Hi Jeff, I am a lifetime member of calm. This is where I found you. And I follow you around from app to app because I find you to be so incredibly real. Many times after a Calm meditation I wish there was some way to comment but there isn’t. So I am commenting here. Thank you for being who you are. You are truly unique.
I too found you here after a long while of building a basic practice on Calm. I’m grateful to have discovered this community and definitely intend to set down roots. /polly
Ditto what Shelly said. My meditation practice has stuck because of the happy coincidence of giving Calm "one last try" after many failed attempts, and someone recommending the 10% happier book to me when I was halfway through your 30 days of mindfulness course on that app. Those events and their surrounding causes and conditions have made me a better person, and enable me to continue doing the work that I do (in social change space) without burning myself out. Thank you 🙏
Very nice to meet you here Jules, I’m happy my meditations have been so supportive, particularly given the work you do. Thank you for that too by the way!
Thanks Jeff. The balance you spoke of at the end between acknowledging the transience of a mind state but also honouring it as real thing is a very apt issue for me right now. My wife passed away three weeks ago and the feeling of loss and all the other mental and emotional storms going on in my head are obviously painfully real, and yet I do know that I have to, with gentleness, try to not excessively identify with them. I know that all is unfolding, all is impermanent. My key word all day long is patience. But given all the calls, Zooms, emails, etc., I tell the same story over and over... and so can slip into too much identification. It's really hard, but your thoughts today are good reminders and can maybe point me in a helpful direction.
Eric I’m so sorry for your loss, my friend, can’t imagine. Gentleness and patience are good words. I’m glad you have your practice and it’s good you’re here.
Thank you Jeff for reaching out. You are a daily companion for me via Calm and in this space, and I hope to start joining some of your other communities as time goes along.
Thank you Lea, even though others have said I'm not alone - and rationally I know that - it's always good to hear it said again. I do consciously work at staying open, I realize how important that is, thank you for reinforcing it. Blessings, Eric in Canada 🙏🏻
Thank you Jeff. It’s liberating to consider a passing thought merely as a mind state — letting go of the Cartesian ‘I think, therefore… ’ and being more open to ‘I am’.
Of course, my mind was busy thinking as I listened, but after a while my attention shifted and I noticed the warmth of the sun streaming into the room and the brilliant colors I experienced behind closed eyes. It suggests that the words we use to label experiences profoundly shape what we experience: Mind state vs. just a mind state.
I’m always grateful for what you offer this community. 🙏
The “just” is a particularly important qualifier for me. Holding that without being, you know, too disparaging of them either. that seems to be the line. Always great to read your words Tamar.
I listened to this meditation once again. This time I was thinking (!) of the paradox that arises when we briefly let go of a thought (just a
mind-state) while acknowledging that at times our thoughts have something meaningful to tell us.
What I want to try during unguided meditations is to acknowledge the thoughts in the stream and then let them go, with the understanding that they may surface at some other time when I have more space to consider them. Basically — let them go because they are ‘just a mind-state’ and disruptive in that moment, but trust that if I need them, they are still there.
As I've gotten older, I've noticed that "mind states," otherwise known as thoughts, disappear pretty fast. It's kind of alarming at first since you think it's the first sign of Alzheimer's and you frantically try to recover these little lost nuggets that might be wisdom, or just information. I sometimes kind of panic when I can't remember the name of somebody who wrote a story that I liked in The New Yorker! That's how ridiculous it is.
But maybe it's not cognitive decline. Maybe it's taking out the trash (not that great writers are trash, but why do you need to always remember their name? The internet is there for you.). Maybe as you get older your hard drive fills up so to speak. You have to delete something! Or maybe it's nature's way of teaching you to be less attached to your amazing thoughts. Anyway, over time I've been panicking less about losing information and thoughts rather quickly.
You younger folk have this to look forward to: if you have trouble not identifying with your thoughts, don't worry, pretty soon they will just abandon YOU.
Ha! love this so much, Shannon. I’ve actually heard this quite a bit from older folks. I think letting go is part of ageing gracefully, and it is a kind of unfixating from our thinking and more broadly our self-importance. My theory is meditation accelerates the aging gracefully gradient so we can get some of that in the prime of life too
Ah. Mindstates. I have a few that are swirling around right now. Demanding attention. Sounding super convincing. Repeating over and over and over. I even had to adjust the meditation, and instead of saying, “just a mind state,” I said “it’s a mind state” so as not to diminish them. That’s what they needed. Truth—these particular mind states are in response to some pretty significant turmoil happening in my life right now. And based on other work I’m doing—to listen to myself, and appreciate my needs instead of constantly overmeriting someone else’s—I need to acknowledge them and not undermine them. So, the adjustment. They’re still mind states. And as you noted, still part of who we are. So, I’m paying attention to them but working on not following them across the block or down the drain. Thank you for the practice. It is timely.
Beautiful Melissa, and I so appreciate your adjustment. Our mind states are often telling us a lot of very important things! Wishing you much equanimity and self compassion as you navigate the turmoil, friend
Hi Melissa I love this community of shared experiences it's early morning on Monday 15 December here in New South Wales Australia and while the morning is quiet my mind is loud but reading your comment helps me not feel so alone stay open it's refreshing merry Christmas love Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷
Melissa, Love what you wrote--to pay attention to our thoughts, but "not follow them across the block or down the drain." I am trying to reframe my approach as well. Acknowledge / notice the thought in the stream, but let it go in the moment and trust that it will be there if I need it.
“Thank you, mind state!” You’re like a flower that bloomed through my head, and then curled back into the ground of awareness, and then bloomed again. How delightful to watch you bloom and compost, bloom and compost. Even this flower, which smells like a durian fruit and keeps belching sticky resin into my face.
“Thank you, mind state. You are an inevitable part of what I walk around inside. I will try to notice and appreciate your particular hue, and try not to have an agenda about the timing and duration of your visit.”
A little long for a post-it note, but may try just “Thank you, mind state” to capture the attitude.
Gosh what a wonderful group of writers in this community I am learning every day to keep writing and listening 🎧 keep up the beautiful words Carolyn they are heard all around the world love Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷💜🩵
Ooooh very nice. I have a durian fruit of a mind state visiting me at the moment, and I've been efforting really hard to manage it. But thanking it and observing its durian-ness has loosened its grip. :-)
This one was a little difficult for me today. I came into it with my mind swirling with ideas and thoughts relative to the hustle and bustle of the holidays and travel and everything that goes with it. I found it difficult to really settle in this time.
I feel that too, Stephanie! I've sat with this one a few times with the holiday busyness swirling in my mind. I'm grateful for the noting label "just a mind state" and trusting it's working on me even as the "everything that goes with it" seems to be winning the attention battle!
Thanks as always Big J .. some clever soul taught me about ‘Mind Space’ getting stuff out of your head and onto paper etc … to free up capacity and it works a treat add ‘Mind State’ to this and there is a wonderful consciousness to a lot of what we do .. thanks Buddy may the Weekend bring you pleasant states and much space my friend! 🙏🏼💚
I ve just found a kind of sanctuary from my at home loopy mind in a local coffee shop. The energy of others involving 0 commitment or obligation , a decent cookie with coffee, and your , yet again, your unique , smart, and kind , meditation offering relief- a horizon widening perspective - a loosening of the grip and at the same time honoring that “ grip”. Thank you - from my grateful heart/ mind state 😊🌿
Thank you Jeff I'm really struggling to meditate but reading this meditation really helped me settle I woke up in physical pain currently seeing a wonderful chiropractic clinic realigning a seriously damaged spine and nervous system I'm particularly sensitive so going through it woke at 4am to a gorgeous sky filled with stars and a beautiful moon I meditated for an hour before the sunrise and then listened to my favourite Spotify playlist and then your meditation thank you for always making me reflect before I start my day love to you and your family at Christmas looking forward to meditating with you in 2026 my friend xxxLea ❣️ aka MANIC Daze aka Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘
Hi Jeff, I am a lifetime member of calm. This is where I found you. And I follow you around from app to app because I find you to be so incredibly real. Many times after a Calm meditation I wish there was some way to comment but there isn’t. So I am commenting here. Thank you for being who you are. You are truly unique.
Shelley excellent to meet you. I’m glad you found your way to Substack. I plan to take root here for a while, like a turnip.
I too found you here after a long while of building a basic practice on Calm. I’m grateful to have discovered this community and definitely intend to set down roots. /polly
Ditto what Shelly said. My meditation practice has stuck because of the happy coincidence of giving Calm "one last try" after many failed attempts, and someone recommending the 10% happier book to me when I was halfway through your 30 days of mindfulness course on that app. Those events and their surrounding causes and conditions have made me a better person, and enable me to continue doing the work that I do (in social change space) without burning myself out. Thank you 🙏
Very nice to meet you here Jules, I’m happy my meditations have been so supportive, particularly given the work you do. Thank you for that too by the way!
Hi Jules I think there is a beautiful shift happening in the world I'm glad you gave calm one last try it brought you here xxxLea Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷
I too found you through Calm and was delighted to see you pop up here. I really connect with your style and delivery. Thanks for being here✨✨
Thanks Jeff. The balance you spoke of at the end between acknowledging the transience of a mind state but also honouring it as real thing is a very apt issue for me right now. My wife passed away three weeks ago and the feeling of loss and all the other mental and emotional storms going on in my head are obviously painfully real, and yet I do know that I have to, with gentleness, try to not excessively identify with them. I know that all is unfolding, all is impermanent. My key word all day long is patience. But given all the calls, Zooms, emails, etc., I tell the same story over and over... and so can slip into too much identification. It's really hard, but your thoughts today are good reminders and can maybe point me in a helpful direction.
Eric, sending condolences and peace as you navigate grief, mind states and all that goes with what you are experiencing.
Thank you kindly Joe.
Eric I’m so sorry for your loss, my friend, can’t imagine. Gentleness and patience are good words. I’m glad you have your practice and it’s good you’re here.
Thank you Jeff for reaching out. You are a daily companion for me via Calm and in this space, and I hope to start joining some of your other communities as time goes along.
Thoughts and support, Eric.
Thanks so much David.
Eric, thinking of you with tenderness at this difficult time in your life.
Thank you very much Tamar.
Hi Eric I lost my Mum 11 months ago grief is an ocean of emotion welcome to this space you are not alone stay open my friend xxxLea Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷
Thank you Lea, even though others have said I'm not alone - and rationally I know that - it's always good to hear it said again. I do consciously work at staying open, I realize how important that is, thank you for reinforcing it. Blessings, Eric in Canada 🙏🏻
Thank you Jeff. It’s liberating to consider a passing thought merely as a mind state — letting go of the Cartesian ‘I think, therefore… ’ and being more open to ‘I am’.
Of course, my mind was busy thinking as I listened, but after a while my attention shifted and I noticed the warmth of the sun streaming into the room and the brilliant colors I experienced behind closed eyes. It suggests that the words we use to label experiences profoundly shape what we experience: Mind state vs. just a mind state.
I’m always grateful for what you offer this community. 🙏
The “just” is a particularly important qualifier for me. Holding that without being, you know, too disparaging of them either. that seems to be the line. Always great to read your words Tamar.
I listened to this meditation once again. This time I was thinking (!) of the paradox that arises when we briefly let go of a thought (just a
mind-state) while acknowledging that at times our thoughts have something meaningful to tell us.
What I want to try during unguided meditations is to acknowledge the thoughts in the stream and then let them go, with the understanding that they may surface at some other time when I have more space to consider them. Basically — let them go because they are ‘just a mind-state’ and disruptive in that moment, but trust that if I need them, they are still there.
Man thanks @Jeff Warren
As I've gotten older, I've noticed that "mind states," otherwise known as thoughts, disappear pretty fast. It's kind of alarming at first since you think it's the first sign of Alzheimer's and you frantically try to recover these little lost nuggets that might be wisdom, or just information. I sometimes kind of panic when I can't remember the name of somebody who wrote a story that I liked in The New Yorker! That's how ridiculous it is.
But maybe it's not cognitive decline. Maybe it's taking out the trash (not that great writers are trash, but why do you need to always remember their name? The internet is there for you.). Maybe as you get older your hard drive fills up so to speak. You have to delete something! Or maybe it's nature's way of teaching you to be less attached to your amazing thoughts. Anyway, over time I've been panicking less about losing information and thoughts rather quickly.
You younger folk have this to look forward to: if you have trouble not identifying with your thoughts, don't worry, pretty soon they will just abandon YOU.
Ha! love this so much, Shannon. I’ve actually heard this quite a bit from older folks. I think letting go is part of ageing gracefully, and it is a kind of unfixating from our thinking and more broadly our self-importance. My theory is meditation accelerates the aging gracefully gradient so we can get some of that in the prime of life too
Ah. Mindstates. I have a few that are swirling around right now. Demanding attention. Sounding super convincing. Repeating over and over and over. I even had to adjust the meditation, and instead of saying, “just a mind state,” I said “it’s a mind state” so as not to diminish them. That’s what they needed. Truth—these particular mind states are in response to some pretty significant turmoil happening in my life right now. And based on other work I’m doing—to listen to myself, and appreciate my needs instead of constantly overmeriting someone else’s—I need to acknowledge them and not undermine them. So, the adjustment. They’re still mind states. And as you noted, still part of who we are. So, I’m paying attention to them but working on not following them across the block or down the drain. Thank you for the practice. It is timely.
Beautiful Melissa, and I so appreciate your adjustment. Our mind states are often telling us a lot of very important things! Wishing you much equanimity and self compassion as you navigate the turmoil, friend
🌪️
Thank you, Jeff. Always so appreciate this real space that you create here. And so appreciate you and your kindness and wisdom.
Hi Melissa I love this community of shared experiences it's early morning on Monday 15 December here in New South Wales Australia and while the morning is quiet my mind is loud but reading your comment helps me not feel so alone stay open it's refreshing merry Christmas love Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷
Thank you for this. It makes me feel not so alone too. Merry Christmas, Aussie friend!
Melissa, Love what you wrote--to pay attention to our thoughts, but "not follow them across the block or down the drain." I am trying to reframe my approach as well. Acknowledge / notice the thought in the stream, but let it go in the moment and trust that it will be there if I need it.
This is a beautiful offering 🙏:
“Thank you, mind state!” You’re like a flower that bloomed through my head, and then curled back into the ground of awareness, and then bloomed again. How delightful to watch you bloom and compost, bloom and compost. Even this flower, which smells like a durian fruit and keeps belching sticky resin into my face.
“Thank you, mind state. You are an inevitable part of what I walk around inside. I will try to notice and appreciate your particular hue, and try not to have an agenda about the timing and duration of your visit.”
A little long for a post-it note, but may try just “Thank you, mind state” to capture the attitude.
And love the durian reference 🤣
Gosh what a wonderful group of writers in this community I am learning every day to keep writing and listening 🎧 keep up the beautiful words Carolyn they are heard all around the world love Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘🩷💜🩵
Oh you are a sweetheart, Leanne. Right back at you 💜
😘
😂
Ooooh very nice. I have a durian fruit of a mind state visiting me at the moment, and I've been efforting really hard to manage it. But thanking it and observing its durian-ness has loosened its grip. :-)
😂
This one was a little difficult for me today. I came into it with my mind swirling with ideas and thoughts relative to the hustle and bustle of the holidays and travel and everything that goes with it. I found it difficult to really settle in this time.
I feel that too, Stephanie! I've sat with this one a few times with the holiday busyness swirling in my mind. I'm grateful for the noting label "just a mind state" and trusting it's working on me even as the "everything that goes with it" seems to be winning the attention battle!
“Just a mind state”. It’s such a helpful reminder. I’ve said it to myself three times in the last hour, lol.
You really need an industrial strength practice during the holidays, for all the stuff it brings up!
Thanks as always Big J .. some clever soul taught me about ‘Mind Space’ getting stuff out of your head and onto paper etc … to free up capacity and it works a treat add ‘Mind State’ to this and there is a wonderful consciousness to a lot of what we do .. thanks Buddy may the Weekend bring you pleasant states and much space my friend! 🙏🏼💚
You too Geoff!
Love it or maybe that’s just a mind state. Ha! I added it to my toolbox. From one neurodivergent to another. 🙏
I ve just found a kind of sanctuary from my at home loopy mind in a local coffee shop. The energy of others involving 0 commitment or obligation , a decent cookie with coffee, and your , yet again, your unique , smart, and kind , meditation offering relief- a horizon widening perspective - a loosening of the grip and at the same time honoring that “ grip”. Thank you - from my grateful heart/ mind state 😊🌿
You’re welcome, Kelley!
This was a great meditation for me today. Thank you. Also, love the library voice.
Damn. This was amazing. Thanks so much Jeff!
Thank you Jeff I'm really struggling to meditate but reading this meditation really helped me settle I woke up in physical pain currently seeing a wonderful chiropractic clinic realigning a seriously damaged spine and nervous system I'm particularly sensitive so going through it woke at 4am to a gorgeous sky filled with stars and a beautiful moon I meditated for an hour before the sunrise and then listened to my favourite Spotify playlist and then your meditation thank you for always making me reflect before I start my day love to you and your family at Christmas looking forward to meditating with you in 2026 my friend xxxLea ❣️ aka MANIC Daze aka Aussie Lea 🦘🦘🦘
Aussie Lea!! Always nice to ride your wave for a bit ❤️
I love this & find it helpful! Thank you.