The Mindfulness Podcast

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Duncan, a meditation practitioner of 37 years and co-founder of Clear Sky Meditation Center in British Columbia. Duncan shares his remarkable journey of bridging two seemingly separate worlds: his deep Buddhist meditation practice and his corporate career. In this episode, we explore: 🧘 **The Evolution of Practice**: How Duncan transformed from keeping his meditation life separate to fully integrating mindfulness into his professional world, creating the concept of "mindfulness squared" 🏔️ **The Power of Retreat**: Why taking time away from our overstimulated lives is essential, and how to create your own mini-retreat at home (even without leaving the city) 🌱 **The Five Principles**: Duncan reveals the supportive conditions that help mindfulness practice flourish, reverse-engineered from observing transformations at Clear Sky Center 👥 **Community & Connection**: The irreplaceable value of practicing with others and having guidance on the meditation journey 💼 **Conscious Organizations**: How to bring presence, awareness, and humanity into teams and workplaces 🎯 **Practical Wisdom**: From managing the "retreat shock" to creating structure that supports daily practice, Duncan offers concrete advice for modern practitioners Duncan also leads us through a beautiful 10-minute "Centered and Spacious" meditation practice, perfect for when you're feeling compressed by life's demands. Whether you're new to mindfulness or a seasoned practitioner, this conversation offers fresh perspectives on how to live more consciously in our busy, overstimulated world. **Featured Practice**: Centered and Spacious Meditation (10 minutes) **Resources Mentioned**: - Clear Sky Meditation Center: clearskycenter.org - Mini Retreat Guide https://ibm.box.com/shared/static/btukluk3n7z72ba7c8umpxjlkd0ikcht.pdf

Day 21 marks the final episode of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge with Silence - the ultimate minimal practice. Hosts Lele, Pat, and Nieta reflect on the challenge journey, discussing how finding the minimum words was both difficult and liberating, reminding them that mindfulness is fundamentally about awareness, not elaborate guidance. The episode concludes with a practice that has no guidance at all just a body scan, the deepest breath of your day, a gentle smile, and silence. This final meditation invites you to practice completely on your own, embodying the true spirit of minimal mindfulness.

Day 20 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Intentionality - a meditation that empowers you to choose how you want to be present. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to set an intention for this moment, noticing the difference between trying to achieve something and simply choosing how you want to be. As thoughts and emotions arise, gently return to your intention. Finally, consider what intention you'd like to carry from this practice into the rest of your day. This meditation cultivates purposeful presence.

Day 19 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Square Breath - a structured breathing meditation that creates balance and calm. Through minimal cues, this practice guides you through a four-part breath cycle: inhale for a count of 4, hold that breath for a count of 4, exhale for a count of 4, and hold empty for a count of 4. This equal-sided breath pattern (like a square) regulates the nervous system and cultivates focused, rhythmic awareness.

Day 18 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Hand Awareness - a meditation that deepens embodied presence through mindful movement. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to look at your hands while still, notice how they feel from the inside, then move one finger as slowly as possible. Observe the intention before the movement—the subtle impulse that precedes action. This meditation cultivates awareness of the mind-body connection at its most intimate level.

Day 17 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores The Pause - a meditation that reveals the space between thoughts. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to close your eyes and do nothing, waiting for the next thought to appear. Then open your eyes, see the room, and notice if the mind feels quieter. This meditation cultivates awareness of the gaps in mental activity—the natural pauses where stillness resides.

Day 16 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Gratitude - a heart-opening meditation that connects you with appreciation. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to bring to mind something you can appreciate, something you feel gratitude for. Notice the emotions and feelings that arise, observe any physical sensations associated with this gratitude, and experience it fully with mind and body. This meditation cultivates the transformative power of appreciation.

Day 15 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Energy Scan - a meditation that attunes you to the subtle energy field of your body. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to feel the "buzzing" in your hands, the "buzzing" in your feet, then expand to feel the energy in your whole body. Rest in this total body awareness—the aliveness, the vibration, the energetic presence that animates you. This meditation cultivates sensitivity to the body's subtle energy.

Day 14 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Release Tension - a progressive relaxation meditation that uses contrast to deepen awareness. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to slowly clench your fists tight, notice the tension in your forearms, then release and feel the blood flow back. By creating and releasing tension, you heighten your awareness of the sensation of relaxation itself. This meditation teaches the body what true release feels like.

Day 13 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Observing Thoughts - a meditation that transforms your relationship with thinking. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to watch and observe thoughts as they arise, silently naming them as "thinking," and viewing them like clouds in the sky or fish in a pond. Notice how thoughts can be charged with emotions and sensations, how they come, stay, and eventually go. This meditation cultivates the witness perspective, observing the mind without being swept away by it.

Day 12 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Body Center - a grounding meditation that connects you with your body's core. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to bring attention to the center of your body, perhaps breathing into that center, simply being with it, or observing wherever the center might be for you. Connect with the sensations, attributes, and tonality of your body's center, your anchor point of embodied presence.

Day 11 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Heartbeat - an intimate meditation that connects you with your body's natural rhythm. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to place a hand over your heart, feel the pulse in your chest, notice the pulse in your fingertips, and sync your breath to this rhythm. This meditation cultivates awareness of the constant, life-sustaining beat within you, deepening your connection to the body's innate wisdom.

Day 10 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Spatial Presence - a meditation that expands awareness into the space around you. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to notice the space above you, the space behind you, the volume of the whole room, and the space between you and the walls. This meditation cultivates a three-dimensional awareness of your position in space, deepening your sense of presence and connection to your environment.

Day 9 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Air & Temperature - a sensory meditation that attunes you to thermal sensations. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to feel the air on your face, notice the warmth in your palms, and become aware of any parts of your body that feel cold. This meditation cultivates sensitivity to the subtle temperature variations that constantly surround and move through us, deepening embodied presence.

Day 8 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge presents Peripheral Sight - a unique visual awareness meditation that expands your field of vision. Through minimal cues, this practice guides you to look straight ahead at one point, then notice what's on your left without moving your eyes, notice what's on your right, and expand awareness to your entire visual field. The practice concludes by closing your eyes and paying attention to what you can "see" with them closed, exploring the inner visual landscape.

Day 7 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Visual Details - a focused seeing meditation that deepens your visual awareness. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to pick one object and truly see it: notice its color, observe its texture, watch how light hits its surface, and trace its outline with your eyes. This meditation cultivates the art of seeing—moving beyond casual glancing to genuine observation and presence with the visual world.

Day 6 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge focuses on Sound - a deep listening meditation that explores the auditory landscape around you. Through minimal cues, this practice guides you to notice the closest sounds, then expand awareness to distant sounds, tune into sounds beside you, and discover the silence between sounds. The invitation is to listen openly without labeling or naming simply hearing, purely experiencing sound as it arises in this moment.

Day 5 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Senses - a comprehensive awareness meditation that awakens all your senses. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to become aware of sight and seeing, hearing and listening, smell, taste, touch, and the sense of mind-body connection. The practice then expands to sensing the present moment fully, the space inside and outside of you. This meditation cultivates a rich, multi-sensory awareness of the here and now.

Day 4 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge presents Face Scan - a relaxation meditation that releases tension held in the face. Through minimal cues, this practice guides you to soften the muscles in your forehead, relax your jaw and tongue, allow your eyelids to feel heavy, and notice any tension behind the eyes. The face holds countless expressions and stress throughout the day; this brief practice offers a gentle invitation to let it all go and find ease in the present moment.

Day 3 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge explores Contact Points - a sensory awareness meditation that brings attention to where your body meets the world. Through gentle cues, this practice guides you to notice the ground beneath you, the cushion or chair supporting you, the temperature and fabric against your skin, and where breath enters your body. By tuning into these contact points, where skin meets air, where body meets surface, you develop heightened present-moment awareness and embodied presence. Enjoy!

Day 2 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge focuses on Gravity - a grounding meditation that connects you with the earth's natural pull. Through minimal cues, this practice invites you to feel your feet pressing the floor, notice your weight on the chair, release tension by dropping your shoulders, and visualize roots growing from your feet into the ground. This brief, focused session helps cultivate stability, presence, and a deeper sense of being anchored in the present moment.

Day 1 of the Minimal Mindfulness Guidance Challenge introduces a month-long meditation series focused on breath awareness with minimal guidance. Hosts Lele, Pat, and Nieta kick-off the challenge and explain the philosophy behind minimal guidance meditation: creating space for practitioners to develop their own awareness, build sharper attention, and cultivate a kinder relationship with mind wandering. Unlike traditional guided meditations that continuously direct attention, this challenge encourages independence and self-discovery through silence and brief cues. The episode concludes with a simple breath-focused meditation practice.

Do you ever find yourself "mindlessly" scrolling through your feed, only to realize thirty minutes have passed? In this episode of The Mindfulness Podcast, hosts Nita, Lele and Pat explore the intersection of digital technology and mental well-being. In this episode, we discuss: Curating your experience: How to use mindfulness to audit your feed and the algorithms that drive it. The Dopamine Loop: Understanding the "insidious" ways social media is designed to capture our attention through emotional triggers. Practical Boundaries: Tips for reclaiming your time, from turning off notifications to banning phones from the workspace. The "Boredom" Benefit: Why the lost art of being bored is essential for the "default mode network" of our brains. Featured Practice: Stick around for a guided 50/50 mindfulness practice where we use our phones in real-time to observe our physical and emotional reactions to social media apps. Join us as we learn how to reap the benefits of technology without succumbing to the consequences.

In this episode, Pat, Lele, and Nieta explore the big question: Is mindfulness still relevant in 2026? With global course enrollments declining and mindfulness no longer seen as a quick fix, the trio digs into why the practice endures and why it might matter now more than ever. Together they unpack: - Global trends and regional differences in mindfulness interest - Why mindfulness requires dedication, not shortcuts - How the practice has survived wars, crises, and thousands of years of change - The role of tech, information overload, and the attention economy - The growing scientific understanding of peace, calm, and well-being - How mindfulness supports life balance, happiness, and even financial clarity The hosts also share their vision for the podcast in 2026 bringing stories, guests, and practical insights to listeners throughout the year. Stay until the end for a short guided breathing practice led by Pat. And is mindfulness still relevant for you today? Share your thoughts and join the conversation.

Join us for the final episode of the year as we pause to reflect on 2025 and set mindful intentions for the year ahead. In this conversation, Lele and Pat share highlights, challenges, and hopes for the future, exploring how mindfulness can help us navigate change, foster compassion, and bring more joy into our lives and work. This episode includes: Reflections on the past year’s experiences and lessons Insights on sustaining mindfulness in a fast-paced world A short guided exercise to close the year with gratitude and presence Take a moment to breathe, reflect, and step into 2026 with clarity and intention.

Surprise! We couldn’t resist adding one more episode to our October mindfulness journey. Today is Halloween, and Lele and Nieta invite you to explore a theme that fits the day perfectly: fear. This special practice uses mindful visualization to gently observe and engage with fears whether it’s spiders, public speaking, or something else. You’ll learn how to notice your emotional and physical reactions, and how repeated, intentional exposure through mindfulness can help you build resilience and reduce fear over time. Remember: fear is a natural part of being human. This practice isn’t about pushing fear away it’s about meeting it with awareness, compassion, and curiosity.

Congratulations! You’ve reached Day 22 of the October Mindfulness Challenge. Today’s practice, led by Lele and Nieta, is a joyful and reflective way to close the journey: mindful listening to music. Choose a favorite song, any genre, any artist, and give it your full attention. Notice the rhythm, the melody, the emotions it evokes, and even the memories it brings. Try to hear something new, even in a song you’ve played a thousand times. Let music be your anchor to the present moment. Thank you for being part of this challenge. Whether you joined for a few days or all 22, your presence made this journey meaningful. Keep practicing, keep exploring, and let mindfulness continue to be part of your everyday life.

Welcome to Day 21 of our October mindfulness journey. Today, Nieta guides us through a powerful practice of observing emotions noticing what arises in the mind and body without judgment or labeling. This exercise is best practiced in real-time, when a strong emotion surfaces. Whether joy, frustration, sadness, or excitement, the invitation is to simply observe and allow, rather than react. This builds equanimity the ability to remain steady and present, no matter what arises. With just one day left, you’re almost at the finish line! Thank you for being here, for showing up, and for practicing together.

Welcome to Day 20! With just two more days to go, you’re almost at the end of our 22-day mindfulness journey. If you’ve been practicing regularly, you’ve built something truly meaningfula habit of presence, reflection, and care. Today’s practice is a short and simple mindful journaling exercise with Pat. You’re invited to write three sentences about how you feel right now. Approach this with intention and curiosity. Let the words flow without judgment, and notice what arises in your body and mind as you write. Thank you for being here, for showing up, and for practicing together.

Welcome to Day 19 of our October mindfulness journey. Today, Pat invites us to take a mindful pause outdoors—or simply by a window. This short practice encourages you to open your senses to the world around you. Whether it’s the breeze, the colors of the sky, the sound of birds, or even the stillness of the air, allow yourself to experience it with a sense of wonder and openness. Let nature be your meditation space today.

Welcome to Day 18 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice is a gentle reminder to appreciate your body—not for how it looks, but for all it does to support your life. We often spend time in our minds or criticizing our bodies, but this practice invites you to shift into gratitude and non-judgmental awareness. From your breath to your heartbeat, your senses to your movement—your body is a miracle of survival, growth, and connection. End the practice with a mindful stretch and carry this kindness with you throughout your day.

Welcome to Day 17 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice with Pat is a short but powerful sound meditation. Whether you choose music, nature sounds, ambient noise, or even silence, this practice invites you to simply listen—without labeling, judging, or reacting. Notice how quickly the mind tries to name or evaluate what it hears, and gently return to the act of listening itself. Let sound be your anchor to the present moment.

Welcome to Day 16 of our mindfulness challenge. Today’s practice is a grounding belly breathing exercise that invites you to reconnect with your body and its natural rhythms. By gently guiding your attention from your feet to your belly, you’ll tune into the subtle yet powerful movement of your breath. This practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel more relaxed, centered, and connected to your inner wisdom—your “gut instinct.” Let your breath be your anchor today.

Welcome to Day 15! If you’ve been practicing daily, you’ve likely started forming a beautiful habit—a small ritual that brings you back to the present moment. Today’s practice is all about the mindful smile. With just a breath and a gentle lift of the corners of your mouth, you can shift your mood, soften your body, and reconnect with gratitude. Smiling mindfully is a simple yet powerful way to embody joy and presence. Let your whole self smile—your face, your heart, even your feet. And carry that smile into your day.

Welcome to Day 14 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice is a gentle thought observation exercise that invites you to imagine your mind as an aquarium—full of colorful thoughts, emotions, and distractions swimming by. Rather than getting caught up in each thought, this practice helps you take a step back and simply observe. Like watching fish through glass, you’ll learn to notice your thoughts without judgment, allowing them to come and go while staying grounded in your breath and body. This is a powerful way to cultivate presence, especially as we head into the final stretch of our challenge.

Happy Friday and welcome to Day 13! Today’s practice is all about mindful stretching—a gentle way to bring awareness to your body, breath, and emotions through movement. Whether you're at your desk, on the bus, or standing in your kitchen, you can stretch with intention. The key is to move slowly, tune into your sensations, and notice how your body feels. This practice is a perfect way to close the week with presence and ease, enjoy!

Welcome to Day 12 of our mindfulness challenge. Today, Pat guides us through a gentle and grounding breath and body awareness practice. This session invites you to tune into the sensations of your body—both external and internal—and to connect with your breath as it naturally flows. By simply noticing what’s present, without trying to change anything, we cultivate a deeper sense of presence and curiosity. Let this practice be a moment of stillness in your day, helping you transition into what’s next with greater awareness and ease.

Welcome to Day 11 of our Mindfulness Challenge. Today’s practice is a gentle visualization exercise that invites you to revisit a place that brings you peace, safety, or inspiration. It could be a cozy room, a quiet forest, or a sunlit beach—anywhere that feels like a sanctuary. Through guided imagery, you’ll explore this space with all your senses: noticing colors, textures, sounds, and emotions. This practice helps cultivate calm, presence, and emotional resilience—especially valuable during busy or stressful times. Let this inner journey be a reminder that peace is always accessible, even in the midst of a hectic day.

Today marks a special milestone in our mindfulness journey—Day 10, which coincides with the Mindfulness@IBM Summit. As we gather to celebrate the power of presence and well-being, we invite you to engage in a simple yet profound practice: mindful eating. Whether it's a chip, a peanut, or a slice of fruit, this practice encourages you to slow down and savor each bite with full awareness. Notice the texture, the sound, the smell, and the taste. Reflect on the journey your food has taken to reach you. Let this moment of nourishment be a celebration of mindfulness—just like the summit itself. Let’s savor the summit, one bite at a time.

Welcome to Day 9 of the 2025 October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s short and refreshing practice, led by Nieta, is all about making a clean transition — from one moment to the next, from one task to another, or simply from wherever you are now into what comes next. Through a few intentional breaths and a gentle reset of your awareness, this practice helps you: Let go of past distractions Pause before the next thing Step into the present with clarity and calm Perfect for any time of day — whether you're starting your morning, shifting between meetings, or winding down. Take a few minutes to reset and begin again.

Welcome to Day 8 of our October Mindfulness Challenge — and a special acknowledgment of World Mental Health Day. Today’s practice is a gentle and grounding Mindful Walking Meditation, designed to help you reconnect with your body, breath, and surroundings through movement. Walking is something we do every day, often without thinking. This practice invites you to slow down, tune in, and walk with intention — transforming a simple activity into a powerful tool for mental clarity and emotional balance. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A guided walking meditation Breath and movement awareness A reminder of how mindfulness supports mental health Whether you’re walking in a park, down a hallway, or around your home, this practice is a beautiful way to honor your well-being.

Welcome to Day 7 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a gentle and heart-opening Loving Kindness Meditation — also known as Metta. This guided exercise invites you to cultivate feelings of kindness, compassion, and goodwill toward yourself, loved ones, neutral acquaintances, and even those you may find challenging. Through a series of intentional phrases, you’ll expand your capacity for empathy and emotional resilience. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A peaceful visualization in a safe, familiar place Loving kindness directed toward yourself and others A deeper sense of connection and emotional balance This practice is a beautiful way to nurture your inner world and strengthen your relationships — starting from within.

Welcome to Day 6 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a classic and widely used technique: counting the breath. This simple yet powerful exercise helps you anchor your attention, especially during moments of stress or overwhelm. By counting each breath — forward and backward — you create a rhythm that naturally calms the mind and brings clarity to your day. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A breath-focused practice for grounding and relaxation Counting techniques to deepen awareness A tool you can return to anytime you need to reset Whether you’re seated, standing, or on the move, this practice is always available to you.

Welcome to Day 5 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a classic grounding technique known as 5-4-3-2-1, designed to anchor you in the present moment using your senses. Through this guided exercise, you’ll explore: 5 things you can see 4 things you can feel 3 things you can hear 2 things you can smell 1 thing you can taste This sensory-based practice is a powerful way to reconnect with your surroundings, calm your mind, and cultivate awareness — anytime, anywhere. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A full-body sensory check-in A simple tool to reduce stress and increase presence A reminder that mindfulness is always available, no matter the day or setting Enjoy!

Welcome to Day 4 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice invites you to tune into the sounds around you — not just the loud or obvious ones, but the subtle, continuous, and distant sounds that often go unnoticed. Through this guided exercise, you’ll explore how sound can anchor you in the present moment and reveal the richness of your environment. You’ll also notice how sounds trigger thoughts and associations, offering a deeper layer of mindfulness. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A practice of open, non-judgmental listening Awareness of both external and internal sounds Reflection on how sound shapes thought and attention No special setup needed — just listen, wherever you are.

Welcome to Day 3 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! As we wrap up the week, today’s practice invites you to take a mindful pause and reflect on moments of gratitude. Through a gentle guided exercise, you’ll revisit three meaningful experiences from the past week, allowing yourself to feel the emotions connected to each one. This practice helps shift your focus from what’s next to what’s already good — cultivating appreciation, presence, and emotional well-being. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A short gratitude reflection A chance to reconnect with positive moments A mindful close to your week Let this be a nourishing way to enter the weekend with intention and warmth.

Welcome to Day 2 of the October Mindfulness Challenge! Today, we’re guided by Nieta through a gentle and grounding body scan — one of the foundational practices in mindfulness. This practice invites you to bring awareness to each part of your body, from your toes to the crown of your head, helping you reconnect with physical sensations and cultivate presence. Whether you’re seated at your desk or lying down, this scan can be a standalone practice or a calming lead-in to deeper mindfulness. 🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today: A slow, guided journey through your body Techniques to notice subtle sensations without judgment A moment to appreciate the miracle of simply being in your body Take a few minutes to pause, breathe, and come home to yourself.

Welcome to Day 1 of our 22-day October Mindfulness Challenge! In this opening episode, we begin with one of the most foundational practices in mindfulness: breath awareness. Join us for a short guided exercise that uses counted breathing to anchor your attention, calm your nervous system, and gently ease into a state of presence. Whether you're new to mindfulness or returning to your practice, this is a perfect way to start building a daily habit. 🧘‍♂️ What you'll experience today: A simple breathing technique: inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 6 Guidance on how to stay present with your breath A reminder of why breath is a powerful tool for mental clarity and emotional balance Let’s begin this journey together—one breath at a time.

This episode is to introduce the October challenge organized by the Mindfulness@IBM community. Each working day of October one new short practice to do together and so establish one more a regular healthy mindful routine. Enjoy

In this episode of The Mindfulness Podcast, Lele Terenzani sits down with Nieta De Young to explore her transformative journey into Zen practice. From her recent four-day retreat and the ancient Jukai ceremony to the deep connections between Zen and mindfulness, Nieta shares insights on stillness, presence, and why these practices matter in our fast-paced, distracted world. Discover the beauty of Zazen, the paradox of “no goals,” and even a simple walking meditation you can try today.