Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2018 i Mindful

Editor-in-Chief barry@mindful.org In Maurice Sendak’s classic Where the Wild Things Are, young Max’s bedroom transforms into a jungle filled with wild things who roar and bare their teeth and menace with their claws. He tames them into stillness and they become his friends. Having journeyed to where the wild things are, Max returns to his room to enjoy a nice hot meal. A delightful round trip. Generations of children and the adults reading it to them (it’s 55 years old now!) have reveled in this miniature version of the hero’s journey—at least partially because it is a great metaphor for the mind. The mind is indeed where the wild things are. It contains our fears for the future and the future of those we love; our regrets and shame stored up…

When a betrothed couple’s wedding officiant broke a leg during the rehearsal dinner, the event’s catering manager happened to be a licensed officiant, so he stepped in and married them. A Tennessee truck driver bought a school bus to rescue animals during natural disasters. When Hurricane Florence hit, he rescued 64 dogs and cats from South Carolina shelters that were in the storm’s path. Over the last 10 years, a 93-year-old man in Iowa has bought about 6,000 chocolate bars and handed them out to friends and strangers.…

We say “thanks” a dozen or more times a day. When someone holds a door open, bags our groceries, or puts a report on our desk. It’s a reflex, almost kneejerk reaction to simple daily transactions. We mutter it, often without really acknowledging the person we’re thanking. Yet as easy as it is to engage in the quotidian “thanks—no problem” exchange in our daily routines, we’re often left, in moments of larger generosity, feeling unworthy or embarrassed by what’s being offered. If you’ve ever thwarted a friend’s attempt to treat you to dinner or received a gift that you insisted was “too much,” you may be struck by that thankfulness gap. So, if “thank you” is too easy to say in some instances, and out of our reach in others,…

The more you can bring your attention to that which you feel grateful for, the more you’ll notice to feel grateful for! Those researchers at Indiana University did a further study. Using an fMRI scanner, they compared brain activity in the gratitude letter-writers with those who didn’t write a letter. The letter-writers showed greater neural sensitivity in the medial prefrontal cortex, a brain area associated with learning and decision-making, an effect that persisted three months later. “Simply expressing gratitude may have lasting effects on the brain,” they concluded, noting that practicing gratitude can lead to greater sensitivity to the experience of gratitude in the future. And that bodes well for everyone. TRY THIS: Start by observing. Notice the thank yous you say. Just how habitual a response is it? Is…

One of the best ways to adapt and to learn to manage the aftereffects of serious diseases that change your life is to talk about them and ask questions. Too often, we simply don’t. And that’s not healthy. Remember, if you have a problem, others likely do as well. Bringing it into the open can be a compassionate act. You need to ask yourself some pointed questions and make some decisions: • Does the issue I’m experiencing need to be addressed?• Can it wait, can I let it be, or can I let it go?• How much do I care what people think?• Can I work with that? This is how we can the move skillfully toward openness—with ourselves and others—when we employkind of skillful response that can come from…

Over time and across culture and ethnicity, studies indicate that women cry more often and more intensely than men. One explanation is that testosterone, usually more plentiful in males, inhibits tear production—as do traditional stereotypes that conflate masculinity with strength and emotional reserve. In contrast, women are expected (and pressured) to show vulnerability in many circumstances, making their tears more socially acceptable. However, studies discredit the notion that crying harms a man’s social standing. Some researchers, in fact, suggest that because men cry less often, observers may believe “something genuinely important must have happened for adult males to cry,” therefore lending disproportionate credibility to men’s tears.…

ALONE WITH YOURSELF Go to a solitary place—outdoors in nature, a park or garden, or indoors in a quiet room. Settle yourself in a comfortable spot and let your body really rest into the support of what you are sitting (or standing) on. Now, first take a minute or so to notice what’s going on in your mind, then move your attention down into your body. Keep your eyes open with a relaxed gaze. Sense how it feels to be alone—you can say to yourself, “I’m all alone here.” Notice what sensations are present in your body—how does your body react to “all alone”? Sit for a while with whatever sensations are there in your body. Notice thoughts that come, but let them go and gently return your attention to…

□ Background How did they become a mindfulness teacher? Do they have verifiable training? Are they part of an established community? □ Credentials Do they have certification from a group whose standards you can see? □ Practices What practices do they teach and practice themselves, and do those line up with your interests? □ Accessibility Are they easy to reach and communicate with? □ Embodiment Do they engage with the world in a mindful way? In other words, do they walk the talk?…

RESILIENCE Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster Linda Graham, MFT • New World Library Missing your bus, dropping dinner on the floor, screwing up at work: These everyday hiccups may fluster, frustrate, or at times even tax your coping system, but they don’t usually knock you down, writes Linda Graham. It’s the bigger distresses, such as illness, death, or loss of security—particularly if they come one after another, pile on top of unresolved trauma, or include a heap of self-criticism—that can threaten to overwhelm us to the point of “falling apart and not being able to recover.” That’s where resilience comes in. The newest buzzword in psychological circles, resilience indicates our ability to recover from adversity. And after rigorous study, it’s also now believed to…

* We recommend using as many all-natural ingredients as possible, to allow your tree to be composted. GARLANDS OF POPCORN, CRANBERRIES, AND CANDIED CITRUS SLICES In Mexico, popcorn is called palomita, or “little dove,” and was traditionally used in ceremonial garlands. The cranberries and candied citrus can represent the “bitter” and “sweet” that is a natural part of life, and bring natural color to your tree. NATURAL-DYE RAFFIA BOWS A reminder that we’re tied together in good will. TREE Evergreens are an ancient symbol of longevity. Choose a farm-raised tree, or a potted tree you can plant. Or, simply decorate a houseplant! LED LIGHTS Bringing light into the darkness. PAPER STARS… Beautiful reminders of our place in the universe. …AND SNOWFLAKES Remember making paper-cut snowflakes? Each one was perfect and…

Are the days of mindless scrolling coming to an end? With concern growing around “phone addiction,” Facebook and Instagram have rolled out new time-control features, allowing users to monitor how long they use the apps and set custom reminders to stop for the day. Instagram Product Director Ameet Ranadive says users should feel like “they can be mindful and intentional about how they’re spending their time” on social media. Psychologists say these tools will help some users, but others may need a bigger intervention to curb their unhealthy Insta-habits.…

As the days grow colder and darker, the food we eat can get rich and heavy. Pomegranates add much-needed brightness to a winter diet, with their glossy seeds (called arils) glowing ruby red with delicious juice. Opening a pomegranate can seem a messy and meticulous task, but it can also be both beautiful and fun. Bring some festive color into your life with this simple technique. As you go, take your time and feel your way through, stopping to notice the textures, shapes, and colors of each step. TRY THIS:…

“WHEN SOMEONE IS OPEN AND VULNERABLE ABOUT THE HUMANITY AND IMPERFECTION AND WOUNDEDNESS IN THEMSELVES, THEN OTHERS IN THE GROUP WILL SENSE THAT A SAFE SPACE IS BEING CREATED.” Trained in East Asian medicine in Japan and in psychology at Harvard, Stephen Murphy-Shigematsu teaches throughout Asia and at Stanford University. His Heartfulness program at Stanford combines traditional wisdom practices such as mindfulness with current science. Among his courses is “Transforming Self and Systems: Crossing Borders of Race, Nation, Gender, Sexuality, and Class.” His book, From Mindfulness to Heartfulness: Transforming Self and Society with Compassion (published February 2018), focuses on how mindfulness practices can contribute to a meaningful way of living with gratitude, compassion, and social responsibility. In what sense does your hyphenated surname—Murphy-Shigematsu—speak to the integration that’s so present in…

Actor NANA VISITOR, 61, has been in “the biz” her whole life. Her aunt was the actor and dancer Cyd Charisse; her father, Robert Tucker, was an esteemed choreographer; and she was married to fellow actor Alexander Siddig. She is well known for her roles playing Major Kira Nerys in the long-running television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) and on Broadway as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago. Behind the scenes, however, Nana struggled for years from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) stemming from a brutal attack in 1994, when, while driving home from the film set, she was abducted at gunpoint by two men and sexually assaulted. Mindful spoke with the veteran actor and mother of two about her journey through show business, using mindfulness to heal emotional…

1 Coverage, pacing, and organization of session curriculum This domain considers how well teachers are prepared and how well they cover the curriculum content of the session, balancing the needs of the individual, the group, and the requirements of teaching the course. 2 Relational skills This domain addresses the interpersonal connection between individual participants and teacher. Characteristics of a good teacher include empathy, authenticity, compassion, warmth, curiosity, and respect, among others. 3 Embodiment of mindfulness To embody a practice of mindfulness is to bring the core attitudes of mindfulness practice—non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go—to the practice of teaching mindfulness. 4 Guiding mindfulness practices This domain assesses how well a teacher describes what participants are being invited to do in the practice, including all the elements…

INVISIBILIA Episode: Leave a Message Let’s face it: Voicemail may not be long for this world. Technologies like email and texting have largely taken its place: They’re quicker and less intrusive. On the other hand, a 2016 study on the “cuddle hormone,” oxytocin, found that when we hear a loved one’s voice over the phone, our brain’s oxytocin response is almost the same as if we’d actually hugged them. Screenwriter Cord Jefferson considers “the power of the human voice, and what we lose when the voice goes away”—particularly if a family member’s life is cut short, glorifying the audible mementos in a voicemail inbox. CBC RADIO, SUNDAY EDITION Episode: You can’t stop checking your phone because Silicon Valley designed it that way Reporter Ira Basen digs deep into the “attention…