Have you ever gotten lost in a good novel? The imagery so distinct, and the characters so well-described that it almost seems real . . . . . . and when you get to the last page you might feel sad that it’s come to an end. Fiction has a way of taking us […]
What Happens When Mindfulness Collides with Neuroscience?
When’s the last time you turned on the local news and heard a warm-hearted, uplifting story? Having trouble calling anything to mind? While it might be true that the media focuses mainly on hardship and tragedy, it’s also true that our brains are hardwired to remember the bad more often than the good. So how […]
Tara Brach, PhD and True Refuge: Mindfulness Strategies for More Lasting Healing
Sometimes people spend a lifetime resisting one particular feeling. But according to Tara Brach, PhD, being able to nudge them gently into their “ouch” moment can be pivotal to opening people up to self-compassion . . . . . .and in just one hour, Tara shared how a simple gesture (hand on heart) and two […]
New Tools for Healing: Bringing Mindfulness Practice into New Places
Capital murder, armed robbery, aiding and abetting . . . Often, the people who commit such crimes are fueled by years of anger and rage, and feel they have no other outlet for it than through violence. But for 20 inmates at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, a groundbreaking mindfulness program introduced them […]
The Danger of Turning to "False Refuge": Overcoming Harmful Patterns with Mindfulness Practice
Everyone is busy (or at least, it certainly feels that way). There’s always people to care for, things that need to be checked off the list, and deadlines to meet. In the business of life, it’s easy to fall into harmful shortcuts instead of seeking out long-term solutions. And sometimes these habits may seem like […]