Recently I have become very conscious of the lack of peace in my life. Silence. Both mental and actual.

I’m struggling, as I sporadically do, to pull myself away from my phone. I’m sure that’s relatable. So, my brain does not experience the space that it should as I fill it with nonsense. I also have a busy life including work, kids, animals, social engagements… all the usual stuff. And so, real moments of pure quiet are rare. Therefore, I’ve been consciously looking for places to find peace in my everyday life.

Quiet is regenerative. Restorative. Healing. And so, working out where to find it without impacting your schedule is very useful. So, where to find these moments? Do read on!

1.     The Night

Sometimes, as I come home at night, I take a moment to stop and enjoy the silence of a place that is usually bustling and busy. It is often the street that I live on. I like to hear the trees rustling in the breeze, see the lights on in people’s homes and enjoy the moment of serenity before I plunge back into my home life.

2.     The Car

I listen to music all the time. I listen to it at home, when I am working, in the gym, but most of all I listen to it in transit. There’s nothing wrong with this, but I sometimes feel that I listen to music so much sometimes that it loses a little magic. Having silence in the car instead of the radio is kind of magical in itself. You are in total silence, and in your own private space, whilst at the same time being in the middle of all of the commotion of the outside world. Take calm and serenity from your surroundings whist driving, focus and observe the world around you from within your comfortable car and feel your mind free up and your connectedness to your environment improve.

3.     The Park

Even if you live in the city, it is likely that you will find an area of green somewhere. Next time you are on your way to somewhere and have an extra 5 minutes, just stop and be silent in the world for a moment. Perhaps you walk through a park on your way home from work, or pass a common, or field, or even graveyard.

My local park has a few hidden wooded areas that I occasionally like to duck into for a moment of peace. These places remind me of the woods near where I grew up. I just stand and look up at the sky through the trees and let my mind fill with comforting feelings of nostalgia.

4.      A Lift

A very short moment of peace, to be sure. If you ever find yourself alone in the lift and need to calm yourself or get your mind in order, I recommend you close your eyes and focus on both the silence of the lift and your breath. During your floor-to-floor journey, take some deep soothing breaths. You’ll be amazed at the fresh vitality this can offer you.

5.      A Gallery

After a place for a peaceful moment in a big city? Museums and galleries are often free, and absolutely perfect for peace and contemplation. My personal favourite is the National Portrait gallery in Trafalgar Square, London!

6.     A Window

This is a great way to help you with your workplace wellbeing. If it is proving to be a tough day, find yourself a window. I used to work in the middle of London in a 7-story building; the stairwell windows used to offer a wonderful view of Regent Street. However, any window to the outside world will do, whether it be a break room, an empty office, a bathroom, or you might even be able to, as I sneakily used to do, pop out onto the roof.

Watching the world go by can be extremely peaceful and therapeutic. The gentle rhythm of everyday movements can be soothing, and the expansive view of a city can sometimes help to offer a little perspective.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 3 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Finding Peace in Your Everyday appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

As I have written many times before, meditation really can be done anywhere. However, as with all things, some places are better than others to meditate. Sure, you can focus on the breath in a clattering train carriage, full of hot and bothered members of the public on their way to work. And even though there is an armpit in your face and an elbow in your side, you can still plug into some rainfall ASMR, close your eyes, and create a bubble for yourself.

But, preferable by far is somewhere calm. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere is conducive to finding peace for your head and heart. Beaches trump buses, trees trump trains and solitude trumps sardine-like situations.

Today I am focusing on the best locations to offer you a perfect sensory experience to go with your search for a moment of mindfulness.

 1.     Near Water

Flowing water makes for wonderful ASMR. Babbling river sounds sit hand in hand with rainfall and ocean waves when I am in search of a soundscape to help me relax. If you can put yourself next to actual rolling water, even better. The smell, the breeze, the coolness of the sound, the sparkling reflection… it is sure to help you release.

 2.     In Water

One better. Get yourself in some water. Let the body of water take your weight. Relieve your body of the tensions of life, as well as your mind. This could be a soothing bath, a revitalising shower, a twilight swim, or a blissful nap on an inflatable ring in some swimming pool. 

3.     In A Quiet Park

If you are lucky enough to be near an open green space of any kind, use it. Here, in the city I live in, little public parks are sprinkled among the many hard urban streets. I have spent many a lunchtime in parks like this. I find myself a little nook, away from the stresses of my workday, to enjoy the surprising tranquillity of a city green space. 

4.     The Car

The gentle sway, soft hum, and muffled atmosphere of a car ride send babies to sleep for a reason. Even if I am driving, I often resist the temptation to put music or a podcast on. There is real pleasure in opening the window at night when the streets are not busy, and in hearing snippets of life grow and fade as you cruise through the world.

 5.     Somewhere High… and Outside

For many years, and I’m sure some to come, I performed at the Edinburgh Festival. If you have been, you will understand that it is a wonderful, but very intense experience. If ever I needed to get away, I would climb the hills on the outskirts, settle on a cliff edge and take in the view. I was always silent, save for the cool and unpolluted wind whistling around my ears. Get up and away from it all, take in a view, and enjoy feeling like you have taken yourself out of the rat race for a few moments.

 6.     Under A Blanket

Weighted blankets. Game changer. Like a hug made of cloth. Can recommend!

 7.     In A Dead Quiet Room

Sometimes the best sensory experience is to remove as much sensory stimulation as possible. Indeed, so much stress can come from sensory overload; to-do lists, kids, pets, music, questions, traffic noise, and notifications. Shut yourself in a room and get yourself some of that sweet sweet nothingness.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Learn To Meditate With Neil In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

2. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Coaching Partnership or Professional Wellbeing Appointment is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil Seligman here.

3. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post 7 Sensory Everyday Meditation Spots appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

I have come across this question many times in my career so far. The question being, ‘am I done with this chapter?’ I’m a freelancer in both the acting and writing fields and so, moving through various jobs is part of the whole thing. However, I have often worked on multiple occasions for the same organisation, only to find that I have said yes to one project too many. I am still learning how to predict when enough will be enough, but I often approach the end of my tether after it’s a bit too late.

It’s easy to find yourself stuck in a job that you no longer like. It is also easy, with the rest of your life chugging alongside it, not to notice that you need to move on. And here’s another easy thing, to bury your head in the sand! Often, we know we need a change. We know that going in a fresh direction is exactly what we need if we are to remain resilient and keep growing. But change is scary. Change is not easy. Have you ever found yourself wondering if the risk of being unhappy in whatever comes next is a risk worth taking?

Knowing when you need to change direction is important. Here are some thoughts on how to ascertain whether enough is enough, and why it is important for your wellbeing to take that leap of faith.

1.     The Work/Life Balance Isn’t Working for You Anymore

Businesses should prioritise the work/life balance of their employees. The fact is some do, and some don’t. You may be in a job where you spend more time at work than you should. And that might have been something you were perfectly OK with once upon a time. However, if you now feel like the balance doesn’t work for you anymore. If you now feel like work is taking up too much space to make you happy… now might be the time to re-evaluate.

2.     The Challenge Is Gone

Perhaps you have gotten all that you can get from this job. As an actor, I am always looking to learn. If I feel that there is nothing left to learn or challenge me, then I will likely not return to that particular job or employer. If you can feel stagnation creeping in, or that you have stopped caring because you are bored… get out of there!

3.     There’s Nowhere Else to Go

Similarly, if you have reached the top of your game in the role you are currently in, and there is no place in the business for you to progress to, then find somewhere that does.

4.     You No Longer Fit Within The Company’s Ethos

Companies, like people, evolve over time. Even if you felt that your ethos and the company’s ethos were aligned when you joined, that is not to say that they will be aligned forever. The business might have changed its priorities away from your beliefs and employee wellbeing. You may have had an experience that has fundamentally changed your outlook. Both of those things might have happened. Like any relationship, two parties can grow apart. The chasm may be fillable, or perhaps it’s time to call the whole thing off.

5.     The Very Idea Of Going to Work is Getting to You

If your wellbeing is being impacted by the mere idea of going to work. If you can’t sleep because of the idea of getting the terrain in the next morning. If anxiety fills your chest when you think of your desk… then the risk of moving may well be worth it. Of course, you should consider whether what’s causing these feelings is fixable. But if it isn’t, don’t hesitate, look ahead.

6.     The Idea of Moving On Is Less Scary

Perhaps, when you think about moving on to the next chapter of your journey, the idea isn’t actually that scary. Changing your job, or even your career, is a huge deal, and it should be scary. You should have questions and it is normal to have doubts. However, if this scary thing is starting to feel like it might be a blessed relief. Nay, maybe it even excites you, then you should absolutely explore it. Life is too short, and if the choice is excitement over mundanity and resignation to a situation you are not really OK with anymore… well, I know which one I would pick.

By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Moving On: When to Say ‘Enough’ appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

The pandemic has ravished many areas of our lives, and I think it is fair to assume that the majority of us are coming out of the other end feeling like very different people. We are all part of many communities within this enormous umbrella community we call the human race, and yet, save for the online connections we may have made over the past eighteen months, most of us have not been involved in the real, physical community very much at all.

Humans are not designed to be alone. Throughout our history, we have thrived on social interaction, moved in packs, and cherished community. Community is in our DNA, yet we have had our ability to access it largely taken away over the past few months. S we emerge back into the world, not only will we be craving connection with others in a way that we have never experienced before, but we will undoubtedly benefit from the support of others. I think it is also fair to say that many of us are a bit socially rusty, so could do with some practice in human interaction as well!

Here are some more reasons why we think that finding and building communities is going to be so important in the near future…

1.  Loneliness

Many of us have become lonelier through various lockdowns. This may be due to living alone, working from home, or moving away from where your friends are. It is even possible to feel lonely if you have been living with a house full of people all year, should it not be possible to breach certain subjects with any of them.

On top of that, some of us have lost friends to other parts of the country, whether that be because they have moved in with family or needed a fresh start.

This, oddly, is a time to be socially bold. I say ‘odd’ because many of us still feel that caution is prudent in these times. But this is the time to join a new group, seek out some new friends, and not be bashful about struggling with loneliness. If there is something we all have in common, it is an emotional strain from the pandemic, so you will likely find an abundance of understanding faces.

2.  Loss

Of course, many of us have, in the most real of senses, lost people. Not only that, but we have not been able to grieve and process these losses in a normal way. There are loads of people out there who feel the same way as you, and who could use some connection from somebody who is experiencing the same.

3.  Social Skills

I don’t know about you, but my first few social interactions were a bit off when I finally started going back into the world a bit. I interrupted people, I didn’t know how to start conversations, I misfired jokes, I struggled to keep it light… all sorts of holes in my social interaction skills. Getting out there and interacting with people again will take some adjusting, but it has to be done.

4.  A Fresh Start

To shake off the shackles of the last year, some of us will feel like we need a fresh start. One way to do this is to seek out new groups. Perhaps you have discovered a new hobby during the lockdown and would like to meet some people who are into the same. Maybe you have worked on yourself in the last year and want to try your new improved self out on a new community. And maybe you just need to take a plunge, try something new, and meet some new people to help catapult you into the next stage of your life!

5.  Broken Ties and New Connections

Life is too short. This is certainly a phrase that holds a lot more resonance now than it did before 2020. For me, somebody who has had a particularly tough year, it has become clear which of my relationships have real value, and which do not. And they are not necessarily the relationships I expected, on either side of the spectrum. This means, naturally, that some ties have been severed, and that I now have space for connections with new individuals and communities. Individuals and communities who can not only have a positive influence on me and my life but whom I can have a positive influence on!

 By Chris Thomson

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post The Importance of Community Post-Pandemic appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Walking is something with which many of us are now extremely familiar. Over the last year, going for a walk has been one of the very few things that we have been able to do. On top of that, walking has undoubtedly been one of the things that have kept some of us from going completely insane.

Whether passively or not, the likelihood is that, if you have been doing a lot of strolling this year, you will have been doing so mindfully. Before the pandemic, and certainly, in my case, walking was simply a means to reaching a destination. Whereas now, I have walked along every road in my neighbourhood, and noticed things about roads I have walked on every week for the last ten years, that I have never noticed before.

Now, you may be delighted that you no longer have to go on walks for something to do. However, if you are, I would urge you to think again. Walking for mindfulness and wellbeing is an easy way to maintain a positive outlook and a clear mind. Indeed, you have fallen in love with walking these past twelve months and maybe looking for more conscious ways to walk mindfully. If this is the vase, then read on, for you are in luck…

1.     Take the Heat Off Your Pace

I am a Londoner, and I like it. Therefore, my walking pace is that of a runaway freight train. I walk very fast indeed. Therefore, if I were to go out for a mindful walk, the first thing I should do, as should you, is take my foot off the gas. Walk a little slower than you normally would, slowing your breathing with it. you may even find it useful to count your steps as a means to slowing your pace. This walk is not aimed at a destination, it is not time-sensitive, and it is not for physical exercise. This walk is for your mind and your wellbeing.

2.     Heed Your Senses

Pay attention to your senses, and the things that they are experiencing.

Your eyes. What can you see? What is the light like? Are there many people out?

Your nose. Is the air fresh? Does it smell like it has been raining recently?

Your mouth. Does the air taste anything? Is the weather making your mouth dry or wet?

Your ears. What background noises are present? Are the birds singing? Is there traffic in the distance? Perhaps you can hear water.

Your touch. Feel things as you go. Trees and bushes, walls and buildings. Is the ground hard or soft? Can you feel a breeze on your skin?

3.     Conscious Curiosity

Really look at your surroundings and take interest in them. My favourite thing about walking around my neighbourhood recently has been paying attention to the houses and their varied architectural traits. This curiosity helps to turn your walk into an experience of your present environment and to move you away from whatever else is going on in your life that day.

4.     Get Lost

We have phones now, so we can always work out where we are. So, let your curiosity and your instinct guide you. Try and let go of even the pressure of knowing where you are. This will likely lead to a much freer and more pleasantly surprising walking experience.

5.     Guide Yourself to the Present

Walking is good for letting the mind wander. I often find myself sorting out problems in my head whilst walking, without really putting too much effort into it, as I have given my brain the space to do so. However, this is a mindfulness walk and is all about the present moment. So, if you do find yourself drifting into the worries and pressures of your life, gently try and pull your focus back to what is happening in the ‘here and now’. Redirect yourself to what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

By Chris Thomson

Walking is an excellent way to boost your wellbeing. However, if you are after more wellbeing boosting habits to add to your routine, this archive article may help… 5 Lifestyle Habits to Boost Your Wellbeing

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Walking for Mindfulness appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Meditation often feels very ordinary – so don’t expect too much at the beginning and remember – there is a practice of stillness in every wisdom tradition – so you know how to do this – it is as instinctive as eating, drinking, or keeping warm.

Is it just something that is done ‘in the mind’? 

Meditation might seem at first to be a mental exercise because often the body is static – however meditation teaches the skill of welcoming awareness into both body and mind, and links us to the deeper ways in which we might experience ourselves as human beings. In many traditions meditation also offers a path to spiritual development although this does not need to be the focus of your practice.

How do I meditate? Do I need to be sat cross-legged and hum like the stereotypes?

Yes of course. (No – just kidding!)

Meditation is best approached in a comfortable seated position. This could be on a normal chair or with your hips raised on a cushion and feet resting on a wider cushioned mat (traditionally known as zafu and zabuton). It is a good idea to begin with a form of guidance or tuition such as an audio meditation, an app, or a piece of inspiring music – something that you find calming and instructive.

What are three benefits of meditation?

1. Meditation builds stress resilience. The reason we associate the stereotypical meditation image with a calm serene landscape and stones balanced one on top of the other is because meditation teaches you how to align, come back to centre and find stillness when you are stressed or anxious. By returning consciously to the breath and the sensations of the body, you learn how to direct your attention towards peaceful stimuli and away from alarming ones. As many of the daily catalysts of stress are perceived rather than actual dangers – this skill is hugely valuable to anyone seeking calm in an uncertain world.
2. Meditation builds self-awareness and empathy. Meditation offers a map that allows you to know your interior self a little more intimately. As you become more adept at navigating your thoughts, emotions, and sensations a space opens up for intentionality and heartfulness which develops empathy, generosity and connection.
3. Meditation as a commitment to your self-care enhances your overall sense of happiness and wellbeing. The skill of being able to attend to the present moment, enrich it with presence, and practice appreciation becomes its own reward.

How long should I do it for?

There are always lots of questions about frequency and duration but it is important to remember that there is no set target here. If you were to build up to 20 minutes once or twice a day, that would be fantastic – but my usual suggestion is to simply meditate more than you currently are now.

So, if you’re not meditating at all – just try it once. If you meditate once a month – how about trying once a week – if it’s twice a week – build up to a weekday practice and so on.

Start small with just a 5-minute practice and gradually build up, not worrying that sometimes it feels easy and some days it feels really hard. Just keep showing up! Perseverance and a little discipline is key to get throught the first weeks and build a habit.

Is it ever possible to truly clear the mind?

Yes it is, but trying actively to clear the mind tends to have completely the opposite effect. In fact, if you ask someone to seek out a thought in their mind right now – this actually is much more likely to give them the experience of thought-free awareness. Try it now if you like: Go find a thought…what happens?

How can I get started?

There are many ways to begin so it is more about finding the one that suits you best. I wrote my first book: 100 Mindfulness Meditations – The Ultimate Collection of Inspiring Daily Practices to offer beginners a simple and structured way to build their skills and confidence day-by-day.

If you prefer an app, the most popular ones like Headspace, Calm, and Buddhify are very sophisticated and well-designed. Insight Timer is another wonderful resource that links you to a huge array of recorded meditations and courses from the world’s best teachers.  So, my advice is to experiment, find a teacher, writer, or guide that resonates. Instead of being overwhelmed by choice – pick one app and go deep into it, or choose one book and read it slowly – twice! You can bring your mindfulness to how you learn too!

Should I incorporate breathing techniques?

Up to you. Mindfulness meditation includes a lot of breath awareness in the guidance because the breath is the doorway – we follow the breath into the body from where we continue the exploration of interior self. If you enjoy the breathing practices in a yoga class you may wish to explore a pranayama class or try breathwork. All of these practices have many benefits and it is up to you to find the ones that feel right for your particular likes and needs.

Practice Time:

Got 1 Minute – Try a STOP

If you are feeling stressed or anxious I recommend practicing STOP, a pocket-practice taught on Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses to help regain clarity and calm:

• Stop and pause. Feel gravity pushing the weight of the body down – feel your feet on the floor.
• Take a conscious breath. Feel the warmth and energy of your body.
• Open – gently observe what is happening internally and externally. Is there an opportunity here to redirect?
• Proceed

Got 5 Minutes – This practice is called: Slow Down

• You have arrived. Take five slow breaths here.
• Acknowledge the whirl of activity that the mind is still chewing over as you begin your practice. Observe it neutrally and welcome it by allowing it to be just as it is. Know that it will settle in its own time.
• Offer your breath an invitation to Slow Down and take five easeful breaths here.
• Now, bring the same invitation to the body: Slow Down.
• Take five breaths as the Energy of Slow circulates gradually through every bone, every muscle, every artery, every cell.
• Next, take the focus of your awareness to mind and offer it the invitation: Slow Down.
• Take five breaths here and before bringing your practice to a close, contemplate how the Energy of Slow can be welcomed into daily life.
• Return to wakefulness in your own way.

Got 20 Minutes – Try the Body Scan

• Breathe and notice the body. Remember it. Discover yourself in this moment as a physical being with weight, temperature, texture, colour and energy. Take five breaths here.
• Are certain parts of your body calling for attention? An itch, a scratch? A shift of body weight? Attend to the body’s needs until it is quietly resting at peace.
• Now bring awareness to the feet and toes. What do you sense? What is present? And what do your feet want you to know about how they are feeling in this moment? Take at least five breaths here and gather information.
• On the next breath, allow your awareness to move up into the legs. How do they feel? Are they comfortable? Go slowly. Check in with the calves, shins, knees and thighs. Feel for temperature, movement and weight. Notice where you are holding on. Take at least five breaths here until ready to move on.
• Bring your awareness now to the central core of the body: the abdomen and chest. Check in. Listen. Feel. Be in your body. Notice all sensations, images, feelings and words that arise and take five breaths here.
• Next, bring your attention to the arms and hands. Let your awareness travel down through the upper limbs and into the fingers. Take your time and feel all of the sensations present. Simply notice. Whatever is there, whether it feels pleasant or challenging, take an inventory. Do not add any judgment or commentary to the sensation. Follow and breathe. Listen for five more breaths.
• Finally awareness moves up through the neck and into the head. Breathe. Listen. Gather. Observe. Witness. Take at least five breaths here.
• On the next breath set an intention to inhabit the body fully. Imagine the mind and body are one. Take five breaths here.
• Return to wakefulness in your own way.

By Neil Seligman

Here are some extra thoughts on how to use meditation to tackle your daily niggles and concerns: Mindfulness and Meditation Tips to Defuse Day to Day Worries

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post Beginner’s Guide to Meditation appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Remember this: YOU are the awareness of this chatter. The chatter is NOT you. So observe it. Remark to yourself, ‘This chatter is quite a peculiar happening. It is coasting along without me. I will sit calmly here and watch it, and see where it goes.’

The one thing not to do here is to give any energy to any particular thought that travels through. Simply let them come and go. Know that if there was a useful reminder about something important that it will still be available to you in 5 minutes time when you come out of your practice.

With repetition of this exercise and time, the chatter will give way to growing periods of silence or stillness as the mind releases its grip on the internal window and gains confidence to be without content for longer periods. This silence is intensely nourishing for the soul. Meditating for 10 minutes where 9 minutes are spent watching the chatter and 1 minute is spent witnessing the silence is a great achievement.

Even if you don’t find silence on your first attempts (and you probably will not) acknowledge your commitment and your intention. Keep the attitude clean and positive. Every time you are sitting down to practice, you are closer to finding the silence. Every step is crucial for the journey.

With practice, persistence, forgiveness and non-judgement, you will develop your ability to reach the point of silence or emptiness and maintain it for a few minutes. You have now become the neutral witness of your thoughts. You have learned through experience that you and your thoughts are separate. You now know yourself to be the awareness in which thought arises.

This is a huge lesson. It changes everything.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post The Conscious Guide to Quitening Your Mind appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

The starting point for increasing our personal capacity for mindfulness must be a practice of stillness. Group classes make the practice accessible and fun whilst a daily ritual of home meditation is fundamental. Whilst, the challenges are intense, the learning is exciting and the discoveries plentiful.

Beginning to uncover your own internal sphere of experience is a little like exploring a new world and as such can be a surprisingly enjoyable and unexpected endeavour.

Whatever you do find in your internal sphere, the mystery and the wisdom that you discover will be your own. As you go deeper into the experience there will no longer be any need to rely upon someone else’s definition of mindfulness because you will know that state for yourself and perhaps increasingly choose to live and create from it.

So I would encourage you to move further towards mindfulness and experiment with meditation. With a bit of luck, the mysteries will come along hand-in-hand with the wisdom.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post How To Increase Your Capacity For Mindfulness appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

1. Always try to meditate on level ground to enhance alignment.

2. Set a timer to indicate when you have finished your meditation. This allows the mind to release its grip on scheduling and gives you more chance of reaching silence.

3. Meditating in nature is especially beautiful. Parks, forests, mountains, oceans and lakes all offer enriching access to deeper states of being.

4. Meditation is simply evolving the capacity to stop, sit down and watch yourself ‘happening’, don’t expect too much too soon.

5. You can meditate anywhere and whenever. Whilst travelling from one place to another is a particularly good time to meditate. Perhaps you could practice during your daily commute to work or whilst you’re on the plane travelling to your next destination!

6. The act of stopping in itself is a powerful commitment. Even if you commit to stopping and meditating for only 5 minutes a day. A commitment to stillness is a wonderful touchstone for sanity in a world going by at a beguiling rate.

7. The benefits of meditation come online as soon as you get into a regular practice, you don’t have to achieve stillness or enlightenment first. Benefits include, increased presence and awareness in day-to-day situations, reduced stress, more stable moods, better sleep, improved recall and focus as well as neurological benefits in various parts of the brain. These effects may not be noticed immediately so be patient and realistic but remember as we remarked at the outset, a daily practice of meditation can transform a life.

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post 7 Conscious Meditation Tips appeared first on The Conscious Professional.

Simply sitting in the silence and following its waves could provide a lifetime of teaching. Once the mind is still you may find that there are other streams of intelligence that become audible. Listen for the inner voice, the wisdom of the higher self and the whispers of revelation. Discover yourself anew. Many aspects that are available to be witnessed are not easy to define or name so don’t. Simply be the witness of the riches that arises from within the silence.

If you prefer a little structure to guide you within, I suggest three requests to contemplate in turn. These requests were ‘given’ to me when I meditated atop the Galzig mountain in St Anton, Austria.

1. Ask For Alignment

2. Ask for the Healings

3. Ask for the Teachings

Experimenting with these requests I have found the following:

1. Alignment

Once the mind has calmed and I have found the stillness within, I say to myself,

 “I ask for alignment…”

I simply then wait. Sometimes nothing occurs in which case I wait for a moment and then move to the next request. However, sometimes I feel my body physically aligning. Often this centres around the spine but can also be felt as subtle energy shifts within the whole of my body. I also notice alignments in other subtle ways which are hard to define, my emotions seem to settle further, my mind feels larger and less constrained. Contractions release.

I simply allow this process to occur peacefully until it feels complete.

2. The Healings

I say to myself,

 “I ask for the healings…”

I then wait again and watch for the flow of further subtle energies and processes. If words come to me in this part of the meditation I may pay them a little more attention, scanning to see whether they have the transient aroma of passing mind chatter or the denser more peaceful wisdom of the inner voice.

In this phase, the energies that can be experienced within the body can be quite strong. At times, healing energy is gentle but it can also be thorough, cleansing and challenging. Simply witness the sensations that arise within you and note the areas which seem to be most active.

Witness the healing phase until you feel it is complete.

3. The Teachings

I then say to myself,

“I ask for the teachings…”

I had in fact asked this very question when meditating on Mount Galzig in Austria when I was guided by my inner voice to begin using these three requests in my own meditation practice and in teaching others.

On some days the teachings are profound, on others days there is only silence. Accept each day’s bounty with gratitude just the same.

Use this structure to guide your next meditation and see what comes up for you!

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten-day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.  

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

See if The Conscious Professional training and coaching programmes are right for your team or workplace. Book a call here.

The Conscious Professional is dedicated to delivering inspiring corporate mindfulness and professional resilience training, conscious leadership coaching and workplace wellbeing services at the level of professional excellence. Thank you for following our blog.

The post A Conscious Guide to Meditation for the Regular Practitioner appeared first on The Conscious Professional.