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Is Mindfulness the Most Effective Depression Treatment in the World? – Melli O’Brien

For the last few decades, medical science put more and more focus on SSRIs*, TCAs**, MAOIs***, better known as antidepressants. Because of how prevalent these medications are, many people don’t realize that there is another treatment option. Antidepressants are so common that many wouldn’t even believe that this other option can be just as effective…

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Learn To Live Your Truth – Identify Your Values & Live Mindfully

Do you know what the most common regret people express on their deathbed is? It’s “I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” This blog post is about how not to have that regret on your deathbed. So, what stops people from living…

A New Years Meditation Focusing On What Really Matters Most

Happy Holidays! It’s such a potent time of year isn’t it? It’s a time of endings and beginnings as we close one year and begin a fresh new year. Many of us are thinking about new years resolutions and taking stock at this time, but how many of those typical resolutions are just ‘self’ improvement…

Enter The Flow State With These 4 Simple Steps – Melli O’Brien

Imagine yourself climbing a great mountain. High above the ground, you cleave to the rocks. You move very deliberately, aware of every placement of your foot, the angles of your body, how your hand grips every protruding stone. There is no room for error; one lapse in attention can cost you your life. You focus…

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The Three Best Bits of Advice the Buddha Ever Gave – Melli O’Brien

The Buddha was a wellspring of wisdom and clarity. He gave so many wonderful, clear and concise teachings. Here are my favourite three bits of advice that he ever gave to his disciples… 1.“Peace comes from within.  Do not seek it without.” 
 Buddha states here, clearly and succinctly, the core teaching of every spiritual tradition…

The 21 Greatest Spiritual Lessons I’ve Learned – Melli O’Brien

Through my study of the world wisdom traditions and my journey into mindful living, I have learned many valuable lessons which have brought me greater peace, joy and fulfillment. Here are 21 of the greatest spiritual lessons I’ve learned: 1. The world’s wisdom traditions have one central message that I have learned to live and…

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An Exquisite Collection of Mindfulness Poetry – Melli O’Brien

When I teach my mindfulness retreats and courses I like to share poetry, quotes and passages about mindfulness. Mindfulness poetry like this conveys important messages for our lives and our meditation practice. People always ask me for these poems at the end of the retreats. Since I am so frequently asked for them I thought you might…

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Three Habits to Help You Maintain Mindfulness All Day Long – Melli O’Brien

There is no doubt that there is a growing interest in mindfulness these days. In fact, mindfulness is said to be one of the fastest growing trends in the world and the word [mindfulness] has witnessed a fivefold increase in Google searches over the past 10 years. Many people are taking courses and retreats to…

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How to Practice Walking Meditation – Melli O’Brien

Like any other meditation, walking meditation should be a purposeful act. Most of the time, when we are walking, we tend to ‘daydream’. We may start planning what we’ll make for dinner, or wondering how the presentation will go next week or we may ruminate over our recent problems or upsets. Instead of letting this…

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Why Mindfulness Is the Key to Stress Free Living – Melli O’Brien

What jumps to mind when you think of some of the biggest threats people face today when it comes to their health and well-being? Stress has skyrocketed from being considered an epidemic to pandemic in only 30 years. In 1983, one Time magazine cover story was “The Epidemic of the Eighties.” Their survey showed that…