Personal Development
Mindfulness
Estimated reading ⌛️ time - 13.2 minutes

The Power of the Present: Meditation, Mindfulness, and Breathing Techniques

This week, we're exploring the tranquil waters of… BUZZWORD WARNING… 🍃 mindfulness 🍃.

Let’s start with a definition to “ground us”: Mindfulness is a mental practice and state of being that involves focusing one's attention on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without judgment. (I always like to add the phrase “without judgment” because it’s what my yoga instructor says during our hot yoga class, and it feels right to add it here 👌🏾).

Why does mindfulness matter to us? 🤷🏾‍♂️

Well, if our goal is to become the most ideal version of ourselves possible, mindfulness could be the “unlock” to enhancing emotional regulation, effectively reducing stress, remaining calm and cool in tense situations, increasing self-awareness, and ultimately, furthering the ability to inspire, lead, and influence.
I’d say it’s pretty important.

Here are some key aspects of mindfulness…

1. Present-Moment Awareness: Being fully engaged in the current moment, not fixated on the past or future.

2. Non-Judgmental Observation: Observing experiences neutrally, without labeling them as good or bad.

3. Acceptance: Recognizing and allowing thoughts, emotions, and sensations without trying to alter them.

4. Awareness of Breath: Using breath as an anchor to stay in the present.

5. Body Awareness: Noticing and focusing on bodily sensations, from breath to body parts.

6. Reduction of Reactivity: Choosing responses instead of automatic reactions.

7. Cultivation of Beneficial Qualities: Enhancing patience, compassion, and gratitude through consistent practice.

While mindfulness might seem like a modern buzzword, the quest for inner peace dates back centuries. We'll journey from its historical roots, bridge it to our modern lives, and wrap up with actionable steps for your everyday routine that you can take into the real world… outside of yoga class, outside of an e-mail newsletter…

Historical → Modern → Practical Takeaways

Historical Context: The Roots of Mindfulness

The concept of mindfulness traces its roots back thousands of years, with early mentions found in various cultures and religious traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism. The teachings of these traditions often revolved around the importance of living in the present moment and the role of meditation in achieving a state of inner calm and balance.

Picture this: Centuries ago, without iPhones and constant social media pings; people still sought the calm clarity we are searching for today. Mindfulness isn't a newfangled concept; it's a timeless practice. Our ancestors might not have called it mindfulness, but they, too, understood the value of being present in the moment. Fast forward to now, and we're still seeking that same inner peace amidst our high-speed, Tik-Tok level-of-focus lives. It's proof that some things never change – staying grounded in the now is as valuable as ever. 🕰️

Hstorical Mindfulness Quotes

Modern Mindfulness

Fast forward to today, and mindfulness is still integral to our modern society. It is a therapeutic tool to address various mental health challenges, enhance well-being, improve focus and productivity, and more. Leading figures from various fields, from technology to sports, champion mindfulness as an essential tool for success and well-being.

Let’s hear what successful VC investor and founder of Angel List, Naval Ravikant (The 🐐), has to say about mediation and peace. Side Note: (I’d also recommend the book “The Almanack of Naval Ravikant” by Eric Jorgenson where Naval’s thoughts on peace and meditation encouraged me to reframe how I think about mindfulness.)

Ten Meditation Lessons From Naval:

1. Meditation is not you going through thoughts — it’s letting thoughts go through you.

2. Yoga cultivates Peace of Body. Meditation cultivates Peace of Mind.

3. Meditation and transcendence are the birthrights of every human being.

4. Consider meditation as “self-therapy.” Instead of paying a therapist to listen to you, listen to yourself (non-judgmentally) until you accept or drop the fears.

5. Meditation, arts and artisanship, craftsmanship, politics, are other activities with learning curves detached from physical ability.

6. Meditation is turning off society and listening to yourself. It only “works” when done for its own sake. He mentions here that maybe it’s not so popular because it’s not done for any outward recognition. Ouch.

7. Insight meditation lets you run your brain in debug mode until you realize that you’re just a subroutine in a larger program.

8. Perhaps one reason why yoga and meditation are hard to sustain is that they have no extrinsic value. Purely single-player games.

9. Meditation is intermittent fasting for the mind. Too much sugar leads to a heavy body, and too many distractions lead to a heavy mind. He’s a big IF’er (intermittent faster). Do with that information what you will 🙂 I do slightly judge him for it, though.

10. If meditation was easy, you’d do nothing else.

Minding Your Mindfulness → Putting it into Practice

Mindfulness can be practiced through formal meditation, but it can also be incorporated into daily life—such as mindful eating, mindful walking, or simply being fully present during everyday activities.

Dr. Andrew Huberman, a renowned neuroscientist at Stanford, has extensively researched the science of mindfulness and its effects on the brain. He emphasizes the power of controlled breathing techniques known to "downregulate" or calm our nervous system.

Here are some breathing techniques he recommends to practice mindfulness.

Box Breathing 🟥 is ideal for stress relief and resetting your system. It can be used before an important meeting, to center yourself when you’re feeling overwhelmed, or as a daily practice to promote mental clarity.

How to Box Breathe 🟥

• Inhale deeply through the nose 👃🏾 for a count of four.

• Hold your breath in for a count of four.

• Exhale through the mouth 👄 for a count of four.

• Hold your breath out for a count of four.

• Duration: One round takes 16 seconds. For beginners, it's advisable to start with a minute (roughly 4 rounds) and gradually increase the duration over time. Experienced (breathers???) can perform it for 5-10 minutes.

Me after one set of box breathing.

Double-Exhale Breath 2️⃣ activates the parasympathetic nervous system (”rest and digest”), promoting relaxation and calming the body and mind. It's beneficial before sleep to promote restfulness, anytime you feel stressed or anxious, or after a tense situation and you need to re-ground yourself.

How to Double-Exhale 2️⃣

• Inhale deeply through the nose 👃🏾 for a count of four.

• Exhale slowly and fully through the mouth 👄 for a count of eight.

• Duration: Each round takes 12 seconds. Start with 1-2 minutes (roughly 5-10 rounds) and extend as you become more comfortable.

Dive Deeper with These Resources… (do me a favor and look through these; it took me a long time to hyperlink the apps and podcasts 😅. By the way, none of these are affiliate links - these are here for informational purposes).

Books 📔

1. "Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn - This book demystifies mindfulness and breaks it down into easy-to-understand principles for daily living.

2. "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh - A classic book offering gentle anecdotes and practical exercises to help awaken the joy of living in the present moment.

3. "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana - A straightforward guide to the basics of mindfulness meditation.

4. "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle - A guide to spiritual enlightenment that emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment to achieve inner peace.

5. "10% Happier" by Dan Harris - A skeptic's journey into the benefits of meditation and how it helped him to become significantly happier and more effective.

6. “Designing the Mind: Principles of Psychitecture” by Ryan A. Bush - This book presents an innovative approach to personal development, combining psychological theories and philosophies with actionable strategies to design and enhance mental habits for improved well-being and effectiveness.

   1. Designingthemind.org

Apps 📲

1. Headspace - A user-friendly app that introduces meditation and mindfulness with guided sessions. (Annual: $69.99 total/Monthly: $12.99/month)

2. Calm - Offers a variety of mindfulness tools, including guided meditations, sleep stories, and breathing exercises. (Annual: $69.99)

3. Insight Timer - A free app providing access to thousands of guided meditations and a community of mindfulness practitioners.- #1 free app for sleep, anxiety, and stress

4. Ten Percent Happier - Features a library of meditation courses tailored for different life aspects and expertise levels. (Annual: $99.99)

5. Simple Habit - Designed for busy lifestyles, it offers short meditations for different situations and moods. (Monthly: $11.99/Annual: $89.99/Lifetime: $299.99)

Podcasts 🎙️

1. "The Daily Meditation Podcast" with Mary Meckley - Delivers daily guided meditations and tips to cultivate a regular meditation practice.

2. "On Being with Krista Tippett" - Explores deep life questions and human experiences, often through the lens of mindfulness and spirituality. “Wisdom to replenish and orient”

3. "Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris" - Dan talks with eminent meditation teachers, top scientists, and even the odd celebrity on this show.

4. "The Mindful Kind" with Rachael Kable - Offers insights into mindfulness practices and how to incorporate them into everyday life.

5. "Secular Buddhism" with Noah Rasheta - Aims to bring the practical teachings of Buddhism into the secular world without the religious aspects, focusing on mindfulness and self-improvement.

6. The Huberman Lab Podcast: Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses neuroscience and offers tools for everyday people to harness their brain's potential.

   1. Link to his Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR), Meditation, and Breathwork information.

Parting Thought:

In our fast-paced world, getting lost in the whirlwind of thoughts, tasks, deadlines, and IG/TikTok feeds is easy. Taking moments to ground ourselves, breathe deeply, and be present can transform seemingly stressful moments into miraculous growth and inner peace. Mindfulness isn't just a modern buzzword; it's age-old wisdom. Despite the disparity between our 2024 (almost Black Mirror-ish) society and the Roman Empire/6th century, the quest for inner peace remains timeless. I hope this week’s newsletter brought you peace and practical tools to use moving forward!

Embrace the present, Reframers. Until next time, breathe easy, and Namaste.

🌱🧘‍♂️ Chief Reframer 🧘‍♀️🌱

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