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Mindfulness is a word that is in danger of becoming meaningless. In this episode, we dig into the meaning of mindfulness, how to practice without getting overwhelmed, and how to stop the judgment spiral.

Today’s guest is Diana Winston, the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center. She has written several books, including The Little Book of Being, and Fully Present, the Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness, which she co-authored with Susan Smalley, and which is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Diana has been practicing mindfulness meditation since 1989, including a year as a Buddhist nun in Burma.

In this episode we talk about:

How Diana defines mindfulness
How we know if we’re in a state of bonafide mindfulness
The difference between mindfulness as a trait and mindfulness as a state
Whether you have to meditate to achieve mindfulness as a trait
What current scientific research says about the benefits of meditation
The link between intuition, happiness and authenticity
Her definition of happiness
How meditation can help us relate to our bodies differently
How to stop the self-judgment spiral
Creating a top ten list to deal with difficult thoughts
How to use meditation for chronic pain
Striking a balance between reason and intuition
The ripple effects of practicing meditation
And how to start practicing mindfulness without getting overwhelmed

Full Shownotes:https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/diana-winston

What Is Mindfulness, Really? And How Do You Know if You’re Doing It Right? | Diana Winston

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