Your Mindful Coach offers mindfulness & meditation workshops, retreats & consultations
 with a special focus on youth sports, men, middle age and the workplace.

Finding Joy

Have you ever wondered " where does joy come from and how can I get it?" I have recently been exploring the practice of Muditā, or Sympathetic Joy. One of the 4 Immeasurable Qualities, it is cultivated by intentional practice of delighting in other's wellbeing. 

Like compassion and lovingkindness practices, the practice of sympathetic joy combines an image of someone, an intention or wish, and phrases intended to express this wish. 

The next time you sit, bring to mind someone who is filled with joy, perhaps someone who is doing really well right now. Create an image of them. Then repeat these phrases silently:

May your happiness increase.
May your success continue to grow.
May you continue to create the conditions for peace and freedom in your life.

I see your success and I wish for it to grow.

While meditating on joy can help settle the mind and make one feel more connected and happy, the most exciting quality to me is its empathetic qualities. Usually we think of empathy in terms of identifying difficult emotions in others. But can it work the other way around? By finding joy in others, we can awaken the joy that lives in each of us. How beautiful to think, " I know how you feel" when we see others full of joy and delight!

Find a longer version of this post at yourmindfulcoachblog.wordpress.com.
I also recommend The Power of a Smile  in blog and podcast form.

Join Me in Compassion on April 22!

I'm looking forward to presenting a half-day  meditation retreat,  Cultivating the Heart of Compassion , on  Saturday, April 22  from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Tredyffrin Library in Strafford, PA.  Enter the  promo code "NEWS"  for a $10 discount.

Also, stay tuned for  Compassion, Kindness, Joy and Balance , a weekend retreat in the mountains, from  June 16-18  near Wilkes-Barre, PA.
Mindfulness Is For You!

Last month, I wrote blog for The Shipley School entitled Mindfulness Is For You. It was a follow-up to  Mindfulness Made Simple. . . But Not Easy. The idea behind this follow-up post was that  while parents often ask me how to get their children to practice mindfulness, the most common reflection students have for me is "How can I get my parents to do mindfulness?" The messages was that Mindfulness Is For You. There is compelling evidence that your own practice of mindfulness has a meaningful impact on those around you. 

I offered a workshop for parents on February 27 and am pleased to share materials from that event below:






As I prepared this presentation, I read Breathe Through This, Mindfulness for Parents of Teenagers by Eline Snell. It is a thoughtful read that reminds us of the common experience of parenting teens as they experiment with independence. I strongly recommend the book as well as the free 10 minute guided meditations at  http://www.shambhala.com/breathethroughthis.


Marc Balcer  brings his experience as a coach, entrepreneur and investor to Your Mindful Coach . He has received training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Management, Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindful Schools. A limited number of private consultation times are available to build your mindfulness practice. Sessions may be done by phone, Skype video or in person at a rate of $95/ hour.
Email for details.