Mindfulness+ with Thomas McConkie

It is a fact of human life that often, maybe even many times a day, we’ll experience significant disturbance that starts as a spark that sets off a wild blaze. In this episode Thomas offers practical advice and guidance for not letting these sparks connect to tinder. As we deepen this practice, we realize that living in a state of happiness beyond conditions is a real possibility in this very life.

Until we start paying attention on purpose, we usually don’t realize how much of our awareness is tied up in seeing and thinking. In this longer guided meditation, you can learn to gently balance your awareness across the senses. The result is a state of enlivening and joyful Presence.

Mindfulness is a counter-instinctual practice–it gives us strength to turn toward the aspects of our lives that we would prefer to avoid. Like sunshine disinfecting a musty cellar, the light of awareness purifies those parts of our mental/emotional lives that fester. It’s time to spring clean!

S03 Episode 1: Soulcraft

Starting February 6th, you can join a live call with Thomas and Mindfulness+ listeners from all over the world. Thomas will guide meditations, offer insights on different techniques and approaches, as well as discuss questions with participants. Come get your Zen on with a new online community. Register at http://mindfulnessplus.org

It’s such a human thing to wait for the right conditions and suppose that once things are finally the way we like them, we’ll be happy. In this final episode of season 2, Thomas invites the “Kingdom of Heaven” to be now, and for the Zendo to always be open.

The present moment often seems rather dull and unremarkable to the ego. But when we learn to pay attention, to taste the flavor of all that is passing in order to give rise to this moment, then life presents itself as extraordinary. Donate at www.minfulnessplus.org.

What can the Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger, teach us about mindfulness practice? Quite a bit, actually. Thomas describes two critical dimensions of practice in this episode: liberation and virtue. Like Arnold, you can learn to exercise different muscles for that perfectly symmetrical build.

In this episode Thomas whisks us back to early 19th century Japan for an aesthetic feast in the form of a haiku. This is a poem that captured his imagination as a teenager when he was starting out on the path. Perhaps it will capture yours too.

The three natural states are described metaphorically in Hinduism as waking, dreaming and deep sleep. But what is the practical value of becoming familiar with these states, even proficient? One possible answer that Thomas suggests is Freedom and Love. Join this guided tour and see for yourself.

Our monthly, extended guided meditation to help you get in your groove for Thanksgiving. At the deepest level, we’re not grateful for things so much as we are gratitude itself; always thanks-giving through our very being.

It seems almost common sense to believe that our happiness depends on what kinds of experiences we’re having in life. “Not so!” say a number of prominent researchers in the field of positive psychology. It turns out that how focused we are on the task at hand is the real predictor of how happy we feel. Learn the concepts, exercise your happiness muscles in this show. And please support us at www.minfulnessplus.org.

I’m so happy to introduce Dr. Lynn Bauman to the Mindfulness+ community. Lynn is a renowned scholar and seasoned spiritual practitioner in his own right. In our conversation, I ask him about his conversion experience to Wisdom when he was young as well as some of his feelings about the Gospel of Thomas, for which he is widely known as a preeminent translator. Get his book here.

We have a deeply ingrained habit of being glued to every single little thing that pops up in our environment. This is a good survival pattern, but crazy-making for the modern mind bombarded by pop-up ads and spammy thoughts. Learn to un-glue your attention from all this fluff and rest in the source of attention. You’ll feel freer, lighter, and have more love to offer the world if you do. Donate to support our nonprofit show at mindfulnessplus.org!

A longer, more luxurious meditation this month for all you Mindfulness Plussers. What happens when we don’t assume that life is one problem after another to be solved? What do we become aware of when there’s nothing to complain about, no problem to be found? Find out in this episode. And please support this nonprofit podcast by donating at mindfulnessplus.org!