Hello, and welcome to my first article on this incredible new platform…

I am really excited that you are joining us on this adventure.

From here on in, every article you will read from me will be helping with an exploration into who you are and how you can find your place in this incredible world we have been given.

Each article will have some practicalness to it, with a hope that you will not just be reading over the words… my hope is that the words and gentle guidance help simplify and expand your understanding of your mind, your heart and your interdependence in this universe.

My ultimate goal is for us to build a trusted relationship; I’ll be open and honest about my own struggles and triumphs with the practice and I’ll also be your co-pilot. I will be here as you examine and explore the role that mindfulness, meditation, compassion and other contemplative practices could play in your life.

For me, as with most people, the first step on the spiritual path is to pause and turn inwards, taking the time to recognise the chaos and noise that we may have built for ourselves over time. This first step is one of the hardest, and often the most confusing as we find lots of thoughts and emotions that we may have been distracting ourselves from. Slowing down and untangling through thoughts and behaviours can be tricky. 

"The first step on the spiritual path is to pause and turn inwards."

The good thing about meditation and mindfulness though, is that every day brings an opportunity for practice… and this is what you will be doing from now on: practicing a new dance with life and slowing the rollercoaster of busy thoughts and emotions. Whilst we may continue to clash with firmly held beliefs, peacefulness in reality and truth begins to unveil itself slowly and assuredly. 

Wonderfully there have been some incredible men and women who have shown us a way to navigate this journey. In my articles, I will be using some well-researched techniques to better manage some unhelpful habits, along with some wonderful interpretations I have learnt along the way and some go-to practical exercises you can work with.

To finish I wanted to leave you a little introduction to meditation, I hope you enjoy it:

It is gonna seem like a weird question, if I was to ask you right now… “how do you know you are breathing?”

How would you answer me? Apart from the obvious answer of ‘being alive’, what I mean is, what changes in your body occur that enable you to know that you’re breathing…?

Maybe you can feel your stomach move, or maybe you can hear your inhalations and exhalations, maybe you physically feel the movement through your nose or mouth…

The reason I ask you this question is that I want you to see if you can notice and be aware of one actual thing that helps you to know that you are breathing…

Did you manage to notice that one thing?

Awesome… so, going back to that one thing you noticed… I want you to see if it changes. Are you noticing the airflow through your nose, or are your shoulders moving up and down? Can you notice if any of the sensations you’re feeling change at all? 

Yes, you do?

Awesome! This recognition, or ‘being aware’ that you are breathing, is itself a form of meditation! 

You just passed meditation 101 with a distinction - bravo!

By simply seeing (even for a brief moment or two) if we can be aware of our breath, we can begin to affect change through mindfulness.

Awareness is the most fundamental part of meditation, or ‘mind training’, why? Because with awareness we can make better decisions.

Find out more about Dan and his motivational approach to meditation and mindfulness by heading over to his collaborator page here.