may be getting it right.     RW:  Yes. But through the careful observation of those moves, one is touched. I think one recognizes something in oneself about those moves.   JW:  You know, people see those moves and they don’t think to think that those moves are like some human doing something or saying something.  And why they don’t, I don’t know!   RW:  I was just listening on the radio to this psychologist who has researched mindfulness for years. The interviewer asked “What got you interested in mindfulness?” She answered, “Mindlessness is what got me interested.” It’s like what you’re... posted on Jun 3 2013 (16,161 reads)

to those of others who are also suffering, thus putting our own situation into a larger perspective. It also stems from the willingness to observe our negative thoughts and emotions with openness and clarity, so that they are held in mindful awareness. Mindfulness is a nonjudgmental, receptive mind-state in which one observes thoughts and feelings as they are, without trying to suppress or deny them. We cannot ignore our pain and feel compassion for it at the same time. At the same time, mindfulness requires that we not be “over-identified” with thoughts and feelings, so that we are caught up and swept away by negative reactivity. — Kristin Neff, Ph.D.  Boost... posted on Oct 28 2014 (110,746 reads)

Right. So I don't know if his visits here or the connections he's forged, how much they've had to do with that, but I sense that it's one factor, that it's created a certain energy and a feeling that something needs to be done rather than just talked about. And, obviously there are some really interesting, well, let's just say there are some really interesting parallels and overlap if you talk about attention, executive function, and then you think about the word "mindfulness." DR. DIAMOND: That's right. MS. TIPPETT: Clearly, those are kindred concepts. DR. DIAMOND: That's right. MS. TIPPETT: Tell me about your exposure, that encounter ... posted on Dec 6 2014 (26,330 reads)

men Hattori interviewed—suggest that effective mentoring can take place even outside of the structure of a formal program. What’s more, research alsosuggests that mentoring doesn’t always generate great results; the type of mentoring matters. So for adults who have the motivation and opportunity to mentor, either within or outside of a formal program, here are eight lessons I have learned about what makes for effective mentoring, particularly for young men. 1. Bring in mindfulness Studies suggest that young men have a particularly hard time sitting still and being with their thoughts. I begin mentoring sessions with mindfulness meditation and end with compassion ... posted on May 22 2015 (27,568 reads)

the monastic order in the 6th Century that kept law, medicine, scholarship and faith alive during the Dark Ages, observed that the Latin word for prayer (ora) is contained the word for work (labora). Doing appropriate work with appropriate tools is prayer. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the Silicon Valley area, said, “Pray always, and if necessary use words.” If we hope to reintroduce notions of virtue and values back into the scientific and engineering enterprises, mindfulness is the stepping off point. All spiritual traditions practice this: the cultivating of a keen awareness of what a given situation is, how to respond to it, and what will result from that re... posted on Apr 8 2015 (21,414 reads)

find ways to acknowledge and move through small ruptures in your relationship while maintaining intimate connection, and seek compromises when conflicts arise. Coupled with the ability to truly apologize when necessary, these skills can help relationships survive difficult challenges and pave the way for forgiveness—even through betrayals like infidelity or in divorce situations. And, as with all forms of forgiveness, this can lead to tremendous healing and peace. Bettencourt endorses mindfulness meditation as a way to help pave the path to everyday forgiveness, because it enhances the parts of the brain researchers affiliate with empathy, problem-solving, and positive mood. As Bet... posted on Sep 16 2015 (13,844 reads)

seven factors below at the start of any deliberate focusing of attention—from keeping your head in a dull business meeting to contemplative practices such as meditation or prayer—and then let them move to the background as you shift into whatever the activity is. You can also draw upon one or more during the activity if your attention is flagging. They are listed in an order that makes sense to me, but you can vary the sequence. (There’s more information about attention, mindfulness, concentration, and contemplative absorption in my book, Buddha’s Brain.) Here we go! 1. Set the intention to sustain your attention, to be mindful. You can do this both top-down,... posted on Oct 16 2015 (34,021 reads)

never consider trying to be compassionate to herself. In fact, the very idea of letting up on her self-attack, giving herself some kindness and understanding, strikes her as somehow childish and irresponsible. And Rachel isn’t alone. Many people in our culture have misgivings about the idea of self-compassion, perhaps because they don’t really know what it looks like, much less how to practice it. Often the practice of self-compassion is identified with the practice of mindfulness, now as ubiquitous as sushi in the West. But while mindfulness—with its emphasis on being experientially open to and aware of our own suffering without being caught up in it and swep... posted on Oct 19 2015 (29,092 reads)

a candlelit service at a church or a guided meditation at a local Buddhist center, New Year's Eve is a good chance to explore the spiritual offerings in your neighborhood. You can also create your own beautiful rituals by inviting a few close friends to your home for a night of meditation and reflection. HuffPost blogger Sofia Rose Smith shared a few ideas for creating a meaningful New Year's ceremony. You can listen to her guided New Year's meditation here. 4. Take a mindfulness walk. from Wholly Healthy Step away from whatever screen you're looking at and take a short walk outside. Focus on your five senses and enjoy being alive. 5. Write a letter to... posted on Dec 31 2015 (56,910 reads)

Here are some strategies suggested by emerging patience research. Reframe the situation. Feeling impatient is not just an automatic emotional response; it involves conscious thoughts and beliefs, too. If a colleague is late to a meeting, you can fume about their lack of respect, or see those extra 15 minutes as an opportunity to get some reading done. Patience is linked to self-control, and consciously trying to regulate our emotions can help us train our self-control muscles. Practice mindfulness. In one study, kids who did a six-month mindfulness program in school became less impulsive and more willing to wait for a reward. The GGSC’s Christine Carter alsorecommends mindfuln... posted on Jun 28 2023 (23,409 reads)

muscles. I was going to play basketball, and I caught it out of the corner of my eye, and I looked at them literally for an instant. Just the way the mom was pushing her on the swing, this young girl, and then her facial configuration. I knew that there was suffering in that family, just by this Darwinian microscope under the human face. What that taught me is, and it really runs through as you'll see the science I'm about to describe to you, is that there are these little forms of mindfulness on the outside. We often direct mindfulness inside, but there's a social mindfulness of looking at other human beings that is fundamental to compassion and to community and the like. O... posted on Nov 4 2016 (30,423 reads)

they have to explain themselves, then no matter how good my questions are, I haven't established a space in which I can be a good listener or really draw them out in a meaningful way. So, it starts with the invitation; it starts with the setting. Then, I am aware that I'm not just there listening with—engaging with my words, with my questions, but I'm present with myself as a human being—as a complicated human being. Just an awareness of that, an attention to that, a mindfulness about that. It still means I'm in there with all of my—whatever preconceived notions I might have unconsciously, however much think I may be in control of them. But as you know, ... posted on Dec 31 2016 (13,035 reads)

of our lives. It may sound somewhat abstract, but a “practice” is anything we do that builds mastery through repetition. Practices offer us a pathway for sustained, incremental growth, and a mode of learning that can result in a “felt sense” regarding the progression of whatever we are trying to develop. Whether it’s the ability to stretch more deeply in a yoga posture, to remind ourselves to breathe rather than react in conversations, or to bring greater mindfulness into our day-to-day activities, practices can support us to move forward in our commitments and intentions. Seeing habits of mind as routinized practices acknowledges that awareness h... posted on May 18 2017 (21,202 reads)

are crucial in the struggle for social change. Classical practices include prayer, yoga and meditation, but music, art and dance can be powerful doorways too, along with loving interactions with other people—solidarity can be a spiritual experience in itself. Over the last ten years it’s become fashionable to use these practices as tools to promote personal health and wellbeing, financial success, sexual conquest and even the corporate bottom line: “mindfulness opens the doorway to loving kindness,” says Google’s ‘head of mindfulness training,’ “which is at the heart of business success.” Spirituality i... posted on Jul 12 2017 (10,702 reads)

always been a Buddhist teacher and a Dharma teacher with EBMC.  My enjoyment has been that it has for me been the dream that I've had for many years of being part of a Dharma based activist community that is trying to create, embody and manifest the values that we are also trying to teach,” she said. Ikeda is also the  guiding teacher of a year-long program at the center called “Practice in Transformative Action” or PITA.  The program teaches secular mindfulness for agents of change and social justice activists.  While creating the program, she realized she did not want the practice to be  “another thing on their list of things to ... posted on Nov 15 2017 (10,864 reads)

being rooted in our true nature. Unaware, we are drowned deeper and deeper in a culture of soulless materialism. At this time I find it more and more important to have outer activities that can connect us to what is more natural and help us live in relationship to the deep root of our being, and in an awareness of the moment which alone can give real meaning to our everyday existence. Over the years I have developed a number of simple practices that bring together action and a quality of mindfulness, or deepening awareness, that can nourish our lives in hidden ways. These activities, like mindful walking, cooking with love and attention, can reconnect us with the web of life, our natu... posted on Nov 25 2017 (25,264 reads)

visit the Dalai Lama. Through slim odds, she was granted an audience with the exiled leader. After listening to her story and hearing about the anger which had motivated her to become a prosecutor, he instructed her to do two things: meditate and contemplate how she viewed her enemies. She told him she’d try the first, but that forgiveness felt impossible. The Dalai Lama smiled and said, “Ok. Then just meditate.” This encounter, and these instructions, inspired her to start a mindfulness meditation practice, which led her eventually to forgive her father, and then to become one of the leading voices and practitioners of Restorative Justice. Our traditional criminal just... posted on Mar 5 2018 (18,216 reads)

the audio program Being True: What Matters Most in Work, Life, and Love, in which she distills her own life, work, and love lessons and reminds us to “remain alive to the inner voice that always encourages each of us to ‘be true.’” Nadia Colburn (NC): You are the founder of Sounds True, one of the largest publishers of spiritual wisdom, especially of original audio programs and online classes. You publish many of the leading teachers in spirituality and mindfulness. I’m interested in how the company came into being and also in the way you conduct Sounds True as a spiritual and conscious business. Tami Simon (TS): Sounds True began in 19... posted on Nov 24 2018 (6,199 reads)

to also take time for withdrawing, reflection, and solitude, part of each day, or one day each week.  Or perhaps it will be a week each year. The combination of alone time to go deeply within and community time to share and connect is very important.    Aryae:   Thank you.  I have another question for you.  As spiritual practices become more mainstream, is there a risk of “spiritual materialism?”  For example, there are people who teach mindfulness practices to help people “get ahead” in the corporate world.   Is there a balance between “spiritual materialism” and valuable practice?  Roger: &... posted on Jan 17 2019 (6,164 reads)

every one of my physical belongings. Is it still in current time? Does it still give me that whole-body “yes to owning it”? Is there anything that needs to be fixed? Is it in the right place? Living in a state of completion, I call it. It’s maximization of my energy. Is there anything we didn’t ask you about that you want to make sure to get to talk about or that you think we should know? DC: Yeah. I want to be provocative for a minute. I want to challenge the mindfulness movement and I want to say that I see a lot of emphasis right now on meditation, sitting on my cushion. I say that is fantastic. I am so thrilled. I think it’s incredibly important. ... posted on Feb 13 2019 (8,335 reads)