Training your mind to “zoom back”

Feeling bewildered or down? You're not alone; this is a tough time of year. (Did you know that "Blue Monday," the day traditionally considered the most depressing of the year, happened this week?) Meditation, though, can be a help. In his Shambhala Sun article "Shamatha Meditation: Training the Mind," Sakyong Mipham — who wrote "Joined at the Heart," from our current issue, addresses how. A sample:

The process of undoing bewilderment is based on cultivating the ability to become familiar with, stabilize, and strengthen our mind. Being aware and observant of what's happening in our mind gives us an opportunity to see a more profound level of truth all the time. In the practice of meditation, we learn to zoom back and get a bigger perspective, rather than always thinking so small.

For more on how this fundamental practice, as well as a link to some of the Shambhala Sun's best articles on How to Meditate, click here and read Shamatha Meditation: Training the Mind.

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