What Is RAIN Meditation? I am a huge fan of Tara Brach and my favourite tool I’ve learned from her is the The RAIN mindfulness meditation practise which I use constantly with my clients with great success. In her latest book, Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of … [Read more...] about How to do RAIN Meditation
Buddhism
How To Make Meditating Easier
Top Three Reasons it's Hard to Meditate I want to make meditation easier for people. We all know that it is good for our health to meditate yet how many of us actually do so on a regular basis? Here are the top three reasons clients give regarding why they don't meditate: I am too busy to meditate. I … [Read more...] about How To Make Meditating Easier
Getting Honest with Ourselves and Others
All human unhappiness comes from not facing reality squarely, exactly as it is- Buddha One thing people say to me a lot, for better or for worse is this: "Esther, you're a bit too honest. Maybe you could tone it down a bit?" To which I usually reply: "I feel that my honesty is a blessing and not a curse. … [Read more...] about Getting Honest with Ourselves and Others
Becoming the Ocean
If you don't become the ocean, you'll be seasick every day. --Leonard Cohen In my home growing up, when I needed sage advice from an elder, a Leonard Cohen quote was offered up. My mother still refers to him as "Lenny" as if she had an intimately personal relationship with him. I can totally understand that … [Read more...] about Becoming the Ocean
How to Learn Self-Acceptance
If you're my client, you definitely know that I am a huge fan of Tara Brach and have most likely urged you to read her books, listen to her podcast and practise the life-changing RAIN meditation. In this article, I want to introduce you to a concept she calls "the Trance of Unworthiness" which I believe … [Read more...] about How to Learn Self-Acceptance
Turn WHAT IF into WHAT IS
I was recently in session with a highly anxious client who kept saying "What if..." such and such were to happen? As she came up with increasingly scary imagined scenarios, I could sense her anxiety skyrocketing. That's when I decided I had to 'peel her off the ceiling' and work with her to calm herself down. … [Read more...] about Turn WHAT IF into WHAT IS
The Need to Retreat: Online Meditation Courses
I’m guessing I’m not the only person who at this particular moment is dreaming of an escape to somewhere warm and tropical to rest and unwind. Sadly, for all of us, this is definitely not happening this winter. However, if we focus on the blessing of technology (especially Zoom), we can give ourselves the … [Read more...] about The Need to Retreat: Online Meditation Courses
Looking to feel grounded? Try Mountain Meditation
As you probably know, I’m really into mindfulness practises and advocate them constantly to my clients. Here are a few articles I’ve written on mindfulness and how it can be applied in our everyday round: Being Mindful with Technology The RAIN Mindfulness Meditation Practise Esther Recommends: A … [Read more...] about Looking to feel grounded? Try Mountain Meditation