Monthly Archives: October 2024

Recharging in Paradise: My First Day on Hamilton Island

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After nearly 12 hours of travel and transit, I finally arrived at Hamilton Island yesterday afternoon. To say it was an exhausting journey is an understatement—but wow, was it worth it.

The beauty here is breathtaking. I’m lucky enough to have a stunning top-floor apartment with sweeping views that stretch endlessly across the turquoise water and lush greenery. It’s the kind of view that immediately makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a postcard.

This morning, I woke up, enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, and… well, I just want to do nothing for the rest of the day. It might sound a bit crazy, considering all the exciting water activities and excursions available here—but honestly, my brain and body seem to be crying out for a full 24 hours of pure rest. Ever feel like you need a vacation from the journey to your vacation? That’s exactly where I am right now.

So, today is going to be a slow one. I’m giving myself permission to nap, recharge, and casually map out my plans for the days ahead. There’s so much to explore here, but I want to hit the ground running when I’m fully refreshed. For now? It’s just me, the view, and a whole lot of nothing—and honestly, that feels like the perfect way to start this trip.

Transforming Chaos: My 365-Day Meditation Journey

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I am aware that when we meditate, the goal is to accept everything as it is—no judgments, no expectations, simply to just be. In the past few days, I’ve been reaching deeper states of consciousness, and there’s something undeniably powerful about being in that space. It feels beyond words, beyond time, beyond place.

The challenge, though, is that after experiencing these deeper states, I sometimes find myself hoping to reach them again. That hope creates expectations, and suddenly I’m meditating with a desire, rather than just letting go. And so, the practice of releasing expectations and simply being in the present moment continues.

How Daily Meditation Helped Me Turn Chaos Into Calm

As I meditate more, I feel the effects rippling out into all areas of my life. Six months ago, I thought my life was chaotic. But I’ve realized it wasn’t my life—it was my mind that was chaotic. What’s remarkable is that the same kinds of events that would have thrown me into turmoil just months ago are happening right now—and yet, I’m calm. My mind is beginning to sort through the mess, and I’m learning that things just are. They’re neither good nor bad—they just exist as they are, and that’s okay.

The Unexpected Benefits of Meditation: It’s Changing More Than Just My Mind

I’ve turned my consecutive meditation days into a 365-day challenge. How could I stop now when this practice has become such a crucial part of my life? To stop now would be insane. Every day I meditate, I discover more benefits, and I’m not ready to let go of that. In fact, I want to share more and more of this journey with the world.

Reflection time in an old ruins, just outside of Black Rock, South Australia.

From Frustration to Freedom: My Journey to 365 Days of Meditation

Just the other day, I spoke with my mum and dad about meditation, and to my surprise, they’re going to give it a go! My dad, who’s been dealing with some anger issues due to big changes in his life (both my parents are facing some health challenges), actually suggested to my mum that they start meditating in the mornings. No TV, no distractions—just a few minutes of peace. I think it will help him find some stillness amidst the chaos.

After recording meditation practices for the past 12 years and helping millions of subscribers on my YouTube channel, I’m only now beginning to fully understand how life-changing meditation can be. The benefits go so much deeper than I ever imagined.

If you’re reading this, I hope you’ll give meditation a try—maybe you already have. If so, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let’s continue this journey together.

Transforming Health: Cholesterol Management with ChatGPT

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Ever been told to take a pill for cholesterol and felt like you were signing up for a lifetime of prescriptions? Me too. For about a year now, doctors have been nudging me toward cholesterol tablets, but I’ve always been reluctant. Prescription medications can feel like a slippery slope—one pill leading to another, and another…

So, yesterday, the specialist upped the ante: now, I need tests for testosterone, sleep apnea, bone density, and cholesterol. Turns out, they could all be connected. So, little by little, I’m working through this list. But today, with the dietary guidelines help of ChatGPT, I’m finally pulling it all together.

Yesterday, I had a long conversation with ChatGPT—almost like it was my own personal advisor. (In fact, sometimes it’s even easier to speak the full truth with AI.) We talked about an immediate change in diet and lifestyle so that I could take another cholesterol test in four weeks. Yes, ChatGPT told me that it’s entirely possible to lower my cholesterol if I stick to a regimented plan. So, I’m beginning.

I’m happy to say that I’ve almost made it through Day 1! I really need to do this for so many reasons. I’ve not been happy with the extra kilos I’ve been carrying for the past few years, and I want to give my body a fair chance to be the best it can be.

I’ve been getting my mind in order with my meditation challenge, and now it’s time to get my body into gear as well.

ChatGPT even created my personal shopping list for me. It knows what I have in the house right now, and all I have to do is give it updates. It tells me everything, from food preparation, portion sizes, and cooking methods. Turns out, ChatGPT is the ultimate fridge whisperer—it even knows I’ve been pretending that bag of wilted spinach doesn’t exist.

I’m seriously giving this a fair go. Last night, thanks to ChatGPT, I whipped up a chickpea and wholemeal spaghetti dish that actually tasted like something you’d pay for at a health food cafe. Progress, right?

My first ChatGPT meal!

Day one down, a lifetime to go. Who knew my biggest motivator would end up being a chat with a robot?

“Finding Order in the Chaos: 32 Days of Meditation and the Path to Freedom”

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Having just come out of a 30-minute silent meditation with a wonderful group of souls from the Zenji platform, I feel a deep sense of upliftment. I’ve been on this journey for the past 32 consecutive days, and I realize now that I cannot afford to let it go. My life has been craving this consistent, day-by-day practice for a long, long time, and I was completely oblivious to how much I needed it until now.

I’m not claiming that meditation has solved all my problems or that everything is suddenly “happy and peaceful.” What it has done is shift my perspective—allowing me to see everything as it is without feeling the need to be swept up in the tension or anxiety of it all. It’s not about escaping; it’s about seeing and accepting.

Things in my life are becoming more ordered, and for someone who has had ADHD tendencies (not officially diagnosed—just a deep sense of knowing), this is significant. I used to resist the idea of order, rebelling against it with thoughts like, “Who wants an ordered life?” Little did I know that finding this sense of structure was exactly what I needed—to truly set me free.

Free from the constraints of tension, chaos, judgment, and suspicion.

Just this morning, I found myself sitting in my hotel room, waiting for an appointment. Normally, this would be a time of frantic rushing, stressing over every detail to ensure I arrive on time. But today, there was no rush. I simply breathed and felt the quiet focus that meditation has gifted me. I realized that everything is already in order. Everything is okay, just as it is.

During the last ten minutes of my meditation, most of my thoughts subsided. It was just me and my old friend, my breath, resting together in stillness. Ahhh, this is what it’s all about. Thank you, meditation, for reminding me.

If you’d like to know more about our meditation class, feel free to drop me a line.

Love,
Jason

Embrace Stillness: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

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It’s been just over a month now since I started a daily routine of 30 minutes of silent meditation every morning, and a body scan before bed each night. This morning, as I settled into my meditation practice, I noticed something new: a smile on my face. And not just any smile—a genuine, heartfelt smile. It felt like a “thank you for coming home today” kind of smile. As I closed my eyes, it was really lovely to simply settle into the present moment.

Of course, the usual rush of thoughts filled my mind for the first 10 minutes, especially with so many business concerns swirling around. But meditation always reminds me that what I label as ‘concerns’ are really just transient thoughts. They come and go. I have a choice: I can either keep replaying them in my mind, or I can recognize them for what they are—fleeting moments, no more real than this current moment of sitting here, typing these words.

I shared this insight with a student today, explaining how sitting in silence can be both the easiest and hardest thing in the world. It doesn’t sound like much—just sitting in one place, closing your eyes, and being still. Yet our minds often resist because they’re so accustomed to constant stimulation—phones, messages, emails, notifications, and the rapid pace of everyday life. Our brains have been rewired to crave more and more input, so when it’s time to slow down, it feels like a tall order.

But here’s the thing: you can do this. You’ve got this. Let’s embrace the journey of carving out silence each day. If 30 minutes feels overwhelming, start with 15. If 15 is too much, do 10. And if even that feels like a stretch, just start with 5 minutes.

The key is to simply start—today. You’re worth it. You deserve more clarity, focus, compassion, and patience in your life. So join me on this Zenji journey. Let’s find our way back to stillness, together.