Nicholas Stein is a veteran non-fiction TV producer, and the former show runner for National Geographic channel’s breakout hit Border Wars.

Nicholas spent the better part of four years deeply embedded with the tactical units of a various federal and other law enforcement agencies. His continual reporting on human suffering inside the US/MX border zone left him burned out and depleted, with what he felt was a form of “Journalistic PTSD”. Seeking relief from the traumatic experiences, Nick found great healing and equanimity in the practice of secular Mindfulness, in an MBSR program in Canada (where he had moved for six months).

Nowadays, in Los Angeles, Nick augments his daily practice by taking courses at UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center and by retreats in the Bay Area. He also holds a monthly Sangha gathering at his home. He’s also introduced Mindfulness at law enforcement and security conferences and he is now bringing his teachings into the LA County Men’s Jail system.

[Image credits to National Geographic channel.]

In this episode you will learn:

How mindfulness brought him the healing that years of therapy couldn’t bring
How he tried meditation and failed multiple times; then finally found meditation through crisis
How we are not the voices in your head; not our thoughts
The importance of correctly describing our experience and emotions
How mindfulness helps increase our comfort zone
The need to celebrate your attention to consciousness and your existence

Teachers mentioned in this episode: John Kabat-Zinn, Tara Brach, Sharon Salzberg, Joseph Goldstein, Jack Kornfield.

The book that got Nick started in mindfulness: Full Catastrophe Living, by John Kabat-Zinn.

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our mind. - Buddha