More Peaceful Days and Nights - A Guided Mindfulness Meditation

In recent years, meditation and mindfulness have swept across the West and become popular tools for everything from stress management to productivity, focus, and spiritual seeking. But amidst this excitement, say Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson, the facts have been distorted and the signal has been lost in the noise. In Altered Traits, they clarify what we do and don’t know about meditation—as well as what’s been overhyped.

In this guide, we’ll discuss how they define meditation, why it’s proved difficult to study, and what we know about its effects. We’ll also discuss what the research on meditation shows: that meditation alters traits, or produces lasting changes to your brain, behavior, and experience of life. Throughout the guide, we’ll comment on related research and perspectives, and we’ll broaden the authors’ discussion of traditional Buddhism, Buddhist terminology, and Buddhism in the West.

You may not realize it, but your brain has an extraordinary capacity for complex calculations. Simple tasks like stepping over a garden hose as you walk across your lawn require elaborate computations, and yet they seem easy because your brain does them intuitively.

Barbara Oakley wrote A Mind for Numbers to help you learn math and science well enough that they, too, become intuitive. In this guide, we will examine Oakley’s explanation of your brain’s natural capabilities, her strategies for remembering complex concepts more easily, her recommendations for building good study habits and avoiding procrastination, and a few other tips for succeeding in your studies. We’ll also examine the scientific basis of her recommendations and compare her strategies to those of other experts in learning and memory.

Are you curious about mindfulness but don’t know where to start? Are you trying to reinvigorate a mindfulness practice that’s feeling stale? Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is a guide for anyone who’s interested in exploring mindfulness further, from the tentative beginner to the seasoned practitioner.

Kabat-Zinn is a meditation teacher often credited with bringing mindfulness practice into mainstream public awareness. Wherever You Go, There You Are, which reviewers call a “must-read,” is full of Kabat-Zinn’s reflections on mindfulness and practical strategies for how to incorporate it more intentionally into your life.

In this guide, we’ll explain what mindfulness is (and isn’t) and why Kabat-Zinn believes it’s so crucial to living well. We’ll also outline some simple ways to introduce mindfulness into your daily life. Throughout the guide, we’ll supplement Kabat-Zinn’s advice with strategies and reflections from other mindfulness experts and provide background information on current psychological research on mindfulness.

Many people frame meditation as a way to reduce stress, feel calm, or be more present—but according to the authors of The Mind Illuminated, these aren’t its main goals. Instead, they argue, meditation is primarily a way to train your mind so you can experience enlightenment: a mental state that provides freedom from suffering. By following the recommendations outlined in The Mind Illuminated, you can journey from novice meditator to enlightened meditator in 10 sequential stages.

In this guide, we’ll explore the authors’ advice for training your mind to reach enlightenment. We’ll compare their ideas about meditation to those of other experts, such as Bhante Gunaratana (Mindfulness in Plain English) and Jon Kabat-Zinn (Wherever You Go, There You Are). We’ll also supplement their insights with cultural, historical, and scientific context, and we’ll offer additional tips for meditating.

Former ABC News anchor Dan Harris believes anyone can benefit from meditation. In 10% Happier, he offers a skeptic’s journey through the world of self-help following his meltdown on live television. Harris explains how meditation allowed him to get control of his anxiety, manage his ego, and become a more compassionate person. This book explores how mindfulness and meditation can improve your life and career—even by just 10%.

In this guide, we’ll explore Harris’s understanding of mindfulness, meditation, and Buddhist principles. We’ll also discuss the lessons meditation can teach you, explain how to start meditating, and debunk some common misconceptions about mindfulness. Along the way, we’ll provide research on meditation and other actionable tips from experts.