The benefits of a regular meditation practice are well-documented.
Thousands of studies have shown that regular meditation improves focus, prevents and relieves stress, enhances kindness and intuition, and promotes relaxation and a sense of balance.
But people tell me they face several challenges with meditating.
One is how to actually meditate on their own, “Am I doing this right?”
Or doing it consistently. Many struggle with how to fit meditation into busy lives, full of conflicting demands and priorities.
And there’s the problem of how meditation is talked about and frequently taught.
It seems some teachers or courses tied to the mysticism industry—and even science-based wellbeing communities—make it feel regimented, rote, confusing, expensive, or tied to beliefs we don’t share or drugs we don’t like and aren’t necessary.
And some say, “It just doesn’t work for me.”
It’s possible to learn what meditation really is, how to do it, and how to get all the amazing benefits.
Humans have been meditating for thousands of years to improve health and happiness. It has been practiced in some form in EVERY culture throughout history.
It can work for you.
Several thousand really busy people from >30 countries have successfully completed the Meditation Without Expectations™ (MWE) course and report reduced stress/anxiety, distraction, negativity about self and world…
And improved mental and emotional wellbeing, resilience, quality of life, and work performance.
Many—if not most—of them said they couldn’t meditate before taking the course…
But then found they could, with ease and even joy.
The key is in removing the expectations we’ve been taught or created ourselves about what meditation is and how it should go.
If you are like many of the people who have enrolled in my courses, you have tried meditation, but struggled with making it a habit since you did not discover the benefits in a reasonable amount of time.
Our research shows it takes at least 6 weeks (8 is better) to learn and explore which techniques work in your life and for your perspectives and behaviors to change.
And the people who stay for the 8 weeks, really like it. Hundreds have taken the course repeatedly and encourage their colleagues to join.
Meditation is as simple as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, breathing, feeling, counting, loving, stepping back, reflecting, and grounding…
It is a natural state, once we put aside our ideas about what it SHOULD be—but isn’t.
All these benefits become available when we put aside our beliefs and assumption in favor of what is simple and true—and discover meditation without expectations.
I have trained deeply in science, spiritual traditions, and physical practices for most of my life.
During the COVID shut down, I wanted to support the small business yoga studio I worked at part-time and offered to teach an online meditation course to help them make ends meet.
I literally went to sleep with the question: “If people I don’t know come to class for a few weeks and I will never see them again, what must they learn that will help them during this immediate crisis and beyond?”
I woke up with the detailed Meditation Without Expectations™ outline and approach.
And the students loved it.
Since I was also receiving requests for help from stressed colleagues at the Fortune 100 company I worked for, I offered to teach it there too.
I remember saying I’d be excited if 80 people signed up. We posted it on the daily news service, and within 2 weeks, 700 people had enrolled.
We didn’t have a teleconference system in place yet to handle so many people. So we made a waiting list and I promised to teach it twice.
The course was so popular that I taught 6 rounds during 2021-22, adjusting it a bit each time.
More than 4000 people enrolled from all over the world. My heart swells just remembering it.
I’ve been amazed and humbled to witness such personal interest and growth from participants—their questions and experiences, retraining minds and hearts together, and the sense of community and humanity.
Of course, since I’m a scientist, we had a pre- and post-course anonymous survey to learn if and how the MWE program worked.
And did it ever! Wow…beyond all expectations.
The Course
Is an 8-week course available live-streaming or in-person for groups or in private sessions. We typically meet once a week for 50 minutes, including a check-in, short lecture, practice, and discussion.
The program teaches 8 meditation techniques in a specific order and incorporates health coaching strategies and adult learning principles.
Participants will develop their own meditation practice. The techniques include…
Participants will develop new habits by practicing in class and on their own over two months, gaining insight into how we live and work…
Feeling empowered to adapt and take different actions based on new awareness…
And feeling reassured by having by an experienced and trusted guide.
MWE is scientifically proven to deliver reductions in stress, and improvements in mindfulness, resiliency, and empathy.
Being here with awareness through the 5 and 20+ senses
Dealing with distractions through counting, mantra, and introspection (R.A.I.N.)
Compassion and gratitude through Metta, Tonglen, and Naikan
Choiceless awareness or open monitoring.
Meditation Without Expectations™
is February 5 - March 25, 2024
Three meeting options per week:
Feel free to attend one, two, or all three weekly sessions, as suits your schedule and time zone.
for the full 8-week course
Contribute what you can depending upon your means and life situation. Please contact me if you would like to participate but are facing financial hardship.
Being Here – 5 Senses
Being Here With More Awareness – 20+ Senses
May everyone who seeks physiological, psychological, and spiritual benefits discover ease and transformation from these simple practices.
Take care, Annie
