Integrating Mindfulness Into Everyday Life – Elisha Goldstein
How To Integrate Mindfulness Into Everyday Life With Elisha Goldstein
Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D is co-founder of The Center for Mindful Living in West Los Angeles. He is also the author of Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion, The Now Effect: How this Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life, Mindfulness Meditations for the Anxious Traveler and co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook. He has also designed the bestselling program Basics in Mindfulness Meditation: A 28 Day Program.
In this interview with Elisha you’ll discover…
A wonderfully simple definition of mindfulness.
- Practical tips on bringing mindfulness into daily life.
- How to use ‘pairing’ and a powerful way to infuse mindfulness into your life.
- The power of doing short informal practices sprinkled throughout the day.
- How mindfulness helped Elisha overcome insomnia.
- The R.A.I.N method and the S.A.F.E method for using mindfulness in difficult times.
Our sincere apologies for the scratchy sound in this video. Melli’s mic was rubbing on her clothes. We’ve edited out all sound on her end as Elisha talks.
Show Notes
Join The Mindfulness Summit Journey here
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You can find Elisha’s website here where you can also find his books and sign up for his blog.
Would you like to try the mindful check in? Check it out here
Audio
Video
Transcript
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Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
Buy full access pass
Purchase a full access pass to unlock downloads for the full interview transcripts, audio, video and separate audio meditation tracks.
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I clicked to go to the video on .mindful Eating and this one came up instead……CB
How strange before watching today’s speaker I had a shower and I did it mindfully and so enjoyed the moment, then to hear the speaker say about it and his experience I was blown away.
I would and have been trying to share the summit with people that I know but no one has taken it on board, can anyone help me put in words without sounding like I am bulling people into sharing this wonderful experience.
HI Denise – for my friends/family who aren’t as into it as I am but who I think would really like it if they’d give it a shot – I found a short segment in Prof. Williams’ interview that I’ve asked them to watch or listen to. I chose just about 10 minutes and had many friends say they restarted and watched the whole thing from the beginning! I think for a lot of people it’s just a big chunk of time to commit to something they aren’t sure about so breaking it into just 10 minutes makes it easier for them to agree to try it out. It has been really successful for me – good luck!
Loved the SAFE practice! Super powerful! Thank you!!
I so very much agree. It was extremely powerful and I believe there was more inside than I actually would have realized without taking a closer look. Thank you for the opportunity to experience that SAFE practice. I will continue with that one as well.
That’s because each day’s video is only available for 24 hours. The Mindful Eating one was on Monday.
Thank you to Elisha Goldstein.. I too have started to integrate mindfulness into my day. I love the shower experience because I did had an experience in the shower like never before. I so love the methods you shared: STOP, RAIN and SAFE. So helpful..
I am having trouble listening to this – it keeps stopping or freezing. I will try to persevere…
Sorted thanks – all working now
I have had the same problem
I had same problem but third attempt worked.
This is the best lecture thus far out of all of them – and prior ones were good. So many practical techniques. So awesome. So I am glad you and others got it to work
I also had this problem, but we live way out in the country. I thought it was our Internet connection. I had to refresh probably about 12 times. But I think the testament to this summit is that I kept trying to return. I have watched all of these excellent interviews so far and feel a difference in my practice already. I am truly grateful to Melli and her team for offering this opportunity! A very warm and heartfelt thank you from a crisp, fall morning in central Ohio. : )
Thanks so much Susan. Yes it seems we have quite a volume of people tuning in so it could be that. We have upgraded our servers to take the increasing load so it should be working most of the time but perhaps that was a peak time when you were watching.
I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I feel your warmth! Love Melli
Must be a cold morning in Byron Bay? Great series Melli. Really enjoying it. Thank you.
Enjoying the summit. Helping me to get a daily dose of Mindfulness. Thanks Melli and team.
I think that you should give us the transcript as I can’t listen to this video and I find difficulty in understanding..
Thank you!
Am listening right now
Sounds like someone is playing w one of those rainmakers.
While it’s generally a calming sound, it’s a distraction from the speakers
I think it’s jingling bracelets on her wrists.
i think so too. very distracting
Hi guys, it’s my mic rubbing on the turtle neck jumper! we put a note above to apologize! sorry to be a pain! : )
Loving the summit, Meli, but yes that sound is very annoying
And I’ve just noticed the comments on this point
I’ve been sorta practicing for 35years. Just turned 75 and qm now serious about being mindful. Am retired and have lots of time to focus. Thank you from my heart! The summit is covering all aspects of an expanding awareness. Favorite so far, have listen to it several times is #7 – Mindfulness and Neuorscience. Om Shanie,
Enjoying this summit a great deal thank you! A great diversity of practices and approaches.
My philosophy for practice – a little bit a lot.
I have really enjoyed this interview, Elisha provided some very practical tips that I will take into my daily life, thank you <3
Another great talk. Thanks for all you’re doing. Also….delighted to have been able to finish watching yesterday’s talk even though the ‘cut off time’ had gone past. I don’t know if that was intentional…..but I was HUGELY grateful! Thanks.
I’m glad you enjoyed our technical glitch : )
I’m so glad you’re hear with us enjoying this journey!
so good!!!
thank you for sharing this information with us.
mindfulness makes my day so much better. I recommend to everyone around me
its just a question of try… once, and then we ca’t stop it.
I really enjoyed this interview, Melli. There was something you said that touched me. Let me quote you:
“Hearts beating, lungs breathing, humans connecting. This is it!”
Thank you for that 🙂
I really loved this moment in the interview as well. Nice to remind ourselves that THIS is life happening right here right now. I am working on this idea all the time as too much of my life I have been waiting for something to get better. Thanks for the reminders. This summit is really important and helpful. Thank you!
Ahhh, and just now you give me the same gift back. Fingers typing, lungs breathing….people connecting authentically through a screen from all around the world…..this is it…and it’s beautiful. Thanks for this : )
Thank you, really enjoyed that interesting talk
I am not sure where to get the daily challenges. Can anyone tell me? I am akso not getting daily emails about the next days interview just a reminder on my calendar so I have to log into the website everyday to get to the interview. Is this what I should expect?
Great so far! Trying my best to fit it into my busy days
I’m having trouble hearing today’s talk on sound cloud. Whenever I click sound cloud (so I can listen on the go) it just takes me to the introductory talk instead of today’s talk with Elisha.
really enjoying the talks and links and practices. This morning with Elisha it kept stopping but 3rd attempt worked and could then watch and listen all way through. Worth the perseverance.
Milli & Elisha – It has been an amazing morning. The idea of uncovering happiness resonates with me. Elisha speaking of the the areas of the brain that are stimulated either by advance or retreat were fascinating to me. RAIN and SAFE methods will help me have FUN – Feeling, Understanding, Nurturing. I am allowing myself to feel without judgement, I am allowing myself to understand my feelings and emotions and those of the others. I am nurturing myself and others with love and compassion. I took a pause after this session and so many amazing things are transpiring. Much gratitude to the both of you.
Wow, day 8. I’m really glad I signed up! I look forward to each speaker every morning.
Melli: you are a wonderful host but please always mute your mic when the speaker is speaking. It was much less distracting and allowed me to focus more. Thank you for creating this summit. You are doing great things.
Agree! Much less distracting.
Loved this session and despite being partially deaf, I had no problem hearing all the discussion. Thank you Melli and team and today especially Elisha.A little long-winded like myself he was wonderful and I shall incorporate his suggestions immediately.
Warm wishes to all ✴ ✴
Really enjoyed this talk and the practice. Thank you to all.
Hi from the Middle East! As Dr. Goldstein mentioned, some people are taught to hate at a young age, especially if they have not had loving, supportive sources in their lives to counterbalance that, but on the bright side when I see people stand up to that and make friendships and connections without prejudice it’s all the more inspiring. Thank you for the lecture and the SAFE meditation was really moving, thank you. Thank you Melli, your genuine engagement is nice to see 🙂
Wonderful sharing of ideas and experiences. Thank you for the time and its rich meaningfulness. Appreciate the SAFE practice.
Wonderful session with so many useful tips. I found Elisha ‘s take really satisfying
Thank you Elisha and malli
Thank you to Melli and Elisha, great talk!
Metta
Really enjoyed this talk today and am really glad to hear Elisha advocating informal or semi-formal practice, as he says most of our time is not spent sitting or on the cushion. Sometimes the formal practice and /or finding time to do it can be off-putting for those new to mindfulness, but bringing in the informal practices makes such a difference in our lives.
Brilliant summit, having been recommending it to my friends and associates.
I find Elisha a bit difficult to follow because his method of speaking is disjointed to the point that he sometimes loses track of himself. He has good things to say but is not, for me, an effective presenter. Perhaps the transcript will help me focus on his salient points. Mello has asked him twice now to lead the audience in practice and he has gone off on a tangent each time. I can see why he needs to practice mindfulness.
Thank you once again Melli for another wonderful Mindfulness session with Elisha! I am a beginner so the STOP, RAIN and SAFE practices were very interesting methods. I especially loved the SAFE practice we went thru this morning. I look forward to checking out his blog and books too
“If I had to define a major depression in a single sentence, I would describe it as a “genetic/neurochemical disorder requiring a strong environmental trigger whose characteristic manifestation is an inability to appreciate sunsets.”
― Robert M. Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
Google the National Geographic Documentary, “Stress Portrait of a Killer.”
I share this because today the monkey’s of competition and ego were touched on as evident even in the Mindfulness-Helper community. This Is an aspect of our nature as humans that mindfulness can help significantly to quiet inside-meditative practices generally do this, Loving-Kindness Meditation even more so.
I really get Elisha’s sharing today of living a life with a busy, creative mind. It’s taken me years to accept this as something that can be channelled to better focus. For 16 years of my life, I lived with a pager on my hip (Ambulance Paramedic-Rural-On-call Employment).
With 300 Hours a month of often sleep-deprived, waking in the night with a shot of cortisol to hyper-drive a fight-or-flight response, insomnia became a demon over time. There is nothing kind about a racing, human mind.
“Fight-or-Flight” practiced diligently, creates an internal “Pavlov’s Dog”. Regular (But, Yes even informal) Mindfulness Practice-with expansion to other practices as we grow and learn-helps to restore us to lost balance. But we need to make it, and keep it a real addition to our lifestyle to be of greatest benefit. Minutes a day-makes all the difference.
Awesome Interview today again. Thanks, so much..
Be Well
The talk about informal practice really make sense for me. It will make me integrate mindfulness easily in daily life. Many thanks! With love, Josefin
The Safe practice was a really nice slant on a metta meditation (meditation on Loving kindness). I will use this. It is true that it helps when you are spiralling into self absorption and depression. Outwardly projecting compassion after nurturing yourself is the key to breaking that cycle of self loathing and self pity. Thanks so much.
I am really enjoying this summit and am so grateful that it is available to people for free because many would not be able to afford it. I’ve been doing formal sitting practice for years now and have incorporated mindfulness into my daily life outside of that. The practice is really about life anyways. Plus, this stuff never gets old!! Zen mind, beginner’s mind. 🙂
Great Video!
What Video tool did you use?
Really excited for the new videos..
Thank you, first time Ive heard Elisha speak – fantastic interview.
Another wonderful interview. The importance of mini-formal and informal practices is a great takeaway and both RAIN and SAFE meditations are practices that can truly make a difference in our daily lives. Thank you Melli and Elisha for inspiring and encouraging.
This was a very difficult session to follow. Elisha seemed to have difficulty following his own thoughts, would start speaking about one thing, then veer off into something else. Also, the noise from Melli’s microphone scratching on her sweater was very distracting. I gave up & didn’t finish today’s.
I enjoyed this and all the presentations. Elisha does speak a little quickly which matches his creative brain style! Thank you, Melli, for offering this opportunity for growth.
Thank you Jean for this compassionate response :).
I really enjoyed the talk today and I find the STOP acronym and such to be quite useful and I plan on incorporating that into my daily life. Thank you 😀
All interesting, but please Melli, when you speak, you are wearing jewelry or something that sounds like a rattle. Very distracting.
The personal gift I’m receiving, are the practice sessions included. 31 days will, I hope, build now, finally, a lasting habit for my own self-care plan. Bless you all.
Great information. Very enlightening.
I actually found it very helpful to have other sounds muted while Elisha was speaking. Melli, you’re doing a great job interviewing, no doubt, but its just much easier to focus on the person speaking without any kind of direct response from the interviewer (apart from short dialog bits, of course). Maybe you could do similar in the other interviews?
Anywhoo, really enjoying the talks…incredibly smart and inspiring speakers, I’m taking away tons of inspiration from it, thanks a million for organizing all of this!
Thank you. I feel encouraged to integrate these short/semi-formal/informal practices into my everyday life, check-in more, and love the expanding/extending connection to a common humanity.
The SAFE practice was very moving for me, as soon as I felt connectedness with humanity move into my soul it brought peacefulness and such beautiful awareness. I have noticed throughout the summit that in my previous deep thinking states I was right on the edge of finding these truths out for myself and now I’m finding what was missing. It’s a wonderful place to be. Peace and love to all on this journey.
This was a fantastic talk, I found the SAFE practice very emotional, actually made me cry which I wasn’t expecting to be honest. I suppose it really highlights how much stuff we suppress as human beings. There is so much in this talk that I can now use in my own life. Thank you very much.
I really enjoyed today. I started the course understanding that some some of the speakers I would like, and some I might have a style of talking and presenting that would not suit me so much. And that is still true. Overall, I am grateful for all of it. Some I make a ciOnnection to. And one or two that that didn’t happen for me. I think Malli is adorable and her heart is true. Thank you sweet Melli for bringing this to so many people.
“kids in the middle east are taught to hate” is a hateful, close minded, racist message that reinforces the stigma that people from the middle east are inherently violent. some kids all over the world are taught hate by some adults. look at your own home Elisha, the country that spends the most money on war/”defense”/killing while also having the highest rate of child poverty and school mass shootings in the developed world just to name two examples. i hope other people are are offended and upset by this message as i am and will share it with the organizers of this event. spreading this kind of hate and intolerance and misinformation through an event about mindfulness shows such a lack of self-awareness, compassion, kindness and understanding of world politics on the part of the presenter and the organizers.
That was incredible!
Day 8 learning for me is the use of both formal and informal mindfulness practices to bring us back to the presence !