Talk 13: Balance Striving and Being

Talk 13: Balance Striving and Being

Author: Meditation and mindfulness daily practice to remain interested in, and remember, being present in every day life and living October 3, 2014 Duration: 22:37
The huge question of how to balance our striving in meditation practice opens a whole lot of possible things to say. In this talk however one very important point is made that before trying to work all that out, it is crucial to fully explore and surrender to single moments of allowing everything to just happen. And these moments should be kept separate from any plan, including how good it would be to do this! Including how to sustain it in time, how to stay with it, or how it relates to everyday life. Keep these special moments separate from all plans as much as possible. Then, we will be more open to the important two aspects of the rest of the question. 1. We have a planning and orienting energy, and it's there for a reason, and it can and should be used in some measure to go about our life, if it is arising for us. But we get out of balance when that energy captures our attention. 2. We don't have to figure out that balance by ourselves, life itself will show it to us and life itself will move us down the proper course. If we are open to it that may happen easier. But if we are not open, life will bite us until we get what it is telling us.

Finding a consistent space for quiet reflection can be a challenge, but I Should Be Meditating with Alan Klima offers a direct and practical path back to the present moment. This isn't about achieving a perfect state of silence, but rather cultivating a daily practice of mindful curiosity. Alan provides guided mindfulness meditations that feel like conversations with a knowledgeable friend, blending direct instruction with thoughtful discussion. You'll encounter fresh perspectives on foundational techniques-breath awareness, body scans, and loving-kindness-along with subtle tweaks and surprising approaches that can reinvigorate a routine practice. The podcast serves as a gentle, recurring nudge to remain interested in the texture of everyday life, whether you're new to meditation or have been sitting for years. Each session is designed to be a tool for personal investigation, helping to dissolve the distance between formal practice and simply living. Tune in for a blend of calm guidance and insightful talk that makes the intention to be present feel both accessible and deeply worthwhile.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 84

I Should Be Meditating with Alan Klima: Guided Mindfulness Meditation and Discussion
Podcast Episodes
Mindful Choice Guided Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:13
There is a sweet feeling inside, the feeling of being alive, which everyone can contact. We can get better at that as we practice, but it all comes down to a simple choice, an act of choosing what we know is right. And w…
Trusting Your Intuition to Meditate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:45
Sometimes indecision stops us in our tracks. This simple guided meditation goes directly into that, to enhance your sense of power and ability to follow your heart, right at the micro-level of where indecisiveness arises…
Being Present Before Things End [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:44
How can we feel present in our life, and stay that way? In this talk we explore what it means to be mindful beyond trying to remember to “pay attention." Typically, we'll "remember" to be present for something when it is…
Appreciating Breath and Presence [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:59
Using the flavor of appreciation in your attention makes for a wonderful experience where you are grateful for meditation and grateful for life.
Your Instant Shift to the Heart of Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:08
This guided meditation is a pointing and a training in shifting to the heart of meditation, the source that keeps it going and alive and growing. For just a few moments here and there when the opportunity strikes cast as…
How to Get to the Next Level in Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:30
Does your Meditation practice get stale? Does it still grow and grow in depth? Should you just accept plateaus? No, don't fall for that. This talk is about real change, and what is the one thing that you MUST have in you…
Soaking In What It Is To Realize [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:28
In this meditation we bring our attention to ‘being present.’ without assuming what that is. What does it really feel like to be present now? What is it like when we recognize our presence, and attention is close to us,…
The Inner Channel and Caring about Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:45
In this meditative talk we look closer into how meditation provides us with the tools to recognize that there are different channels – so to speak – that we can tune in to. Through an exercise of self-inquiry we sense th…
Inserting Intention into the Mix of Meditation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Inject power of intention into your meditation. Intention is a temporary state where we have a feeling like we can choose. In this guided meditation we repeatedly exercise the ability to insert intention into the mix of…