Upgrade your Happiness Now.
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Have you experienced any of the following?
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Poor sleep
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Anxiety
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Repetitive worrysome thoughts
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A feeling that there is more to you
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Grumpy for no particular reason
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Lack of joy
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Brainfog
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Tired every day
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Irritable around those you love
I was all of the above. Maybe not necessarily all at the same time but enough to realise that something had to change. The process was so gradual, I hadn’t noticed it happening, but I did know that I didn’t feel like myself anymore. With meditation and a shift in perspective, I found myself again.
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These tools can guide you on your journey to reclaim yourself.
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THE JOURNEY
“Happy But Not Happy”
Recently, I was sitting at a bar in Cork City watching the US Masters golf tournament on the television. A chap about my age sat down beside me and we started shooting the breeze about golf and then anything else that popped into our heads. It turned out he was a successful architect and owned his own business. He had recently won the contract for a major building project and everything was going great for him at work. I mentioned to him throughout the course of the conversation that I was a meditation teacher. He seemed very keen to find out more and I sensed there was a reason. He then said something that will stick with me for a long time to come.
“I really need something because, you see, I’m happy. But I’m not happy."
I immediately got it. So many of us feel this way at some point in our lives. He explained how he loved his wife, he had amazing healthy kids and a company that was thriving. But something was missing. He had achieved many of the milestones that we all strive for but he just wasn’t feeling it. He was happy but not happy. Sometimes we can feel guilty or foolish when we admit that we aren’t happy in spite of all the wonderful people and things in our lives. It can seem like we are spoiled or ungrateful and this feeling of guilt can just make us feel worse. So why was this hardworking dad feeling happy but not happy? Because he had lost touch with himself. His true self.
Why Meditate?
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Meditation reconnects us with that part of ourselves that gets lost. It’s that part of ourselves we know was there when we were kids, when there wasn’t all this…stuff! With new studies emerging every day, science shows us that a regular meditation practice can actually change the physical qualities of our brain, shrinking our fear centres and growing our capacity for feeling joy, confident and well…happy!
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What I will teach you:
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How to begin meditating
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Finding a style that suits you
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Tips to keep your practice going so it works
Tips to Make Meditation Work for You
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Get comfy! There is no need to sit like your legs are tied like a pretzel! Pick a favorite chair, sit up on your bed, use cushions, blankets, whatever it takes to get comfortable. If you’re comfy, you’re less likely to get distracted and way more likely to come back and do it again the next day. Lying down is not really recommended as you might nod off and miss all the fun!
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Make friends with your thoughts. There is a common misconception that to meditate successfully, you must clear your mind of all thoughts. We have between 60,000 and 80,000 thoughts per day, so even Yoda would struggle with clearing away all of them! Allow your thoughts to come and go and be prepared - the weirdest things will pop into your head! The important thing is when we notice our mind has wandered, we gently bring it back to the focus of our attention.
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Pick a style. In meditation, we focus our attention on one thing - our breath, a word or phrase or even a piece of chocolate in our mouth (one of my favorites!) Choose a method that feels best for you. If you can’t decide, guided meditations are great for beginners. See below for some of my recommendations on where to go to get them.
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Build a routine. So many people I talk to say they enjoyed starting meditation but couldn’t seem to keep meditating. The best way to build a solid practice is to build it into your daily routine. We do it with the gym, our tea, our coffee, our emails, why not our mental self care?! My favorite kickstarters were created by my teacher, Davidji, and really got me going. These are RPM and RAW. RPM stands for “Rise, Pee, Meditate”, which means we do it every morning before we check that phone or touch that kettle. It really sets me up for the day. RAW stands for “Right After Work”. I especially love this one as it allows me to start releasing all the stress I’ve gathered throughout the day. Then I’m more calm and present for my kids when they want to complain about the WiFi not working!
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Get some help. There are so many people and free resources out there that can really help you get started and keep it going. My favorite app is Insight Timer. It’s free and there are thousands of meditations from many different teachers on it. Other apps like Headspace and Calm are great too but there may be a fee. I also love going to group meditations. It can be really fun and reassuring for beginners so check if there’s one in your area. Or why not pick a teacher that could guide you through the early stages? Imagine it like a personal trainer for your brain! Try my guided meditations on this page and get on the road to a calmer mind.
Meditate with Me
A real-world practice you can learn in 3 minutes and practice in 16 seconds
The Science Behind the Practice
Learn about amazing research - in just 2 minutes!!
Guided Meditations
Beginner's Meditation
New to meditation? Worried I'll dress you in a robe and drag you off to the spaceship?? Fear not! Try this cult-free simple meditation to get you started.
Morning Meditation
What are you waiting for? Change your brain! Science shows daily meditation actually changes the shape of your brain. So it makes sense to work it into your daily routine. Here's one to set you up for the day in a positive way so you don't bite the head off a deli worker later on...
Meditation for Anxiety or a Worried Mind
We all get worried and anxious from time to time. Maybe you're suffering from what I call "a terrible dose of the shoulds", where you're fixating on stuff you feel you should have done or should be doing. Listen to this meditation to quieten the racket in your mind...
Family Meditation
Here's one the whole family can do together! Jump under a duvet, get comfy and chill out the whole gang! Perfect for couples too.
Meditation for Sleep and Relaxation
If you need to unwind, de-stress or fall asleep, this is the one for you. 20 minutes of bliss! Sure, go on, you deserve it!
Meditation to Bring Us Closer Together
There are a lot of difficult but necessary things unfolding around the globe at the moment. Sometimes it's hard to get our head around them or know what to do. How about starting with the positive action of sending loving kindness? This can sound flowery and wishy-washy, but science says this meditation can make real changes in the brain and you'll feel a whole lot better about where we're all going. Give it a try!
Meditation to Process Difficult Emotions
So many are upset at the tragic passing of Irish schoolteacher Ashling Murphy. An event like this can bring up so many intense and challenging emotions. This meditation is a safe and shared space for acknowledging those feelings and coming together in community and support following this tragic event or any other thing in your life that you find especially troubling.
You Are Enough
This is the perfect meditation to go deep, to really explore those deeper parts that give you your strength. And we give ourselves a powerful reminder that we are doing, being and sharing enough each day for our greatest good. 27 minutes of bliss!
