How to Become a Certified Meditation Teacher

Ever wondered how to become a certified meditation teacher, and if you’re ready for it? Have you been daydreaming about getting certified? If you’ve been practicing meditation for a while, it’s not uncommon to consider the path to teaching. Training to become a certified meditation teacher can be such a rewarding experience, and a way to give back what you’ve learned in your own practice. And of course, it will improve your practice for yourself too! Here are a few simple steps you can take along the process to become a certified meditation teacher in the most present way possible.

Learn As Much As You Can

One of the most important things you can do for your meditation teacher training is continue to learn yourself. Be an open book and soak everything up like a sponge! Learn as much as you can about meditation. Immerse yourself in the different types and styles of teaching so you feel comfortable with all facets of the practice. Keep an open mind, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable with your classmates in your meditation teacher training program, so you can all grow together. This mindset will also help you see things from a learner’s perspective, which will help you be a more effective teacher! When you know how it feels to be a student, you can better serve your own students.

Be Dedicated In Your Practice

Becoming a certified meditation teacher is more than just having knowledge—it takes dedicated personal practice as well. Before you start meditation teacher training, make sure that you have solidified your practice. The meditation sessions you’ll teach won’t serve as your own meditation time, so you’ll need to set aside time for that on your own. That means making a commitment to yourself that you will meditate regularly, both because it will make you a better teacher and because you deserve it! (That said, this does not mean being hard on yourself on days when you skip a meditation session - we all have our ups and downs. The key is to always get back on the horse and be kind to yourself.) Be intentional about meditating daily, show up for yourself in your practice, and take the time to connect with others in the meditation community. Having practical experience goes a long way in developing a warm and informed teaching style.

Ask Yourself Why

To make sure you are entering meditation teacher training with the right attitude, take time to reflect on why you actually want to become a certified meditation teacher. If you are only in it for the money or desire to have a huge following and fanbase, you may find your journey more difficult. (Those things are great! But they are not the core of what makes becoming a certified meditation teacher fulfilling and rewarding.) While there are many reasons to become a meditation teacher, many successful, satisfied meditation teachers started teaching because they:

·  Had a desire to constantly learn and were excited to share their findings with others.

·  Worked in fields like mental health or wellness and wanted to share how meditation fits perfectly with handling anxiety, stress, and other issues.

·  Knew that teaching was their calling and that meditation was their passion - and the two naturally fit together.

These aren’t the only reasons to become a certified meditation teacher - not by a long shot! - but hopefully they serve as a helpful guide. The idea is to be sure that you’ll enjoy teaching meditation for the practice itself, and for the ways it can help you improve others’ lives.

Enter A Training Program

If you’ve continued this far, then congrats: you’re almost there! You’re in the right headspace to start your meditation teacher training! Once you have decided to go through with becoming a certified meditation teacher, entering a meditation teacher training program is essential. Going through a training program is an immersive way to quickly gain the knowledge you need to go from practitioner to teacher. The Unplug Meditation certified teaching program, for example, is an intensive 200-hour program over 6 weeks that prepares you for every aspect of teaching. With those hours of training, you’ll be ready to change lives - both your students’ and your own - with the sessions you lead.

Prepare Your Practice

Once you have gone through training and have become a certified meditation teacher, you’re ready to roll! Get out there and create groups. Practice teaching as much as you can, so you can get to know your own teaching style and develop routines. You may want to start with familiar faces, like your coworkers and friends, and lean toward shorter lessons (in the 10-to-15-minute range) as you learn. As time goes on, you will quickly see how to best apply all the knowledge you’ve gained up to this point. You’ll be a thriving certified meditation teacher before you know it, and it will make life that much sweeter. Happy meditating!

6 Questions To Ask Yourself When Pursuing Your Dreams

Wellness writer at Unplug Meditation

What's your dream? Want to give your vision a jumpstart? Write down your goals and use these questions to speed up delivery of your dream.

1. What's your highest priority in this lifetime?

What's most important for you to experience, explore or embrace this time around? Until you answer this question, your life goals will be off purpose. Unaligned with your inner passion, your intentions will lack the power to attract the people and situations necessary to become a reality.

Get clued into your true joy. What activities did you enjoy as a child? What are your hobbies now? When your goals are aligned with your soul, synchronicity kicks in to guide you to your target. 

2. Is this your dream, or someone else's?

Are your goals your own choice, or what others think you should strive for? Do you want to look back in your old age and wish you had followed your passion? Will you regret having "played it safe?"

Is it selfish to go after your own dream? What joy can you give to others if you haven't given it to yourself first?

3. Are you settling for less than?

Are you resigned to accepting less than your full share of love, health and success this lifetime? Have you compromised and sacrificed your dream?

Anything short of living your true passions will never make you happy. 

4. What will you feel like when you reach your dream?

Personal passion fuels a vision. Dive into the thrill and exhilaration of the feeling of living your dream. 

The Hawaiian Kahuna say, "Where your creative attention flows, so flows your life."

5. What steps can you take today toward your dream?

Don't defer your dream. Set up supports and systems around you to instantly translate your intentions into action. Jump on every opportunity that is in line with your purpose and vision.

Are there smaller projects that lead to your larger dream? If the dream is to run a marathon, train for a local fun-run first. And find a way to measure your progress. Track those little wins-by writing in a journal or telling a friend.

6. Are you telling yourself: "I can't have my dream?"

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them -Walt Disney

Most people don't believe they can live their dream. Either their belief system has them believing they can't make a living doing what they love, or they feel they don't deserve their dream. To avoid the pain of feeling they can't have their dream, people often keep their dream so buried they can't remember they ever had a dream.

Everyone has a dream! And everyone is destined to fulfill that purpose. Why wait?

A Guide to Corporate Wellness Programs That Work

In the last year, work has shifted more drastically than any time in history. Businesses shifted online. Hours changed. Stress levels rise. The global poandemic led to higher rates of anxiety, more challenges in the workplace, and, in many instances, lower levels of productivity.

Fortunately, it has also opened our eyes to the benefits of corporate wellness programs and how they not only benefit employees but businesses as a whole. Here’s what you need to know about corporate wellness programs and how to choose one that works:

• What exactly is a corporate wellness program?

At its basic level, a corporate wellness program is a benefit that employers provide for employees to help deal with health risks. While these have traditionally focused on the physical such as workplace sponsored gym memberships and healthy eating programs, mental health and wellness is now one of the most important benefits companies can provide. 

• What are the benefits of corporate wellness programs?

Wellness programs are a surprisingly cost-effective way for businesses to reduce long-term costs. In a study conducted by Harvard, it was found that for every dollar companies spent on wellness programs, more than three dollars were saved on healthcare costs. A World Health Organization report found wellness programs to reduce sick leave by nearly 30%. Not only are wellness programs great for employees, they help the bottom line as well.

• Which wellness programs actually work?

One of the important things to remember when choosing a corporate wellness program is to tackle the root cause of issues, not just the symptoms. That’s why mental health and wellness is the biggest focus for many programs. By helping employees relax, reduce anxiety, and stress, you can improve overall fitness, reduce sick days, and increase productivity.

Unplug For Business

Unplug For Business, for example, is designed to help employees de-stress and refocus. Unplug has worked for over 150 businesses and helped create a more positive work environment, increase employee job satisfaction, and led to improved productivity. If you are a business searching for a way to improve the life of your employees and create a more efficient work environment, consider Unplug.

9 Ways To Combat Fear

Wellness writer at Unplug Meditation

Fear gets to the best of us, whether it is fear of failure, fear of success or even fear of fear. All of us have experienced fear at some point in our lives and it can be a real stumbling block that holds us back from being truly successful.

Fear can’t hold you back forever, if you don’t let it. There are several ways to overcome fear, here are my top 9:

1. SEPARATE REALITY FROM PERCEPTION

Ask yourself what is really going on, locate the facts and place them over your feelings.

2. IDENTIFY THE TRIGGER

Figure out what it is in a situation that triggers you. Learning to identify it will help you learn to combat it.

3. KNOW WHERE FEAR LIVES IN YOUR BODY

A lot of times, fear takes over physically. It affects different people different ways. Identify if/how it affects your physical body and do the work to take care of your body. Ex: if you hold stress in your back, you can learn stretches, foam rolling, etc. to avoid the pain.

4. PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Everyday, list out 1-3 things you are thankful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, gratitude helps shift the mind into a positive light, which overtime, overcomes fear.

5. LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE

Monitor your inner conversations. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to yourself. Speak positively to yourself and remind yourself of your strengths.

6. CREATE A NEW ASSOCIATION

Remind yourself that the feeling and the moment will pass. Focus on the positive outcome of the situation, rather than the scary in between.

7. LOOK AT THE GLASS HALF FULL

Perception is a very powerful thing, and how you feel about your situation dictates how you respond. So think positively and you’ll give yourself a much better chance of success. This won’t happen overnight; practice with just one thought. What is one recurring negative/fearful thought you have? Work on reversing this one thought. Overtime, this will become a habit.

8. PRACTICE BREATHING EXERCISES

Breathing helps center your body; when you stop breathing, your heart stops beating. You can do a grounding exercise, or even just take 5 deep, long breaths at any point to calm and center yourself. It is best to start your  day with this, but feel free to practice all day long.

9. CREATE A SAFE SPACE

When you feel safe and secure, there is no room for fear. Find somewhere safe you can retreat to when ill feelings begin- whether this is a real place such as your bedroom, or a place in your mind such as the beach. This sense of comfort will soothe you and allow you to face your fear.

Please keep in mind, that these are just 9 strategies, not everything works for everyone. But this is a place to start. Start implementing these techniques into your life and don’t let fear hold you back from reaching your goals and your highest potential this year!

3 Steps To Discovering The Purpose of Your Life

Wellness writer at Unplug Meditation

Determining what our purpose is in life can be one of the hardest questions that we as humans must try to answer. In this article we will be going through a step by step process, exploring your feelings and options, and by the end, you should have a fairly solid tool you can immediately employ in your life, to help give it a meaningful direction!

There are three steps to the process of discovering the purpose of your life:

1. Understanding the principle of choice

2. Creating your “underlying principle”

3. Aligning your life with this underlying principle

Understanding The Principle of Choice

Norman Vincent Peale has this to say about the power of choice. “The greatest power we have is the power of choice. It is an actual fact, that if you have been groping under unhappiness, you can choose to be joyous, instead. And, by effort, lift yourself into joy. If you tend to be fearful, you can overcome that misery by choosing to have courage. The whole trend and the quality of anyone’s life is determined by the choices that are made”.

“Choosing” is the most important activity of your mind, because by making a choice, you are proclaiming your desires to your subconscious mind. Once the subconscious mind gets to know your desires, it is going to do anything to manifest them in your life. The choices you make in your life become your goal. And, if you are sincere in pursuing them, there is no reason why you should not accomplish them.

Indecision, on the other hand, not only creates frustration and anxiety, but can also confuse the subconscious mind about what you want. But it is important that the choices you make are made by you, in accordance with your true desires, purposes and aptitude. A lot of us let others make choices for us, or make our choices according to what we think is ‘correct’, even if that means that we go against our wishes. What is right for someone else may not be right for you, and the way to know this is listening to what your heart says.

So, to begin with, make a list of things which interest you; things which you have always enjoyed, which make you feel better, and which inspire you to surge ahead, no matter what obstacles you face. Do you like doing something creative, or something artistic? Do you enjoy nature? Do you like the sea? Do you enjoy helping others? Do you get pleasure out of making a difference in other people’s life?

Whatever it is that interests you, write it down and answer these questions:

• What thing do you love to do?

• What is it that you love in this thing and why?

• How could you do this for money, and make a living out of it?

Creating Your Underlying Principle

The next step is to examine the list you just made and find out if there is any recurring theme. Maybe, it is the contribution that keeps coming up, or an effect to seek or give love, or helping your parents cope with old age. Whatever it is, try to identify the central theme of the things you love to do, and try to put it in a short and precise statement. This will be your ‘Mission Statement’. It may even be a quote by a famous person, or a philosophy that has influenced you. Of course, as you grow up, this statement could evolve, but its soul will remain the same. Now, write down your Mission Statement.

Aligning Your LIFE With Your Underlying Principle

The final step in this journey is to map your path to your ultimate purpose and to begin implementing changes that help to align your daily life with your underlying purpose. By making these little changes in your lifestyle, you will start to be able to begin living this principle out each and every day. It might take a few days, but by becoming aware and intentional of this underlying principle of your life, you will certainly start to feel the difference in your enthusiasm for life as a whole. If you realize that you love being amidst nature, plan out your holiday. Maybe an outing with your children could be enough to recoup with your energy. If you discover that you enjoy helping those in need, start to look for opportunities to volunteer in your community. On the other hand, you might even want to change your job, or start a new business that is more in line with your mission.

So there you have it! By following along with the steps outlined above, you will be on your way to finding and living out your purpose. And, as you go through this process, just remember, “You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.” - Steve Maraboli

The Best Meditation Teacher Training Program 2022

Written by Liv Wu

With hundreds of meditation teacher training programs out there it can be incredibly overwhelming trying to figure out which one works for you and is worth the investment. I know this because I personally researched dozens of training programs for close to a year, before landing on the one I felt would give me the most knowledge in the least amount of time, and the ability to deepen my own practice and confidently teach others. One in particular stood out as the best.

The Unplug Meditation Teacher Training Program with davidji (world-renowned meditation teacher trainer) and Suze Yalof Schwartz (Founder/ CEO of Unplug)

Unplug Meditation was established in 2008, and is the world’s first drop-in meditation studio and has a global app filled with the top teachers in the world. In other words, they already have the real experience of knowing what it takes to create star teachers that lead packed classes and teach to huge companies. Unplug teachers have appeared in the NY TIMES, traveled on cruises with Oprah Winfrey and have opened studios and retreat centers across the globe. 

What makes this program unique is the balanced teachings of deep spiritual knowledge and modern techniques from davidji combined with Suze’s entrepreneurial experience of running a sought after meditation studio. You will get lots of personal attention and actual live teaching time with the emphasis on deepening your own practice and being able to confidently teach in studio, one-on-one, virtually, as well as corporate settings.

Starting from day 1, the Unplug Meditation Teacher Training Program pairs you with a partner so you can practice what you learn on video and live. By the end of 6 weeks, you will feel confident to teach anyone, anywhere in your voice with your own original content. 

"Who am I to teach meditation"? I know that's how I felt but this is how they do it.

In just 6 weeks you will learn how to simplify the science of meditation (so you can explain it to anyone), learn all the different styles and techniques, the business, best practices, how to create original content, how to speak to the camera and how to engage the people in your class. Most importantly, you walk away with a consistent meditation practice of your own, a deep understanding and love of meditation, and a true connection and comradery of like minded people who, just like you, want to make the world better by creating more peace, presence and positivity. 

Led by the internationally acclaimed meditation master davidji, the former COO of Chopra and best selling author, davidji has taught over 2,000 teachers. His method of teaching makes the experience fun and easy that you won’t want it to end. You’ll most likely end up writing down every word he says because he speaks in endless wisdom and brilliant Soundbites; You will also be media trained and guided by Suze who focuses more on simplifying and modernizing this ancient practice so that it appeals to a larger audience. 

At the end of our 6-week journey, I felt I had formed an unbreakable bond with everyone in the program. When we shared our favorite things about it, many of us felt like we’ve found our voice. Not only that we learned the science and practical applications behind it, we can now easily share this knowledge with others with confidence.

If you are ready to make meditation part of your life journey, check out the Unplug Meditation Teacher Training Program and apply — The next course cycle begins on October 10, 2022!

Bonus class perks include:

• Lifetime membership to the Unplug Meditation App

• 1 month FREE unlimited classes at the Unplug Meditation Studio (live and virtual)

• Invitation to join the Unplug Meditation Teachers private group

• Life-long friendships with Suze, davidji, and the Unplug Meditation community

The Science of Gratitude

The Science of Gratitude

The rise of reality television, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc. facilitates an instantaneous connection between everyone with access to a smartphone. In the United States, it seems like that includes anyone over the age of 10. The amount of people “following” celebrities is absolutely staggering. Spending considerable time watching the ultra-wealthy leads to comparison, which ultimately leads to envy. Everyone knows the phrase, “Keeping up with the Joneses,” however, just a few decades ago, most people didn’t even realize how the wealthiest people lived. National surveys and research now show that social media negatively impacts mental health on a truly concerning level. Additionally, new data collected from a population-based study showed a 37% increase in the likelihood of significant depressive episodes among adolescents.[1]

 When we compare ourselves to others, we can never be content. This reality spans every aspect of our lives – looks, weight, height, income, possessions, careers, relationships, etc. Have you ever said to yourself, “If only I…?” Here’s something to consider, according to World Bank economist, Branko Milanovic, an individual that earns $34,000 annually is in the richest 1% globally. Moreover, the average family in the United States has over three times the income of those living in poverty in America, and almost 50 times that of the world’s most impoverished people.[2] It’s easy to take so much of what we have for granted. Food and shelter seem like merely an afterthought. It’s not to say that everyone doesn’t face challenges, obstacles and problems, however, if we honestly examine our lives – we are truly blessed.

So why are so many people unsatisfied or discontented with their lives? How can we learn to appreciate what we have? In recent years, universities began researching the “science of gratitude.” Interestingly, information obtained from numerous studies indicates that gratitude actually improves overall mental health. Thinking about the positive aspects of our lives as opposed to dwelling on the negative, shifts perspective and mindset. This isn’t to suggest that positive thinking cures clinical depression or serious phycological issues, but for many people, gratitude can potentially alter their state of mind.

Robert Emmons, a psychologist and scientific expert on gratitude, suggests that there are two components which comprise gratitude. First, an affirmation of goodness, and second, a recognition that sources of goodness are outside ourselves.[3] Several years ago, researchers at Indiana University conducted a study designed to measure the effects of gratitude on neural activity. The subjects were selected from a group of individuals beginning psychotherapy for anxiety and depression. One group participated in a gratitude writing intervention and the control group attended their regular therapy sessions. After three months, MRI data was collected from all participants. The brain activity of the gratitude writing subjects showed a greater neural sensitivity to gratitude. Additionally, even after three months, the subjects showed greater neural modulation in the medial prefrontal cortex.[4]  

You can download the study here.

At the University of California, research data suggests that participants who consciously focus on their blessings could experience emotional and interpersonal benefits.[5] In 2019, Harvard Health Publishing posted an article which condensed information from multiple gratitude studies – each study found that a positive mindset improved heart health. In one analysis, researchers examined over 8,000 people. The group that scored the highest on an optimism questionnaire had a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease.[6]

So, how can we cultivate gratitude?

1. Keep a journal. It’s nice to remind yourself that despite the day’s challenges, you have so much to be grateful for. Life is so busy, it’s easy to gloss over seemingly simple things, like food, shelter, electricity, health, family, friends, etc. Unfortunately, for a large percentage of the population, basic needs are not a given.

2. Be kind. When you treat everyone with respect, you send out positive energy. Your kindness might be the thing someone else is grateful for that day. Show appreciation for the kindness of others. Acknowledge and show gratitude for even the simple things.

3. Meditate. Meditation gives us a chance to find stillness. A simple five minute meditation can improve your state of mind. Gratitude Meditation is designed to help us reflect on things we are grateful for. Mindfulness Meditation helps us stay grounded in the present moment without judgement.

Practice gratitude, it’s a pathway to better mental and physical health. 

[1] Sherrell, Zia. “What to Know About Social Media and Mental Health.”  Medical News Today, 15 September 2021.

[2] Milanovic, Branko. The Haves and Have-Nots: A Brief and Idiosyncratic History of Global Inequality. Basic Books,

   2011.

[3] Emmons, Robert. Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,  

   2007. 

[4] Kini, P., Wong, J., McInnis, S., Gabana, N., & Brown, J. W. (2016). The Effects of Gratitude

   Expression on Neural Activity. NeuroImage, 128, 1-10.

[5] Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of

  gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.

[6] Tello, Monique. “A Positive Mindset Can Help Your Heart.” Harvard Health Publishing, 6 March 2019.

15-Second Meditation FAQ

In these 15 second videos I answered many of the FAQ's about meditation that we get all the time. Meditation has transformed my life in so many incredible ways! I love making it easy so that everyone will want to lower their stress & anxiety and feel present in the present moment 🧘‍♀️🌎

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3 Corporate Wellness Programs That Work

Choosing the best corporate wellness programs can be the difference between a happy, cohesive team and a less motivated one. They can also make a huge difference in productivity, and even save your company big time on healthcare costs, because prevention works! There are all kinds of trendy corporate wellness programs on offer these days, and many are wildly effective in making a difference for teams. That said, even among so many great options, some stand out more than the rest. Here are a few top wellness programs that WORK!

The Best Corporate Wellness Programs To Try With Your Team

1. On-Site Fitness Centers

In our ultra-busy lives, it can be hard to find the time to take a break for exercise - and that’s a bummer, because these breaks can provide a big boost to both happiness and productivity. Enter on-site fitness centers. These corporate wellness programs provide the opportunity for employees to break a sweat on their lunch breaks, work on projects on the treadmill, or bookend their workday with exercise without adding an extra errand into the mix.

Why They’re Great

Midday fitness breaks are great for the brain. Besides the fact that regular exercise is great for your overall health, it also packs a powerful punch for the mind. Taking 30 minute to an hour to remove yourself from your work enables you to come back refreshed with new ideas, joy, and energy. It can increase focus and help evaporate any stressors that were hindering creativity earlier in the day.

There’s also the fact that exercising with someone is an excellent bonding experience. If employees choose to hang out in the fitness center together (or even amp things up by creating a team fitness club or running club), that bond will extend beyond the workout and into the boardroom. Those team-like feelings will make it easier to work together on demanding projects and important ideas.

Provider To Try

Kinema Fitness is one of the most popular fitness corporate wellness program options, and for good reason. The company offers fitness center design and management, personal trainer options, and virtual wellness opportunities. Kinema is all about holistic wellness, so their focus extends beyond just the elliptical into ensuring that your employees are experiencing lifestyle, work, and relationship benefits from these fitness programs. Kinema’s virtual wellness options include at-home fitness classes, social experiences, and healthy cooking activities.

Companies That Love It

General Mills, Genentech, and Verizon have fantastic on-site gyms.

2. Meditation And Mindfulness

Meditation and mindfulness can fill an important role when it comes to workplace stress relief. More and more companies are encouraging employees to dive into mindfulness both in the office and at home. Whether it’s a team mindfulness challenge, daily morning meditation breaks, or group workshops, meditation at work is taking the lead in helping companies thrive.

Why It’s Great

Meditation at work helps reduce employees’ stress and anxiety, increases vitality, improves self-esteem, and heightens focus. Concentration, memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills are easier to tap into when you’re regularly meditating. Meditation also improves communication skills, which can forge a path for greater bonds between coworkers and easier conflict resolution. Of course, meditation is also known by experts as a great way to improve overall health and wellbeing by reducing stress.

For employers, all these benefits equate to increased productivity, improved response time, stronger memory, and deeper focus. Corporate meditation programs can lead to lower absentee rates and reduced employee burnout, as well as greater efficiency which can translate to higher profit. Of course, there’s also the fact that your employees will simply be happier! When you have a more positive work environment, your team will move through their days with a greater sense of purpose around what they do - which means higher drive and increased creativity.

Provider To Try

The Unplug corporate wellness program draws on the principles taught in the company’s top-rated meditation app to help your employees thrive. Unplug’s teachers can come to your office or lead sessions online. Unplug will set up a meditation challenge tailored specifically to your team on the Unplug app, so your employees can embark on healthy meditation habits together.

Unplug has created customized meditation corporate wellness programs for more than 150 companies to help create workplace cultures that your team will want to be part of. They can also provide alternate modalities like breathwork and sound baths depending on your company’s needs - the sky’s the limit.

Companies That Love It

Major companies like Morgan Stanley, the Ritz-Carlton, Google, and Paramount have offered meditation at work to great success.

3. Team Challenges For The Greater Good

When you tap into healthy competition to serve the greater good, everyone wins. Team fitness and wellness challenges for charity have the dual benefit of ramping up employee wellbeing while serving communities in need. They’re excellent corporate wellness program options.

Why They’re Great

Even when we know how beneficial it is, it can be hard to get motivated to exercise or make healthy choices. But when you bring the idea of helping someone else into the mix, motivation is much easier to find. When employees know that sticking to their healthy habits will make a difference in someone else’s life, they’re more likely to be committed - and to forge strong bonds with team members on the way to reaching these goals. This is a great antidote to historically low engagement on employee wellness programs, and it’s an especially helpful motivating factor right now, in an era when everyday challenges make it more difficult to stick to wellness routines. Helping a social cause as part of your corporate wellness program creates powerful intrinsic motivation.

Provider To Try

With Givhero, you can choose a cause and receive a custom digital system to help your employees track their goals. With customizable benchmarks and achievable results, your team will feel eager and encouraged. Because Givhero takes on the process, you’ll be able to automate your wellness program without excess strain on the company’s planning resources. Givhero helps your employees find their common connection over a shared desire to help others - and that connection will keep them focused on their goals.

Companies That Love It

Fitbit, Google, and Zappos are all well-known for their thriving wellness programs.

Learn more about the Unplug corporate wellness program HERE

The Best Virtual Guided Meditation Classes to Stay Calm During the Pandemic

We’re spending most of our time at home these days, but virtual guided meditation can help us stay centered. These amazing livestream meditation courses can help you access meditation teachers in all kinds of modalities - all without leaving the comfort of home. Tune into a live virtual guided meditation class to have the studio experience from your living room.

The Best Virtual Guided Meditation Classes To Livestream Your Daily Dose of Calm

1. Breathwork

Breathwork class begins with setting an intention. Then, your medication coach will guide you in a two-part deep breathing technique to release stress and resistance, allowing creativity and happiness to rush in. Breathwork helps calm the nervous system and release endorphins to help your body calm itself. It’s a great way to become present quickly, and works as something of a “reset” for the rest of your day. Research indicates that breathwork is believed to help improve our emotional state while decreasing stress. Perfect option for a busy day!

Sign Up: Breathwork Virtual Guided Meditation

2. Calm, Present, & Relaxed

This class offers the powerful impact of meditation in a speedy format without sacrificing effectiveness. Calm, Present & Relaxed offers a 30-minute version of Unplug’s classic course format. If you’re rushing through a busy day of doing, this is a perfect opportunity to squeeze in a break to just be, whether it’s on your lunch break or a quick midday detour to peace and quiet.

In this class, your meditation coach will guide you into the present moment as you practice breath and body awareness techniques. You’ll spend half an hour truly immersed in the moment, and developing a greater awareness of your physical self and bodily sensations. Why are you having a particularly stressful or agitated day today? Meditation teachers in this session can help you consider the root causes so you can move freely from them.

Short virtual guided meditations offer a break to decompress in the middle of your workday. You can let the pile-up of stress from the first half of your day evaporate, and let go of any tension from difficult meetings or conversations. This pause is a great way to refresh your mind so you can return to your work with rejuvenated creativity and focus. You might even be a more cheerful coworker for the rest of the day!

Sign up: Calm, Present & Relaxed Virtual Guided Meditation

3. Sound Baths

Sound baths feel exactly like they’re name - a soothing “bath” of sound frequencies to transport you away from the stressors of the everyday. This livestream will bathe your body in vibrational currents and treat the senses. These ancient instruments have been used for centuries.

Meditation coach Allison Bagg will lead you with breathwork before you dive into the experience of crystal singing bowls, gongs, and chimes.

Sound baths can help relieve stress, ease fatigue, and decrease depression symptoms. Tune into this class to release negative emotions and reset for the rest of your day - and of course, find plenty of relaxation.

Sign Up: Sound Bath Virtual Guided Meditation

4. Hypnosis for Stress Relief

Led by hypnotherapist Gina Hemmings, this virtual guided meditation will combine music and hypnosis to help rewire your subconscious mind for positivity. Gina will guide you into a state of deep relaxation to help break down past negative thought patterns, habits, and limiting beliefs. Hypnotherapy can help reduce stress, sadness, and anxiety, and can help reduce negative behaviors. Hypnosis can also help improve focus and attention, so it’s a great way to start a busy day!

Sign Up: Hypnosis for Stress Relief Virtual Guided Meditation

5. Deep Calm

This deeply relaxing and centering virtual guided meditation is an excellent start to your day. With the help of an Unplug meditation coach, you’ll get grounded in your breath and get present in the moment. After a Deep Calm session, ease and joy are easier to reach. You’ll be more likely to start your day with happiness, awareness, and concentration - and stress will be in the rearview mirror. Ease your mind before diving into focus for the day!

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6. Brain Massage

This cutting-edge experience will ease you into deeper relaxation and meditation. Instructor Peter Oppermann will share guided visualizations to take you deeper inward. The class incorporates binaural MindTravel music, created with the help of neurological research to help you fully relax. Binaural beats have been found to reduce anxiety and improve performance, so they’re a great way to “reset” your brain at the end of a long day. Make sure you wear headphones for this one for the binaural frequencies to have their full effect!

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7. Manifesting Miracles

Everyone loves a miracle! Tune into this class to deepen your trust in the universe and open your mind to joyful experiences. Your meditation coach will lead you on a traditional style meditation adapted for today’s modern times. You’ll combine these techniques with the power of concentration to reduce tension, find more joy, and imagine the best possible scenario. In short, you’ll be getting yourself into a receptive state to notice amazing opportunities and to welcome amazing outcomes!

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8. Meditation for Stress Relief

Lift the heavy weight off your shoulders with this experience led by Sherly Sulaiman, a clinical hypnotherapist with 20 years of experience. This session combines meditation with self-hypnosis to help you access peace, calm, and wellbeing - no matter what is going on in the world around you. Hypnotherapy and meditation can reduce stress and help curb negative thought patterns. Give yourself the gift of freedom from your stressors as Sherly soothing voice guides you into a deeply relaxed journey.

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9. Chakra Balancing with Reiki

Led by world famous meditation coach and author Camilla Sacre-Dallerup, this session draws on reiki and crystals to help balance your chakras, open your heart, and ease stress. The evening hour makes the course an especially dreamy journey. This guided imagery meditation focuses on topics like goals, intentions, and manifesting. Reiki is a Japanese energy healing modality. Early research indicates reiki could help reduce pain, anxiety, and fatigue.

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10. Calm In The Chaos

This soothing online guided meditation is all about utilizing techniques that can help you stay calm, present, and kind in times of stress. We are living in a cultural moment of extreme uncertainty, and this session can help you meet that challenge with centeredness and wellbeing.

This class incorporates essential oils! Aromatherapy can work alongside traditional therapy to potentially help soothe anxiety and stress. (Before using your oil, double check that your family or pets don’t have any allergies to it!)

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