Tim Ferriss introduces a brand new experiment called 'Meditation Monday' - weekly 10-minute meditations to complement his regular long-form interviews. The teacher is Henry Shookman, who has appeared on Ferriss's podcast twice before and is one of only a few dozen masters worldwide authorized to teach Sambo Zen.

Ferriss shares that he uses Henry's meditation app 'The Way' once or twice daily, crediting it with lowering his anxiety more than he thought possible. This four-episode series aims to develop a 'Zen toolkit' for greater calm, peace, and effectiveness in daily life, with listeners receiving 30 free app sessions through a special link.

Introduction to Meditation Monday Series

Tim Ferriss launches a new weekly format: 10-minute Monday meditations alongside regular long-form interviews to help listeners throughout the week.

Henry Shookman brings rare expertise as one of only a few dozen masters worldwide authorized to teach Sambo Zen meditation techniques.

Ferriss personally uses Henry's app 'The Way' once or twice daily, reporting it 'lowered my anxiety more than I thought possible.'

Progressive Body Scan Meditation Technique

The meditation begins with positioning: 'Come into any comfortable seated position. If you want to recline, no problem. Lie down, if that's available to you.'

Opening poem sets intention: 'Only be still. It doesn't matter where you've come from. It doesn't even matter where you think you want to go. For now, all that matters is your being.'

Progressive relaxation starts with jaw: 'Let your jaw slide forward and down. Just a little bit. It may only go a millimeter. That can make all the difference.'

Core principle emphasized throughout: 'Looseness is our guidepost here, becoming softer and kind of floppier in the body, even while we may be sitting upright.'

Systematic Relaxation from Head to Toe

Upper body focus: 'Bring your awareness now into your chest area, your rib cage, and see if you can just get a taste of it being warm and soft, like warm wax.'

Lower body progression includes buttocks, hips, upper legs, lower legs, ankles and feet - each area guided to 'be soft, relaxed' and 'at ease.'

Final integration: 'Perhaps you can get a sense of the whole body being enveloped in a warmth, in a kind of energy field of warmth.'

Gentle emergence process: 'Bring some movement into your fingers. Just wiggle your fingers, wiggle your toes. Open your eyes, raise your eyes.'