Why practice mindfulness if it isn’t going to guarantee sleep, remove anxiety, and be a fast track to weight loss? Teacher Elaine Smookler explores the disappointment we face when we look to a mindfulness practice to help us escape the human experience, rather than building the capacity to welcome whatever comes and goes as a teacher. Read More 
Mellow Elephant founder and former English teacher Billy Rosenbeck shares how he became a champion of meditation, found work in prisons and package stores, and made a movie along the way. Read More
September’s Teacher of the Month Mark Bertin offers a reflection on why we practice at all, and how our commitment to staying present has a ripple effect on our whole lives. Read More
As mindfulness practices have gained popularity, a subtle shift has occurred around how we view these techniques and what we expect of them. Writer Angela Stubbs examines what she calls "the wellness trap" and asks: Have we lost sight of the original intent of mindfulness? And do we miss out on the true potency of this practice when we start to demand too much of it? Read More
Much of our perception of what “works” in therapy is intimately linked to our cultural ideas of language, trust, and safety. Psychotherapist and human rights clinician Azadeh Afsahi examines the Western framework of suffering and restoration—and the need to reimagine mental health care for non-Western patients. Read More
Father’s Day offers an opportunity to consider how we understand, represent, and talk about dads as caregivers. This Father’s Day, Liza Ruggiero considers how gardening can reinforce the essential role dads play as nurturers, while cultivating patience, attention, and connection. Read More
When people hear the term “sobriety,” they often assume it’s just about stopping an addictive behavior. But as recovery coach Stephanie Hazard observes, sobriety is a practice that extends to every area of our lives, including our emotions—and can hold the key to long-term healing. Read More
Guilt and shame are two of the most painful emotions—and yet, as much as we might like them to, they don’t seem to be going away. Mindful founding editor Barry Boyce looks at these troublesome companions, and what it might mean to live more peacefully with them. Read More
Aging and death are inevitable. And while we know this intellectually, it is difficult to accept this particularly in a youth adoring culture. Teacher Patricia Rockman explores vanity and this tender, confusing, frustrating journey with our bodies, our attachment to the delusion of youth, and our halting interior growth towards acceptance. Read More
When we practice present-moment awareness, we can savor each moment, make time feel like it’s passing slower, and get in touch with the fundamental wonder of being alive. Read More
