2/24/2025
Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Cancer Patients and Survivors are Associated with Positive Health Outcomes This study is an analysis of the effects of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) on positive health outcomes in…
2/24/2025
The holiday season is here again, a time that has many different meanings for people. For some it is primarily a religious holiday, for others it is more about giving, and for still others it has no real significance, and may even be considered an annoyance. Whatever one’s beliefs about the holidays, it can be an ideal time to practice pausing and noticing what is arising within us. Our usual routines are often altered, with different work schedules and leisure plans. These changes may be experienced as pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. If we are not paying attention, we may not even notice what we are feeling although it may still influence our behavior. We tend to automatically want to continue activities that are pleasant, and to not continue those that are unpleasant. Pausing can be helpful in shedding light on this process so that we are not just reacting to our circumstances. The acronym STOP stands for useful steps to follow when pausing. The S is for Stopping, remembering to pay attention to what is present right now. The T is for Taking a few breaths to center ourselves. If the breath does not feel centering, we might instead place our attention on our feet or our hands. Focusing on anywhere in the body that feels like it helps stabilize the attention is fine. The O is for Observing our present moment experience, without judging it. We can ask ourselves, in this moment, what am I thinking?
11/22/2024
Space Is Still Available in the Mindful Eating Course Beginning in January The Mindful Eating course will be offered again on Mondays from January 13 – March 3 from 5:30…
11/22/2024
Mindfulness Apps for College Students Can Improve Mental Health Stress, anxiety and depression among college students are important mental health issues. These investigators conducted a literature review and metanalysis of…
11/22/2024
Next Thursday is Thanksgiving, an opportunity to express thanks for all that we have. Often it is easy to do this. At other times, especially if we are dealing with disappointment or hardship, it may be more difficult. Our minds inherently focus more on what is not going well rather than what is, an attribute that is often referred to as negativity bias. This may well be an evolutionary adaptation from our ancestors who needed to be vigilant and anticipate the worst in order to survive. Although most of the time now we are not actually in danger, our minds can hold on to thoughts about negative events as if we are. In response, we can both acknowledge our circumstances and still choose to focus on something positive, something we are thankful or grateful for instead. One way to do this is by practicing brief gratitude meditation. We can start by closing our eyes and bringing attention to the region of the heart, on the center left side of the chest, then breathing in a little deeper and longer than usual, noticing the flow of air into and out of the lungs. We can then bring to mind someone or something or some place that we really appreciate or are grateful for, holding this image in the mind while we continue to breath in and out slowly and deeply.
11/22/2024
In-Person Silent Retreat for Current and Past Mindfulness Course Participants All current and past participants in Mindfulness Center courses are invited to attend an in-person silent retreat that will be…
11/22/2024
Telehealth Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are evidence-based treatments for chronic pain but implementing them on a large scale is challenging. These investigators conducted a randomized trial…
The Difference Between Pain and Suffering
11/22/2024
This does not mean we can’t act to change things that are painful. Rather, we can notice discomfort, evaluate options that might make it better, and choose a response, all without getting caught up in continuing to want things to be different than they are. In situations where we experience pain or discomfort, it is easy to start thinking about how bad our situation is, how it may be unfair, or how it might not get better. If we are not paying attention, we may just go over and over these thoughts, increasing our suffering. However, when we do notice these thoughts, we can acknowledge them and then let them go. This is what we practice over and over again while meditating- choosing an anchor for the attention such as the breath, noticing when thoughts arise, as soon as we notice them arising, letting them go, returning the attention to our anchor. I had the opportunity to practice this recently. On a routine visit to my dermatologist, I was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. I was scheduled for an excision with a skin flap to close the wound. If the melanoma could be completely removed and there was no spread to lymph nodes the likelihood of cure would be high.
11/22/2024
Registration is currently open for two fall Mindfulness Center courses. The six-week virtual Introduction to Mindfulness for Healthcare Employees course begins next week, with the first class on Wednesday, September…
11/22/2024
Telehealth Mindfulness-Based Interventions Improve Pain and Function among Veterans with Chronic Pain Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are considered to be evidence-based treatments for chronic pain. The purpose of this study was…