“Stepping out of the busyness, stopping our endless pursuit of getting somewhere else, is perhaps the most beautiful offering we can make to our spirit.” ~ True Refuge (2013)

Dear New Meditator,

You are embarking on a journey that can deeply transform and enrich your life.  The most important thing to remember is to approach practice with a friendly, curious, non-judgmental attitude.

There’s no one style of meditation that is “best” or fits all people. We’ve offered you some basic practices below that you can explore to see which serve you well. You might end up with two or three that you use regularly as you establish a practice. Over the weeks and months you’ll internalize the instructions and probably practice more and more regularly without the guided meditation. But at times, you’ll find they will help in gathering your attention.

While we’ve listed a set of basic meditations, there are many more in my list of guided meditations that might be appealing – feel free to experiment!

Similarly, we’ve provided a set of talks that we hope you’ll find supportive as you get going. There are hundreds more available on my site and elsewhere – so, at your own pace, feel free to explore the wide range of themes that will bring this path alive.

Finally, Jack Kornfield and I have put together a 40-day online course called Mindfulness Daily, that will help you establish a daily practice that is rich and transformative.  It’s only 15 minutes a day and we recommend that you find a few friends and do it together. It’s a wonderful way to bring more awareness and heart into your life!”

Give yourself the gift of practicing every day, even if it’s for a short time. You are entering a path that has served the hearts and minds of millions of people from all parts of the world. May you discover the blessings of open-heartedness, insight, healing and freedom!

With loving blessings,

Tara and assistants (Janet, Barbara and Christy)