I can honestly say that Jeff has helped me survive these last few years. His short and very real and honest meditations on the Daily Trip gave me an anchor and a way to cope with very difficult things happening in my life. Thank you
I also wanted to mention same as some others that my very active mind, has a hard time focusing on just one home base at a time. When Jeff says: “ It could be your breath, or the sound of a fan, or the tingling in your fingers....” , I end up kinda focusing on all 3. Or I switch during a meditation . And then my mind wonders if I’m failing the meditation... ha it’s a conundrum 🙈
Hey Simone! You seem to have a brain like mine. There’s a few ways of working with the situation. One is to send yourself tons of love, no matter what’s happening anyway, because that’s a great practice. Another is to do your best to commit to one home base, knowing that others will be distracting you in the background, and you just come back. You come back again and again. Some people have a more naturally wide attentional field as a default, they have a harder time getting one pointed. In that case you can do a kind of noticing of everything: sound, feeling, site. My old teacher Shinzen has a great practice called see here, feel that’s about that. And you can also let yourself wander. I’m gonna have a meditation about this soon. It’s kind of designed for the ADHD brain (not saying that you have ADHD!) but it tries to make wandering. OK. Certain kinds of brains like to wander, it’s good for them. So we work with that.
Hope some of that helps! Thanks so much for being part of the community, this is so fun. Although I don’t really know how many times I’m gonna be able to respond to comments cause there’s probably gonna be lots of them with questions about meditation! It’s a good thing Lilli is in here too.
Thank you so much Jeff. Your response does help and it gives me a tool to try to get some focus. You mentioned that I have a brain like yours and you mentioned ADHD. I’ve never been diagnosed but believe I do have it, because my brain is ALWAYS firing in all directions. I look forward to hearing the meditation on this when it comes out. Thanks again 💕
I so relate to this, Simone. Personally, I have chosen the rise of my belly as my home base because I can't always notice my breath anywhere else. Quite often I think "ooh, X could make a good homebase" and flit around for a bit but usually am able to come back to the belly. If I try to choose another homebase I can find myself caught up in indecision. But mostly I try to give myself a pat on the back for doing any meditation at all. Jeff's kind and humourous guidance on Calm has been game changing.
Thanks for your insights, Jeff. Attention is something we all have trouble with in this culture. Especially with social media and the 24-hour news cycle, we’re all functionally suffering from ADHD, and have trouble focusing.
Oh how I missed Jeff’s meditations. I have been religiously listening to him on Calm. But when the sleep stories didn’t put me to sleep anymore and got let go from my job, and got diagnosed with MS, 2021 was not a great year. And I had to cut a lot of costs out of my life. Calm was one of them. So thank you Jeff for including the people who are only on one income. I was so glad to hear your voice again. I’m home again.
I’ve followed you since I did your intro series on the calm app (multiple times, it was that good). You say things in a way that helps me get it. I wonder have you ever been indecisive on your home base? Your comment about judging it and how it doesn’t matter helped during the meditation.
Such a good question Christina! I can say on behalf of Jeff - and nearly every other meditator lol - that yes, he has been indecisive about his home base. That is natural. The key is to notice that indecisiveness, allow it to be there and then pick one anyway! So glad you are a part of this community.
It’s been over a year since embarking on this journey with you and it’s been transformative! Thank you very much for always keeping things simple, relative and honest. Your consist reminders on equanimity and the power of a home base have really been the cornerstone of building my meditation practice. It’s a work-in-progress every day, yet the power of home-base gives us some ease and comfort that we can infuse into so many things we do! Mitzue ( Sarasota, Fl)
Thanks Jeff and hello Lilli! I'm so excited about this new way of connecting. I really needed this right now and more Jeff is always better. Peace everyone!
Thanks Linda! Nice to see you in here. For anyone in the DC area with little kids, Linda‘s Peace in Mind mindfulness curriculum is amazing. She’s been doing this for like 20 years or something?
I ask myself am I aware? Along I go. Whoops what's for dinner? Dang that's a shooting pain. Realize ask myself am I aware and go again. Or maybe my dog's quiet sleeping breathing.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Jeff. I’ve struggled with mood regulation due to mental health over the years and with the help of your daily trips on Calm I found meditation. Meditation has helped center me, for lack of a better phrase, and has allowed me the space to say that being myself is okay. It’s been three or so years since then and my life has grown so much as I’ve practiced. New challenges have made the seas rough at times, but your work has helped equip me with my little meditation dinghy where I can ride the waves in peace. I wouldn’t be where I am today without your work. I’m not always sure if I’m implementing it right (is petting my dog and feeling her fur really a home base?), but I figure a little flexibility goes a long way 🤷♂️. Thanks for all you do and I’m excited to be a part of the community and to see where this journey goes.
Kevin, you are doing it right because there is truly no way to do it wrong! Flexibility is another way to talk about equanimity, which is simply a beautiful way of caring for yourself. So good job friend- and thank you for your practice. ☺️
I can honestly say that Jeff has helped me survive these last few years. His short and very real and honest meditations on the Daily Trip gave me an anchor and a way to cope with very difficult things happening in my life. Thank you
I also wanted to mention same as some others that my very active mind, has a hard time focusing on just one home base at a time. When Jeff says: “ It could be your breath, or the sound of a fan, or the tingling in your fingers....” , I end up kinda focusing on all 3. Or I switch during a meditation . And then my mind wonders if I’m failing the meditation... ha it’s a conundrum 🙈
Hey Simone! You seem to have a brain like mine. There’s a few ways of working with the situation. One is to send yourself tons of love, no matter what’s happening anyway, because that’s a great practice. Another is to do your best to commit to one home base, knowing that others will be distracting you in the background, and you just come back. You come back again and again. Some people have a more naturally wide attentional field as a default, they have a harder time getting one pointed. In that case you can do a kind of noticing of everything: sound, feeling, site. My old teacher Shinzen has a great practice called see here, feel that’s about that. And you can also let yourself wander. I’m gonna have a meditation about this soon. It’s kind of designed for the ADHD brain (not saying that you have ADHD!) but it tries to make wandering. OK. Certain kinds of brains like to wander, it’s good for them. So we work with that.
Hope some of that helps! Thanks so much for being part of the community, this is so fun. Although I don’t really know how many times I’m gonna be able to respond to comments cause there’s probably gonna be lots of them with questions about meditation! It’s a good thing Lilli is in here too.
Thank you so much Jeff. Your response does help and it gives me a tool to try to get some focus. You mentioned that I have a brain like yours and you mentioned ADHD. I’ve never been diagnosed but believe I do have it, because my brain is ALWAYS firing in all directions. I look forward to hearing the meditation on this when it comes out. Thanks again 💕
I so relate to this, Simone. Personally, I have chosen the rise of my belly as my home base because I can't always notice my breath anywhere else. Quite often I think "ooh, X could make a good homebase" and flit around for a bit but usually am able to come back to the belly. If I try to choose another homebase I can find myself caught up in indecision. But mostly I try to give myself a pat on the back for doing any meditation at all. Jeff's kind and humourous guidance on Calm has been game changing.
Thank you Jeff and team. 🥰
Thanks for your insights, Jeff. Attention is something we all have trouble with in this culture. Especially with social media and the 24-hour news cycle, we’re all functionally suffering from ADHD, and have trouble focusing.
You are not alone Simone! It's really not a conundrum, I promise. It just is. You are kicking ass. : ) So glad you're here!!
Thank you for the welcome, your comment and all your hard work in getting this support out there. Much appreciated 💕
Oh how I missed Jeff’s meditations. I have been religiously listening to him on Calm. But when the sleep stories didn’t put me to sleep anymore and got let go from my job, and got diagnosed with MS, 2021 was not a great year. And I had to cut a lot of costs out of my life. Calm was one of them. So thank you Jeff for including the people who are only on one income. I was so glad to hear your voice again. I’m home again.
We’re thrilled you are here, Jenny
I’ve followed you since I did your intro series on the calm app (multiple times, it was that good). You say things in a way that helps me get it. I wonder have you ever been indecisive on your home base? Your comment about judging it and how it doesn’t matter helped during the meditation.
Such a good question Christina! I can say on behalf of Jeff - and nearly every other meditator lol - that yes, he has been indecisive about his home base. That is natural. The key is to notice that indecisiveness, allow it to be there and then pick one anyway! So glad you are a part of this community.
rock on! this is so great. thank you, Jeff & Lilli & all you rad humans supporting this ❤️
So happy to see you here Brooke!
Thank you for this meditation! Sat with my son, he rarely sits for long but always responds well to Jeff’s voice!
Great to be here ...it’s like coming home 🙏🏼
It’s been over a year since embarking on this journey with you and it’s been transformative! Thank you very much for always keeping things simple, relative and honest. Your consist reminders on equanimity and the power of a home base have really been the cornerstone of building my meditation practice. It’s a work-in-progress every day, yet the power of home-base gives us some ease and comfort that we can infuse into so many things we do! Mitzue ( Sarasota, Fl)
Thanks Jeff and hello Lilli! I'm so excited about this new way of connecting. I really needed this right now and more Jeff is always better. Peace everyone!
Thanks Linda! Nice to see you in here. For anyone in the DC area with little kids, Linda‘s Peace in Mind mindfulness curriculum is amazing. She’s been doing this for like 20 years or something?
Thanks Jeff! And it’s not just for DC - Peace of Mind is national. ☺️
Linda!!! Lovely to see your name here. Please let me know if there are other great Substacks you think Jeff would like. I hope you're well!
Fab. Thanks Jeff. I chose noise for my homebase. Interesting to really pay attention to the kitchen sounds, my tummy rumbling and the storm outside.
Such a nice share Becky. I always forget about using noises! Welcome to the community. : )
Thank you! I signed up to Substack after Jeff sent the email a few days ago. I’m a fan girl!
Do good to connect with you here. I loved your meditations on ten percent and look forward to new ones here. Thank you for all you have done for me.🙏
Welcome Chris! We are thrilled you are here too.
Duh , typo. Should have said “so good to connect”
Fantastic! What a wonderful start to "Homebase". Thank you Jeff and everyone else making this possible.
So glad you'll be joining us, Jean!
I ask myself am I aware? Along I go. Whoops what's for dinner? Dang that's a shooting pain. Realize ask myself am I aware and go again. Or maybe my dog's quiet sleeping breathing.
Ha! What an excellent description of the wilds of the mind. Glad you are here Isaac!
Thank you so much for sharing this, Jeff. I’ve struggled with mood regulation due to mental health over the years and with the help of your daily trips on Calm I found meditation. Meditation has helped center me, for lack of a better phrase, and has allowed me the space to say that being myself is okay. It’s been three or so years since then and my life has grown so much as I’ve practiced. New challenges have made the seas rough at times, but your work has helped equip me with my little meditation dinghy where I can ride the waves in peace. I wouldn’t be where I am today without your work. I’m not always sure if I’m implementing it right (is petting my dog and feeling her fur really a home base?), but I figure a little flexibility goes a long way 🤷♂️. Thanks for all you do and I’m excited to be a part of the community and to see where this journey goes.
Rough seas for the meditation dinghy! I’ve been there brother. I’m glad you’re here. Dog fur is a superb homebase. Bi-directional love!
Kevin, you are doing it right because there is truly no way to do it wrong! Flexibility is another way to talk about equanimity, which is simply a beautiful way of caring for yourself. So good job friend- and thank you for your practice. ☺️
Thanks Jeff! Grateful for home base and I’m excited to be here.
Goodness. It feels very good to be back, to sit with Jeff again. I’ve missed this more than I realized. Looking forward to this continuing. ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪
Hey gang! Hey Lilli!!! So glad you are keeping things flowing! You rock! Super psyched to be here.
Jules!! So happy to see you here in cyberspace. ps - my son and I have now been to Level 99 TWICE. Officially obsessed.
Hahha that’s awesome. Dana and I went back in September. Totally worth going again but I still prefer Boda Borg.