Recently, a friend asked about the technique I use for “silent fitness,” referred to in my letters. A summary follows: There Is No Single Right Way To Practice: A common approach to starting a mindfulness practice is to buy a “how-to” book or listen to a guided instruction. These approaches were not helpful for me. There are many correct ways to practice; the challenge is to find one that resonates with you. For some, step by step instructions like those found in a book are

In Silent Fitness Part 1, I emphasized the importance of keeping one’s practice free of expectations. That’s probably not realistic for beginners. Most of us are goal-oriented, and few have time to place efforts on activities that don’t produce results. What follows breaks from tradition, at least concerning mindfulness instruction I am familiar with. Writing about mindfulness experience is taboo because it invites aspirants to chase outcomes. Still, I think it might be hel

Before I begin, allow me to summarize Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. In Silent Fitness Part 1, I explained the technique I use. In Silent Fitness Part 2, I described the nature of our two-fold awareness and how silent fitness relieves dis-ease, which arises from thought. In Part 3, I want to cover the power of presence. The bliss that accompanies the simple feeling of “being” cannot be overstated. We live in a time of anxiety and stress. Technology promotes an ever-on l

I am hopeful that shining a light on the mindfulness journey removes some of the mystery and frustration sometimes encountered along the way. At the same time, I hope readers resist the temptation to set goals for their practice based on this information. Your experience will likely differ from mine. Besides, setting goals or evaluating progress in mindfulness practice is counter-productive. An analogy is offered by the children’s board game “Chutes and Ladders.” Those who h

We have now reached the current stage of my practice. As such, I will write about it in the “first-person.” As practice continued, mindfulness became increasingly natural for me. It’s no longer difficult to let go of thoughts and sit in stillness. Yet, I found something was missing. I am not living mindfully. Practice is therapeutic, but once it’s over, “dis-ease” tends to creep back in. “Presence” is hard to maintain throughout the day. Slow traffic angers me, as does malfu