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  • This week on the podcast, I have a conversation with Monica Le Baron, the author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen.

    Sleep is crucial for overall health and affects many aspects of our well-being, including metabolism, immune system, brain function, and mood. If you struggle with insomnia, the good news is that you can improve your sleep with some simple yoga therapy practices like the ones we’ll be talking about in this episode.

    In this interview, Monica shares her knowledge about sleep in such a warm and relatable way, including her own story of recovering from insomnia and depression. She provides insights into the types of yoga practices that are good before bed, including how she uses Yoga Nidra (or “yogic sleep”) practices.

    You’ll hear about:

    the four stages of sleep and how many hours you need each night

    what sleep has to do with setting healthy boundaries

    why you need to “complete the stress cycle”

    and how it helps to savor a mantra or affirmation like you would savor chocolate cake or guacamole.

    Monica also emphasized looking at internal reasons for the habits that impact sleep, not the just surface manifestations like phone use or caffeine intake. And, she offered examples of some reflections and practices you can use all day to set yourself up for better sleep at night.

    Give this episode a listen, and take a step towards improving your sleep, energy, mood, and health!

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    Guest Bio: Monica Le Baron MBA, C-IAYT, is the award-winning and bestselling author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen. As a certified yoga therapist, she helps women with sleep disorders get a good night’s rest. Her passion for helping others was sparked after burning out at her corporate job and using yoga therapy techniques on herself to heal from insomnia, chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. When she’s not helping ambitious women get their beauty sleep, you can find her reading a good historical novel or hiking the mountains of her hometown in Chihuahua, Mexico.

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    Be sure to check out the episode page on my website at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast for the link to Monica’s yoga nidra practice, and additional resources.

    Learn more about Monica Le Baron at her website https://monicalebaron.com/

    Find her book Sleep Simplified in English or the Spanish language edition Simplifica tu Sueño, which was just released in the last few weeks!

    Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

    P.S. As I mentioned during this episode, there is a special workshop coming soon! Join me for Movement That Unlocks Mindfulness online on April 13th, and learn to meditate in a way that works for you. We'll explore gentle Mindful Movement practices, as well as variations of traditional meditations that don't require complete stillness. Workshop Info: https://movedtomeditate.yoga/events/

  • This episode of the podcast is a gentle moving meditation, exploring what it feels like to slow down. We’ll be playing with pace as we do two very simple motions, observing the sensations in the body, and how movement can often influence our mental activity and nervous system state.

    The meditation itself starts at 3:10, after a brief intro.

    As we practice this meditation, you will check in with yourself in the present moment - noticing states like tension or ease, mental busy-ness or calm, feeling rushed or steady. We’ll be practicing these mindful observations in a dynamic way, while moving rather than sitting still.

    After taking the time to practice physically slowing down, you may find that you feel more balanced and present. Being mindful of our speed in movement can help us shift out of auto-pilot, settle the nervous system, and break the momentum of a bustling daily life.

    This meditation can be done either standing or seated in a chair. You can have your eyes open or close them, but if you’re standing, you may find that keeping them open (with a soft gaze) helps your balance.

    The movement suggestions are deliberately simple, gentle, and accessible so that you can drop into a meditative experience more easily. In this practice, it is much less important to get the movement "right" than to move in a way that facilitates an experience of mindfulness and curiosity.

    I hope you will enjoy this moving meditation, and that it will encourage a playful awareness of your pace as you move through the rest of your day!

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    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

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  • In this episode of the podcast, you'll hear from two experts on neurodiversity-affirming mindfulness practices, Sue Hutton and Jan Wozniak.

    We’ll be talking about how Mindfulness Meditation programs can be offered in a more inclusive way for autistic adults, those with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence.

    My guests, Sue Hutton and Jan Wozniak, work together at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) in Toronto. The Azrieli Centre is a first-of-its kind organization in Canada that does research with the neurodevelopmental disability community.

    You’ll hear about:

    addressing social anxiety and sensory issues that can come up for neurodiverse meditation students in a class setting the importance of offering multiple ways to practice a technique like Mindfulness of Breathing or Loving-Kindness Meditation stacking anchors to help students connect with the kinesthetic, visual, or auditory aspects of meditation, on their own terms being aware of how different verbal instructions may (or may not) work for everyone how Sue and Jan approach mindful movement or walking meditation for neurodiverse groups.

    Sue and Jan each share about their backgrounds in meditation, and what led them to offering mindfulness practices through this lens. In particular, Jan speaks about how he turned to mindfulness to help manage the anxiety and sensory overwhelm arising from having to navigate neurotypical settings. The conversation also touches on several ways that the traditional presentation of mindfulness can be problematic for neurodivergent individuals, or simply fail to resonate with what they might like to address through meditation.

    If you are a meditation teacher, I hope this episode will heighten your awareness of neurodiversity, so that you can offer practices and create spaces that are more user-friendly for diverse minds.

    And, for those listening who identify as neurodivergent, I hope you’ll come away with new resources that lead you to useful (and enjoyable) meditation practices, tailored to your unique needs.

    Guest Bios:

    Sue Hutton has been a long-term practitioner and teacher of Mindfulness Meditation. She trained professionally with Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. She focuses her work these days on supporting mindfulness in neurodivergent communities, working with a research team at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Her perspective as a social worker and her experience in disability advocacy informs the way she shares traditional mindfulness techniques.


    Jan Wozniak is a licensed philosophical counsellor whose interests in Eastern philosophy, Buddhism, and neurodevelopmental research led to his pursuit of psychology and mindfulness-based practices. As an autistic adult, Jan combines theory, practice, and lived experience to support fellow neurodivergent community members through participatory research, informed programming, and advocacy initiatives. Jan serves as a Program Engagement Co-Facilitator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and is planning to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology in 2024.

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    Sue’s website with offerings related to all things neurodiversity and mindfulness (free streaming meditations, groups and resources): https://www.suehuttonmindfulness.com/

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week’s episode is a 10-minute guided meditation designed to help you cultivate joy. To include an awareness of the good, delightful, and joyful aspects of our experience is an important practice for developing inner resilience. (The meditation itself starts at about 8:20, after a brief intro to the topic.)

    There is a lot going on in the world that is distressing and disturbing – and those issues do need our skillful attention. But, in order to respond with clarity and energy, it helps to balance our minds with deliberate practices like joy.

    Interestingly enough, the topic of joy is one that often brings up resistance or skepticism. You may be doubting how a short meditation could help you cultivate joy - like, are you expected to feel joyful on command?

    If you had similar thoughts come up when you saw this joy meditation, I can relate! But I can also tell you that embracing glimmers of joy (during ordinary days, and during difficult seasons of my life) has been one of the most powerful practices for my well-being and resilience.

    The joy I’m talking about here is not really the exquisite, incredible, postcard-worthy peak experience, but more like a practice of consistently appreciating as much good as you can find in the present moment. It’s more about frequent small joys than big intense joys. And there’s a cumulative effect to recognizing joy more frequently - by opening to small delights and joys more often, we train ourselves to be more receptive to the positive.

    To see the good and remember that wonderful things are possible...this gives us hope. Those moments of joy resource us. They are like little emotional resilience vitamins that help us stay stronger when challenges do arise.

    Joy can help us regenerate our capacity to be there for others, and to hold a vision of a more beautiful world that’s worth working for.

    In this meditation, we will invoke the memory of a joyful or pleasant experience, mindfully savoring it in the present moment. Then, we will use this joyful energy to increase inner resilience, so it can become a source of deeper wellbeing.

    I hope this practice will bring a little lightness or possibility into your day!

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    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • Today’s podcast episode continues our discussion on Mindfulness Skills, picking up from Part 1 (which was Ep. 83). This topic explores the possibilities for growth and greater freedom that come from pursuing a mindful path.

    And, with a combination of traditional methods and outside-the-box practices, mindfulness can be more accessible, relevant, and personalized for each of us.

    I’m using the term “skill” very deliberately, because skills are learnable – they are qualities or tools we can train in and develop. Mindfulness practices also have many benefits for our health and well-being, but I think of skills as being more intentional in nature. When we know what mindfulness skills are, we can develop them in all kinds of activities, from traditional meditation, to mindful movement, to hobbies, daily tasks, exercise, work, play, and more.

    In this episode, I cover Mindfulness Skills 10-20. (I discussed 1-9 in Episode 83, so if you missed that one, you may want to start there.) This is by no means the definitive list of mindfulness skills – you could certainly name more – but I think it’s enough to point to the breadth and depth of transformation that mindfulness can bring.

    20 Mindfulness Skills:

    Being present (present-moment awareness) Embodiment (being in your body) Steady Focus Ability to shift attention Deep Listening Intention Non-judgment (suspending interpretation) Being with emotions without getting lost in them Decreasing Reactivity Acceptance (allowing things to be as they are) Recognizing impermanence Observing thoughts and tracking thought patterns Investigation Relaxing identification with emotions and thoughts Noticing habits that create more stress or suffering Letting Go Increasing kindness, compassion, and empathy Cultivating appreciation and gratitude Developing Patience Nurturing Perseverance

    Each skill could truly be its own podcast episode, so here I try to introduce them (relatively briefly) with a few quotes, images, Buddhist concepts, and personal anecdotes sprinkled in to provide a sketch of the terrain.

    Part of what inspired this topic is that many people over the years have mentioned to me that running, or baking bread, or crocheting (or another activity) is their meditation. If you feel at all meditative while doing an activity, I hope you will build on that! Learning about mindfulness skills can help you identify what positive qualities your favorite practice is growing – and where the gaps may be.

    So, in this episode, I offer examples of working on mindfulness skills as you would in traditional meditation, but also in mindful movement and in a creative array of other forms. The possibilities are infinite!

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This episode of the podcast is a conversation with Neil Pearson about how yoga and mindfulness can help you improve pain, understand your body’s signals better, and find relief. Neil is a physical therapist, yoga therapist, and author known for his work integrating yoga and pain science.

    If you are someone who lives with pain, and you’re wondering how yoga or mindfulness could help, this interview will offer plenty of concrete information. I think you will really appreciate Neil’s hopeful and empowering message that, yes - we CAN change our pain.

    It’s also a great listen if you teach movement or meditation, and you want to better serve students who may be coming to class to cope with pain. This episode is a great introduction to some of the science that can help you communicate with your students about pain, and confidently handle those moments when someone experiences pain during class.

    In this interview with Neil, you’ll hear:

    why he’s taken this approach of integrating yoga and mindfulness with pain science how movement changes pain by re-training the nervous system and influencing inflammation why it’s beneficial to “turn towards” pain with mindful awareness, rather than trying to downplay or ignore it autonomic synchrony and how practicing yoga or mindfulness in a group may be beneficial for pain reduction and why improving pain takes more than just finding the physical cause and fixing the tissues.

    Neil explains some of the counter-intuitive aspects of how pain works, so we can move away from outdated concepts that may limit our potential recovery. We discuss the impact of dramatic, negative language (like “this joint is bone on bone” or “this disc is shredded).” And, he also talks about how yoga can provide a direct experience of being able to change your pain, which can be a powerful counterpoint to some of our common misconceptions.

    Be sure to check the podcast page on my website and look for Episode 84 to find the resources that Neil mentioned during this conversation, as well as the links to his work with Pain Care Aware. Those can all be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

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    Guest Bio: Neil Pearson (PT, MSc(RHBS), BA-BPHE, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500) is a physical therapist, yoga therapist, author, researcher, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia, faculty in three yoga therapy schools, board member for International Association of Yoga Therapists and pain care advocate. He is the founding chair of CPA’s Pain Science Division, and the recipient of awards honouring his work in pain care, patient education and physiotherapy by Queen’s University, the Canadian Pain Society, and Physiotherapy Associations of BC and Canada, including the Canadian 2021 Medal of Distinction.

    Neil conducts research into the effects of yoga on veterans with chronic pain and people with osteoarthritis. He is a consultant to Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, and to Lifemark’s 300+ clinics in Canada. Neil is a past board member for Pain BC, Canada’s premier non-profit transforming the way pain is understood and treated. He co-authored Yoga and Science in Pain Care 2019, and authored the patient education ebook, Understand Pain Live Well Again in 2008 (translated to French and written Mandarin), and is lead contributor to many free patient resources offered by Pain BC.

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    You can learn more about Neil Pearson on the Pain Care Aware website.

    You can also follow his work on Instagram @paincareaware

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    The Ease In To Meditation course starts on January 28th! Check out this accessible movement-based approach to learning mindfulness.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • In this podcast episode, I’m addressing the question: What Are “Mindfulness Skills?” We’ll be covering a list of learnable abilities and characteristics we are developing through mindfulness practice. What are these skills, and why pay attention to them?

    A skill is something you deliberately train - it’s not just an innate quality, personality trait, or talent that you’re born with. We might also talk about some of these as “benefits” we gain from mindfulness, but thinking about it in terms of “skills” reminds us that these outcomes are learnable, and that we can grow through our mindfulness practice.

    This topic is relevant to Mindful Movement because if we’re going to practice mindfulness beyond the traditional sitting practice, or in an alternative way to make meditation more accessible, we need to consider what it is that we’re attempting to cultivate. What is the essence that the techniques are designed to teach us? Basically…how do we know we’re still practicing mindfulness?

    There are many creative ways we can experience and practice mindfulness. I’ve heard many people say “running is my meditation,” or “I find mindfulness in cooking, or art, or knitting.” I think that’s absolutely valid. Personally, I’m a big fan of practicing and teaching mindfulness through movement forms like Qigong and Yoga, and my hikes in nature are very connected to my mindfulness practice.

    But, to use an activity (that’s not traditional meditation) to genuinely develop mindfulness, to truly progress and experience the benefits of practice, we need intention and some idea of where we’re going.

    That’s where mindfulness skills come in. If we can identify some of the skills developed in traditional mindfulness practice, we can bring them into any meditation, movement style, exercise, creative activity, or daily life situation that we want. And, ultimately, this is great for any mindfulness practitioner (even the champion sitters), because integrating mindfulness fully into day-to-day life is truly the goal.

    In this episode, I will talk about the first nine of these mindfulness skills. The rest of the list will be covered in Part 2, coming out in a few weeks.

    Being present (present-moment awareness) Embodiment (being in your body) Steady Focus Ability to shift attention Deep Listening Intention Non-judgment (suspending interpretation) Being with emotions without getting lost in them Decreasing Reactivity Acceptance (allowing things to be as they are) Recognizing impermanence Observing thoughts and tracking thought patterns Investigation Relaxing identification with emotions and thoughts Noticing habits that create more stress or suffering Letting Go Increasing kindness, compassion, and empathy Cultivating appreciation and gratitude Developing Patience Nurturing Perseverance

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    I think this topic can help to flesh out our understanding of what mindfulness is, and why we might put energy into practicing it. When you see the scope of what we are developing in a full-spectrum mindfulness practice, you see that it’s not just another quickie technique, or superficial buzzword.

    And, if you have another activity you consider your form of meditation - like running, or walking in nature, or knitting/crocheting, or cooking – I encourage you to reflect on which mindfulness skills you are developing. That way you can steer your activity towards a deeper and more expansive practice that truly gives you the benefits of meditation.

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    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Find more info on the upcoming Ease In To Meditation course at https://movedtomeditate.yoga/movement-based-mindfulness-course-ease-in-to-meditation/

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • In this episode, I have the joy of interviewing Dr. Tamara Russell about how to practice and train mindfulness in movement.

    Dr. Russell is not only a neuroscientist and mindfulness researcher, but a clinical psychologist, and a martial artist with a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu. She brings all of these perspectives to her mission of making mindfulness practices more accessible for more people, so that we can reclaim our attention, focus more on what really matters to us, and move our world forward in a positive direction.

    You’ll hear about:

    working with movements of the body, movements of thoughts, and the movements of our emotions her progression from the “hard styles” of martial arts like Kung Fu to the internal martial arts like Tai Chi and Qigong how introducing mindfulness practices through movement can sometimes be a more trauma-informed alternative to sitting meditation the 4 stage neurocognitive model of mindfulness that Dr. Russell developed the key role of intention if our goal is to cultivate mindfulness through a movement practice.

    We also talked about why learning mindfulness through movement can be a particularly effective method for people with busy minds, kinesthetic learners, and for those who identify as neurodivergent. And, we discussed the benefits of mindful movement for experienced meditators who wish to bring the wisdom of sitting practice more fully into the complexities of daily life.

    Dr. Russell even offers a short guided practice during the conversation to illustrate the difference between being mindfully aware of the body vs. thinking about or visualizing the body.

    Do be sure to check this episode’s podcast page on the website at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast to find the resources from this conversation. I have links there to some of Dr. Russell’s research and other resources, as well as the programs she mentions at the end of the episode.

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    Guest Bio: Dr. Tamara Russell is a neuroscientist, author, clinical psychologist, martial arts expert and leading innovator in the well-being space. She has helped people all around the world transform their lives using her ground-breaking applied brainwise techniques for living well.

    These applied translational neuroscience tools allow everyone the chance to make better decisions in line with their core values and live well.

    With two PhDs and a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, Tamara's work integrates mind, brain and body in a totally unique approach to well-being and thriving that combines movement, neuroscience and creativity. Her three core programs include Body in Mind Training, Brainwise Mindfulness and The Dragon Way to Mental Wealth (and for Families and Young People - What Colour is Your Dragon?).

    These programs have been offered across corporate, education, health and creative sectors, where Tamara teaches groups and individuals in the public and private sector how to thrive.

    Tamara is involved in international research investigating how mindfulness changes the structure of the brain. She lectures in Neuroscience and Mindfulness at Kings College London. She is regularly invited to speak on Mindfulness around the globe, appearing both on stage, radio and on-line. This work informs her applied translational neuroscience approach to well-being.

    Her organisation The Mindfulness Centre of Excellence was founded in 2011 after sharing the stage with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Sao Paulo, Brazil at a symposium exploring how ancient contemplative technologies can inform the challenges of modern living.

    Tamara is the author of three books: Mindfulness in Motion, #whatismindfulness, and What Colour is Your Dragon?

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    You can learn more about Dr. Tamara Russell on her website https://mindbodymot.com/

    Find her books Mindfulness in Motion and #WhatIsMindfulness

    You can also follow her on social media:

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtamararussell/

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.tamararussell9150

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Lastly, you can follow the podcast (and Addie, the host) @addie_movedtomeditate on Instagram or Threads (for mindfulness, movement, yin yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • Today's podcast episode is a quick update and preview of what's to come in 2024!

    I will be taking a holiday break from the podcast in December, so I can get organized for upcoming episodes in the new year, plus embark on a BIG new project.

    Listen to this episode for a sneak peek of our upcoming guest interviews and topics you'll hear on the podcast in the New Year. I also talk about some practice opportunities, like the return of the Ease In To Meditation course, and a spring half-day online retreat.

    And...I am equal parts nervous and excited to reveal that I am working on a BOOK! The working title is Teaching Mindful Movement, and it is meant to be a guide for anyone interested in a mindfulness-based approach to movement practice, or an accessible and embodied way to teach mindfulness skills.

    This book project will bring together many of the ideas I've shared about mindful movement here on the podcast, plus some of the topics from the Mindful Movement Teacher Training. Right now, I'm in the early stages of gathering my previous writings, organizing what I have, figuring out what's missing, and developing a format and outline. I will keep you posted as I progress! My goal is to release the book sometime in 2024.

    Lastly, I want to express my huge gratitude to everyone who has listened to the podcast in the last year and helped it grow! It feels wonderful to know there's a community of people out there who are intersted in these mindful movement and meditation topics. Your interest and feedback have encouraged me to dig deeper, keep learning, and keep refining my ability to write and speak about these subjects. Also, big thanks to all of my podcast guests from this year for taking the time to share your knowledge here - what a gift.

    I look forward to sharing new podcast episodes with you all in the New Year, and in the meantime, I wish you a peaceful holiday season and restful end of 2023.

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    To be notified when the registration opens for the Ease In To Meditation course, or when the dates are announced for half-day retreats, join the Moved To Meditate newsletter HERE.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week's podcast episode is a 15-Minute Body Scan Meditation. The Body Scan is a classic practice to cultivate mindfulness of the body and develop embodied awareness.

    For many of us, it’s difficult to stay connected with the felt sense of the body. There are a lot of reasons we get pulled away from our embodied awareness - because of busy-ness, speeding through the day, getting lost in our devices, and living in a culture that values our intellectual side over our embodied knowing. Experiences of trauma can also contribute to this sense of mind-body separation, as can experiences of being othered related to attributes of our body, whether that’s based on our size, race, age, sexuality, gender expression, or physical ability.

    By practicing Mindfulness of the Body, you can develop a habit of checking in more often, learning to listen to the signals of your body, and gradually re-embodying your full self.

    Over time, this work can really shift your relationship to your body. The practice can change how you sense the body, how you talk to it, how you talk about it, how you work with its energies, and how you perceive what it even means to be in a body. Getting to know the body up close by observing its aliveness in the present moment is very different than basing your relationship on all of the accumulated messages you've received over the course of your lifetime.

    So, the Body Scan is a wonderful practice in service of these discoveries. As we move our attention through the body, the intention is to be receptive to sensations in a non-judgmental way. We learn to be with the full range and variety of sensations - pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral ones, intense sensations and subtle ones, familiar ones, new ones, and mysterious ones.

    This meditation also includes a few simple instructions to help you navigate more charged experiences, like physical pain or intense emotion. Sometimes as we do the work of reconnecting with the body, strong feelings or memories come up, so I offer some simple ways to "tap the brakes," if needed. With these options in mind, the Body Scan can be an excellent vehicle for exploring and deepening embodied presence – on your own terms.

    You can do this meditation seated on the ground, or in a chair, or lying down. Any position that's kind and friendly to your body is good. This meditation also pairs well with movement! You can do a body scan before you do a movement practice, as a way of really establishing connection to what you’re feeling. Or, you can do some movement first, and benefit from waking up sensation in the body, which might make it easier to feel connected as you move your awareness through in the body scan.

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    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This podcast episode is a fascinating conversation with Scott Odom, about what happens when we start to see the world through a lens of “basic goodness.”

    Scott is a retired police officer, dedicated Buddhist practitioner, and former nomad who spent four years traveling the country in an airstream. We talk about practice, the process of transformation, and integrating the many roles we play in life.

    In this conversation, you’ll hear about Scott’s experiences working as a police officer, and what he learned from that work – both the positives and negatives. He describes how police work was empowering, but also draining, and that it eventually led him to seek a spiritual path in order to cope with the trauma he was immersed in every day.

    In Buddhism, the concept of basic goodness is the idea that all beings have an essential nature that is benevolent, open, and clear. Thus, all beings are worthy of compassion and have the potential of waking up to this true nature. Once he began his practice, Scott had the experience of going back on patrol with this radically new perspective and the ability to be fully present with people in all sorts of intense situations. This helped him move away from survival mode thinking, where he tended to view people as either a threat to deal with, or neutral and irrelevant.

    We also talked about his relationship with the devotional aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, including chanting, bowing, and deity visualizations. And, we discussed the embodied movement aspects of the Ngondro practice, and what he gained from completing thousands of prostrations (somewhat similar to a Sun Salutation) in the early years of his journey.

    And, of course I asked Scott about his 4+ years leading a nomadic life in an airstream, after he retired from police work. He shares what it was like to be on a sort of traveling Dharma retreat in the “airstream of consciousness.”

    I hope you’ll enjoy listening to this wide-ranging conversation and come away inspired to follow your own path of wisdom, heart, and insight – however that might look!

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    Guest Bio: Scott Odom is a Dharma practitioner in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. He is a retired police officer and lives in the desert on the outskirts of Palm Springs, California, with his wife and two dogs. His spiritual path has included working with Ayahuasca in the Santo Daime church and exploring the Santeria/Espiritismo tradition. He currently leads an informal Dharma group that meets weekly for practice, readings, and Dharma talks. You can follow him on Instagram @the_awakened_heart.

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week's podcast episode is a guided meditation using compassion phrases. We can always benefit from giving and receiving more compassion - as individuals, and as a collective of interdependent beings co-existing on this planet. So in this meditation, we’ll be practicing self-compassion, as well as compassion for others.

    Compassion is one of the heart cultivation practices within the Buddhist Mindfulness tradition. It is related to (but a little different from) Metta, or Loving-Kindness, which is like unconditional friendliness and goodwill.

    Compassion is more like the heartfelt response to suffering or struggle. When we witness someone’s distress (or experience our own distress), that goodwill feeling has a special, poignant caring to it. That’s compassion.

    Practicing Compassion Meditation is a way to grow our capacity to meet suffering with more caring and less aversion. Unfortunately, aversion is often a big part of what arises when we encounter suffering. It can kind of repulse us - we don’t really want to see pain and struggle.

    That kind of aversion might lead to less-than-helpful actions, like rushing in to fix someone’s problems so that you can feel better. Compassion practice helps us learn to be present and sit with difficulty…and then to take appropriate action to help or alleviate suffering, when we can.

    So, compassion isn’t just “thoughts and prayers” with no intention to take tangible positive action. Real compassion can support a clear and appropriate response, and helps to ensure that response isn’t defined by our reactivity.

    Likewise, self-compassion practice might start with the phrases, but it doesn’t end there. This kind of meditation helps set a certain tone for the actions we need to take for ourselves, or for the changes we might need to make that might improve our circumstances. When we do those things from an attitude of care and self-compassion, it’s much more beneficial than doing those activities from a place of self-criticism or shame.

    In this meditation, we'll practice with a set of simple compassion phrases that invite us to feel held in compassion. As mentioned above, the phrases work as a focal point in the meditation, and they plant the seeds of compassion in the heart-mind.

    The compassion phrases I use for this meditation:

    May I (you) be held in Compassion. May my (your) distress be eased. Where there’s struggle, may there also be caring.

    The compassion phrases can also become a little mental refrain that you can call upon anytime - when you find yourself saying one of these phrases to yourself as a reminder during the day, that’s a good sign that they’re sinking in.

    As always with phrase practices, feel free to change the words or add more lines of your own. The idea is simply to use wordings that help invoke the spirit of compassion for you.

    Make sure your body is supported and comfortable for this practice. You can do this meditation while sitting on a chair, or on a cushion, or while lying down.

    I hope this practice will bring a little more care and connection into your day, and that your compassion will ripple out into the world in all kinds of ways!
    --
    P. S. If you want to hear more about Compassion, Episode 28 was a “Deeper Dive” podcast episode on this topic. One interesting (hopefully helpful) part of that talk is about distinguishing between true compassion and the well-intentioned misfires such as enabling, co-dependence, and compassion fatigue. There’s also a sweet story about a Dachshund named Scarlett.
    --
    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram (or Threads!) at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • In today's episode of the podcast, we'll be exploring Wise Effort. Practicing Wise Effort means being mindful of how you’re using your energies and your attention - and whether that is moving you towards fulfilling your intentions.

    This is something we can look at in meditation practice, or in movement practice...and hopefully apply in the rest of our life’s activities.

    You'll hear about Wise Effort (or Right Effort) in the context of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path, and why it's important to pay attention to not only what we do, but how we do it. When we put energy into a task or towards a goal, is there a tone of steadiness and clarity, or grasping and striving? Are we working too hard and getting exhausted, or not doing enough to build any momentum?

    Wise Effort can include:
    • generating the effort to start your practice and keep practicing
    • refining the kind of effort you’re using in your practice (or any activity)
    • the effort to bring your attention back to the present moment
    • the inner work of making ethical choices, or avoiding harmful, reactive actions
    • the resolve it takes to be present with mental and emotional states

    I'll also underline the role Wise Effort plays in Mindfulness practice, beyond just "being with what is." Sometimes Wise Effort supports us to sit with something that’s challenging, other times we engage Wise Effort to redirect the mind because we’re overwhelmed or moving into a habit track that we don’t want to reinforce.

    And, of course, you'll hear how a mindful movement class can be an incredible laboratory for observing your relationship to effort!

    Since I've recently been teaching a class series that combines resistance bands with mindful movement, this topic has been very much on my mind. I'll talk about how this added element of strength has inspired some interesting ways to investigate Wise Effort in a class that's normally gentler and quieter.

    As we get to know the actual sensations of physical effort, we can get better at taking our cues from the body, rather than falling into deeply conditioned habits around effort.

    Historically speaking, I tend to be a bit of an over-doer, so I share some personal examples of how I try to apply what I've learned "on the mat" about Wise Effort, so it can have a greater balancing influence on how I live and work. I hope this episode will also inspire you to reflect on your relationship with effort, and how you can engage with it in a curious, playful, non-judgmental way.
    --
    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram and Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • In this episode of the podcast, we're talking about the Bio Psycho Social Spiritual model and Mindful Movement. I believe this framework can help us understand the full potential of Mindful Movement and the (sometimes unexpected) benefits we gain from practicing. Listen in, and hear why Mindful Movement deserves to be a priority if you’re looking to increase your well-being.

    The Bio Psycho Social Spiritual (BPSS) model represents a holistic approach to human health, which was originally proposed in the field of medicine as a an alternative to more reductionist ways of thinking. The BPSS points out interconnections between different aspects of human experience, and how all of these factors contribute to overall wellness.

    When you think about this model, you start to realize how often we are asked to compartmentalize different parts of ourselves because we’re interacting with an institution or system that’s more equipped to deal with one or two facets of the BPSS, but not all of them. So, where do we get to be seen and celebrated as whole selves?

    It is interesting to look at Mindful Movement through this lens, because it is rare to find resources that address our full humanity in the way that Mindful Movement classes can.

    And, this framework gives us the opportunity to appreciate what these practices have to offer beyond the physical benefits. Practices like Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi, and Somatics can contribute to our mental health, help us form important social bonds, and create spaces where we can reflect on what's meaningful to us.

    As you'll hear in the episode, the key to really touching on all four domains of the Bio Psycho Social Spiritual model is the intentional combination of movement and mindfulness. Give it a listen, and be inspired to include your whole self in your practice!

    --

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Sign up for the Teacher Trainings Interest List, and recieve 1-2 newsletters on topics like this each month): movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-training-interest-list

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week's podcast episode is an Equanimity practice. Join me for a guided meditation, exploring the potential for steadiness in the heart and mind.

    Equanimity, or Upekkha (in Pali), is a natural by-product of Mindfulness Meditation. We grow our steadiness a little bit every time we come back to our anchor in the present moment. And, our steadiness also gets stronger every time we’re able to observe our reactive thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them.

    Equanimity practice is also a form of meditation in itself. It is one of the Four Brahma Viharas, or Divine Abodes, along with Loving-Kindness, Compassion, and Altruistic Joy. These are sometimes called “heart practices” within Mindfulness or Insight Meditation.

    As we develop Equanimity, we are developing the capacity to meet life fully, with all of its joys and challenges.

    In this meditation, we will cultivate equanimity through the felt sense of groundedness and spaciousness in the body, through imagery, and by using Equanimity phrases.

    The Equanimity phrases I offer are:

    May I feel steady and grounded. May my view be wise and spacious, free from reactivity. May I care AND let go. May I know what to do.

    Feel free to do this practice while sitting on a chair or on a cushion. For this meditation, it is helpful to be upright and to feel your feet or sitting bones touching the support of the floor or chair.

    --

    P. S. If you want to learn more about Equanimity, Episode 21 was a “Deeper Dive” podcast episode on this topic. That talk covers some important nuances to Equanimity practice, like how it is different from apathy or numbness, and the connection between Equanimity and states like courage or confidence.

    --

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram (or Threads!) at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week on the podcast, I’m talking about ADHD and Mindfulness Meditation with my guest Ying Deng. Ying is the founder of ADHD Asian Girl, a platform that provides support and resources for people with ADHD, especially Asian women. She is a certified Transformation Life Coach with additional training in positive psychology, and she’s currently in Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP).

    There is some research that shows mindfulness to be an effective practice for helping people with ADHD direct their focus, regulate their emotions, and more. But, understandably, the act of meditation presents inherent difficulties for ADHD, and some of the standard mindfulness techniques may not be completely accessible without adaptation.

    In this interview, Ying Deng shares about her journey with mindfulness and ADHD, and how she got diagnosed as an adult, after realizing that she was bored with her dream job because it had become too calm and predictable. She highlights how often the symptoms are overlooked in high-achieving women, and how one’s cultural background can influence the way their ADHD shows up.

    We also talk in detail about different mindfulness and meditation practices, and how to adapt them for ADHD. Ying’s tips include:

    Embrace variety and constant learning by experimenting with different meditation techniques - the world of mindfulness is vast! Meditation practices with more structure, like RAIN or repeating Loving Kindness phrases, can help with focus. Know that you can practice meditation in different postures – sitting, standing, lying down, and in walking meditation. Incorporate more sensory engagement by practicing outdoors, playing background music, or by using mala beads (sense of touch). Try a breathing exercise or mindful movement practice beforehand to help you transition into your meditation. Consider meditating in a group with others (either in person or online) as a form of “body doubling,” to help you stay present and engaged with the practice.

    Ying also explained how she developed a consistent practice despite the fact that sticking to the same schedule every day doesn’t work for her. And, she described the benefits of mindfulness in her daily life, including the ability to return to the present moment, and responding to situations with less self-judgment.

    If you’re listening because you have ADHD and you’re interested in learning to meditate, I think you’ll get some really helpful ideas from this conversation!

    And, I hope that this episode will also be helpful for mindfulness teachers who would like to make their teachings more accessible for neurodivergent students. Speaking as a teacher myself, I found some of the suggestions weren't what I expected (and they do break from tradition), but they make sense now with a greater understanding of ADHD.

    --

    Guest Bio: Ying Deng is a passionate advocate for ADHD awareness and empowerment, with extensive experience in coaching and mindfulness. She is the founder of ADHD Asian Girl, a platform that provides support and resources for people with ADHD, especially Asian women. Through her work, she strives to increase representation and awareness of the unique experiences of Asian women with ADHD as well as make meditation more accessible for ADHD people. Ying Deng is a certified Transformation Life Coach with additional training in positive psychology. She is currently in Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program.

    You can learn more about Ying Deng on her website https://adhdasiangirl.com/

    You can also follow her on Twitter and YouTube.

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    Lastly, you can follow the podcast (and Addie, the host) on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yin yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This episode of the podcast is a guided meditation using Loving Kindness phrases.

    Metta (or Loving Kindness) Meditation is one of the heart practices from the Mindfulness tradition, and it’s a way of cultivating goodwill and friendliness for ourselves and others.

    One of the techniques we use in Metta practice is to silently recite phrases to help invoke the intention of loving kindness.

    In this guided meditation, we will start by offering Metta phrases to another being (such as an animal friend or admired mentor) who is easy to wish well. In traditional Metta practice, this figure is called the "Benefactor."

    Then, we'll turn the kind intentions we've generated for the Benefactor back towards our own selves. This method can be helpful for cultivating greater self-kindness or self-love.

    The Loving Kindness phrases I offer are:

    May you (I) be safe and protected from harm.
    May you (I) be happy in the midst of how things are.
    May you (I) be healthy, strong, and whole.
    May you (I) live with ease of well-being.

    You can do this meditation seated on the ground, or in a chair, or lying down. Any position that's kind and friendly to your body is good!

    If you want more context for Loving Kindness practices in general, I did two podcast episodes about Metta in 2022, so you can look up episodes 24 and 26 and learn more about the origins and benefits of Metta, as well as some helpful clarifications and tips.

    --

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram (or Threads!) at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a Mindful Movement class and a Yoga class? That question is a little more complicated than it may first appear, and so that’s what we’re going to explore in this episode of the podcast.

    While Yoga could certainly be considered a type of Mindful Movement, we’re going to break down the similarities and differences between a typical mainstream Yoga class and a movement class that is more like a dynamic expression of Mindfulness Meditation.

    I’ll be talking about the “Mindful Movement class” as a particular format that I use in my teaching to give structure to the practice of mindfulness-in-movement. And, I’ll share how this topic is personal to me, especially as I’ve evolved in my teaching over the last few years.

    Features of a Mindful Movement Class vs. a Yoga Class:

    A Mindful Movement class may be done entirely standing, sitting in a chair, or on the floor, and these positional foundations can be mixed in any way that’s practical, rather than following the expected arc of a Yoga class. It may draw from a mix of movement modalities, like Somatics, Yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi, rather than being purely dedicated to one style. When designing a class through the lens of mindfulness-in-movement, one might take a different approach to sequencing (choosing the movements and putting them in a particular order), rather than using common Yoga sequencing guidelines. In a Mindful Movement class, there is more emphasis on directing your awareness and attention, to explore meditative skills through movement. A teacher may choose the term “Mindful Movement” for their class to indicate that it’s based more on Buddhist Mindfulness teachings, rather than Yoga philosophy. A Mindful Movement class might end in a seated meditation, rather than culminating with Savasana.

    Each of the above elements is explained in more detail in the episode, and if you noticed that I used the words “may” and “might” a lot in these bullet points, it’s because I’m describing my own perspective on Mindful Movement, rather than trying to speak for everyone! I don’t think that there’s widely-accepted consensus on this definition, at least at this present moment.

    “Mindful Movement” is a VERY broad term, but I think it can be useful to explore some definitions, as these choices connect to one’s intention for practice.

    And since the idea of a Mindful Movement class is less standardized, looking at it alongside the more familiar yoga class format gives us something to compare and contrast it with, which hopefully makes it a bit less abstract. My intention is not to declare that one form of practice is better, or that anything is missing from Yoga. Rather, this discussion is offered in the spirit of openness, respect, and possibility, so that we can all consider what kinds of classes might best serve our needs and intentions.

    I’m hoping that what I share in this episode will be helpful whether you’re newly exploring movement practices, or you’re a teacher like myself who sometimes gets tangled up in names and titles for things… ;)
    --
    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram (or Threads!) at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • In this episode of the podcast, I have the honor of speaking with Dr. Kate Truitt about the Havening Techniques, which use mindful touch and intentional attention to change how your brain responds to stress.

    Dr. Kate Truitt is a licensed clinical psychologist, applied neuroscientist, and an internationally recognized expert in the neuroscience of trauma, stress, and resilience. She is the co-developer of the Havening Techniques and author of the book Healing In Your Hands: Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience.

    You'll hear about:

    The ways you can apply the Self-Havening mindful touch Befriending your amygdala, the ancient part of your brain that seeks to keep you safe, but can easily hijack you with fearful thoughts What happens in your brain when you combine touch, cognitive techniques, and breath regulation in a Havening exercise And how Havening can be used not only in difficult moments, but as a way to explore positive feelings that might initially feel like a stretch.

    Dr. Truitt shares her own story of healing from traumatic grief and how Havening became such a big part of her work as a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist. We cover practical ways these tools can be used to shift the impact of a stressful event, and to decrease the likelihood of being triggered in a similar way in the future.

    And, we also discuss how the intentional distractions and brain games in Havening help us redirect our attention away from overwhelming thoughts, and how this fits in with the mindfulness practice of non-avoidance, or turning towards whatever is coming up.

    If Havening is new to you, this episode is a great place to start! Dr. Truitt shares so much information in this conversation, including tools you can put to use right away. Be sure to check the show notes page on my website for the additional resources and handouts that go with this episode.

    --

    You can learn more about Dr. Kate Truitt on her website https://drtruitt.com/

    Her book (discussed in this episode) is called Healing In Your Hands: Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience (This is my affiliate link at Bookshop.org. If you purchase through the link, I receive a small percentage, at no extra cost to you, AND the profits benefit local bookstores.)

    You can also follow Dr. Kate Truitt on social media:
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrKateTruitt
    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.katetruitt
    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkatetruitt/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.katetruitt/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKateTruitt

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at https://www.movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    Lastly, you can follow the podcast (and Addie, the host) on Instagram at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, yin yoga, and pictures of PNW nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).

  • This week on the podcast, I’d like to talk about “everyday mindfulness,” the practice of taking small moments to pause and be aware throughout your day. We’ll explore practical ways you can create a supportive mindfulness practice for all the moving parts of your real, beautiful, and (sometimes) messy life.

    The advantage of everyday mindfulness is that we can incorporate it into what we’re already doing, so it doesn’t require any extra time. Practicing this way can be quite organic when we simply remember to be mindful while doing ordinary tasks.

    Many people find that being more aware during daily activities also has a way of making those moments more meaningful, and it creates little pockets of stress relief that can make a significant difference.

    Everyday Mindfulness Points You’ll Hear About:

    Why mini-mindfulness practices are a great starting point for beginners interested in meditation How everyday mindfulness is an important part of maturing your practice further down the road Some background for everyday mindfulness practices in the Buddhist teachings, and how mindfulness includes all of our senses How mindful movement particularly strengthens the connection between meditation and everyday life.

    At the end of the episode, I’ll offer a menu of everyday mindfulness practices you can play with this week, including the 54321 practice (with the 5 senses), “waiting meditation,” using a mindfulness bell, and more.

    For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.

    And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!

    Information on the upcoming Mindful Movement Teacher Training can be found at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.

    Feel free to reach out through my website with your thoughts on this episode. You can also connect with me on Instagram (or Threads!) at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, and pictures of Pacific Northwest nature and my adorable kitty, Mustache).