Category Archives: Preparing the Mind

This Holiday Season: Give Yourself the Gift of Hibernation

Posted on December 22, 2019 by Payal Patel

It is evening now, and as we head towards the shortest day of the year, it grows dark outside my window before dinner. I feel like staying inside and out of the cold winds and snow laden grass and hills. … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, HIbernate, Hibernate, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Stillness, Time, Uncategorized | Tagged brain, Breathe, HIbernate, holidays, mind, Mind/Body, mindfulness, nature, present moment, rest, Social Media, Stillness, winter | Leave a comment

Gliding into Stillness after Thanksgiving

Posted on December 5, 2019 by Payal Patel

Black Friday. Deals extended!Cyber Monday. Cyber week!Lights flashing in our eyes. Our eyes darting to find great sales and our minds jumping from desire to desire – from a new phone to a new outfit.Sweets and food stimulating our taste … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Stillness, Uncategorized | Tagged calm, clarity, Focus, mindfulness, Observation, Overwhelmed, Stillness, thankgiving | 1 Comment

Seeing Through Murky Waters

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Payal Patel

There is a beautiful stream that flows down the street from my home – it enters from one end, flows under the street bridge and emerges on the other side. I love going to stand on the side of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Stillness, Time, unknown | Tagged calm, clarity, Curiosity, just being, Learning, mindfulness, nature, NewSchoolYear, Observing, OldHabits, present moment, Stillness, unknown | Leave a comment

Recultivating the Fearless Child-Mind: Part II

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Payal Patel

Being a child is one of the most fascinating experiences – the mind journeys into realms and places that adults often struggle to imagine. In the fixed daily path we follow day-in and day-out, our minds get used to routines. … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Beginner's Mind, Curiosity, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Walking | Leave a comment

Recultivating the Fearless Child-Mind

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Payal Patel

Do you remember hoping for a huge storm as a child – one that threw out the electricity so you could sit in the dark, tell scary stories, or play with flashlights? For example, I remember playing tag using flashlights … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginner's Mind, Curiosity, Preparing the Mind, Uncategorized | Tagged Beginner's Mind, embrace, Explore, observe, unknown | Leave a comment

Self-Regulation VI: Walking Into Longer Days

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Payal Patel

Winter solstice has passed and we are finally climbing out of our journey into progressively shorter days (and of course, by that I mean fewer hours of sunlight). As we moved into the darker days of the winter, we may … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Stillness, Walking | 2 Comments

Self-Regulation V: The Mandala Practice

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Payal Patel

The mandala is an ancient symbol that represents the universe. It serves as a microcosmic representation of all that exists within us and in the external world. Mandalas have an intricate circular symmetry made of geometric patterns. Years ago, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Color, Curiosity, Focus & Clarity, Mandala, Non-Judgement, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Stillness | 1 Comment

Self Regulation III – Morning Mindfulness: The Mind & The Inextinguishable Flame

Posted on November 13, 2018 by Payal Patel

The candlelight flame is an ancient Indian symbol of undivided attention. It is said that if we leave the mind to its own devices (to entropy!), the flame of attention will scatter into thousands of tiny lights pointing in thousands … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, Metacognition, Observation, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Sleep, Stillness | Tagged Balance, emotions, Focus, Grit, Learning, Meditation, Mind/Body, mindfulness, Observing, Relaxation, Self-Regulation, Sleep, Stillness | Leave a comment

Self-Regulation II: Begins Before Bedtime

Posted on October 30, 2018 by Payal Patel

The world of sleep is mysterious and vast. We are conscious of ourselves just before we drift off to sleep. However, in between falling asleep and waking, we intentionally or unintentionally place full trust in the world around us – that … Continue reading →

Posted in Focus & Clarity, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation, Sleep, Stillness | Tagged Anxiety, Balance, emotions, Focus, monkeymind, Relaxation, Self-Regulation, Sleep, Stillness | 3 Comments

A New School Year & Taking Care of Ourselves: Eliminating Excess

Posted on August 17, 2018 by Payal Patel

A new school year is approaching and we are often swamped by a mix of emotions – Overwhelming feelings Nervousness Excitement Feeling upset We feel overwhelmed by a huge list of courses and teachers we know almost nothing about – … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety & Struggle, Focus & Clarity, Metacognition, Preparing the Mind, Self-Regulation | Tagged Anxiety, EliminatingExcess, Learning, NewSchoolYear, Overwhelmed, Social Media | 5 Comments

Cultivating Academic Humility (Part I): The Doorway to Curiosity, Innovation, & Passion

Posted on January 29, 2018 by Payal Patel

“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” –Albert Einstein. It is no coincidence that one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century spoke these words. Hearing Einstein’s name often conjures up the … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety & Struggle, Curiosity, Focus & Clarity, Observation, Preparing the Mind | Tagged Curiosity, Humility, Learning, Observing, openminded | 1 Comment

On Struggle (Part 3): In Conversation With Struggle

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Payal Patel

In the my last article, On Struggle (Part 2): Embracing the Evolving Mind, I promised to post my meditation on understanding struggle and embracing the evolving mind. Today’s post is primarily a video containing a meditation with the background image … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety & Struggle, Grit, Metacognition, Preparing the Mind | Tagged BefriendingStruggle, Grit, Growth, Learning, Struggle | Leave a comment

On Struggle (Part I): Befriending Struggle

Posted on December 11, 2017 by Payal Patel

Struggle. This one word often invokes frustration, annoyance, and hopelessness among students. But why? I always ask my students: What’s so bad about struggle? Tell me about it! What’s the big deal? In fact, I just asked these questions to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety & Struggle, Metacognition, Preparing the Mind | Tagged BefriendingStruggle, embrace, embracestruggle, emotions, Grit, Learning, learningfromchallenge, openminded | 2 Comments

Judging, Labeling, & Mathematics: An Unfortunately Common Practice

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Payal Patel

Every year, I come across students that say one of the following phrases in the beginning of the year and I work hard all year to change the beliefs behind such statements: “I used to be good at math but … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Math Anxiety, Metacognition, Non-Judgement, Preparing the Mind | Tagged Labeling, Learning, mathanxiety, Meditation, Non-Judgemental | 2 Comments

Exam Anxiety Meditation I

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Payal Patel

NOTE: Those of us who are not students can use this by substituting test anxiety with extreme nervousness during high pressure situations (public talks, meetings with a boss, high-pressure deadlines at work, etc.) I had promised that I would post … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Anxiety & Struggle, Math Anxiety, Preparing the Mind, Test Anxiety | Tagged Breath, Focus, Meditation, Relaxation, Test Anxiety, WhatIf | 2 Comments