Mindfulness Kabat-Zinn: Paying attention in a particular way On purpose In the present moment Non-judgmentally Mindfulness Bhodipaksa: the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience Wildmind.org Mindfulness--Goldstein Discourse of Buddha on Four Ways of Establishing Mindfulness Four Aspects of Mindfulness an intro
Mindfulness--Goldstein Present-moment Awareness Remember qualities of the Buddha, one s own ethical conduct Balance faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, wisdom Protect the mind Mindfulness Langer: wakefulness to cognitive tasks, emphasizing Active cognitive processing of environmental stimuli Making connections Adopting multiple perspectives Mindfulness Langer (cont): Being sensitive to context Being creative Sometimes characterized as western approach (contrast to eastern from Buddhism)
Mindfulness: Themes Openness to experiences internal external Equanimity and acceptance Intentionality Mindfulness: Variations Setting different intentions Interacting with environment (Langer) vs. experiencing conscious awareness (Buddhist tradition) Mindfulness: Purposes Enhance learning, productivity, and creativity (Langer) Basis of stress reduction Tool for personal growth Path to enlightenment
Related Concepts: Flow Csikszentmihályi: Interviewed highly creative and productive people Flow is a heightened state of concentration, productivity, and creativity featuring a combination of 6 factors Related Concepts: Flow-6 Factors Intense focus Merging of action and awareness Loss of reflective selfconsciousness Strong sense of personal control or agency: high skill + high challenge Related Concepts: Flow-6 Factors Loss of time experience Intrinsically motivating work is its own reward
Related Concepts: Flow- Relationship to Mindfulness Aspects of mindfulness appear in flow states Focus Loss of self-reflective consciousness Openness Mindfulness is not a means to an end of productivity Related Concepts: Self- Compassion for others requires Noticing they are suffering Feeling moved in response Recognizing shared humanity and reacting with kindness & understanding (not judgment) Related Concepts: Self- Compassion for self entails Self-kindness: warm & understanding toward self when suffering, feeling inadequate Opposite = self-judgment
Related Concepts: Self- Compassion for self entails Common humanity: realizing that suffering and inadequacy are common to all people Opposite = isolation Related Concepts: Self- Compassion for self entails Mindfulness: balanced awareness of negative emotions, neither suppressed nor exaggerated Opposite = overidentification Related Concepts: Self- Self-Compassion is NOT Self-esteem, which focuses on valuation and comparison Self-pity, which is egocentric Self-indulgence, which is unhealthy
Related Concepts: Wholehearted Brown: researcher/storyteller Started studying shame experience and shame resilience What characterized people who acknowledged their own vulnerability with Courage, Compassion, and Connection? Related Concepts: Wholehearted Brown: Ten Guideposts Cultivating Authenticity: Letting go of what other people think Cultivating Self-Compassion: Letting go of perfectionism Cultivating a Resilient Spirit: Letting go of numbing and powerlessness Related Concepts: Wholehearted Brown: Ten Guideposts (cont.) Cultivating Gratitude and Joy: Letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark Cultivating Intuition and Trusting Faith: Letting go of the need for certainty
Related Concepts: Wholehearted Brown: Ten Guideposts (cont.) Cultivating Creativity: Letting go of comparison Cultivating Play & Rest: Letting go of exhaustion as a status symbol Cultivating a Calm & Stillness: Letting go of anxiety as a lifestyle Related Concepts: Wholehearted Brown: Ten Guideposts (cont.) Cultivating Meaningful Work: Letting go of self-doubt and supposed to Cultivating Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting go of being cool and always in control So where does meditation fit in? Meditation techniques provide practice to train oneself to be mindful, balanced, non-judging, and compassionate in daily life Kabat-Zinn: The real meditation is your life
What about yoga? Yoga was originally developed as a physical and mental warm-up to meditation A meditative practice when approached with particular intentions Wait a second Does this mean any activity could be mindful? One minute paper What was the most important thing you learned today? What was the muddiest or most confusing aspect of today s class? What other questions or comments do you have?