Episodes 21 - 30

Episode 21

Further explorations of what helps us when our practice feels challenged - The role of community in helping us build our meditation practice, as well as speaking to how steady cultivation of the mind will lead to benefits in the long term.

Episode 22

With reflections from a busy weekend, Episode 22 explores how we can still maintain that continuity of practice when quiet time is difficult, and the part that our formal practice plays in laying the foundation for those busy times.

Episode 23

There are times when the busyness of a day can feel as though it is getting the better of us. We chase after results and loose touch with ourselves. While respecting the value of goal, we can remain present, confident that a steadily working at something will bring results.

Episode 24

Watching the mind we see how it is constantly changing, like a flowing river or the clouds blowing across the sky. This episode looks at how that insight can help us deal with the change in our external lives.

Episode 25

As I and many old friends gather at the meditation center where I use to live, and where this podcast is recorded, to be close to my teacher who is unwell, I reflect on what meditation and quiet reflection can bring to our experience of emotion.

Episode 26

Following on from the last episode, I take the exploration of emotion further, discussing how meditation can help us embrace those emotions that overwhelm or maybe even scare us.

Episode 27

With the launch of an accompanying Facebook Group for this podcast, this episode reviews some of the ground that has been covered so far, reviewing the meditation space, posture and instruction.

Episode 28

Each time that we sit to meditate we are making a commitment to ourselves. We are showing up for ourselves regardless of arises in the mind, and we choose to meet what arises with compassion and impartiality - This is not an easy thing to do. Indeed it might be one of the hardest things that we ever do.

Episode 29

The commitment to ourselves that I spoke to in the last episode is a foundation for getting to know our mind and how it works, and through practice strengthening our ability to sit and be with ourselves.

Episode 30

Sleepiness can be an obstacle to our meditation that can manifest as a clear tendency to fall asleep or just a general dullness in our focus & awareness. How we might deal with this is the subject of this podcast.