Using techniques drawn from the Satipatthanna Sutta (The Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Buddha's instructions on insight practice) the guided meditations in the "Surf the Wave" category are intended to help people recognize feeling tones (vedana) and the resultant cravings that arise, overcome their habitual reactivity and make more skillful, wholesome choices.   These meditations can be helpful for people in recovery from addiction, wrestling with poor impulse control, or who evince strong escapist tendencies.

"Surf the Wave" Meditations

DJ Sol Rising @ Ecstatic Dance LA Feb 2016

8/20/19 Entrepreneur, journalist, mindfulness teacher and counselor-in-training, Michael Stroud leads at 30-minute meditation aimed at enabling students to "surf the waves" of afflictive emotions and unskillful thoughts.

Michael Stroud is certified to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) by UCSD Medical School and has trained with a cognitive psychologist and MBCT co-creator Zindel Segal. Michael teaches mindfulness at InsightLA, Torrance Hospital, and Alternatives, a Beverly Hills addiction clinic. Michael completed InsightLA’s professional practicum in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, trained with MBSR creator Jon Kabat-Zinn and completed the University of Washington training to teach Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for addiction. Michael has meditated since the 1970s and has trained in TM, Zen, Ch’an and Jewish meditation. He has studied with Trudy Goodman, founder and guiding teacher at InsightLA, since 2006. Previously an entrepreneur and a journalist, Michael is currently seeing patients as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern under the supervision of Ellen Ledley, a Santa Monica therapist in private practice.

Guided Meditations InsightLA Teachers

(30 mins) Michael Stroud: "Surf the Waves" Meditation

8/27/19 Entrepreneur, journalist, mindfulness teacher and counselor-in-training, Michael Stroud leads at 32-minute meditation, moving from mindfulness of body to breath and back to the body again, and concludes with a dedication of merit.

00:00:25:00 settle in.
00:00:34:00 first bell/meditation begins.
00:31:00:00 second bell/meditation ends.
00:31:15:00 dedication of merit.
00:31:35:00 third bell/dedication of merit ends.
00:32:00:00 program ends.

Michael Stroud is certified to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) by UCSD Medical School and has trained with a cognitive psychologist and MBCT co-creator Zindel Segal. Michael teaches mindfulness at InsightLA, Torrance Hospital, and Alternatives, a Beverly Hills addiction clinic. Michael completed InsightLA’s professional practicum in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, trained with MBSR creator Jon Kabat-Zinn and completed the University of Washington training to teach Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention for addiction. Michael has meditated since the 1970s and has trained in TM, Zen, Ch’an and Jewish meditation. He has studied with Trudy Goodman, founder and guiding teacher at InsightLA, since 2006. Previously an entrepreneur and a journalist, Michael is currently seeing patients as a Marriage and Family Therapy Intern under the supervision of Ellen Ledley, a Santa Monica therapist in private practice.

Guided Meditations: InsightLA Teachers

(32 mins) Michael Stroud: From Body to Breath & Back Again

James Rosser offers this 37-minute guided meditation aimed at helping people in recovery, or otherwise struggling with cravings or impulse control, build tolerance and restraint.  Key elements of this teaching are remembering that mindfulness is a gradual training, and the critical importance of being nonjudgmental and kind to ones self, during practice.  The guided practice emphasizes a full exploration of feeling tone (vedana) sensory input in order to firmly grounding oneself in the body as the object of mindfulness.  (In and of itself, James' introductory instructions are an act of compassion.) 

00:00:29:56 introduction and instructions.
00:04:43:34 first bell, meditation begins.
00:36:50:00 second bell, meditation ends.
00:37:00:00 program ends.

James Rosser, LCSW is Director of Outpatient Programs for the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. James has been meditating over 30 years, first formally sitting with James Baraz in 1987. He is a graduate of InsightLA’s Facilitator Training Program and will complete Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Mediation Teacher Certification Program in May 2019. James intensively trained in Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Mentalization-based Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for post-traumatic stress.

In addition to facilitating at InsightLA, James leads both secular and Buddhist-based mindfulness trainings and currently teaches staff at UCLA Health about mindfulness and well-being. His areas of interest are community building for the LGBTQI mindfulness community and for LGBTQI seniors, and consciousness-raising around racism and heterosexism.

Guided Meditation InsightLA Facilitators

(37 min) James Rosser: Guided "Surf the Wave" Meditation

InsightLA facilitator Maria Egan leads a guided meditation with an emphasis on relaxation and resting in awareness.  Included are comments on urban sounds and meditation spaces, and a very short Q&A on the myth that you must be seated in the lotus posture.

00:00:00 Trudy’s introduction.
00:00:24 Urban Environments & Working with Sound.
00:02:01 First Bell: Meditation Begins.
00:02:07 Guided Meditation: “Whatever the Object, Rest in Awareness.”
00:34:01 Three Bells: Meditation Ends, Poem. 
00:35:25 Q&A: Sitting Posture: Whatever Works.
00:36:38 Trudy’s close. 
00:37:00 Programs End.


Maria is a veteran music industry executive, currently serving as President of Pulse Music Group in Los Angeles.  She began her practice in 2012, sitting with InsightLA senior teachers Lisa Kring and Trudy Goodman.  She also completed InsightLA’s Facilitator Training Program, and Jack Kornfield & Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Teacher Certification Class.

Guided Meditation: InsightLA Facilitators

6/28/19 Maria Egan: "Calm the Mind, Rest in Awareness," 34 minute meditation, short Q&A

James Rosser offers a 15-minute version of his popular "Surf the Wave" meditation aimed at helping people struggling with impulse control, build greater affect tolerance and restraint.  The guided practice emphasizes a method of grounding oneself firmly in the body when working with sensory input and the cravings and feeling of aversion that might result.

James Rosser, LCSW is Director of Outpatient Programs for the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. James has been meditating over 30 years, first formally sitting with James Baraz in 1987. He is a graduate of InsightLA’s Facilitator Training Program and will complete Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach’s Mindfulness Mediation Teacher Certification Program in May 2019. James intensively trained in Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, Mentalization-based Therapy, and Prolonged Exposure Therapy for post-traumatic stress.

In addition to facilitating at InsightLA, James leads both secular and Buddhist-based mindfulness trainings and currently teaches staff at UCLA Health about mindfulness and well-being. His areas of interest are community building for the LGBTQI mindfulness community and for LGBTQI seniors, and consciousness-raising around racism and heterosexism.

Our thanks to InsightLA volunteer Geoff Graham for editing this meditation.

InsightLA Facilitators: Guided Meditations

06/19/19 James Rosser: A 15-minute Guided "Surf the Waves" Meditation.

InsightLA offers the highest quality training in mindfulness practices available in the Greater Los Angeles area.  For 16 years, we have offered classes, retreats, and special events, and an open and welcoming community of practitioners.  Though our work is rooted in ancient traditions, we offer classes in both  secular mindfulness as well as the Buddhist Insight Tradition.  All of our efforts are dedicated toward our mission of calming minds, opening hearts, and changing the world.

(30 mins) Michael Stroud: "Surf the Waves" Meditation

InsightLA

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