Menu
Menu

Blog Archives

Running Past Park Benches

If we don’t have physical models to show us how to slow down, then we need physical spaces. We need meditation rooms and quiet spaces, indoor and outdoor sanctuaries where there is only one rule and one expectation…to be quiet.

“Melinda Easterling ratifies the hunt for peace in the 21st century.”

I was thrilled to write for Ebenezer Chapel in support of their quest to create an underground quiet and meditative space for visitors to Raleigh, North Carolina for centuries to come. Check out their web site and my blog on why we should all support public quiet spaces (repost below).

Running Past Park Benches

Why do we need quiet spaces? Why not just plop down on a park bench, close our eyes at our desk at work or sit on a chair at home and meditate? Why? Because no one else is doing that. We (those of us who live in the West) don’t live in a culture that says chill, take it easy, slow down. We live in a hyper world. We run passed park benches. We rush to the finish line at work…a finish line that always evades us because there’s another and another. We push ourselves and our partners and our kids at home…

Read More »

Meditation Is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Meditation is not one-size-fits-all. If a quiet-your-mind approach doesn’t work, try a mantra-based session, where you repeat a word (e.g., “calm”) or group of words (e.g., “I am calm”) of your choice for several minutes. If a mantra doesn’t resonate, try just listening to nature sounds and focusing on your breath. Do a little research on the different types of meditation.

Read More »

Travel by Plane or Brain: Reap the Same Benefits

I love to travel! I’m mindful 89% of my waking hours. I’m acutely observant of others….our differences and similarities. I’m more patient and accommodating. I’m more creative and in tune. I believe this is true of many of us when we travel…that we observe more, are more aware, more in sync, more thoughtful.

Read More »

Critics of Modern Meditation: What Say Ye?

As much as I preach meditation in the workplace, I would be remiss to not address the criticism surrounding Modern Meditation. In a recent article, a long-time meditator and teacher offers the following insight (see quotes below) into what’s wrong with today’s Mindfulness and Meditation Movement (MAMM, let’s make it official):

“So many people seem to be moving narcissistically — conditioned by our culture, doubtless — into self-centered happiness-seeking and quietism, not to mention the use of mindfulness for mere effectiveness.”

Read More »

Learning Calm in a Type A World

I’m a recovering Type A stress ball. I had to learn Calm. Last week, I read They Make Trains Run on Time, but at What Cost? and thought of myself. I fall in the category of The Very Organized and hail my “virtues” (the author knows me too well):

Read More »

The Power of Outdoor Meditation Spaces

What better way to rejuvenate than to slip into a quiet retreat in fresh air. As the intense connection between human and nature (biophilia) gains momentum, designers are emphasizing the need to bring in more plants, daylight and open air to the workplace. Likewise, as employers now understand the importance of mindfulness and meditation for their most important asset, the employee, companies are adopting meditation as part of a complete wellness plan. Combine the two…nature and meditation….and we have an explosive combo. Retreat. Relax. Revive.

Read More »

What Do Drugs, Caffeine and Meditation Have in Common?

What if it were as simple as finding relief? What if the answer to increased productivity and creativity or better mood and stamina isn’t caffeine or drugs or green juice? What if it’s as simple as taking a step back and into quiet.

We’re all looking for relief from our relentless thoughts…thoughts about our impending deadline, job security, the kids’ grades, our stiff shoulder, the rent or the mortgage. The non-stop hum in the background is not just our open work space or the buzz of lawn mowers, it’s also, or more so, the highway of thoughts incessantly whizzing by.

Some of us find temporary relief in the No-No trifecta of drugs, sex and alcohol. Others choose extreme exercise or dieting as a patch.

How about a combo.

Read More »

What do You Want in Your Meditation Room? Here’s Your Checklist

If you could have a space in your office building where you could go to relax for a few minutes each day, sit silently or listen to calming music, would you use it?

What kind of audio would you like…nature sounds, chimes, soft music (classical, jazz or chill out)?

  • Would you like to have a guided meditation option on audio?
  • Would you bring your own MP3 player and earbuds to the room?
  • Would you like the audio to be piped in to the room or have access to individual headphones?

Would you like to have a view with windows or a dimmer room with less distraction?

Read More »

Meditation vs. Prayer in the Workplace

business ppl sitting quietly listeningIf our office has a Meditation Room, shouldn’t we also have a Prayer Room or a chapel?”

prayer: an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought

meditation: the act or process of spending time in quiet thought

Merriam-Webster may have strict definitions for prayer and meditation, but for the sake of this blog, we will more loosely use meditation as quieting the mind.

The idea behind a Meditation Room is not to introduce religion into the workplace.

Read More »

Why Are You Not Meditating?

woman drinking coffee on window sillIf meditating is so good for us, why are many of us not doing it? Time, access, perception and education. We don’t believe that we have 15 minutes in our day to sit down, close our eyes and breathe. Most of us don’t have a Meditation Room in our office buildings. Many are worried what others will think if we meditate. Education is two-fold. I believe that the majority of us either don’t know anything about meditation or don’t believe in its benefits. I’ll briefly address each of these.

Time is a non-argument. Everyone has 15 minutes to sit on a toilet (lid closed) and be quiet.

Read More »