THE POWER OF BEING PRESENT

It is well-documented that the regular practice of mindfulness is very much associated with cognitive improvements in such things as focus, concentration and memory.

Here is a link to a recent and most interesting article from the LSE Business Review which shows how being present has big impacts for performance, decision-making and career longevity.

MINDFULNESS MARTIAL ARTS THERAPY

There is an old Samurai maxim, 'A person who has attained mastery of an art reveals it in their every action.' In other words, 'as within, so without.' So it is with martial arts. No surprise, then, to hear about something called 'mindfulness martial arts therapy.' In many ways, the so-called 'therapy' is in the actual doing of the particular martial art being practised.

Here’s an article regarding an integrated therapy that combines mindfulness and martial arts.

The therapy is called ‘mindfulness martial arts’ (MMA).

Child and family therapist Paul Badali designed MMA therapy for kids with learning disabilities in 2002.

What makes MMA potentially attractive to young people is the way MMA removes some of the supposed ‘mystique’ surrounding mindfulness (and meditation) by its inclusion in a socially-valued and ever-so-physical activity like martial arts.

Of course, Zen and associated matters ‘spiritual’ have always been an integral part of martial arts, which has always had, as one of its ‘aims’, the development of new and more effective ways of seeing, thinking and acting ... so it comes as no surprise to hear of this therapeutic combination.

I have always loved these words from the great Zhuangzi (Chuang-Tzu):  'The mind of a perfect person is like a mirror. It grasps nothing. It expects nothing. It reflects but does not hold. Therefore, the perfect person can act without effort.' There is no better way to live than that. That is the essence of mindfulness in a nutshell. It is also what one can hope to expect from a combination of mindfulness and the martial arts ... or even just from the practice of martial arts if approached from a spiritual or psychological perspective. It's all about respect, both for oneself and for the other person ... indeed for all persons. It's also all about the power of wakeful non-resistance and effortless effort.

‘It’s exercise, meditation, present moment awareness in being healthy, and being aware of healthy practices,’ says Badali who runs the MMA at Integra Children’s Mental Health Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Early studies show that MMA for kids with learning disabilities is beneficial.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org

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THE ART OF DRIVING MINDFULLY

NOTE. The purpose of this post is twofold: first, to direct readers' attention to, and encourage the reading of, an article, namely a Q&A session with Michele McDonald, published in the leading magazine tricycle; second, to endorse and recommend the purchase and use of Ms McDonald's CD-set Awake at the Wheel: Mindful Driving.


Driving mindfully? Isn't that dangerous ... driving a motor vehicle whilst in a state of samadhi bliss? Well, that is not exactly what is meant by mindful driving.

Michele McDonald (pictured left) has been teaching vipassanā meditation for 30 years. She is the cofounder of Vipassanā Hawai’i. She is also the first woman to have taught a formal retreat in Burma.

If you want to treat yourself to something really useful – I hate that word ‘useful’, but anyway – buy her 2-disc audio CD set Awake at the Wheel: Mindful Driving. (I love that title. Mindfulness is, as Jon Kabat-Zinn often says, 'falling awake.')

The 2-CD set includes introductions to mindfulness meditation specific to driving, and nearly 2 hours of exercises that can be learned in the car and used anywhere to enliven the mind, awake the senses, and enjoy the journey again.

In a 'must-read' Q&A session published in tricycle (for which this post, and my blogsite, are no substitutes) Michele McDonald describes vipassanā meditation or mindfulness as the state of ‘being in the present moment, feeling and hanging out with your own experience rather than just thinking about it, with patience ... [and] a genuine interest’.

Yes, but what does that mean, ‘being in the present moment’? We say that all the time ... almost mindlessly. Well, according to McDonald it means being ‘present and engaged with what's happening’. Yes, a mind-body experience from one moment to the next.

So, why the CD? Says McDonald, ‘I see so many people on their phones in the car, Bluetooth or not, or texting, eating, or putting make-up on—never mind whatever else might be going on in their heads! Most of us act out the urge to get more and more done in the car, instead of attending to what is really happening as we drive.’

A ‘mindful’ mind is a mind which is not distracted by what is happening from one moment to the next.

Remember, everything is happening from one moment to the next. That is life. Sensations come and go. They arise ... and they disappear as quickly as they arose. So do sights, sounds, thoughts, feelings, moods and all other phenomena. Everything is impermanent ... BUT everything is happening in the present, continually arising and disappearing.

So, you’re driving. You see a traffic light ahead turn red. In a state of mindfulness you ‘notice’ the light turn red. You see the change in the colour and contemporaneously – yes, in the same moment – you are aware that you are noticing the light turn red. So what?

‘Mindfulness will help you notice seeing, see the red light more quickly, and to brake,' says McDonald in the Q&A session published in tricycle. 'Your response times are going to be quicker and will allow you to assess any dangers on the road and respond more intelligently and spaciously.’

I have always hated driving in traffic, and I will do almost anything to avoid it ... like, for example, getting out of bed 2 or more hours earlier in the morning in order to miss the traffic. Perhaps I need to drive more in the traffic. In one sense, it doesn’t really matter. Traffic or no traffic, where else can we ever hope to find ‘enlightenment’ but in whatever presents itself as ‘the moment.’

Drive mindfully. The life you save may be your own, or mine ... and besides, driving mindfully is living mindfully.

Please read the Q&A session with Michele McDonald published in tricycle.
Tricycle, published by The Tricycle Foundation, is the leading journal of Buddhism in the West.
Acknowledgments are due to Tricycle. All rights reserved.

MINDFULNESS MAY PROVIDE RELIEF FROM TINNITUS

Tinnitus is a physical condition experienced as noises or ringing in the ears or head when no such external physical noise is present. The condition is usually caused by a fault in the hearing system itself.

Tinnitus is a symptom, not a disease in itself, and it can result from a wide range of underlying causes.

At present there is no actual 'cure' for tinnitus. However, many of the causes of tinnitus are treatable.

Approximately 17 to 20 per cent of Australians suffer from some degree of tinnitus, varying from mild to severe. As regards the latter, the noise can vary in pitch from a low roar to a high squeal or whine, and it may be heard in one or both ears.

The majority of tinnitus sufferers use what may be referred to as the ‘direct’ approach, that is, they attempt to drive away the ringing in their ears. However, new research suggests that acknowledging (or, in mindfulness parlance, 'noting') the sensation and learning to live with it can help decrease suffering.

As I see it, this is just another one more example, or rather illustration, of the metaphysical or mental ‘law of indirectness’. That ‘law’ or principle says, ‘Don't attempt to put a thought or problem out of one's mind directly but rather let the problem slip from the sphere of conscious analysis.’ Don't try ... instead, let ... for we all know from experience that, 'Whatever we resist, persists.'

Easier said than done, of course, but it can be done ... with practice. Is persistence needed? Not in the sense of 'will-power.' (Actually there is no such thing as will-power. The will has no power in and of itself, but that's for another blog.) Here's another metaphysical law worth remembering ... 'Effort defeats itself.' Got the picture? So, forget about gritting your teeth and flexing your muscles, as though some form of mental toughness would achieve the desired result. No, the type of persistence needed for success, if that be the right word, takes the form of what has been described as an effortless effort ... in the form of an awareness, and 'noting', on an ongoing basis ... from one moment to the next.

Lead researcher Jennifer Gans (pictured right), an assistant professor at the University of California at San Francisco says a technique called 'mindfulness-based tinnitus reduction' helps people separate the ringing from the stress, anxiety and other negative emotions tinnitus often causes.

‘Instead of pushing it away, it's dealing with what it is and experiencing it as a body sensation without the fear and depression that's creating the suffering,’ says Gans.

Mindfulness-based tinnitus reduction is an adaptation or special application of mindfulness-based stress reduction, which previous studies have found to be effective in helping people deal with chronic pain and arthritis. The tinnitus version is specifically designed to deal with the symptoms of tinnitus.

For more information see this article from ABC News/Health ... as well as this YouTube video on using mindfulness in treating tinnitus:

Finally - This blog sets out a simple form of mindfulness sitting meditation.

Resource: Gans J J, 'Mindfulness-based tinnitus therapy is an approach with ancient roots', (2010) Hearing Journal, Nov 2010, v 63, issue 11, doi: 10.1097/01.HJ.0000390823.09995.f3


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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blog. 

MINDFULNESS AND ORGASM

There’s an old joke, ‘Women might be able to fake orgasms but men can fake whole relationships.’

Be that as it may, mindfulness meditation can assist in bringing women to orgasm according to Nicole Daedone (pictured right).

Daedone is an ardent San Francisco feminist and author of Slow Sex: The Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm. She claims that ‘in just 15 minutes, a woman can become orgasmic.’

So-called ‘slow sex’ uses meditation techniques like mindfulness and focusing on sensitivity and pleasure. It is not the same thing as Tantric sex with its promise of 'full body orgasm' ... whatever that is.

Like mindful yoga, position and awareness are extremely important ... although 'slow sex' appears to involve a couple of extra 'things' as well.

In the book Daedone offers detailed drawings and variations to accommodate same-sex partners. Good stuff.

She says she  learned about 'orgasmic meditation' after meeting a man at a California Zen centre who offered to demonstrate 'slow sex'. (For more on so-called 'Zen sex' see this book on the subject.)

After reading about Daedone's experience, I may have to revise my entire view on Zen ... or maybe I just haven't been to the 'right' Zen centres.

Anyway, orgasmic meditation or ‘Oming’ is a term coined by Daedone to signify a special type of sensory awareness. More specifically, it is a mindfulness practice in which the object of meditation is ... finger to genital contact.

I will stop there lest you or I get too excited.

For more information see this ABC News/Health article ... as well as this YouTube video ... and have fun!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org

MINDFUL HEALTH, LEADERSHIP AND THE POWER OF POSSIBILITY

Many Australians can enhance their lives simply by thinking more positively and mindfully, says the renowned international psychologist Professor Ellen J Langer (pictured left) who spoke at the University of Melbourne on 1 June 2011.

Professor Langer was the first woman ever to be tenured in psychology at Harvard University. She has studied the illusion of control, decision making, ageing and mindfulness theory and is the author of more than 200 research articles and 11 books, including Mindfulness and The Power of Mindful Learning. Her latest book is Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility.

The Australian Unity sponsored lecture, Counterclockwise: Mindful Health and the Power of Possibility, focused on Professor Langer’s research into the causes and consequences of mindlessness and discusses a mindfulness 'cure'.

Langer points out that most of our physical and psychological suffering is the direct or indirect result of mindlessness. She said her research can be summed up as ‘wherever you put the mind, the body will follow.’

‘Most of us are sealed in unlived lives and are unaware of the toll our mindlessness takes on our psychological and physical wellbeing. Our level of effectiveness and a person’s limits are of their own making,’ Professor Langer said.

Australian Unity is to be commended for sponsoring this lecture by one of the world's leading academic experts on the power of mindfulness.

To listen to the lecture select one of three links below:

MP3

WAV

MOV

[Source: Australian Unity media release 16/06/2011 12:00 AM]

Now, on the subject of mindful leadership, here is a link to a video presentation of Professor Langer speaking in Melbourne at the ADC Future Summit 2011 on mindful leadership.

Langer speaks about mindfulness and how uncertainty and awareness affect the quality of our decision-making.

The rationale behind the concept of ‘mindful leadership’ is very simple. If you want to lead others, and want the ‘perks’ of being a leader, then you are obligated to accept that you are under a ‘duty’ - yes, duty - to others to treat them with respect. You cannot do that unless, among other things, you make rationally humane decisions:

·     based on the ‘merits’ and special circumstances of the particular matter before you, and

·     with a ‘clear mind’, which is fully present in the moment, focused on the matter-at-hand, and free from the ‘baggage’ of the past (that is, free from conditioning, presumptions, assumptions, predilections, prejudices, etc) to the extent humanly possible.

I have some difficulties with Professor Langer's exposition of mindfulness, which, by her 'definition', is somewhat akin to creative thinking. Indeed, Langer is sometimes at pains to distinguish - somewhat disingenuously in my respectful opinion - her concept of mindfulness from the Eastern one. I could, and perhaps at some time in the near future will, do a whole blog on that particular matter.

Be that as it may, Langer is at her best when speaking and writing about the 'counterpart' of mindfulness, namely mindlessness. Also, I cannot fault Langer's references to mindfulness as 'the ability to always see things as new and open' [my emphasis]. Yes, a mind must be wide open in order to function freely in thought.

Also, Langer does not appear to disassociate herself from the characteristically Eastern truth that we are always in a state of becoming ... as opposed to being ... and that nothing is fixed. Thus, a mindful leader is careful to avoid rigid systems (especially 'belief-systems') and is adept at changing with the ever changing ... for, as well all know, the only 'constant' in life is change.

When speaking to business leaders and managers I often say, 'Forget about Management by Objectives (MBO). Instead, think in terms of Management by Mindfulness (MBM).' I wonder what Peter Drucker, if he were still alive today, would say about that? (I think I know.)

To download this second talk of Profesor Langer select one of three links below:

Feeds MP3 podcast iTunes podcast iTunes vodcast   (high data usage)

Download this talk Flash Video (.flv): 157 MB MP3 Audio (.mp3): 24 MB MPEG Video (.m4v): 149 MB (right-click > save)

[Source: ADC Future Summit 2011]

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MINDFULNESS FOR A HEALTHY HEART

According to the Australian Heart Foundation, every 10 minutes somebody in Australia dies from heart disease. The leading underlying cause of death for all Australians is reported to be ischaemic heart disease (IHD), contributing to some 18 per cent of all male deaths and some 17 per cent of all female deaths. Heart disease is also the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States of America … and many other places as well.

Joel Dimsdale's 2008 article ‘Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease’ published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is a metaanalysis of the world's research literature on the unique relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

CVD is not a single disorder but represents over 20 different disease including stroke, various heart diseases (including coronary heart disease), and heart failure. According to the American Heart Association, if all forms of CVD were eliminated, total life expectancy in the US would increase by 7 years. The main cause of CVD is atherosclerosis – the build up of fatty plaque on the inner layer of artery walls. This can lead to blood clots. When a coronary artery or vessel is blocked, it is called coronary heart [or artery] disease, which is the major form of CVD.

Major risk factors for CVD include smoking, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Now, what is clear is that stress triggers events. It is less clear if stress actually causes events. However, Dimsdale has documented overwhelming evidence confirming the ‘deleterious effects of stress on the heart and for the fact that vulnerability and resilience factors play a role in amplifying or dampening those effects’.

The heart and blood vessels are particularly sensitive to acute and chronic stress. With every beat, the heart not only pumps blood, but also transmits complex patterns of neurological, hormonal, pressure and electromagnetic information to the brain and throughout the body.

The heart is uniquely positioned as a powerful communications hub that connects the body, mind, emotions and spirit. Research suggests that there is an elaborate feedback network of hormones, chemicals and nerves that exist between the brain, the heart and centres of thoughts and emotions. The heart sends the brain messages that affect our perceptions, our mental processing and our feelings.

We all know that there is a strong connection between stress and cardiovascular health via multiple pathways including type A behaviour pattern (hostility and anger are the lethal elements), the direct effects of adrenaline on blood vessels and the heart itself (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy), acceleration of atherosclerosis leading to coronary artery disease, abnormal metabolism, insulin resistance and inflammation, and irritability of the heart muscle.

You can help prevent heart disease by quitting smoking, lowering cholesterol, controlling high blood pressure and blood sugar, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising. Oh, yes, I guess I don’t need to tell you - but I will anyway - that there is abundant evidence in the medical and scientific journals attesting to the benefits of meditation – especially mindfulness meditation – as regards personal risk management for heart disease … not to mention so many other kinds of disease as well.

A study examining the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction found a significant improvement in breathing efficiency and frequency (Robert-McComb et al: 2004), which assists in the management of heart disease. Lowered resting level of the stress hormone cortisol was also observed (cf cortisol-induced hypertension). Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream - like those associated with chronic stress - have been shown to have numerous negative effects including hypertension, impaired cognitive performance, suppressed thyroid function, blood sugar imbalances such as hyperglycemia, decreased bone density and muscle tissue, lowered immunity, and inflammatory responses in the body.

We all know that hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. An 8-month study involving 111 teens on the verge of becoming hypertensive adults, found that meditation helps blood vessels relax (Barnes et al: 2004). Two 15-minute meditation sessions led to an average 21 per cent increase in the ability of the teens' blood vessels to dilate. In contrast, the teens who did not meditate experienced a 4 per cent decrease in blood vessel dilation over the 8-month study.

Lead investigator Dr Vernon A Barnes, stated: ‘We know that this type of change is achievable with lipid-lowering drugs, but it's remarkable that a meditation program can produce such a change. This could have important implications for inclusion of meditation programs to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases and its clinical consequences.’

Another important study shows that mindfulness meditation is associated  with improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes (Rosenzweig et al: 2007).

Mindfulness is not just an antidote for stress. Mindfulness actually changes things – you! The only 'thing' you can ever change. (You're powerless over everything else.) The regular practice of mindfulness meditation allows you to make the necessary ‘adjustments’ to changing circumstances and unprecedented events. You learn to refine and adjust your expectations (and invent new expectations) and to tailor your ‘responses’ [cf ‘reactions’] to emerging threats as well as general existential uncertainty.

The key elements? I have mentioned these two phrases so many times in my now more than 80 blogs since October 2010 – choiceless awareness and bare attention. Commit them to memory. Better still, commit them to daily practice.

This post sets out a simple form of mindfulness sitting meditation. Also, if you are living with heart disease you may wish to purchase this very good interactive mindfulness audio CD featuring Dr Bob Stahl.

RESOURCES:

Barnes VA, Treiber FA, Johnson MH: Impact of transcendental meditation on ambulatory blood pressure in African-American adolescents. Am J Hypertens. 2004;17, 366–369; doi: 10.1016/j.amjhyper.2003.12.008

Dimsdale JE: Psychological Stress and Cardiovascular Disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008;51;1237-1246 doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2007.12.024

Robert McComb JJ, Tacon A, Randolph P, Caldera Y: A pilot study to examine the effects of a mindfulness-based stress-reduction and relaxation program on levels of stress hormones, physical functioning, and submaximal exercise responses. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(5):819-27.

Rosenzweig S, Reibel DK, Greeson JM, Edman JS, Jasser SA, McMearty KD, Goldstein BJ: Mindfulness-based stress reduction is associated with improved glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2007;13(5):36-38.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: See the Terms of Use and Disclaimer. The information provided on this blogspot is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your medical practitioner or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on this blogspot. For immediate advice or support call Lifeline on 13 1 1 14 or Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. For information, advice and referral on mental illness contact the SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) go online via sane.org