12 Guidelines To Develop Or Deepen Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice - by Hugh Byrne

COURSE

12 Guidelines To Develop Or Deepen Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice

With Hugh Byrne

This course will help you develop a regular mindfulness meditation practice and provide skills and supports to deepen an existing practice. It is designed to support new and experienced practitioners. Key practices that participants will learn include: • Strengthening the power of attention; • Meeting your experience with acceptance and kindness; • Developing a ‘beginner’s mind’; cultivating balanced effort; • Deepening self-compassion and loving-kindness and; • Working with thoughts and challenging emotions

AcceptanceHealth & HappinessHappinessPresenceContemporary BuddhismSpiritualitySpiritualityMindfulness MeditationMindfulness

Meet your Teacher

Hugh Byrne
Silver Spring, MD, USA

Hugh Byrne, PhD, has practiced mindfulness meditation for more than three decades and been teaching Buddhist and secular mindfulness since 2000. Hugh is trained in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Somatic Experiencing, a mind-body approach to healing trauma. He is a teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC and leads classes, retreats, and workshops in the United States and internationally. Hugh has been a teacher with Insight Timer since 2016 and offers two other courses—‘How to Change Unwanted Habits’ and ‘Deepen Your Meditation Practice with Poetry’—as well as many meditations, talks, and regular Sunday Live sessions on Insight Timer. He is the author of two books on mindfulness and habit change: The Here-and-Now Habit (2016) and Habit Swap (2020) and has a law degree from London University and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

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12 Days

3.2k students

5.0 stars

25 min / day

Acceptance

English

Lesson 1

Take Your Seat: Creating Beneficial Conditions For Meditation

In this session students learn about what mindfulness is; its roots in the Buddha’s teachings 2,500 years ago; the expansion of mindfulness in both spiritual and secular forms in recent decades; and the benefits of mindfulness for health and well-being. This session includes a guided meditation on calming the body and mind. Students learn practices to help relax, settle, and create supportive conditions for meditation. Poems shared: ‘Clearing’ by Martha Postlethwaite and ‘Peace Is This Moment Without Judgment’ by Dorothy Hunt. In the next session, we will explore the power of attention in enhancing well-being and happiness.

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Lesson 2

Pay Attention: Focusing Your Mind

In this lesson we explore the power of attention—and how attention is a fundamental element of mindfulness that can be cultivated and play an essential role in improving the quality of our experience. We discuss how different objects or focuses for our attention can be utilized to help us be here now and live with greater ease and well-being. This lesson includes a guided meditation on strengthening the power of attention, using body, breath, sounds, thoughts, emotions, and open awareness. Poem shared: ‘Lost’ an adaptation of a Native American elder story rendered into English by David Wagoner. In the next session we will explore cultivating mindfulness of the body.

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Lesson 3

Bring Mindfulness To Your Body

In this lesson, we explore mindfulness of the body, which is the first area or foundation of mindfulness in Buddhist teachings. Cultivating mindfulness of the body brings us home to ourselves and is a pathway to deep peace and freedom. We practice a guided meditation on mindfulness of ‘four elements’ of bodily experience: 1) earth element—hardness, softness, roughness, smoothness; 2) water element—liquidity, flow, stickiness; 3) fire element—temperature: warmth, coolness; and 4) air element—spaciousness, movement. In experiencing our body in this elemental way, we cultivate a wiser and less attached approach to experiencing our body. Poem shared: ‘In Blackwater Woods’ by Mary Oliver.

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Lesson 4

Befriend Your Breath: Mindfulness Of Breathing

In this lesson, we explore a key focus of mindfulness practice—bringing mindfulness to our breathing. We discuss how the breath can be an accessible focus in meditation since it is always available; it’s relatively neutral focus; it’s a helpful barometer of our levels of stress or relaxation; and it can help us cultivate calm in times of stress or activation. We practice a guided meditation to cultivate mindfulness of breathing and point to different areas of the body or breathing experience where we can rest our attention and allow ourselves to settle and be present. The benefits of cultivating mindfulness of breathing include being more present for ourselves and for life; moving out of habitual patterns of distraction, stress, and clinging, and finding peace in the present moment. Poem shared: ‘Part One, Sonnet IV’ (‘give yourself to the air’) by Rainer Maria Rilke.

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Lesson 5

Cultivate Radical Acceptance: Developing An Attitude Of Letting Be

In this lesson, we explore the importance of meeting our experience with acceptance as a foundation of mindfulness practice—and how meaningful change has to begin with a deep acceptance of who and where we are. We discuss images, metaphors, and expressions for acceptance, including Rumi’s invitation to ‘welcome the guests’; Eckhart Tolle’s ‘yes to what is’; Tara Brach’s ‘radical acceptance’; and Ajahn Sumedho’s ‘it’s like this.’ In the guided meditation practice we invite a quality of deep acceptance to whatever is arising in body, heart, and mind. Poem shared: ‘The Guest House’ by Jellaludin Rumi. Benefits of meeting our experience with acceptance include a greater ability to be at ease with life as it is, to change what can be changed, and to open to life’s ten thousand joys and ten thousand sorrows. In the next session, we will explore the power of cultivating compassionate curiosity to deepen well-being and happiness.

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Lesson 6

Invite Compassionate Curiosity: Bringing Kind Interest To Your Experience

In this lesson, we explore the power of cultivating an attitude of compassionate curiosity to our experience. Meeting our experience with compassion and kindness helps us to make space for what’s difficult or painful without escaping or responding in a reactive way—and allows us to find peace with the ups and downs of life. The benefits of cultivating compassionate curiosity include strengthening self-compassion, a key to well-being while opening to life’s joys and sorrows. In the guided meditation we cultivate the qualities of curiosity and kindness to all that’s arising. Poems shared: ‘The Way It Is’ by Lynn Ungar and ‘Small Kindnesses’ by Danusha Laméris. In the next session, we’ll discuss and work with thoughts that arise in our practice and emphasize that thinking is not a problem in meditation.

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Lesson 7

Thoughts Are Not A Problem: Bringing Mindfulness To Thinking

In this lesson, we explore ways of working wisely with thoughts in meditation. We invite an approach in which thinking is not a problem and our ‘task’ is simply to notice when we are lost in thought and come back to our focus (e.g., the breath). In the guided meditation we practice working with thoughts by responding with kindness when the mind wanders and returning to the body and the breath. Poem shared: ‘I Worried’ by Mary Oliver. A key benefit of this way of working kindly and non-judgmentally with thoughts is that we minimize self-judgment and the belief that our meditation should be a certain way and experience peace in this moment, just as it is. In the next session, we will explore and practice working skillfully with emotions in meditation.

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Lesson 8

Welcome The Guests: Meeting Your Emotions With Kindness And Acceptance

In this lesson, we explore and practice meeting our emotions, particularly the challenging ones, like anger, fear, or sadness, with kindness and acceptance, rather than with resistance or trying to suppress them. In the guided meditation we explore the difference between saying ‘yes’ to challenging emotions and mind states and saying ‘no’ to them. Poem shared: Excerpt from ‘Letters to a Young Poet’ by Rainer Maria Rilke (‘always trust in the difficult’). A key benefit of meeting our emotions with acceptance and kindness is in being able to live our life fully without feeling we need to escape from challenging emotions and mind states. In the next session, we will explore the question of ‘how much effort is appropriate and beneficial in meditation?’

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Lesson 9

Not Too Tight, Not Too Loose: Practicing Wise Effort

In this lesson, we explore and practice cultivating wise effort in meditation—a balanced effort where we are not striving too hard to get somewhere, but are also not lethargic or lackadaisical in our effort. In the guided meditation we practice bringing awareness to the nature and quality of our effort and invite balanced effort in our practice. Poem shared: ‘Keeping Quiet’ by Pablo Neruda. The benefits of cultivating wise and balanced effort include deepening acceptance of our experience and living with greater ease through letting go of the tension of ‘over-efforting’ while staying focused and committed to our practice. In the next session, we will explore and cultivate a ‘beginner’s mind.’

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Lesson 10

Cultivate a Beginner’s Mind: Inviting Openness To All That’s Arising

In this lesson we cultivate a ‘beginner’s mind,’ an attitude of mind where we don’t think we already know how this next breath will be or what the person we’re speaking with is going to say next. A beginner’s mind opens up possibilities for new information to come in and to see things in new ways. The Zen Buddhist teacher Suzuki Roshi said, ‘In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s there are few.’ The benefits of cultivating a beginner’s mind include being open to the joys and wonders of life that come with curiosity and openness. In the guided meditation we practice bringing the quality of an open and curious mind to our experiences of body, heart, and mind. Poem shared: ‘Mind Wanting More’ by Holly Hughes.

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Lesson 11

Open Your Heart To The World: Practicing Loving-kindness

In this lesson, we explore the practice of loving-kindness, a quality of friendliness and care that incorporates all beings, including ourselves. We discuss the origins of the practice of loving-kindness, or metta in Pali, as one of four skillful qualities of heart (with compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity), known as ‘divine abodes’ in the Buddha’s teachings. In the guided meditation we explore the practice of loving-kindness—inviting qualities of kindness, friendliness, and care towards ourselves, loved ones, friends, ‘neutral’ people, difficult people, and ultimately all beings. Poem shared:, ‘There was a time I would reject those…’ by Muhyiddin Ibn al-Arabi. The benefits of cultivating loving-kindness and the other three heart qualities is in connecting to others and experiencing ourselves as an essential part of the web of life. In the next session, we will explore and practice self-compassion.

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Lesson 12

Meet Yourself With Kindness: Deepening Self-compassion

In this lesson, we explore and cultivate self-compassion, a quality of kindness and care toward ourselves. We discuss the three key elements of self-compassion, highlighted by Kristin Neff: 1) self-kindness; 2) remembering our common humanity; and 3) mindfulness; and outline the benefits of self-compassion. In the guided meditation we invite compassion towards ourselves, using the phrases, ‘May I be happy… May I be safe… May I be healthy… May I live with ease’ while meeting whatever arises with kindness and acceptance. Poem shared: ‘Kindness’ by Naomi Shihab Nye. The benefits of practicing self-compassion include deactivating the body’s stress response and activating the caregiving response; reducing anxiety and depression and increasing resilience to stress. The lesson finishes with a brief conclusion, summarizing the main themes covered in the 12 Guidelines To Develop Or Deepen Your Mindfulness Meditation Practice and we finish with a short meditation and poem, ‘The Journey’ by Mary Oliver.

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5.0 (304)

Recent Reviews

Joanne

January 14, 2026

Lovely course. Practical, engaging, peaceful.

Lisa

December 16, 2025

A companion to practice that really supports you with practical, caring tips and beautiful guidance. Thank you Hugh 💕🙏

benjamin

August 7, 2025

Life changing!

Ditte

July 30, 2025

Thank you for this profound journey. I have revisited the course several times and been taking notes. I love your courses and live sessions. They are helpful as I take cautious steps to draw upon mindfulness in my work as a college professor. These teachings are so beneficial - especially in these times 🙏 Love how you draw upon poetry. Do you have a reading list anywhere with the poets that most inspire your work?

Sherry

July 28, 2025

Great information and tips. Hughs wonderful gentleness in teaching as well as his deep knowledge allow his words to slip in and find a home at heart center as they process and take root. 🙏🏼

Luigi

July 2, 2025

Fantastic, poetic, inspiring course!

odall

June 25, 2025

Congratulations thank you

Robin

June 3, 2025

Loved this 12 day course. It covers the basics in how to cultivate a strong meditation practice. I appreciate the reminders and really enjoyed it.

Jennifer

May 25, 2025

Thank you, Hugh. This course has helped me through a challenging time. I always find your meditations helpful - and you have helped develop my interest in poetry. Jennifer (Aotearoa, New Zealand)

Laura

May 20, 2025

This is a great course on the ways to strengthen your mindfulness practice. It incorporates such great information and quotes on each guideline and has a meditation and ends with a thoughtful poem. I will be checking out all of Hugh’s other courses and his books. 🪷

Deb

April 24, 2025

Hugh brings lots of tools to his talks and courses. He gathers up his own insights along with others. He brings knowledge and beautiful poems that are well selected for the messages he wants to convey. Sometimes he seems to be reading my mind and speaking about just what I'm experiencing at the time. He does all this with a soothing voice. His caring and concern for others comes through in his teachings.

Sandra

April 10, 2025

well done! I will repeat this course. I looked forward to each next lesson.

Wendy

April 9, 2025

I got a lot out of this course. I’m feeling generally calmer and more focused. Thank you Hugh 😊🙏

Martha

March 28, 2025

I love course. He was so gentle in his teachings and I really appreciate it. I love the structure of the course how each day is introduced and then recap at the end. I love all the poetry included. I’ll certainly be listening to this one over again. So much love and gratitude.

LauraA

February 21, 2025

Excellent class! I need much practice, but know the lessons are worth learning.

Nora

January 26, 2025

This course was enlightening and a wonderful guide along the mindfulness path.

Josh

January 25, 2025

Hi Hugh, thank you for your courses. Each day I have listened intently to your wise words. Each night I have looked forward to the lesson the following morning. I have enjoyed the enriching poetry you have provided. I will be looking for more of your quality offerings in the future. Thanks again.

Paul

January 25, 2025

Warm wlcoming humble and the wisdom itself obviously embodied by the teacher himself. This is genuine. Thank you 🙏

Audrey

January 12, 2025

Excellent course! Got so much out of the talks & meditations - welcome review of many teachings & some new practices to cultivate (compassionate curiosity). Loved the poetry. Hugh presents each session with clarity & kind encouragement. Recommend highly to all levels.

Joan

January 10, 2025

This was wonderful. Thank you!!!

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