A surprising shift that changes everything

Meditation isn’t about clearing your mind—it’s about reclaiming your power

Hi Reader,

I’ve spoken with many practice members over the years about the importance of mindfulness. It’s rarely brought up in traditional healthcare settings, but in my experience, it’s one of the most essential practices for creating real, lasting health.

Why?

Because mindfulness helps you stop reacting and start responding. It helps you stop becoming your stress and start witnessing it. And that subtle shift makes a world of difference.

Mindfulness isn’t complicated (but it does take practice)

Unlike many wellness tools that come with a hefty price tag, mindfulness is free. It can be done anywhere, anytime. The only thing it requires is showing up and putting in consistent effort.

It can take many forms such as journaling, prayer, movement, or meditation. For the purposes of this newsletter, mindfulness means:

The myth of “clearing your mind”

We’re told meditation is about quieting the mind. But the nature of the mind is to work, not to be quiet.

It constantly narrates, thinks, plans, worries, and judges.

So when people sit down to meditate and their mind doesn’t go blank, they assume they’re doing it wrong.

This is called the observer effect, and it’s one of the most powerful tools for healing and transformation.

Why this matters for your health

Most people live in a state of constant reactivity. A thought or feeling arises and they become it. And if that thought or feeling repeats often enough, it gets woven into their identity.

But when you can observe instead of react, you gain the ability to create space.

And in that space, you gain the freedom of choice. You begin to see that not everything you think or feel is you. Some of it is just old noise, unresolved tension, protective habits, or old patterns.

And those can change when you choose how to react to the world.

This is how chronic stress and tension start to lose their grip on your mind and body. Transformation unfolds through awareness, rather than effort and force.

What it looks like in practice

There are many ways to meditate, both spiritual and secular. The key is consistency, rather than perfection.

Start simple: Sit somewhere quiet for 20 minutes. Breathe naturally, and observe what comes up.

You’ll probably notice a flood of thoughts, many of them negative or judgmental. That is normal. Don’t fight the thoughts or feelings, but observe them instead.

Imagine your mind is like a lake. Each thought is a ripple on the surface. You don’t need to stop the ripples, you just need to stop throwing more stones in.

Eventually, the water calms and the surface becomes clear. And in that clarity, you feel a deeper kind of peace, not because you forced the thoughts away, but because you let them dissipate without adding more.

It might take days, weeks, or months. But the more you practice, the more you’ll find that:

This is one of the most powerful ways to recondition a stressed-out nervous system.

And in a world this noisy, that’s a necessary practice.

You don’t need incense or enlightenment

You don’t need to sit on a mountaintop or chant.

You just need a few quiet minutes a day to sit, breathe, and notice.T o observe without judgment. To remember who you are beneath the noise.

Because the more you observe, the less you’re controlled by patterns that don’t serve you. And the more life starts to respond to who you really are—not who you’ve been conditioned to be.

Reflection

Next time you notice yourself feeling upset or triggered, just pause. Take a deep breath in and then exhale slowly. Repeat until you feel a bit calmer, and then ask yourself, "How would I like to respond to this?" This takes us out of a reactive state and helps us to make better decisions and feel more proud of ourselves.

Creating health starts with awareness. And awareness begins with presence.

—Dr. Josh

Let me know your thoughts or questions about meditation.

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For additional insights on health and wellness, visit my YouTube channel, where I share educational videos to support your journey.

Disclaimer:
This email is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized health decisions.