Relax

Collecting Art, take a look All day long, mostly without our even noticing, the mind is generating thousands of thoughts. What is our relationship to thoughts? Not only does the mind have a mind of its own, but, literally, we can have thoughts about not having thoughts. We get in our heads that if there were no thoughts we would be at peace, but even that’s just another thought. It’s very easy to villainize thought as some kind of enemy of practice. We get in our heads that if there were no thoughts we would be at peace, but even that’s just another thought. So, we’ll be using a noting practice, where we practice seeing thoughts clearly as they arise, gently noting them, and returning to the breath and body. If there is no mindfulness of mind, we live in a world completely defined by our thoughts. Here, we let go of that orientation and just see things as they are. When we see how compulsively these thoughts repeat themselves, we begin to understand the circular, repetitive nature of ...

Collecting Art, take a look Lifestyle Can We Normalize Meditation Breaks on Family Hikes? When hiking, I used to power walk to the top for a breathless peek at the view. Then, my toddler taught me to exhale along the way. Share Icon Share Bookmark Icon Save Photo: Canva For three euphoric months, a newly opened climbing gym near my house allowed me to bring a dozen rowdy toddlers from my kids’ friend group to strap into their sit harnesses for a brief, adorably awkward clamber up the rock wall. Alas, all good things must come to an end, especially the ones that should never have been allowed in the first place. Just as we were gearing up for new enrollments, the gym owners informed us that their insurance agent cautioned them against welcoming such young aspiring mountaineers into their space. As a twin toddler mom suddenly left with an adventurous activity void and a gaggle of rambunctious littles, I set out to find the one guide in San Miguel de Allende who would agree to pivot, ta...

Collecting Art, take a look In this practice, teacher Shalini Bahl reminds us that in its simplest form, mindfulness is just about stopping—stopping to notice, to breathe, to gently interrupt our engrained habits of thought with our quiet presence. We often think of mindfulness and meditation as a drawn-out, sustained exercise—when in reality, they’re just a collection of micro-moments of stopping, breathing, really noticing our own bodies and our own lives, getting distracted, and then coming back again. Over and over. As this week’s teacher Shalini Bahl puts it, today’s guided practice is about the art of stopping: letting go of our regular habits of the mind—the pushing, pulling, running in circles— and instead just being for a moment. This is an extended practice, but as a bonus, we’re also sharing a micro-practice version below that you can take into busy days. And don’t miss Shalini’s article on Mindful.org that’s all about the power of micro-practices to affect our daily cho...

Collecting Art, take a look If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn about Outside Onlines affiliate link policy The integration of mindfulness and movement is not a new endeavor. In fact, one could argue that any type of movement becomes mindful when you’re striving for a certain level of awareness. But sometimes, getting intentional about how you’re moving can transform your chosen activity into something approximating meditation—as with the trend of “walking yoga.” Walking yoga is an approach to walking meditation that asks that you meet the moment—in this case, being aware of your steps—and focusing less on your thoughts and more on what you’re doing and the world around you. The practice has been gaining popularity in recent months, mentioned in movement programs there’s even a designated app and across social media. At its core, walking yoga is about aligning your breath with your ...

Collecting Art, take a look If finding the time or the capacity to sit in stillness has prevented you from experiencing the benefits of meditation, recent research has good news: even a super short practice can be effective. A quick search for “short guided meditation” pulls up videos and apps featuring meditations of 3 to 5 minutes, an incredibly accessible entry point. But for those with a bit more experience, an article published in journal Springer in March 2026 finds that the benefits of meditation can be seen in brain scans just 30 seconds. The Benefits of Meditation—But Faster Quieting your mind and tuning in with your breath has been proven to ease symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety while also boosting your brain power and ability to emotionally self-regulate. But even with all of this ancient spiritual and modern scientific evidence, sitting in silence can be tough. Learning to switch off your monkey mind—known as chitta vritti nirodha, which Patanjali considers th...

Collecting Art, take a look In 2025, mindfulness teacher Andrew Safer tracked the effects of attention training for workshop participants with ADHD. What he learned has implications for all of us. It seems that distraction is the oxygen we breathe nowadays, with infinite bits of information at our restless fingertips. Each time I open my Edge browser, captivating news headlines and flashy images assault me. Half the time, I forget where I was headed! Is the effort to maintain control of our attention a fool’s errand? Nicholas Carr, in his best-seller, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, notes that more than a few top journalists have stopped reading books because 1 they can easily find the information they need at Wikipedia and other online sources, and 2 their attention spans have withered. Mindfulness meditation nudges us in the opposite direction. Rather than surround ourselves with endless options, we simplify. The practice has us paying attention to this pre...

Collecting Art, take a look Striving and stress make getting a healthy sleep more challenging. Try this guided meditation to help you settle down and drift off. Are you getting enough healthy sleep? If you’re like many of us, your answer is no. And not getting the rest we crave can be quite painful and can exacerbate other health problems. As with pretty much anything health-related, we may know better, but we don’t stick to what we’d tell our best friend: Keep to a regular bedtime and a consistent routine, and avoid whatever disrupts sleep, like caffeine, alcohol, and screens. Not that complicated, but what’s often hardest is what’s frustratingly out of our full control. Even following solid advice, sometimes we suffer through rotten nights, feeling anxious or struggling to settle ourselves. We have nothing but empathy for a friend with insomnia, yet as we lie awake in the dark we may not give ourselves the same degree of care. A good place to start, then, might be an adapted versi...

Collecting Art, take a look In this 2-minute video, meditation teacher Christiane Wolf explains what “formal” and “informal” mean when it comes to mindfulness. If you’ve heard the terms “formal mindfulness” or “informal mindfulness,” you might have been left scratching your head. Yes, it is—and it can still refer to different kinds of practices. In this short video, meditation teacher and author Christiane Wolf offers simple definitions of formal and informal mindfulness. Within each of these terms, there’s an abundance of ways to come home to the present moment. As Sharon Salzberg wrote in her book Real Happiness: “Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” What Is Formal Mindfulness Practice? Formal practice is what we call every type of practice where you really take the time to do nothing but this particular practice or meditation at that moment. Formal mindfulness meditation usually includes a clear structure or framework, such as steps to follow, a begin...

Collecting Art, take a look We can find strength and resilience in familiarity—and use those feelings to explore the unfamiliar. At the beginning of every meditation practice that I teach, I offer up a little bit of instruction for the posture, so that you can experience this practice as being as supportive as possible to your body. A Meditation to Approach the World With a “Don’t-Know Mind” I would like to invite you to come to a place that is truly comfortable and supportive to your practice. This might mean standing up, if that’s more supportive to your back and your posture. And for some of you, this may mean lying down on the ground. And others may want to employ what I like to call a “soft gaze,” which is looking down at the ground about two inches in front of the knees or the feet. When you’ve settled into a comfortable position, I would love to invite you to take three deep breaths with me. As you’re taking those three deep breaths, you may notice that your body may begin t...

Collecting Art, take a look We can find strength and resilience in familiarity—and use those feelings to explore the unfamiliar. At the beginning of every meditation practice that I teach, I offer up a little bit of instruction for the posture, so that you can experience this practice as being as supportive as possible to your body. A Meditation to Approach the World With a “Don’t-Know Mind” I would like to invite you to come to a place that is truly comfortable and supportive to your practice. This might mean standing up, if that’s more supportive to your back and your posture. And for some of you, this may mean lying down on the ground. And others may want to employ what I like to call a “soft gaze,” which is looking down at the ground about two inches in front of the knees or the feet. When you’ve settled into a comfortable position, I would love to invite you to take three deep breaths with me. As you’re taking those three deep breaths, you may notice that your body may begin t...

Collecting Art, take a look In this week’s guided meditation, Dr. Mark Bertin offers a practice to help us be gently aware of sensations, feelings, and thoughts that come up in practice, building presence in the rest of life. This is a practice that is both concrete and compassionate. Dr. Bertin guides us to take note of our tendency to either deny or try and “fix” what’s going on in our lives, and then find a third way—one where we aim to see things as clearly as possible, so that our decisions are filled with awareness, skill, and care for everyone involved. A Meditation to Be At Peace With How Things Are Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice. Start with finding a comfortable posture that you’ll be able to sustain for these few minutes of practice. Bring a sense of kind and patient awareness to our body first. Make adjustments so that you feel awake and alert. Notice areas of tension, and see if you’re ...

Collecting Art, take a look Metrobank has launched Moneygurado, a campaign in line with its goal of instilling financial mindfulness among Filipinos and a docuseries that brings practical money guidance closer to Filipinos by grounding it in real-life stories, cultural realities, and everyday experiences. Derived from “manigurado,” which means “to make sure” in Filipino, Moneygurado blends “money” and “sigurado,” capturing the goal of being confident, informed, and protected in every financial decision. It brings together everyday money management and fraud awareness, while taking a different approach—starting not with rules or tips, but with real Filipino experiences that reflect how people think and feel about money. This builds on Metrobank’s long-standing advocacy of helping Filipinos grow and take control of their finances by translating concepts into everyday behaviors: planning ahead, spending with intention, protecting what they have, and staying open to opportuni...

Collecting Art, take a look Metrobank has launched Moneygurado, a campaign in line with its goal of instilling financial mindfulness among Filipinos, and a docuseries that brings practical money guidance closer to Filipinos by grounding it in real-life stories, cultural realities, and everyday experiences. Derived from “manigurado,” which means “to make sure” in Filipino, Moneygurado blends “money” and “sigurado,” capturing the goal of being confident, informed, and protected in every financial decision. It brings together everyday money management and fraud awareness, while taking a different approach—starting not with rules or tips, but with real Filipino experiences that reflect how people think and feel about money. This builds on Metrobank’s long-standing advocacy of helping Filipinos grow and take control of their finances by translating concepts into everyday behaviors: planning ahead, spending with intention, protecting what they have, and staying open to opportunities for gr...

Collecting Art, take a look In this practice, Scott Rogers guides us to take the role of observer to difficult emotions, so that we can more easily create the space we need to let them go. Sometimes we can see our intense emotions coming, and sometimes we can’t. Emotions can build up, increasing in strength slowly. In all of these ways, emotions are like storms. As such we need to allow the storm to pass. Let’s look to different aspects of the hurricane and see how they connect to our own thoughts, feelings, and sensations. The good news is that we can allow the storm to pass, and so do emotions. With mindfulness, we can practice taking the role of observer to our strong feelings. When we put that space between ourselves and the whirlwinds, we can find stability and cultivate resilience. Scott Rogers leads us in this guided practice with the metaphor of a hurricane to help us recognize the qualities and the impermanence of even our stormiest emotions. A 12-Minute Meditation for Emo...

Collecting Art, take a look If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn about Outside Onlines affiliate link policy No one understands the benefits of meditation like those who practice consistently for years on end. Over the course of human history, meditation has been proven to better your brain, help regulate emotions, boost cognitive health, and support overall well-being. And although these life-enhancing effects have long been the focus of scientific study and for good reason, new research aims to understand what actually happens to the brain over the course of a long-term, committed meditation practice. As if you needed more proof that the ancient practice is a life-altering one. The Meditation Research Program at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 2022, recently expanded the scope of its study to focus on “meditative endpoints.” In layman’s terms, t...

Collecting Art, take a look Lifestyle Can We Normalize Meditation Breaks on Family Hikes? When hiking, I used to power walk to the top for a breathless peek at the view. Then, my toddler taught me to exhale along the way. Share Icon Share Bookmark Icon Save Photo: Canva For three euphoric months, a newly opened climbing gym near my house allowed me to bring a dozen rowdy toddlers from my kids’ friend group to strap into their sit harnesses for a brief, adorably awkward clamber up the rock wall. Alas, all good things must come to an end, especially the ones that should never have been allowed in the first place. Just as we were gearing up for new enrollments, the gym owners informed us that their insurance agent cautioned them against welcoming such young aspiring mountaineers into their space. As a twin toddler mom suddenly left with an adventurous activity void and a gaggle of rambunctious littles, I set out to find the one guide in San Miguel de Allende who would agree to pivot, ta...

Collecting Art, take a look What went well today? Kids and teens can explore this eight-minute guided meditation for noticing the positive. Summary Children often focus on scary or unpleasant thoughts, which can effect their mental health. This short kids’ meditation uses conscious breathing and happy thoughts to help them notice the good and feel more positive. Our brains are hardwired to notice the negative. It’s part of how our ancient ancestors were able to survive in constantly threatening environments. But this negativity bias can also make it difficult for us and our kids, even in our comparatively less threatening environments, to navigate other daily stressors, like big tests, arguments, or disappointments. In this practice specifically designed for younger meditators, Dr. Mark Bertin shows kids how to gently guide their attention back to the positive things they might have missed, in order to help soothe the nervous system. A Meditation for Kids: Coming Back to the Pos...

Collecting Art, take a look In this guided meditation, Kim Armstrong walks you through a simple practice to expand your capacity for gratitude in the everyday moments of life. We often think about gratitude as happening in response to “good” things, especially if those moments or events are also significant—a new job, a windfall, an amazing vacation. While these high points can easily spark positive emotion, a daily gratitude practice can go much deeper. For instance, what about moments that aren’t grand or overtly happy, but are small and emotionally neutral? What does it feel like to notice, take in, and consciously appreciate even the basic things we do every single day? This week, join Kim Armstrong as she leads a gratitude visualization practice. This gentle meditation invites you to shift your gaze inward and discover the often-overlooked moments of joy and contentment that punctuate your day. By focusing on these simple yet profound experiences, we grow our capacity for grati...

Collecting Art, take a look If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn about Outside Onlines affiliate link policy No one understands the benefits of meditation like those who practice consistently for years on end. Over the course of human history, meditation has been proven to better your brain, help regulate emotions, boost cognitive health, and support overall well-being. And although these life-enhancing effects have long been the focus of scientific study and for good reason, new research aims to understand what actually happens to the brain over the course of a long-term, committed meditation practice. As if you needed more proof that the ancient practice is a life-altering one. The Meditation Research Program at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, founded in 2022, recently expanded the scope of its study to focus on “meditative endpoints.” In layman’s terms, t...

Collecting Art, take a look You just be there, very simply. There are several aspects to meditation that are part of establishing friendship with yourself. Mindfulness is keeping track, or keeping a pulse, of being here, in a nonjudgmental way. There is no good or bad. Among other things, mindfulness is a stabilizing or pacifying influence. The panic of everyday life and every expectation laid on life can subside. It is called the discovery of peace. Awareness is being in a bigger space, recognizing that there is always an environment around our thoughts and feelings. When you begin to sense that atmosphere, there is both intelligence, or sharpness, and relaxation. Finding peace in the practice of meditation involves slowing down. Your mind may continue to race for a while, maybe for a long time, but you become aware of the mind racing. Awareness is being in a bigger space, recognizing that there is always an environment around our thoughts and feelings. When you begin to sense that...