Do you ever feel as if you’re too busy to meditate, or that you’re simply not very good at it? This is something that so many people experience, yet today’s guest believes that this is ONLY because of a fundamental misunderstanding about what meditation really is.
Henry Shukman is an authorised Zen Master and Spiritual Director of the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Over the years, Henry has taught meditation at organisations including Google, Harvard Business School and the Esalen Institute, AND he is also the co-founder of ‘The Way’ meditation app, which offers a unique pathway of training designed to help people deepen their practice. Henry is ALSO an award-winning poet and the author of several books, including his latest ‘Original Love: The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening’, which explores meditation as a path to compassion, healing and presence.
In our conversation, we explore how meditation can reconnect us with kindness, compassion and a deeper sense of being alive, including:
Why meditation isn’t about achieving something new, but about rediscovering love – whether that’s compassion for ourselves, care for others or a deeper sense of connection with life itself
How even just five minutes each day can begin to calm the nervous system, ease stress and help us feel more present
Why kindness and compassion sit at the heart of health and happiness, and how practices like meditation help us embody them more fullyHenry’s personal story of living with severe eczema, and how meditation helped him transform both his physical health and his relationship with himself
The “four inns” of meditation – mindfulness, support, absorption and awakening – and how they offer a clear and practical roadmap for practice
Practical, accessible ways to bring meditation into life, from stacking it with other habits to finding moments of stillness amid a busy day
This episode is a great reminder that meditation isn’t about adding another chore to your list or trying to empty your mind of all thoughts. Many people find it difficult at first and assume they’re not cut out for it, but as Henry explains, there’s no such thing as a bad meditation – the only one that doesn’t count is the one you don’t do. It’s about pausing, being still and coming back to the peace and presence that are part of being human.
In a world that constantly pushes us to do more, Henry’s message is a reassuring one: that peace, kindness and love are not rewards to be earned, but parts of who we already are. Reading Henry’s most recent book had a profound impact on me, and I hope that this conversation brings you some of the same insight and inspiration.
I hope you enjoy listening.
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Actionable Insights
1. Start with One Minute of Stillness
If five minutes of meditation feels overwhelming, commit to just one minute a day of being still and quiet, as the goal is simply to begin coming home to yourself.
2. Decide Once, Act Daily
Make a firm, upfront decision to meditate daily for a set period (e.g., a month) to eliminate repeated decision-making and treat it like an automatic habit such as brushing your teeth.
3. Consistency Trumps Duration
Prioritize daily meditation, even for just five minutes, as consistent short practices are far more effective than infrequent longer sessions for lasting benefits.
4. Prioritize Five Minutes for Self
Dedicate just five minutes each day solely for yourself, viewing it as personal time rather than another chore, as everyone can find this brief period for self-connection.
5. Establish Regular Meditation Time
Choose a consistent time for your daily meditation, such as mornings, after a shower, at dusk, or before bed, to help establish it as a regular routine.
6. Habit Stack Meditation
Integrate meditation into your daily routine by stacking it with an existing activity, such as after a shower, before breakfast, or while waiting for the kettle to boil.
7. Cultivate Inner Stillness & Awareness
Practice being still and quiet with yourself, becoming aware of your internal and external environment, to open up a state of peace, calm, and presence.
8. Observe Internal States
Utilize meditation to notice and check in with your internal experiences, such as agitation or frustration, which helps you recognize them rather than being dominated or acting them out.
9. Process Life Through Consistent Meditation
Engage in consistent meditation to allow your mind to process and release daily and past experiences, preventing accumulation of unprocessed thoughts and fostering deeper calm and clarity.
10. Nap When Sleepy During Meditation
If you become sleepy during meditation, take a nap and count it as part of your practice, as this indicates your body needs rest and is a valuable insight from checking in with yourself.
Connect with a community or individuals who also meditate, as this support can significantly enhance motivation and adherence to your practice, preventing isolation.
12. Connect with Fellow Meditators
Reach out to a friend who also meditates or join a group (in-person or remotely) to share the experience, as this connection fosters motivation and makes the practice more sustainable.
13. Reach Out When You Least Want To
Practice reaching out for help, especially when you feel resistant or ashamed, as this vulnerability is crucial for overcoming challenges and receiving necessary support.
14. Add Stillness to Solitude
If you already practice solitude through activities like walking or journaling, incorporate five minutes of complete stillness to simply ‘be,’ allowing internal commotion to settle.
15. Connect with Being Alive
Use meditation to pause from constant ‘doing’ and recognize the profound gift of being alive and aware, fostering a deeper connection to your existence.
16. Embody Kindness & Compassion
Cultivate kindness and compassion, as they are fundamental to health and happiness, and meditation can help you embody these qualities more fully.
17. Find What You Need in Any Moment
Actively seek out beauty or what you need in any given moment, even during difficult times, as this shift in perspective can profoundly change your experience of challenging situations.
18. Recall Effortless Well-being
Reflect on past moments of effortless well-being and understand that consistent meditation, through ’non-activity,’ can attract similar states of calm, clarity, and fulfillment.
19. Discover Unconditional Well-being
Explore the concept of unconditional well-being, questioning the sole reliance on external material conditions for happiness, to discover an inherent ‘okayness’ that exists regardless of circumstances.
20. Diminish Fear Through Interconnectedness
Engage in deep meditative practices to diminish fear, including the fear of death, by recognizing your interconnectedness with all existence, leading to profound peace and acceptance.