About
I’m Alan, and I’ve done the whole meditate hard, intensive grit my teeth and bear it, will and force myself thing. I’m not against that. But over many years I’ve found that struggling against oneself to keep up a discipline is not the best way to make use of meditation and does not lead to either the best results nor to its true purpose. There is a far easier and far better way, but it doesn’t mean consistency and sincerity are unimportant. That is basically why I am here.I know there are many, many people out there who want to be present for their lives but find it easier said than done. Many people that want to establish a meditation practice but find themselves getting pulled in a million other directions all the time. Many who wish they had a teacher, or a group, or both, or some situation that would keep meditation more vividly present in their life. I know because I was one of these people. And that’s even with having half my meditating life spent with the very best influences possible.
My Story, the Short Version
I’ve been a meditator for about 25 years, with 8 of those years in Thailand, and some in Burma, India, and China. I have made the transition from traditional monastic and monastic-style practice to a normal everyday life where I am a father, husband, teacher, writer, and have all the busy responsibilities everyone else has. I’ve also been trained as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher (MBSR) at the U Mass Medical School in the program run by Jon Kabat-Zinn, as a teacher of mindfulness for children, and teach meditation-based courses at University of California, Davis.
The simple fact that I know–and you do too if you have meditated a little or a lot, and also you will know very soon, if you are new–is that:
The simple fact that I know–and you do too if you have meditated a little or a lot, and also you will know very soon, if you are new–is that:
” if we just remember a little more,
recall that being present for our life is valuable and important to us,
then we will come back to awareness often
and our life will feel better. “
If we have a way to connect to a constant stream of the right influence, it will bring attention home, and everything about meditation becomes easier and better, not to mention how much better our life is for it, and how much better for all those who come into contact with us.
Should You Be Meditating?
Probably, but it depends on what we mean by meditation, and if we stay open and curious about what meditation is and what it can be. Let’s look into this together! With this podcast and website, I want to provide a well-rounded exploration of meditation practice and above all one that is constant– you can always stay engaged through frequent guided meditations and inquires into spiritual questions and answers. One of the hardest things is just staying interested while all the busy hustle and bustle and so much points away from the heart of life.
I hope that this podcast can be the next best thing to living next door to a meditation center, or the same. And also like having a teacher. I hope the podcasts allow us to connect in a way that is just as good as if we were meeting regularly in person.
see you! Alan Also, please feel free to subscribe below to my newsletter below and get regular meditation advice and guided audios, as well as free access to my upcoming material as I make it.