Mindfulness For Beginners

Staying calm when the world is kicking your door down

10 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine trying to meditate, to focus on your breathing while someone is kicking your door down. Is it possible to live a happy and calm life when we’...

The rise of Andrew Tate and the alpha male

03 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You might have noticed the trend for hypermasculine influencers recently - what drives people to listen to them? Listen to my new mindful walk around ...

Find your true self - by letting go

27 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What makes you you? Is it your sparkling personality, your winning smile, your feelings, your career, your thoughts? What would happen if you let go o...

How to stop seeking approval from others

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lao Tzu said “If you care about what other people think of you, you will always be their prisoner.” If that's true, then how do we break out? Join...

Drink the sea: everything, everywhere all at once

07 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you were imagining an impossible task, something that would take you until the end of time, what would that look like? Pushing a boulder up a mount...

Reducing your stress - for you and the world

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thich Nhat Hanh said that nothing is more important than your peace - but is it true? What about all the things we can do to make the world a better p...

The antidote to envy and jealousy

23 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Thich Nhat Hanh taught us that we don’t need external conditions to be happy - we can simply enjoy the experience of breathing in and breathing out....

The importance of rest

16 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Modern living is characterised by business and rushing. As a result we’re more anxious and find it hard to simply stop and breathe. We actually feel...

The source of your anxiety, anger and sadness

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What is the source of our suffering? Where does our anger fear and sadness come from? What can we do about it? Join my seminar on letting go of stress...

Happiness in every moment

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had a really bad pain, and you went to the doctor or dentist and they took care of it? Do you remember how happy and relieved you were, ...

Start your mindfulness journey - and meet yourself along the way

18 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What if you could reduce your worries about the future, let go of your regrets from the past and live happy and caalm in the her and now? What if you ...

Change your life - one step at a time

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Change is difficult, especially when it’s us that's trying to make the change happen. We all want to be happier, calmer and more free - but do we ne...

Mindfulness meditation with your pet

04 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We love our pets and they love us - owning a pet is great for your mental health and wellbeing. So if mindfulness is about stopping and taking joy fro...

7 reasons why folk struggle with mindfulness - and why its worth another try

29 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You might have tried mindfulness meditation in the past and found that its not really working for you - there’s lots of reason why people struggle w...

How to be kind to yourself

21 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I was chatting to a friend of mine about mindfulness recently and they asked me “How do I be kind to myself?” Its a great question - we can beat o...

Meditation for a difficult day

14 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sadness can really narrow our perspective on life. If we’re not comfortable with the feeling it can raise alarm bells and we can begin to think that...

Release stress by mindful walking in nature

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s no better way of touching reality by getting outdoors. And spending time in nature is really important for your mental health - so lets go f...

Quit smoking / drinking / bingeing with mindfulness

30 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

All of us have our vices like smoking, drinking or binge eating that we’d like to cut down on or stop - how can we use our mindfulness practice to l...

The power of your smile

23 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are you smiling about? I fondly remember that being a question that someone might ask you in Northern Ireland if you looked overly happy. Smiling...

Disturbing thoughts: not as disturbing as they first appear

15 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had an intrusive, unsettling thought pop into your head that just seemed to come out of nowhere? It may be fairly disturbing and you mig...

Setting boundaries and saying no - kindly

09 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had that feeling that someone is being pushy or judging you unfairly? If you’re someone that is anxious about conflict, then you might...

Seeing beyond the good, the bad and the ugly

01 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We've begun to explore touching reality on the podcast. But surely a rock is just a rock, a cloud is just a cloud? What can we see if we look deeply i...

Accepting the end of a relationship

26 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The end of a relationship is one of the most difficult times in our lives, and letting go can be hard. How can we start walking the path of happiness ...

How to live in the present moment

19 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We hear frequently that we should live in the present moment, let go of our attachments and worries and be free. Easy, right? If its so easy, then how...

How to let go of regrets and be free

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Regret is a powerful emotion. Even when we have a happy, fulfilling life around us it drags us back to the darkest moments of our past and keeps us th...

Breaking down your greatest fear

05 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What are you most afraid of? What’s the one place you don’t want to go in your mind, locked away and lurking there in the background? What would h...

Anything that costs your mental health is too expensive

26 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why did Thich Nhat Hanh say that nothing is more important than your peace? Most of the time we’re not aware that our choices have a profound effect...

Why are smart people anxious and sad?

19 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why doesn’t being clever make you happy? Surely if you’re smart then you must have an ability to to make intelligent choices to make your life bet...

Why you will marry the "wrong" person

12 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We love our partners, we’d be lost without them. But we also get frustrated sometimes. Why can’t they understand us better? Why don’t they see t...

You don't need to be productive 24/7: let go and relax

04 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been sitting resting and thought “I should be doing something. I shouldn’t be sitting around. I feel so lazy.” Maybe someone else ...

Dropping our defences: learning to trust again

29 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re talking about trust and how we can open ourselves up to other people. But if we’re vulnerable with other people, don’t we run th...

I am not here: reflections on the passing of Thich Nhat Hanh

27 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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New year, new path 3: Watering the seeds of happiness

22 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re finishing up our new year refresh of the basics of mindfulness by considering how we tend to our difficult emotions like sadness, anger and an...

New year, new path 2: How to be happy

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are having a January refresh of the basics of mindfulness on the podcast as part of our new year theme of happiness. But how do we get happy? What ...

New year, new path 1: Breathing is your superpower

08 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This January we're covering the basics of mindfulness so we can walk the path of happiness in 2022. Focusing your awareness on your breathing is the f...

Your new years resolution: happiness

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A new year is here and its the time for setting intentions for the twelve months ahead - but rather than setting yourself a target, what if you made h...

Maintaining family harmony this Christmas

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Christmas is a time where we get together with our family and celebrate. But its not always peace and harmony - being trapped in a small space with pe...

Don't just do something, sit there: the power of patience

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the podcast we’re thinking about ways that we can unlock and free our minds, and one of those ways is through patience. But isn’t patience one ...

Smashing oppression and tyranny... mindfully

11 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We’re on a spiritual journey on the podcast trying to free our body, mind, spirit from our suffering. But those chains sometimes come from the econo...

Being happy just being you - follow your own path

04 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it so hard to just be ourselves? Why do other people's opinions push us into pretending to be someone else? Most importantly - what can we do a...

Stress less: let go and get happy, my friend

27 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stress has a huge impact on our wellbeing and relationships - how can mindfulness support us to cope with stress and stop it building in the first pla...

What is enlightenment? Also - who am I?

19 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week we talked about how we can step back from our thoughts - Trish has got in touch to ask “if I’m not my thoughts, then who am I?” Its a ...

Free your mind: I think therefore I am lost

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are we just the thoughts and feelings we have? I think therefore I am? What if unfocused thoughts and feelings, rather than defining who we are, was a...

Making mindfulness more manly - with Ian Sneath

09 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why aren't more men interested in mindfulness? I have a chat with my friend Ian Sneath, a fellow teacher of the Plum Village Be Calm Be Happy mindfuln...

Why your mind won't shut up - and how to calm it down

06 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Having a busy mind is one of the main reasons why we meditate - its possible to settle our mind and calm it with some practice, patience and persisten...

Coping with chronic pain

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can we enjoy the present moment when experiencing physical pain? Email: [email protected] Join the Facebook group:  http...

Damn it feels good to be alive

23 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we're adventuring into the body(!) - we'll be taking our lead from Agent Cooper and savouring every breath, every step and every damn fine c...

If you love someone, set them free

16 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week on our spiritual adventure I want to talk about romantic relationships and why the attachment we feel can lead to suffering - and how we can...

The door to your cage doesn’t exist - feeling trapped in your own life

09 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today I want to talk about the freedom that mindfulness can offer and how the walls that trap us in unhappiness can be removed. Join me at the Manches...

The power to heal yourself: let go of past pain

02 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why on earth would you want to rake up the past? Our experiences from the past influences the choices we make in the present - those choices can cause...

Find answers & discover your true nature through meditation

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A big part of self discovery is finding answers to our questions - so how do we use meditation to gain profound insight? What did David Lynch mean whe...

One kind act that will change the world

18 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Human beings are naturally altruistic, we want to help someone when we see that they’re struggling. If that's true why don’t we live in a utopian ...

Wake up from modern life

11 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can we cultivate the right conditions for transformation within ourselves? Step one is slowing down our lives. Build a life-changing mindfulness p...

Let go of craving and free your awareness

04 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I want to talk about a huge step on starting the spiritual journey, learning to letting go of our attachments so that we can live unburdened...

Break free from your self-destructive habits

28 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week I want to talk about why making change happen is difficult - specifically our habits and how we can train our awareness to enable us to trea...

Breaking the chains of the past & freeing your perception

21 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re going to look at the assumptions and beliefs that colour how we perceive the world. When we assume we can distort our perception of ...

The essential outlook on life that frees you from suffering

14 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Last week we talked about starting a journey within ourselves, this week we talk about how mindfulness offers us a perspective on our connection to th...

Your interior castle & the spiritual journey

08 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do we take the first tentative steps on a spiritual journey? Be Calm Be Happy course: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/154439234909 Join the Faceboo...

Waking up from the movie of your life

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if we were watching a movie of our lives, rather than living it? What can we do to wake up from the dream? Be Calm Be Happy course: https://www.e...

Why you should practice mindfulness now - my experience of the impact of mindfulness

17 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode talk about how mindfulness has helped me to deal with difficult emotions like anxiety. Be Calm Be Happy course: https://www.eventbrite...

Irish music & mindfulness with Mum - 100th episode special pt2

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For the second part of the 100th episode special, I have a chat with my mum about Irish music and we do a guided meditation together. Be Calm Be Happy...

Cata Zorzini, creator of Plum Village app - 100th episode special (pt 1)

11 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Its episode 100 - thank you all so much for listening! To celebrate I’m really pleased to have Cata Zorzini on the podcast, creator of the Plum Vill...

You can feel alive now - living through your senses

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mindfulness promises that we can feel alive by living in the present moment - but how do we do that in practice? Be Calm Be Happy course: https://www....

Unravelling your head spaghetti - guided mindfulness meditation

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mindfulness can support you to reflect on the origin of difficult feelings, develop insight and ultimately liberate yourself from suffering. You can a...

The healing beauty of nature - guided walking mindfulness meditation

26 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

These days a lot of us are spending more time indoors, especially if you’re working from home - we can start to forget how important nature is for o...

Being happy during stressful periods of change

19 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common human traits is valuing stability - wanting everything to stay just as it is. But we know deep down that in time everything cha...

Raise your self esteem - how you can break the cycle

12 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Self-esteem is how we value and perceive ourselves. It's based on our opinions and beliefs about ourselves, which can sometimes feel really difficult ...

If I only won the lottery

05 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We face lots of pressures in life - our job, finding somewhere to live, relationships. Surely all of our problems would go away if we won the lottery?...

Give yourself permission to fail

29 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have things we’d like to try but never get around to doing- sometimes it’s because we’re busy but sometimes we don’t start because we’...

Walking the path of happiness

22 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably at least had a go at mindfulness or you like to do a guided meditation every so often. But we can look at mindfulness differently - ...

The power of a walk in nature

15 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do you always feel like you’re rushing from one place to another? When our lives get busy it can feel like we don’t have a moment to breathe. Mind...

Six essentials for healthy relationships

08 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What does a healthy relationship look like and how can mindfulness help to improve them? Find out on this week's episode! Join the Facebook group: &nb...

Manifesto for a kinder workplace

01 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When we think of the things that cause us stress, work tends to come near the top of that list. We pile pressure on ourselves and struggle with relati...

Training yourself to be happy

24 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

All of us want to be happy, but it can feel like the circumstances of our lives makes that impossible, it's something that’s out of reach and happin...

Why we can't accept ourselves

17 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wished that you were different, maybe you felt inadequate in some way or that you’re not quite enough for yourself or for someone else...

Plan less, live more

10 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This week we explore how to make plans for the future without sacrificing your wellbeing in the here and now. Join the Facebook group:  https://w...

Getting started with mindfulness

03 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Hello my friend, I hope you’re well - this week we’re going to be going over some of the basic principles of mindfulness, this time from the persp...

How to deal with difficult people

27 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If I asked you to picture someone you find difficult to deal with, whether that’s at work or in your family, you wouldn’t find it too hard. A few ...

Catastrophizing - how to stop worrying pt2

20 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you had that reaction when something goes wrong at work, with your health or in a relationship? You might think that if a relationship ends you’...

How to stop worrying and enjoy life (part 1)

13 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever been lying in bed, not able to sleep because you can’t stop worrying about things? Today we’re going to talk about how mindfulness c...

Start your morning with mindful energy

06 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Starting your day off with a smile doesn’t involve a huge amount of rocket science but like mindfulness itself it does need a bit of patience and pe...

Do you overanalyse every conversation? (non-judgement part 3)

27 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever had a conversation, maybe with your co-worker or a friend, and they’ve been a bit abrupt? And you’ve thoughts afterwards, “what wa...

How to handle criticism (non-judgement part 2)

20 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do you feel when someone criticises you? Maybe it prompts you to start beating yourself up. Nobody likes to be criticised, especially if you have ...

How to stop judging yourself (non-judgement part 1)

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever remembered something embarrassing that you’ve done and thought “you idiot”? Or worse? Everyone does to some extent - its very ingr...

The cure for loneliness

06 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course starting Feb 13th: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-saturday-afternoon-group...

Too busy for mindfulness? Try this

30 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course starting Feb 13th: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-saturday-afternoon-group...

Comparing yourself to others is unhealthy - life doesn't need to be a competition

23 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course in Feb (only a couple of places left): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-satu...

Finding peace in a turbulent world

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course in Feb (only 12 places): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-saturday-afternoon...

The basics of mindfulness

09 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course in Feb (only 12 places): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-saturday-afternoon...

New year, new habits, happy life

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re listening to this early in 2021 then you might have spent some time thinking about new years resolutions, commitments to make your life ha...

Let your mind settle & clear

26 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join me on my mindfulness course in Feb (only 12 places): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/be-calm-be-happy-online-mindfulness-course-saturday-afternoon...

What's my purpose in life?

19 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever been in a place where you’re feeling low or  life just feels like a grind, you might have asked the question, what is it all a...

Gratitude turns what we have into enough

12 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In the Buddhist tradition, desire is the root of all suffering; when we’re dissatisfied with our lives its because we’re attached to the idea that...

If your compassion doesn't include yourself, it's incomplete

05 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week we’re talking about compassion, being aware of suffering and feeling a desire to alleviate it. Compassion is one of the key practices of m...

Switch off your autopilot, take control

28 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In mindfulness we call the decisions we make ‘watering the seeds’. These everyday choices can contribute to our anger, our happiness, our fear - j...

Seeing yourself with fresh eyes - Deep relaxation 3

21 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last chance to win a free place on mindfulness course - join our Facebook group to enter: https://www.facebook.com/groups/999461463825856 If you have ...

Happiness - no strings attached

14 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you think about what you need to be happy, you might think about achieving something in your career, or a relationship, or buying a house. All of t...

Relaxing your body, reducing stress

07 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You might have been feeling stressed recently with events happening across the world or closer to home; a lot of that tension is manifested in our bod...

Social anxiety & getting embarrassed easily

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you suffer from social anxiety then you might stress in advance about meeting up with people, feel anxiety about going out in public, have regular ...

How to deal with conflict

24 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When someone has hurt you, it can be tempting to say nothing because it’s not worth the quarrel. But bottling up anger isn’t good for your mental ...