Tabla de contenidos para February 2018 en Mindful

Editor-in-Chief barry@mindful.org On days when things are going really badly, it feels as if nothing you’d looked forward to is panning out and new problems keep emerging from around the corner. You didn’t plan on missing the bus, and then the strap on your backpack broke, and just then your sister called to say she had some worrisome test results. And right about then, a friend tells you to “Just relax!” How annoying is that? Relaxation is distinctly not something you can just command yourself to do. It needs to come over you and perhaps, ultimately, to overcome you. That’s one of the reasons so many of us grow to appreciate mindfulness practice. It sneaks up on stress from the side. It lulls us into letting go of obsessively grasping…

mindful Who knew cigarette butts, plastic water bottles, and old smartphones could be upcycled into modern furniture and other high-end goods? UK startup Pentatonic is doing just that—no resins, glues, or harmful additives included. Google faced a backlash over the calorie-counting feature added to Maps. Critics argued a rigid focus on calories (measured by the app in mini-cupcakes) can promote an unhealthy mindset around food. Google listened up and ditched the feature. The nonprofit Compassion Games encourages a culture of kindness through working together. Teaming up for the games, women incarcerated at a California prison performed 4,500 acts of kindness: sharing food, cleaning each others’ living spaces, and knitting items for charity. mindless A man’s career at the juvenile justice department in South Texas wrapped up after it was discovered…

Q I keep hearing that science has proven the benefits of mindfulness meditation. Is that a thoroughly accurate statement? Does research show, in a way that’s objectively measurable, that you will definitely have greater well-being if you meditate? A Science can’t definitively show anything, especially when it comes to human experience. That’s not to impugn the value of science, but to note its limitations. Science does its best to predict outcomes in the future based on observations of the past. With meditation science, there is a large and growing body of research that suggests the odds are good that meditation practice will have a generally salutary and positive impact on someone who practices it regularly. But science works with statistics and probabilities, usually regarding groups, so that what happens for…

1 Be curious “Curiosity makes everything new,” write Evans and Burnett. “It invites exploration. It makes everything play. Most of all, curiosity is going to help you ‘get good at getting lucky.’” 2 Try stuff Designers have a bias to action. They make things happen. They create prototype after prototype, often failing, but failing better. “Designers embrace change,” the authors add. “They are not attached to a particular outcome, because they are always focused on what will happen next—not what the final result will be.” 3 Reframe problems Are you working on the wrong problem? Reframing is a good way to get unstuck. It allows you to step back, examine your biases, and open up your mind to new possibilities. For example, if you’re stuck in the dysfunctional belief that…

Find a buddy Make a commitment to exercise with a friend or coworker once or twice per week. It helps to choose someone you wouldn’t want to disappoint. This will hold you accountable and improve the likelihood of staying consistent. Besides, working out with a friend makes sweating more fun. Turn On the Tunes In a 2013 study, researchers showed that pumping up the music while we exercise significantly improves our mood. Listening to inspiring tunes while exercising also distracts you from fatigue and motivates you to work out longer and harder. Plug in, tune in, and turn it up.…

MEDITATION FOR FIDGETY SKEPTICS Dan Harris • Spiegel & Grau A few years ago, ABC News reporter Dan Harris wrote 10% Happier about his unlikely journey from professional skeptic to meditation “evangelist” following an on-air panic attack. A naturally witty, even acerbic, commentator, his take on mindfulness is in-your-face and gritty—with a large dose of mockery of syrupy language or lofty accounts of “finding oneself” through the practice. His latest book, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, dishes up more “real” talk about meditation, packaged in the form of a travelogue from the 10% Happier Meditation Tour with Canadian mindfulness teacher Jeff Warren, his equal in sarcastic wit and aversion for fluff or naval gazing. Harris aims to make mindfulness even more accessible to people like him, so the book, like the…

Do you identify as an introvert or an extrovert? 42% OF RESPONDENTS SAY THEY’RE primarily introverts, compared to just 10% extroverts. 38% identify with both introverted and extroverted qualities. The last 10% don’t identify with either type. Do you enjoy being alone? 95% YES 5% NO What do you do when you’re by yourself that you wouldn’t do with company? • “Raid the fridge and watch trashy TV.” • “Talk to myself.” • “Kayak.” • “Work in my garden and flower beds, walk my dogs, and play with my cats.” • “Most of my work is solitary.” • “I meditate, do yoga, and curl up to read a great book.” • “Cook something wonderful and eat it!” • “Wear only my underwear.” • “Dance under the stars on warm summer…

1 FIRST, GET REAL ABOUT HAPPINESS Happiness isn’t about being upbeat all the time. Instead, think of it as a trait—one that helps you to recognize even the tiniest moments of joy, to fully embrace the good stuff in life without pause, and to know that even when things aren’t going well, this hard time, too, shall pass. It’s also something that can be cultivated. Why is this important? Science shows us that happiness is one of the best defenses against hardship. It creates resiliency, and it also allows us, by not getting stuck in a negative state, to see opportunities that might lead us back to a steadier, more contented outlook. The key to uncovering happiness is to be on the lookout for the sweet moments in life, big…

In recent years the scientific community has sought evidence of how compassionate thoughts, for ourselves and others, may affect our brains and our behavior. In one 2012 study, MRI scans of experienced practitioners found that their gray matter had increased in areas of the brain linked to empathic responses, anxiety, and mood. Other studies have suggested that the practice decreases our risk for stress and burnout, specifically among those in the caring professions, such as teachers and healthcare workers. One study of counseling students found that practicing compassion improved their ability to see others’ perspectives and feel empathy for others’ distress. While we don’t yet know all the measurable health benefits of compassion meditation, it’s a promising new area to explore.…

1 In 2015, over 16 million adults in the United States experienced at least one major depressive episode (6.7% of the population). The condition affected around 3 million US teenagers from 2015 to 2016. 2 In order for a diagnosis of depression to be made, low mood must be present for two weeks, along with at least four other typical symptoms (such as sleep problems, change in appetite, inability to concentrate, low self-esteem, or suicidal thoughts). 3 Women are twice as likely to report experiencing depression as men. For women, the peak age for an episode is between 40 and 59 years. 4 The causes of depression are complex, and not fully understood, but may include biological factors (such as hormonal or chemical changes), past or present life stressors, patterns…

“For American Indians stories are medicine…being present with yourself and the audience and speaking from the heart.”RENDA DIONNE RENDA DIONNE grew up in southern California as a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. She married a Cahuilla traditional bird singer, and they now have two daughters. Family is a big focus of her life, and so is mindfulness—and bringing the two together. While studying at UCLA she discovered the practice and eventually become certified as a teacher through UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, where she was strongly influenced by long-time mindfulness teacher Diana Winston. She went on to be mentored by Bonnie Duran—researcher, author, and professor from the University of Washington—who is dedicated to bringing mindfulness to Indian Country. These influences led to her decision to combine…

The best way to keep your exercise routine fresh is to avoid getting stuck in a rut of doing the same workout every time. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends healthy adults include a variety of exercises including weight lifting, stretching and balance exercises, and movement to increase your heart rate. Cross-training is key. Variety in workouts makes moving fun and is essential to building stronger muscles. While you may be tempted to simply do your favorite exercise seven days a week, opening your mind to new workout styles will do more to improve your health and fitness in 2018. Experiment with a few types of cross-training activities until you find what works best for you. With some ideas to get you started, here are the main categories of…

REVISIONIST HISTORY Episode: The King of Tears In this series, Malcolm Gladwell’s prodigious talents as both a free thinker and a storyteller are on display. Gladwell likes to look at things from oblique angles, the better to break us out of fixed ways of thinking and shed new light. A superb journalist, he explores and investigates by talking with people. In Episode 6, season 2, he travels to Nashville in a fascinating quest to account for the difficulties we have in bridging the cultural divide in America by contrasting country music and rock and roll: one pulls at the heartstrings, the other doesn’t go there much THE EDUCHANGE PODCAST Episode: Ashanti Branch In this episode, Ever Forward Club founder Ashanti Branch relates how neither excelling in school nor showing your…

NUTRITION INFO Gingerols are the active nutritional components in ginger. With powerful anti-inflammatory properties, these compounds can also provide a great remedy for nausea and indigestion. source: whfoods.com The spice of fresh ginger carries a special warmth, like a mellow flame that ignites our bodies. It’s not fiery like a chili, but it burns more brightly than its aromatic friends, garlic and onion. It straddles the worlds of both vegetable and spice. Ginger’s flavor is strong and subtle, as is its appearance: Beneath rough beige skin you wouldn’t expect flesh that shines so golden like the sun. Its initial heat yields to a lingering earthiness and zest. What better antidote to winter’s chill? TRY THIS Enjoy the bright yet earthy spice of ginger with a cup of soothing tea. Peel…

Seek help “Recognize that you’re dealing with a legitimate condition that requires care,” says Zindel Segal. “Many people see depression as a personal inadequacy, which is actually one of its symptoms.” See your doctor and ask for treatment. You may be prescribed antidepressant medication and/or referred to a therapist, who can help create a treatment plan tailored to you and your circumstances. Do something pleasurable every morning “This might be something like taking a long warm shower or bath, or getting up and making that first cup of coffee or tea,” says Susan Woods. “Mornings can be really difficult when you’re depressed, so make sure that you get out of bed and do something that usually gives you pleasure.” Do something each day that brings a sense of accomplishment “Washing…