The antidote to this internal conflict is a strong sense of self, what researchers call “self-concept clarity.” When we know who we are, we experience greater self-esteem and independence. That helps us cultivate better relationships and a sense of purpose in life. But where does this inner confidence come from? In the past, that’s largely been a mystery to psychologists. But a recent study provides a clue: It may partly stem from the non-judgmental awareness that is mindfulness....

As humans, we are biased for empathy. Empathy is the natural human instinct of recognizing another’s emotions and using this awareness as a catalyst for forging bonds. As a leader, it’s important to empathize with your people, to understand their perspective, and to be able to put yourselves in their shoes. But, in the workplace, that only gets you so far. Leading with empathy alone can distort judgment and halt progress, and when practiced without any associated action, it can lead to empathetic burnout....

The day after their daughter’s murder, Sandy and her husband, Lonnie, dedicated themselves to helping other families grieve in the wake of gun violence. They sold their house in Texas, bought a motorhome, and now, almost 10 years after losing Jessi, they travel wherever they are needed to mentor survivors of gun violence. One of the most potent tools they have is mindfulness. What began for Sandy in her therapist’s office was solidified when she met meditation teacher and Pandemic of Love founder Shelly Tygielski after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida....

Now, Lantieri is asking for help for this groundbreaking work to continue. Donations will be matched one-to-one by the 1440 Foundation if you donate by December 15, 2014. You can read more about Lanteri’s work and the Inner Resilience Program in Mindful‘s October 2014 issue.

In its ideal form, compassion has no boundaries. It goes beyond extending loving-kindness to your inner circle of friends, family members, and other loved ones. Compassion is the art of loving all beings—even those who would seek to do us harm. It’s also about opening to love ourselves, even those hard-to-reach corners of our being. Similar to gratitude, compassion is something we have all encountered. Whether it was in a moment of crisis or following the death of a loved one, you have no doubt experienced it from others....

Does online mindfulness work? A study in Australia found that an online 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program helps employees feel more optimistic and engaged in their work, and may decrease levels of striving and need for recognition. “While the ‘human element’ may potentially enhance the efficacy of face-to-face MBSR programs, the online program is more easily accessed, and this may mean the benefits of these programs reach more employees,” the study authors wrote in a paper published in Physiology & Behavior....

In a recent Fast Company article, Wharton Business School professor Richard Shell, argues that one likely reason for the high percentage of regretful responses is that they didn’t ask the right questions at the start. From the article: “I think that for a lot of these people,” says Shell, “they hadn’t thoughtfully defined what success would look like in their own terms before pursuing work that aligned more closely with family, social or cultural expectations....

In contrast, mindful awareness creates a sense of space. When we bring awareness to something, it becomes enveloped in a spacious clarity, just as when we shine a light on something in the dark we see the object but also notice all the space around it. In the light of awareness, thoughts can be seen more clearly and lose their sticky quality. Awareness is like the sky, and from this perspective thoughts are just clouds passing through the sky....

An agonizing pain engulfed him as he realized his leg was shattered. He slipped into shock; near-seizures shook his body. That’s when Penman deployed his secret weapon: He’d learned meditation as a student in England. In sheer desperation, he gave it a try. Forcing himself to breathe slowly and deeply, he focused on the sensations his breath made. He envisioned himself in a beautiful garden and imagined breathing its tranquil air....

Coral Support Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Bobbie “Sponge Bobbie” Renfro, a PhD candidate at Florida State University doesn’t, but she does outplant sea sponges to support damaged coral and add natural filtration to reefs in the Florida Keys. “We’re trying to save the entire coral reef ecosystem, which includes so much more than just corals,” Renfro told EcoWatch. The reef will be monitored to gather data for Renfro to continue her research on coral reef sustainability....

Sometimes we don’t have time to meditate—and that becomes a point of stress, too. “Sometimes when I’m rushing, I’ll notice that I’m ‘rushing home to relax.’” says Elisha Goldstein, who is a clinical psychologist and Mindful’s mental health blogger. “In that moment I become present and realize that I don’t have to rush home to relax, I have arrived in the present moment and can choose to ‘be’ different.”...

Findings from this research converge on an organizing idea: Whereas the Machiavellian approach to power assumes that individuals grab it through coercive force, strategic deception, and the undermining of others, the science finds that power is not grabbed but is given to individuals by groups. What this means is that your ability to make a difference in the world—your power, as I define it—is shaped by what other people think of you....

But let’s take a step back—what is mindfulness? Below, Kabat-Zinn explains how awareness helps cut through judgement. Meditation: How to do it Kabat-Zinn talks about his own introduction to meditation, and what he’d suggest for people who want to get started: On MBSR and everyday mindfulness Kabat-Zinn talks about his current work, and his vision of MBSR’s purpose. “It’s not one size fits all. The curriculum is life itself.”...

The retreat was led by three prominent meditation instructors: Cheri Maples, Sharon Salzberg, and Gina Sharpe. If you click here you can hear talks by each of these instructors as they address the themes of awareness, balance, and connection in different ways. This retreat was part of Garrison Institute’s Transforming Trauma Initiative which works to “advance the field of contemplative-based trauma care.” Below you will see a video by Garrison with Cheri Maples and Gina Sharpe talking about the importance of contemplative intervention for caregivers....

No, but really: The wild kingdom offers us a glimpse of our animal nature in action. These shows are like metaphors for the dog-eat-dog competitive quality of daily life. But along with capturing what life looks like when you’re at the wrong end of the food chain, nature shows also depict animal communities whose behavior reminds us of our own species in other, less harrowing ways. Your friendly neighborhood meerkat, for example, relies on cooperation, agreement, and a kind of friendliness to survive....

It seems likely that if we practice mindfulness, we will become more in tune with our world ecologically. We will get more in touch with our actual needs and will be driven less by our desires. As a result, we will consume less and decrease our overall impact on the environment. But I think there is a level of mindfulness, or ecological intelligence, that goes beyond just decreasing our acquisitiveness....

The researchers took a group of first- and second- year medical students and put them through an 11-week elective course that included yoga, meditation and the elements of neuroscience behind each practice. Participants were evaluated based on their levels of empathy, perceived stress, self-regulation, and self-compassion. The research was published in the journal Medical Education online, and concludes that a mind-body course for medical students can increase their self-regulation and self-compassion....