When Meditation Feels Hard - by Tonya Rothe

COURSE

When Meditation Feels Hard

With Tonya Rothe

If meditation has ever made you feel restless, uncomfortable, distracted, emotional, or like you were failing before you even began, this course offers a softer way in. Together, we’ll explore how meditation can support sensitive and neurodivergent minds without forcing stillness, perfect focus, or a performance of calm. You’ll learn simple ways to steady your attention, work with your body, meet emotions with more compassion, and build trust in your own way of practicing. The goal is to help meditation feel more honest, flexible, and possible in your actual life.

Pain AwarenessThought WatchingChoiceless AwarenessEmotional Labeling Affect Naming PracticeSensation InvestigationMeditationMindfulnessSelf DiscoveryFocusEmotional IntelligencePhysical DiscomfortSelf DoubtEmpowermentOvercoming Self DoubtHighly Sensitive PeopleDistraction

Meet your Teacher

Tonya Rothe
Washington, USA

Tonya is a neurodivergent yoga and meditation teacher with more than 25 years of yoga practice. Her work focuses on making yoga, meditation, breathwork, and rest more accessible for neurodivergent adults and highly sensitive people, especially those navigating burnout, chronic stress, difficulty resting, or traditional practices that haven’t worked well for them. She is a 500-hour registered yoga teacher with additional training in meditation, mindfulness, Yoga Nidra, holistic nutrition, Brain Longevity, and trauma-informed and accessible approaches to yoga. She also holds a master’s degree in Humanities. Tonya teaches yoga as much more than physical poses. Her approach draws from movement, breath, meditation, rest, and yoga philosophy, with an emphasis on understanding your own needs rather than trying to practice in one prescribed way. Her classes and courses offer practical ways to work with your body, mind, energy, and attention in everyday life.

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5 Days

790 students

4.7 stars

15 min / day

Confidence

English

Lesson 1

Embracing Stillness - Cultivating Focus For A Busy Mind

In this lesson, we explore a common challenge in meditation: dealing with a busy mind. As HSPs, our introspection and reflection can lead to overthinking and racing thoughts, making it difficult to find calm during meditation. We'll discover a powerful technique to observe our thoughts without judgment or resistance. Visualizing our thoughts as passing clouds in the sky, we create a sense of spaciousness and detachment, allowing us to watch our thoughts come and go naturally. This approach fosters mental clarity, openness, and a non-reactive attitude towards our thinking patterns. By embracing this practice, we cultivate inner peace and resilience, alleviating the burden of overthinking and rumination.

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Lesson 2

Finding Center - Managing Distractions During Meditation

In this lesson, we'll address the common challenge of dealing with distractions during meditation. As HSPs, distractions can arise from our external environment as well as from within, such as our thoughts and emotions. We'll learn to approach distractions with non-resistance and understanding, accepting them as a natural part of life and integrating them into our practice. No matter where our attention goes during meditation, we'll practice mindfulness of whatever arises in the present moment, fostering a deeper sense of awareness and presence.

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Lesson 3

Emotions As Allies - Exploring Emotional Sensitivity In Meditation

In this lesson, we'll explore how to work with strong and painful emotions that may arise during meditation. It's completely normal to experience emotions like sadness, anger, frustration, or restlessness while we meditate. We'll learn a powerful technique to navigate through these emotions and create a safe and accepting space for them to arise and be explored. During the meditation, if tears come or you experience any other intense emotion, remember to embrace it with gentleness, just like you would with an old friend. There's no right or wrong way to experience emotions during meditation; the key is to be present with whatever arises, fostering growth and healing. By welcoming and accepting these emotions without struggle, we can cultivate more peace as sensitive souls over time.

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Lesson 4

Body And Breath - Coping With Physical Discomfort In Meditation

In this lesson, we embark on a mindful exploration of working with pain and discomfort. F Without judgment or expectation, we observe any pain or discomfort that arises, approaching it with genuine curiosity and tenderness. As HSPs, our heightened sensitivity allows us to connect deeply with these sensations. Throughout this process, the breath serves as a grounding anchor, guiding us back to the present when our thoughts wander. We honor our HSP nature, creating a safe and nurturing space within ourselves. With patience and persistence, each step becomes an opportunity for growth and self-discovery.

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Lesson 5

Trusting Your Inner Guide - Overcoming Self-Doubt In Meditation

In this lesson, we'll explore the theme of working with doubt and self-judgment in meditation. As sensitive people, doubt can feel more overwhelming for us, and our heightened sensitivity can amplify its impact. We'll approach doubt with gentleness and understanding, embracing it as a natural part of the human experience. By observing doubt with curiosity and non-judgment, we create space for growth and self-awareness.

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4.7 (10)

Recent Reviews

Robin

August 11, 2024

This was helpful, since I have struggled with self-doubt forever. This lesson gave me some valuable insight. Thank you.

Anne

August 27, 2023

Lots of good advice and exercises to help with daily meditation practice

Brooke

August 19, 2023

As an HSP, the practical obersavtions of my excessive thoughts helped calm me and offer me a moment of acceptance.

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