In the last five episodes, I’ve shared the ethical teachings of meditation. Traditionally, after learning these ethical teachings, often taught as ‘restraints’, we would then learn five more teachings known as ‘observances’. These next five teachings, known in Sanskrit as Niyamas, are principles that we observe within ourselves to develop a mindful way of moving through the world. These are in essence the guidance to Mindful Living.We start with one that feels very tricky to me… it is most often translated as purity. Personally, I have a very strong aversion to the word purity. I feel like all manner of dangerous judgments, othering, and oppression happens under the guise of purity. I also believe that it is far too easy to become extreme in our quest to become ‘pure’ (especially in the spiritual world) which hinders rather than helps us. However, when we dive into the teachings of this tenet, what we learn is that this teaching is about connecting to and enlivening our energy levels, and we do this by decluttering our minds, bodies, and physical spaces. So, let’s tap into our inner Marie Kondo and explore joy, energy and the mindfulness of decluttering. Ready? Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig. Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I use and love their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Use code MindfulMinute through 4/27/23 to save 10% on your own order at baronfig.com. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

When someone says to me, “would you like to have a conversation about nature, culture and the sacred?” - the answer is always YES, which is how this interview came to be. Today, I get to share a conversation with the dynamic author, leader and organizer, Nina Simons.Nina is the Co-founder and Chief Relationship Officer at Bioneers. Throughout her career spanning the nonprofit, social entrepreneurship, corporate, and philanthropic sectors, Nina has worked with nearly a thousand diverse women leaders across disciplines, race, class, age and orientation to create conditions for mutual learning, trust and leadership development. ​She authored Nature, Culture, and the Sacred: A Woman Listens for Leadership—which was released as a second edition in June 2022 with an accompanying discussion guide and embodied practices. The first edition won Gold Nautilus awards in the categories of women, intersectionality and social justice. Both books are being used to inspire and ignite learning in individuals, circles and classrooms. In this conversation, we talk aboutMeditation as the subtlest form of self-loveArchetypal feminine vs gendered feminine and why this is what is missing from our worldThe intertwining of the sacred and activismGenerational traumaThe overlapping crisis of our time - indigenous issues, racial equity, gender balance and the environmental crisisNina also references a documentary, The Burning Times, that changed the trajectory of her life. You can watch The Burning Times here: https://youtu.be/34ow_kNnoroLearn more about Nina and her work here: https://www.ninasimons.com/Learn more about Bioneers here: https://bioneers.org/Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Baronfig - Baronfig’s line of “Tools for Thinkers” includes guided journals, notebooks, writing instruments, bags, accessories, and so much more. As an avid journaler, I am obsessed with their guided meditation journal, dream journal and their basic Confidant notebooks! Get one for yourself at baronfig.com and use code MindfulMinute to save 10% on your order by April 27. Trust me, it’s worth it!Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

“Behind violence, dishonesty, stealing & indulgence lies one clear objective: gaining greater control over the objects of our desire and eliminating those with the potential to stand in our way. This phenomenon can be described in one word: possessiveness. We want to have enough to fulfill our desires and our desire knows no limit.” - Pandit Rajmani TigunaitThe final teaching in our ethics series is the tenet of non-possessiveness - also referred to as non-attachment or non-clinging in many teachings. This tenet is all about uncovering our desires so that our desires don’t become obsessions and our obsessions don’t possess us. Desires usually fall into one of 3 categories:FamilyMaterial wealthPower & fame Left unchecked, our desires keep us stuck. We can’t see other options, we can’t try something new, and we can’t enjoy life because we are too busy obsessing over what we can’t have or didn’t get. And these obsessions lead us to violate the previous ethical teachings of violence, truthfulness, non-stealing and non-excess.  Within our meditation practice, we can see our obsessive thoughts and desires, and we learn to cultivate the opposite thoughts. We name what we already have, what we love or enjoy. We say thank you. In short, the antidote to possessiveness is gratitude. Join me for today’s final installment of the Ethics of Meditation - we will discuss non-possessiveness and share in a 20-minute guided meditation. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

This is a big one, y’all. Non-excess is likely the ethical tenet that I teach most often {even if I don’t specifically say ‘non-excess’}... Often this teaching gets translated as abstinence or celibacy, and in certain monastic orders, it is indeed practiced in this way. Yet, when we look at the original teachings of this tenet, we discover non-excess is about establishing vitality and balancing the mind, body and energy. Author Deborah Adele translates the teachings of non-excess as meaning ‘to walk with god’ - to experience the sacred in the everyday. And, we quickly see that we cannot experience sanctity or vitality if we are overwhelmed in excess.Excess can show up in our food, our work, our entertainment, our possessions, even our spirituality.We are a people of excess. For many of us, we can get almost anything, usually delivered to our door the next day. And in many countries, we can throw it in a trash can and pay to have it picked up and dumped somewhere we are likely never to see or acknowledge because if we did, we would be horrified. The teaching of non-excess asks us to move slowly and employ restraint. Admire the sunrise, the sunset, the stars, the moon, the clouds and the birds. Take the time to eat food that is beautiful and nourishing, and to stop when you are just full enough. Put your phone down. Step away from technology. Go to bed early and get up early too. The deeper we go, the more we begin to understand non-excess as the ultimate pleasure principle. Being alive is not a mistake. We are alive, and we are meant to be awake for it, to enjoy it, and celebrate it. The key is that it isn't a bacchanalian free for all. Vitality and sanctity are brought forth through restraint, through limiting our excessive ways. Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we tease out the nuances of non-excess and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.Thank you to our sponsor, Bioneers. Be sure to check them out at conference.bioneers.org and use code NCS20 to save 20% on tickets to their upcoming 34th annual conference.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

The ethical tenet of non-stealing goes so much further than simply avoiding the physical act of theft. It prompts us to move fully into living a life of integrity and reciprocity. In this episode of The Mindful Minute, we delve into the myriad of ways we have absorbed the habit of stealing. We will reflect on how we steal from OthersThe EarthThe FutureOurselvesThe primary invitation of non-stealing is to shift our focus from others to ourselves. What an odd sentence to write... no, I didn't make a mistake. I really mean this - the invitation is to turn our attention towards ourselves and our actions. I love this focus because it is so counterintuitive to what we are taught to believe at a young age.  We are taught to put others first {but be the best}; stop focusing on yourself {but make sure you fit in}; don’t be selfish {but you can and should have it all}…As we explore the teachings of non-stealing, we see how these early implicit teachings trap us in a cycle of never enough; always chasing after what others have, and living in fear of what we don’t have and can’t get. Fear begets violence, and spoiler alert, we find ourselves lost in a world being destroyed by violence - to ourselves, to each other and to the earth.When we remember to honor ourselves within these ethical teachings, we live full, rich lives with integrity and reciprocity.Join me for today’s class as we explore the tenet of non-stealing and share in a 20-minute guided meditation. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

Carl Jung once wrote - “A lie would make no sense unless the truth was felt to be dangerous.”Within the traditions of meditation, there are five ethical teachings taught to all initiates as they begin their contemplative path. The first teaching {see the previous episode} is the tenet of non-violence, and we learned that violence is always accompanied by fear.The second tenet is truthfulness, and as Jung reminds us, the truth is often felt to be very scary. So the practice of truthfulness must be accompanied by the practice of non-violence. In today’s episode, we explore truthfulness by looking at:The little white lies that feel “nice” rather than real.How a sense of “should” and “should not” impacts our self-expressionWhat happens when we grow past the inherent boundaries of our groupsIn many ways, I find that meditation is an exercise in learning to tolerate the truth of ourselves. This is why for many, meditation can be DEEPLY uncomfortable at first. We get still and quiet; we hear our actual thoughts; and we feel the truth of our feelings. Insights we might work quite hard to ignore most of the time are now loud and insistent. The truth is not easy, and yet, it is wildly and vibrantly good for how you feel and engage with your day-to-day life. Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we embark on a discussion of truth and share in a guided, 20-minute meditation. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

With this episode, we begin a new journey together. We will spend the next 5 weeks exploring the Ethics of Meditation.I find it profoundly poignant that the ethical foundation of meditation is always taught first in Eastern practices and yet is so often saved for 'later' in Western teachings. I confess that I usually assume the ethical teachings are inherent within the practice and have not explicitly taught them in a class setting. Until now.This is a mistake on my part, and one I look forward to rectifying immediately! My hope is that this will be an insightful series that prompts reflection and curiosity about how these ethical teachings play out in your own life. The very first ethical foundation is non-violence. I believe there is no more immediate crisis in our lives than the crisis of violence. It is one that requires our unwavering attention and intention. As author Deborah Adele writes, “Non-violence asks us to step lightly, do no harm, and honor the relationship we have with the earth, with each other, and with ourselves.”The teachings of non-violence might seem easily understood on the surface but the subtle implications only continue to deepen as your meditation practice progresses.Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore the tenet of non-violence and share in a 20-minute guided meditation.Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

Over the last several years, Chanti Tacoronte Perez has taught me so much about exploring and relating to my dreams, and today, I get to share a conversation with Chanti all about dreams, the dark and the wisdom waiting for us there.Chanti is a Cuban-American creatrix, ritualist, and author; and she believes that images speak a profound language. Her life’s work is as a translator of the unseen and advocate for the imaginal. She holds a Masters in Engaged Humanities, a Masters in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and Chanti is currently working on her doctoral dissertation in Jungian Depth Psychology and Archetypal Studies program at the same institution. Her passion is to inspire you to rediscover your creative self by weaving the blessings with the wounds while honoring the land and the ancestors.In this episode, Chanti and I talk about:The difference between a symbol & a signWhat it means to dream journalWhat to do if you don’t remember your dreamsHow to work with your dreamsAnd, why you should throw out your dream interpretation books!This conversation is nowhere near comprehensive, but my hope is that it sparks a bit of curiosity and a willingness to start exploring your own dreams. Then you can join one of Chanti’s dream retreats; you’ll probably see me there!Download Chanti’s guide to dream journaling here: http://bit.ly/3IoXRt4Learn more about Chanti & her offerings here: https://www.yantrawisdom.com/Be sure to check out my newest offering: Elemental Awakening Retreat Series. Registration for this intimate, online gathering is now open and registration is limited to 20 students. Learn more here: https://www.merylarnett.com/elemental-awakeningSign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings, and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings. ~Wendell BerryI have a question for you - Do you equate peace with effort? Does it feel as though you must work to attain peacefulness? I think for many of us, it does feel this way - as though we are trying to get somewhere or attain something within this practice.The idea of enlightenment can easily feel as ‘trying to attain’ if we aren’t mindful. Let’s look at the story of the Buddha as an example - he tried EVERYTHING… All the practices, the harshest asceticism, but ultimately, what is it that worked?He sat all night under the Bodhi tree - open and receptive to all that Mara, the personification of temptation and distraction, threw at him.He didn’t attain anything; he remembered.I wonder what this does for you when you think about your practice being as simple as remembering who you really are and what you really already know. Does it invite you to lie back? To soften some? To simply linger, waiting, watching?In the last 3 episodes, we have been exploring endarkenment - the opposite, necessary component of meditative practice to balance enlightenment. The qualities we’ve explored to know the dark are:EmbodimentFierce compassion {as bravery, empowerment, clarity, authenticity, balance, fulfillment, wisdom or vision}And lastly: ReceptivityWe wait. We listen. We receive.Don’t chase the light. Remember you ARE the light.  Join me for this final episode in our Endarkenment series as we discuss receptivity and share a 20-minute guided meditation practice. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl

In this meditation series, we are exploring the Dark. Winter is, by its very nature, the darkest time of the year, and our meditation practice, so often taught as an opportunity to chase enlightenment, can also be an invitation to linger in and celebrate endarkenment (as Deborah Eden Tull has phrased it).The dark so often is associated with something scary, and yet it is really simply something quiet.The quiet is only scary when you think you might hear something you don’t want to hear.Stillness is uncomfortable because you might have to feel something you’ve been trying to ignore.I’ve come to think that meditation is only perceived as difficult because we are so hellbent on chasing the light. The moment we let go of that control, the moment we open up to the mysterious darkness is the moment our practice becomes easeful. The dark is not logical, linear or binary. It is all things messy, chaotic and unknown. The dark says courage, dear one. Trust your senses. Listen. Feel. And as we decide to linger in the darkness without rushing to turn on a light, we must be fiercely compassionate. This is not easy. There is a reason the winter months are difficult for many of us. A reason that SAD exists. Light is much needed for our survival, AND, we all know there can be too much of a good thing.Join me for today’s episode of The Mindful Minute as we explore how chasing the light shows up in our meditation practice {and in life!}, and what it means to be fiercely compassionate in the dark. Sign up for my newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dBYEUL to receive free mini meditations each month, creative musings, and more.Make a donation or learn more about my free offerings and live classes by visiting merylarnett.com.IG: @merylarnett #meditatewithmeryl