Mindfulness Meditation
Waking up to your life – moment by moment
Develop mindful awareness to help you wake up to your authentic and vital self
Mindfulness meditation helps us to step off of autopilot and step into our present moment experience. We see what is really happening rather than getting snagged by our thoughts or judgments. It helps us bring curiosity and compassion to our everyday experience. “Ehipassako!” – the encouragement from the Buddha – don’t believe it because I say so – come and try it for yourself!”
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the state of awareness that arises when we purposefully step out of autopilot and begin to pay attention to what is going on in this moment, right here and right now.
When we are mindfully aware, we are sensing what is going on rather than being lost in thoughts about what is happening, or thoughts of the future or the past. We arrive in the here and now. And we bring our curiosity and compassion with us into this moment, so that we are gradually able to let go of the judgments and critical thoughts that limit us and our lives.
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different. It means enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes, and being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way.
– James Baraz (author of Awakening Joy)
“Mindfulness is developed through setting our intention to be awake to what’s going on in the present moment, learning to focus our attention where we intend it to be, doing both of these actions with a particular nonjudging attitude.”
-Mark WIlliams
“Each time I study with Liz, I am blown away by how very present she is, and attuned to what is being said by another. Liz is so skilled in picking up on the essence, as well as nuance, of a person’s description of their experience, following a practice. She is excellent at framing respectful “clarifying questions” to prompt the speaker to a deeper awareness.”
MLB
Why practice mindfulness meditation?
There are countless reasons to practice mindfulness meditation:
● We learn to work wisely with emotions which helps us recognize that each moment of life is worthy of our attention and that we have something to learn from all the moments – the beautiful ones and the difficult ones.
● We activate our natural curiosity about our experience, rather than judge it.
● We learn to step out of ruminative thinking about the past or the future and ground ourselves in what is actually occurring right here and now.
● It helps us to see what is actually happening right now with clarity, rather than through the filter of our mental confusion!
Still unsure about mindfulness meditation?
If you’re still unsure about the benefits of mindfulness meditation, here are a few research results that may pique your interest:
● States of mindfulness strengthen brain activity associated with relaxed alertness.
● Mindfulness practice increases serotonin levels, activating positive emotions.
● Mindfulness practice strengthens awareness of our internal state, which increases empathy.
● Mindfulness practice can help regulate the stress response in the body, reducing overactive sympathetic nervous system “fight or flight” reactions, helping us relax, strengthen the immune system, improve our cardiovascular health, and dampen chronic pain.
Why work with me?
I discovered Mindfulness in 2011, and have been an avid student of meditation and buddhist psychology since that time.
I trained with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach in the 2 year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program connected with the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley.
I am trained to facilitate the Mindful Awareness Practices for Daily Living (UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center) curriculum, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, Feeling Tone Program, and Mindfulness-Based Dementia Care.
“I instantly felt comfortable studying mindfulness with Liz; I appreciated her careful attention to creating a safe space for deep learning to happen.”
JM
Curious? Let’s chat
Please let me know if you have questions about the work I do.