Meditate With Nick

09/24/2024

Yesterday, this insect landed on my work vehicle.

The Spiritual Symbolism of the Angel-Wing Katydid is seen in many cultures as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
They remind us that there is a time for everything.
That we must be patient to achieve our goals.
They are also seen as symbols of transformation and new beginnings.

07/30/2024

MEDITATION AS SUPERPOWER?!

Sometimes, the world needs a Simone Biles to blow us away with raw talent, and sometimes, we need someone like Stephen Nedoroscik to remind us that a nerdy (his words), bespectacled engineer who can solve a Rubik's Cube in under 10 seconds can be a hero (Spoiler alert if you haven't watched the Men's gymnastics final yet.)

I love his story.

When he didn't progress in gymnastics like he wanted to, he threw himself into the one event he excelled at: the pommel horse. He's won all sorts of competitions as an event specialist, and literally was put on the team because he scores so big on this one apparatus.

During today's team finals, he spent the day bringing his teammates water, giving high fives, and cheering on every performance with incredible enthusiasm. And then it was his turn.

Nedoroscik was the last athlete to compete on the team's last rotation. He needed to hit his routine for the Americans to end a 16-year medal drought. No pressure.

It was a build-up right out of an iconic sports movie (Do you believe in miracles?)

While the pressure kept building in the gym, he meditated. A slight smile crept onto his face when he heard the cheers for his teammate's score. And then, like Clark Kent turning into Superman, he took off his jacket, removed his glasses, and puffed out his chest--and HE KILLED IT!

Nedoroscik took an untraditional path to get to the pinnacle of his sport and it paid off with an Olympic Bronze medal.

There is no one way to success, there is no one way to do this life, and there is no one way to find your purpose.

Be unapologetically and unabashedly you in every way possible, and you might end up the hero of your story as well.

Every member of the team had a role today, and they all delivered.

Congrats to the U.S. Men's Gymnastics team and to Stephen Nedoroscik.

Well done.

12/29/2020

Yesterday I received wonderful news!!
I work for a behavioral health company in Reno. Pursuant to CDC and NSIP procedures for identifying health care staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, I was invited to take the 1st round of doses.
Follow me over the next 21 days and I will share with you my experience receiving the 2-dose COVID-19 vaccination.

12/16/2020

Are you having a hard day?
Do you have 10 minutes to spare?
Join me in a short guided meditation...

https://youtu.be/Z2eHGEj7JcE

please enjoy a short 10 minute guided meditation which will help to smooth out whatever ruffles your feathers today.

09/08/2020

There are a few slots still remaining in the Introduction to Mindfulness for Men class series that I am teaching online. This 4-week meditation class will introduce you to fundamental mindfulness skills which I believe are essential for men in contemporary life.

Join me and a growing number of men who are interested in trying out for themselves these ancient teachings on wisdom and compassion. And, in the process, you will be helping me complete this 2-year training program! As a willing participant, you will attend four weekly, 60-minute sessions that include guided meditation, self-reflection, experiential activities, group sharing, and a Q & A section. You will also be asked to provide valuable feedback for me as your instructor.

If you’ve been looking for a way to calm the mind and steady the heart so you can be at peace with however life is unfolding, I encourage you to join me in my upcoming Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation for MEN class series.
Private message me to sign-up and to receive the passcode for our Zoom sessions.

08/24/2020

Vipassanā (Insight) Meditation Training for Men
Cultivating Wise and Compassionate Men for the 21st Century
Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation class series

The teachings of the Buddha (Dharma) and the practice of Insight Meditation (Vipassanā ) and loving-kindness meditation (metta) are at the heart of this Introduction to Mindfulness series. In Vipassanā mediation, the meditator uses their concentration as a tool by which their awareness can chip away at the wall of illusion that cuts them off from a life worth living.
Practicing Insight Meditation develops mindfulness, the capacity to pay attention to each moment of life, and to see clearly the truth of our experience. Mindfulness provides insights into the conditions that define and limit our experience of life. And cultivating an attitude of loving-kindness allows us to stay present to what's true and what's difficult in our lives with compassion for ourselves and others.

Ultimately, our relationship with life is transformed as we learn to live more wisely and kindly.

I started my Vipassanā practice in 2001, and I am currently a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher-in-Training, receiving my education from Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield and mentorship from La Sarmiento.
This Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation class will complete a Practicum Requirement before I receive my certificate of training from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, Sounds True, and the Awareness Training Institute.
The 60-minute sessions will include guided meditation, self-reflection, experiential activities, group sharing, and a Q & A section.

If you’ve been looking for a way to calm the mind and steady the heart so you can be at peace with however life is unfolding, I encourage you to join me in my upcoming Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation series:
Vipassanā (Insight) Meditation Training for Men
meets online for five consecutive Sundays starting Sunday, September 6.
Please DM me for more info. This offering is open to all men and is donation based.

07/19/2020

As my father-in-law, John Auer, makes his transition from physical to spiritual, I offer this meditation on compassion.

03/30/2020

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...

03/30/2020

Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovery from Addiction is a systematic approach to treating and recovering from harmful behaviors, such as hoarding, gambling, drugging, drinking, over / under-eating, over thinking... you name it - if the mind can create it, Refuge Recovery can help release your suffering. Now you can join us from anywhere!
Join us from 1 pm - 2 pm every Monday in our online Zoom Meeting Room https://zoom.us/j/709494817
New to a Refuge Recovery meeting? No problem. Here's the general format:
Group welcome
Guided meditation
Book study
General discussion
Dana
Dedication of merit
At the Foundation for Recovery meeting, we are delving deep into the DHARMA and how it relates to the relief of suffering of all kinds for all kinds. For the next 5 weeks, join us and learn about The Five Hindrances, the five negative mental states that impede our practice and lead us toward unwholesome action.
3/30 Craving
4/6 Aversion
4/13 Dullness
4/20 Restlessness
4/27 Confusion
See you there!
https://zoom.us/j/709494817

Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, confer...