Most people think dealing with mental health issues has only two options: medication and talk therapy. What people often don’t realize though is that there are now stacks of literature proving that meditation can help with mental health. Everything from depression to anxiety, bipolar to BPD, addiction to OCD and more.In this article, I will share some of the literature and studies on how meditation can help with mental health…
Nearly all of human behaviour is conditioned, sometimes by society, sometimes by our families, and sometimes by our own unique experiences. These behaviors are conditioned through rewards and punishments. How a behavior makes us feel determines whether we continue that behavior. And while a lot of conditioning is well-intentioned, sometimes, especially when there's been trauma, we learn to internalize stress even though we are perfectly safe. But, we can unlearn…
When we operate from our ego, we have a very small, narrow perspective. Looking at things from a broader perspective, from other people's perspective, or even from the universal perspective, a much greater wisdom can arise within us.Only through meditation and mindfulness can we truly see things from the broadest perspective possible. We don't make ourselves the victim because we don't frame circumstances as "happening to us." We don't compare…
Q: Dear Todd, I have noticed that I am most often in the moment when I working in my garden or when I am drawing. How can I extend this? TODD ANSWERS: You bring up the wonderful distinction between meditative activities and meditation. While meditative activities force us to be present while doing that thing, meditation is the practice of training our mind to always be present. Join 10,000 Mental…
There are many people who have unpleasant experiences when they first try meditation. This is not uncommon. It's only natural that when we've lived our whole lives busy and always doing things, the first few times where we put away all distractions and turn our attention inwards can be unpleasant. There may be repressed emotions and negative thoughts for us to confront. This episode explores the causes of these negative experiences,…
How Can Beginners Start a Daily Meditation Practice Congratulations on taking the decision not to settle with having a stressful mind. Learning to meditate is about more than just learning to sit still with your eyes closed. It’s about learning to be present and to see things as they really are. Our constant thoughts, judgments, and opinions are like a fog that obscures our view of reality. The more we…
This is the story of how I cured my ADHD with meditation. When I was 13 years old, being a bit impulsive and a bit of a dreamer, neither of which was too pleasing to my school teachers, my parents took me to a place with many doctors and experts in lab coats who specialized in diagnosing children with various behavioral disorders. I didn’t really understand what was going on…
Why did you choose New Zealand?During a meeting with the high Buddhist lama, Karmapa, he asked me which forest I was going to meditate in for 50 days and if there were any bears or tigers there, as he was living in India which has both. I told him I was thinking about New Zealand and that they did not. “Very good,” he said. That really sealed the deal for…
Lately, it seems about a million new types of meditations have been invented and popularized. I get asked about a lot of them and while I don’t address every single one, Humming Meditation is one that seems to come up time and time again.Unlike a lot of other new-age types of meditation, using the voice in various ways — such as chanting, singing, or saying a mantra — has been…
There is nothing you need to believe or disbelieve in regards to manifestation. It is a fact, we are manifesting beings. From thought to implementation, human beings manifested every single thing in our modern society.When we visualize not just what we want but the steps to actually make it happen, we can then take action to manifest the life we desire. Anything that is possible, is possible through manifestation.We may…
“I thought my biggest fear was growing old and dying in prison. In truth, my biggest fear was growing old and not knowing myself.”
- Rick Smith, Albama inmate
A newsletter not just for your mental health but also for your spiritual health.
