Reading This Email is Meditation

Today’s newsletter is going to be a different one.

Most people think meditation only happens when sitting still, eyes closed, and listening to a guide telling you how to breathe or what to focus on.

But meditation isn’t limited to that.

It doesn’t require you to close your eyes and sit still.

You can meditate while you are on a walk…

While you are driving (be careful though!)...

While you are in a meeting…

And yes, you can even meditate while reading an email.

While meditation is a powerful practice, the most effective founders aren't the ones who meditate for 20 minutes every morning..

They're the ones who can find presence within the chaos.

The ones who can drop into awareness while walking to their next meeting, during a difficult conversation, or while reading their emails.

Most meditation practices pull you away from your life. But what if we could bring meditation into your life?

So today, I want to guide you through an experiment: As you read this, let it be a meditation.

A doorway back to presence, where all your creative energy resides.

So just for a couple minutes, set everything else aside to give this newsletter your undivided attention or save it for later when you can.

Let’s begin.

As you are reading this, notice your attention focusing on these words

Take a slow breath and… relax your focus.

As you are reading this sentence, let your eyes soften until your peripheral vision comes into view.

Notice how even with relaxed attention, you can still read these words effortlessly.

Almost like they're reading themselves to you. Just receive them.

Continue reading like this: aware, but not forcing.

Allow your awareness to expand into all of your senses.

Notice the temperature of the air.

The sounds in the background.

The weight of your body wherever it’s resting.

Even with this expanded awareness, continue to notice how effortlessly you can still read with your attention relaxed.

Continue reading the rest of this email like that.

Now notice the device you are reading it on.

Notice how your hands interact with it.

Notice the contact points. Your fingers on the screen or keys, the subtle textures under your touch.

You may notice thoughts attempting to jump in and pull you into your head. Just watch it happen.

But now notice your body's relationship to this moment. Whether you're sitting, standing, walking.

Feel that physical connection.

What sounds are happening around you right now?

The hum of air conditioning?
Traffic outside?
Someone talking in another room?

You don't need to analyze these sounds. Just notice them, like background music in the movie of this moment.

Notice what sensations are arising in your body right now.

Instead of labeling your emotions with your mind (“I’m anxious” or “I’m calm”), feel the raw sensations.

What is arising here in present reality?

Not your thoughts about your body. Not the story about why you feel a certain way. The direct, physical sensations themselves.

Maybe there's tension in your shoulders.
Tightness in your chest.
Warmth in your belly.
An ache somewhere.
Restlessness in your legs.

Whatever it is, just be with it exactly as it is.

Without trying to fix it.
Without pushing it away.
Without needing more of it.
Without the story about what it means.

Just watch. Without any agenda.

Watch what happens.

Allow the sensations to move through you without interference.

You may notice thoughts jumping in about things you have to do or things that are bothering you.

Maybe even thoughts questioning whether you are doing this “right.”

Just watch.

Watch how they pull your attention out of presence and into the mind instead.

Let the movement of those thoughts and the pulling of your attention arise and pass, like clouds moving across the sky.

In this open watching, without trying to change anything

Watch how your attention keeps returning to the pure sensation itself.

Sensations that may have felt uncomfortable begin to transform as you stop resisting them.

They flower and wither away,

Transforming into something lighter, clearer, more energizing.

Feel how when you stop resisting, the energy you were fighting against becomes the energy that fuels you.

Because anytime you are feeling stuck, it all boils down to being stuck in an emotion.

Not letting it move through.

Simply resisting some physical sensation due to mental narratives.

But as you let all those feelings and thoughts flower and move through you

You align with the creative flow of life itself and breakthroughs happen.

That’s a wrap.

Before you rush to the next thing on your to-do list, pause here for one more breath.

Recognize the incredible fact that you are alive and let in the gratitude.

This is presence. And you just accessed it without changing a single thing about your external world.

You can return here anytime. Because it’s all that’s real.

In your next investor pitch, during a difficult conversation with your co-founder, while walking to get coffee.

Let me know what you think about these kinds of newsletters…. Or rather what you felt.

Would you like me to do more of them?

With love,

- Dave Kashen

P.S. This is exactly the kind of inner work we dive deep into at the Austin Founders Retreat (September 24-28). We'll explore how these unconscious patterns of resistance aren't just affecting your well-being – they're limiting your company's growth. The cut-off to apply is August 22nd.

Here's the link to learn more and apply: https://www.davekashen.com/austin-founders-retreat