Guided meditation: Meditation for neurodivergent minds, no willpower required

Neurodivergent minds (and many neurotypical minds) thrive on structure and deep focus on things they feel invested in, but can often struggle with meditation cues like focusing on the breath for extended periods of time, or vague instructions to "observe thoughts," because these depend on willpower and low-reward focus.

This week I'll introduce a practice called dynamic concentration, used frequently in the martial arts and Zen Buddhism, but not widely applied in western mindfulness culture. It involves periods of sharp focus using muscle contractions, shouted syllables (think that iconic "hi-ya" in karate movies), or sharp exhales, contrasted by periods of total relaxation, and the contrast of the two leads to effortless relaxation and clarity of mind.

Chairs are available for up to 15 people, or you can bring a mat or cushion if you prefer. We might sit outside in the shaded patio area if the weather is nice.

In these hour and a half sessions, we will discuss our experiences and personal practice for the first half-hour, then I will guide us through sitting practice on a different theme each week. Themes will include:

What is your true nature? (hint, you are good)
Compassion in a world on fire
Awakening: what is it, how do you get there?
Digital divide: why in-person community matters
Meditation for neurodivergent minds: no willpower required
Full healing of trauma: no dream too big.
Read more about Open Heart at amritamandala.com, or find us on Facebook or Instagram.

Your instructor:

I’m Lindsay Kriebel, an instructor (skt. acharya) with Open Heart Sangha. I’ve practiced with Open Heart for going on 5 years, following 10 years of throwing every self-help solution I could find at addiction, depression, and social anxiety. It’s taken me this long to see that complex problems can’t be solved by more overthinking. Simple solutions like developing compassion for myself and others work exactly because they are so basic. When I’m not seeking spiritual realization, I’m a librarian, seeking information for law students at the University of Arizona.