AS YOU WALK AND EAT AND TRAVEL, BE WHERE YOU ARE. OTHERWISE YOU WILL MISS MOST OF YOUR LIFE BUDDHA

MINDFULNESS WHAT: AWARENESS OF THE “HERE AND NOW”; OBSERVANT OF THOUGHTS, MOOD, AND BODY SENSATIONS PRIOR TO ACTION HOW: PRACTICE BEING AWARE AND ACCEPTING EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS, AND BODY SENSATIONS EXAMPLES: “SINGING BOWL”

THE “SINGING BOWL” AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION PLEASE

Do you have the patience to wait ‘till your mud settles and the water is clear? Can you remain unmoving ‘til the right action arises by itself? Tao Te Ching

Why Mindfulness By definition, habits are learned sequences of behavior (often complex) that may function outside of awareness Patterns are triggered by thoughts, emotions, sensations, or events E.g., I feel a pang in my stomach, I must be hungry, I eat (when the pang may have been about…)

Why Mindfulness Originally develop habits for the accomplishment of some goal –Emotion regulation –Escape/avoidance –Attempt to increase energy –Entertainment May or may not serve original goal in the present context

Mindfulness and Health Increases awareness of sequences and the here and now Weakens link between stimulus and response Provides time (space) to choose alternatives

Awareness Meditation in Tibetan means “to become familiar with” Noticing thoughts, physical sensations, emotions, or events that may trigger a habit or usual response E.g., example of C.H. and eating habits More aware of the beauty, not just the pain Central role of non-judgment

Audience Participation Mindful Eating

Research from Natural Standard Anxiety/Stress: studies with terminal and chronically ill patients, some positive data yet inconclusive due to small n Asthma: transcendental meditation (TM) shows some benefit, Sahaja yoga with meditation shows some benefit Atherosclerosis: TM shows promise Breast Cancer: looked at improved well-being Depression: preliminary studies show adding mindfulness to CBT has more improvement over time Fibromyalgia: mindfulness meditation showing improvement in symptoms High Blood Pressure: TM showing some decreases in blood pressure Immune Function: some data showing improved antibody response Low Chronic Back Pain: some positive data after breath work