The Mindfulness Blog

The guy who used to produce some of the great hits made by the Staple Singers used to live across the street. He was a great guy (still is), and as it turns out, he was a meditator-- I knew I was attracted to him for a reason!

I used to think what made him so cool was his love of music (and it certainly was-- at least, in part). But there was more to it than just that. He knew himself as well as his music, and he produced some tremendous songs.

How did he do that? I have a strong hunch it had to do with self-care-- not anything touted publicly, but the kind of self-care that is private. Like meditation (though I am also a big fan of group meditation, and social mindfulness). But that's just me-- what about you?

We all meditate in different ways-- some formally, and some informally. For different reasons, and for different lengths of time. Meditating like o monk isn't something we all have the time or inclination for, but recharging the battery is certainly something we all need to do. Speaking for myself, I know that I do!

Meditation is a tool for self-care; a tool that encourages better knowledge of oneself. And sometimes, what begins as meditation becomes more of a reflection-- private, and honest. It's what I call, secular mindfulness and it works for me-- it's also what I teach.

That may not be a particularly deep insight, but it's a wisdom that has served me well-- it has also enabled me to respect myself more sincerely (something of which I need to be reminded, quite often)!