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We are currently hiring a Managing Editor. A natural leader with a knack for compassionate organization and systems, the Managing Editor contributes both to high level strategy development and to the nitty gritty of getting things done. Conversant in mindfulness and spreadsheets, mentoring and problem-solving, editing, writing, and managing, the Managing Editor is a key member of the editorial team, assisting the Editor-in-Chief and serving as a prime resource for Senior and Associate Editors....

“It’s a metaphor. Your meditation is not going to be perfect, and it certainly won’t be still,” Berenice Tan told Yahoo 7 Australia. The rescued kids are brought in halfway through Tan’s popular “Breathe In & Bleat Out” introduction to mindfulness meditation events. And they offer a powerful teaching in self-compassion, she said. “Beginner meditators have tremendous expectations the first time they attempt to sit, and it very rarely goes the way they hope,” she continued....

Mindful: What is this symposium about? Major Pat Burgess: The International Mindfulness in Defence Symposium is an opportunity for nations to collaborate, to share best practice and to hear what others are doing around mindfulness. When it comes to mindfulness in active duty and veteran populations, there’s lots of information and good work around mindfulness for psychological illness for disorders such as PTSD and suicidality. While this is a worthy and growing effort, it is not the focus of this event....

Back then Axel didn’t look so friendly. Along with a shaved head and many tats, his numerous piercings gave off an aggressive vibe that seemed to say, “Don’t even thinkof bothering me.” He kept to himself but he also kept coming back to yoga class. He paid good attention and was energetic and determined in class—maybe too determined. He reminded me of a hard-boiled egg, all his youthful energy and heat turned inward and covered with a thin but unyielding shell....

Sensory-Friendly Shopping The sensory onslaught of large, busy stores deters many people with autism from buying groceries. Inspired by a class of 4th-graders who learned about sensory challenges and autism and then wrote letters to the Canadian grocery chain Sobeys, a partnership between Autism Nova Scotia and Sobeys is making space for “sensory-friendly shopping.” During Sunday evenings, at stores around the Canadian Maritimes, lights are dimmed, music and loud noise is hushed, and extra staff are present....

Recently there have been some studies looking into whether or not mindfulness, and other meditative movements like those found in yoga, tai chi, and qi gong, can improve sleep quality. According to one review of studies taking a few minutes to settle your mind and body before bed can help you fall asleep faster as well as help you get more restful sleep. There’s still a need for more high-quality research....

In the video below, Stiffelman, author of Parenting Without Power Struggles, demonstrates three types of parenting scenarios (child is in charge, no one is in charge, parent is in charge) and suggests ways to recapture our ship’s helm by fostering connection and cooperation. And if you’re wondering where to go next for more literature on parenting with mindfulness and awareness, here are a few resources to consider: Inner Kids: A website and mindfulness program run by Susan Kaiser Greenland, author of The Mindful Child....

Since the start of lockdown, I have been gradually working to develop a better morning routine—one that is motivating, limits my screen time, and encourages me to set goals for the day. I’ve been primarily focusing on the activities I perform throughout my morning, not putting much emphasis on what I had considered to be the smallest, potentially unimportant, pieces of my pre-existing routine. However, as a new graduate student working toward a career in the field of sound studies, I’ve recently been encouraged to become more aware of my sonic environment and how I contribute to the soundscape....

It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake. —from the Three Questions, by Leo Tolstoy I’m aching for happiness. Or at least more consistent, maybe call it, joy....

What is happiness? Is it winning a tennis game? Getting the upper hand in an argument with your wife? Sharon Salzberg assures ABC News anchor Dan Harris that it’s none of the above—even if the latter feels both lovely and rare to Harris. In this 8-minute interview with ABC News, Sharon Salzberg, one of the most experienced meditation teachers in the U.S., opens up about her new book, Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, a 28-Day Program....

When I decided to change my life, I moved to another city and took up work in the world of food. I worked in a great restaurant and its winter cooking school, quickly falling in love with the food culture I’d become a part of. The chefs’ passion for great food became my passion too. Although I was never going to become a professional chef, I knew I would devote a lot of my life to getting back in touch with real food and its importance for the health of individuals and communities....

A Backlash: True or False? Before we answer that question, it seems the concern by a number of mindfulness experts is that the science is being sensationalized and mindfulness as it is conveyed today is a commodity that is being sold for all the wrong reasons. When you trace mindfulness back to its roots, you’ll find that it is a practice among many in life to create freedom around suffering....

This is completely in line with a growing number of anecdotes talking about the power of bringing mindfulness to kids, tweens, teens and older adolescents. One of my favorite clips is from ABC when they interviewed some kids in the early programs of Mindful Schools who said that when he is stressed about an upcoming test, he remembers that he can take a breath and then the thought comes up, “I can make it....

Sight People who look out their windows at a natural landscape report higher life satisfaction, happiness, and self-esteem, and less loneliness and depression. But if your view offers more grey concrete than green leaves, consider some houseplants or even artwork depicting nature, which have been shown to reduce stress and offer an increased sense of mental health. Look: Take a peek out your window or around your room and be intentional about noticing nature—the birds flitting overhead, the way the sun hits the leaves on a potted plant, or the dandelions pushing through cracks in the pavement....

We need to recognize the pervasiveness of this waking state of sleep as our normal mode of being. This is not a pessimistic assessment of the human condition; rather, it is a simple truth we must clearly understand in order to have an intelligent approach to spiritual practice. Another pivotal realization is the extent to which we don’t want to wake up. Take, for example, all the times we make the choice not to meditate, or to entertain a fantasy, or to blame or complain....

Like we say, he really couldn’t be blamed for doing either, but let’s hope that he’d prefer to be an ambassador for meditation than to use the practice as an excuse for his dozing. Though, then again: a few of us here at Mindful.org will admit to falling asleep during meditation. It happens! Maybe it has even happened to you…? For information on how to get a better night’s rest, read this excerpt from Rick Hanson’s new book on Mindful....