Meditation and mindfulness are enjoying a second coming in the current modern day, despite mindfulness being a part of the ancient Buddhist teachings as well as other eastern and aboriginal religions. The huge array of outstanding teachers who have either traveled to or returned to the western world to impart the knowledge they have gained through years, sometimes even decades, of study in the south eastern countries of our globe are largely responsible for the resurgence of this ancient technique. Today, we have access to some of the greatest spiritual instructors the world has ever known, from Tibetan monks and Dr. Deepak Chopra to sound healers and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Here is a list of 16 of the most well-known mindfulness and meditation teachers in the west, while the many highly esteemed Gurus of the east should never be overlooked on this list. These people have opened the road for the rest of society to follow in their footsteps since they are thought leaders.
Table of Contents
Background on Mindfulness
From Hinduism and Buddhism to yoga and, more recently, non-religious meditation, mindfulness is a practice that is included into a variety of religious and secular traditions. Since ancient times, people have engaged in mindfulness exercises either alone or as a part of a wider tradition.
In general, mindfulness was spread through religious and spiritual institutions in the East, but in the West, it was spread by specific individuals and nonreligious organizations. Of fact, Eastern religions and traditions are responsible for the origins of even the Western secular practice of mindfulness.
However, given that the majority of contemporary Western practitioners and teachers of mindfulness received their training in these traditions, this article will concentrate on mindfulness from a Buddhist and Hindu viewpoint.
This should not be interpreted as denying the roots of mindfulness in the other religions, and readers who are interested are urged to look up literature on mindfulness in relation to these other religions. Leisa Aitken, a clinical psychologist and active Christian, offers one beginning point among many, but she is only one of them.
Practice and Philosophy of Mindfulness
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What then is mindfulness, and what does mindfulness practice entail?
The practice of mindfulness can take many different forms, such as incorporating it into your yoga routine, scheduling regular mindfulness meditation sessions, or incorporating it into regular tasks (like doing the dishes, as recommended by Thich Nhat Hanh).
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There are many mindfulness practices and organizations that are targeted towards particular categories of people. Mindfulness can be practiced only for the purpose of being more attentive.
One organization that assists military veterans in using mindfulness to improve their wellness after battle is the Mindful Warrior Project. The Kids Programme from Youth Mindfulness is one of many organizations that focuses on teaching mindfulness to kids.
The point is that there is probably a mindfulness practice designed just for you, no matter who you are or what your everyday life entails. Due to its adaptability, anyone who is eager to learn and invest some effort can use it.
Simple and Enjoyable Mindfulness Exercises to Support You
1. Take a conscious shower, focusing on the water’s temperature and how it feels as it descends on your skin.
2. Use a scent-containing product (such a moisturizer, perfume, or hairspray) and focus on your sense of smell for a few seconds.
3. Practice deep breathing. Bonus advice: Create a password that you use frequently to serve as a reminder to inhale deeply, such as DeepBreath1.
4. Hug someone you care about tightly and fully enjoy the moment. Does it give you a sense of security and love? Is the other person hospitable and kind? Observe how their arms are encircling you.
5. Take a thoughtful stroll while seeing and appreciating as many distinct colors as you can.
6. As you listen to a song, attempt to identify the various instruments, pay attention to the vocal range, and note how the music makes you feel.
7. Make a social media connection. Stop mindlessly surfing around social media and engage with people by giving thoughtful comments on their photos.
8. As you wash the dishes, pay attention to the weight of the items in your hands, the slick soap, and the temperature of the water.
9. Identify an emotion. Ask yourself how you are feeling right now whenever you want to (but don’t categorize it as good or negative!).
10. Consider the climate. Can you see the raindrops on the window or feel the sun on your skin?
11. When brushing your teeth, take a moment to taste the toothpaste, feel the toothbrush bristles, and pay attention to how you are brushing.
12. Make a deliberate decision. When you eat out, do you consistently order the same thing? Asking yourself what you genuinely feel like eating will help you make a decision.
13. When wearing attentive jewelry, inhale deeply each time it draws your attention.
14. To cultivate thankfulness, spend a few minutes each day listing three things for which you are grateful.
15. Extend your body and pay attention to any tension-releasing or extending sensations. Bonus advice: For a peaceful and engrossing stretching session, try yin yoga.
16. Practice mindful listening by paying attention while others are speaking to you. Avoid multitasking as much as possible and work on active listening techniques like reflecting and paraphrasing.
17. Mindfully open and close doors. Be deliberate in your movements and close a door gently rather than letting it bang behind you. Bonus advice: To make this mindfulness exercise into a little game, concentrate on opening and closing doors as gently as you can.
18. Activate surf. Do you want to break a habit? Examine how long you can feel the impulse before acting on it by keeping track of when it appears. Sometimes the need will entirely pass, and you’ll learn how to employ urge surfing to completely kick the habit!
19. Travel with awareness. If you frequently drive the same route, pay attention to what is happening around you and see if you can see anything new or different each time.
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20. Recognize your inner dialogue. Are you preventing yourself from engaging in an activity you would enjoy? Try to better comprehend the stories you are telling yourself by paying attention to them. Do they hold up? Are they plausible? Is there another tale you could tell yourself that would motivate, inspire, or bolster you?
21. Refrain from passing judgment in situations that you often view as “negative.” Affected by the rain? Feeling humiliated? Having an unpleasant smell? Hearing obtrusive or loud noises? Can you suspend judgment and take in the scenario as it is (simply as an experience, not as something negative)?
22. As you get into bed at night, stay mindful of the present. It’s cozy, right? Warm? Inviting? Relaxing? Simply focus on that moment and let go of all other thoughts.
23. When consuming water, pay attention to the cup’s weight and texture, the water’s warmth in your mouth, and how it makes you feel.
24. For even more mindfulness inspiration, tune in to a podcast on it, like The Mindful Kind, which I host.
25. Treat yourself to a massage or other spa service (such a facial or pedicure). When your thoughts start to stray, gently bring them back to the present and let yourself fully experience the massage or therapy.
26. Keep a mindful journal by setting aside some time to jot down anything that is significant to you right now or what you can see around you.
27. Pick a thoughtful morning activity (yoga, music, a cup of tea or coffee, breakfast, meditation, taking a stroll) and work it into your schedule every day.
28. Carry out a bodily scan.
29. Spend some time admiring the sea. We may quiet our minds and become more conscious by immersing ourselves in water, which has a calming, meditative aspect. Visit a beach, a river, a lake, or a creek and pay attention to the way the water flows. Bonus advice: Check Google maps; you may be surprised to find adjacent bodies of water you were unaware of!
30. Get some flowers for your home and keep them there. Consider their colors and form whenever they capture your attention.
31. Set a goal for yourself to go on a mindful adventure once a week—a date with yourself (or a loved one) to experience something new or different. Adventures like this give us the chance to turn off autopilot and experience new and unexpected things, which can often help us become more present.
- Set an intention to be mindful and present throughout the day when you wake up
33. Consider your agreements carefully! Even when we really want to say no, many of us enjoy accepting additional obligations since time is important. Try to be more aggressive, and only accept invitations when you truly want to.
34. Shut your eyes and pay attention to the sounds in your environment.
35. Smile! Take note of how it feels.
36. Be mindful of your hands. It may be incredibly fascinating to observe them in action because they go through so many distinct motions.
37. As you lie in bed at night, practice mindfulness. When your thoughts stray, use easy mindfulness practices to bring them back to the present moment, including mindful breathing or meditation.
38. Turn on a candle, then observe the flame.
39. When preparing food, be careful of all the steps you take, including chopping, stirring, opening jars, pouring, lifting, and serving.
40. Get rid of the hurry. Have you ever experienced stress and frustration while standing in line or stuck in traffic? In these circumstances, there is frequently nothing we can do, therefore relieving ourselves of the strain we put on ourselves can be a comfort. Remind yourself that you’ll get at your destination as quickly as possible and practice calming yourself down by taking a few deep breaths.
41. Use a mindfulness app, like Calm.
42. Take off your shoes and socks to become more grounded. Focus on the connection between your feet and the sturdy ground underneath you.
43. Laugh! Laughing has a therapeutic effect on us that allows us to let go of everything else. Bonus advice: If you’re having trouble performing this exercise on your own, sign up for a laughter class.
44. Add a poignant quote to your workspace or home décor. Allow the words to speak to you whenever you come across them and give that particular moment meaning.
- Take in the sunrise or the setting sun. Take note of the hues, the sky’s patterns, your own feelings, and the light.
46. Put your hands over your heart and check the rhythm.
47. Count the 10 items you can see by taking a look about you.
What transpires in the roving mind?
What do we truly know about this mind-wandering process considering how frequently it occurs?
Contemplative exercises like meditation have given people a way to examine their own minds for thousands of years. It might come as a surprise, but a key component of focused attention (FA) meditation includes mind-wandering. In this fundamental kind of meditation, the practitioner is advised to fixate solely on one item, frequently the breath’s physical sensations.
Although it seems straightforward, it’s far simpler to say than to do. Check it out for a while and observe the results. If you’re like the majority of individuals, eventually your focus will go into ruminating, fantasizing, analyzing, or planning. You might notice at some point that your attention is no longer on your breathing. After being aware of this, you move on to let go of the thought that had distracted you and direct your focus back to your breathing. It’s likely that the cycle will repeat a short while later.
The advantages of increasing focus
What further applications of this knowledge are there? Recent behavioral research demonstrates that meditating trains a variety of attentional skills. According to studies, regular meditation practice raises exam results as well as working memory and fluid intelligence.
This type of repetitive mental workout is similar to going to the gym, except that instead of building muscles, you’re building your brain. Additionally, you need some “resistance” to the capacity you’re attempting to grow; think of mind-wandering as weight you add to the barbell. How could you develop the ability to watch your mind and direct your attention without mind-wandering to undermine your efforts to stay focused?
Most Effective Mindfulness Tips Instructors Today
1. Dr. Pema Chodron
Pema Chodron, who was born in New York City in 1936, is well recognized for being one of the first American women to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. She is highly known for having run several of the most prestigious mindfulness education institutions in the world, and she is currently the headmaster at the Gampo Alley meditation center in Nova Scotia, Canada.
2. A.K.A. Richard Alpert, Ram Dass
Ram Dass is a former Harvard psychologist who later embraced psychedelic science and became a mindfulness and spiritual teacher. Over the course of many decades, Ram Dass has changed society for millions of people all over the world. Ram Dass initially worked as a research psychologist at Harvard University, pursuing a high degree of education along the traditional path of western intellectuals. It was there that he accidentally discovered the vast spectrum of mental-emotional advantages associated with the use of psychedelic drugs in treatment. He claimed that the encounters he had when using these narcotics himself served as the eventual impetus for the spiritual awakening that ultimately brought him to India.
3. David Chopra
Deepak Chopra is probably one of the first people most Westerners who are interested in or practicing mindfulness will come across. Though his position in the realm of meditation is as well-established as any other contemporary gurus, Deepak is best known for his writings on health and wellness. Visit Deepak Chopra’s website to discover more about him. You may find information, news, events, classes, meditations, and more right here.
4. Ingrid Auster
Sara Auster is one of the many women guiding potent and transformative mindfulness classes in the current day, and she is possibly the leading voice in the western world when it comes to the masterful art of sound therapy. She is a New York native who has performed and instructed about Buddhism and meditation all over the world. Sara is as well-known as sound healers get thanks to her appearances in numerous media, such as The New York Times and Time Magazine.
5. Kabat-Zinn, Jon
One of the most significant mindfulness teachers of the present time is Jon Kabat-Zinn, who many consider to be the individual who has made the greatest contributions to the scientific study of the age-old practice of meditation. He is the author of some of the most well-known works on mindfulness, meditation, and the subconscious mind in contemporary culture. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the integration of mindfulness with care and treatment of mental health because he is the creator of Mindfulness Based Stress-Reduction (MBSR).
6. Kornfield, Jack
In order to bridge the gap between modern psychology and the transforming insights, differences, and practices of the ancient philosophy of Buddhism, Jack Kornfield, a former Buddhist monk, re-entered western culture as a psychologist. When Jack initially traveled to Thailand as part of his experience with the Peace Corps, he discovered meditation there. Insight Meditation Society, which was founded by Sharon Salzberg and Joseph Goldstein, also counts Jack as a co-founder. He also helped found The Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California, since that time. Read one of Jack Kornfield’s numerous highly regarded and best-selling books or visit his website by clicking the link provided below to discover more about him.
7. Nhat Hanh Thich
A Vietnamese Thien Buddhist monk by the name of Thich Nhat Hanh. One of the most well-known spiritual and meditation teachers in the world, this man has written well over 100 books. His publications and lectures cover a wide range of topics, from vegetarianism to quiet, and they address many current trends in the world. This man was born in 1926 and received his ordination as a Bhikku in 1951, a decade before many of us even set foot on this planet.
8. Ingrid Neff
Professor and expert on the application of self-compassion in mindfulness, Kristin Neff is Kristin Neff. She is best known as an intellectual in general for her work connecting the advantages of meditation to increases in self-compassion. She is credited with coming up with a self-compassion sliding scale that has 26 units on the first scale and 12 on the second. These scales are intended to show where a person stands and the steps they can take to move into a better place of self-love and knowledge. Her work naturally focuses on the meditation technique, and she has now earned a reputation as an important meditation teacher across America. Visit the website listed below to learn more about Kristin Neff.
9. Tolle, Eckhart
My introduction to the field of mindfulness and ego awareness in general was made possible by Eckhart Tolle, along with the introduction of countless other meditation teachers in my social network. His writings are widely regarded as the most widely read contemporary works of literature on mindfulness, having aided thousands of readers in realizing that ideas are but the products of our imagination. My own introduction to contemporary spirituality, the human ego, mindfulness, and thoughtlessness came through the book The Power of Now. It was a book that had a profound impact on my life and gave me a level of clarity I had never before experienced.
10. Ingrid Fletcher
Emily Fletcher is a recent addition to the list of best meditation instructors. She is the creator of Ziva Meditation and the author of the book Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance. Her name has shot to the front of the list of well-known mindfulness coaches since her most recent release. The concept underpinning her message—that meditation is essentially a tool for great performance—sets her apart from most of the other meditation teachers you are likely to encounter.
One last reminder
While the majority of ordained Buddhist monks spend a lot of time with a single guru, it can also be helpful to research and evaluate diverse viewpoints and schools of thought. After all, you are in charge of your life and have the final say about what is successful, unsuccessful, and what becomes a part of your daily routine.
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