# @2:50 > ten minutes for clarity, resilience, and focus > Contact: simplicitous@gmail.com ### Posts #### @2:50 day of mindfulness 11 March is hereby proclaimed as @2:50 day of mindfulness We’ve been quiet together for two years now, let’s celebrate. Here’s to many more. #### @2:50 Global Mindfulness Press Kit and Downloads About @2:50 is a free, daily, online mindfulness practice shared with the world. Created at MIT and volunteer-run, @2:50 helps us reflect & recharge with minimal planning. @2:50 promotes no creed, sect, organization, or ideology. People join from around the world. We simply meet every day for ten minutes of quiet, and everyone is invited. Download social sharing materials here. @2:50 Simple Flyer Right click (⌘ click) the image above to download a png copy. Get the pdf version with working links. @2:50 Cafe Flyer Right click (⌘ click) the image above to download a png copy. Get the pdf version with working links. @2:50 Detail Flyer Right click (⌘ click) the image above to download a png copy. Get the pdf version with working links. @2:50 Time Zones Image Download the @2:50 Host Guide Use this guide to learn what’s involved in serving as a guest host. Download the @2:50 Host Guide pdf here. #### Anniversary @2:50 EET 11 Feb 2021. On this day EET@2:50 held its first meeting hosted from Finland. Meet local host Partha at https://at250.org/about/ Congrats EET! #### At the hour’s top A collective poem for the anniversary of @2:50 Thank you to participants and guests for joining us to celebrate the anniversary of MIT@2:50 and for your individual and collective contributions to our celebratory poems! Thanks to Lizarett Flavour for curating the chaos into a beautiful verse. Find the original on her site. Thank you to Ananya Garg for your poetic contribution as well. Both are below. At The Hour’s Top(Garden of Quiet)Collab #1 In the Garden of Quiet, Garden of Thoughts,There is no once and no when, only sloths.The moment is here, the moment will rise:Ten minutes no one here has to be wise. First glance into silence, eternity lap,A Moon in the swanlight – one way of the craft.A flower of sunshine, a cloudless night,Contagious soft glimmer we share inside. Cool stars in the gyre, sky holds the breath,Horizon’s so near, as close as thou let:Immersing a guest in tranquility feastThat mind and body compose as we speak. Earth’s flickering beauty in ball of realms, –Embrace and descend into room when time comes.Hats, jewels prepared, now set up your clock, –At top of the hour, meet friends and your hopes. March 2021, curated by Lizarett Flavour, UK MIRACULOUS MIT@2:50 MIT@2:50 is truly a blessing It empowers me to go ahead, blossoming and blooming   It provides ten minutes of daily mindfulness Invoking optimism and thoughtfulness   It kept me motivated in a period of uncertainty, Always filling me with joy and positivity   Even now when the sun has risen, It is holding my hand, ready to empower and listen   Relaxing music and serene pictures, Makes me delighted and is my pretty little treasure   Blooming flowers, lush green forests, incessant rain, These sceneries make me calm and soothe my brain   Cheerful and happy faces in the sessions make my day, Always keeping anxiety and stress at bay   After attending the sessions, I experience felicity and peace, I whole-heartedly wish that these sessions never cease.   After 365 days of mindfulness, it has turned one, I hope it continues to help the community for many years to come! Ananya Garg, student and regular @2:50 participant, India #### Body observation guided audio Observation of sensation is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Watching sensations is a simple effective practice available to anyone anywhere at any time. For this reason, we return to it again as foundational to our daily practice. Listen to this guided body observation practice on Insight Timer #### Boxed breathing Boxed breathing is a supplemental @2:50 practice shared by one of our regular participants. It’s a simple effective technique that quickly brings the mind into focus. It can be used anywhere and anytime. You can modify the length of the count to suit your needs. Listen on InsightTimer ボックス呼吸法でストレスや不安を解消しましょう。どこでも簡単にできる呼吸法です。眠れない夜、緊張してしまった時などにも効果的です。Use this video provided by https://at250.org to practice boxed breathing. This technique will help you lower stress and relieve anxiety. インサイトタイマーで聞く #### Cities served: Atlantica@2:50 mindfulness meditation for you We look forward to sharing ten minutes of free silent mindfulness meditation with you. This event serves the following cities, states, provinces and countries at 2:50 pm every day. All are welcome to join from any other time zone as is convenient. Whether you have an existing mindfulness or meditation practice or are new to the idea, this daily event can serve as a container and community to keep at it. What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it. This event serves the eastern time zone: Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), District of Columbia (DC), Georgia (GA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), West Virginia (WV), Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec. Bahamas, Haiti, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. Metro areas served: Albany, New York Atlanta, Georgia Augusta, Georgia Baltimore, Maryland Barrie, Ontario Bogotá, Colombia Boston, Massachusetts Buffalo, New York Burlington, Vermont Charleston, South Carolina Charleston, West Virginia Charlotte, North Carolina Chattanooga, Tennessee Cincinnati, Ohio Cleveland, Ohio Columbia, South Carolina Columbus, Ohio Detroit, Michigan Durham, North Carolina Fort Wayne, Indiana Grand Rapids, Michigan Greater Sudbury, Ontario Greenville, South Carolina Greensboro, North Carolina Guayaquil, Ecuador Hamilton, Ontario Hampton Roads, Virginia Havana, Cuba Hartford, Connecticut Indianapolis, Indiana Iqaluit, Nunavut Jacksonville, Florida Key West, Florida Kingston, Jamaica Knoxville, Tennessee La Paz, Bolivia Lima, Peru London, Ontario Louisville, Kentucky Manchester, New Hampshire Medellín, Colombia Miami, Florida Montreal, Quebec Nassau, Bahamas New York, New York Orlando, Florida Ottawa, Ontario Oshawa, Ontario Panama City, Panama Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Port-au-Prince, Haiti Portland, Maine Providence, Rhode Island Quebec, Quebec Quito, Ecuador Raleigh, North Carolina Richmond, Virginia Rochester, New York Springfield, Massachusetts Syracuse, New York Tampa, Florida Thunder Bay, Ontario Toledo, Ohio Toronto, Ontario Trenton, New Jersey Washington, D.C. Wilmington, Delaware Windsor, Ontario Worcester, Massachusetts New to mindfulness? Mindful.org has a lot to offer. Cities around our founding at MIT Boston Cambridge Waltham Burlington Woburn Newton Lexington Wellesley Framingham Marlborough Bedford Somerville Andover Portsmouth Needham Watertown Concord Quincy Lowell Chelmsford Billerica Brookline Natick Acton Beverly Medford Westford Wilmington Littleton Canton Wakefield Maynard Hopkinton North Andover Arlington Heights Salem Westwood Salem Braintree Tewksbury Charlestown Danvers Norwood Sudbury Boxborough Marblehead Franklin Dedham Belmont Allston Newburyport Lawrence Newton Center North Billerica Wayland Hingham Peabody Weymouth Brockton Lincoln Brighton Dover Hampstead Haverhill Holliston Gloucester North Reading Malden Durham Foxboro Hudson Norwell Reading Auburndale West Newton Stoneham Walpole Scituate Jamaica Plain Saugus Tyngsboro Rockland Stoughton Chelsea West Roxbury Medfield Winchester Rochester Hampton Falls Melrose Ayer Chestnut Hill Methuen Avon Middleton Pembroke Newbury Weston Ashland Derry West Bridgewater Bridgewater Groton Boxford Wenham Stow Medway Devens Arlington North Chelmsford Milton Lynn Ipswich Needham Heights Cohasset Plymouth Seabrook Londonderry Windham Marshfield Amesbury Millis White Horse Beach East Boston Wrentham Lynnfield Revere Stratham Georgetown Rockport Swampscott Holbrook Newtonville Hanover Hanson Middleboro Topsfield Hyde Park Rowley Randolph Everett Dracut Carlisle Duxbury Auburn Plaistow Exeter Atkinson Marion Merrimac Sandown Nahant North Waltham Chester Babson Park South Hamilton Dorchester Wellesley Hills Sharon East Walpole South Weymouth Abington Kingston Manomet Hampton Rye Newmarket Barrington New Castle Newton Junction Center Strafford Newfields Raymond Kingston Rollinsford East Candia Northwood Farmington Newington Candia Epping Newton Wareham East Wareham Carver Mattapoisett Lakeville Whitman Pepperell Townsend Bellingham Salisbury Norfolk Greenbush Brookline Village West Medford Waverley Sheldonville North Hampton North Salem Roslindale Milton Ocean Bluff Hathorne Readville Byfield Minot East Hampstead Waban Pinehurst South Walpole West Nottingham Rye Beach East Kingston West Groton Ashby Marshfield Hills West Boxford West Townsend North Weymouth Plainville Madbury Fremont Danville West Newbury Humarock Brant Rock New Town Onset Bryantville Plympton Deerfield Dunstable Dover Accord Prides Crossing Elmwood North Pembroke Halifax East Derry Lee Nutting Lake North Scituate Newton Upper Falls Greenland North Carver West Wareham Monponsett Village Of Nagog Woods Newton Lower Falls North Marshfield New Durham Milton Mills Nonantum Rochester Woodville South Carver Green Harbor Somersworth Nottingham Mattapan Sherborn Strafford Milton Village Newton Highlands East Weymouth Winthrop Groveland Shirley East Bridgewater Essex Hull Hamilton #### Cities served: Europa@2:50 mindfulness meditation We look forward to sharing ten minutes of free silent mindfulness meditation with you. This event serves the following cities and countries at 2:50 pm every day. All are welcome to join from any other time zone as is convenient. Whether you have an existing mindfulness or meditation practice or are new to the idea, this daily event can serve as a container and community to keep at it. What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it. Athens, Greece Beirut, Lebanon Brasov, Romania Bucharest, Romania Cluj Napoca, Romania Chişinău, Moldova Damascus, Syria Helsinki, Finland Jerusalem, Israel Kyiv, Ukraine Lviv, Ukraine Minsk, Belarus Nicosia, Cyprus Riga, Latvia Sofia, Bulgaria Tallinn, Estonia Tel Aviv, Israel Thessaloniki, Greece Timişoara, Romania Vilnius, Lithuania. New to mindfulness? Mindful.org has a lot to offer. If you’re in Central European Time (CET) @2:50 occurs at 1:50 pm each day. We’d love to see you there. Central European Time is currently used in Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Serbia, Kosovo, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City. #### Cities served: Pacifica@2:50 mindfulness meditation for you. This event serves the following cities, states, provinces and countries at 2:50 pm every day. All are welcome to join from any other time zone as is convenient. Whether you have an existing mindfulness or meditation practice or are new to the idea, this daily event can serve as a container and community to keep at it. New to Mindfulness? What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it. List of Cities practicing mindfulness in the Pacific Time Zone. Anaheim Bakersfield Beaverton Bellevue California Carson City Coeur d’Alene Eugene Fresno Gresham Henderson Hillsboro Las Vegas Long Beach Los Angeles Malheur County Nevada North Las Vegas Nyssa Oakland Olympia Ontario Oregon Paradise Portland Reno Riverside Sacramento Salem San Diego San Francisco San Jose Santa Ana Seattle Spokane Tacoma Vancouver Washington List of states and provinces practicing mindfulness meditation in the Pacific Time Zone British Columbia, California, Oregon, Nevada, Washington United States and Canada If you’re new to mindfulness and want a quick primer, mindful.org does a great job. #### DIY – eye of awareness Use the Eye of Mindfulness background video below to enhance your DIY mindfulness or meditation practice. Then join in any day live at the @2:50 home page. When you meditate with your eyes open, keep a gentle, relaxed gaze. Rather than closing the eyes fully, just keep them gently open. With partially open eyes, you can connect with your environment in new ways.  This may help you integrate your mindul practice with the outside world. If you find that closing your eyes too relaxing or causes you to fall asleep, open-eye meditation can be especially helpful. You stay alert and engaged, practical for those times when you need to remain aware, as in walking or sitting meditation in public. Why meditate with eyes open? Sitting mindfully with your eyes open may also help you bring mindfulness into everyday activities. By practicing direct observation without getting lost in your thoughts, you train your mind to stay present and focused, whether you’re in a quiet space or on a busy street. Open-eye mindfulness can help you develop awareness practices that extend beyond your solo meditation session. You can infuse everyday life with a new layer of calm and awareness. #### DIY – waves of mindfulness Nalu is the Hawaiian word for wave and also can be taken to mean mindful observation. Observing the natural flow of waves helps us understand the waves and flows during during our mindfulness journey. This video is the background footage to our Nalu | Mind the Flow journey. Sharing it in case you want to practice on your own.  Or join us live any day at https://at250.org Nalu lives on a small island. And they live by the shoreline. And one day they’re out walking along the shore, and they are looking out at the waves and looking out at the sky, and they start to wonder if perhaps those waves and flows that they’re seeing out there also mirror the waves and flows that they feel inside themselves. Nalu has heard about a people on a nearby island that have studied this. And so they set out to find these people and learn from them. And indeed, what they do find out, is that these people also believe that the waves that are happening outside the body and outside the mind are also very similar to the waves that are happening inside. And so they’ve learned a few techniques for listening and watching and sensing these waves. And this is the journey that Nalu takes is to learn these techniques–the journey that Nalu shares with us during the 28 days. Nalu learns that it’s the habit and the repetition of making these observations and making this kind of sensing journey that is really the key to establishing understanding and establishing a practice. So, to build their own practice, they commit to taking one or more days of the 28 day journey and making it happen so that they can continue to learn and continue to better understand the waves and how they interact with their lives. So I hope you come along for at least one of the days or as many of the days as you want, and I hope you have fun with nalu and our mindful journey. Please enjoy. #### Experiential @2:50 ten-minute daily mindfulness celebrates 730th consecutive day Mar 11 commemorates two years of daily meetups and the bringing together of people from every continent for over 215,000 person/minutes of quiet reflection together. @2:50 was initiated on 12 March 2020 at MIT as a temporary reaction to growing anxiety surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic. The daily mindful reflection period was shared widely within MIT and across the globe. It has become a daily staple for participants and viewers ranging in age from their teens to their 70s and from all walks of life. On Friday 11 March 2022, the group celebrates two years of meeting (or 730 consecutive days). The meeting starts at 2:30 pm with music by soprano Laura McHugh, followed at 2:40 by ‘Breathing with Nature’ in memory ofThích Nhất Hạnh, a practice led by MIT’s Natalie Hill. The celebration completes with the usual ten-minute silent practice starting at 2:50. On a usual day @2:50, participants and viewers begin to show up around 2:45 pm. There are currently two meetings each day. One in Eastern European Time, and one in Eastern Time US and Canada. Returning participants greet each other and welcome new joiners. At 2:49 guests are invited to participate in a way that suits them best from a handful of suggested mindfulness practices. From 2:50 to 3:00 pm every day, everyone sits quietly together. Quiet music and nature scenes play on the screen for those who wish to watch. At the top of the hour, participants may leave to resume their days or sometimes remain to talk.  For more on the happening: Mindfulness? Chances are you already practice it. How might we make mindfulness the new bio break? Simple mindfulness practices you can use anywhere. The @2:50 practice has become a regular part of the day for a core group that keeps the momentum going. A rotating population of participants and viewers come and go over time. To date, the group has held over 215,000 person/minutes of silent reflection. Participants claim, “Living alone, MIT’s @2:50 has eased the pandemic & given me a community to greet each day.” Or, “I come away feeling like a complete human being: accepted, seen, and appreciated–not for what I can do but for just being.” MIT@2:50 convenes live every day at https://at250.org currently in two time zones. Media Contact: art @ at250.org #### Experiential MIT@2:50 ten-minute daily mindfulness convenes for 250th consecutive day The daily event has brought together people from every continent for over 88,000 person/minutes of quiet reflection MIT@2:50 was initiated on 12 March 2020 as a temporary reaction to growing anxiety surrounding the pandemic. The daily mindful reflection period was shared widely within MIT and across the globe to become a daily staple for participants and viewers ranging in age from their teens to their 70s and from all walks of life. Monday 16 Nov marks the 250th consecutive day that the group meets at 2:50 pm eastern time. Each day, participants and viewers begin to show up around 2:45. Returning participants greet each other and welcome new joiners. At 2:49 guests are invited to participate in a way that suits them best from a handful of suggested mindfulness practices. From 2:50 to 3:00 pm every day, everyone sits quietly together. Quiet music, nature scenes, and participant panels play on the screen for those who wish to watch. At the top of the hour, participants may leave to resume their days or sometimes remain talk for a while. The @2:50 practice has become a regular part of the day for a core group that keeps the momentum going. A rotating population of participants and viewers come and go over time. To date, the group has held over 88,000 person/minutes of silent reflection. Participants claim, “Living alone, MIT’s @2:50 has eased the pandemic & given me a community to greet each day.” Or, “I come away feeling like a complete human being: accepted, seen, and appreciated–not for what I can do but for just being.” MIT@2:50 convenes every day https://at250.org  For more information contact Arthur Grau agrau (at) mit (dot) edu or art@at250.org Image of a sample day with panelists on screen. Webinar viewers outnumber panelists but are not pictured on the screen. #### Five years Happy Anniversary @2:50 We turn five on 12 Mar 2025 And we’re celebrating all month. Hope everyone is well. Thanks for being part of @2:50. We each bring some of our selves, so thanks. On Wednesday 12 March @2:50 turns five! We’ve come through a lot, and we’re ready for more. Thanks Partha, V.K., and Billy for continuing to host additional meetups daily! Cheers to Len for your steadfast support across time zones. And grateful to you Karen for maintaining our MIT connections. To everyone who’s joined online or in person. So great! Thank you. Read on for all the goodies (images at the end). Claudia’s beautiful meringue created for the 250th day of @2:50! Celebratory stuff so far Wed 12 March, join live at MIT! Karen, thank you for hosting a special anniversary session at the birthplace of @2:50, MIT E40. Thu 13 March, Aashish Maskey takes us on a guided meditation during EDT@2:50. Read more about him here.  Sat 15 March, Live and online! We have a classical listening party after EST@2:50. Tenor Taka Komagata, Soprano Luisamaria Hernandez, Composer John-William Gambrell. See 15 Mar Recap Below TBD, Aco Yamagata will lead Pacific@2:50. Maybe with a special language treat! TBD, More guest hosts and speakers in the works. Mon 24 Mar is Europa@2:50 day 1500. We’ll start the week out right with Partha! Thu 3 Apr is Pacifica@2:50 day 600. We’ll join Billy on pacific time to celebrate. Time zones The US and Canada spring forward on 9 Mar. Europe springs forward on 30 Mar. Please plan accordingly. 15 Mar in-person celebration recap Arthur reads, A Meditation The river that runs in the valley makes the valley that holds it. This is the doorway: the valley of the river. ~ What wears away the hard stone, the high mountain? The wind. The dust on the wind. The rain. The rain on the wind. What wears the hardness of hate away? Breath, tears. ~ Courage, compassion, patience holding to their way: the path to the doorway. –Ursula K. LeGuin, blog, Lao Tsu, a Cup of Water, 2016 John reads, A sonnet Yes. I do love you. These tears of admissionSalt my cheeks and yours, as heart gates open,Here in the luxury of your golden arms.We edge along this scary precipiceOf aspiration, a furnace of hope,Feeding on coals of cautionary fear,And stoked by passions that pick me up andDrop me, hissing loud, in the quenching pool,Where I don’t control how the soul anneals,Yielding untested alloys that I needTo handle, hammer and reforge again,To assure myself not that all’s just so,But finally to know that transcendent loveIs not calculus but wings of a dove. –John Avery, 2025 Luisamaria reads, Some Definite Service God knows me and calls me by my name.God has created me to do Him some definite service;He has committed some work to mewhich He has not committed to another.I have my mission—I never may know it in this life,but I shall be told it in the next. Somehow I am necessary for His purposes…I have a part in this great work;I am a link in a chain, a bond of connectionbetween persons.He has not created me for naught. I shall do good,I shall do His work;I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truthin my own place, while not intending it,if I do but keep His commandmentsand serve Him in my calling. Therefore, I will trust Him.Whatever, wherever I am,I can never be thrown away.If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him;In perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him;If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him.My sickness, or perplexity, or sorrow may benecessary causes of some great end,which is quite beyond us.He does nothing in vain; He may prolong my life,He may shorten it;He knows what He is about.He may take away my friends,He may throw me among strangers,He may make me feel desolate,make my spirits sink, hide the future from me—still, He knows what He is about.…Let me be Thy blind instrument. I ask not to see—I ask not to know—I ask simply to be used. –John Henry Cardinal Newman, 1848 Some fun stuff from @2:50s past Heather’s sunset from V.K.’s collection (thank you for those slides!). Early on, it was a marvel to be attending silence with so many people from everywhere. Beautiful drone footage Partha put together for Europa@2:50 (V.K.’s collection) When we joined from the Hollywood Farmers Market and got a serenade from the Fair Market Band. (V.K.’s collection) Atlantica@2:50 day 1000 Our friend Lisa from V.K.’s video production day 1000! Celebrating one year with Billy! Thanks Mika for the lovely music and Aco for the guidance! Here’s to many more minutes normalizing silence together! As we reflect on the many ways we can integrate mindfulness into our daily lives, whether online or in-person, we offer this poem. Ms. Flavour curated it from many single line contributions offered by participants during @250’s first anniversary. She unified our voices into a whole. It reflects on the experience after one year of daily meetings. Perhaps we may do another now, after five. Thanks to Lizarett Flavour for curating the chaos into a beautiful verse. Find the original on her site. At The Hour’s Top (Garden of Quiet) Collab #1 In the Garden of Quiet, Garden of Thoughts, There is no once and no when, only sloths. The moment is here, the moment will rise: Ten minutes no one here has to be wise. First glance into silence, eternity lap, A Moon in the swanlight – one way of the craft. A flower of sunshine, a cloudless night, Contagious soft glimmer we share inside. Cool stars in the gyre, sky holds the breath, Horizon’s so near, as close as thou let: Immersing a guest in tranquility feast That mind and body compose as we speak. Earth’s flickering beauty in ball of realms, – Embrace and descend into room when time comes. Hats, jewels prepared, now set up your clock, – At top of the hour, meet friends and your hopes. March 2021 #### Get a free guided mindful break for your group or meeting A few minutes of quiet in a group setting can go a long way toward increasing empathy, productivity, and enjoyment. We have over 4,000 ten-minute quiet sessions under our collective belts. Book Art, @2:50’s founder and host of the daily Atlantica@2:50 for a free ten-minute session for your group or meeting. Use this Calendly to schedule an informational call and learn more.   Or stop by the home page at 2:50pm in any of three time zones, any day of the year, to get the experience. #### Gratitude mind guided audio Gratitude practice is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Gratitude and gratefulness practice can evoke sensations and feelings that resonate with us for the rest of the day. We find attention to gratitude to be foundational to a daily practice. Listen to this guided gratitude practice on Insight Timer #### How might we make mindfulness the new ‘bio-break’? There is a decades-long surge in interest in mindfulness practices. For the last three generations since 1970, mentions of the word mindfulness in books have increased by 56 times (1). From the arts to business and sports to healthcare, mindful practices have been studied, documented, and promoted. Taking even just a few minutes of quiet reflection time each day has been cited to reduce stress, increase immune response, and even change brain structures to help mitigate the “reptilian” responses our physiology uses to react to a changing world. (2) With interest and validation for these practices on the rise, why not add mindfulness to our agenda of daily “bio breaks?” Is mindfulness as essential as clean water, nourishing food, and trips to the bathroom to get us through our days? A growing body of evidence seems to suggest that it is. (3) (4) How might we make mindfulness into the new ‘bio-break’? We may schedule our lunch breaks, take time for stretching between meetings, or end meetings early to make trips to the bathroom. What if we also reserve a scheduled time for mindful practice? The body uses sensation, pressure, and pain to remind us of the most obvious biological needs. Thirst and hunger might be the most persistent. Our joints and muscles let us know if we remain in one position for too long. And I am sure I am not the only one who has been stranded in a meeting vibrating in my seat because of the need to use the bathroom.  But the feedback we get from our bodies that tells us to “take a breather” for our nervous systems is often more subtle. Chronic and unspecific “symptoms” arise when we don’t take the right kind of breaks from work or any other engaging activity. (5) It’s because of this subtlety that scheduling a mindful bio break could be the way to go. For some, even ten minutes a day in reacting with mindfulness can change the way we react to everything else. (6)  Since March 2020, MIT@2:50 has been meeting every day at 2:50 pm EST for ten minutes. All we do is simply sit quietly together. Created in reaction to acute stress at MIT, participants have just kept showing up, both from the institute and from around the world. A few of them started a second instance of the daily meeting, launching in Finland at 2:50 pm EET every day. Participants have reported a host of benefits from the daily drop-in, as well as shared their strategies for treating it like a bio-break. Strategies for mindfulness bio breaks Some participants join right at 2:50 pm using a phone alarm or calendar entry to remind them of the start time. Others have reserved the thirty minutes from the bottom of the hour to the top, using the last ten quiet minutes to reflect and recharge. Happening squarely in the middle of the afternoon, and not “off-hours”, @2:50 makes its own proclamation of self-importance. By prioritizing reflection time with the same status as water cooler, lunch counter, or toilet time, participants get buy-in from their families, their colleagues, or their supervisors. Participants have said they just let their 3:00 pm meeting hosts know that they might be a minute or two late, and no one appears to have been the worst off for it. On the contrary, after repeating this practice regularly, many have reported that it changes the whole rest of their days for the better.  Taking a regular mindful break has proven benefits that may also strengthen our resolve to allow time for our other biological needs and to take rest and recharge. We may begin to better recognize subtle biological signs of stress or fatigue. This could improve life for the individual, the team, the family, or for an organization as a whole. Author after author continues to expand on the benefits of even ten minutes of mindfulness each day. From building focus and resolve to activating the newly discovered elasticity in our brains, a few minutes of reflection seems to do the trick. (7) The results are in. This works. So, the next time you find yourself running to the kitchen to make a lunch before your next meeting in nine minutes, or hovering at your workspace because the thoughts or words just aren’t flowing, maybe reserve a regular ten minutes on the calendar to make space for a breather. (8) Google Books Ngram Viewer for mindfulness, meditation, yoga The Biology of Mindfulness and Mindlessness – A Neuroscientist’s Perspective The Mindfulness Manifesto (book) Take a Break! Benefits of Sleep and Short Breaks https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1359432X.2016.1269750 Science Says You Have to Stop Taking Breaks Wrong Spending 10 Minutes a Day on Mindfulness Subtly Changes the Way You React to Everything What Does Mindfulness Meditation Do to Your Brain? Study Shows Correlation Between Employee Engagement And The Long-Lost Lunch Break photo creative commons: isarthurgrau #### Love doesn’t just sit there “Love doesn’t just sit there,like a stone;it has to be made,like bread,remade all the time,made new.”Ursula K LeGuin #### Medical Support for Daily Mindfulness Mindfulness is about more than just managing stress. It has tangible medical benefits that support healthy living. By: Blake Calamas This article is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice. Please consult your medical practitioner before engaging in a new practice or discipline. Practicing mindfulness (or mindfulness meditation) has grown in recent years as a helpful tool in therapy, self-help, and holistic living. While it’s difficult to pin down a single genealogy of mindfulness’ historical roots, it was and continues to be common to all major world religious texts and a growing body of scientific findings. (1) Not sure what we mean by mindfulness? Check out our practice primer here. But the mindfulness in religion or science only touch some aspects of the practice and its benefits. In addition, the medical community has rallied around mindfulness as a tested, health-improving tool that can easily become part of everyone’s wellness toolkit. Brain-changing power of mindfulness Mindfulness practices have been used in therapy for anxiety and depression for years, but further research has shown how powerful these practices can be when used consistently. A 2013 medical study followed 155 adults who underwent an eight-week course of mindfulness training, followed by an MRI scan to learn if (and how) the brain’s structure had changed. Here are the results: Recent work suggests that mindfulness (and mindfulness training interventions) may foster neuroplastic changes in cortico-limbic circuits responsible for stress and emotion regulation…Such volumetric differences may help explain why mindful individuals have reduced stress reactivity, and suggest new candidate structural neurobiological pathways linking mindfulness with mental and physical health outcomes. (2) What does this mean? After the eight-week mindfulness course, the brain’s amygdala–the portion associated with fear and emotion and primarily responsible for our “fight-or-flight” response–appeared to shrink. And as the amygdala shrunk, the part of the brain that handles awareness, concentration, and decision-making (the prefrontal cortex) grew. Even the connections between these regions changed as a result of consistent mindfulness: the amygdala’s connections with the rest of the brain grew weaker while areas associated with attention and concentration grew stronger. So in sum, a daily mindfulness habit has the power to literally change the structure of your brain (often called neuroplasticity), powering down the parts associated with fear, stress, and emotional reactivity and powering up the parts associated with focus, concentration, and decision-making. While mindfulness has been in practice for centuries, its spotlight often grows during times of crisis. Take, for example, the global pandemic that has impacted millions of lives and severely impacted mental health, through the deaths of loved ones, social isolation, and the disappearance of “normal” life in communities across the world. In fact, a study on the psychological impact of Covid-19 among Italians during the first week of lockdown found that 40% reported high psychological distress and about 30% showed clinically significant post-traumatic symptoms. (3)A study that examined the relationship between mindfulness and psychiatric symptoms related to Covid-19 had this to say about the role the former plays in impacting the latter: To date, this mindfulness ability seems to be related to other psychological constructs such as emotional intelligence, vivid perception, receptive attention, personality traits, and defense mechanisms. (4) Mindfulness has also been proven to represent a good predictor of depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being in association with self-compassion, self-efficacy, and gender. (5) Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses showed significant beneficial effects on depressive and anxiety symptoms in patients treated with mindfulness-based interventions. (6) In other words, a mindfulness-centered lifestyle shows significant health benefits when it comes to dealing with crisis, whether it’s the death of a loved one, financial or job insecurities, political fraying, or a global health pandemic. By “practicing” mindfulness in the same way you might strive to consistently exercise and eat healthy, you’re strengthening your brain to handle the lows of life when they arrive. When being of solid mind supports other healthy habits A 2011 mindfulness study featuring college women who were asked to self-report their wellness over five academic semesters while practicing mindfulness, yielded promising results that showed one healthy habit can support others. Over the ~2 year study, the participants noted that their mindfulness practice correlated to healthier eating practices, better sleep, and better physical health.(7) Even at first glance, the results seem obvious: learning to control our brain’s response to stress, emotional triggers, and even trauma can have profound impacts on other aspects of our wellness, including diet, exercise, and sleep hygiene. In turn, these healthy habits can improve our mental health, as well, thereby creating a beneficial mindfulness-wellness cycle that supports itself. It can even support your work life, as well. A 2013 study found that participants who were assigned to a self-training mindfulness group experienced significantly less emotional exhaustion and more job satisfaction than the participants in the control group (those who were not assigned to self-training mindfulness). (8) How do you expand your healthy toolkit? The role that mental health plays in physical health, and vice versa, is becoming vastly more understood with each passing year. How our brains feel (stressed, tired, anxious, angry, afraid) has both direct and indirect correlations to our physical health. In the same way that adequate exercise, fruits and vegetables, and proper sleep can support a healthy life, consider including consistent mindfulness. Here @2:50 we believe mindfulness to be an essential bio break. The measurable changes it has on your brain and on your ability to deal with crises can be powerful. It might be just the “tool” your healthy toolkit has been missing. It can even support your work life, as well. A 2013 study found that participants who were assigned to a self-training mindfulness group experienced significantly less emotional exhaustion and more job satisfaction than the participants in the control group (those who were not assigned to self-training mindfulness). (9) And even if you don’t start out practicing it every day, @250 welcomes you to our 10-minute mindfulness sessions at 2:50 PM, whenever you can make them. Try it out, see what works for you. References 1. Trousselard M, Steiler D, Claverie D, Canini F. L’histoire de la Mindfulness à l’épreuve des données actuelles de la littérature: questions en suspens [The history of Mindfulness put to the test of current scientific data: unresolved questions]. Encephale. 2014 Dec;40(6):474-80. French. doi: 10.1016/j.encep.2014.08.006. Epub 2014 Sep 5. PMID: 25194754 2. Taren AA, Creswell JD, Gianaros PJ (2013) Dispositional Mindfulness Co-Varies with Smaller Amygdala and Caudate Volumes in Community Adults. PLOS ONE 8(5): e64574. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0064574 3. Marazziti, D., Tomaiuolo, F., Dell’Osso, L., Demi, V., Campana, S., Piccaluga, E., et al. (2015). Neuropsychological testing in interventional cardiology staff after long-term exposure to ionizing radiation. J. Int. Neuropsychol. Soc. 21, 670–676. doi: 10.1017/S135561771500082X 4. Salovey, P., Mayer, J. D., Goldman, S. L., Turvey, C., and Palfai, T. F. (1995). “Emotional attention, clarity, and repair: exploring emotional intelligence using the trait meta-mood scale,” in Emotion, Disclosure, and Health, ed. J. W. Pennebaker (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association), 125–154. doi: 10.1037/10182-006 5. Soysa, C. K., and Wilcomb, C. J. (2015). Mindfulness, self-compassion, self-efficacy, and gender as predictors of depression, anxiety, stress, and well-being. Mindfulness 6, 217–226. doi: 10.1007/s12671-013-0247-1 6. Strauss, C., Cavanagh, K., Oliver, A., and Pettman, D. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions for people diagnosed with a current episode of an anxiety or depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. PLoS One 9:e96110. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096110 7. Murphy, Megan J., et al. “The benefits of dispositional mindfulness in physical health: A longitudinal study of female college students.” Journal of American College Health 60.5 (2012): 341-348. 8. Hülsheger, U. R., Alberts, H. J. E. M., Feinholdt, A., & Lang, J. W. B. (2013). Benefits of mindfulness at work: The role of mindfulness in emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(2), 310–325. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031313 9. Creswell, J David et al. “Mindfulness Training and Physical Health: Mechanisms and Outcomes.” Psychosomatic medicine vol. 81,3 (2019): 224-232. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000000675 #### Mindful stuck practice The Stuck Practice invites us to embody a “stuck” that we’re facing in the real world.  We sense more deeply into our current reality, rather than trying to “fix” a situation from the same mind-set or frame of reference that created the “stuck” situation. Instead, we feel deeply into the situation, suspending our problem-solving habit. By paying attention to our “body-knowing” and to the social field, we discover new directions or fresh insights that were not accessible just by thinking. Principles Let the body be the guide. Do not plan, act, mime, pretend, manipulate or represent. Simply BE and DO. Lean into the “stuck” situation. The wisdom is there already. Notice what is emerging – what is sometimes called the “crack”. Trust the moment-to-moment experience. Uses & Outcomes Become more sensitive to and honest about the feeling-quality of our current situation Suspend concepts; build trust in body knowing. Feel ourselves as part of a co-creative system. Feel what is emerging, a future that we want to create. Contact us for a practice protocol art (at) at250 (dot) org This work is adapted from u-school materials, https://www.u-school.org/stuck. Creative Commons  CC BY-SA 4.0 Licensed by the Presencing Institute: https://presencinginstitute.org/credits.  Permalink: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ #### Normalize Silence Making silence normal again, one minute at a time For when you or your colleagues need a quick presencing. Use the cards on this mini app to practice together, one minute at a time. References: Quiet environments and the intentional practice of silence. | The Ethics of Silence: The Sense of the Meeting. Use these audio tracks for prompts More resources Mindful stuck practice The Stuck Practice invites us to embody a "stuck" that we're facing in the real world.  We sense more deeply into our current reality, rather than trying to... When sitting still is not enough Sometimes it's not enough to just sit still. The mind tends to wander. Outside distractions can appear louder and more invasive. And at times we may become... Boxed breathing Boxed breathing is a supplemental @2:50 practice shared by one of our regular participants. It's a simple effective technique that quickly brings the mind... The nose knows Breath attention for focusing is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Focusing on sensations and feelings related directly to breathing can... What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it By: Blake Calamas & Arthur Grau. If you're new to mindfulness, you may not know what being “mindful” actually means. You may think to yourself, “Wow! What... Gratitude mind guided audio Gratitude practice is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Gratitude and gratefulness practice can evoke sensations and feelings that... « Older Entries #### Pacifica@2:50 celebrates one year Join us to celebrate Pacifica@2:50’s first year of consecutive daily mindful meetups on Sat 10 Aug! Please mark your calendar and join at 2:45 pm Pacific Time. Host Billy welcomes special guest, Aco Yamagata from Studio Mindflow in Tokyo to lead us on a guided mindfulness practice. After, percussionist Mika Mimura Erickson takes us on a vibraphone journey. We’ll wind up with a little dance party. Find your time zone here. Back to @2:50 Home #### Simple mindfulness practices you can use anywhere Every day @2:50 we prompt with three simple practices. observe your breathing and let it go in and out by itself or; notice sensations in your body with your mind’s eye or; visualize something relaxing or you’re grateful for. Here are some quick summaries of each with links to at2:50 guided audio and a reference or two. Observe your breathing and let it go in and out by itself Listen to the @2:50 guided audio track on breath attention. Foremost in mindfulness practices is simple attention to the breath. From yoga to competitive sports and performance art to business coaching, attention to the breath brings instant and lasting benefits to the practitioner. This mindful breathing article from the Greater Good Science Center is a great starting point. Notice sensations in your body with your mind’s eye Listen to the @2:50 guided audio track on body scanning. A perennially useful practice is the body scan. Like mindful breathing, you can scan your body while doing almost any other activity. However, be careful with all mindfulness practices if you’re in motion, or using machinery! This quick guide from The Mindful Counselor shows how you can easily practice body scanning. Visualize a relaxing or something you are grateful for Listen to the @2:50 guided audio track on gratitude. The mind is incredibly adept at visualizing. It could even be said that worry or regret are simply visualizations of things that could or have happened. Visualizing gratitude is one practice that is believed to have health and happiness benefits. Here’s a short guide from ASU on gratitude. It’s all about continuity of practice Whether you’re using a mindfulness method, above, one of your own, or doing something else, many believe it’s more about repetition and continuity than about the actual activity. Many people claim benefits by using this time set aside to simply rest, take a walk, sit in the yard, make a journal entry, or do a bit of doodling. At2:50 exists to create the container for anyone anywhere to practice what they need to for ten minutes. What you do is up to you. #### Stretch Roulette Energize your day or kickoff a meeting with a quick stretch! Spin the wheel below to reveal a random stretch and then try it. This page is optimized for screen sharing. The average human body has between 30 and 40 TRILLION cells, all working in concert. Each of these cells is a sensory and intelligent organ responding in realtime to its environment. How might we understand new forms of knowing, wisdom, and creativity if we engage our bodies in presencing and mindfulness. Getting into our bodies for even a couple minutes throughout the day increases circulation, activates our cells, and may leave us with more energy than when we started. Bookmark the page and come back anytime for a quick break and to plug into your own wisdom of the body. More Resources Mindful stuck practice The Stuck Practice invites us to embody a "stuck" that we're facing in the real world.  We sense more deeply into our current reality, rather than trying to... When sitting still is not enough Sometimes it's not enough to just sit still. The mind tends to wander. Outside distractions can appear louder and more invasive. And at times we may become... Boxed breathing Boxed breathing is a supplemental @2:50 practice shared by one of our regular participants. It's a simple effective technique that quickly brings the mind... The nose knows Breath attention for focusing is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Focusing on sensations and feelings related directly to breathing can... What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it By: Blake Calamas & Arthur Grau. If you're new to mindfulness, you may not know what being “mindful” actually means. You may think to yourself, “Wow! What... Gratitude mind guided audio Gratitude practice is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Gratitude and gratefulness practice can evoke sensations and feelings that... #### The nose knows Breath attention for focusing is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Focusing on sensations and feelings related directly to breathing can serve as an anchor for the rest of the day. We find that attention to how the breath works naturally in the body can become a core of practice. In this brief audio file, we zoom in on the nose as a way to center and regroup. Listen to the audio track on InsightTimer #### Using breath guided audio Attending to the breath is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Breath attention is one of the simplest most effective practices available to anyone anywhere. For this reason, we return to it again as foundational to the rest of the day. Listen to this guided practice on using the breath on Insight Timer #### What is mindfulness? Chances are, you’re already practicing it By: Blake Calamas & Arthur Grau. If you’re new to mindfulness, you may not know what being “mindful” actually means. You may think to yourself, “Wow! What I wouldn’t give for a few moments of turning off my brain!” You may have images of monks or religious figures seated in lotus poses, eyes closed, palms open, looking very reflective and calm. The good news is that you don’t need to meditate, be religious, or sit in a lotus posture to practice mindfulness. I would hazard a guess that you might already be a mindfulness practitioner and not even know it. Mindfulness is simply the act of being aware of where we are, what our bodies are doing, and what thoughts enter and leave our brains without being overly reactive, grasping, or overwhelmed as it happens. That means you don’t need to “do” anything to practice mindfulness. You’re simply giving yourself the time and space–say, for ten minutes–to sit in silence and observe the feelings, emotions, and sensations all around you without judgment or reaction. Threshold by Mark Reigelman, New Bedford, MA. There’s no need to empty your brain. Many people approach mindfulness with a common misconception, the idea that your brain must be “empty” for mindfulness to occur. If we go back to the image of the religious figure calmly sitting atop a mountain or inside a temple with their eyes closed, we might be trying to imagine how on earth someone can get their brain to “turn off” for more than a few seconds.  But the mindful practice is not about emptying or turning off your brain. You can’t turn off your brain any more than you can turn off your digestive system, your heart, your kidneys, or the breath going in and out of your body. All of these processes keep on chugging along no matter how many words your thinking brain has to say about it. If you’re anything like me and most everyone I’ve ever met, the brain has quite a lot to say. Your brain is constantly whirring: taking in new sights and sounds, bringing back old memories, reminding you of various to-do’s, and whatever else that it “notices” with every passing moment. So instead of emptying the brain, what do you do during a mindful practice? You sit with those thoughts, observe them, let them enter and leave from your headspace. And you simply watch all that chatter without responding, refuting, attempting to quash it, or getting carried away. If the thoughts provoke happiness, anxiety, fear, and nostalgia, that’s okay too. Just observe the emotion. It’s neither good nor bad. It simply is. It will likely get replaced by something else in a few seconds. That’s okay. You’re practicing being present with those emotions and learning that they do not need a response. They don’t need a judgment. Your only job is to observe. Learn about and listen to the three practices we use during @2:50. It’s not a competition. Trying to “get mindfulness right” can be a self-defeating proposition for many first-timers. During a mindful practice, you might find yourself thinking, “Am I doing it right? Is this mindfulness? I feel like my mind is wandering. I need to focus!” That’s okay. That feeling of doing mindfulness “wrong” is just that. A feeling. No need to dwell on it. Name it, observe it, let the thought pass or come back around if it feels like it. Remember, you can’t control your wandering brain. Because there are thousands and thousands of stimuli that your brain is taking in every moment–both external and internal. Practicing mindfulness in a quiet room might cause you to realize how much stimuli are actually present. “Is the computer’s fan really that loud? Where is that dripping noise coming from? Has my elbow ached like that before?” Mindfulness means learning that your brain’s responses to these thousands of stimuli do not require an answer at the moment. So that when you find yourself “following” a particular thought, notice that you’re doing so. Describe the thought, the emotion, or the feeling. “Wow, that memory made me feel suddenly warm in my gut. That’s Interesting.” Then breathe. If you find yourself comparing your own experiences to anyone else’s, you can safely remind yourself that this, too, is just a thought. It’s not a competition. There are as many pathways to mindfulness as human minds. You’re not in a contest with anyone. An easy phrase to remember is, “I am just here to watch.” Mindfulness comes in many disguises. A working definition of mindfulness is to “purposely bring one’s attention in the present moment without evaluation.” To get a sense of this, I would invite you to think of an experience when you lost track of time because you were so involved in what was happening at the moment. You may have been playing a sport, learning something new, caregiving, or playing a game. At times like these, mindfulness occurs naturally. We bring our attention to the present when we solve problems or learn a new skill. Everyone can do it. Practicing mindfulness is simply the act of setting aside some time to bring our attention to the present activities of the mind and body, even while there’s no problem, learning, or game at hand. As with any practice, the more we do it, the better we are at it. Listen to “Using the Breath” on Insight Timer What do you get out of mindfulness? Let’s return to our mindful monk. The beauty of mindfulness is that it can have tangible impacts on the rest of your day, week, and life. The “mindful” life is not devoid of stress, anxiety, and conflict. The monk likely experiences daily frustrations with his next-door neighbor snoring, the long walk from the temple to his home, or a family member who has been lately getting on his nerves. The mindful life is a life in which we take those emotions in stride and learn that we can handle them. We all experience fear. Grief visits everyone. Anxiety comes with the territory of being human. Being mindful is not about pushing those feelings away but embracing them for what they are, experiencing them, and acknowledging that our reactions to those feelings are 90% of our suffering. Think of it this way. Experiencing grief is not a bad thing. It is, after all, simply an emotion. Dwelling on grief and allowing it to control your life is a bad thing. It can lead to substance abuse, neglect, or other dangers.  Experiencing fear is not a bad thing. It’s simply an emotion and sometimes a useful one. Allowing that fear–typically in the form of chronic anxiety–to control your life is a bad thing. It may “force” you into being asocial or irritable as a way of coping. Listen to “Gratitude Mindfulness” on Insight Timer How we do it. Our emotions are not our enemies. Our reactions to those emotions can be if we lose awareness of them. A mindful practice of even a few minutes a day can genuinely help us exercise that awareness. The technique makes us better at keeping watch. @250 believes that mindfulness may look and feel different for everyone. That means that the mindfulness that works for you works for @2:50. Everyone is welcome to join on any day. If you’ve come to @2:50, you may see people with their eyes closed or open. Some may be observing their screens. Some may be sitting, standing, or even walking. Many are sitting at home or working in their usual chairs (no meditation cushion needed!). If you’re giving yourself the time and space to be present with your emotions, to allow them to be without reaction or solution, you’re practicing mindfulness, no matter how that may look from the outside. Listen to “Observing the Body” on Insight Timer @250’s global mission is for people everywhere to pause for ten minutes of mindfulness once a day, every day. It’s both a big idea (the whole world!) and also quite approachable (only ten minutes). Interested in some well-known “practices” that are used to promote mindfulness? Check out three of the more common approaches that mindfulness practitioners carry in their daily toolkits. Mindfulness is cited across industries as a useful and beneficial practice. Hear how our friends at Gifted recommend a practice. https://www.giftedhealthcare.com/blog/practice-mindfulness-this-school-year/ #### When sitting still is not enough Hearing a story helps Sometimes it’s not enough to just sit still. The mind tends to wander. Outside distractions can appear louder and more invasive. And at times we may become frustrated with the whole quieting and stillness of the mind. It may feel like nothing’s working. In these cases, a good story can help us stay alert and absorbed, even as we gain experience with mindful presencing. Nalu Minds the Flow is just such a story. Nalu minds the flow with 28 ten-minute tracks to help us build on our natural innate abilities to be present. We hear simple mindfulness practices through four weeks. The flow starts with breathing, moves to sensation, then deep observation, and finally gratitude. The story is told from the point of view of our main character, Nalu who finds themselves along the shoreline of the island they live on. We follow Nalu as they experiment with various presencing activites and go deeper as time goes on. Great for beginners and more seasoned practitioners. Listen to, or watch, ‘Nalu Minds the Flow’. #### Why practice mindfulnes? URL: https://at250.org/why-practice-mindfulnes/ ### Pages #### @2:50 – presencing daily – ten minutes for clarity @2:50 – presencing daily – ten minutes for clarity For clarity, focus, and resilience. TEN MINUTES Everything works better after it’s unplugged for a bit. So, we unplug together on the regular. We meet live every day for ten minutes of quiet. All people, backgrounds, and practices are welcome. Use these buttons daily at 2:50 pm to go live. Join a free, silent, webinar. No camera or voice needed. Starting in 00:00:00 •EUROPA@2:50 PM Zoom EET, Athens, Cairo, Helsinki, Joburg (UTC+2)Today is day 2035 Starting in 00:00:00 •ATLANTICA@2:50 PM Zoom EST, Bogotá, Detroit, NY, Toronto, D.C. (UTC-4)Today is day 2374 Learn how we @2:50 Learn three simple patterns Hear from us less than once a month. SubscribePlease wait...Thanks for subscribing to updates. You can expect to hear from @2:50 once a month or less. :-) Please enjoy! Oops! Something went wrong, please try again ← Back Get a daily reminder Register for daily Zoom reminders Why silence? Because… even ten minutes intentionally quiet can affect the rest of the day; a contemplative practice prepares you for future challenges; your plate of ‘to-dos’ can likely wait ten minutes. Why 2:50 PM? @2:50 is midday to notice the vitality a mindful or resting practice can bring to our lives. Is silence as essential as clean water, nourishing food, and trips to the bathroom? Evidence suggests that it is. (Benefits of daily mindfulness.) How do I participate? A short introduction is offered at 2:48 each day. You might, observe your breathing and let it go in and out by itself or; notice sensations in your body with your mind’s eye or; visualize a relaxing scene or something you are grateful for. What if I can’t join @2:50 pm? You’re welcome to join @250 any time. Our global objective is to encourage quiet, presencing, and reflective time in whatever form, format, or time works best for you. If you can’t make 2:50 pm, start presencing here below with a couple of fun activities. Fun presencing in three minutes or less Click the image to try an @2:50 mini app yourself or with friends or colleagues. Participants say “I set my alarm for this every day. Even if I’m out on a walk, I try to join.” –P. “For me, having everyone show up at the same time every day makes a difference in my life.” –M. “Sometimes I just use this as a time to clean up my desk.” –H. “I’ve seen my blood pressure drop like 20 points after @2:50.” –S. People join @2:50 in many ways. Some walk or sit outside. Others use the time to sketch or journal. Some practice their own mindfulness or meditations, or get in a quick nap! It’s less about what we do and more about our repeating and doing it together. Register to get a daily reminder from Zoom or SubscribePlease wait...Thanks for subscribing to updates. You can expect to hear from @2:50 once a month or less. :-) Please enjoy! Oops! Something went wrong, please try again ← Back Hear from us once a month or less with cool ideas and activities to help you normalize silence. Leaving a trace Starting in June 2026, @2:50 participants are invited to leave a reflective “trace” each day. Participants reflect usin a color, a pattern, and a word or phrase. Traces compile into a daily snapshot as you see here. Traces record over time to for art, presencing, and pattern recognition. (Click to rotate.) @2:50 Milestones Thu 6 Aug 2026 marks 2000 days of Europa @2:50 Sat 14 Mar 2026 we celebrated six years (2,191 days) of Atlantica@2:50 Thu 8 Jan 2026 marks more than 10,000 person/hours normalizing silence. Mon 1 Sep 2025 Marks 2000 consecutive days of Atlantica@2:50 Wed 21 May 2025 marks the final (635th) day of Pacifica@2:50 Thank you, Billy! Mon 24 Mar 2025 marks 1500 consecutive days of Europa@2:50 Sun 13 Aug 2023 Pacifica@2:50 begins in the Pacific time zone. Mindfulness Resources Mindful stuck practice The Stuck Practice invites us to embody a "stuck" that we're facing in the real... read more Boxed breathing Boxed breathing is a supplemental @2:50 practice shared by one of our regular... read more The nose knows Breath attention for focusing is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm.... read more DIY – waves of mindfulness Nalu is the Hawaiian word for wave and also can be taken to mean mindful observation.... read more DIY – eye of awareness Use the Eye of Mindfulness background video below to enhance your DIY mindfulness or... read more Gratitude mind guided audio Gratitude practice is one of several techniques we practice daily @2:50 pm. Gratitude... read more « Older Entries #### A vision of every day mindfulness for everyone When is @2:50 in my local time zone? These buttons join free, live, ten-minute webinars at 2:50 p.m. in your preferred time zones on any day. Set yourself a calendar reminder or alarm and try it out for a few days. Starting in 00:00:00 •EUROPA@2:50 EET, Athens, Helsinki (UTC+2)12:50 pm London8:50 am, Rio de Janeiro7:50 am, New York5:50 am, Mexico City4:50 am, Vancouver1:50 am, Honolulu8:50 pm, Tokyo7:20 pm, Delhi Starting in 00:00:00 •ATLANTICA@2:50 EST, New York, Toronto (UTC-4)9:50 pm, Helsinki7:50 pm, London3:50 pm, Rio de Janeiro12:50 pm, Mexico City11:50 am, Vancouver8:50 am, Honolulu3:50 am, Tokyo12:20 am, Delhi Please check your local time zone converter for daylight savings times. Why are we doing @2:50? We envision a world where everyone everywhere can effortlessly join a mindful practice together at any hour on any day. For this reason, @2:50 offers daily silent mindfulness reflection periods for free. Anyone can join. At two-fifty was created at MIT (Cambridge, MA) and is open to the world. Daily, volunteer-run events help you reflect and recharge, normalizing silence in our daily lives. @2:50 does not promote any creed, sect, organization, or ideology. We simply meet every day for ten minutes of quiet. Everyone, everywhere, is invited. Register for a daily email or download calendar reminders. How was @2:50 created? The daily event has brought together people from every continent for more than five years and more than half a million person/minutes of quiet reflection together. We started as a simple daily practice for the staff and researchers at MIT and grew out to serve a global community.   Insights on a community of practice after 1750 consecutive days. Commitment, regularity, and simplicity can supercharge a mindfulness or meditation practice. Intending an indefinite daily cadence meets uncertainty and life changes on their terms, anytime. Making mindfulness together in real time makes a quantum connection in community. The group determines the outcomes, and we’re forced to be unattached. Who maintains @2:50? The people who show up regularly or occasionally create the community that is at @2:50. We are supported by daily and substitute hosts who manage the Zoom webinar for each session. The website, Zoom account, and brand are maintained by art@at250.org. Volunteer hosts Partha hosts Europa@2:50 from Finland. Professionally, he is a Supply Chain practitioner focused on S&OP / IBP. Personally, he enjoys walking in the forest. As an @2:50 host and life in general, he draws inspiration from non-dual (Advaita, Sanskrit) philosophies from the East and the West. VK co-hosts various @2:50s. Professionally, she is an academic research scientist in fluids & structures. Personally, she likes poetry, opera, and Scottish dancing. As an @2:50 host, she is into short mindfulness practices, easily incorporated into the day. Arthur hosts Atlantica@2:50. Professionally, he serves as a service design strategist in health and human services. Personally, he enjoys cycling and art-making. As an @2:50 host, he draws on experiences from yoga and meditation practices. https://arthurgrau.com Billy hosted Pacifica@2:50 from Singapore for 635 consecutive days. Professionally, he is a full-time student in Singapore American School. Personally, he is a classical music, rocket, and sleeping enthusiast. As an @2:50 host, he is exploring different philosophical schools of thought through meditation and trying to answer the age-old question: “what is the meaning of Life?” Thank you to mindfulness supporters and teachers worldwide 10-day silent retreat at Dhamma.org | Greater Good Science Center | Insight Meditation Society | Mindful Beacon MBZ1 Radio | Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (Wikipedia)  MIT Radius | MIT ORSEL | MIT CTL | SFZC Green Gulch Farm | Still & Moving Center Honolulu | Studio Mindflow Tokyo | u-school for Transformation | Year Compass #### At 2:50 Mindfulness Calendar of Events At 2:50 Mindfulness Calendar of Events If you’re new to mindfulness or a regular practitioner, let @2:50 work for you. We make it simple to practice live with others any day with the click of a button. Use the event links below to add them to your calendar. Webinar links go live a few minutes before 2:50 p.m. in each local time zone. Looking forward to seeing you @2:50. Please enjoy! Find your local time zone here: https://everytimezone.com/ Our events are at 2:50 pm in Helsinki, New York, and Vancouver every day. Copy @2:50 as an event in your google calendar Europa@2:50 Atlantica@2:50 Download the .ics file for ms office and mac calendars Europa@2:50 Atlantica@2:50 What is mindfulness? Learn more about what we do each day here. Simple mindfulness practices you can use anywhere. First, try observing your breathing and let it go in and out by itself. Next, use your mind’s eye to roam about the body and notice sensations as they occur. Finally, you might visualize a relaxing scene or something or someone you are grateful for. Why we think awareness-based practices work. We believe mindfulness is foundational to the art of being human. It may be as vital as air, water, food, shelter, and belonging. Many practical, spiritual, and non-dogmatic sources propose the benefits of mindfulness. Read more about making mindfulness the “new bio break.” How people use a mindfulness calendar. Western psychology has developed therapeutic mindfulness-based applications to help people. First, mindfulness is used to reduce depression, stress, and anxiety. It may help manage pain and treat drug addiction. Second, mindfulness techniques show up in schools, sports, government, prisons, hospitals, and businesses, among others. Third, awareness-based practice may help in healthy aging weight or management. Finally, we see that present-moment awareness can help athletic performance, children with special needs, and during life transitions. We’d love to hear how you use awareness-based practices. Reach out to art@at250.org Read more about mindfulness here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness #### hn · #### How to @2:50 Observing the Breath One simple pattern we use during at 2:50 is to sit quietly and observe our breathing. The breathing is a natural intelligence pattern that happens whether or not we are aware of it. Observing and remaining aware of the breath for a sustained period on a regular basis allows us to glimpse a natural process as it happens right here within our own bodies. Once we have this practice, we can use breath observation anywhere to instantaneously raise self awareness and grow natural intelligence. Listen to a guided audio track Sensing the Body Another tried and true practice for accessing our natural intelligence is to sense the body. Our bodies produce sensations as they manage biological processes and adjust to the environment. We become more present when we stop to notice. We may start at the top of the head and use our minds eye to slowly scan down the body and back up again during the ten minutes. Outside of @2:50, use this habit pattern to meet acute stress in the environment. A quick body scan grounds and takes the edge off. Listen to a guided audio track Just Resting In today’s environments we often don’t have enough quality rest. Observing 10 minutes at 2:50 pm each day gives us a time to simply sit back, relax, close our eyes, and rest our attention. @2:50 gives us permission and a container to take pause. Knowing how to normalize silence and rest together is a vital skill. Once we have this individual practice, we can extend it out to the groups and systems we work in to bring more vitality to our days. People join @2:50 in many ways. Some walk or sit outside. Others use the time to sketch or journal. Some practice their own mindfulness or meditations, or get in a quick nap! It’s less about what we do and more about our repeating and doing it together. Home #### ig · #### Live URL: https://at250.org/live/ #### mf · #### Nalu Minds the Flow – 28-Day Mindfulness Journey Nalu Minds the Flow – 28-Day Mindfulness Journey Nalu minds the flow with 28 ten-minute tracks to help us build insight and enjoy more clarity, resilience, and focus. Simple mindfulness practices through breathing, sensation, observation, and gratitude… Listen to Nalu Minds the Flow whenever you need a refresh. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, use the pages below to follow your own schedule. Watch here on the site or listen free on Insight Timer. Links are on each page. Image credit: isarthurgrau. data visualization explained below §. Nalu music written, produced, and recorded by Mika Mimura youtube.com/@MikaSoundHealingMusician Subscribe for future journeys SubscribePlease wait...Thanks for subscribing to updates. You can expect to hear from @2:50 once a month or less. 🙂 Please enjoy! Oops! Something went wrong, please try again ← Back Nalu Week One For the first week Nalu explores the breath and how observing it can serve as a valuable tool to mind the flow. Nalu Minds the Flow – observing breathing – 1 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – sound of breathing – 2 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 3 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 4 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – deepening touch – 5 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – breathing waveform – 6 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – breath control – 7 of 28 Nalu Week Two In the second week, we join Nalu in taking control of the breath and observing sensations on the body.   Nalu Minds the Flow – box breath – 8 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – box breathing – 9 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – circular breathing – 10 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 11 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – body observation – 12 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – notice sensations – 13 of 28Week Two Nalu Minds the Flow – body sensation – 14 of 28Week Two Nalu Week Three With week three Nalu visits the self and the ‘other’, noticing how what’s inside can influence what’s outside. Nalu Minds the Flow – body scan – 15 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – full body scan – 16 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – return to breath – 17 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – viewing others – 18 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – observing others – 19 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – understanding others – 20 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – intentions – 21 of 28 Nalu Week Four During the fourth week, we join Nalu in exploring inner and outer connections and the experience of gratitude. Nalu Minds the Flow – intention setting – 22 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – setting intention – 23 of 28 Nalu | Mind the Flow – return to the breath – 24 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratefulness – 25 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 26 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 27 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – silent reflection – 28 of 28 Unlike a mindfulness “challenge,” Nalu aims for continuity of practice supported by ourselves and each other. We frame our journey as cooperation and collaboration, in contrast to competition. *Nalu is Hawaiian for wave. Also, mindful observation.** Science and tradition view matter and energy as made fundamentally of vibrations or waves. As such, our lived experience comes in flow. **We use the Hawaiian ‘Nalu’ to honor indigenous wisdom everywhere and elude inferences that arise from words in the world’s principal languages. Nalu| Mind the Flow was created live during the usual @2:50 meetups. We captured the recordings and offer them for free playback here, so you can mind the flow anytime from anywhere. During our journey, we followed our protagonist, Nalu*, as they learned to mind the flow. We practiced what we learned for a few minutes each day. Whether new to mindfulness or with an existing practice, our open @2:50 community welcomed people from all walks of life and worldwide for more than 11,390 person/minutes together. Ten minutes a day for 28 days helped us build our insight practices, learn better how to “mind our flow,” and live more peace. § Participants contributed to our collective mood board with a one-click color poll daily. The wheel of colors records more than 500 poll entries. The image at the top of the page illustrates the frequency of each color chosen on each day. Participants received a poster visualization that shows the daily totals over time. Registration is not required. :-) Free 10-minute events open daily from our home page. #### Normalize Silence Normalize Silence  Ease your mind and body...  ...in ten minutes a day  with a live community of practice.  Stop by at 2:50 pm. Let’s normalize silence together. Links lead to live silent zoom webinars in each time zone. Check your local time. 2:50 PM EET 2:50 PM EST #### owi · #### pe · #### Privacy Who we are “@2:50 ten minute reflection” (@2:50) is a volunteer-hosted daily silent reflection online for ten minutes. Our website addresses are: https://at250.org and https://at250.mit.edu. Participation acknowledgment Webinar viewers (join by clicking the links on the home page) do not join by a camera. Viewers are identified by display name only in the list of webinar participants. Webinar viewers may be verbally thanked for participating by their first name or display name. Webinar panelists join the primary host’s Zoom room and can turn on their camera and microphone. Panelists sign up in advance using the Google form on the website and acknowledge that their name, voice, and likeness may appear live to other panelists and webinar viewers on Zoom. Viewers are encouraged to adjust their display names, and panelists adjust their camera preferences according to each participant’s privacy requirements. What personal data do we collect, and why do we collect it? We do not collect personal data on this website. If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your first name and email address using professional mailing list software (Brevo). You can opt out of future emails in the footer of any communication. If you register to join the on-screen panel using the Google form embedded on this site, we collect your first name and email address. We use this information to add you as a panelist to the daily webinar and to email you about upcoming changes to events. If you are logged in to your Zoom account while joining @2:50, your display name and email are recorded in the host Zoom reports. These reports are not shared and are deleted per Zoom’s privacy policy. To prevent personal data from reaching @2:50 as a webinar guest (and not a panelist), simply log out of Zoom before joining the webinar. Who do we share your data with? We do not share data with anyone. How long will we retain your data? For participants that fill in the Google form on the website, we store your personal information securely in a dual authenticated document for as long as you wish to remain a participant to invite you to future @2:50 meetings. For those people who have shared their contact information in the past and have not chosen to participate, your data will be deleted after one year. For webinar participants not on the panel and who are logged in at the time of the webinar, Zoom reports your display name and email within meeting reports. We delete these meeting reports every 30 days. If you subscribe to our mailing list, we will keep you subscribed until you unsubscribe. What rights do you have over your data? If you have filled in the participation form, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. Generally, this would only include your first name and email address as entered on the panelist form. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. email art@at250 (dot) org #### ptig · #### Readings Readings The @2:50 daily practice is generally silent with minimal guidance. On some days we may hear a reading or guided activity. We record these here as they happen. No Results Found The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post. #### rir · #### rtrs · #### siu · #### Subscribe to mindful updates Subscribe for inspiring, mindful email messages once a month or less! SubscribePlease wait…Thanks for subscribing to updates. You can expect to hear from @2:50 once a month or less. 🙂 Please enjoy!Oops! Something went wrong, please try again ← Back #### tanw · #### Thank You for your mindful interest URL: https://at250.org/thank-you/ #### trtrs · ### Projects #### Nalu | Mind the Flow – return to the breath – 24 of 28 Nalu | Mind the Flow – return to the breath – 24 of 28 Returning to their old friend and consistent confidant, Nalu again rests their attention on the breath. They observe nature’s air moving in and out of their body. Whether by placing their hands on their abdomen, observing the touch of the breath as it enters and leaves the body, or by noticing the sounds and sensations the breath makes as it inhales and exhales, Nalu uses today to check back in with an old friend. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – body observation – 12 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – body observation – 12 of 28 Today as Nalu settles into a natural flow and rhythm they notice the breathing appears to be happening all by itself, as the air comes into the body and the air moves out of the body. Again, Nalu zooms into that spot just below the nose and starts to notice the sensations that are happening there. But just noticing that sensation there on the upper lip and just observing that sensation as it happens. If there’s no sensation there, that’s totally fine…they just observe the breath going in and out. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – body scan – 15 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – body scan – 15 of 28 We’re here together with Nalu learning how to observe waves as they happen. As we continue to experience sensations, we’re going to be moving farther down the body, and we’re just going to be slowly moving throughout the body and observing any sensations that we feel might be happening there. So from the location at the entrance of the air to the body near the nose or mouth. Just begin to move your attention down. To another part of the breathing where it’s making the belly rise and fall. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – body sensation – 14 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – body sensation – 14 of 28 Nalu has noticed in the past as they continue to observe the breathing that concentration begins to take place. They might start to notice sensation and feeling at the place where breath is entering and leaving the body. And so may begin to notice some sensations on the upper lip or around the nose area. And these are just the natural sensations of our body adapting to its environment. So, just observe those sensations for just a minute or two as we relax here together. And as you continue to notice the sensation that’s happening there around the upper lip or around the nose. You might start to move your attention slowly around the facial area and justice notice and and see if there are any other sensations or feelings that are happening around the face area. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – box breath – 8 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – box breath – 8 of 28 Nalu wants to try out a counted box breath practice. It might be something they can use to help regulate their sensations and feelings and maybe keep their mind at ease. So yesterday, Nalu was practicing just taking some deep breaths and letting those breaths out. Today, Nalu wants to practice a a boxed breathing technique. So. Counting the breaths as they come in and counting the breaths as they go out. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – box breathing – 9 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – box breathing – 9 of 28 Nalu wants to try out a counted breathing practice. It might be something they can use to help regulate their their sensations and regulate their feelings and maybe keep their mind at ease. So you yesterday Nalu was practicing just taking some deep breaths and letting those breaths out. Today, Nalu wants to practice a a boxed breathing technique. So. Counting the breaths as they come in and counting the breaths as they go out. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – breath control – 7 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – breath control – 7 of 28 For the past six days, Nalu has been exploring their breathing. They’ve been exploring the sensations of the breathing, the sound of the breathing, the touch of the breath on the body, and they’ve started to notice what the breath feels like. At the top of the breath and at the bottom. Of. The breath. And so to day, Nalu starts to wonder what happens if I take control of my breathing? Can I? Change my disposition. Can I change my position? Can I change the way I’m perceiving things? If I take a little bit of control of the breath? Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – breathing waveform – 6 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – breathing waveform – 6 of 28 So as the breath happens, it inhales into the body and then there’s a slight pause at the top of the breath before the exhale occurs. And at the bottom of the exhale of the breath, there’s a slight pause before the inhale occurs. So for today Nalu decides to concentrate just on those pauses at the top of the breath, and the bottom of the breath, even if they notice other sensations or feelings. And we’re going to follow along. So you’re welcome to have your eyes opened or your eyes closed for this. And again, just bringing the attention to the breath and then specifically noticing the pause at the top of the inhale and the pause at the bottom of the exhale of the breath. Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – circular breathing – 10 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – circular breathing – 10 of 28 So we’ve been following Nalu as they explore the learnings from their friends on their neighbor island, and we’ve explored sensing the breath through sound and touch and feeling. We’ve also experienced how Nalu learned about taking control of the breath through deep breathing. And box breathing. Today, Nalu wants to explore more of a circular breathing. Previously they’d practiced box breathing, which consisted of counting, counting in for account, holding for account and exhaling for account, and holding for account. The circular breathing that they learn is very similar to this. Only the the corners of the box get rounded off in between the various phases of the breath. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – deepening touch – 5 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – deepening touch – 5 of 28 Today, we’ll follow Nalu again as we notice the touch of the breath as it moves in through the nostrils, or in through the mouth, or a combination of both. And we notice the touch of the breath as it exhales, maybe slightly more moist or slightly warmer, out from the body as it exhales naturally. And you might be wondering, what is this touch that Nalu is talking about? Where is this touch? I don’t feel anything on on the body. And that’s totally OK, too. There are times when the breath is soft and the breath is subtle, and there might not be a specific sensation as the breath moves in and out. But be assured that the breath is still continuing to move in and out of the body, and justice observe. Maybe the rise and fall of the chest. Or observe the sound. Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – full body scan – 16 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – full body scan – 16 of 28 Today, we follow Nalu as they then learn how to take a full body scan from the top of the body to the bottom and from the bottom of the body back up, much like a full wave breaking along the shore. Or like you might see the wind moving the trees back and forth. We’re noticing how these waves and these flows and these forms also work within our bodies the same way that they work in the world outside. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – gratefulness – 25 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratefulness – 25 of 28 Nalu sees they’re beginning to come to the returning point of their minding the flow journey and takes the next few days to remember their learning with gratitude. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 26 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 26 of 28 Observing and practicing gratitude can expand our awareness and improve our outlook. Today we learn more about gratefulness from Nalu through observing nature. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 27 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – gratitude – 27 of 28 As we near the end of our journey with Nalu we continue to explore the sensations of gratitude and gratefulness. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – intention setting – 22 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – intention setting – 22 of 28 With this direct experience of the breath in the body, the flow in the body, and a variety of sensation that appear to rise and fall of their own accord, Nalu sets an intention for the remaining days of their journey and maybe even beyond. Nalu intends whenever possible to keep a small and growing part of their attention on their inner sensations, even while interacting in the outside world. By doing so they imagine they might perceive more truthfully and react when necessary with more clarity. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – intentions – 21 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – intentions – 21 of 28 Nalu is moved by seeing so many others in so many experiences in their lives. They know there is little they can do to change the waveform for others, but have experienced so much already in experiencing the flow and waves directly in their own life. During today’s meandering in the town’s center, Nalu resolves themselves to keeping at least a little attention whenever possible on their inner flow, their inner vibration, the quality of their breathing. Even while interacting with all the others. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – notice sensations – 13 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – notice sensations – 13 of 28 Today Nalu notices the breath moving into the body and flowing out from the body. They start to to see that there are some sensations that happen along with that. So that might be the breath touching somewhere along the nose or the mouth as it moves in. Might be a sensation of movement or moisture as the air moves out of the body. Could be any sensation. Whatever sensation it is. It’s perfectly natural and great to just experience that for whatever it is. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – observing breathing – 1 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – observing breathing – 1 of 28 For today, Nalu explores the observnig breathing. Nalu realizes that the breath is sort of the most consistent wave form that they have experienced in their life, and they start to realize that they want to notice the breath and discover the breath and think more deeply about it. So for the first day, Nalu decides to take one hand over another and place it on the belly just below the rib cage area where the breath comes in and rises and falls on the abdomen. (check out the whole series…https://at250.org/nalu) Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video #### Nalu Minds the Flow – observing others – 19 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – observing others – 19 of 28 As Nalu begins to learn more about the world around them and the flows and the waves that happen. They’re walking along the shoreline, looking into the distance and can see other figures there along the shoreline with them. They can’t quite make out who those figures are or or what their attributes are, but they notice that there are other people out there in the world with them. And now, as Nalu tunes into the breath and tunes into the breathing and starts noticing they’re breathing, going in and out. And at the same time, whether with their eyes opened or with their eyes closed, they are seeing those people at the distance. Along the shoreline with them. And they’re paying attention to the feeling of their breath. The texture of their breath. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – return to breath – 17 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – return to breath – 17 of 28 Today, Nalu returns to the very basics. We’re going follow along as they observe the breath again as it comes into the body and as it goes out from the body. This will be the only observation we’ll be making today. If you begin to feel some sensations around the breath. You’re welcome to zoom in on those and experience those. If your mind wanders or tell stories, just gently bring it back to attention on the breathing and observing the breath with Nalu. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – setting intention – 23 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – setting intention – 23 of 28 Noticing the inner sensations as they occur even while immersed in the outside world of interactions, Nalu begins to see how easy it is to become aware of people and situations that help create insight, understanding, and growth. Today, while Nalu sits away from the town’s crowds along the shore, they are in awe and wonder at the vast intention that moves the waves and flows in constant motion. Although they don’t know how this might happen, Nalu sets an intention to be more observant and look for those situations, people, and thoughts that are calm and well-intentioned. Crafting their life so that they may come into contact with more and more people on similar paths of understanding. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 11 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 11 of 28 We’ve been exploring the breath with Nalu and been taking a little bit of control over the breath for the past few days. Today we’re going to transition a little bit from the breathing into the sensations of the body. So in order to do that, we learn how Nalu continues to use that place where the breath is entering and leaving the body, but we’re going to be noticing much more about the touch of the breath and noticing where it is that the the breath is creating any kind of sensation on the body. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 3 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 3 of 28 Nalu decides they want to focus in a little bit more on on the breath and noticing the touch of breath. Another quality of the breath they noticed in previous days was that there there seemed to be a touch of the breath on the body as it entered the nostrils, or entered the mouth. And sort of a touch of the breath as it exhaled out through the nostrils, or out through the mouth. So for the third day of the journey, Nalu decides to notice the touch of the breathing and notice the point where the breathing is entering the body and leaving the body. Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 4 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – touch of breath – 4 of 28 Nalu decides they want to zoom in and notice more about the touch of the breath as it enters and leaves the body. The breath seems to be inflating and deflating them naturally by itself. They’re starting to have a hunch that it’s this, this attention to this spot where the breathing is coming in, and the breathing is going out, that’s the interchange between themselves and their environment. So, they want to spend a little more time digging deeper into that sensation. And so for today. Nalu resolves to sit back and relax, and with eyes opened or closed, they resolve to go ahead and. Notice again the touch of the breathing as it enters the body and leaves the body Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – understanding others – 20 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – understanding others – 20 of 28 Nalu decides to walk down the shore, down to where the people are congregating together. Maybe they’re looking out over the waves, looking out over the flow. Or maybe they’re enjoying the wind or the weather. But what Nalu seeks to do today is to walk through the people. And observe and notice the different people and different lives and different lifestyles that they see around them. While at the same time. Maintaining an inner focus on their breath or the sensation on the body as they do so. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – viewing others – 18 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – viewing others – 18 of 28 For today, rather than have the eyes closed, Nalu chooses to keep eyes open. Maybe softening the gaze so that it’s relaxed. But the idea here is to be observing the breath, but also be observing our surroundings at the same time. Maybe they close their eyes for a couple of breaths to center and bring your attention back to the breath. But then let the eyes gently ooen. Perhaps looking around at surroundings, maybe listening to surroundings. And just observing the world. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – silent reflection – 28 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – silent reflection – 28 of 28 To conclude our Journey with Nalu we enjoy a full ten minutes of relative silence. We can use this time to practice together any of the many practices we learned from Nalu. Everyone is always welcome to enjoy live practice any day from the home page https://at250.org  Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here #### Nalu Minds the Flow – sound of breathing – 2 of 28 Nalu Minds the Flow – sound of breathing – 2 of 28 Today, Nalu explores the sound of their breathing. Using the sound of the breath is a tried and true way to connect with the present moment. We follow Nalu as they observe the sound. What does it sound like as it enters the body and moves through all the little vessels, turning around and leaving again? So sometimes the breath comes in through the nose, and sometimes through the mouth or, at times, bit of both. And so each time the breath comes into and goes out from the body, it can sound slightly different. So, for today, the direct experience of the breath is how the breathing sounds as it moves into and goes out from the body Listen free on Insight Timer Watch full video here