Meditation isn’t just a practice of sitting in stillness, it’s a practice of presence, focus, flow, letting go, and freedom. And, in many ways, creating art can have the same effect. From pottery to dance, there are many ways to experience art as mediation. One way to get into that meditative state in art is through painting with watercolors. “The way watercolors practically have a mind of their own, blending together in unexpected ways, reminds me of how beautiful it can be to lean into the unknown and unexpected — not just in painting, but in your own life,” says watercolor artist Liv Lane.
The word meditation covers a wide list of activities and conjures up images ranging from yogis sitting in lonely mountain caves, to churchgoers in quiet contemplation or a kirtan group chanting sacred verses. What these all have in common is a focused awareness, which means being fully present in the moment.
When we think about health for the physical body, we often think about aerobic movement. It can be easy to forget that slow, mindful movement also provides benefits. Mindful walks outside, with and without shoes, energize and support the physical body and the mind. There are plenty of ways to enjoy this practice, and here are three.
For most people in the West, chanting "Om" is a practice that's typically reserved for the beginning or the end of a yoga class. As this chant fills the classroom with beautiful resonance, you may notice a subtle shift in your state of mind. For many people, chanting Om brings about a sense of peace and relaxation, moving you from "worries and to-do's" to a state of inner calm and groundedness – but what's happening inside your body that creates this shift?
Ahora es un buen momento para cambiar tu definición de una mente sana, porque las definiciones actuales son muy cortas de lo que puede ser tu mente. Tu mente fue diseñada para brindarte la experiencia de la dicha, no solo en momentos especiales de alegría, sino en cualquier momento que desees. Ya sé que este nuevo estándar es una sorpresa o incluso un shock.
Have you ever found yourself struggling to stay focused during a meeting, on a specific work task, or in conversation with a friend? No matter how hard we try, we often find that our mind has a mind of its own. Unbeknownst to us, our attention drifts, wandering away from the task-at-hand.
Now is a good time to change your definition of a healthy mind, because the current definitions fall so short of what your mind can be. Your mind was designed to give you the experience of bliss, not just in special moments of joy but any time you wish. I realize that this new standard comes as a surprise or even a shock.
¿Qué pasaría si pudieras tomar una píldora mágica cada mañana que reduciría tu estrés, disminuiría tu ansiedad, aumentaría tu capacidad de concentración y mejoraría tu memoria? También te ayudaría a ser más consciente de ti mismo, más paciente con las personas en tu vida e incluso te ayudaría a vivir una vida más larga, saludable y feliz. Tampoco habría efectos secundarios, no tendrías que ir a ningún lado para obtenerlo y es 100 por ciento gratis. ¿La tomarías?
Our minds are constantly flooded with desires, most of which disappear as fast as they arise. Those that stick and take a firmer footing move on to become intentions, which we could say are desires with more of a focus. These have been plucked from the stream to be classified as more important.
At the beginning of a new year, many of us think about what we wish for our future. Sometimes we feel excited by the possibilities, and other times we feel overwhelmed or unclear about what we want. When we feel unclear, often it is because we think we cannot have what we hope for or we have been conditioned to think we should want something else that is more “sensible” or more aligned with what others expect.
For the Ask Roger column, Roger Gabriel, Chopra’s Chief Meditation Officer, answers questions from our community. If you have a general question for Roger around meditation and spiritual practices, please send an email to askroger@chopra.com, and your question may be one he answers next.
