You don’t need a Himalayan cushion, an incense cloud, or perfect posture to practice formal mindfulness—and you definitely don’t need to suffer through it.

In this episode, Lora and Jeff explore what it really means to have a formal mindfulness practice. We share personal stories, discuss the sneaky trap of spiritual ego, and break down the difference between simply sitting and truly observing with compassion.

Lora offers a trauma-inclusive lens for developing a formal meditation practice that actually meets you where you are—bed, chair, or wobbly stool included. Jeff opens up about how striving to "do it right" can get in the way of accessing presence, and how formal practices can soften or reinforce our inner patterns depending on how they’re held.

Whether you’re brand new to meditation or feeling boxed in by how you “should” be doing it, this conversation is full of insight, encouragement, and gentle permission to let the practice serve you—not the other way around.

In this episode:

• What makes a mindfulness practice “formal”—and why that matters

• The myth of the perfect meditation posture

• How compassion and structure balance each other in spiritual practice

• Trauma-aware tips for starting (or restarting) a meditation habit

• What it means to observe yourself without becoming your thoughts

• When discomfort is useful—and when it's just more rigidity

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