5 Resources For Anyone Interested In Mindfulness

5 Mindfulness Resources Offering Insight and Guidance

Shamash Alidina Discusses Managing Stressful Situations

5 Rejuvenating Health and Wellness Escapes

Ananda Leeke on Digital Wellness

Helpful Books About Maintaining a Healthy Body & Mind

Buddhist Advice for the Heartbroken with Lodro Rinzler

In Depth

Mindfulness, which involves calmly focusing on the present moment, is a practice full of health and wellness benefits. An especially useful tool in our hectic modern world, it can help us cancel out distractions, reduce stress and anxiety, and be more responsive to our bodies. For those seeking accessible ways to improve their well-being, here are, in no particular order, some resources for the study and practice of mindfulness.

For #1 we have Shamash Alidina, the bestselling author of "Mindfulness For Dummies" and "The Mindful Way Through Stress." Passionate about teaching people to exist in the present moment in a conscious way, he offers classes, speaking engagements, trainings, and podcasts. He also co-founded the world's first Museum of Happiness in London, and runs a blog where he provides anxiety-management tips.

Alidina offers a variety of courses, including one-on-one sessions, intensive retreats, and an eight-week meditation program attendees can take online. There are also recorded on-demand summits, plus a free e-course ideal for mindfulness beginners. Those interested in becoming a Certified Mindfulness Teacher can enroll in an online training program, which combines self-paced learning, group calls, hands-on projects, and coaching.

Those interested in becoming a Certified Mindfulness Teacher can enroll in an online training program, which combines self-paced learning, group calls, hands-on projects, and coaching.

Coming in at #2 is the American Mindfulness Research Association, which serves as a professional resource for the sciences and humanities, practice communities, and the broader public. Its mission is to support empirical and conceptual efforts to establish an evidence base for the process, practice, and construct of mindfulness. AMRA also works to promote best standards for research and application in the field, and to facilitate dialogue and discovery.

Resources offered by AMRA include professional and affiliate membership and networks, monthly research bulletins, communication channels, and training and educational support. There's also a members-only scientific database of academic publication references, as well as publicly accessible lists of mindfulness measurement tools. Those interested in supporting AMRA's efforts and receiving its beneficial resources can submit a membership application on its website.

For #3 we get Ananda Leeke, an award-winning wellness professional, author, and artist. She discovered mindfulness and self-care when her careers as a lawyer, investment banker, and digital communications professional left her burnt out and unsatisfied. Today, she shares her expertise through writing, speaking, teaching, coaching, and art-making, with the aim of helping individuals and mission-driven organizations cultivate lasting wellness.

She discovered mindfulness and self-care when her careers as a lawyer, investment banker, and digital communications professional left her burnt out and unsatisfied.

The Chief Mindfulness Officer of her own wellness company, Leeke develops and implements trainings, tools, and practices that promote self-care in fun and accessible ways. Among her offerings is the Thriving Mindfully Academy, an online learning platform that provides personal and professional development resources. Additionally, Leeke produces and hosts a show on Eaton Radio, where she features the stories of everyday people who tap into wellness and creativity.

Arriving at #4 is Expectful. Designed for new and soon-to-be parents, this app offers an extensive library of guided meditations to help users through fertility, pregnancy, and parenthood. The app is structured around a series of meditations available in five, ten, and twenty-minute formats, with each one focused on a different moment or milestone along the reproductive journey. Listeners will also find short stories to aid their night's sleep.

All of Expectful's content is based on interviews with new and expectant parents, and is informed by the knowledge of licensed psychologists, hypnotherapists, and meditation experts. According to the company, meditation for conception has been shown to enhance fertility, reduce stress, balance hormones, strengthen relationships, and increase compassion. Results also include an improved child outcome, with fewer reported problems with infant self-regulation and negative affectivity.

All of Expectful's content is based on interviews with new and expectant parents, and is informed by the knowledge of licensed psychologists, hypnotherapists, and meditation experts.

Finally, for #5 we find Lodro Rinzler, an acclaimed author and teacher of meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He is the co-founder of MNDFL studios in New York City, and frequently speaks around the world at conferences, universities, and businesses, at places ranging from Google to the White House. On his website, Rinzler offers a library of published articles, guided meditations, and recorded talks.

Those who wish to go deeper can join Rinzler's online meditation community. Members are presented with daily guided meditation videos, bimonthly dharma talks, a monthly book club and social, various bonus materials, and a supportive group of fellow practitioners. For an optional add-on, members can also request one-on-one, private online mentoring sessions with Rinzler, and learn how to bring their practice into their daily lives.