meditation

Bike leaning against a bench in a park

I'm not sure what to call it. Biking meditation. Bike yoga. Meditation in motion. Meditative biking. Maybe just mindfulness meditation while biking.

But I know something happens on my bike. Riding by myself, unplugged, no earbuds, outside in nature feels good. It relaxes me. It helps me let go of concerns about the future or past. If I have a problem I've been trying to solve, I often arrive home from a ride with a solution. Especially if I was not trying to solve the problem.

meditation