Jonni Pollard on Meditation and Mental Dexterity in a Time of Change

Vedic wisdom and meditation teacher Jonni Pollard reflects on today's growing wave of people seeking to create space and internal alignment in a noisy world. The co-founder of 1 Giant Mind explains to Christopher Michael why having a practice is more important than ever and how "internal reckonings" produce meaningful, reliable, and profound shifts in mindset and outcomes. "What's happening right now is a wonderful opportunity in the making for humanity to evolve," says Jonni. Creativity is rooted in authenticity that is accessible only when we are fully present to ourselves, and our purpose is in the now. In this episode, the master of mindfulness discusses the fractures generated by today's polarized social, political, and economic environment. How can we challenge ourselves to get engaged, reject disconnection, and focus on weaving together a more inclusive culture, reflecting our common energetic field and responsibility to one another?

Episode Highlights:

• What's Contemporary Now? Jonni's state of consciousness and the way he nurtures his relationship with what's happening in the present moment.
• The dismantling of ideas and expectations that have shrouded our responsibility to one another and the world at large.
• Today's psychology and neurology are inseparable from the mandate to open consciousness and shift away from denial.
• The great "What's next?": Pandemic disorientation has taught us that listening to our internal compasses is paramount.
• Attachment explained: Jonni contemplates universal intelligence, a vast spectrum of possibilities across one energetic field.
• Binary thinking: How rigid thought patterns entrap us in conflict and isolation.
• Consideration and self-reflection: the keys to open conversation and collaboration.
• Polarization manifests as fear of the "other," a gross misconception that falsely negates our fundamental oneness of being.
• Jonni weighs in on the burgeoning market for meditation in a society managing massive anxiety, depression, and constant stress on nervous systems.
• The relationship between meditation and creativity: When we restore and realign our minds and bodies, we see our true natures emerge and authentically flourish.
• Meditation shifts us from a hyper awareness of the external world to an inner experience that resonates more meaningfully, deeply, consistently, and reliably.
• Underlying the feelings that seem terrifying or stubborn is a place that is resolved, deeply aware, intelligent, confident, and powerful inside each of us.
• The call to action: If we're not fully engaged, we are susceptible to negative influences and ongoing disconnection. Meditation is a platform for taking ownership of—and reversing—this state of being.
• Transmuting stress: Sensations can bedevil us if we don't develop tools to witness, rather than identify with, them.
• Meditation opens up immense space and freedom to ride through anxiety and observe thought patterns without being engulfed by self-judgment or getting overwhelmed.
• What can a meditation practice yield? Agility through awareness and a deep understanding of priorities and values.
• Challenge yourself: Is what I'm doing coming genuinely creative, purposeful, or relevant? Or am I in survival mode, hustling to get by?

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