Our society categorizes conditions like depression and anxiety primarily at a mental level. I used to buy into that, believing that if I could only persuade my thinking mind to behave differently, I would no longer be prey to them. I now look at things rather differently, to the point where I no longer use terms like “mental health problems”: words and phrases that emphasise well-being as a “head-based” condition don’t much correspond to my experience....
Every time police officers are called to a scene, they always prepare themselves for the worst-case scenario in their mind. It’s hard for them to get out of that habit of hyper-responsiveness when they take the uniform off. And that’s why mindfulness could be so helpful for them. —Line Goguen-Hughes, Assistant Editor See the full table of contents for Mindful’s April 2013 issue.
The first part of the project is a $3 million research initiative. Grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded for research projects that take the science of gratitude to the next level. Researchers interested in applying will need to submit a three-page, single-spaced Letter of Intent (LOI) by February 15, 2012. Click here for details and how to apply. To read about other gratitude research initiatives, visit the Greater Good website....
Sara Lazar, an associate researcher in the psychiatry department at Massachusetts General Hospital and an assistant professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School, along with her colleagues, outlines key neural mechanisms underlying meditation. One of those major findings? How meditaton affects self-regulation: Meditators demonstrate superior performance on tests of self-regulation, resisting distractions and making correct answers more often than non-meditators. They also show more activity in the ACC [the anterior cingulate cortex, a structure located deep inside the forehead, behind the brain’s frontal lobe] than non-meditators....
Sensationalist news headlines tell us that “smartphones have destroyed a generation” and “social media is ripping apart society.” But what does the research say? Indeed, young people who use electronic devices more tend to experience greater depression and worse mood. And smartphones seem to be particularly problematic for relationships, leading to social interactions that are lower-quality and less empathic. But there are a wide range of ways you can use your smartphone—from taking photos with your friends to envious Facebook stalking—and only some of them are detrimental....
As soon as we walked away, he apologized. “I’m so sorry for introducing you as my ex-wife. It’s such an ugly term. I should have just said you were Molly’s mom, but he doesn’t know Molly, so I wasn’t sure what to say.” We have been divorced for ten years; we’ve both been re-married for five. I harbor no ill feeling about being called Mike’s ex-wife, but I was touched by his sensitivity and kindness....
Some people criticise mindfulness on the ground that it asserts that one must live in the moment or the now. Not so. Mindfulness is concerned with being present, and living with awareness, from moment to moment, that is, from one moment to the next. Existentially, it is not possible to live in the moment but it is possible to live, and be fully aware, from one moment to the next....
A. Even without stress, anxiety, and more, the mind will wander. And in fact, research shows it wanders 50% of our waking moments. Mind-wandering is ubiquitous. And, contrary to popular belief, mindfulness doesn’t cause all thought to cease. Mindfulness can help you practice stabilizing and directing your mind, which comes in handy especially in moments when we may feel stressed, distracted, or overwhelmed. This focused-attention practice can help you learn to direct your full, undivided attention to a single object of focus, in this case the experience of breathing....
As the founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Kabat-Zinn has been a strong supporter of mindfulness initiatives like Mindful Schools, a program that offers a mindfulness curriculum to U.S. schools. (You can watch a video of how Mindful Schools teaches children mindful walking, eating, and movement here.) One of the challenges that children face today, says Kabat-Zinn, is constant distraction in the form of technological stimuli like texts, email, and Facebook....
She went on to be mentored by Bonnie Duran—researcher, author, and professor from the University of Washington—who is dedicated to bringing mindfulness to Indian Country. These influences led to her decision to combine mindfulness practices with her own tradition of Native American spirituality in working with the trauma within Native American families. After graduate school at the California School of Professional Psychology, Dionne began working with two tribal consortiums. She developed culturally tailored, evidence-based parenting programs for Native American families at Riverside San Bernardino Indian Health, served as a cultural consultant for Riverside University Health Systems, and created a mindfulness program for social workers through the Riverside Department of Social Services....
Being able to say that was/this is hard, and yet I am OK.—Wendy L. Nurturing my inner child, showing myself the love and patience I give my children (most of the time 😉)—thehappybase (Instagram) Lovingly accepting my imperfections, reconciling with my self-saboteur, and holding space for myself when I’m feeling inadequate.—sass_allard (Instagram) Relating to ourselves with kindness, feeling connected to others, and being aware of our experience at any given moment....
Every day, we provide resources to add mindfulness to your daily routine—from work, to family, to what to read on the weekend. Our goal is to be your trusted source for authentic mindfulness practices and information, as well as your connection to the leading experts in the field. Top Mindfulness Articles of 2018: An Anxiety Meditation. This guided practice from Bob Stahl helps us investigate the nature of our own mind and being....
Costa Rica claims Nicaragua crossed into its territory last year while dredging the San Juan River, a Nicaraguan waterway that parallels their shared border. Nicaragua says Costa Rica is “inventing a border conflict” to disguise its own expansionist pretensions. The dispute is currently before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. It’s anticipated the court will provide an institutional solution to the border conflict this month. The conflict has provoked a debate in Costa Rica as to whether the country considers itself “neutral” or “pacifist....
In Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion I describe play as “a flexible state of mind in which you are presently engaged in some freely chosen and potentially purposeless activity that you find interesting, enjoyable, and satisfying.” Here’s a great video that shows adults playing and the results. Take a look and see what you notice. When adults were put in an enriched environment where the cues elicited play, they became more engaged, open, and most seemed to be genuinely enjoying themselves....
What was the first thing you did this morning after getting out of bed? What items are sitting on the kitchen counter? Who was the last person you spoke to? Can you recall her words? What was that person wearing? Describe what you did yesterday from the time you woke up until you went to bed in the order in which it happened. A trained improviser could probably answer all of these questions....
