Everything you need to know about Mindfulness and Meditation, all in one place.
This page covers everything you need to know about mindfulness and meditation. Whether you are a college student just trying to learn the basics or a CEO who has spent time at an ashram, this site aims to be an invaluable, consistently updated reservoir of the best tools and information the internet has to offer.
Stay up to date with the latest mindfulness news:
The Harvard Gazette, April 9th 2018, 8 minute read
Millennials Love Mindfulness Meditation And Here's Why
A New Study Shows Meditation Has Long-Term Benefits of Up to 7 Years
Is Meditation the Answer to Cognitive Decline?
See more
The Best Web Resources on Mindfulness and Meditation
Getting Started with Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are broad topics and there are many different approaches to how people practice and incorporate them into their daily life.
When starting off, the best thing to do is get a general idea of the benefits mindfulness and meditation provide, (you can read about why you should practice here) and then some guidance on how to start (which is provided below).
The first and most important step is just starting. For that pick a beginner guide on mindfulness and meditation and follow it. The second most important thing is staying consistent. The benefits of mindfulness, much like the benefits derived from any productive activity, get amplified the more you keep at it.
Don't expect miraculous revelations about the nature of your being within the first few days. It will take some time (and some failures) before you start noticing, at first in a very subtle manner, the positive change in the way your mind operates. Eventually, if you keep at it for long enough, you will be able to look back with a smile on how far you have come and how much better you feel.
"The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength."
Marcus Aurelius
Use Mindfulness and Meditation to improve the quality of your experiences in this world.
The Easiest Way to Get Started
No reason to overthink this. Two straightforward sites below to answer your questions and get you on your way towards a more meaningful life. Links to the best YouTube resources and phone apps are coming!
Mindful.org's comprehensive beginner's guide answers any questions you might have about mindfulness and meditation.
QuietKit has put together what is quite simply the quickest way to get started right now with meditation.
Paying attention to your breath is the simplest way to start practicing meditation or mindfulness right now. Box breathing, "also know as Navy SEAL breathing technique, or tactical breathing, it's a surprisingly simple and effective way to help regain calm and control of your thoughts when under stress."
Why You Should Start Practicing Mindfulness and Meditation
Science is finally showing what ancient practitioners have known for millennia―that practiced regularly, mindfulness and meditation have a wide range of benefits across the entire spectrum of the human experience. Find out more about them in the links below.
Studies, articles, and links, oh my! A sizeable (but not even close to exhaustive) list of primary and secondary sources listing the benefits of mindfulness and meditation.
"Habits are formed and strengthened as we journey through a continuous loop seeking to satisfy our urges. Here's how to break the cycle." Correcting bad habits is the key to positive behavioral change.
"Of all the routines and habits, the most consistent among guests some form of daily meditation or mindfulness practice. More than 80% of the world-class performers I interviewed shared this trait." - Tim Ferriss
"Having witnessed the benefits, I devoted my PhD research at Stanford to studying the impact of meditation. In the last 10 years, hundreds of studies have been released. Here are 20 scientifically-validated reasons you might want to get on the bandwagon today."
Adapted from a Harvard Medical School special health report on psychology, this guide is a helpful primer on how exactly mindfulness practice can change your life.
UCLA Integrative Medicine's concise writeup on the benefits and applications of mindfulness meditation practice.
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”
― Henry David Thoreau
The Best Books on Mindfulness and Meditation
A great book can go a long way in making an impression that sticks. It can also be a source that you can come back to and reference often. The choices below are great resources and have a wealth of information.
A wonderful book that gives you a structured eight weeks to learn about and practice mindfulness.
"The landmark work on mindfulness, meditation, and healing." Let Jon Kabat-Zinn himself guide you on your journey. Especially recommended for sufferers of chronic illness.
A classic book that many have used as their introduction to mindfulness and meditation. It's a practical and step by step guide that can be useful for everyone.
"In the rush of modern life, we tend to lose touch with the peace that is available in each moment. World-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very situations that usually pressure and antagonize us."
See more book recommendations
An Introduction to Stoicism
According to Stoic teachings, "as social beings, the path to happiness for humans is found in accepting this moment as it presents itself, by not allowing ourselves to be controlled by our desire for pleasure or our fear of pain, by using our minds to understand the world around us and to do our part in nature's plan, and by working together and treating others in a fair and just manner." (source)
You will find that practicing stoicism becomes a powerful mental tool, something that can become indispensable, especially in the face of adverse events. That is the reason it is utilized by world-class athletes, top business leaders, and the highest tier special forces units.
While mindfulness and stoicism are two distinct practices, they overlap in many ways and are remarkably complementary.
This site aims to be your guide for practical applications of Stoicism to modern life.
"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
Marcus Aurelius
Introductions to practical Stoicism
When studying Stoicism, one can go very deep into history and philosophy. If you enjoy that, I'll have resources for you later. But for people looking for practical ways to utilize Stoicism today, the following links are great starting points.
A concise explanation of practical stoicism without the esoteric philosophy that many people can find confusing.
The Stoicism subreddit's short primer on how the ancient philosphy can be utilized in modern life.
The Best Books on Stoicism
How we handle ourselves in the face of adversity is a vital aspect of mental wellbeing. Reading any of the books below will completely change your mindset and you will start recognizing that setbacks and struggle are opportunities for massive growth.
A primer on Stoic philosophy and that uses historical and contemporary anecdotes. No other book will teach you how to mentally handle obstacles in your life as well as this one. A book so influential that it "became wildly popular at every level of the NFL." It will have you reframing your approach to the barriers you are facing, and allow you to turn adversity into strength.
The landmark work that serves as the ultimate guide on how to live your life in the face of overwhelming responsibility, written by the most powerful man in the world at the time. "Few ancient works have been as influential as the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, philosopher and emperor of Rome (A.D. 161–180). A series of spiritual exercises filled with wisdom, practical guidance, and profound understanding of human behavior, it remains one of the greatest works of spiritual and ethical reflection ever written."
The Daily Stoic offers 366 days of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations from the Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the playwright Seneca, and [others]. By following these teachings over the course of a year (and, indeed, for years to come) you'll find the serenity, self-knowledge, and resilience you need to live well.
See more book recommendations
Amazing content is on the way. Please be patient... like Buddha!
