One of the things that insight or mindfulness meditation does is help you see the way your mind works, what are the patterns…what are the kind of regular gambits that it’s always pulling on you… – Jeff Warren
This is a podcast about training how you want to exist in the world.
Your training how to do this everyday. If you’re existing in a consistently negative state – angry, fearful, stressful – that’s the habit you’re unconsciously training.
My guest on this podcast says a (meditation) practice “is an opportunity to train something different, to explore a different way of being. ”
Enter Jeff Warren.
Jeff is an author and meditation teacher referred to as the meditation MacGyver. He’s the author of “Head Trip, A Fantastic Romp Through 24 Hours in the Life of Your Brain “, the founder of the Consciousness Explorers Club and recent collaborator on the book “Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics“
In 2004 ABC News Anchor Dan Harris had a panic attack on live TV and that experience eventually led Dan to meditation. He then wrote a now best selling book about it called “10% Happier” and the fidgety skeptics follow-up, subtitled “A 10% Happier, How-To Guide” which explores why most people don’t meditate or can’t stick with it once they start.
Jeff’s research for the book was a cross country tour with Dan, on a bus, with Jeff being the meditation teacher. They visited 18 states in 11 days meeting with a mix of people from line cooks to police officers, members of Congress, neuroscientists, military cadets and celebrities to better understand the obstacles people have to meditation. Jeff offered up best practices and life hacks designed to help people learn meditation.
Hence why I have Jeff him on the podcast.
Anyone who says they’re interested in consciousness and the mind will ultimately realize that they’re interested in kind of knowing who they are – Jeff Warren
Meditation / mindfulness has moved – or is moving – into the mainstream. Especially if it makes the cover of Time.
So I’ll assume you know that meditation, in and of itself, isn’t a religion and incense burning is not a requirement.
Sometimes just sitting down to confront your discomfort can really transform it – Jeff Warren
Personally, meditation has been absolutely helpful to me, WHEN I do it, but it’s sometimes a struggle. Occasionally I can string together 10 days or so in a row (woowho!) but then I just drop it and it’s hard to get back into. So, Jeff agreed to talk with me about it and about the book.
Thank God, I had a ton of questions.
– What exactly IS meditation?
– What qualifies as a “mindfulness” practice?
– Is it reflection, relaxation, introspection, chanting?
– Is there a minimum amount of time you need to do it?
– Do I need to cross my legs, do I need yoga pants?
If you’ve ever thought or said something like “I’d love to meditate but I can’t because __”
You need to listen to this podcast.
Jeff describes himself as the anti-Buddha. He says he was meditations hardest test case. Ah, the perfect person to talk to about what meditation can and cannot do.
So I did just that.
Enjoy!
Resources
- Jeff’s site and meditation resources, jeffwarren.org
- Book “Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, a 10% Happier How to Guide”
- Book “Head Trip, A Fantastic Romp Through 24 Hours in the Life of Your Brain
- Brightmind meditation app
- 10% Happier meditation app
- Book The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson M.D.
One Response
Great! This is so helpful and it won’t take a lot of time just to meditate. Anyway, I was really amazed of what meditation can do like it can make us become more mindful and it trigger flow. Which flow make us more productive and creative. I wanted to share this flow because it also helpful for all of us who are meeting stress along the way when we had deadlines or challenging situation.