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Expert GuidancePolishing a Pan

Polishing a Pan

What's the approach to consistent meditation?

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Training the mind can sometimes feel like an impossible task. One traditional comparison is like polishing a blackened pan. (scrub brushes against pan) At first it might seem overwhelming, and maybe we respond to this daunting task by trying to force our practice. But that tends not to work. Ah! So we might overcompensate, and be too loose in our approach instead. That doesn't work either. We get distracted. Maybe a bit disheartened. So we're looking for that consistent, gentle effort. That showing up every day kind of effort. Not too intense, not too loose. And just like our pan, the more we practice or polish, the clearer the view becomes. Of course, we might not always like what we see, but there's no use arguing with the reflection. And hopefully, over time, we better understand the beauty of the mind. Hmm, hee....

Details

TypeExpert Guidance
Duration1 min

About your teachers

  • A former Buddhist monk, Andy has guided people in meditation and mindfulness for 20 years. In his mission to make these practices accessible to all, he co-created the Headspace app in 2010.

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  • Eve is a mindfulness teacher, overseeing Headspace’s meditation curriculum. She is passionate about sharing meditation to help others feel less stressed and experience more compassion in their lives.

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  • As a meditation teacher, Dora encourages others to live, breathe, and be with the fullness of their experiences. She loves meditation’s power to create community and bring clarity to people’s minds.

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  • Kessonga has been an acupuncturists, therapist, and meditation teacher, working to bring mindfulness to the diverse populations of the world.

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  • Rosie Acosta has studied yoga and mindfulness for more than 20 years and taught for over a decade. Rosie’s mission is to help others overcome adversity and experience radical love.

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