Being More Mindful & Home Practice – Shamash Alidina
Practical Tips On Being More Mindful & Setting Up A Home Practice
Shamash Alidina is a bestselling author, speaker and mindfulness teacher. He is the author of the international bestselling Mindfulness for Dummies series and The Mindful Way Through Stress. Shamash runs courses and workshops on mindful living and speaks on mindfulness at conferences around the world. He has been teaching the benefits of mindfulness to both adults and children since 1998 and now is also a mindfulness teacher trainer.
In this interview and meditation session with Shamash you will explore…
- How to create a strong foundation for your mindfulness practice.
- How mindfulness brings the realisation ‘you are not your mind.’
- Important attitudes to embody as you practice mindfulness.
- How letting things be as they are brings us peace and serenity.
- Advice for those who are just starting up a home meditation practice.
- How to be creative with your own mindfulness practice to see what works for you.
Show Notes
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You can find Shamash’s website here http://www.shamashalidina.com where you can find out about his books and events
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.
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Thanks Shamash! Your chat has been one of the summit teams favorites so far 🙂
Thank
Thank you Shamash! When I first journeyed into mindfulness the definition I used for my meditation was : paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgement, with kindness and curiosity! Because I’m in recovery I had to focus on this definition and it helped to get me better and better! Today when I talk about mindfulness to others I use the pre words of healthy and happy mindfulness! And what I heard from Shamash was that an act of negative can be a negative and powerfully negative mindful act such as mass shootings! What a reminder! Grateful for this summit! Thank you!
He had a tough act to follow coming off the heals of Tara Brach, Elisha Goldstein, and Rick Hanson.
I found this one to be pretty basic and it may be good for some. He should at least honor the traditional come to the breath shamatha approach before suggesting something which is questionable if it really is meditation or not. I agree with him people need for sleep in general and different approaches work for different people (or even the state of the person can determine what is the most appropriate technique) and putting on a slight smile is a cool thing to do.
This talk has really uplifted my morning, thank you Melli and Shamash.
Oh I loved this! Thank you Shamash for reminding me of the kindness, gentleness, and letting go of mindfulness. A relaxing, enjoyable talk and a beautiful meditation. Thank you both.
Yes, this was a very insightful talk. We even grasp and covet mindfulness and don’t realize we are, or thank that will make our practice ‘better’.
I meant “or THINK that that will make our practice ‘better’ “
Such joy. I am at my most mindful in my recliner! So glad to hear that confirmed 🙂
Wow, that was amazing and my favourite chat so far. It was so natural and down to earth. Thanks for sharing x
Thank you Shamash and Meli I loved this session. Shamash’s presentation was so happy and relaxed and the meditation was great. A great way to end Sunday.
What a fantastic way to start a Sunday morning, I could listen to Shamash all day long! Thank you Melli and your team for all your hard work putting this summit together, it is much appreciated x (UK)
Thank you so much – your talk got right into my heart. It really made a difference to me ????
Thanks Shamash for a wonderful time with us. You gave me a lift on my mindfulness journey experience. Especially when you said ‘simply make a friendly gesture to the wandering mind’ when it wanders. That makes a difference. It stops me being defensive.
1 of the better talks i have enjoyed very much .
simple , easy and direct approach.
I’ve enjoyed all the interviews so far, but maybe this one is my favorite. The lovely lightness and the smiling meditation I loved, but also; the profound truth about the grand mystery of our existence in the universe and the way most people never talk about it… Very mind opening stuff 🙂
Have a great day everyone and thank you Melli and Shamash!
I really enjoyed this session. What was most helpful was Shamash spoke about not controlling the minds desire to wander – just notice it and ask “where would you like to go”. Really helpful. I also loved Shamash’ s sense of humour. Thank you both.
Absolutely loved this session, his warmth and humour was so engaging and inspiring. Definitely my favourite so far and they have all been fab!
ThankYou to the two of you ! this really was a pleasant gift/both enlighten and relaxing. ..I will like to follow Shamash’s work. ….Peace & blessings….vivi
Thank you Shamash, I am so relieved to hear that it’s okay if you fall asleep on occasions. Phew…Susan
Amazing and down to earth talk!! Thanks!!
Thanks Shamash, a really uplifting interview. Your approach reminded me of something I learned from Gia Fu Feng.’Let the mind wander. Let the body flow. Be empty.’ Where can we get those wonderful T-shirts ?
Wonderful and mindful moments with Shamash!
And I like his shirt:)))
Thank you both for smiley simplicity presented in beauty of gentleness, kindliness, loving compassion and liveliness, truly vibrant and radiant…… Loved the meditation… has set me up for a mindful Sunday 🙂
Much gratitude in the beauty of loving bliss to all. Denise 🙂
I was pretty excited about this summit. My mother died recently and I need(ed) something else to focus on and a way to think about living without her. I work a job that is fairly tedious, so I had hoped to download and listen to these discussions while at work, as well, but I also can’t afford the full access pass, nor am I allowed to stream internet at work. So I am finding this all a great disappointment. It’s super that you’re donating to charities, but like with a lot of things I’ve seen over the past 20 years or so, this pay-for-enlightenment deal is extremely frustrating. I am certainly not, thankfully, the poorest of the poor, but I do live close to paycheck-to-paycheck, and lately have had veterinary bills to contend with. If you really want to make mindfulness mainstream, you’d make it accessible to people who normally can’t afford to pay $149 – that’s groceries for a little over a week, a vet bill, a phone bill – for the privilege of listening to great minds/hearts, for a yoga retreat, etc. I’m very disappointed.
This is so true. I lot of Mindfulness courses and classes are prohibitively expensive. And retreats!!! Many Buddhist centres do however, have public meditation times for donations (eg. 3 dollors or less, whatever one can afford). I don’t like that some “Mindfulness” teachers have jumped on the think-yourself-rich bandwagon (eg. The Secret) because it’s an age old form of snake oil and they charge people a fortune for workshops.
Thank you MElli and Shamash, I really love the enterview today!! Im really happy because I found these Summit!! Thanks again!!
I didn’t fall asleep but I’m certainly very relaxed after that, thank you so much. Glad to know that we don’t need to be so rigid (physically) when practicing, it helps a lot.
Thank you so so much for your hard work Melli, this one was my favourite so far! The mindfulness meditation was incredibly effective. I have been finding time to listen every day and thank you so much for making this free. At some point, when I get paid, I will buy the full access pass because I think to have this resource for life will be such a good investment!
Thank you so much Meli for putting together this wonderful event. I really enjoyed the speakers to date. Thnk you Shamash for giving me some practical tips and I love your no nonsense approach which embodies acceptance and compassion.
Lovely talk and a lovely mindfulness meditation. Thank you both Shamash and Melli…????????
I really enjoyed listening to Shamash. His enthusiasm is contagious. I found myself smiling at the end of the session. Thanks Melli for giving us the opportunity to hear his thoughts and strategies of Mindfullness.
Absolutely loved this talk. I liked the pointer about smiling during the practice, it changed the way I felt about doing it.
I was also glad to hear that other people’s minds go blank when they focus on their thoughts!
Thanks again, so much valuable information and some great insights
Really enjoyed this one especially the part about falling asleep being acceptable and to let your mind be your best friend and that we’re together in this.
Thanks to you both.
Thanks Shamas and Melli.
Really enjoyed that, just as I have enjoyed tuning in for the sessions every day of the Summit so far.
Sally
SUCH A NICE CHAP, REALLY ENJOYED THE MEDITATION, FEEL VERY RELAXED AND I HAVE A SILLY SMILE ON MY FACE!
I’m only 20 minutes in to this talk but am slightly confused. Shamash seems like a great guy and talks a lot of sense and obviously knows his stuff. What I’m confused about though is that the great thing I have been finding from what I have learned so far, is that paying attention to the present moment is key. This is what I’ve been doing and it works fantastically. Exercising the mind to keep on bringing back the attention is working for me and I am much more relaxed from day to day. However what I am getting from this talk is to let yourself keep on thinking without worrying about bringing the mind back but instead watch the thinking. The issue I personally have with this, is that I would end up the way I was in the past, if I didn’t bring myself back, I’d be sitting there all day, completely lost in thought. It got to the point where I couldn’t do anything because I just had to think all the time. Letting the thoughts be, doesn’t work for me, as they go on, and on, and on and worry and anxiety appear. So my question is, have I missed a fundamentally important point about mindfulness? Have I misunderstood Shamash?
Any answers would be greatly appreciated as I am still new to this wonderful practice, but so far it has been working wonders !
Yes I see your point. Training in attention (eg. breath at the nostrils exercises concentration) and I find working on this can then help me in a more expansive practice of just breathing and letting the thoughts come and go without attachment. There is discipline in meditation.
Yes, that’s it exactly. For me I see a thought but I don’t hold on to it or let it become a train of thoughts. I just acknowledge it as a thought and gently bring myself back to the breath and the present. I suppose as Shamash says later on in the talk, its different for each person.
I don’t think he was suggesting this as the totality but as another aspect we can use. Eg if we wonder why our minds are wandering and do this in a kindly way, the mind will give up control. Hope I expressed myself clearly ✴
Yes, that was clear, thanks Joyce 🙂
Yup, we have to even look at our attachement to mindfulness as well as our attachment and judgement of everything else.
The way I understood this, is that once you become more mindful and accepting of your thoughts, they slowly stop happening as often. If we quit reacting to the thoughts and just acknowledge them in a friendly way, they will get tired of trying to control us. Hope that makes sense.
Totally makes sense Heather, thanks 🙂
No, I don’t think you’ve missed any fundamental point about mindfulness at all. In my opinion, Shamash was talking about an extension practice. Mindfulness of the breath (or any other feature of the present moment you choose to focus on) is like scales in piano practice. If you want to learn to play a sonata, you have to master the basics, such as scales, first. Likewise, when starting out in mindfulness, often our minds are really wild and unruly (being used to being able to go wherever the hell they want!) and we use mindfulness of the breath to train it ( like a puppy) to be steadier and to stop running off all the time into either the past or the future. Once our minds are steadier, and we are less plagued by distressing thoughts, we can then do other practices such as mindfulness of thoughts (which is what he describes, in which one, non-judgmentally, notices the thoughts, simply allowing them to be, and then allowing them to dissolve). This is my experience, anyway. Hope you find it useful and I wish you all the best in your mindfulness journey!
Thanks Jo 🙂 I like the piano practice analogy ! What you’re saying does make sense
yep – you nailed the crux of why I question his approach in general. He has dumbed it down so much it really is not meditation. It is maybe a relaxation technique to do pre meditation if you are having trouble focusing.
I had been waiting for the interview with Shamash & it was brilliant. He is so down to earth & inspiring for someone fairly new to mindfulness. Have just recently read his books Mindfulness for Dummies & Relaxation for Dummies & they are both really good. Thanks also to Melli for putting such a brilliant summit together – am so enjoying it!
Thank you Shamash, your talk was enlightening and just what I needed to hear. You have a natural organic approach to meditation which I identity with and I will use your hints in future.
Melli, thank you! ????
So refreshing! Thank you!
What a friendly, down to earth, smiley presence. Very inspiring. Thank you
Thank you for your humour & compassion for insightful acceptance of what is important. Ie The first step in practising – To be “comfortable” in meditation is to be comfortable with “oneself ” & ones life. That is hugely helpful.
Although I have to add that the traditional sitting posture (eg. in Buddhism) is neither rigid or tense in it’s intention. It is an alert, dignified yet relaxed posture when done correctly with proper alignment.
True – I think the point was that many people, especially at the start, can get hooked into feeling that there are right and wrong ways to practice. I know that I tended to get more stiff on the lotus position, and I I just allowed myself to bring a knee up, I was more comfortable and less focused on trying to attain a specific posture.
Totally, our tendency to view “right” and “wrong” is so ingrained. Also, meditation is not supposed to be physically agonizing!! 🙂
Thank you so much for this; my favourite interview so far. Really enjoying the interview format of these sessions and the relaxed, natural and spontaneous exchanges it supports. There are many videos and audios of the summit guests giving talks and sharing teachings online, so this summit’s approach feels refreshing and engaging.
Love this guy! Does anyone else feel like screaming to the world….. “CHECK THIS MINDFULNESS STUFF OUT!!!! IT’S WONDERFUL!”
Feeling grateful in Indiana
Just a quick second comment. I found what Shamash had to say at the very end about Bhutan and sustainability very interesting, as I’m studying a degree module called “Sustainability past & present” and have been thinking about using Bhutan as an example for my essay. I’m looking at how ancient Buddhist teachings and wisdom can help countries and the whole world take a more sustainable approach pertaining to everything, especially things like climate change. If anyone has any other examples of countries like Bhutan or any Buddhist teachings regarding sustainability, I’d love to hear about them 🙂
Again so grateful to Melli and team, and all the guests. Beautiful session yet again.. Liked Shamash’s laid back stance ✴
I listened to this session while the sun rose on a small island in the Canadian shield. I was aware of a literal and a metaphorical process of light coming in. They reinforce each other. The smiling, which Shama encouraged, helped. I was particularly glad that he thanked Melli at the end for all the work which must have gone into producing this summit. I have often felt a similar gratitude to her for this opportunity.
Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Adriana (Argentina)
Ps: I love the t-shirt’s phrase!!!!
Shamash , Thank you for your wisdom and care, to share the information and hope. Melli it is tremendous that you are inspired or moved to assist the growth of mindfulness in the universe.
What I really love about this summit is the diversity. It offers something to everybody. I mean, some people like to look at the world from a scientific point of view and they look for hard evidence. Some people just long for love or self-compassion. Every session is different, but they’re all sending the same message: that mindfulness can improve our lives and the world. Thank you, Melli, and all of you who are involved in this wonderful project.
Surely we have to ask about the origins of Mindfulness? Where did it come from, what is it a part of? What is missing from the largely western idea of mindfulness as it is being sold to us here? Is mindfulness not just one small part of a far larger spiritual teaching and history? So what is sold at the moment is a tiny aspect of something far larger and is disconnected from its spiritual routes and environment. A previous talk by the neuroscientist explained that the research that shows any sort of correlation to brain changes was research done on Lamas and folk that has spent 12 years in retreat. These people are immersed in the history and tradition of Buddhism – they are also utterly detached from normal life and all associated pressures that the average person has to deal with constantly.
Not all those people in those studies were cut off from every day life. Buddhism does not mean being cut off from society. People who took part in those studies were often just ordinary people who meditated regularly and have for a long time. It is about if you apply it to your every day life. I know many “buddhists” who call themselves that, meditate a great deal BUT have the biggest ego in the world. It is about the person. I’m an every day person, have practiced formal meditation for about 10 years, work in Toronto in social work and am immersed in a world of stressors there. It is all about what you take from the formal practice. It must translate into a difference in behaviour, reactionism and intention in life. At the same time I would call myself Buddhist because I work on following the path outlined by Buddhism.
Each session brings a fresh take on mindfulness however it never loses the common thread of mindfulness and to me it’s like how many points on a line? Doesn’t matter just appreciate the line itself and let it lead to the present now filled with kindness and peace with yourself..Meli thank you again I now will start my day knowing I will have a good one.
A key point in my struggle with depression and anxiety was the moment I learned I was not my thoughts. At first I didn’t understand that but once I did, I found my situation easier to understand and deal with. Shamash demystified and uncomplicated the concept of mindfulness in a way that makes it easy for me to execute and feel good about rather than frustrated.
Thank You for the enjoyable talk. This presentation hit home when Melli said that she would cloud watch as a practice of Mindfulness. I recognized that Mindfulness/meditation can be done creatively and not have to be as formal as some people practice.
When I was in my early 20s, I took up jogging. The jogging became a source of mindfulness for me. Unfortunately, I stopped jogging as I became caught up in the rush of a harried mindless life.
I tried taking up jogging again 25 yrs later to recapture that mindful feeling but was unable to do so due to back injury. So I am in search of some meditative practice to replace jogging…maybe I’ll take up cloud watching.
I also appreciated the fact that Shamash commented that it was okay to fall asleep while meditating. I have taken to listening to sleep hypnosis/meditation guides to help me get some rest and have found them helpful.
Body Scan is part of my sleep hygiene and works better than any pill could. My mind and body know it’s time to sleep when I put on a body scan CD by Jon Kabat-Zinn
My favorite interview so far! I loved the visualization of the bags with the past and future. Holding on to the past and fear of the future are major problems for me. I will definitely add this visualization to my daily practice. I’m off to get Shamash’s book. Thank you for your insight, Shamash. Melli–thanks for the wonderful summit and excellent interviews!