Meditation Journey

• Is ‘Unhappiness’ a requirement for Happiness?

  written by Simone on Thursday, September 1st, 2011

  There is so much talk about happiness today that it seems like anything that makes us happy is good and anything that falls under the ‘unhappiness’ umbrella is bad only to chase the things that create the former and avoid the things that make us feel the latter. Has the pendulum swung [...]

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• Stillness & Effort

  written by Simone on Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

  A yogi instructed in class the other day that, “the only effort you need to expend is the effort it takes to bring you to the present moment.” All of our decisions, choices, and actions are best made from this moment. Not “in reaction to” but rather from a place of stillness, only accessible in [...]

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• Is “patience” a state of mind?

  written by Simone on Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

  I struggle with patience.  Two phrases make me cringe, ‘be patient’ and ‘have faith.’ I don’t know why. Is it because I am immature or childish and I just want what I want now? Does one have patience because they have faith and trust or is patience something that transcends the content of thoughts and better understood in the context of [...]

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• Is my priority peace of mind?

  written by Simone on Saturday, July 24th, 2010

  “It’s easy to live in the moment, when most of your moments take place in Maui.” Sometimes the stresses of the day can be too much. I realized that I brought home with me and allowed stay for the evening thoughts of the day; conversations real and imagined along with all of the [...]

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• Why are you meditating? What’s your motivation?

  written by Simone on Saturday, June 12th, 2010

   “Why am I meditating?” is the single most important question to ask and answer for yourself as you begin. Honestly, some early mornings, my motivation or goals, or hopes for some future state of mind are the only reason I meditate.  Knowing, honestly why you are meditating will help you get onto the cushion when [...]

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• The Battle between Intensity and Consistency

  written by Simone on Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

  Left to my own devices, I am an intense person – laid back but intense. If I could, I would exercise for one grueling four hour session and then not again until next week (or next month), eat all the healthy, nutrient rich, antioxidant, cancer fighting foods for one giant breakfast for the week.   I [...]

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• Guilt & Meditation

  written by Simone on Monday, April 5th, 2010

  The other day a gal who is meditating with us came to me and apologized profusely for not meditating as often as she hoped, “I am so sorry, I have been so busy, I will start again soon, I feel so guilty, I will get back to it, I promise.”  I could literally feel her [...]

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• Top Seven Mindfulness Tips

  written by Simone on Friday, March 5th, 2010

  In becoming more mindful we create more presence, peace and joy for ourselves and the world around us regardless of what is happening ‘out there.’ It is not just a tactic to reduce stress in the moment, but mindfulness creates a stable foundation to our lives and a more effective way of being in the world. How do [...]

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• What is mindfulness? Why does it matter?

  written by Simone on Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

   Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to our inner world and the world around us.  Here is a little exercise we sometimes give to gain an understanding of what mindfulness or meditation is and why it is vital in creating an inner world by your own design and an outer world that [...]

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• Children, meditation and world peace

  written by Simone on Monday, January 11th, 2010

  Last year the David Lynch Foundation along with the Transcendental Meditation Program launched a campaign to “Teach One Million At-Risk Youth to Meditate.” The goal of their global peace initiative is to bring meditation to youth, parents and staff in schools around the world in hopes of reducing the effects of stress [...]

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