Episodes

Last Updated on May 31, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This talk covers meditation plateaus. These happen when we feel a stagnation in our practice, or a lack of growth. It’s a common experience, and one that can teach us quite a bit. Learn about why this happens, and what we might be able to do to move forward. Mindful Eating: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/blog/mindful-eating Individual Sessions: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/consultation Online Courses: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/...

Last Updated on May 25, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov Today’s talk is on the concept of the different dharma doors we walk through. It is traditionally held that there 84,000 different dharma doors we can use to work toward awakening. In this talk, we’ll talk about these different doors, how to find one that suits you, and what it means to walk fully through a door. Individual Sessions: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/consultation Online Courses: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/courses Podcast...

Last Updated on April 5, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is a guided meditation covering the first tetrad of Anapanasati practice. I strongly recommend listening to the accompanying talk covering the basics of this sutta and practice: Accompanying Talk: https://youtu.be/3JI921i2fDo?si=oXsp17gtQ58MhnMB Book Source: Mindfulness of Breathing: A Practice Guide and Translations Post on Anapansati: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/blog/anapanasati Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness onli...

Last Updated on April 5, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov Today’s talk is an introduction to Anapanasati. The Anapanasati Sutta is the Buddha’s instructions on mindfulness of the breath, and offers a systematic way to work through the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. There is a lot to be said about this practice. Here I offer a brief overview or introduction. We cover the basics of Anapanasati, how to actually practice, a bit about my experience, and some tips to get the most out of this meditation tec...

Last Updated on March 16, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov Today we discuss a listener question about the process of letting go. From the “small” things in daily life to the deeper attachments we have to identity and stories, letting go is a process that takes time. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulness New Practicing Mindfulness Course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/practicing-mindfulness Subscribe on Spotify: https...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is a brief talk on building a complete practice. We are called to incorporate a variety of qualities into our practice, and it’s helpful to know where to focus our energy. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulness New Practicing Mindfulness Course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/practicing-mindfulness Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2X6FdH3...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is a talk from our series on Mindfulness for Beginners, where we cover various topics and practices for beginners to meditation. In this talk, we discuss what exactly mindfulness is, how it serves us, and how we cultivate it. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulness Mindfulness for Beginners YouTube Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2CsBiOXfpeJx2...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov Today we wrap up our discussion of the Noble Eightfold Path by looking at the last section of factors. These factors of samadhi are the meditative factors that we traditionally cultivate through meditation practice. As we’ve been doing, we’ll cover some of the suttas and traditional Buddhist teachings as well as the pragmatic applications off the cushion in our everyday lives. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: http...

Last Updated on March 12, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is a ten minute guided walking meditation focusing on mindfulness of the body. Walking meditation is a powerful practice that helps us build mindfulness in a new posture, bridge the gap from meditation to daily life, and give a way to bring some energy into our practice. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulness More about walking meditation: https://www.themindf...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This guided meditation is a ten minute body scan practice. We move through the body slowly, paying attention to each part of the body with mindfulness and awareness. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulness Read more about body scanning at https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/blog/body-scan 30 Day Meditation Challenge: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/meditation-chal...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is the third in our series on the Noble Eightfold Path. This week’s talk investigates the practices of sila, or ethics. We’ll cover Wise Speech, Wise Action, and Wise Livelihood. These are three factors that leave us without remorse or regret in meditation, and help us to live in harmony with ourselves and our communities. Sign up for the free Introduction to Mindfulness online course: https://www.themindfulcounselor.me/intro-to-mindfulnes...

Last Updated on March 9, 2026 by Matthew Sockolov This is a quick 10 minute guided mindfulness meditation. We’ll cultivate mindfulness with some open awareness practice, noting what arises and passes in our experience. We start with a period of checking in with the body, sounds, and mental state just to arrive where we are. We then move into a more open practice using noting. With mindful noting, we simply note whatever experience we are having. The noting helps us to identify and be present, ...