Q: Dear Todd, when it comes to “sitting with whatever comes up”, could you please elaborate on what that would look like? I want to make sure I understand it so I don’t possibly create an unnecessary experience. TODD ANSWERS: Normally, when uncomfortable feelings come up, we take out our phones, turn on the TV, dive into our work, grab a drink or bite, or anything else to lift us…
While we may feel like we are the operators of our bodies, the truth is that we are temporary inhabitants. I am watching the Todd show, and you are watching the you show. If you think you’re in control, just try to stop thinking for 5 minutes. We do not control our heartbeat or digestion. We don’t have to do anything for our hair and nails to grow. Similarly, we are…
Oftentimes, when we first try meditation, our mind is the biggest obstacle. It will tell us all the reasons why we should stop, it will try to distract us the whole time, and it will think about what we're going to eat later or what we need to do. It feels threatened when we try to quiet it during our time in meditation. So how do we use our mind…
Toss the pills and hit the pillows with meditation. New research is shining light on the fact that pills, which only sedate us, do not give us the benefits of deep, rejuvenating, restful sleep. On the other hand, meditation can help us calm the mind, relax the body, and help us drift off peacefully and easily into the best sleep we’ve ever had. Here, I’ll talk about the things that…
Being a mother is the hardest, most challenging, and most rewarding job on the planet. It can too often be thankless, the pay is lousy, but it is also the most important thing we as humans can do. It can range from stressful and chaotic to boring and lonely. But it’s one of the things nearly all women were born to do. It’s in the genes, and no, I’m not…
Whether we are aware of them or not, we hall have negative thoughts that on a subconscious and unconscious level stir up stress and tension within our mind and body. In fact, when we are not aware of them, uncomfortable thoughts can easily become repressed, suppressed, and denied. And while stuffing them down can be preferable to dealing with them, from a holistic perspective these disturbing thoughts can turn into…
Mindfulness meditation for kids is important as today, kids (as well as parents) have shorter attention spans than ever before. Things that were once commonplace like watching sunsets or staring at the stars are now deemed too boring. This age has become more of an age of Instagramming.When I was younger, I knew people who didn’t have the attention span to watch a full-length movie. Today, many kids can’t do…
Q: Dear Todd, I am sitting in front of my window watching the birds at my bird feeders. I was wondering what your thoughts are about this morning activity which I do every morning over coffee. How different is this compared to a structured guided meditation? I think they’re both very similar in that they keep you in the present. It’s a very calming thing for me. Yes, my mind…
When we meditate, where is the best place to put our focus? Within or out? This is a common question and the answer isn't as simple as one or the other. Mindfulness is about becoming aware of both. But if that's the case, how do we divide up our attention between the two? Sometimes we can be so lost in our mind that we are completely unaware of our surroundings.…
Kids are much smarter than most people realize. They have a deep understanding of their feelings and an awareness and sensitivity to the world around them. This is why children are never too young for mindfulness and meditation. Young children may not understand big words like interconnectedness and consciousness. But, they do understand the meaning behind these terms when explained to them properly. Better than even some adults who have…
“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
Path to Peace - A newsletter not just for your mental health but also for your spiritual health.
