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sammy b. good ~ samantha brown goodrich

“I have come to believe that caring for myself is not self indulgent… Caring for myself is an act of survival.”

If you are centered, you can move freely.  

“In a nutshell, meditation can and will include all aspects of who we are and of what our lives are actually made of.”

We can think of mindfulness meditation as the practice of making friends with ourselves. Practice invites us to slow down, dial back, and return to a heartfelt sense of our innate capacity for curiosity, compassion and connection. We begin by placing our bodies in a comfortable seat, feeling our natural breath, and noticing our thoughts and sensations without bias. Mindfulness meditation is less about changing who we are and more about remembering who we already are.

Just as a runner needs time to tone and train to run further distances, the mind needs a practice for learning to abide more peacefully in the present moment. In our busy world we are constantly putting more and more stress and demands on the mind. We assume we should be able to handle this but, inevitably, we become overwhelmed, moody and unhappy. When we practice meditation, we are creating new pathways for the mind to become more stable, strong and clear.

Meditation helps build mindfulness; an ability to abide in the present moment, on purpose and without judgement. When we experience mindfulness, we feel more whole, connected and better able to see more clearly who we are and how we are showing up in our lives.

More information about private meditation mentoring is available HERE

Modern Research shows that meditation:

  • Helps to reduce stress
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Improves memory, attention and focus
  • Helps regulate mood and anxiety

In 2016 I received my Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification with David Nichtern through Metrowest Yoga in Worcester, MA.  David has been my formal meditation instructor, teacher (and spiritual friend!) for almost 9 years. David and the Dharma Moon Community that he founded and created are my main touchstone for questions concerning both meditation in general and the challenges that come up in my own seated practice.

In addition to teaching mindfulness meditation both privately and in larger groups, I co-taught two twelve- week meditation based programs at the Concord Medium Security Prison in Concord, MA. This program, Path of Freedom, is a mindfulness-based emotional intelligence (MBEI) model for at-risk and incarcerated youth and adult prisoners developed by Kate Crisp and Fleet Maull.

 

Book Suggestions

The Wisdom of no Escape, Pema Chodron

How To Meditate, Pema Chodron

Mindful of Race, Ruth King

Turning the Mind into an Ally, Sakyong Mipham

Awakening from the Daydream, David Nichtern

Buddha’s Brain, Rick Hanson, PH.D.

A Path with Heart, Jack Kornfield

All books by Thich Nhat Hanh

Mindfulness Meditation Instruction

Working with a mentor can be a great way to sustain the benefits of a regular meditation practice. Checking in with a mentor can help spark a student’s own insight as to what may be helpful when certain obstacles arise in their seated practice.

Each 45 min session includes guided meditation, discussion, and strategies for managing common pitfalls that can arise in a seated meditation practice. Sessions are available via ZOOM, FaceTime, or in person when possible. Students are encouraged to email me between sessions with any questions and for additional support towards maintaining a strong, yet gentle personal practice.

To schedule a complimentary 15 minute ZOOM consult to meet, discuss goals and see if mentoring is a good fit, please follow this link: Free Consult

Mindfulness Meditation is the practice of learning to pay attention to the present moment in a way that is less judgemental and without bias. Some of the benefits of consistent practice are, strength, stability, and clarity of mind.  Along the way, we begin to make friends with ourselves that then gives rise to working with our world in a more wakeful and less reactive way.

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