Jan Fishler

Author and Happiness Coach

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Mindfulness & Meditation: What’s the Difference

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Meditation or Mindfulness? The difference between meditation and mindfulness is something many people confuse. It’s important to clarify the difference because both are beneficial for many of the same reasons. While the two practices are closely related, they are not the same, although many people do both for mental health, stress reduction, and personal growth.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a practice that involves focusing the mind, often to achieve a deep state of relaxation, awareness, or insight. There are many different types of meditation. Some more popular are focused attention, loving-kindness, and transcendental meditation. There’s also walking meditation, Vipassana, and yoga. You can also repeat mantras or relax and follow guided instructions. One of the simplest forms of meditation is mindfulness meditation. To practice, find a quiet place, sit comfortably, and focus on your breath or a specific sensation in your body. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your point of focus without judgment.

No matter what type of meditation you practice, meditation requires setting aside a specific time to practice, either sitting or lying down in a quiet space. If you’re new to meditation, choose a technique and try it for five to ten minutes. If you don’t like the thought of meditating alone, consider joining a group online or in your area. One option to consider is Mindful Leader. This online community offers drop-in meditation 24 hours/5 days a week.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the quality of being present and fully engaged in the current moment with an open, non-judgmental attitude. The advantage of mindfulness is that it can be cultivated in daily life—whether you’re eating, walking, or doing household chores—without needing a formal meditation session.

Mindful awareness can be integrated into any moment by simply bringing your full attention to what’s happening right now without judgment or distraction. Here are a few ways you can practice mindfulness in daily life:

  1. Focus on your breath: At any moment, whether you’re waiting in line or walking, pay attention to your breath, noticing the sensations of inhaling and exhaling. This can help ground you in the present.
  2. Notice your surroundings: Engage your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, or feel? Bringing awareness to your environment can shift your focus away from distractions and center you in the present moment.
  3. Body scan: Throughout the day, pause to check in with your body. Are there areas of tension? How does your body feel at this moment? Just observing without trying to change anything can help you stay present.
  4. Non-judgmental awareness: When you find yourself evaluating your experiences, try shifting to a more neutral stance. Instead of judging your thoughts or emotions, observe them as they arise and understand that they are temporary.
  5. Mindful movement: Whether walking, stretching, or doing an activity like washing dishes, try to engage fully in the task. Feel the movements in your body and the sensations involved, and stay present with the activity at hand.
  6. Mindful listening: When interacting with others, really listen. Pay attention to the words, the tone, the pauses, and even the body language. Being fully present in conversations allows for deeper connections and more clarity.

Mindfulness is all about intentionally bringing your focus to the present and reducing distractions, even for a few seconds. Over time, these small moments of mindful awareness can build up and integrate into your daily routine.

Differences and Similarities

There are three main differences between meditation and mindfulness.

  • Meditation is a structured, formal practice, while mindfulness is more of an ongoing state of awareness that can be practiced throughout the day.
  • Meditation usually has a specific goal (e.g., deepening awareness, relaxation, or insight), whereas mindfulness is about maintaining continuous, open attention to the present moment without any particular objective.
  • Meditation often requires a dedicated time commitment (e.g., 10-30 minutes), while mindfulness can be practiced in short bursts throughout the day, even while engaging in everyday tasks.

The two practices also complement one another. Meditation can serve as a training ground for mindfulness by helping individuals develop greater self-awareness and focus. The skills learned in meditation, such as focusing on the breath, can support mindfulness practices in daily life. Most importantly, both practices contribute to mental well-being. Many people practice meditation and mindfulness daily to increase peace of mind, clarity, and focus.

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Jan Fishler is a certified happiness coach and author. Her most recent books are Don’t Stop Now: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life and 52 Ways to Be Happy: from the inside out. You can learn more at www.JanFishler.net.

 

Filed Under: Writing Tips delete Tagged With: meditation, mindfulness

Ignited Women Weekend Retreat October 25-27, 2019

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A Weekend Retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Get quiet enough to listen to your inner wisdom at the Ignited Women Retreat at the Land of Medicine Buddha near Santa Cruz, CA from October 25-27 2019.

​Discover the tools for self-discovery and expression: QiGong, yoga, seated and walking meditation, guided imagery, journaling, and essential oils—all in the company of like-minded women.

​Hosted by Beth Nelson, yoga instructor/Life Purpose Clarity Coach for Midlife Women & Jan Fishler, co-author of Don’t Stop Now: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life.

​Single Rooms, Hiking Trails, Pool, Sauna, Vegetarian Meals.

This retreat is about connecting with our authentic selves to visualize and create whatever will bring more joy, love, wisdom, and laughter into your life.

Whatever you want to do, whatever you need to undo, there is time to make the second half of life, the best half. This weekend is just the beginning.

​Land of Medicine Buddha provides classes and space for group and personal retreats on forested property in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, just a mile and a half from Soquel Village, California.

Land of Medicine Buddha is a unique and sacred facility that provides Tibetan Buddhist teachings, retreats, healing, and space for others to bring their workshops. Everyone is welcome; you don’t need to be Buddhist to come for a visit. We are delighted to have use of this facility for our Ignited Women’s Weekend Retreat. Address: 5800 Prescott Road, Soquel, Ca 95073.

All participants pay a retreat registration fee of $399 plus housing and meals for 2 nights:
Pricing
Single Occupancy: $380 + $399 reg = $779
Double Occupancy: $288+$399 reg = $687
Triple room rate: $254+$399 reg fee = $653
Commuter rate: $164+$399 reg fee = $563
The non-refundable registration fee ($399) is due upon sign up with the room costs due by October 4, 2019.
Learn more

Register Now

Tagged With: essential oils, meditation, retreat, women, writing, yoga

Your Invitation to the Ignited Women Weekend Retreat

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Beth Nelson and Cassie with Jan Fishler, Alice and Toby

Your Invitation to the Ignited Women Weekend Retreat

Several months ago, my friend Beth and I went to a three-day women’s workshop in Santa Cruz. It was held at a large venue on the Boardwalk. About 500 women attended. While some women enjoy large crowds, I thought the event, which had grown exponentially over the past years, was just too big. Instead of being an opportunity to network and connect, it felt impersonal.

Beth and I cut out a day early and spent the remainder of the day hiking at the Land of Medicine Buddha. Amidst the redwood trees and beauty of nature, Beth and I talked about the kind of retreat we would have liked to attend.

A few years back, Beth left her corporate job as a Program Manager to become a yoga instructor, meditation teach, and founder of Ignited Women. Her business helps midlife women find clarity and renewed purpose. My recent book, Don’t Stop Now: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life,  targets the same demographic, so we always have a lot to talk about.

The Perfect Weekend

We walked and talked and visualized our perfect weekend… Small and intimate for sure. No more than 12-15 women. In a beautiful, inspiring location, somewhere in nature. With walking trails. And good, organic food. A pool and sauna. Comfortable accommodations. Not too expensive. Yoga and meditation. Writing or journaling with an art project. Time to talk and connect, really get to know other women. Massage. Free time to rest and unwind.

By the time we got back to the car, it was decided. We would host a weekend retreat for mid-life women. We just needed to find the right venue. After a week of researching venues in the Santa Cruz area, we came  full circle. Nothing was as good as the Land of Medicine Buddha. Sigh. Sometimes it takes time to see the obvious!

About Team Beth and Jan

Beth and I are a unique team. She’s 55 with long, auburn hair. I just turned 70 and have a short, white bob. We met about a year ago at a business development event and realized that we had a lot in common. She teaches yoga. I love doing yoga. She teaches meditation. I meditate. Her target market is mid-life women. I love talking to groups of women who are 50+ about making the most of the rest of your life. Beth is a triathlete. I’m a gym rat. In other words, we both like to move. And, we both love dogs!

Last week, Beth and I developed the detailed schedule for the weekend, which includes: Walking the 8 Verses path, contemplation, free time to use the pool and sauna, delicious vegetarian meals guided visualization, meditation, yoga and Qigong as well as writing  to tap into the deep unconscious. There’s also free time for those who want to sign up for a massage. You can see the complete schedule HERE.

Most importantly, Beth is thoughtful, sincere, fully committed to her life’s work and dedicated to supporting women on their journey. I’m all that with a slightly irreverent twist. We’re both seekers—committed to making the second half of life as good as it can possibly be. That includes our commitment to making the Ignited Women Weekend Retreat as good as it can possibly get.

Take Action and Join Us

If spending the weekend at the Land of Medicine Buddha calls to you, then register HERE.

Want to know more? Check out the video of Beth and I talking about the retreat.

 

Jan Fishler is an author, motivational speaker and writing coach.  You can learn more about her work at www.JanFishler.net and www.DontStopNow.us, the site of her latest book.

Filed Under: Commentary on Writing and Life Tagged With: hiking, Ignited Women, Land of Medicine Buddha, meditation, retreat, Santa Cruz, walking, women's retreat, writing, yoga

Why I Love Weekend Retreats and Workshops

By Janfishler Leave a Comment

Why I Love Weekend Retreats and Workshops

(even the up-sell)

A few years back I decided to take the plunge and really learn about internet marketing. Specifically, I wanted to discover tips, tricks, and strategies to help me update my marketing skills. After reading several books on the subject, I realized I needed more support. That’s when I decided to attend a monthly business marketing meetup hosted by a local expert.

My first experience

The meetup consisted of a luncheon at a moderately priced restaurant and featured two or more speakers on various topics related to marketing. That’s when I learned about and took advantage of the up-sell–the pitch at the end where you try out and buy the experts upcoming services. I said yes to a FREE call to learn how the expert could help my business succeed. As a result,  I paid $197 for my very first weekend workshop event experience.

Because the event was only an hour or so from my home, I opted to commute. In  hindsight was a mistake because I missed out on the evening gatherings. However, during the day, I met some fascinating people and I learned a lot! There was an ongoing Power Point presentation, a detailed workbook, handouts, exercises, and Q&A. Essentially there was an overwhelming amount of information. So much information that if you didn’t have previous knowledge on the topic you’d be completely overwhelmed.

But that’s the point. The expert either overwhelms you with content or gives you almost everything you need so that you jump at chance to join the program that will make you more successful than you ever imagined possible.

All you have to do is cough up 10-15-20 thousand dollars or more. Of course, credit cards are good—especially the ones with no interest for the first 18 months.  Because,  if you do everything the expert says, you will make enough money to pay off the card before interest begins to accrue. One can only hope!

If you detect a bit of sarcasm, you’re right. Fortunately, I’m one of those people who always sleeps on any big decision, so I didn’t bite—at least not for the big up-sell.

But there is an art to the up-sell and when it’s done right, it is very tempting.

My second experience

Because I like learning new things and love to network, this weekend workshop experience was intriguing. While I didn’t sign up for the expert’s up-sell, I did sign up for a weekend workshop in Santa Cruz (pitched by a guest presenter). And one after that in Arizona (pitched by a different guest presenter). Followed by several online challenges. In October I’m headed to another weekend workshop in San Diego. This one is hosted by a woman who did pay the big bucks, followed all of the expert advice, and launched a very profitable business.

Here’s what I’ve learned: With the right mindset, these weekend workshops and retreats are a lot of fun and they provide a very affordable way to have a mini vacation as well as an opportunity to learn something new on a particular topic. They are perfect if you’re an introvert, who knows she needs to get out and meet new people. Because most of the events have practice exercises and networking opportunities, it’s impossible to not meet someone new. It’s also likely that you’ll also meet like-minded, smart people who want to improve some aspect of their business or themselves.

If your job is no longer challenging or interesting, a weekend retreat or workshop is a chance to check out or try something new and different. If you’re business is thriving, why not get away, have fun, enhance your skill set or knowledge base, and create a tax deduction in the process?

Not all retreats are related to business.  My friend Beth Nelson and I are hosting one specifically for women 45+ who want to rest, reflect and reset. To find out more,  check out Ignited Women Weekend Retreat Oct. 25-27, 2019 for Women 45+ at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, CA. Join us for a weekend to rest, reflect, and reset with yoga, meditation, walking, writing and more

–with no big up-sell!

Filed Under: Writing Tips delete Tagged With: meditation, retreat, walking, women, workshop, yoga

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