Latest Posts on Engaged Mindfulness & Teaching Mindfulness

If you've taught mindfulness for any length of time, you've probably had moments when you think, 'Well… this isn't the calm, insightful space I was hoping for.' The room feels restless. People are distracted. Someone looks irritated. Someone else looks bored. And if you're honest, you might be feeling some version of that too.

Much of today’s mindfulness teaching takes place on screens, in curated rooms, among people who can mute themselves, turn off their cameras, and leave quietly. This raises an uncomfortable question: Are we still practicing engaged mindfulness—or have we become well-regulated spectators of suffering we no longer have to encounter directly?

Explore the ancient Buddhist metaphor of the six animals to understand how our senses pull us in different directions and how mindfulness can bring us peace

The Insight Timer meditation group offers exactly that. It’s a space where anyone, no matter their level of experience, can come home to themselves through the power of guided practice.

Read or Listen: In a conversation I had with renowned mindfulness teacher and neuroscience consultant Shinzen Young , we explored the wild intersection of ancient contemplative practice and cutting-edge 21st-century technology. The interview, part of a summit on teaching mindfulness, quickly vaulted past standard meditation discussions into a fascinating look at how mathematical metaphors, the rapid ascent of AI, and new biotech  are shaping both human communication and spiri

Learn the difference between formal mindfulness practice (meditation) and informal mindfulness, and how to integrate both into your daily life for less stress and more peace.

Choosing a mindfulness teacher training program is not just about enrolling in a course. It’s a wholehearted step toward your own transformation—a commitment to growing in wisdom and compassion, and to bringing those qualities into the communities and systems you touch. At the Engaged Mindfulness Institute (EMI), we often hear an essential question: “Is a hybrid training really as meaningful as being in person?”

Explore how mindfulness offers presence and resistance in an age shaped by algorithms and screens. Learn practical steps for mindful tech-engagement

The Engaged Mindfulness Institute programming isn’t about quick fixes or abstract ideas—it’s a community where real people learn, practice, and support one another to bring mindfulness into their daily lives and work.

At Engaged Mindfulness Institute, gratitude isn’t an afterthought. It’s woven into the heart of every practice, every circle, every shared breath.

Discover the true meaning of loving-kindness by understanding the subtle enemies of attachment and hatred. Learn how genuine metta transforms relationships, reduces stress, and fosters clear, compassionate living grounded in Buddhist wisdom.

When we discuss mindfulness today, the conversation often centers on meditation, stress reduction, and the development of self-awareness. However, many experts and practitioners remind us that one of the most powerful ways to practice mindfulness is through listening to ourselves, to

Explore the impact of compassion fatigue on caregivers and discover how mindfulness practices can help manage emotional exhaustion. Learn practical strategies for cultivating resilience and sustainable compassion in the face of distressing experiences.

Our world faces profound inequalities, environmental challenges, and social divisions. Mindfulness, an ancient practice, can offer more than just personal calm. When we look beyond its use for stress relief or self-care, we see how it can support real social change and help build movements for fairness, compassion, and freedom.

The Prison Mindfulness Institute (PMI)  and the Engaged Mindfulness Institute (EMI)  are honored to be included in the Conscious Change...

In this episode, Gemma Griffith Ph.D. , speaks with Prison Mindfulness Institute's Executive Director, Vita Pires Ph.D. , about the...

Explore the complexities of empathy and the misconceptions surrounding empathic engagement. This page discusses the importance of mindfulness in developing healthy empathic responses and offers insights on overcoming emotional overwhelm.

Equanimity sees the deeper patterns of existence—the constant flow of arising and passing away, the interconnectedness of all phenomena, and the futility of trying to control outcomes.

Emmanuel pressed his finger into a bullet wound on his head, recounting the massacre at Murambi Technical School,

In the world of mindfulness practice, the language we use to describe our mental experiences carries significant weight. Two terms frequently employed by mindfulness instructors—"distraction" and "wandering mind"—often appear interchangeable, yet they capture distinctly different aspects of our attention.