Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2019 i Mindful

of electricity when someone tells you something—an amazing story or fact—that is so interesting, you can’t wait to share it? It’s like a bolt of energy and excitement that needs to make contact and keep spreading. That’s what I felt hearing neuroscientist Amishi Jha and Lieutenant General Walter Piatt of the US Army talk about the impact of introducing Jha’s mindfulness program to his soldiers prior to their deployment to Iraq. I was riveted as General Piatt told the story of a very young soldier who was able to “zero the mind” (military parlance for being in a state of hyper-focus) using his mindfulness training and make a series of lifesaving decisions under the extreme pressure of a dangerous, high-stakes mission. He also shared how mindfulness helps his troops transition…

JEDI MINDFUL TRICK If sparring like a Jedi Knight is your calling, well, there’s a school for that: Sabre Masters, in Leicestershire, UK. Instructors start class with a mindfulness practice—though it’s less about using the Force and more about attention to safety. LASER FOCUS Flag Tag AZ, a laser tag center in Flagstaff, Arizona, recently hosted a meditation-and-laser-tag workshop. The battle included “meditation microhits” along with teacher-led mindfulness sessions. IN THE TETRIS ZONE According to research, when worry creeps up on you, try playing Tetris: a study found the tile-matching game may help to ease anxiety. Participants who played Tetris at regular speed—rather than painfully slow or fast games—reached a “flow” state, which allowed them to relax while waiting for test results.…

Putting sick kids in the driver’s seat can help ease their anxiety. At a California hospital, young surgery patients are allowed to drive adorable, kid-size cars into the operating room. In Devon, UK, a highly industrious border collie named Rocky went above, beyond, and a bit too far in performing his sheepdog duties: While his owner was away, he herded nine sheep into her kitchen. In a small yet vital step toward halting climate change, the majority of Norwegian politicians withdrew support for oil drilling, worth billions, off Norway’s Lofoten Islands. The country is also beginning to invest its oil wealth in renewable energy projects. Researchers showed eighth graders an expose on junk-food giants’ manipulative marketing tactics. The hypothesis? Teens’ desire to rebel against “the man” could motivate healthier snack…

You know when you have something you need to do but you just can’t focus? Despite your earnest intention to get the job done, any (and every) distraction pulls at your attention like a dog seeing a squirrel. Instead of finishing the report, you find yourself scrolling through Instagram or researching recipes. You get everything ready to begin your project, and the next thing you know you’re standing in front of the refrigerator (for the second time in an hour) wondering what to eat. You start to write the evaluation and midsentence remember the email you forgot to respond to the day before. When your mind seems stuck in pinball-machine mode, it’s nearly impossible to force yourself to focus on one task. That’s when you need to gently guide it…

SUNRISE SPRINGS SPA RESORT Sunrise Springs Spa Resort, the only destination spa resort in Santa Fe, NM, features 70 lush acres and spring-fed ponds. Guests may enjoy experiences including archery, animal interactions, qigong, mindfulness/meditation, gardening, cooking, hiking, yoga, fitness, and sweat lodge rituals. The spa menu includes bodywork, therapeutic massages, skin care, and energy healing services. Private outdoor Ojitos pools allow guests to relax in warm mineral-infused springs. sunnsesprings.ojospa.com 800.704.0531 RECHARGE WITH FREE LIVE STREAM MEDITATION Copper Beech Institute offers a free online meditation community for all levels of practitioners. Meeting every Monday at 12:30-1:00 PM ET, each session is led by a trained instructor and includes a 10-minute meditation and wisdom talk around a monthly mindfulness theme. Live Stream Meditation creates a space to practice with others virtually and…

The bell rings, and the 21 cadets in Major Matt Jarman’s leadership class at Virginia Military Institute stand at attention as their highest-ranking classmate salutes the professor. Though the weather outside is mild, the cadets are dressed in their winter uniforms. Black neckties are tied in Windsor knots and tucked between the second and third buttons of their black long-sleeved shirts. Woolen garrison hats sit on the classroom tables next to open laptops. “Today we’re going to do a little introduction to meditation,” says Jarman, an assistant professor of psychology. This is not what future military officers usually hear, so he cautiously probes their receptiveness. “When you hear mindfulness meditation, what do you think?” The cadets call out free-association words: purposeful, tranquility, recalibrating. One attempts a longer definition. “It’s almost…

This 12-minute drill aims to bring the mind “At Attention” from a seated position, in the same way one can be called to the standing position of attention. ▶ Sit in an upright and stable position. ▶ Keep your head erect and facing straight to the front as you breathe. ▶ Keep your arms hanging straight without stiffness, allowing your hands to rest flat on top of your thighs. ▶ Slowly and with intention, bring your heels together, toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle. ▶ Relax your heels, noticing their contact with the ground. Next, bring the mind to attention. ▶ Bring awareness to your posture and to the contact points your body makes with the chair and floor. ▶ Rest your attention on your breath, noticing the natural…

Your work has received a lot of attention. Why do you think that is? Mindfulness has received a lot of attention. And we know that sexual-health concerns are very common among women; low desire is very common. There haven’t been a lot of evidence-based treatments for women—there’s a lot of interest in finding a female Viagra. So, the idea of seeing if mindfulness can help is not really revolutionary. The reality is that people are multitasking and dealing with negative self-judgment during sex. The questions then are: Can we bring mindfulness over to sexuality? And if so, how does it work? Why does it work? How long does it last? Is it true that men struggle less than women when it comes to sexual desire? Do men have a biological…

A 3-PART SELF-GUIDED MINDFUL MINI-RETREAT 1 Wake Up: A Mindful Movement Practice from Cara Bradley Move. When you start your day on autopilot—rolling from your pillow, to your phone’s notifications, to your coffee, and then to work without pause—you miss out on insights that could help shape the rest of your day. Follow this mindful movement practice to intentionally start your morning with movement, breath, and stillness so you can focus your mind, energize your body, and listen in. 2 A Beginner’s Body Scan Meditation from Elaine Smookler Relax. Often when we’re stressed or overwhelmed, we aim to calm down our breathing or our thoughts—overlooking the impact that stress also has on our whole body. By practicing a body scan, you can invite your attention to wander towards those places…

Like so many deep and subtle questions, “Is mindfulness political?” requires a no & yes answer. Mindful extols the work of mindfulness teachers who teach in secular contexts. These teachers are very unlikely to raise political issues in the context of a mindfulness class, at the risk of alienating a student. The intent is to create an open, safe space welcoming to all. So, it is an article of faith with Mindful that we work to maintain mindfulness as an apolitical space, so to speak—in the sense that we don’t take specific political positions, or directly advocate for a given policy, politician, or party. We see ourselves as existing within “the public square,” where each of us is respected, acknowledged, and heard regardless of whatever religious, spiritual, political, or ideological…

What unusual things do you do to relax? ORGANIZING MY HOME and purging items I don’t need helps me when things feel chaotic. Also, sometimes just getting on the floor and letting my dogs shower me with attention is amazing! I GET UP BEFORE 6AM, light a candle, read the newspaper online, and have coffee: a peaceful hour to myself. Then I walk or work out or do yoga. CATCHING CRABS WITH MY NEPHEW. I watch him mindfully as he explores, and his innocent curiosity brings me quiet joy. “Single-tasking and immersing myself in my immediate experience. I’ve found this more calming than infrared saunas or sensory deprivation tanks.”—a Mindful reader FACEBOOK HELPS ME RELAX. I’ve realized it’s because I have few “friends” there—the ones I have are people who…

While out for dinner with friends in Oxford, Alabama, Jamario Howards noticed a woman eating alone and went over to speak with her. It turned out to be the day before her 60th anniversary with her late husband. He invited her to join him and his friends, and they’ve been meeting her regularly for dinner since. When 80-year-old elementary school janitor Haze Mabry in Zebulon, Georgia, showed up for work on his birthday, instead of finding a messy school to clean, he found nearly 800 students lined up to sing him a happy birthday, hand him buckets of cards, and give him hugs. In the German town of Bensheim, a chubby rat got stuck in a manhole cover, so a team of eight rescuers, comprised of firefighters and animal rescuers,…

Q What do you suggest when you feel like you’ve done your utmost to live by love and compassion, but then jerks out there take the wind out of your sail and just kind of crush you? A I think it’s always helpful if we look at our motivation, and if we feel confident we’re acting from a place of love and compassion, as much as we can. The intention behind an action is a very powerful part of the action. It behooves all of us to use mindfulness to truly pay attention to where we’re coming from. And then, there’s a level of skill in action if you are trying to communicate something. Beyond that is a level over which you don’t have any control. You really don’t. People will respond,…

There’s nothing like a perfectly ripe, luscious strawberry picked in the heart of summer. Ruby red to the core, bursting with intense sweetness and complex flavor, it’s hard to believe they’re related to those out-of-season berries with pale centers and one-dimensional taste. One of the key flavor compounds in strawberries, known as strawberry furanone, is also found in another red fruit: the tomato. According to food writer Niki Segnit in her 2010 book The Flavor Thesaurus, some chefs say the two fruits can be used interchangeably. Instead of the classic pairing of tomato and basil, try swapping in strawberries and notice how the sweet and savory play together. STRAWBERRY BASIL SALAD Slice a quart of strawberries, tear up a bunch of basil leaves, and toss them in a bowl with…

JG Larochette’s first word—“ball”—was an early sign that he would find presence not in stillness but in motion. As he grew up, the baseball diamond and soccer field were his refuge. And after playing Division I baseball in college, Larochette joined Playworks, a California nonprofit that fosters recess play in low-income schools. A two-week assignment at an inner-city elementary school in Richmond, CA, began ominously: One afternoon, when Larochette was on the basketball court, students pelted him with rocks. He was determined to respond with love. Making spaces safe and loving became his passion, first on court, then as a classroom teacher. But as a full-time teacher, Larochette lost the habit of daily physical activity through which he had previously channeled stress. He struggled with insomnia, anxiety, and depression. Just…

Amishi Jha knew she needed help when her toddler looked up at her during story time and asked what a Womp was. Jha had read this same book to her son dozens of times, and had been truly looking forward to spending this time with him. “What is he talking about?” she remembers thinking, realizing she didn’t have a clue—though she’d been reading about Womps for several pages, and had over successive nights. She was in her second year as an assistant professor, her husband was starting grad school, and she’d lost the feeling in her teeth from grinding them so ferociously. “I was at the point of quitting. I needed to do something that felt more manageable to me.” That something turned out to be meditation, and it became…

THE FATHERLY PODCAST Episode: Searching for Peace and Quiet When we find ourselves responsible for others’ wellbeing, there’s the opportunity for our mindfulness practice to be transformed. That is, if we—as parents or caregivers of any nature—can even find time to meditate. And if we can withstand the pressures of being imperfect people who are, nevertheless, relied upon to provide help and solutions. We can, in these kinds of situations, “practice not knowing right now. Learn from it, don’t separate from it.” Author and Buddhist teacher Joan Halifax talks with humor and wisdom about specific ways to bring a grounded awareness into all of our interactions as compassionate, ethical caregivers. THE HIDDEN BRAIN Episode: Why No One Feels Rich: The Psychology of Inequality How we think about inequality matters. Psychologist…

Did you know Mindful is a nonprofit? We are dedicated to inspiring and guiding anyone who wants to explore mindfulness to enjoy better health, more caring relationships, and a more compassionate society. By reading Mindful and sharing it with others, you’re helping to bring mindfulness practices into the world where the benefits can be enjoyed by all. Thank you! Print magazine & special topic publications 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge FREE! Guided meditations & podcasts Mindfulness video courses Visit online at mindful.org Get More Mindful…

SPORT PERFORMANCE GETS A BOOST FROM MINDFULNESS Being an elite athlete comes with its share of stress. Sixty-nine Swedish competitive athletes new to mindfulness completed either a Mindfulness-Acceptance and Commitment (MAC) intervention, or Psychological Skills Training (PST). Both were designed to increase athletic performance. Unlike PST, MAC training emphasizes present-moment awareness, attention, and acceptance. Seven weeks later MAC-trained athletes showed superior improvements in sport-related mindfulness, emotion regulation, and athletic performance compared to PST group members. The study’s authors attribute these results to MAC group athletes’ improved ability to focus, regulate emotion, and adapt to stress. MBCT: A TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC PAIN? Chronic low-back pain affects millions globally and can be debilitating and hard to treat. A study at the University of Queensland in Australia found Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) may…

Charles Hargobind leads the Mindfulness Ambassador Program, put on by Mindfulness Without Borders, in which he guides high school seniors through a 12-week mindfulness training that includes basic meditation instruction, techniques for navigating challenging emotions, and helping teens recognize and understand their internal narratives. Hargobind is a graduate of the program, and he found mindfulness at a particularly painful point in his life. Hargobind knew he was gay but was struggling to come to terms with his identity. Finally, he came out to his best friend. “I’m gay,” he told her. “She’s like, ‘What? NO. You can’t be, Charles. Do you know how many times people have asked me and I defended you?’” His parents also were not immediately accepting of his news. Isolated and afraid, his best friend’s words…

There’s a balancing of gender power happening across the professional world, and the field of mindfulness is no exception. Research suggests most meditators in the US are women, yet, as mindfulness has mainstreamed, the female perspective has often taken a back seat and in some cases been ignored or overwritten. We need to hear from the female pioneers, researchers, teachers, lawyers, and activists who are shifting our understanding of what it means to be mindful. We spoke to 10 pioneering mindful women about how they bring the diversity of their experiences to bear in their work. These women were chosen based on recommendations from their peers. Many echoed similar themes: Kindness is necessary, trust yourself, find your community, meet yourself with warmth. This is the first of a series of…

Mindfulness, a basic human capability that can be cultivated through meditation, has historically been associated with various forms of Buddhist practice. Some within that community have questioned whether it’s appropriate to use meditation in secular institutions with different values. That’s at the heart of an ongoing debate over the use of such training in the military. To neuroscientist Amishi Jha, the answer lies in the evidence. In lab experiments measuring attention, service members trained in mindfulness make fewer testing errors. “They’re less likely to press the button when they shouldn’t,” she says. “When people turn that task into a shoot/no-shoot version, we can hope they’ll be less likely to pull the trigger when they shouldn’t.” Still, some practitioners in the Buddhist tradition have challenged the premise of Jha’s research. In…

Take a bath or a shower. As you do so, notice particular parts of your body, such as your hands, arms, breasts, stomach, legs, and feet. Focus your attention on your body and let your thoughts simply “be as they are” in the background. Use all of your senses as you do this to enhance the experience. For example, notice the texture of your skin, its color, and what sounds or smells might emerge as you bathe. Once you have finished and have dried off, spend a few minutes noticing yourself in a mirror. What can you appreciate about your body? (Think about function—not just appearance.) Are there parts of your body that give you a sense of pleasure or pride? Are there any parts of your body that you…

STRANGER IN THE MIRROR The Scientific Search For the Self Robert V. Levine • Robinson Dr. Robert V. Levine has taught psychology courses for over 50 years at California State University, Fresno, and has written and edited several books on social psychology. Given all of this study and experience, he seems like an apt person to put forward a scientific theory on what a “self” really consists of—an endeavor that produced this latest work. What, Levine asks, does science say about our search for the self, and how should it inform the ways we think about life purpose, self-improvement, mental health? Psychology, biology, neuroscience, and sociology are just a few of the fields Levine delves into, serving up cutting-edge research and case studies from each (such as the first near-total…