Because most people can't sit down and instantly clear their mind, they think they might be doing it wrong. Or worse, they think they just can't meditate and that meditation is not for them. But if I were doing something my entire life – thinking – and suddenly tried to stop, it might not happen as fast as I'd like it to.Luckily, meditation is not about clearing your mind of…
Do these thoughts sound familiar when you've began to try meditation: This is taking forever! How long til I feel something? Am I even doing anything?!?! Our normal, thinking mind will grasp at anything to latch onto, and so most of us will have had thoughts like these. But meditation is a very profound practice and benefits can be gained right away. In this episode, I talk about what can…
Most of us have a voice in our head that constantly searches for something to obsess about. It scavenges and scavenges endlessly. There is just no seeming endpoint for this thought-chaser. No matter what happens, our mind will try to label, judge and analyze it forever and ever. Why won't our minds just do what they're told?!This inner voice disrupts our inner peace and usually creates problems where none existed…
Today, Todd talks about whether or not we can meditate while focusing on nothing. The thing is, being unfocused is just our normal state of mind. We typically go about our days just responding to whatever we perceive and whatever thought pops into our head. We are a slave to our impulses. Learning to focus, by practicing focus, is taking control of our mind. It's using your intentions to guide…
Sometimes, when we first start meditating, sadness and other extreme emotions may feel like they're being stirred up. But, these emotions aren't created by meditation, they are revealed by meditation. Most of our lives are spent distracted. We're always so busy doing, we don't pay any real attention to our inner world.In this episode, Todd goes into why these emotions come up in meditation, how we can process what comes…
With so many apps and gurus out there today, the number of types of meditations have exploded. There are ancient ones and brand new untested ones. So how do we know which ones are the best, which ones are a waste of time, and which ones may even have negative effects?In this episode, I go into depth about the two most common types of meditation, mantra and breath meditation. Breath…
This is the story of Todd's first experience in an ashram in India. Invited by his friend's family who has a house there, they got permission from the guru himself that I could come and stay there – something not usually done for outsiders. What Todd found was beyond his wildest imagination. At this ashram – supposedly the largest one in India – devoted followers, a beloved leader, and an…
Meditation isn't just for chilling out. It is a powerful tool that trains our minds to be present, focused, aware, peaceful and joyful. It's not about the time we spend sitting down with our eyes closed in meditation. It's about how that time improves the rest of our lives. Gaining insights into ourselves and our own mind is one of the greatest ways meditation can improve our lives. The more…
Q: Dear Todd, how can mindfulness help in saving money?TODD ANSWERS: When we are fully present, we make smarter decisions because we are not off somewhere else.Saving money, investing money, and working towards some goal, all happen in the here and now.When we give this moment our full attention, we naturally create a better future. Like a squirrel who gathers nuts for the winter, we too know instinctually without thinking…
As meditation has exploded in popularity, many people – especially Christians – have been wondering if it's ok to meditate or if it's a sin. People of many different faiths have wondered if meditating in the styles of Eastern traditions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, go against their own religion. In Christianity, the Bible says that anything not mentioned in the Bible is under the influence of Satan in an…
“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.
