Posts tagged mindfulness
Explore Half-Speed with Trataka Meditation

Trataka meditation is a powerful technique that can help you focus, improve concentration, and reduce anxiety. With so many things going on in the world, it can offer a respite and that’s something we could all use. This potent practice rooted in the ancient traditions of yoga can calm the mind and enhance mental clarity. This technique can not only sharpen your focus and concentration but also aid in alleviating stress and anxiety by promoting a sense of inner stillness. In a fast-paced world filled with distractions, trataka meditation provides a much-needed sanctuary for individuals seeking mental tranquility and a break from the chaos of daily life.

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What Actually IS Meditation?

Our minds have a natural tendency to meander, jumping from one thought to another, often leaving us feeling scatterbrained and unable to sustain our focus for more than a fleeting moment. However, it's important to realize that this wandering mind is not a sign of doom or an inherent flaw. In fact, it's a common experience for many of us. Rather than viewing this tendency with harsh judgment or frustration, it's more helpful to approach it with compassion and understanding. Our minds wander, especially when they are burdened by fear, anxiety, or excessive thoughts. This is where meditation comes in as a valuable practice. Through meditation, we can train our minds to rein in their wandering tendencies and cultivate the ability to focus on one thing at a time. It's a gentle and transformative process that empowers us to harness the potential of our minds, ultimately leading to greater clarity and peace.

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Reconnecting Body and Mind: The Transformative Power of Focusing and Felt Sensing

In a world where we are increasingly encouraged to divorce our bodies and minds, Eugene Gendlin's work on focusing and felt sensing offers a powerful antidote. These practices not only facilitate the reconnection of body and mind but also serve as transformative tools for communication. For folx who have been oppressed, these practices are particularly valuable, as they provide a means to speak from a place of authenticity and empowerment. By embracing these techniques, individuals can unlock their true selves, paving the way for healing, personal growth, and societal change.

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What is Indian Psychology?

Seeking out the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco for my doctoral degree was important and has tremendously helped shape my practice today. Started by Haridas Chaudhuri, student of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, this institute offered a lens into ways to address and help the whole person, not merely the mental aspect of the lived experience. Studying in India deepened my understanding of how art, music, body movement, and states of consciousness are as much an integral part of the practice of psychology as much as are the id, ego, superego, transference and countertransference. It was easy to see the archetypes personified before my eyes as I saw 50 foot statutes of Ganesha and Saturn.

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Sexual Anxiety? Try Meditation

Sexual anxiety is a common issue that affects many people, and it can be caused by a variety of factors, including performance anxiety, past trauma, or negative self-talk. Anxiety can significantly impact one's sexual experience, leading to difficulties achieving or maintaining an erection, premature ejaculation, or difficulty reaching orgasm. However, meditation is a powerful tool that can help decrease anxiety during sex and improve overall sexual well-being.

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Why It’s Important to Use the Term ‘Sex Worker’

When people use terms other than sex worker, they diminish that sex work is actually work. Either that or they try to keep sex work in the shadows, pretend it doesn’t exist, or somehow turn it into something it’s not. Leigh understood that and she became one of the leading advocates for sex workers in the Bay Area campaigning both as herself and her stage persona the Scarlot Harlot. For instance, she helped dancers at a San Francisco club, Lusty Lady, bargain for their first labor contract in 1997.

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Dwelling in Our Bodies: Mindfulness for Sex Workers

Because of the unique situation for sex workers, they don’t have many opportunities for support, especially as a group. As a certified sexologist, sex therapist, not to mention proponent of social justice in general, I care deeply about sex and sex work. I’ve worked with people in this profession for more than two decades. It’s been important, deeply transformative work ranging from outreach to counseling.

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