“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
With the week ahead of you, how do you want to show up to the challenges that this week brings? While some of the challenges we face come towards us from the outside, we all experience internal obstacles from time to time too. How do we meet both with grace and wisdom?
Looking at the week ahead, you might have an idea of some of the challenges you could expect. Create for yourself a picture of how you want to be able to show up, and take the time to rehearse it in your mind.
Our teacher for this week is Jon Kabat-Zinn but I also included reminders from Bankei Yotaku and Victor Frankl of how we might approach both outer and inner obstacles:
“Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each moment to be present; inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness, with the intention to embody as best we can an orientation of calmness, mindfulness, and equanimity right here and right now in this moment.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally – and your soul knows how to do this.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Don’t hate the arising of thoughts or try to stop the thoughts that do arise. Simply realize that our original mind, right from the start, is beyond thought, so that no matter what, you never get involved with all of the thinking. Illuminate original mind, and no other understanding is necessary.” – Zen Master Bankei Yotaku
John Kabat-Zinn calls it “soul” and Bankei Yotaku calls it “original mind”, but both point to something deeper within us that is beyond mere thought. Something that is at the core of what we came into this world with… the wisdom that gives us guidance.
Whether the stimulus we’re responding to comes from outside ourselves or within, it is when we’re trying to avoid it, hide from it, or get involved in a fight with it that we lose access to this higher wisdom.
Victor Frankl said it slightly differently:
“In between stimulus and response there is a space. In this space lies our choice, and in this space lies our freedom.” – Victor Frankl
We have the ability to grow this space when we set the intention of being mindful and present, no running, no hiding and also no fighting. Remind yourself to pause and take a few deep and slow breaths until your soul shows you what the next step is, because in this space we also find access to our wisdom.
Make it your goal this week to recognize when you need to take a step back and just breathe, before you take the next step forward.
To cultivate a more mindful approach to life, consider these guiding mantras:
- “I have the power to pause before I respond, creating space for wisdom to emerge.”
- “I trust the deeper wisdom within me to guide my actions when I take time to listen.”
- “Each challenge is an invitation to practice presence and discover my inner strength.”
- “I am free to choose my response, no matter what stimulus I encounter.”
By practising mindfulness, we can expand this space and cultivate the freedom to choose a wise and compassionate response. We can learn to pause, breathe, and connect with our inner wisdom before reacting impulsively. In doing so, we can transform our challenges into opportunities for growth and transformation.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Jumpstart the week!
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/9BjU3Rwbafg 2025
https://youtu.be/5zAekM388FM 2024
https://youtu.be/A1987o56_b0 2023
https://youtu.be/d7kvmWQKo3U 2021
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- “I have the power to pause before I respond, creating space for wisdom to emerge.”
- “I trust the deeper wisdom within me to guide my actions when I take time to listen.”
- “Each challenge is an invitation to practice presence and discover my inner strength.”
- “I am free to choose my response, no matter what stimulus I encounter.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
Rehearsing the Strongest version of YOU: Think about a specific challenge you’re facing this week, and take a moment to rehearse how you want to respond to it from wisdom. Describe in detail how your wisest, most centered self would approach this situation. What would you think, feel, and do? How would your body language and tone of voice reflect this centered state?
We really should embrace the practice of doing a mental rehearsal for everything that we need to deal with. The science on this is clear: when we close our eyes and mentally rehearse the moment before the moment happens, then we’re laying down the neural pathways that will help us deal with the moment when it arrives.
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
Q1: What exactly is mindfulness, and how is it different from just thinking about things?
A: Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and without judgment. Unlike regular thinking—which often involves analyzing the past, worrying about the future, or getting caught up in streams of thought—mindfulness is about observing what’s happening right now with full awareness. It’s less about thinking and more about witnessing, creating space between you and your thoughts so you can respond wisely rather than react automatically.
Q2: How can I expand the “space” between stimulus and response that Victor Frankl talks about?
A: The space grows through consistent practice. Start by noticing when you’re triggered—whether by an external event or an internal thought. In that moment, pause deliberately and take 3-5 slow, deep breaths. This simple act interrupts the automatic stimulus-response cycle and activates your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to access your deeper wisdom. The more you practice this pause, even in small moments, the more natural it becomes and the wider the space grows.
Q3: What if I can’t stop my thoughts from racing? Does that mean I’m bad at mindfulness?
A: Not at all. As Zen Master Bankei Yotaku teaches, the goal isn’t to stop thoughts from arising—that’s impossible and unnecessary. Thoughts will come; that’s what minds do. The practice is “to become less involved with all of the thinking.” Think of your thoughts like clouds passing through the sky of your awareness. You’re the sky, not the clouds. You don’t need to fight them, chase them away, or cling to them. Simply observe them passing.
Q4: How is practicing mindfulness different from avoiding problems or being passive?
A: Mindfulness is not about avoidance or passivity—it’s about responding rather than reacting. When you pause to breathe and connect with your deeper wisdom, you’re actually positioning yourself to take more effective action. The article emphasizes “no running, no hiding and also no fighting”—this means you fully face what’s happening without getting swept away by panic or aggression. This centered state allows for clearer perception and wiser action.
Q5: What does it mean to “rehearse” how I want to show up to challenges?
A: Mental rehearsal is a powerful practice backed by neuroscience. Before your week begins, visualize specific challenges you might face. Then imagine yourself responding with the qualities you want to embody—calm, clarity, compassion, courage. See yourself pausing, breathing, and choosing a wise response. This mental practice creates neural pathways that make it easier to actually respond this way when the real moment arrives.
Q6: Can mindfulness really help with both external and internal obstacles?
A: Yes, because mindfulness addresses your relationship to any experience, whether it originates outside or inside you. An external obstacle might be a difficult conversation or a work deadline; an internal one might be self-doubt or anxiety. In both cases, the practice is the same: meet the moment with full awareness, without trying to avoid it or fight against it. This creates access to your deeper wisdom, which can guide you through any challenge.
Q7: I’m interested in starting, but how do I begin incorporating mindfulness into my busy life?
A: Start with the micro-moments. You don’t need to meditate for hours. Begin by choosing one recurring daily activity—drinking your morning coffee, washing your hands, or walking to your car—and commit to doing it with full presence for just one week. Notice the sensations, the movements, the sounds. Then, as suggested in the article, practice the pause before responding: when you feel triggered this week, take just three slow breaths before acting. These small practices build the foundation for a mindful life.