Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 1
What is Mindfulness?
• The awareness that arises from paying attention in a particular way, on
purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally to the unfolding of
experience.
o For the cultivation of wisdom and compassion
o As if your life depended on it
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
• A training in concentration, compassion, and kindness … with
mindfulness, we relate to ourselves and others differently. – Sharon
Salzberg
• The quality and power of mind that is deeply aware of what’s happening –
without commentary and without interference. – Joseph Goldstein
• Loving awareness – Jack Kornfield
• Mindfulness is about increasing our awareness of what’s happening in our
minds, throughout our bodies, and in the world around us. It is about
noticing these things and also accepting them as they are, rather than
making ourselves crazy by wishing they were different…evidence suggests
that there’s one way to cultivate mindfulness that trumps all the rest:
meditation. – David Gelles, Mindful Work
• Mindfulness helps you pay attention to your thoughts in a nonattached
manner, which takes the emotional charge out of them, slows down your
experience of time, and reconnects you to the present moment. – George
Mumford, The Mindful Athlete
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 2
• Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our
power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our
freedom. – Viktor E. Frankl
• The process of actively noticing new things. As you notice new things that
puts you in the present. And as you notice new things you come to see
the things that you thought you knew, you didn’t know very well at all.
– Ellen Langer
• Seven attitudes of mindfulness: beginner’s mind; non-judging;
acceptance; letting go; trust; patience; non-striving (non-doing);
gratitude; and generosity. – Jon Kabat-Zinn
• A mindful leader is someone who brings out the best in oneself and
others by consistently “showing up” present, grounded, and
compassionate—especially in challenging situations.
– Cathy Quartner Bailey
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 3
What is Meditation?
• The practice of setting quiet time aside and turning your attention to a
single point of reference (anchor) like your breath, body sensations,
sights, sounds, or word mantra
• Meditation is training for the mind; it involves an internal effort to self
regulate the mind; turning your attention away from distracting thoughts
and focusing on the present moment
• Meditation is an internal experience that affects how you relate to the
outside world versus just being in a solitary activity
• The nature of the mind is to wander and drift away (that is its job!). In
simple breath mindfulness meditation, you are becoming aware of your
breath as well as your mind (and it’s wandering nature), and consistently
bringing your attention back to your breath. The magic moment – that is
the moment of mindfulness – is when you notice your mind has wandered
and you “begin again” by returning your attention back to your breath,
with gentleness and kindness toward yourself.
• What meditation trains you to do is be awake for your actual life and then
break out of this fog of rumination and projection in which most of us
operate all the time on autopilot. – Dan Harris, 10% Happier
• Often, meditation means you’re sitting still, noticing the sensations of
breath, and coming back, over and over again, as you get distracted.
Other times it means paying attention while eating, or walking, or falling
asleep. Sometimes it means not focusing on any one particular thing at
all, but building “open awareness” that is like a mirror held to everything
you experience. But in general, you can think of meditation as an activity
of focused mindfulness or focused attention. – 10% Meditation App
• You probably heard it before, and it’s true, that the mind is a muscle. You
need to take care of it through daily practice. It’s that simple and that
profound. – George Mumford, The Mindful Athlete.
Mindfulness versus Meditation
• Mindfulness is a capacity of mind – a way of relating to whatever is
happening – while meditation is an activity, a thing you do.
• If mindfulness is like strength training and flexibility, meditation is like
running or going to the gym.
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 4
Benefits of Meditation
Research suggests that meditation supports a healthier cardiovascular
system, stronger immune system, more settled nervous system, and
healthier brain (neuroplasticity).
Potential benefits include:
• Emotional regulation and stress management: activation of
parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) and deactivation of
sympathetic nervous system (fight and flight) which can lead to feeling
calmer, and more at ease.
• Improved health & wellbeing: lower heart rate and blood pressure, pain
management including tension headaches, better energy, better sleep,
more joyful mindset, slowing rate of cellular aging, reduction in
inflammation, and reduction in anxiety and depression.
• Attention regulation: increased performance, enhanced focus, less mind
wandering (also leads to happier mindset) and improved memory.
• Better relationships: through enhanced self-awareness and the cultivation
of kind-hearted qualities like compassion, empathy, and forgiveness,
which also leads to stronger social bonding.
• Enhanced creativity: by quieting the mind and tapping into one’s own
wisdom and intuition.
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 5
Tips for Establishing a Meditation Practice
• Practice every day. But if you miss a day or two or … (it happens!) –
simply begin again.
• Find a quiet place to sit where you will not be distracted. It might be
sitting upright (not rigid or tight) on a chair, on a cushion on the floor
cross-legged, lying down, or standing. The idea is to “fall-awake,”
remaining alert during your meditation.
• Establish a daily ritual. Meditate as soon as you wake up or at the same
time each day.
• Recognize that the purpose of meditation is not to stop your thoughts,
that the mind is a chronic wanderer (that’s its job!). Your purpose in
meditation is simply to become aware of your thoughts.
• It is perfectly natural for your mind to wander! When you notice your
mind has wandered and you return to breath, celebrate and be kind
toward yourself because this is “the magic moment”! As you bring
awareness to the fact that your mind has wandered and reconnect to
breath, you are actually strengthening your ability to concentrate and be
more mindful.
• Know that it is normal for uncomfortable feelings to arise.
• Practice self-acceptance. Be kind, gentle, and nonjudgmental toward
yourself. Whatever you experience is okay.
• In general (though some days will be more difficult than others), the
more you meditate, the easier it gets.
• Meditate each day for a total of 8 minutes1. Either at one meditation “sit”
or cumulative throughout the day.
• Use either a guided meditation (for example, 10% Happier Meditation App
or one of mine) or follow the instructions below.
1
Research suggests that 8 minutes is enough to reap short-term changes to the brain, though
the more you do, the wider array of benefits you receive (Why Meditation Matters by Richard
Davidson and Daniel Goleman with Richard Gere).
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 6
Self-Guided Meditation Instructions
Basic Mindfulness Meditation (where the anchor is your breath and you
are self guiding versus following an app)
• If it’s comfortable, close your eyes, if not keep them open or adjust your
gaze downward
• Start to settle into yourself.
• Check in. You might silently ask yourself, “How am I feeling today? How is
my mind state? My emotional state? My body? ”
• Bring attention to your breath and find your own natural rhythm (don’t try
to control your breath)
• Breathe in and Breathe out. You might silently say to yourself “in” on the
in breath, and “out” on the out breath (this is called “noting”)
• Notice the pause between the in breath and out breath
• When your mind wanders, as it will, simply reconnect with your breath
and begin again with kindness and acceptance (this is a key step and the
magic moment where you are strengthening your mindfulness!)
• Continue to focus on your breath
• As you end of your meditation, acknowledge yourself for taking the time
to focus on your well being and giving yourself the gift of self-care
• When you are ready, gently open your eyes and reconnect with the world
around you
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 7
Meditation Apps
Highly recommend if you’re willing to pay!
10% Happier Meditation App
• Free for limited use; $10 month for full access to guided meditations
and mindfulness meditation courses – I recommend doing a free trial
versus paying for a whole year.
• Offers a wide range of guided meditations led by well-trained,
phenomenal teachers including Dr. Judson Brewer, Joseph Goldstein,
JoAnna Hardy, Matthew Hepburn, Anushka Fermandopulle, Cory Muscara,
Jay Michaelson, George Mumford, Alexis Santos, Sharon Salzberg, Sebene
Selassie, Oren Sofer, David Vago, PhD, Jeff Warren, and Jon Kabat-Zinn
• Guided meditations on many relatable topics: great for beginners, stress,
sleep, happiness, focus, on the go, difficult emotions, waking up,
relationships, health, mental mischief J, advanced & unguided, and from
our books
• Offers different lengths: one minute, under 10 minutes, and adjustable
(feel free to start with meditations three minutes or under!)
• Also offers phenomenal mindfulness meditation courses such as
The Basics by Joseph Goldstein, Emotional Agility by Oren Sofer (one of
my favorites!), Meditation and the Brain by Dave Vago, PhD, and Mindful
Eating by Dr. Judson Brewer
• Includes an informative weekly email
In addition to the meditation app Dan Harris, co-anchor for Nightline and
weekend edition of Good Morning America:
• Wrote two books: 10% Happier: How I tamed the voice in my head,
reduced stress, and found self-help that actually works – a true story
AND Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to-Book.
• Leads 10% Happier podcast. Harris interviews well known leaders
across many industries about when and why they started meditating,
what the benefits are, and what their everyday practice looks like.
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 8
Meditation Apps
Highly recommend if you want a free app!
Insight Timer Meditation App
• Free
• Offers guided meditations and popular for offering “the bell” to start and
end your meditation.
• Guided meditations based on how much time: Go to Meditations section
and click through on Meditations icon and you will find guided meditations
based on how much time you’ve got: 0-5 minutes; 5-10 minutes; 11-15
minutes, etc.
• Or search for your favorite meditation teacher. Recommendations based
on my own personal and client use:
o Andy Hobson: Accepting and Letting Go – 30 minutes
o Elisha Goldstein: Body Scan by– 30 minutes
o Glenn Harrold: Mindfulness for Releasing Anxiety – 24 minutes
o Jack Kornfield
§ Breathing Meditation – 9 minutes
§ Compassion for Self and All – 8 minutes
o Sharon Salzberg: Breath Meditation by– 10 minutes
o Tara Brach
§ Gateway to Presence – 11 minutes
§ Coming Home to Being – 21 minutes
§ Vipassana (Basic) Meditation – 15 minutes
Other meditation apps (recommended by clients)
• Headspace
• Calm
• Sip and Om
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 9
Meditation Podcasts
Dan Harris 10% Happier free podcast
• Harris interviews respected leaders across all industries and asks the
same set of questions: When did you start meditating? Why did you start
meditating? What are some of the benefits you noticed? What does your
practice look like?
• While one podcast is better than the next, a few of my favorites: #75 Jon
Kabat-Zinn, #98 Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson, #7 George
Mumford, #6 David Gelles, #82 Cory Muscara, #63 Billy Crudup, #56
George Stephanopoulos, and #8 Sharon Salzberg.
Additional Free Podcast (for a deeper dive)
• Heart Wisdom podcast with Jack Kornfield (one of my favorites!)
• Insight Hour podcast with Joseph Goldstein
• Tara Brach by Tara Brach podcast
• Tricycle Talks features leading voices and thinkers in the contemporary
Buddhist world
• Big Think website also offers inspiring video talks by leading mindfulness
experts including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Goleman, Dan Harris, and Sam
Harris.
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 10
Favorite Meditation Books
Shameless Self Promotion
Show Up as Your Best Self: Mindful Leaders, Meditation, and
More by Cathy Quartner Bailey
I share how mindfulness, meditation, and other forms of reflection can
help any leader become more adept at managing uncertainty, setting
priorities, listening, problem solving, and relationship management.
Included are several meditations and other tools to help leaders show
up more mindfully for themselves and their teams. Available on
Amazon.
Secular Mindfulness
Altered Traits, Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your
Mind, Brain, and Body by Daniel Goleman & Richard Davidson
Goleman (science writer) and Davidson (neuroscientist) show how
training the mind through mindfulness and compassion meditation
practices – starting with at least eight minutes a day – can transform
our brains, our sense of self, and overall well-being and health.
Coming to Our Senses and Wherever You Go There You Are by
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Scientist, writer, and meditation teacher JKZ is internationally known
for his work in bringing mindfulness practices, especially mindfulness-
based stress reduction (MBSR), into the mainstream of medicine and
society. He has done more than anyone to popularize secular
mindfulfness over the last three decades. Kabat-Zinn shares how
bringing full awareness to the present moment helps us achieve more
personal peace and heal the world.
Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Scientist, writer, and meditation teacher JKZ is internationally known
for his work in bringing mindfulness practices, especially mindfulness-
based stress reduction (MBSR), into the mainstream of medicine and
society. First published in 1994, this book is a best seller and has
become a classic by providing a simple path to cultivate mindfulness
one’s own way and in one’s own life.
10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced
Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found Self-Help that
Actually Works – A True Story by Dan Harris
Dan Harris, co-anchor for Nightline and weekend edition of Good
Morning America, takes readers on a ride from the outer reaches of
neuroscience to the inner sanctum of network news to the bizarre
fringes of America’s spiritual scene, and leaves them with a takeaway
that could actually change their lives.
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 11
Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion by Sam
Harris
Harris, a neuroscientist and author, provides a guide for those who
want spirituality without religion. Waking Up is a guide to meditation
that combines contemplative wisdom with modern science:
neuroscience and psychology.
Business
Mindful Work: How Meditation is Changing the Business from
the Inside Out by David Gelles
New York Times reporter reveals how meditation, yoga and other
mindful techniques can be the key to fostering a happier, more
productive workplace which lower stress, increased focus, and less
depression at companies like General Mills, Ford, Target, and Google.
Sports Minded
The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance by George
Mumford
George Mumford taught mindfulness and meditation since 1989 and
has worked with Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Clint Dempsey, and
other high-level athletes – as well as corporate executives. Michael
Jordan credits George Mumford with transforming his on-court
leadership of the Chicago Bulls and helping him lead the team to six
NBA championships. In his book, Mumford talks about how to get flow
ready by being present and finding the quiet place inside.
Deeper Dive - Buddhist Approach
Awake at Work: 35 Practical Buddhist Principles for
Discovering Clarity and Balance in the Midst of Work’s Chaos by
Michael Carroll.
Author, meditation teacher, executive coach, and corporate director,
shares Buddhist wisdom and offers thirty-five principles that we can
use throughout our day to revitalize our work as well as our
understanding of ourselves and others.
How Can I Help? Stories and Reflections on Service by Ram
Dass and Paula Gorman
America's spiritual figures shares stories that teach us the art of true
listening while offering us strength, clarity, and wisdom for those times
when we are called on to care for one another.
Start Where You Are: A Compassionate Guide to Living by Pema
Chödrön
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 12
An American Buddhist nun and renowned meditation master, Pema
Chödrön provides insights into meditation with focus on compassion
and wisdom during difficult times.
The Meditative Mind by Daniel Goleman
Internationally recognized author, science journalist, and psychologist
provides a comprehensive overview of different kinds of meditation:
Hindu, Buddhist, Sufi, Jewish, and Christian, Transcendental, Tantric,
Kundalini, Tibeta Buddhist, Zen, and introduces the reader to the basic
elements of their practice.
The Mind’s Own Physician, A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai
Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation, edited by Jon Kabat-
Zinn, PhD and Richard Davidson, PhD.
Provides a discussion addressing a range of vital questions concerning
the science and clinical applications of meditation. Includes research
findings that shed light on the nature of the mind, its capacity to refine
itself through training, and its role in physical and emotional health.
The Wise Heart, A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist
Psychology by Jack Kornfield
Respected author and psychologist Jack Kornfield offers an accessible,
comprehensive, and illuminating guide to Buddhist psychology for the
West. Kornfield, a great story teller and expert (and well regarded)
meditation teacher, helps the reader to understand and cultivate
mindfulness, compassion, living kindness, and true wisdom.
Transformation & Healing by Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh presents the four establishments of mindfulness and
twenty exercises that guide readers through the fundamentals of
Buddhist practice, offering insights into mindfulness in daily life.
Why Buddhism is True by Robert Wright
Wright taught at University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University,
where he also created the popular online course “Buddhism and
Modern Psychology”. He reviews how the human brain was designed
by natural selection to mislead and even enslave us and how
Buddhism can offer insights into our suffering and offer a path out of
suffering toward a kind of freedom through mindfulness meditation.
One of my favorite books!
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Meditation Welcome Packet
SEPT 2018
Page 13
Retreat Centers, Workshops, and More
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) 8-week program at
the UMASS Center for Mindfulness (the original program started by
Jon Kabat-Zinn in 1979 and a great resource center that offers fantastic
courses – including an 8 week online course that will introduce you to
mindfulness meditation) https://umassmed.edu/cfm/mindfulness-based-
programs/mbsr-courses/ - I HAVE TAKEN THIS AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND
THE ONLINE PROGRAM!
• Garrison Institute, Hudson River, New York (retreats and events
focused on cultivating contemplative practices)
• Insight Meditation Society (IMS), Massachusetts (deep dive into silent
retreats)
• Long Island Center for Mindfulness founded by mindfulness
meditation expert Cory Muscara
http://www.limindfulness.com/retreats/
• Kripalu, Massachusetts (yoga, meditation, workshops that focus on
enhancing general well-being, great 3 day get away)
• Omega, Upstate New York (yoga, meditation, workshops that focus on
enhancing general well-being, great 3 day get away)
• Penn Program for Mindfulness www.pennmedicine.org (offers training
programs for adults and kids, mindfulness coaching and mentoring, and
½ day silent retreats)
• Home Practice Program www.homepracticeprogram.com (Shinzen
Young, a respected Zen meditation teacher offers monthly home practice
retreats so you can try a meditation retreat in the safety of your own
home!)
• Spirit Rock (IMS), California (deep silent into silent retreats)
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