MB Mindfulness

Deepak Chopra, @DeepakChopra Meditation is one of the most effective ways to counter stress , normalize biorhythms and  rebalance the body and mind . However, many people have a hard time blocking off time to meditate . And with today’s constant distractions of the news, smartphones and social media, everyday life has never been more stressful . As a result, we are besieged by a flood of fast-moving information that ultimately chips away our peace of mind. If you find it difficult to spare just 10 to 15 minutes of your day to meditate, the next best thing is to give yourself short intervals of inward time throughout the day. Here are some quick daily practices that won’t interfere with even the busiest schedules: 1. Stand up and stretch at least once every hour.   Spending protracted periods of just sitting at your desk in front of your computer isn’t healthy. Instead of taking that one minute to check your phone, use it to get up from your seat a...

Catholics in search of Christian-based counseling need not settle for trendy techniques that put them in conflict with their beliefs. Susan Brinkmann The rise of the modern practice of mindfulness into the field of therapy has posed a conundrum for many Catholics who want the therapy, but without the Buddhist roots. What are their options and how do they find them? For many Christians, it may seem like the modern mindfulness movement is the only game in town. It seems as if wherever they go, therapists are touting either the eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) model, pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn, or some derivative of it. When a Christian client expresses concerns about it, too many counselors are insisting that the practice has been “secularized” for use by the general public with no religious baggage. Unfortunately, this is not true — at least not according to the pioneer himself. In an April 2017 interview with  Thrive Glo...

The panel event explored the role of mindfulness in situations where stakes are high and where conventional ways of managing personal and organisational well-being and performance are stretched to the limit. By Shamim Quadir What can individuals and teams do when they find themselves in extreme situations, where information can quickly become outdated and irrelevant, when there is no time to relax and regroup, and where the risks are high and the consequences incalculable? This could be in the context of a military operation, whilst delivering healthcare, or in many high-pressure business environments today. Questions about these complex issues were posed to a panel of experts from industry and academia at the panel event on ‘Mindfulness, Wellbeing and Performance in High-Stakes Contexts: The New Frontier’, recently hosted at City, University of London. Excellence in mindfulness research The event was organised by the University's new Centre of E...

By Charles A. Francis These days, mindfulness meditation for beginners is a subject that gives rise to a great deal of confusion. With the rising popularity of meditation, it’s surprising to find that basic instruction is often overlooked. At almost every meditation group and retreat that I’ve attended, it was simply assumed the I knew how to meditate. It took me several years of trial and error to figure out how to meditate properly. In this article, I’m going to take some of the mystery out of meditation for beginners, so you’ll learn much more quickly than I did, and start making immediate progress . Why all the Confusion? The main reason for the confusion is that there are so many different forms of meditation, and each one has different techniques. This makes meditation for beginners even more confusing because many people don’t realize that each form of meditation has a slightly different purpose. When I finally did learn how to meditate, I realized tha...

Buddhist meditation gives us time to slow down and wake up. Learn how to meditate with plain-language instructions and advice. Illustrations by Tomi Um. How to do basic breath meditation Whether you’re trying meditation for the first time or just want a refresher, you can't go wrong with this easy-to-follow meditation. Find a quiet and uplifted place where you can do your meditation practice. When starting out, see if you can allow 5 minutes for the practice, and increase that amount over time. Take your seat. Sit cross-legged on a meditation cushion, or on a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor, without leaning against the back of the chair. Find your sitting posture. Place your hands palms-down on your thighs and sit in an upright posture with a straight back—relaxed yet dignified. With your eyes open, let your gaze rest comfortably as you look slightly downward about six feet in front of you. Notice and follow your breath. Place your ...