Your Ultimate Guide To Mindfulness Is Here

I started meditating as a last resort. I was a former dancer, a health and wellness program administrator, and a dedicated yoga practitioner who hardly ever sat down, even to eat. That is -- until I tore a ligament in my knee, requiring surgery, crutches, and months of physical therapy. I couldn’t run from the physical pain and mental discomfort of being sidelined. My usual coping mechanisms weren’t available to me, and I had no better option, I felt, than to be still. I came to find solace in turning to my breath and connecting with my heart.

Over time, meditation helped me to curb my obsessions about how things should be, and to accept -- and even find the lessons of beauty and wisdom -- in how things actually were.  I became a passionate meditator, went on silent retreats for several months in length, and eventually trained and began teaching meditation in New York City. As a teacher, I found that most of my students could hardly take several minutes away from their busy lives to meditate, let alone several months! So, I developed a strong intention to help make meditation available for people in ways that work for their busy lives with instructions that encourage groundedness, clarity, and connection.

The guided meditations we recorded for RINGLY were designed for women on the go who had an interest in practicing mindfulness to lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle. “Hello World!” and “Mid-Day Recess” are short, accessible sessions for pausing, setting intentions and getting focused. “All You Need is Love” is a heart practice to work with emotions and cultivate a more kind relationship with ourselves and others. In “Peace of Mind,” we get a chance to practice mindful breathing and establish a healthier relationship with thinking. Finally, “Time to Unwind” is a longer session that offers a guided body scan as a way to relax, which is perfect for the end of the day.

If you’re just starting out, choose a shorter meditation that you think will best support you at this time. It is best to practice mindfulness at a time that consistently works with your schedule whether it’s first thing in the morning, right after work, or before you go to sleep. Make an appointment with yourself for a daily meditation session and put it in the calendar this week. Try it for all 7 days, but if you only end up making 3-4 of them, the results can still be remarkable. Stick with the same meditation track for at least a week to get familiar with the practice, and notice how you feel. Often with mindfulness, we see the benefits in our everyday lives long before we feel we are “good at” the meditation practices themselves. I hope these sessions help you to be more vividly present and vibrantly well!

Guest Post by Kate Johnson
Photo by Isabel Wilder

June 01, 2017