WW’s Eco Therapeutic Playlist & Meditative Tips
WW’s Eco Therapeutic Playlist & Meditative Tips
WORDS: NOAH PHAM
As we navigate through the various lifestyle changes, there’s a quote that comes to my mind in hopes of staying present:
“When the crowded Vietnamese refugee boats met with storms or pirates, if everyone panicked all would be lost. But if even one person on the boat remained calm and centered, it was enough. It showed the way for everyone to survive.”
Coined by the Buddhist zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, tranquility comes from our own headspace. In an effort to keep ourselves from spiraling, and as many neuroscience studies have shown, meditation can help us regulate our own emotions to better pay attention to others and act more altruistically. In Western culture, the most well-known practice is “mindfulness meditation.” That means paying attention, purposefully and non-judgmentally, to your experience in the present moment. It can involve a formal practice — like when you sit down, close your eyes, and focus on feeling your breath go in and out. But I have found you can also practice mindfulness while you read the news or shop for groceries.
In pursuit of providing you all with a moment of enlightenment while you are here, I have compiled some of the effective tips and sayings from thought leaders and accompanied with an array of ambient and soothing sounds to hopefully carry you through your meditative practice..
Mindfulness on Your Surroundings
As human beings, we are influenced by our environment. If we create an environment of aggression and disharmony, stress will become the norm. Conversely, if we create an environment of kindness, love, discipline, and generosity, we will all begin to feel a sense of peace.
-Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Tibetan Buddhist Monk of the Shambhala Lineage
Deepen Mindful Presence with Two Key Questions:
- What is happening inside me right now? This will help direct your attention to your inner experience. You might experiment with naming or noting strong waves of experience, — “fear” “sorrow” “tingling” “tightness” “sounds” “worry thoughts” — as a way to awaken a clear presence.
- Can I be with this? This will help you relate to what arises with acceptance. After naming an experience (such as fear or tension) you might explore whispering the word yes, or it’s ok
-Tara Brach, Ph.D psychologist, author of Radical Compassion
Pay Attention To Your Posture
For sitting, you might choose to use a chair or kneeling bench, or a cushion on the floor. Sit upright, in a way that allows you to feel alert and relaxed. Let your hands rest comfortably on your knees or lap. Let your eyes close, or if you prefer, leave the eyes open, the gaze soft and receptive. Periodically come back to check your posture, as a way of staying connected to your senses.
-Tara Brach, Ph.D psychologist, author of Radical Compassion
Rest with the Breath
To begin, sit in a comfortable but uplifted posture and practice mindfulness of the breath. After a few minutes of becoming familiar with the breath, try breathing in whatever you are feeling — sadness, agitation, anger, resistance — and accepting it with kindness. On the exhalation, breathe out a feeling of well-being, ease, or calm. Give yourself some spaciousness.
-Lodro Rinzler, a Buddhist meditation teacher, co-founder of MNDFL Mediation