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Bipolar depression is often refractory to treatment and is frequently associated with anxiety symptoms and elevated suicide risk. There is a great need for adjunctive psychotherapeutic interventions. Treatments with effectiveness for depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as suicide-related thoughts and behaviors would be particularly beneficial. Mindfulness-based interventions hold promise, and studies of these approaches for bipolar disorder are warranted. The aim of this paper is to provide a conceptual background for such studies by reviewing key findings from diverse lines of investigation. Results of that review indicate that cortical midline structures (CMS) appear to link abnormal self-referential thinking to emotional dysregulation in mood disorders. Furthermore, CMS and striatal dysfunction may play a role in the neuropathology underlying suicide-related thoughts and behaviors. Thus, combining studies of mindfulness interventions targeting abnormal self-referential thinking with functional imaging of CMS and striatal function may help delineate the neurobiological mechanisms of action of these treatments.

This article introduces biofeedback, meditation, and autogenic training as a beneficial modality for a range of health ails.

This book provides an in-depth description of the underlying processes of biofeedback; the role of biofeedback in self-regulation; and the correlation between brain states and emotional states.

Understanding the autonomic nervous system and homeostatic changes associated with emotions remains a major challenge for neuroscientists and a fundamental prerequisite to treat anxiety, stress, and emotional disorders. Based on recent publications, the inter-relationship between respiration and emotions and the influence of respiration on autonomic changes, and subsequent widespread membrane potential changes resulting from changes in homeostasis are discussed. We hypothesize that reversing homeostatic alterations with meditation and breathing techniques rather than targeting neurotransmitters with medication may be a superior method to address the whole body changes that occur in stress, anxiety, and depression. Detrimental effects of stress, negative emotions, and sympathetic dominance of the autonomic nervous system have been shown to be counteracted by different forms of meditation, relaxation, and breathing techniques. We propose that these breathing techniques could be used as first-line and supplemental treatments for stress, anxiety, depression, and some emotional disorders.

BACKGROUND: Although hatha yoga has frequently been recommended for patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and there is preliminary evidence that it alleviates depression, there are no published data on the benefits-and potential risks-of yoga for patients with BD. Thus, the goal of this study was to assess the risks and benefits of yoga in individuals with BD. METHODS: We recruited self-identified yoga practitioners with BD (N=109) to complete an Internet survey that included measures of demographic and clinical information and open-ended questions about yoga practice and the impact of yoga. RESULTS: 86 respondents provided sufficient information for analysis, 70 of whom met positive screening criteria for a lifetime history of mania or hypomania. The most common styles of yoga preferred were hatha and vinyasa. When asked what impact yoga had on their life, participants responded most commonly with positive emotional effects, particularly reduced anxiety, positive cognitive effects (e.g., acceptance, focus, or "a break from my thoughts"), or positive physical effects (e.g., weight loss, increased energy). Some respondents considered yoga to be significantly life changing. The most common negative effect of yoga was physical injury or pain. Five respondents gave examples of specific instances or a yoga practice that they believed increased agitation or manic symptoms; five respondents gave examples of times that yoga increased depression or lethargy. CONCLUSIONS: Many individuals who self-identify as having BD believe that yoga has benefits for mental health. However, yoga is not without potential risks. It is possible that yoga could serve as a useful adjunctive treatment for BD.

Background. Although hatha yoga has frequently been recommended for patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and there is preliminary evidence thatit alleviates depression, there are no published data on the benefits—and potential risks—of yoga for patients with BD. Thus, the goal of this study was to assess the risks and benefits of yoga in individuals with BD. Methods. We recruited self-identified yoga practitioners with BD (N = 109) to complete an Internet survey that included measures of demographic and clinical information and open-ended questions about yoga practice and the impact of yoga. Results. 86 respondents provided sufficient information for analysis, 70 of whom met positive screening criteria for a lifetime history of mania or hypomania. The most common styles of yoga preferred were hatha and vinyasa. When asked what impact yoga had on their life, participants responded most commonly with positive emotional effects, particularly reduced anxiety, positive cognitive effects (e.g., acceptance, focus, or “a break from my thoughts”), or positive physical effects (e.g., weight loss, increased energy). Some respondents considered yoga to be significantly life changing. The most common negative effect of yoga was physical injury or pain. Five respondents gave examples of specific instances or a yoga practice that they believed increased agitation or manic symptoms; five respondents gave examples of times that yoga increased depression or lethargy. Conclusions. Many individuals who self-identify as having BD believe that yoga has benefits for mental health. However, yoga is not without potential risks. It is possible that yoga could serve as a useful adjunctive treatment for BD.

Objectives: This study focused on patients with bipolar disorder (BD), several years after their participation in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). It aimed at documenting sustained mindfulness practice, perceived long-term benefit from the program, and changes regarded as direct consequences of the intervention.Design: This cross-sectional survey took place at least 2 years after MBCT for 70.4% of participants. Location: It was conducted in two specialized outpatient units for BDs that are part of the Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland) and the Sainte-Anne Hospital in Paris (France). Subjects: Eligibility criteria were a diagnosis of BD according to DSM-IV and participation in at least four MBCT sessions. Response rate was 66.4%. The final sample included 71 outpatients (71.8% bipolar I, 28.2% bipolar II). Outcome measures: A questionnaire retrospectively assessed patient-perceived change, benefit from MBCT, and current mindfulness practice. Results: Proportions of respondents who practiced mindfulness at least once a week were 54.9% for formal practice (body scan, sitting meditation, mindful walking, or movements) and 57.7% for informal practice (mindful daily activities). Perceived benefit for the prevention of relapse was moderate, but patients acknowledged long-lasting effects and persistent changes in their way of life. Formal mindfulness practice at least once a week tended to be associated with increased long-lasting effects (p = 0.052), whereas regular informal practice and mindful breathing were significantly associated with persistent changes in daily life (p = 0.038) and better prevention of depressive relapse (p = 0.035), respectively. The most frequently reported positive change was increased awareness of being able to improve one's health. Conclusions: Despite methodological limitations, this survey allowed documenting mindfulness practice and perceived sustained benefit from MBCT in patients with BD. Participants particularly valued increased awareness that they can influence their own health. Both informal and formal practices, when sustained in the long term, might promote long-lasting changes.

BACKGROUND:There is increasing recognition of mindfulness and mindfulness training as a way to decrease stress and increase psychological functioning. PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to examine the effects of mindfulness stress reduction training on perceived stress and psychological well-being and to examine if changes in mindfulness mediate intervention effects on these outcomes. METHODS: Seventy women and one man with a previous cancer diagnosis (mean age 51.8 years, standard deviation = 9.86) were randomized into an intervention group or a wait-list control group. The intervention consisted of an 8-week mindfulness training course. RESULTS: Compared to participants in the control group, participants in the mindfulness training group had significantly decreased perceived stress and posttraumatic avoidance symptoms and increased positive states of mind. Those who participated in the intervention reported a significant increase in scores on the five-facet mindfulness questionnaire (FFMQ) when compared to controls. The increase in FFMQ score mediated the effects of the intervention on perceived stress, posttraumatic avoidance symptoms, and positive states of mind. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that the improvements in psychological well-being resulting from mindfulness stress reduction training can potentially be explained by increased levels of mindfulness as measured with the FFMQ. The importance of these findings for future research in the field of mindfulness is discussed.

In this article we review the emerging literature on the self-transcendent emotions. We discuss how the self-transcendent emotions differ from other positive emotions and outline the defining features of this category. We then provide an analysis of three specific self-transcendent emotions—compassion, gratitude, and awe—detailing what has been learned about their expressive behavior, physiology, and likely evolutionary origins. We propose that these emotions emerged to help humans solve unique problems related to caretaking, cooperation, and group coordination in social interactions. In our final section we offer predictions about the self-transcendent emotions that can guide future research.

This study examines the impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) versus Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) versus Waitlist (WL) on self-views in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One hundred eight unmedicated patients with SAD were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of CBGT, MBSR, or WL, and completed a self-referential encoding task (SRET) that assessed self-endorsement of positive and negative self-views pre- and post-treatment. At baseline, 40 healthy controls (HCs) also completed the SRET. At baseline, patients with SAD endorsed greater negative and lesser positive self-views than HCs. Compared to baseline, patients in both CBGT and MBSR decreased negative self-views and increased positive self-views. Improvement in self-views, specifically increases in positive (but not decreases in negative) self-views, predicted CBGT- and MBSR-related decreases in social anxiety symptoms. Enhancement of positive self-views may be a shared therapeutic process for both CBGT and MBSR for SAD.

The author of Emotional Intelligence speaks on the value of social and emotional learning.

Research shows that a socially-emotionally supportive setting is the solution to increasing student achievement. The SEL Solution helps students and adults master critical social-emotional skills, encourages student leadership, provides effective and compassionate behavior management strategies, and increases student success.

Research shows that a socially-emotionally supportive setting is the solution to increasing student achievement. The SEL Solution helps students and adults master critical social-emotional skills, encourages student leadership, provides effective and compassionate behavior management strategies, and increases student success.

<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">The Dialogue on Mind and Wisdom (Sems dang ye shes kyi dri lan) is contained in the Miscellaneous Writings of Longchenpa. This edition of Miscellaneous Writings was reproduced from the xylographic prints from the Adzom Drukpa Chögar (A 'dzom 'brug pa chos sgar) blocks.</span></span></p>

<p>The Lamp That Encapsulates the Essence of Mind (Sems nyid bsdus pa'i sgron me) is contained in the Seminal Heart in Four Parts (Snying thig ya bzhi) which is a collection compiled and partly composed by Longchen Rapjam Drimé Özer (1308-1364). This collection of profound Dzokchen teachings consists of the (1) The Seminal Heart of the Ḍakiṇī (Mkha’ ‘gro snying thig), (2) The Seminal Quintessence of the Ḍakiṇī (Mkha’ ‘gro yang tig) (3) The Seminal Heart of Vimalamitra (Bi ma snying thig), (4) The Seminal Quintessence of the Spiritual Teacher (Bla ma yang tig), and (5) The Profound Seminal Quintessence (Zab mo yang tig). This edition was reproduced from the original xylograph belonging to the late Kathog Ontrul.</p>

Winters High School senior Nataly Hernandez had never taken a yoga class in her life. But last summer, when her

Obese individuals have an increased risk of developing depression. This study aimed to determine whether the “Senobi” breathing exercise (SBE), a stretching-breathing exercise that we have established, could relieve depression, especially in obese women. Forty premenopausal women, aged 40 to 49 years, participated in the present study. Twenty were healthy, and the other 20 were obese (body mass index > 25 and body fat > 30%) and in a depressive state (OWD). Sympathetic nerve activity determined by analyzing heart rate variability, and the hormone levels in the urine were investigated before and 30 min after one minute of SBE. The relative proportion of sympathetic nerve activity among healthy women in the daytime was 79.2 ± 2.3%, whereas that in OWD group was 30.4 ± 1.9%. After one minute of SBE, significant up-regulation of sympathetic nerve activity and increased concentrations of catecholamines, estradiol, and growth hormone (all P values < 0.001) were observed in OWD group. After 30 days of SBE, the sympathetic nerve activity and hormone levels had recovered in OWD group, and the depressive state, as evaluated by the Hamilton Depression Scale, had ameliorated. The “Senobi” breathing exercise was found to be effective for amelioration of depression in obese women possibly through up-regulation of sympathetic nerve activity and hormone secretion.

Neuroadrenergic abnormalities, including a predominant activity of parasympathetic nerve and blunted hormone secretion, are recognized in the overweight patients. This study aimed to examine whether the “Senobi” breathing method, a stretch-breathing exercise that we have developed, could activate or recover sympathetic nervous system activity that leads to the loss of body weight. Forty pre-menopausal women, aged 40 to 50 years, participated in this study. Twenty were healthy and the other 20 were overweight (body mass index > 25 and body fat > 30%). Sympathetic nerve activity was assessed using equipment that analyzes cardiac-beat variation, and several urinary hormone levels were examined before and 30 min after performing the “Senobi” breathing exercise. The average proportion of sympathetic nerve among healthy women during daytime hours (10 : 00 AM to 12 : 00 PM) was 62.6% ± 2.6%. On the other hand, that of overweight women was 33.5% ± 0.4%. After 1 min of the “Senobi” breathing, substantial up-regulation of sympathetic nerve activity and increased urinary hormone secretion were observed in the overweight women but not in the healthy controls. Moreover, after repeating the exercise for a month, the obese patients showed significant loss of body fat. The “Senobi” breathing exercise was found to be effective for weight loss in obesity possibly by regulating the autonomic nervous system and the hormone secretion.

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