Meditating doesn’t have to be a solitary pursuit. In fact, it’s not really supposed to be.
When the Buddha talked about the central pillars of his teachings, he listed three things:
The Buddha. This sounds immodest, to mention yourself as the first pillar, but I think what he’s really pointing to is the fact that it’s powerful to have an example of what is possible at the far reaches of the meditative path.
The Dharma. The teachings of the Buddha.
The Sangha. The community of fellow meditators.
Think about that. The Buddha was asked to list the three most important aspects of living a good life, and one of them is the community. And yet, how often do you meditate with other people?
I’m extremely lucky in this regard. Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to spend time with some amazing meditation teachers. I have seen firsthand how having friends on the path can accelerate my practice. As I often joke, hanging out with other meditators can have a carpool-lane effect.
Two of my favorites are Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren. They’re on the podcast today, (listen below—or wherever you get your podcasts) for one of our occasional Meditation Party episodes, which emerged out of a desire to make the practice less solitary. Today’s episode is a collection of the best exchanges from our most recent get-together, and I hope you enjoy it. Oh, and…we’re actually doing another one in October at the Omega Institute, which is north of New York City.
And today - Friday, September 13 - I’d like to invite you, our subscribers, to join Jeff and Seb and me in the chat at 2:30 PM EST. We will take your questions about what you find confusing or frustrating about meditation. Or anything else that comes to mind.
Below is today’s podcast cheatsheet. For each new podcast, subscribers will be able to access a summary of the key takeaways, timestamped highlights, and a full transcript. This week we are offering it to all subscribers, and next week it will become a paid subscriber benefit. If money is an issue, email us at free@danharris.com.
Episode Cheatsheet
The Big Takeaway
This episode features a discussion between meditation teachers Dan Harris, Sebene Selassie, and Jeff Warren on topics like overcoming anxiety, dealing with boredom in meditation, working with self-judgment, being less reactive, setting meditation goals, and tips for parents.
Mindful Moments: Navigating Life's Challenges Through Meditation
Toilet Vortex Escape Plan: Learn to recognize and break free from cycles of anxiety and negative self-talk
Boredom Busters: Strategies for when meditation feels monotonous or unproductive
Judge Not: Techniques for working with self-criticism and judgmental thoughts
Reactive Reset: Tools for responding rather than reacting in chaotic situations
Parent Zen: Practical meditation tips for busy parents of young children
Mindfulness in Action: Practical Tips for Daily Life
Ask "Is this useful?": Use this question to break cycles of rumination
Find your "islands of stability": Carve out short meditation sessions throughout the week
Ground in the body: Focus on physical sensations to stay present in challenging moments
Practice "surrender": Accept what you can't change in difficult situations
Make repairs: If you lose your cool, focus on reconnecting afterwards
Create rituals: Develop personal practices to process grief and difficult emotions
Jeff and Sebene emphasize that meditation is not about perfection, but about developing greater awareness and the ability to recover more quickly from difficult moments. They encourage finding a meditation style that works for you and being patient with the process.
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Episode timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
02:54 - Banter between teachers
06:36 - Discussion on being present
14:38 - Audience Q&A begins
38:36 - Question on meditation for parents
48:09 - Question on grief and mourning
59:33 - Closing thoughts
Thanks! A while ago I wrote “is this useful“ and put it in my clear phone case so I see it when my phone is turned over.
It’s a great reminder to notice where my mind is wandering off to and checking in with myself.
Is this useful? 🥰
Greetings all from the UAE 🇦🇪. Making the adjustment to Substack (which I love-a regular user) and our new reality. Kinda feel like my parents divorced. As Dan said, new experiences and change…a guarantee. Question for the DH team, it may be difficult with time difference to sit in on live experiences. Will you be recording so I can community gathering after? Thanks and break a leg Dan. Big fan of the team