Welcome to the Kind Mind Studio…
A virtual space for psychological growth and spiritual practice.
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This is a contemplative resource inspired by the way a music studio works. Studios are focused and inspirational environments filled with a curated, unique set of instruments and equipment. Like an artist, the meditator is free to access these tools in the Kind Mind Studio and create according to one’s vision, intention and nature.
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Guided meditations can be found on this page below. And here are tabs for some additional resources…
GUIDED MINDFULNESS, RELAXATION AND VISUALIZATION
This is an opportunity to develop your own daily mindfulness routine. You can listen with earphones but it may be more natural and smoother to play the audio from computer, phone or bluetooth speakers placed at an appropriate distance when possible.
Practicing one or more of these techniques daily for at least 8 weeks can lead to very positive changes in the brain, including the regions involved with decision-making, emotion regulation, empathy, learning and memory. If you are new to mindfulness meditation or would like to try the following wellness challenge, you can commit to this suggested 8 week routine to direct your own neuroplasticity:
8 WEEK MEDITATION SCHEDULE
Week 1: practice techniques 1 or 2 each morning and night (daily)
Week 2: move on to technique 3 in the morning and 4 at night (daily)
Week 3: begin technique 5 in the morning and 6 or 7 at night (daily)
Week 4: try technique 8 or 9 in the morning and 10 at night (daily)
Week 5: practice technique 10 or 11 in the morning and again at night (daily)
Week 6: alternate between techniques 12-15 in the morning and then 16 at night (daily)
Week 7: begin technique 17 or 18 in the morning and 19 in the evening to allow time to journal/self-soothe after (daily)
Week 8: conclude by practicing technique 20 morning and night (daily)
and then it is encouraged to continue practicing any of the techniques twice a day or whenever time permits and according to your curiosity and wellness needs.
Guided practice can be very beneficial for any level of experience because it allows one to let go of time and outside concerns.
May this enhance your overall well-being and support you in building your best life.
1. Basic attention training…
Most meditations involve breath awareness. Meta-attention means recognizing when your awareness has wandered away and redirecting it. Distraction is not failure and the "bringing back" of awareness is the exercise for the mind. Just as physical exercise leads to more strength even when not in the gym, attention training will soon lead to more focus and concentration even when not meditating.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
2. Breath Awareness…
This can be a foundation for practicing mindfulness meditation. It can be practiced daily, morning and night, and anytime in between as needed. If you begin with a minimum of 1 meditative breath daily, then you can easily establish this routine. With only 1 breath to start, even if you forget at the end of the day, there is still time to practice. You can gradually grow the practice from there. Try to think of this as hygiene. Clean the body, clear the mind.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
3. Ocean Breathing…
Meditation is also the art of not-doing. The breath can serve as a pillow for the mind - an invitation to totally let go like the beach. When mindfully paying attention to each inhalation and exhalation, one can perceive that it sounds similar to the ocean…incoming wave, incoming breath, outgoing wave, outgoing breath. And this sound and rhythm is very peaceful.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet space.
4. Color Breathing…
Visualizing colors while breathing rhythmically gives the mind something else to focus on and can help with relaxation and building concentration. Two colors are used but you can practice with different colors as well. It can be beneficial to breathe in colors that you associate with calmness or healing like blue, which is the color of the ocean and the sky and generally grounds people. But be aware of the meaning any particular color may have for you when choosing.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
5. Self-Gratitude…
Relax and connect mindfully with your body. Ground in the present moment and offer kindness to the different parts of the body in appreciation for this life boat which is needed to sail across the ocean of the world.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
6. Tuning in to Trust of Self
The current of life is always carrying us, sometimes gently and sometimes forcefully. We can witness the rhythm of our own breath and realize this flow is happening continously in our own body. By witnessing and appreciating these processes, we can learn to trust ourselves and the wisdom that arises by accepting things as they are.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
7. Inner Peace…
As is the breath, so is the mind. While it can be very difficult to regulate our thoughts, it only takes a few minutes to regulate our breath. With slow, conscious and deep breaths, we can slow down the mind and experience calmness in this present moment.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
8. Forgiveness meditation…
ForGive: Give yourself the gift of moving positively forward. This short practice can help release attachments to resentment.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
9. Five Finger Peace…
The clenched fist cannot shake hands. This is a simple guided visualization which can be helpful to reduce stress and take your mind off of worries and other distractions.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in any appropriate space where it is safe to close your eyes.
10. Mindful Body Scan…
Like a flashlight, awareness can be directed with flexibility. With openness and curiosity, even pain can become the object of meditation. This technique for relaxation can be practiced anytime and can help you prepare for sleep at night. It can be done standing in a safe space or lying in corpse pose on the floor or in the bed. Please be aware that lying down may lower blood pressure and body temperature.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen while lying in a safe, quiet and private space.
11. Values Meditation…
Our energy can speak louder than our words. In this guided exercise, universal values like peace, love, compassion, and gratitude are contemplated inwardly and radiated outwardly. The breath serves as the pendulum for recharging the inner life and sending positive energy towards the outer world.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet space.
12. River Meditation…
The river sacrifices its separate identity upon meeting the ocean and merges into oneness. This guided meditation can help you accept life on life's terms and go with the flow. The river is a powerful metaphor for the current of life and time. Suffering equals pain times resistance. You can learn to let go and move positively forward while enjoying the ride.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a quiet, private space.
13. Tree Meditation…
Like trees, we did not come into this world but out of it. We also need the light of knowledge and the water of love to nourish our spiritual life. This is a standing meditation technique. So, it is important to develop balance and in the beginning, practice with eyes somewhat open and near a chair or bed. This can also be practiced with a group or your family standing in a circle - a great way to connect with each other more deeply. It can be particularly effective in a natural outdoor setting with your bare feet touching the Earth. New research shows that this has important health benefits.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen standing in a safe indoor or outdoor space.
14. Mountain Meditation…
The mountain is a majestic symbol of tolerance and equanimity in the face of change. This guided meditation can be especially helpful during difficult times in life. Like a mountain, we can cultivate poise and resilience. Practice your stable posture and build up your ability to sit still and serene while enjoying inner repose.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a calm, safe indoor or outdoor space.
15. Sky Meditation…
Consciousness is like the ever-present, untainted sky and thoughts and moods like passing weather. This technique involves open awareness. It may be a little more challenging to begin here. If so, you can easily do attention training with shorter breathing meditations. It is natural for the mind to wander at some point. By gently redirecting again and again, you will improve your concentration - just like how lifting weights eventually tires the muscles but ultimately makes them stronger. It is important to enjoy your practice. If you actually do less than you can, it will feel like a luxury (which it is) and something to look forward to.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a calm, safe indoor or outdoor space.
16. Lovingkindness Meditation
This practice involves a sequence of kindness visualizations starting with self-compassion and can help us gently let go of negative feelings or ill-will. By tapping into the energy of compassion for our self and others, we can support the blossoming of our heart and well-being.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen in a quiet, private space.
17. Meditation on the 5 Elements…
We are made of star stuff. The 5 elements - earth, water, fire, air and space - are reflected in different energy centers of our body. This practices involves longer concentration and contemplation. Allow yourself to be guided on a journey inward and upward to deepen your relationships - not just with others but with the building blocks of everything.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a calm, safe indoor or outdoor space.
18. Meditation on Life and Death…
There are many symbols of the cycle of life and death all around us including night and day, the seasons and even our own breath. Each breath is born anew, rises, matures, and dissipates. By meditating on the this cycle and the changing nature of thoughts and the contents of consciousness, we can better accept impermanence and help prepare the mind for older age and our own death.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a safe space.
19. Pyramid Meditation…
This is a very powerful contemplative practice. It is adapted from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as symbolized in the human body - safety and security from the core down, love and belonging in the heart, freedom and expression in the throat, peace and well-being in the head and spirit or self-actualization transcending the physical form. Through concentration, non-judgmental perception and deeper breathing, we can activate the relaxation response to support psychological healing and mind-body wellness.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a safe, private and quiet space.
20. Expansion Meditation…
Expansion is life. By widening our sense of being and connecting with the whole, much unnecessary suffering can melt away. Then, to be alone means “all one.” Try this technique after gradually increasing your ability to be still and attentive for some time.
👆 Press the play button above to stream audio. Please listen sitting in a safe, private and quiet space.