Shows
Moved To Meditate PodcastMoving Metta Meditation: Invite KindnessThis episode of the podcast is a guided meditation-in-motion, intended as a dynamic (yet gentle) way to explore Metta or Lovingkindness Meditation. You might think of it as a complement or alternative to the traditional seated Metta Meditation practice. (The meditation itself will start at ~ 3:30 after a brief introduction.) Metta means lovingkindness, goodwill, friendliness, or benevolence. We’ll be using simple Qigong-inspired movements to invoke and express kindness for ourselves and for others. Classic Metta Meditations often use the repetition of phrases like “May I (or you, or all beings) be safe, May I (y...2025-07-1221 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastGrounding Together in Tumultuous Times with Francine AngIn this episode of the podcast, I’m talking with Francine Ang about the joys and challenges of teaching yoga and mindful movement during tumultuous times. Francine shares what it’s been like leading classes in her community since they were impacted by the recent LA Fires, and we reflect on what it means to find ground through practice. You’ll hear about Francine’s background growing up in a Chinese Buddhist family in California, and how she ended up spending a year at a monastery in Tibet. We talk about her path to becoming a yoga teacher...2025-05-131h 08
Moved To Meditate PodcastAI Meditation? My human thoughts as AI enters the meditation spaceYes, AI meditation is a thing now. So, in today’s episode, I’m taking a look at how the current rapid expansion of AI tech is reaching the meditation world…and why I don’t think human meditation teachers are going to be replaced by these tools anytime soon. Like me, you may be immediately skeptical that AI can play a role in a deeply human activity like meditation. However, there are several ways that AI has entered the meditation scene already, including AI-generated meditation scripts, AI voiceovers for guided meditations, AI-based meditation apps, and more...2025-02-1323 min
Elevated Life Academy33: Unlocking Stillness Through Movement: Addie DeHilster on Mindfulness, Meditation, and the Body.In this episode we dive into the world of mindfulness and movement with Addie DeHilster, a mindfulness meditation teacher and movement specialist. For over 25 years, Addie has relied on these practices to navigate the ever-changing seasons of life. From her early days as a college student in a high-pressure performance environment to her role as a teacher helping others access the benefits of embodied mindfulness, Addie’s journey is a testament to the power of connecting body and mind.Tune in as Addie shares:How yoga became a lifeline during a stressful season in college, introducing he...2024-12-3029 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastPost-Election Perspectives and Musings from a Mindful Movement TeacherThis week’s episode of the podcast is a short post-election reflection - just me sharing some of what’s currently on my mind and what’s sustaining me right now. This one is a little different, because I don’t really hide my political views, but I also don’t usually make them a focal point of my teaching. While I certainly have opinions and I care deeply about the issues, I also respect my students' autonomy and I try not to make too many assumptions about the views they may hold. I want to hope that we ca...2024-11-1415 min
Yoga in the Therapy Room: Tips for integrating trauma informed yoga207 Helpful Strategies For Slowing Down With Yoga: Interview With Addie deHilsterIn this episode, we explore the transformative power of slowing down in a fast-paced world. Joined by yoga therapist Addie deHilster, we delve into practical strategies using yoga, mindfulness, and everyday activities to reduce stress and cultivate calm. We also talk about the significance of breath control, gradual movements, and integrating slow practices like restorative and yin yoga into daily life. We look at the importance of self-care, intentional pauses, and playful spontaneity, the conversation highlights the benefits for those dealing with anxiety, stress, and trauma. Listeners are encouraged to connect with their body, heart, and mind, and approach...2024-10-3041 min
The Art & Business of MeditationMaking Meditation Accessible: Serving Hesitant Practitioners and Underserved Communities w/ Addie deHilsterAddie deHilster is a trained Mindfulness Meditation teacher and Mindful Movement specialist. She draws from her long-term experience practicing Buddhist Insight Meditation, as well as Yoga, Qigong, and Somatic movement modalities. Addie owned and operated a community yoga studio in Los Angeles for over 5 years, and she has taught accessible movement practices for students with challenges such as chronic pain, arthritis, cancer, and insomnia.
In this episode, Addie shares her story of closing her studio during the pandemic and how it led her to focus on teaching meditation and movement online. We also dive into effective ways t...2024-10-0859 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastLife as a Highly Sensitive Person with Erica WebbToday’s podcast is an exploration of life as a Highly Sensitive Person (or HSP), with my friend and colleague Erica Webb. Erica and I sat down for a deep dive into our shared experience of high sensitivity, and how we work with these traits in ourselves. This is something I’ve been looking at more closely over the last several months, and I knew that Erica had been speaking about HSP more, as well. So, I reached out and asked if she’d like to do a joint episode that we would each share on our...2024-09-191h 40
SelfKind: Conversations in self-care, kindness and compassion for highly sensitive peopleEp 275: You too? Sharing HSP stories with Addie deHilsterWhat happens when two highly sensitive people (HSP) sit down for a chat? They make you a 90 minute podcast - lol! I'm joined today by my friend and fellow mindful movement teacher, Addie deHilster. Addie has her own podcast - the Moved to Meditate Podcast - and we thought it would be fun to do a shared episode that airs on both of our shows. This is that conversation.In our chat, we explore our shared and individual experiences as HSPs.We talk about the challenges and gifts of being HSPs, share personal...2024-09-181h 38
Moved To Meditate PodcastWhy We Practice: Voices of Our Podcast Community It’s our 100th episode! To celebrate this podcast milestone, we have a special episode this week, featuring the voices of the Moved To Meditate Podcast community. I wanted to do something different for our 100th episode, as a way of saying thanks to all who have been part of the podcast so far. So, I asked podcast listeners and guests to call in with messages about what they practice and why. If you need a little boost of inspiration, be sure to tune in, because the messages were amazing! You are going to hear quit...2024-09-0538 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastWalking Meditation Practice: Basic InstructionsThis week’s podcast episode is a guided Walking Meditation practice! The meditation itself starts just after the 5-minute mark, after a brief introduction to Walking Meditation. Walking Meditation is a traditional form of mindfulness practice, and it’s a great example of meditation-in-motion! If the stillness of sitting meditation doesn’t appeal to you, this might be another avenue for exploring mindfulness. This practice is often used as a type of formal meditation, but one of the special benefits of Walking Meditation is that it trains us to be aware during an ordinary, daily activi...2024-05-3017 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastWhat is Somatic Movement? (Hear an excerpt from my book!)Have you heard of Somatic Movement and wondered “what exactly is that?” In this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing a brief excerpt from my work-in-progress book, where I give an overview of the field of Somatics and describe how I use these movement practices. The working title of my book is Teaching Mindful Movement, and you’ll be hearing a brief section I’ve written about Somatics. This is part of a longer chapter that covers a few different movement modalities I like to include in my practice and teaching. Somatic Movement s...2024-05-0216 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastBreath Meditation for SleepThis week’s podcast episode is a guided breath meditation for sleep. I made this recording a while back, and I felt inspired to share it on the podcast now, since the last episode was a guest interview on sleep with yoga therapist Monica Le Baron. (The meditation itself starts at approximately 6:34, after a brief intro with a few updates about my book-writing process, the schedule of upcoming podcast episodes, and some background on today’s guided practice.) Many of us suffer from sleep disturbances from time to time, whether it's due to stress, hormone chang...2024-04-0419 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastSimple Therapeutic Yoga to Sleep Well - with Monica Le BaronThis week on the podcast, I have a conversation with Monica Le Baron, the author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen. Sleep is crucial for overall health and affects many aspects of our well-being, including metabolism, immune system, brain function, and mood. If you struggle with insomnia, the good news is that you can improve your sleep with some simple yoga therapy practices like the ones we’ll be talking about in this episode. In this interview, Monica shares her knowledge about sleep in su...2024-03-2158 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastMoving Meditation: Guided Practice for Slowing DownThis episode of the podcast is a gentle moving meditation, exploring what it feels like to slow down. We’ll be playing with pace as we do two very simple motions, observing the sensations in the body, and how movement can often influence our mental activity and nervous system state. The meditation itself starts at 3:10, after a brief intro. As we practice this meditation, you will check in with yourself in the present moment - noticing states like tension or ease, mental busy-ness or calm, feeling rushed or steady. We’ll be practicing these mindful obse...2024-03-0717 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastCultivate Joy: Guided MeditationThis week’s episode is a 10-minute guided meditation designed to help you cultivate joy. To include an awareness of the good, delightful, and joyful aspects of our experience is an important practice for developing inner resilience. (The meditation itself starts at about 8:20, after a brief intro to the topic.) There is a lot going on in the world that is distressing and disturbing – and those issues do need our skillful attention. But, in order to respond with clarity and energy, it helps to balance our minds with deliberate practices like joy. Interestingly enough, the topic...2024-02-1519 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastHoliday Break and 2024 PreviewToday's podcast episode is a quick update and preview of what's to come in 2024! I will be taking a holiday break from the podcast in December, so I can get organized for upcoming episodes in the new year, plus embark on a BIG new project. Listen to this episode for a sneak peek of our upcoming guest interviews and topics you'll hear on the podcast in the New Year. I also talk about some practice opportunities, like the return of the Ease In To Meditation course, and a spring half-day online retreat. And...2023-11-3008 min
Moved To Meditate Podcast15-Minute Body Scan: Guided MeditationThis week's podcast episode is a 15-Minute Body Scan Meditation. The Body Scan is a classic practice to cultivate mindfulness of the body and develop embodied awareness. For many of us, it’s difficult to stay connected with the felt sense of the body. There are a lot of reasons we get pulled away from our embodied awareness - because of busy-ness, speeding through the day, getting lost in our devices, and living in a culture that values our intellectual side over our embodied knowing. Experiences of trauma can also contribute to this sense of mind-body separation, as...2023-11-1620 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastBasic Goodness with Cop, Nomad, and Mystic Scott OdomThis podcast episode is a fascinating conversation with Scott Odom, about what happens when we start to see the world through a lens of “basic goodness.” Scott is a retired police officer, dedicated Buddhist practitioner, and former nomad who spent four years traveling the country in an airstream. We talk about practice, the process of transformation, and integrating the many roles we play in life. In this conversation, you’ll hear about Scott’s experiences working as a police officer, and what he learned from that work – both the positives and negatives. He describes how police wor...2023-11-091h 05
Moved To Meditate PodcastWise Effort and Mindful MovementIn today's episode of the podcast, we'll be exploring Wise Effort. Practicing Wise Effort means being mindful of how you’re using your energies and your attention - and whether that is moving you towards fulfilling your intentions. This is something we can look at in meditation practice, or in movement practice...and hopefully apply in the rest of our life’s activities. You'll hear about Wise Effort (or Right Effort) in the context of the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path, and why it's important to pay attention to not only what we do, but how we do...2023-10-2629 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastEquanimity Practice: Guided MeditationThis week's podcast episode is an Equanimity practice. Join me for a guided meditation, exploring the potential for steadiness in the heart and mind. Equanimity, or Upekkha (in Pali), is a natural by-product of Mindfulness Meditation. We grow our steadiness a little bit every time we come back to our anchor in the present moment. And, our steadiness also gets stronger every time we’re able to observe our reactive thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them. Equanimity practice is also a form of meditation in itself. It is one of the Four Bra...2023-09-2116 minMoved To Meditate PodcastADHD and Mindfulness Meditation with Ying DengThis week on the podcast, I’m talking about ADHD and Mindfulness Meditation with my guest Ying Deng. Ying is the founder of ADHD Asian Girl, a platform that provides support and resources for people with ADHD, especially Asian women. She is a certified Transformation Life Coach with additional training in positive psychology, and she’s currently in Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s 2-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP). There is some research that shows mindfulness to be an effective practice for helping people with ADHD direct their focus, regulate their emotions, and more. But, unders...2023-09-071h 03Moved To Meditate PodcastGuided Meditation with Loving Kindness PhrasesThis episode of the podcast is a guided meditation using Loving Kindness phrases. Metta (or Loving Kindness) Meditation is one of the heart practices from the Mindfulness tradition, and it’s a way of cultivating goodwill and friendliness for ourselves and others. One of the techniques we use in Metta practice is to silently recite phrases to help invoke the intention of loving kindness. In this guided meditation, we will start by offering Metta phrases to another being (such as an animal friend or admired mentor) who is easy to wish well. In trad...2023-08-2416 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastMindful Movement Class vs. Yoga Class: What's the Difference?Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a Mindful Movement class and a Yoga class? That question is a little more complicated than it may first appear, and so that’s what we’re going to explore in this episode of the podcast. While Yoga could certainly be considered a type of Mindful Movement, we’re going to break down the similarities and differences between a typical mainstream Yoga class and a movement class that is more like a dynamic expression of Mindfulness Meditation. I’ll be talking about the “Mindful Movement class” as a particul...2023-08-1724 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastHavening Techniques: Mindful Touch to Change Your Brain with Dr. Kate TruittIn this episode of the podcast, I have the honor of speaking with Dr. Kate Truitt about the Havening Techniques, which use mindful touch and intentional attention to change how your brain responds to stress. Dr. Kate Truitt is a licensed clinical psychologist, applied neuroscientist, and an internationally recognized expert in the neuroscience of trauma, stress, and resilience. She is the co-developer of the Havening Techniques and author of the book Healing In Your Hands: Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience. You'll hear about: The ways you can apply t...2023-08-031h 11
Moved To Meditate PodcastEveryday Mindfulness: Small Moments That Add UpThis week on the podcast, I’d like to talk about “everyday mindfulness,” the practice of taking small moments to pause and be aware throughout your day. We’ll explore practical ways you can create a supportive mindfulness practice for all the moving parts of your real, beautiful, and (sometimes) messy life. The advantage of everyday mindfulness is that we can incorporate it into what we’re already doing, so it doesn’t require any extra time. Practicing this way can be quite organic when we simply remember to be mindful while doing ordinary tasks. Many people f...2023-07-2023 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastUnmasking the Inner Critic with Andrew LangIn this episode, I’m talking about unmasking the inner critic with my guest Andrew Lang. Andrew is a lifelong educator and a gentle, light-hearted facilitator of meaningful inner work. So, you’ll hear about how to recognize your limiting narratives and transform them – in a kind, embodied, and even playful way. Andrew Lang is the author of a book called Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life. He offers an expansive definition of the inner critic, and how it includes everything from negative self-talk to emotional and physical constrictions that ultimately limit us and ma...2023-07-131h 11
Moved To Meditate PodcastGuided Meditation: Mindfulness of Sound (with Bells)Today's episode of the podcast is a guided meditation on Mindfulness of Sound! In this practice, we will use the sense of hearing to connect to the present moment. During the recording, you will hear a few different meditation bells and singing bowls. This is not really a "sound bath" - rather, it's an experience of how you can use sounds in a Mindfulness Meditation practice, allowing hearing to become a meditative anchor. Practicing Mindfulness of Sound Teaches Us: Nothing is really a distraction in Mindfulness Meditation, because we can pay attention to all f...2023-07-0613 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastSound Healing and Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy with Heather GrossIn today's podcast interview with Heather Gross, we learn about sound healing and gender-affirming voice therapy. This is a fun and empowering conversation that will inspire you to pay more attention to your own vocal self-expression! As Heather states, "you can't separate the mind from the body, and you can't separate the voice from the self." This episode explores the power and potential held in the voice, and how deeply the voice connects to one's identity. You'll hear about Heather's personal journey into sound healing, her recovery through chronic illness, and how it all started...2023-06-2253 min
Moved To Meditate PodcastGuided Meditation: Practicing PatienceThe podcast is back this week with another guided meditation! Today, we'll explore the theme of practicing patience. I start with a brief intro about patience, sharing why this wise aspiration is on my mind this week. The meditation follows, starting at about the 6:00 mark. (You can skip ahead if you've heard the intro before, or you just want to go directly to the practice). Most of us will probably admit that we could use more patience in our lives. Patience is similar to equanimity (steadiness), but it tends to be more related to time...2023-06-1517 minMoved To Meditate PodcastGuided Meditation: Mindfulness of Breathing, 4 WaysToday's episode of the podcast is a little different - rather than a talk or an interview, I'm offering a short practice! Find a quiet spot, pop in your headphones, and try this Guided Meditation: Mindfulness of Breathing, 4 Ways. (If you want to skip my brief intro and go right to the meditation, you can fast forward to 1:55.) This guided meditation offers a beginner-friendly introduction to Mindfulness of Breathing, or a nice refresher for those who are already familiar with breath meditation. The breath is a very common "anchor," or focal point in...2023-06-0116 minMoved To Meditate PodcastWhat Is Mindful Movement? Basic Definitions and BeyondIn this episode of the podcast, we step back and consider: what is mindful movement? Both the words “mindfulness” and “movement” are used in a wide variety of ways, so it’s not always obvious what is meant by either, or in the combination that is “mindful movement.” I will talk about the most common or general way of defining mindful movement, and I’ll also share some thoughts on how to take that further – allowing movement to become a richer, embodied expression of mindfulness. A simple definition of mindful movement could be “movement done with awareness.” Thi...2023-05-1827 minMoved To Meditate PodcastMindful Resilience: Lessons from a Tai Chi Balance TrainingToday's episode of the podcast is about mindful resilience, inspired by a Tai Chi balance training that I took last week. The TaiJi Quan Moving for Better Balance training is a program developed by Dr. Fuzhong Li, a scientist at the Oregon Research Institute. It is based on traditional Tai Chi, but with some significant adaptations that tailor this program to balance training and fall prevention. What really struck me about this program was how it emphasizes capacity-building, neuroplasticity, and physical resilience. To improve balance, this training gently (but consistently) challenges your edges of stability. Y...2023-05-0422 minMoved To Meditate PodcastBenefits of Mindful Movement You Probably Haven't Heard AboutIn this episode of the podcast, I’m going to talk about four of the most interesting benefits of mindful movement...that you probably haven’t heard about. Do you find it motivating to know how your practice is benefiting you? Or are you (perhaps) the kind of person that won’t decide to do a new activity unless you really understand why it’s worth your time and effort? I can absolutely relate to that, so that’s why this episode is going to be dedicated to talking about some of the many benefits of mindful...2023-04-2019 min
The Yin Yoga PodcastYin Yoga and Meditation with Addie deHilsterThis week I am interviewing Addie deHilster. Addie is a mindful movement teacher whose teaching prioritizes mindfulness from the Vipassana tradition. She blends many styles of movement including Yoga, somatics and chi gong to facilitate embodiment. We discuss how Yin yoga in many ways is already a very accessible form of meditation. You will learn how to apply concepts from Vipassana including compassion, and non-resistance to your practice and how to apply Yin components such as body awareness and regulation to your meditation practice. We know that meditation is so beneficial, but many of u...2023-04-121h 00Moved To Meditate PodcastChronic Pain and Yoga, the Yin Way with Mandy RyleIn this episode, I’m talking about chronic pain and yoga with my guest Mandy Ryle. Mandy is an evidence-based Yin Yoga teacher, and this is an information-packed conversation about how Yin Yoga fits into the pain care equation for her students. We talk about what is (and is not) part of a pain care-informed approach to Yin Yoga, and how it is much more than finding the “3 magic poses” for whatever part of the of the body is in pain. Mandy also talks about her experiences with hypermobility and Yin Yoga, and we have a grea...2023-04-061h 01Moved To Meditate PodcastMeditation Myth: You Need to Get Rid of Your ThoughtsIn today's episode of the podcast, I'm discussing the most common meditation myth: the idea that you need to get rid of your thoughts. You'll hear about Mindfulness of Thinking, how thoughts fit in to meditation practice, what we can learn by observing those thoughts, and some techniques to try. I’m hoping that if you’ve heard this meditation myth, you’ve also had someone tell you it’s false! But here’s the thing - just having the myth busted probably isn’t enough. You can know that you don’t have to get rid of your though...2023-03-3026 minMoved To Meditate PodcastGreen Exercise and Mindfulness in Nature with Jessica Patching-BunchIn today’s episode, we’re talking about green exercise and mindfulness in nature! My guest, Jessica Patching-Bunch (JPB) fills us in on all the benefits that moving outside can provide to the body, brain, and our general well-being. Green exercise is deliberate movement in a natural environment – everything from hiking or biking outside, to Tai Chi in the park, to swimming, and many other activities. I know from my personal, subjective experience that being outside is good medicine, but since JPB has a neuroscience and research background, I wanted to pick her brain about the science of gre...2023-03-161h 04Moved To Meditate PodcastWhy Awe Is Good for Us: Book Recommendation!Today's episode of the podcast is a little different than usual, because it’s about a book! I’m talking about why awe is good for us, drawing from what I learned by reading Dacher Keltner’s new book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life. In case you didn’t know, researchers are studying awe - as in the feeling of amazement or wonder, the experience of having your jaw drop, or those moments when you get goosebumps. It turns out this is very good for us! There are...2023-03-0917 minMoved To Meditate PodcastMindfulness Mentor Groups and the Power of Community with Sharon SheltonThis week, we have an inspiring podcast conversation with Sharon Shelton about the benefits of learning meditation in community, through mindfulness mentor groups. Sharon is a mindfulness and dharma teacher and certified life coach, and one of the founding teachers at Cloud Sangha. You'll be energized by Sharon's passion, as she describes the power of mindful connection. She explains how exploring mindfulness in community can strengthen your individual meditation practice, and that it can also be part of a larger movement of transforming the isolation, division, and distress that’s so apparent in our society. We...2023-02-2359 minMoved To Meditate PodcastYin Yoga Meditation: Mindfulness on the MatIn today’s podcast episode, I’m talking about Yin Yoga Meditation. Not only is this slow, mindful yoga practice a fantastic gateway to sitting meditation, but it can truly be a meditation practice in itself - if you practice with that intention. You’ll hear how Yin Yoga might be a more approachable way to learn meditation, and exactly how you can develop meditative skills within your Yin Yoga poses. We’ll go over ways that Yin Yoga is different from other styles and how its physical benefits can translate to getting more traction in your meditati...2023-02-1619 minMoved To Meditate PodcastDeveloping a Meditation Habit with Chris McDonaldIf you’re someone who’s dabbled with mindfulness practices, but struggled to create a real meditation habit, today’s episode is for you! My guest is Chris McDonald, and in this episode, we’re discussing the ins and outs of how to develop a meditation practice that sticks. Chris McDonald is a holistic therapist, which means she integrates practices like yoga and meditation into her mental health therapy work with clients. Through that work, she has gained a LOT of experience helping people to get started with meditation and overcome the obstacles that keep the practice from tru...2023-02-0250 minMoved To Meditate PodcastYoga Activism for Social Change with Jill IppolitoThis week on the podcast, we have a conversation with Jill Weiss Ippolito, a leader in the field of yoga activism for social change. Jill is the Founder of UpRising Yoga, a non-profit known for its trauma-informed work with incarcerated youth. We talk about the beginnings and recent evolutions of Jill’s work through UpRising Yoga, and how she sees their programs as more than “just” yoga classes, but as part of a systemic social change effort. As Jill says, “why be a volunteer when you can be a pioneer!” She also shares her own story of be...2023-01-1948 minYoga in the Therapy Room: Tips for integrating trauma informed yogaEpisode 98 The Mental Health Benefits Of A Yin Yoga Practice: Interview with Addie deHilsterWhat is Yin Yoga? Can you integrate yoga, mindfulness, and meditation to improve your well-being?MEET Addie deHilsterAddie deHilster is a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher and C-IAYT Yoga Therapist. Her passion is teaching movement practices that "unlock" mindfulness skills, and helping students gain traction in their meditation practice so they can be more present in their lives. Yin Yoga is one of the main modalities she practices and teaches, as it is an excellent doorway into embodied meditative stillness. Now based in Vancouver, Washington (USA), she previously owned and operated a community yoga studio in...2023-01-1835 minMoved To Meditate PodcastTips for Mindfulness in Challenging TimesIn today's podcast episode I reflect on my take-aways from the changes and transitions of the past year. I will share four tips for mindfulness in challenging times, along with some uplifting stories and lessons I've learned along the way. This isn't a "new year, new you" podcast episode - instead, I hope it will offer some companionship for any time you find yourself immersed in a tough experience, or emerging from a difficult cycle in your life. You'll hear a story about how a butterfly once drew me out of a stuck place and...2023-01-0518 minMoved To Meditate PodcastMindful vs. MindlessIs it better to be mindless, rather than mindful, in some situations? Well, that would depend on what you mean by mindful vs. mindless – and apparently, we’re not all talking about the same thing! In this podcast episode, we will look at these terms - mindful vs. mindless - and how they might apply to movement practice. I recently came across an article in Scientific American entitled "Sometimes Mindlessness is Better than Mindfulness" by Alexander Burgoyne. That statement definitely got my attention, but I soon realized that the author was using the terms “mindful” and “min...2022-12-1517 minMoved To Meditate PodcastChair Yoga Benefits for Chronic Illness with Maria JonesMy guest today is Maria Jones, author of The Chair Yoga Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Teaching Chair-Based Yoga. In this conversation, Maria also shares her perspective as a person living with Systemic Lupus, and talks about how Chair Yoga benefits those with chronic illness. You'll hear about Maria's journey with auto-immune disease, getting diagnosed with Systemic Lupus, and dealing with symptoms like joint pain, serious fatigue, and kidney failure. She sought out yoga as a way to support her health, starting with more active yoga, movement, and dance. A little later, she discovered Yin and Restorative...2022-12-081h 05Moved To Meditate PodcastYin Yoga Therapy and Mental Health with Dr. Tracey MeyersIn today’s episode, I speak with Dr. Tracey Meyers about her new book Yin Yoga Therapy and Mental Health. We discuss how Yin Yoga can be a particularly useful - and even transformative - practice for supporting different kinds of mental health challenges, from anxiety and depression to PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Tracey describes how Yin Yoga became her go-to practice for supporting clients with mental health challenges, and how it differs from other forms of yoga. She gives examples of Yin Yoga Therapy practices for depression, anxiety, and trauma recovery. She speaks ab...2022-11-1756 minMoved To Meditate PodcastSlow Mindful Yoga: 6 Ways to Be More PresentToday’s podcast episode is about how slow mindful yoga can help us be more present for our lives. By learning the art of slowing down in a variety of ways through mindful movement, we can develop tools that serve us far beyond the mat – where it really counts. While busy-ness and activity are praised by our culture, many of us actually harbor a deep longing to slow down. Life can feel so full, with all of the things we want to do and the things we have to do. We do our best to balance all of ou...2022-11-1025 minMoved To Meditate PodcastYin Yoga with Props: Is this even controversial anymore?In today's podcast episode, I talk about something that used to be quite controversial in the yoga world: Yin Yoga props. While it's (hopefully) not the hot debate it once was, the misconception is still out there that we don't use props in Yin Yoga. In my continuing effort to dispel the myth, I'll talk about all of the ways I think props fit in to the Yin Yoga practice, why it's important, and why we should keep making sure that students and Yin Yoga teachers know that props are welcome here. You'll hear about:2022-10-2719 minMoved To Meditate PodcastLearning to Meditate: Apps and BeyondToday's podcast episode is about learning to meditate, and the pros and cons of using meditation apps. I'll talk about how I think the apps are best used, and what else you might want to look for to support your growing meditation practice. These days many people are getting interested in learning mindfulness or other forms of meditation. We've been hearing about the many documented benefits to physical and mental health, and many of us turn to meditation to get to know ourselves better. Lots of new meditators dip their toes in to practice through one of...2022-10-1315 minMoved To Meditate PodcastDo You Crave Intensity in Your Mindful Movement Practice?In today’s episode, I talk about intensity and why it might be revealing to take a look at its role in mindfulness and movement practice. Whether you notice that you tend to crave intensity on the mat, or you tend to avoid it, it's something you can learn to work with skillfully. Of course, life itself is intense sometimes, and we can't really avoid that. But if we see our practice as a kind of laboratory for life, we can actually see how being mindful of strong sensations in a yoga pose might translate to breathing th...2022-10-0619 minMoved To Meditate PodcastExploring Movement Modalities through a Mindfulness LensI’m happy to be back today with a new episode about mindful movement! There was an unexpected hiatus, because I had to travel to Alabama and spend 3 weeks helping with some significant family health-related challenges. A silver lining of that very difficult trip was seeing how much my meditation and movement practices made a difference in my ability to make it through that experience. And so in this episode, I’m talking about some of the specifics of what I include in my “interdisciplinary” practice and celebrating what I've learned from the different movement modaliti...2022-09-0823 minMoved To Meditate PodcastInner Spark: Mindful Yoga and Mental Health with Kristin VikjordToday we have a warm and inspiring conversation with Kristin Vikjord about her book, Inner Spark. We talk about re-kindling your own light and inner guidance, especially at times in your life when you feel a bit lost or burned out. Kristin is a clinical psychologist, based in Bodø, Norway, and since she's also a yoga and mindfulness meditation teacher, we met several years ago when we were in training together at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. You'll hear how Kristin's grandmother inspired the concept of the "inner spark," and how that memory helped her navigate the...2022-08-0356 minMoved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - GroundingIn this week's episode, we're exploring a new Deeper Dive theme - grounding. For the month of August, we'll be emphasizing practices that help us find steady ground in the present moment. Many of us have an intuitive sense of what we mean by "grounding." I'll unpack several factors here that I consider part of grounding - from present moment awareness, to connection with external surroundings, paying attention to our contact with the literal ground, and embodiment. When we feel really grounded on these different levels, there’s a sense of wholeness, steadiness, and clarity. An...2022-07-2728 minMoved To Meditate PodcastQigong and the Energy of the Natural World with Mimi Kuo-DeemerThis episode is a conversation with the wonderful Qigong teacher, Mimi Kuo-Deemer. We discuss this beautiful mindful movement and energy practice from China, and how it invites us to harmonize with the elements of the natural world. You'll hear Mimi's fascinating description of Qigong's history, including her insights from analyzing the Chinese characters for Qi (energy) and Gong (work/skill). We also talk about her experiences living in the US and in China, and how she got started with Yoga and Qigong when she needed embodiment practices to remedy her burnout and health challenges. We...2022-07-201h 10Moved To Meditate PodcastAwareness and Movement for Life - Physiyoga with Diana Zotos FlorioToday we have a really interesting conversation with Diana Zotos Florio, one of the founders of Threes Physiyoga. We talked about awareness and embodiment, yoga and physical therapy, and how all these practices can support us to live life fully. Diana talks about re-thinking the paradigm where we go to physical therapy episodically to "fix" injuries, rather than engaging in smart movement practices to prevent pain and maintain health. We also explore what yoga and mindfulness may contribute to physical therapy treatment, and what she learned about pain from treating stressed out New York City investment bankers...2022-07-061h 05Moved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - FocusIt's time for a new Deeper Dive theme! For the next month, we'll be exploring Focus, or the practice of concentration. This is all about how we pay attention to where our attention is going, either in stillness and meditation, or in a yoga/movement practice, or going about our day. Focus is a really powerful tool, because it gives us more choice in what we give our attention to - and that can have a huge impact on how we feel, how our perspective is shaped, and where we're spending our time and energy. ...2022-06-2923 minMoved To Meditate PodcastNavigating Change and Seasonal Rhythms with Emilie ReidIn today's episode, I talk with Emilie Reid, founder of Seasonal Intentions. Emilie helps her students and coaching clients find balance through seasonally-focused self-care routines that draw from Yoga, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, and more. This is a really fun and inspiring conversation that we somehow happened to record just before the Summer Solstice (or, Winter if you're in the Southern Hemisphere!). So, you'll definitely pick up some tips for navigating this next season and savoring its energy. We talked about how paying attention to seasonal rhythms can benefit us on physical, emotional, and social levels...2022-06-221h 04Moved To Meditate PodcastBodyfulness Practices & Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down ProcessingToday's episode is a continuation of the bodyfulness theme, picking up from two episodes ago when I introduced this Deeper Dive topic. Bodyfulness is also called "embodied mindfulness," "somatic awareness," or "mindfulness in the body." In this talk, I get a little more specific on some practices and inquiries we can use to explore and develop embodied mindfulness. I talk about how I had an early experience in my yoga practice (in Savasana) that gave me a taste of deep, vibrant presence. And then, at another time, how I felt distant and separate from the present moment...2022-06-1524 minMoved To Meditate PodcastYoga as a Population Health Strategy with Kristine WeberToday's conversation is with Kristine Weber, the founder of Subtle Yoga. Kristine is a leading world authority on the neuroscientific benefits of slow, mindful movement and an advocate for the use of these practices as a solution to the healthcare crisis. Recently, the CDC (US Centers for Disease Control) put out new guidelines for the medical profession about chronic pain and the use of opioids, and they mentioned yoga in their report. I talk to Kristine about how significant it is that yoga was included as a potential intervention in the pain crisis, and how she's been i...2022-06-0859 minMoved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - BodyfulnessIn today's episode, I'm introducing the theme of bodyfulness, or mindful embodiment, which will be our MTM Deeper Dive for the next month! We'll talk about what "bodyfulness" means, how it relates to mindfulness, and why it's something that can enrich your life and your practice, if you pay attention to it. Embodiment is a huge topic - it's a subject that's looked at through different lenses by researchers, scholars, thinkers, and practitioners in a variety of fields. I'll give a little background here, and discuss different terms that may be used to describe how we consciously...2022-05-2525 minMoved To Meditate PodcastSo You Think You Can't Meditate (Part 3) - Anxiety & Strong EmotionsIn this week's conversation, I'm continuing the "So You Think You Can't Meditate" series with a reflection on how to work with anxiety and other strong emotions in meditation practice. If you'd like to catch up with the previous discussions, the first episode in this series was Episode 23, which covered some of the common roadblocks in meditation, like expectations and misconceptions that hinder practice. Part 2 was Episode 27, where I talked about practicing with physical pain. Like with physical pain, meditation can be very helpful for anxiety or mental/emotional distress, but we have to work...2022-05-1824 minMoved To Meditate PodcastObservation vs. Enhancement Mode in Breath and AsanaToday's episode is about how we pay attention when we practice yoga or mindfulness meditation. Specifically, I'll be talking about working with "observation mode" and "enhancement mode." The idea of paying attention TO attention might sound kind of subtle at first, but it's really interesting when you see how attention and intention lead to actions and efforts in your practice. It starts to clarify that sometimes the growth or depth in our practice can come more from HOW we are practicing than exactly WHAT (poses or techniques) we are practicing. We'll explore how modes of...2022-05-1121 minMoved To Meditate PodcastHuman-Centered Embodiment & Yin Yoga with Amanda HannaThis week on the podcast, we’re talking embodiment! This is a thought-provoking conversation with my guest Amanda Hanna, whose work navigates the intersections between yoga and movement, mental health, and social justice. We talk about trauma-informed, human-centered perspectives on what it means to be embodied, and how yoga practices (including Yin Yoga) can be part of the toolkit we use to explore and inhabit the body. We discuss definitions of embodiment, and why it can be valuable for our well-being, and as a way of being in the world. We also talk about the downsides of ov...2022-05-041h 05Moved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - Mudita (Joy & Gratitude)In today's episode, I'm introducing the next Deeper Dive theme, which will be Mudita for May. Mudita is the practice of joy and gratitude, and an important way to cultivate balance in the mind. I will describe how to cultivate gladness, joy, and celebration for others and their good fortunes, as well as gratitude for your own blessings. But, first you'll hear about why we need such a deliberate way of practicing joy - because of the negativity bias that our brains evolved to help us survive dangers. We will also touch on some of...2022-04-2726 minMoved To Meditate PodcastLife and Practice Evolving Together (Part 2) with Mike deHilsterMike and I are back with Part 2 of our conversation about our paths of practicing yoga and meditation! This is the continuation Episode 29, where we shared some of our stories of music school, stress, and early yoga experiences. In today's episode, you'll hear about how we connected with our first meditation teacher, and how he made the practice seem accessible and relevant for us. We also laugh about Mike being a slightly-reluctant volunteer for my practice teaching during yoga teacher training, and how he came to like yoga despite that. He talks about developing his...2022-04-2031 minMoved To Meditate PodcastLabyrinth Walking Meditation with Peggy BurtIn this episode, we have a fascinating conversation with my friend, Peggy Burt. Peggy is a yoga teacher and labyrinth meditation facilitator, and here she'll be sharing her knowledge of this unique form of walking meditation. You'll hear how Peggy first experienced labyrinth meditation and had an unexpected "lightening bolt moment" with it. She talks about how the practice of walking the labyrinth helped her connect her love of movement (from her dance background) to yoga, and eventually meditating in stillness. We also cover: the history of the labyrinth, including the medieval Christian cathedrals...2022-04-061h 08Moved To Meditate PodcastLife and Practice Evolving Together (Part 1) with Mike deHilsterI have a special guest for today's episode...my husband, Mike deHilster! We decided to sit down and interview each other, and share a little about our story. Mike is part of the MTM team, and he also has his own relationship with mindfulness and movement practice. We talk about some of our life experiences here - from music school to working in the non-profit world and living in different regions of the US - and how yoga and meditation have woven throughout all of these activities in different ways. You'll hear about how we...2022-03-3044 minMoved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - CompassionIn today’s episode, I’m introducing the next Deeper Dive theme, which is Compassion. We’ll be focusing on compassion practices during the month of April, building on the Metta (loving-kindness) topic of March. Metta is the “baseline” of benevolence that we cultivate in practice, and compassion (Karuna) is how the benevolent heart opens when it comes into contact with suffering or struggle. Like with kindness, there are many ways to practice compassion in the real world, supported by formal meditation techniques designed to develop our capacity for care and awareness. In this episode, I’ll give...2022-03-2323 minMoved To Meditate PodcastSo You Think You Can't Meditate (Part 2) - Practicing with PainToday’s episode is the sequel to an earlier one called "So You Think You Can't Meditate, Part 1" (Episode 23), which covered some common obstacles to practice. Here in Part 2, I'm delving into the experience of pain and how it factors into meditation. Drawing from what I’ve learned from some of my meditation teachers who are more pain aware, and also from my yoga therapy training and experience working with students who have pain, I'll offer some perspective on how mindfulness can help with this challenge. We'll cover: the discomfort that is a normal part...2022-03-1625 minMoved To Meditate PodcastMetta Meditation, Part 2 - Phrases and NuancesToday's episode is a second look at this month's Deeper Dive theme of Metta, or loving-kindness practice. We'll go in more detail about the common practice of using Metta phrases, and cover some important nuances that can help you orient your intentions for the meditation. This builds on Episode 24, where we started with an overview of Metta practice - what it is, where it comes from, and some of the ways it's traditionally offered as an antidote to states like fear and anger/judgement. (So, you might want to start there if you're not familiar with this...2022-03-0932 minMoved To Meditate PodcastStress and Brain-Body Resilience with Jessica Patching-BunchMy guest today is Jessica Patching-Bunch (or JPB), a stress resilience coach with a background in neurodevelopment research. In this episode, we have a lot of fun unpacking the concept of stress and how to navigate it better. You'll hear why JPB left a career in academics and research to bring neuroscience-backed tools to the public, and her tips for filtering through the huge amounts of health information that we get from different sources. We talk about: What is exactly is stress, and is it always bad for us? How our beliefs about stress...2022-03-021h 12Moved To Meditate PodcastDeeper Dive - Metta (Lovingkindness)Today I'm introducing our next Deeper Dive theme of Metta (or lovingkindness), so this is a preview of the MTM theme for March. Like Equanimity, Metta is one of the heart-based wisdom qualities taught within the Buddhist Mindfulness tradition and also in the Yoga tradition. Metta (or Maitri, in Sanskrit) is usually translated as "lovingkindness," but you can also think of it as friendliness, goodwill, or benevolence. It's an attitude of mind that we can cultivate as our baseline way of responding to ourselves and to the world. In this episode, I talk about how...2022-02-2330 minMoved To Meditate PodcastSo You Think You Can't Meditate (Part 1)In this episode, I talk about common roadblocks to starting a mindfulness practice, especially expectations of “what counts” as meditation. This isn’t really me trying to convince you that you “should” meditate. Rather, I hope this episode might be helpful if you’re interested in meditating, but haven’t quite gained traction in your practice yet. We will cover some of the misconceptions about how to sit in meditation, and how the Buddhist texts talk about four main mindfulness postures (these might expand the possibilities for you!). We'll also talk about how long and how o...2022-02-1625 minMoved To Meditate PodcastRest, Joy, and Somatic Restorative Yoga with Melissa Smith-WilkinsonToday we have a heartfelt and inspiring conversation with Melissa Smith-Wilkinson, an expert Restorative Yoga teacher and the founder of Pranava Yoga Studio in Santa Fe, New Mexico. You'll hear how Melissa defines Restorative Yoga, and how this practice of rest and non-doing can refresh body and mind. Melissa weaves somatic movements into her teaching of Restorative Yoga, and we talk about how these gentle "developmental movements" can help prepare the body for long Restorative poses. She also describes how Restorative Yoga can offer us time and space to tend to the internal, emotional experience...2022-02-021h 02
SelfKind: Conversations in self-care, kindness and compassion for highly sensitive peopleEp 137: Moved to Meditate with Addie deHilsterToday I'm thrilled to welcome Addie deHilster to SelfKind!Addie is a Yoga Therapist, a Yoga teacher trainer, and a MindfulnessMeditation Facilitator who has a wonderful way of bridging the gap between a 'formal' practice and the ways this can inform our everyday lives. In our conversation we talk about:- How Addie's movement and meditation practices were borne from the need to cope with change and stress, and how this has supported Addie to incorporate movement and meditation as constant practices that support her life (rather than another thing that f...2022-01-261h 01