Learn To Respond Without Reactivity - by Charles Freligh, PhD

COURSE

Learn To Respond Without Reactivity

With Charles Freligh, PhD

This course is designed to help you to reduce the ways that you respond reactively, whether it be with anxiety, anger, sadness, frustration, stress. These emotions can distract you from how you really want to be as a person – in relationships, at work, at play. Together, we will learn to install the “pause button,” allowing us to cutivate greater presence and respond with intention instead of reactivity. Over the next 10 days you will develop a conceptual and practical understanding of the life-changing impact of the ability to pause and will learn how to apply this to the ways you habitually react. This course offers a combination of engaging meditative exercises, conceptual lessons, and insights from Charles' experience as a long-time meditator and practitioner of psychotherapy.


Meet your Teacher

Charles Freligh is a psychotherapist and psychology instructor, in the final year of his doctoral training, as well as a long-time meditation practitioner. Charles has experience leading in-person and online mindfulness and meditation courses for a variety of audiences including college students, military personnel, athletes, and the general community. Charles has published original research in the peer-reviewed journal Mindfulness and writes the Mindful Lens column for Nature’s Best Photography Magazine. His goal is to combine his knowledge and experiences from the worlds of psychology and mindfulness – two worlds that he believes coalesce quite nicely - to provide you with a unique training. Charles is a lover of philosophy and believes that nothing is out of bounds in the realm of well-being. In this course he draws on a variety of sources and traditions without espousing any particular ideology. Each year Charles travels to a Zen Buddhist monastery for a few weeks. He explains that this isn't because he considers himself “Buddhist” but sees it as an essential yearly tradition of galvanizing his meditation practice, with one-pointed focus and no distraction, with the aim of making him a better instructor and a wiser, more compassionate person.

read more

10 Days

47.8k students

4.8 stars

20 min / day

Stress

English


Lesson 1

Pressing Play On Life

In today's lesson Charles will explain the concept of the pause and play metaphor and show us two key reasons why pausing is essentially a superpower. Together, we will also explore the concept of “Internal Friction” and undergo an exercise experimenting with empty space.

read more

Lesson 2

Curiosity Vs. Interpretation

In today's lesson you will be introduced to a meditation entitled 'Noticing the Train' and we will discuss how words and concepts limit our experience. We will also discuss the difference between curiosity and interpretation and come to understand how pausing can help us to stop dwelling on the past and come back to what’s happening now..the only time we actually ever have.

read more

Lesson 3

Allowing The Mind To Settle

In today's lesson Charles will offer a personal example of how this practice has impacted his experience of anxiety. He explains that sometimes you need to press Pause first in order to be able to just press Play. We will also explore the concept of concentration and practice a mental noting exercise.

read more

Lesson 4

Doing & Being

In today's lesson we discuss the experiential modes of Doing and Being. We live in a society of constant Doing, making it increasingly easy to forget the Being mode. We will explore how the Being mode creates space between what happens in life and your reaction to it and how we can use this in our favour.

read more

Lesson 5

Just Practice - The Power Of Conditioning

Today, we uncover the importance of practice and of your experiential understanding, drawing on Aristotle's words “we are what we repeatedly do.” By installing new programming to replace your old programming you are planting the seeds of intention for positive and lasting change.

read more

Lesson 6

Identifying A Pause Anchor

In today's lesson we will practice an exercise designed to help us 'find our feet'. We will look at how to identify a pause anchor, discuss an array of examples, and learn how to use them to extend your practice when you feel most stressed, anxious, or angry, etc. (i.e., reactive).

read more

Lesson 7

Pockets Of Experience

Today we will explore the Second Arrow metaphor (a conceptual anchor) and undertake a practical exercise using your identified anchor. We will come to understand the importance of allowing ourselves to fully experience the newness and novelty of what is always around us. This will allow us to open up to more meaningful relationships, enhance our performance at work, and reduce procrastination.

read more

Lesson 8

Communication – Matching Meaning

Today we will learn how to apply the pause button to interpersonal relationships and practice a meditation exercise titled Feeling the Connection to Others. We will discuss how to interact with others in a meaningful and productive way and let go of self-consciousness in communication.

read more

Lesson 9

Mindfulness Is No-Thing

In today's lesson we will discuss the concept of 'mindfulness', exploring how it has somewhat become a buzzword and how many of us try to be “good at” mindfulness. Charles will offer us a short story from the Zen tradition: Empty Your Cup and we will learn how to use mindfulness practice to gain greater perspective and clarity on our lives.

read more

Lesson 10

Letting Go of the Meditator & Maintaining Everyday Practice

In today's lesson we will undergo an intense breathing exercise to ground us into the present moment. Charles will then explore the importance of creating a daily environment and routine that enhances your practice rather than hinders it and how your practice can help you to live more fully. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” – Oscar Wilde

read more


Ask your teacher

This course includes 867 community questions and 91 audio replies from Charles Freligh, PhD. The community classroom and teacher audio replies are only available via the app.

867

4.8 (3494)

Recent Reviews

Teresita

July 17, 2026

At first, these meditations felt too long to me. I realized because I felt like I was always missing my next train. Once I started allowing my mind to settle, I realized I could do that over and over again during the sessions. Thank you for these practical strategies. Thank you for the practices. I think you're really into something here.

Janet

July 16, 2026

I really enjoyed this course. Everything was well thought out and very usable in day to day life. I absolutely love all the metaphors/anecdotes etc. that Charles brings. 99% were new to me but very relatable and usable. So far he’s been my favorite teacher on this platform. I look forward to more in the future. Definitely start this course.

Jane

July 13, 2026

Thank you Charles, such an amazing course - I've already noticed the difference your tools and concepts are having in my daily life, I will keep practising and return to this course to help too!

A

July 11, 2026

Very helpful & relaxing course. Thank you

Kate

July 9, 2026

I loved the stories and metaphors you used to illustrate your points in this course. Thank you!

Raine

July 1, 2026

Lots of talking. Not much practice time. Thank you for your time!

Bo

June 27, 2026

Fantastic cource to the time right now.

Mili

June 21, 2026

Thank you, this felt like a refreshing new way to revisit my meditation practice.

Kevscon

June 21, 2026

I was provided with some additional tools for helping me to react to the world without judgment and with grace. I really enjoyed the simple explanations and examples. I believe these lessons can be universally helpful. Thank you!

Pixie

June 16, 2026

I thought the ideas were great, and I am truly trying to implement them into my life, but wish the sessions had been a bit shorter and more simple, to the point. 10-20minute sessions is a BIG commitment for someone just starting to add daily meditation to their life. They might not make it to the end.

Luneleanor

June 15, 2026

I have finished this course with hands held at my 3rd-eye, weeping with gratitude. "Thank you, Charles!!" is not expressive enough a phrase for the sensation of both awe & peace that your gentle support has afforded me. Boundless love, light, joy, & connection are all here now, at my heart & mind fingertips; just waiting to be held with reverence! In each breath - every moment. What a gift.🙏💝🙏

Ashley

June 15, 2026

Fantastic course, has given me tools to honestly get better and reduce my anxiety about everything in my life.

Ara

June 13, 2026

And another great course!!!

Latoria

June 13, 2026

Thank you 🙏🏽

Lizette

June 11, 2026

Great course if yo are starting or wanting to deepen your meditation practice🧘‍♀️

Stephen

June 11, 2026

Three out of ten sessions were useful. The rest was someone pontificating

Barbara

June 7, 2026

Worthwhile and wonderful

Beth

May 21, 2026

Love this course. Charles is an amazing teacher and guide on the path. Thank you.

Brenda

May 15, 2026

Loved it. Thank you

Mucki

May 14, 2026

Great variety of techniques to find your own comfortable way to be successful

More from Charles Freligh, PhD

Trusted by 36 million people. It's free.

Insight Timer

Get the app