Follow my newsletter: Implementing Mindfulness Meditation in the Workplace

My journey from being a stressed out corporate worker, to getting cancer, to discovering the joy and strength of mindfulness meditation, to dedicating my life to spreading meditation to as many people in the world as possible has culminated into The Calm Monkey.

My life’s purpose is crystal clear: 

To help people create a better experience of life through mindfulness meditation.

 

In order to reach as many people as I can in the world, I know I cannot do this alone.  This is why I started The Calm Monkey to:

Train experienced meditators to become Mindfulness Meditation Facilitators in the workplace or community.

 

There is a gap existing in the world today – many people who meditate are eager to share their experience with others and provide a way to practice together, but they don’t want to become a ‘meditation teacher’.   That was exactly how I felt in 2011, so I now help others who are in that position, and it is the most fulfilling work of my life.

 

Learn to become a mindfulness meditation facilitator with an easy, practical online course, toolkit and ongoing learning.

 

If you would like to sign-up for my newsletter to hear about this topic, I would be honored to have you on the list. 

To learn about becoming a facilitator, please visit TheCalmMonkey.com.

Warm regards,

~Wendy Quan, Founder, The Calm Monkey.

 

My life these days – spreading meditation worldwide

It’s been a very long time since I have blogged on WordPress, since these days my life is very full helping to spread mindfulness meditation as much as possible in the world.

A number of years ago, I saw how people could create a more calmer and joyful life if they discovered this practice.  I mustered up the courage, and I quit my corporate career to dedicate my life to doing this.  It’s very hard work, but the most enjoyable ‘work’ I have done in my lifetime.

I know I’m only one person.  So how can I reach the world?  The only way, and the best way, is to harness the passion of other meditators who want to make a difference in the world.  I help them gain the skills and confidence to offer this to their workplace or communities, so the ripple effect goes wide.

I don’t teach these wonderful people how to meditate, instead, I teach them how to share their experience with others and the logistical and operational side of doing this in a credible, respected and engaging way.  Then they can introduce a program in a way that makes sense for business, too.

My life is quite an adventure these days, doing speaking engagements around North America and teaching individuals and organizations worldwide.  I am truly blessed to be able to do this.  Much gratitude here  🙂

My clients are amazing individuals around the world, and I have been blessed to work with organizations such as Google, the government of Dubai, the Cincinnati Health Department, University of British Columbia, and the list goes on . . .

Speaking about mindfulness meditation in the workplace

If you are a passionate meditator who wants to help others discover and practice mindfulness meditation, I invite you to read more:  www.TheCalmMonkey.com.  Maybe you would like to make a positive difference in this world, too  🙂

Warm regards,

~Wendy Quan, Founder, The Calm Monkey.

 

5 most common meditation struggles for beginners

Meditation’s biggest challenges

If you are new to meditation or just thinking of giving it a try, read this article to know how to overcome the 5 most common struggles:

1. “I can’t stop thinking”

Here’s the thing:  you shouldn’t expect a blank mind, actually. This is one of the biggest misunderstandings about meditation.  Once you learn that meditation includes observing your thoughts but not attaching to them, then the relief is quite astounding.  You are not a bad meditator just because you have distracting thoughts.

2. “I don’t have time to meditate”

Meditation does not mean you need to carve out 30 or 60 minutes per day, especially as a beginner.  People feel the benefits of meditation even with 5 or 10 minutes per day, or even pausing during your busy day to take 3 deep, slow, mindful breaths.  And if you don’t think you can set aside 10 minutes per day, just question whether you need to be watching that TV show or browsing the internet.  It’s a matter of priority, right?

3.  “I fall asleep when I try to meditate”

Sometimes you might just simply be tired and need to sleep. But often, our brains are conditioned to think ‘my eyes are closed, it’s time to sleep!’.  With practice, we learn to stay alert even with our eyes closed.  Also, sitting up straight, but relaxed, will help you stay awake.  Don’t flop on the sofa to meditate!

4.  “I don’t want to sit there and do nothing”

Another misunderstanding about meditation is that you sit and do nothing. Meditation is actually a very active activity – you are actively concentrating on the object of your meditation and noticing when your mind has wandered, without judgment, and then return your attention to your meditation.  You learn to be a curious observer during meditation so it’s far from ‘doing nothing’.

5.  “My body hurts during meditation”

Although there are a few formal meditation traditions that suggest you should not move a muscle during your meditation, it’s generally fine to adjust for comfort.  It may take some experimentation for you to find a good meditation position (sitting in a chair, on a meditation cushion, on a meditation bench, etc). During the meditation, if you need to move, it’s fine to move slowly and mindfully.

I have taught over 1,000 people how to meditate, and these are the top 5 most common challenges that people have.  How about you?  If you have any questions about meditation, I welcome emails at Wendy@TheCalmMonkey.com. I hope this has been helpful to you.

~Wendy Quan, of The Calm Monkey

Is Meditation different from Mindfulness?

You don’t have to find a serene place like this in order to meditate or be mindful. This is the ‘Seven Sacred Pools’ in Sedona, Arizona – so beautiful.

The answer to this question is both Yes and No. There is no a global standard for these two terms so I offer my simplified answer to this question below. Hours can be spent discussing the differences and similarities. This post is not meant to define meditation or mindfulness completely, instead, it simplistically compares and contrasts the differences and similarities.

• Meditation is about setting aside time to be still and quiet. It’s about concentration. I refer to it as ‘sitting on the cushion’ because generally you are devoting a period of time to be still and use a chosen meditation technique. There are many different meditation techniques, however, and some are moving meditations such as walking or yoga.
• Mindfulness is about being intentionally 100% aware and present. It’s about being ‘in the now’ and allowing yourself to be exactly where and how you are in this moment. Mindfulness is about using your senses to experience the present moment, in a nonjudgmental way, and is not necessarily about getting rid of emotions, but instead, being aware of your emotions.  It’s challenging and interesting to be 100% present and to experience what you are doing without judgment.

The general difference is that you can practice mindfulness, or ‘being mindful’ anytime during the day – while washing your hands, while eating and drinking, or while interacting during a meeting.  Meditation is generally when you set aside time to become still and go inwards to be alone and concentrate on the topic of your meditation.

The general similarity, or where meditation and mindfulness overlap, is that whenever you are meditating on the present moment, you are doing a ‘mindfulness meditation’.  Probably the most common mindfulness meditation is focusing on your breath.  I like to describe mindfulness as ‘portable meditation’, because one can achieve some of the wonderful benefits of meditation by practicing mindfulness during the day. If you are 100% present, there is no space in the mind to worry about the past or future.

The term ‘mindfulness’ is really catching on as a mainstream concept and now many people have heard of it, but perhaps do not realize exactly what it is or how to do it.

I hope the above explanations are helpful.  Simply put, if you are being 100% present, and being non-judgmental, you are being mindful.

The bottom line is that there is no need to get caught up in the differences or similarities.  They both can make your experience of life more peaceful and calm, and get you through the tough times.

~Wendy

Related posts:

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course
• How my friends and I discovered Mindfulness

Is a quiet mind expected in meditation?

No need to try so hard to have a quiet mind

Having a blank, empty or quiet mind is one of the most common assumptions people have of meditation. That’s the assumption I also had before I truly understood meditation.

So is it the goal?  If you meditate and aren’t getting this quiet mind, does that mean you’re not meditating right?  Are you doing something wrong if you feel calm, then busy thoughts keep popping into your head?

The answer is simple, and important to understand and accept in order to enjoy meditation. Every person and every meditation is unique, no matter how experienced the meditator is.

Typically, the feeling of stillness of mind comes and goes during a meditation session.  The busy mind generally will start to relax after the first several minutes of meditation – I have heard the statistic that it takes the average person 15 minutes to get into a relaxed, calmer state.  Don’t expect the session to slowly calm your mind and then stay there in a state of nothingness and bliss!  It is completely normal to move in and out of stillness.  The important thing is to always recognize when a thought has popped into your head, and then gently bring your focus back to your meditation.

In my experience, and in talking to my students who have made meditation a life practice, find that over time, the quietness comes more often, and for longer moments during meditation – but again, this isn’t a rule or shouldn’t be expected. Mindfulness meditation is simply about ‘being‘, not trying to achieve something special.

So the answer to the question is:  “Yes, but sometimes, not all the time.  Allow stillness to come and go.”

The best attitude to have is to enjoy these moments of stillness, even if they are only for a few seconds at a time. Savour these moments. Pay attention to when they happen and notice if your experience changes over time.

I hope this has been helpful.  When someone understands and accepts not to expect a totally calm mind, they enjoy meditation so much more.

So savor meditation, accept it exactly how it is, and see what it brings to you.

~Wendy