The story has been told many times of how Kabat-Zinn ended up teaching people in a hospital function-room to eat a raisin as if for the first time, to scan each and every area of their body, to stretch, turn, twist, breathe, walk, and above all pay attention to moment after moment after moment.
Meditation cultivates concentration, empathy, and insight at a neural level.
ozziegontang's insight:
In his PT blog The Athlete's Way, Christoper Begland looks at all the recent neuroscience research around mindfulness-mindful attention and non-judgmental awareness; and compassion meditation. We are learning so much about how the brain is effected by mindfulness and meditation.
At the heart of all this research is the realization that Mindfulness is about a practice that one does consistently.
International Business Times Meditating Marines: Military tries mindfulness to lower stress NBCNews.com (blog) Marine Corps officials are testing a series of brain calming exercises called "Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training" that they believe...
We’ve all got some idea of what mindfulness is but do we all mean the same thing? Some of us have practiced meditation taught by Buddhist teachers: maybe from this tradition or that tradition."
An MP argues mindfulness could be key to getting society off the "hedonic treadmill" of overspending, unemployment, depression, and prescription drug issues.
ozziegontang's insight:
Some good resources from the article and the magazine.
How to practice mindfulness when you allow technology to invade your space. Looking at the addictive aspects of checking cell phone & email and some ways of getting back to being present.
ozziegontang's insight:
Some good ideas to catch your mindless moments and bring yourself self back to the present moment.
Oprah in one of her Super Soul Sundays interviewed Thich Nhat Hanh on Living Mindfully. Oprah's 40 minute interview is followed by The Dhamma Brothers, the practice of Mindfulness by prisoners at The Donaldson Correctional Facility in the Alabama Department of Corrections system.
Vipassana Meditation in a 10 day silent retreat.
ozziegontang's insight:
It is about the practice and observing thoughts and feelings. How impactful are my thoughts and feelings, yet I am not my thoughts and feelings.
The Oxford English Dictionary describes mindfulness as follows: A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Pausing is an introductory mindfulness practice, but it offers a feasible and practical technique with which to start. Over time, training attention and awareness enhance cognitive functioning and contribute to emotional balance.
ozziegontang's insight:
So much is being said about the benefits of Mindfulness. The success of Mindfulness is that pratice at a regular time and that moment can spread into my entire waking day. Living my life intentionally
Mindful Schools (http://www.mindfulschools.org), a non-profit organization whose mission is to integrate mindfulness into education, is expanding its training offerings to support educators, parents, and youth service providers serving adolescents...
ozziegontang's insight:
This is an example where the Vision and mission to integrate mindfulness into education has those who are creating the change.
This is one response to what occurred in Connecticut his past week
We can learn a lot from the way Sherlock Holmes trains his mind.
Though the concept originates in ancient Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese traditions, when it comes to experimental psychology, mindfulness is less about spirituality and more about concentration: the ability to quiet your mind, focus your attention on the present, and dismiss any distractions that come your way. The formulation dates from the work of the psychologist Ellen Langer, who demonstrated in the 1970s that mindful thought could lead to improvements on measures of cognitive function and even vital functions in older adults.
ozziegontang's insight:
Maria Konnikova's book on Sherlock comes out in January. You might be interested in looking at Ellen Langer's book on Mindfulness and the research she did. It is an interesting mix of what is occurring around the concept of Mindfulness and around the practice of Mindfulness. Much to be learned through pratice.
There is growing evidence that mindfulness, which is typically associated with religion, mysticism and the contemplative traditions, has specific benefits for corporate and individual leadership. The capacity to quiet the mind, awareness of the present moment and full presence (mind, emotions, spirit & physical) will help people move along the personal/professional developmental ladder.
"Practicing regular, mindful breathing can be calming and energizing and can even help with stress-related health problems ranging from panic attacks to digestive disorders." Andrew Weil, M.D.
Stress doesn't have to control you. By practicing these breathing excercises you can restore your balance, renew your energy and reduce the negative physical effects stress can have on your body and mind.
Manicures, Self-Care, and Mindfulness PsychCentral.com (blog) While the nail tech was massaging my arms with mint lotion and painting the pink polish on carefully, I was in a zone of mindfulness—enjoying the feeling of a massage, a gentle...
You must have had manic days where you have no time to drink water or take a deep breadth, when you have a million things to do and yet get pulled in different directions. Some of the moments on t...
Take a breath and slowly exhale. Unclench your jaw. Clear your mind. Be present now. Feel better?
ozziegontang's insight:
Andrew Fiala: "A growing body of evidence suggests that there are mental, physical and emotional benefits to yoga and meditation. Some recent studies suggest that mindfulness can lead us to be more ethical.
TEN MINUTES OF MINDFULNESS--- In meditation we have to face whatever comes up. And if you’ve lived a life of avoiding all of that, then there is simply going to be A LOT that wants to come up.
ozziegontang's insight:
Nothing to add. Andy Puddicombe in his TED Talk says in all in under 10 minutes.
Google Tech Talks February, 28 2008 ABSTRACT Mindfulness meditation, one type of meditation technique, has been shown to enhance emotional awareness and psyc...
ozziegontang's insight:
The practice is about the experience. When we get into the knowing about something, it is our way of attempting to understand the experience. The understanding or knowing is not the experience. Once we are in concepts, we are already one step away from the experience.
I just finished Deepak Chopra’s 21 Day Meditation Challenge and was surprised with the results. Every day,
ozziegontang's insight:
Some reflections on the practice of Mindfulness. When it comes to practice, it is about taking the time to do one's practice now no matter how one is feeling.
A List of Mindfulness Resources Be Mindful is a core module in the Life Purpose Advisor method. I am always looking for role models who live and teach mindfulness.
ozziegontang's insight:
Angie Swartz on her Life Purpose Advisor site has a list of the thought leaders and teachers of Mindfulness. Besides following any one of these teachers through their writings, workshops, audio and video presentations, you might be interested in subscribing to Shambahla Sun the monthly publication of Shambahla Publications.
Meditation. If you believe leading research scientists, it’s as close to a magic pill as we can get! Let’s take a quick look at five reasons why meditation
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This is one of Brian Johnson's short videos. Short explanation of the reasons and key ideas on how to meditate. Once you'll watch this you'll probably want to watch some of his other videos on Positively Positive.
en*theos is what the Greeks said about someone who burned with a passion for something. They had that inner flame and they burned with "en theos." That passion and love of what they did, or were committed to, or were interested in was such that it was said: they burned with the "god within." Most people have little idea about what is behind the word enthusiasm yet know it when they see it. You may be interested in some of what Brian has put together in his en*theos Academy. Also you may want to wiki: Academe.
Mindfulness: Oprah and Young Thought Leaders on the Importance of the ...Huffington PostMindfulness: Oprah and Young Thought Leaders on the Importance of the Present Moment (VIDEO). Posted: 12/07/2012 11:37 am EST | Updated: 12/07/2012 11:37 am EST.
We're very fortunate at Big Think to have so many great thinkers and writers in our midst, and the woman of the moment right now is Maria Konnikova, author of the Artful Choice blog who took a timeout to write the forthcoming book, Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, due out in January.
ozziegontang's insight:
It all starts with thinking. You might want to read some of the works of Lee Thayer. A seminal thinker on Communcation. It is all about thinking.
We don't learn from our experience. We learn from our interpretation of our experience.
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