Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is commonly used for relaxation and stress reduction. It is an acquired skill which, when practiced regularly, can reduce stress hormone release and decrease activation of the sympathetic nervous system, that part of us that operates the “flight or fight” response. Mindfulness is simply the process of being fully aware and attentive on a moment-to-moment basis. Generally the practice begins as a breathing practice where the attention is focused on the breath. This releases the mind from past or future thoughts, the tangled web of thoughts that frequently occupy the mind and cause anxiety and stress. As practice continues one develops greater awareness, tolerance, and appreciation of their whole life experience without being sidetracked by the emotions of the moment or expectations of how things should be. Mindfulness meditation is just one of many techniques and meditation styles. It can be incorporated into other traditions or practiced exclusively for it’s medical benefits. There is little evidence favoring one technique over another and really becomes a matter of personal style. It helps to listen to instructional videos and to read books about meditation. Setting aside a period of time every day to meditate.
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Stanford Wellness Center
- APPS for Meditation
- Podcasts, video
and CDs
- Audiodharma - Start with Introduction to Meditation
- Mindfulness on line course
- Dharma Seed
- Interview on Meditation Tim Ferriss
- Sitting Meditation Guided with Jon Kabat Zinn
- Kelly McGonigal, The Neuroscience of Change (Audiobook)
- Jack Kornfield: Guided Meditations for Difficult Times: A Lamp in the Darkness
- Kristin Neff: Self Compassion podcast and video
- UCSD Center for Mindfulness guided meditations
- Jon Kabat-Zinn: Full Catastrophe Living
- Upa Yoga video
- Daniel Pink Ted Talk: The Puzzel of Motivation
- Chade-Meng Tan Ted Talk: Everyday compassion at Google
- Change Cognitive Behavioral CDs and Program
- Books
and Articles
- David Burns: Feeling good: The New Mood Therapy
- Jon Kabat-Zinn: Wherever Your Go, There You Are
- Mark Williams and Danny Penman: Mindfulness
- Thich Nhat Hanh: Peace is Every Step: The Path to Mindfulness in Everyday Life
- Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present
- Bhante Gunaratana: Mindfulness in Plain English
- Authors: Byron Katie, Echart Tolle, Wayne Dyer, Deeprak Chopra, Ben Zander
- David Burns "Mind Over Misery"
- Alex Korb: The Upward Spiral
- Sharon Salzberg: Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
- Tara Brach: Radical Acceptance
- Jack Kornfield: A Path with Heart
- Marc Lesser: Less: Accomplishing More by Doing Less and Know Yourself, Forget Yourself
- Daniel Pink: Drive
- Daniel Goleman: Working with Emotional Intelligence
- Richard Davidson: The Emotional Life of Your Brain
- Srinivasan Pillay: Your Brain and Business: The Neuroscience of Great Leaders
- Maria Gonzalez: Mindful Leadership: The 9 Ways to Self-Awarness, Transforming Yourself and Inspiring Others
- Chade-Meng Tan: Search Inside Yourself
- Therapists and Courses
- Retreats and classes
- Links to Minfulness resources