When starting meditation, many of us judge our practice based on how good or bad it feels in the moment. Joseph Goldstein, vipassana meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, has some wise words to offer on this:

"Our progress in meditation does not depend on the measure of pleasure or pain in our experience. Rather, the quality of our practice has to do with how open we are to whatever is there."

So today when you meditate, remember that a sign of a good meditation is simply that you were able to be aware of whatever was present – whether positive, negative or neutral. Over time, this builds your self awareness and is a vehicle to greater wisdom and clarity in life.

Mindfulness is a skill we can develop through meditation, but we can also strengthen our capacity to be more present by consciously bringing our attention to the body.

Today, check in with your body a few times throughout the day, and pay particular attention to any unnecessary tension you’re holding (particularly around the shoulders and neck).  Actively relax and release it. If you like, set an alarm on your phone to remind you to do this at three separate times in your day.

If you are participating in our Facebook community, share your observations from today’s interview and let us know if you've meditated today. What was your biggest takeaway from today's interview with Jon Kabat-Zinn? One of my favourite quotes from his interview is:

“What we really need is a to-be list, not a to-do list.”

When sharing a post on Facebook or Instagram, use the hashtag #mindfulinmay so we can find you!

If you’re not on social media, perhaps you have a meditation buddy you can chat with about what you learned today, or write it down in your journal. We help lessons settle in deeper when we articulate them.