Hey Zen Teachers, If you're like me, you've been more than a little stressed and anxious about what this new school year is going to look like.  So in this episode, I offer 5 approaches that can help you navigate stress during a crazy time and, with practice, can help you remain calm, peaceful, and focused. 5 Tips for Re-entering a Crazy School Year is brought to you by my online mini-course INSTANT ZEN: 5 SIMPLE STEPS FOR RECLAIMING YOUR FOCUS, ENERGY, AND PEACE. In the course are 5 video lessons and 5 audio lessons (on each of the 5 S's), a bonus video on how to make these practices a h ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, Tired of this quarantine yet? I know it's an inconvenience, but hey, I'll stay inside, eat junk food, binge Netflix, read voraciously, and write poetry and blog posts and articles to my heart's content -- if it will keep people safe. :) More seriously, we are living through an historical moment.  But right now, we are mostly living through it in our houses, and that can get kind of old.  Are you stir crazy? Feeling some cabin fever? In this episode, I read a blog post called "Same Stream. New Experience," which is all about how you can learn to see your surroundings ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, I'm so excited to present this very special episode with my first guest ever, Mindfulness expert Reyna Texler.  Together, we discuss Mindfulness and dispel some of its myths and misconceptions.  I hope you enjoy.  Peace and love,  Dan  RESOURCES MENTIONED: Pure Edge  I am Present *** Meet my guest, Reyna Texler:  Reyna “Ruby Sneakers” Texler is a native New Yorker with over 20 years of experience teaching elementary school children in the North Rockland School District. In 2018, Reyna transitioned into a new role as SEL Teacher where she est ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, This is just a quick dispatch from the front lines. . .  When I started talking about stress reduction and teacher self-care, I felt like a lone voice in the wilderness. But now there are more of us, and we're spreading the message of how teachers should be taken care of and how teachers should take care of themselves. Give this episode a listen and learn how the movement is growing and why it's important to be a part of it. Take care of yourself. And remember: You're okay exactly as you are.  And you have more power than you think. Peace and love, Dan  ..read more

Formerly 2-Minute Zen, Instant Zen is a new short feature on The Zen Teacher Experience that hopes to provide you with thoughtful insights, brief strategies, and actionable tools that can help you reduce your stress and improve your self-care. If you have a few minutes (and this episode suggests you do), Check it out!  So you say you don't have time to relax, rejuvenate, and renew?  I disagree. You can regroup and recharge in five minutes. That's all it takes.  And everyone has five minutes.  Even you.  Peace and love, Dan  ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, In this episode, I talk about the Zen concept of "Beginner's Mind."  Beginner's Mind gives you permission NOT to be the expert all the time, but instead is a practice where you can approach every situation--stressful or not--with the awe and wonder of a beginner, just as your students often do. Want to learn how to be open and vulnerable when the stresses rises. I got you. Give this episode a listen. Thanks. Dan  ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, In this episode, I go over the 5-Step Zen Teacher Blueprint I developed so that teachers can figure out how to create and customize a personalized program that helps them reduce their stress and improve their self-care. THE 5-STEP ZEN TEACHER BLUEPRINT IS: 1. INVITE POSSIBLITIES 2. CREATE ACCEPTANCE 3. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS 4. EMBRACE SELF-CARE 5. CULTIVATE PERSONAL PEACE Throughout the podcast episodes, I will be taking you on a deep dive into each of these areas, but in this episode, I am simply giving you a basic overview so you will have the 5 steps in front of you as we c ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, In addition to regular episodes of The Zen Teacher Experience, I want to do a few little features that you can think of as little interludes, or maybe even as little commercial breaks, in between the regular episodes.  They may include, but are not limited to: 1. Ask The Zen Teacher (where I respond to questions about stress reduction and self-care from listeners) 2. Instant Zen (formerly Zen Teacher Thoughts: Little bits of zen wisdom that you can easily implement into your day) 3. Zen Teacher Meditations (short meditations that you can use to help you find more peace a ..read more

Hey Zen Teachers, What if I told you I could help you create more space and time on your calendar for those things you want to do, those things that fulfill you, those things that you never quite seem to have enough time for?  Seems pretty amazing, right? Well, the answer is inside.  In today's episode, I am starting a new feature that I "cleverly" call "blogcasts."  This means that I will be reading some of my more popular blog posts from my past five years of blogging. With these blogcasts, you can listen to the ideas here in case you can't or don't want to go to my website an ..read more

Because teachers are givers, they so often give to everyone else but don't take care of themselves.  What they are probably waiting for is permission. And that's why I'm here.  Self-care is NOT selfish. It is critical to being your best and doing your best so that you CAN take care of others--your family, your friends, and your students.  So let me be the little voice in your ear that says, "It's okay for you to take care of yourself."  Listen here and learn how.  Enjoy. Dan  ..read more