In this inspiring interview, we sit down with Jeff Warren, celebrated meditation teacher and author, to explore his accessible approach to mindfulness. Known for his lively style and humor, Jeff—co-author of Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics and founder of The Consciousness Explorers Club—shares insights into making meditation practical and inviting for all, from skeptical adults to squirmy kids. His reflections on meditation as a tool for resilience and mental clarity provide a refreshing take on the power of self-awareness in our everyday lives.

Q: What inspired you to describe meditation as a practice that connects us both to our humanity and to what's beyond?

A: The core orientation of deep contemplative practices is inherently paradoxical. It involves both becoming more human and connecting to something beyond humanity—the whole thing, all of life. We approach this understanding, our higher or bigger self, in many ways. In Buddhism, for instance, there's the concept of "no-self," noticing the emptiness of awareness and recognizing that control is an illusion. Hinduism, on the other hand, speaks of the "true self."

As my former teacher, Shinzen Young, often said, a significant part of the practice is learning to find an Archimedean point—a perspective outside of conditions from which we can leverage those conditions. This practice is about cultivating a sense of fulfillment that is independent of what conditions are happening in the experience. When we can identify something unchanging, or find true equanimity with the change itself, then the conditions of our experience lose their intensity. Conditions become less stark, pain lessens, suffering diminishes, and that is the movement of growth in practice.

Q: You mentioned meditation excels at exploring the gap between our ideals and reality. How can this awareness transform our daily lives?

A: Meditation is uniquely effective at revealing the gap between how we imagine our lives should be and the reality of how they actually are. One of its core insights is recognizing how our ideas about what we want often interfere with our ability to feel happy in the present moment. Bridging that gap is a central focus of meditation.

On a more subtle level, it involves seeing how our thoughts about everything—the sounds we hear, the emotions we feel, the sights we see—shape our raw experience. These concepts overlay our perception, forming part of what it means to function in the world. With practice, though, we can learn to touch a more primordial layer of experience, seeing things in a neutral way that brings a deeper sense of fulfillment.

Interestingly, contemplative practice itself can sometimes create new ideals, like striving for perfect compassion or unwavering equanimity. These can also block our progress, but they are more like guiding principles than requirements. True practice begins with fully accepting where we are, in all our imperfections. We don’t need to embody some flawless ideal; rather, we grow by locating ourselves as we are. In this radical acceptance of our present experience, we uncover a wellspring of peace and growth. In this way, meditation reduces suffering by helping us meet life as it is.

Q: How do you gain acceptance of where you are?

A: Acceptance can feel challenging because it may seem like fully embracing where we are means setting aside any desire to be somewhere else. But that’s not quite right. You can have a radical acceptance of where you are while still holding goals, intentions for how you want to show up, and projects you’re working toward. The key is to hold these aims lightly—to not be so attached to reaching a specific endpoint that you miss the present along the way.

In Hinduism, they speak to this balance as being unattached to the "fruit of your actions." Much of contemplative wisdom is actually just a form of radical common sense that we intuitively understand but often forget. Our practices are simply a way of remembering these basic orientations and principles, of returning to what we already know at a deeper level.

Q: How do the basic skills of meditation, when practiced over time, create lasting changes in the mind and the heart?

A: In meditation, a few core skills emerge that profoundly impact our mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. These skills—though often developed in the quiet focus of a sitting practice—apply just as meaningfully to other practices and areas of life. Understanding these skills and defining a practice that works for you can be transformative, offering a framework to living a better life.

One of my teachers, Shinzen Young, emphasized three primary skills: concentration, clarity, and equanimity. I’d add a fourth, which is care. Each of these skills offers a unique pathway to personal growth, and they come alive both in meditation and in daily life.

Concentration is about choosing where to place your attention. In meditation, it means focusing on something simple and grounding, which begins to compose us and settle us. This skill appears in life situations—like work or sports—where we can deepen focus and even enter states of flow. Concentration is fundamental to happiness, as it involves our capacity to regulate attention, which greatly impacts our well-being.

Clarity involves recognizing when we’re caught up in distracting thoughts or anxious loops, allowing us to come back to the present moment. It also has an insight dimension: the more we commit to what’s in front of us, the more nuance and richness it reveals. This expansion of awareness happens in meditation but also in activities like journaling or deep conversation, where we see our experience with fresh eyes.

Equanimity, or acceptance, is the skill of allowing ourselves to fully experience the present without needing to push or pull on it. In meditation, it means embracing what arises, just as it is. In other contexts—like artistic expression or therapy—it’s letting what’s within us emerge freely, without interference. Equanimity is also about self-regulation, like noticing a strong impulse to react and instead taking a breath, allowing the impulse to pass. This skill is essential for inner peace and resilience.

Finally, care represents the intention we bring to life—a cultivated sense of compassion, gratitude, and appreciation for our experience. This skill shapes how we re-engage with the world, infusing our actions with kindness and purpose.

Altogether, these skills form a foundation for growth, resilience, and connection, making them invaluable both in meditation and in navigating the complexities of daily life.

Q: For those just starting, what's the most important first step in beginning a meditation practice?

A: If you’re interested in starting a seated meditation practice, the most important step is to keep it simple. Meditation is really just about sitting and being. You already know how to sit and be; it’s as natural as existing. The challenge is disarming the mind, which will often want to make a big deal out of it. But it can be as easy as coming home after work, spending five minutes on your front porch or stoop, and settling into the sounds around you—traffic, birds, or cicadas in a nearby field. That’s meditation. It’s that simple. Just start by giving yourself these moments to sit and just be.

If you feel urgency or restlessness, there are gentle ways to ease into it. Focus on something calming, or if you have a lot of energy, try slow movements or stretches. You could even try a slow walking meditation. What matters most is coming back to the present without making a big deal out of it. You are just accepting what is there. Naturalize the practice by adding small mindful moments throughout your day, like taking five minutes to savor a meal. Just a few minutes can make a big difference—you don’t need hours.

Q: What can participants expect from your workshop in terms of structure and transformation?

A: First off, simply being in the beautiful setting of the Bahamas, surrounded by beaches, naturally fosters a sense of calm. The workshop taps into this energy, guiding participants on how to extend that feeling of ease and peace, while introducing basic skills to support it—all in a relaxed, accessible way. This approach can be transformative in two ways.

There’s the immediate transformation: the simple act of becoming more settled and present, which may feel temporary. You spend a few days on retreat, find that deep relaxation, but then often return to the chaos of daily life. What I focus on in my teachings is uncovering the specific skills that help us reach that settled state. By identifying the “flavor” of these experiences and becoming more intentional about learning them, we’re far more likely to access that peace in our regular lives.

That’s the deeper change: developing a real intellectual and experiential sense of these skills, which becomes something you carry with you, even if it needs continual revisiting. And that’s really the essence of practice—continually remembering what you’ve learned, over and over.

Q: What are some common misconceptions about meditation and how does your style help overcome them?

A: The biggest misconception about meditation is that it has to look a certain way—you have to be in a specific posture, or you have to stop your thoughts. People always hear about “quieting the mind,” but none of that is essential. Meditation can move at the speed of awareness; it could be slow stretching, Tai Chi, yoga, or Qi Gong. Even a slow walk on the beach, or anywhere, can be meditation. You can meditate lying down, standing, or seated; it’s not about what you’re paying attention to, but how you’re paying attention.

You don’t have to stop your thoughts. The practice is more about shifting your relationship to them, allowing them to fall into the background. The real skill is learning not to fixate on the trance of thinking, letting it blend into the larger field of awareness. This is a skill we can practice and improve, allowing us to experience thoughts as just one part of a much broader experience.

Q: What advice do you have for someone struggling to stay consistent with their practice?

A: If you’re struggling to stay consistent with your practice, the most important thing is to give yourself a break. Falling on and off the wagon is totally normal, so try not to make it a big deal. People often set the bar high, like aiming to meditate for 30 minutes or an hour every day, and then feel discouraged when they don’t meet it, sometimes giving up altogether. Instead, aim for consistency over perfection, and be okay with the fact that there will be ups and downs.

Create a dedicated spot in your home that feels cozy and inviting, a space you enjoy and can associate with your practice. You could also try taking just five minutes in your car when you get to work, or another part of your daily routine. Little adjustments like these make it easier to keep going, even on days when the motivation dips.

Q: How can meditation serve as a tool for personal and collective healing?

A: Meditation is a powerful tool for both personal and collective healing, thanks to what you might call a “social contagion” effect. As we become more settled in our own experience—finding peace and healing some of our own open wounds—we cultivate a presence and calm that others can feel. When we become less reactive, more grounded, it’s noticeable to those around us. We’ve all experienced how being in the presence of someone who’s genuinely calm or joyful can make us feel the same way. That kind of modeling is the heart of how this practice spreads collectively. It helps others feel more settled, and it may even inspire them to begin their own practice. Person by person, we each become a node of transformation, rippling out positive change.

I sometimes think of meditation, and practice more broadly, as a “good virus”—a beneficial thing that you want to spread. The key is to find your own way in and discover what the practice truly means for you, knowing it will look a bit different for everyone.

Q: Any final thoughts?

A: Meditation is the practice of being human. It's the practice of learning about your vulnerabilities. It’s learning about how you relate to yourself and to the world around you.