According the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, integrative medicine brings together complementary therapies (eg, supplements, natural products, and mind-body therapies) into mainstream healthcare. It is evidence-based and patient-centered in that it considers the clinician’s relationship with the patient as the central therapeutic element. It is comprehensive in its approach, assessing the patient’s mind, body, and spirit as well as the social, community, and environmental dimensions of health. It strongly emphasizes foundational health practices such as nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management. In addition, it recognizes that the human being has a powerful, innate capacity for healing. Finally, it incorporates complementary modalities when clinically indicated, in a way that is safe and synergistic with conventional therapies.
The ability to focus one's attention underlies success in many everyday tasks, but voluntary attention cannot be sustained for extended periods of time. In the laboratory, sustained-attention failure is manifest as a decline in perceptual sensitivity with increasing time on task, known as the vigilance decrement. We investigated improvements in sustained attention with training (~ 5 hr/day for 3 months), which consisted of meditation practice that involved sustained selective attention on a chosen stimulus (e.g., the participant's breath). Participants were randomly assigned either to receive training first (n = 30) or to serve as waiting-list controls and receive training second (n = 30). Training produced improvements in visual discrimination that were linked to increases in perceptual sensitivity and improved vigilance during sustained visual attention. Consistent with the resource model of vigilance, these results suggest that perceptual improvements can reduce the resource demand imposed by target discrimination and thus make it easier to sustain voluntary attention.
Zotero Collections:
The capacity to focus one's attention for an extended period of time can be increased through training in contemplative practices. However, the cognitive processes engaged during meditation that support trait changes in cognition are not well characterized. We conducted a longitudinal wait-list controlled study of intensive meditation training. Retreat participants practiced focused attention (FA) meditation techniques for three months during an initial retreat. Wait-list participants later undertook formally identical training during a second retreat. Dense-array scalp-recorded electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected during 6 min of mindfulness of breathing meditation at three assessment points during each retreat. Second-order blind source separation, along with a novel semi-automatic artifact removal tool (SMART), was used for data preprocessing. We observed replicable reductions in meditative state-related beta-band power bilaterally over anteriocentral and posterior scalp regions. In addition, individual alpha frequency (IAF) decreased across both retreats and in direct relation to the amount of meditative practice. These findings provide evidence for replicable longitudinal changes in brain oscillatory activity during meditation and increase our understanding of the cortical processes engaged during meditation that may support long-term improvements in cognition.
Zotero Collections:
Ours is an era of tension and violence, as the Modern Worldview, which came to dominate muchof the planet in the past three hundred years, is found to be unjust, inhumane even to those who are its beneficiaries, and unsustainable—to the extent that it now elicits nihilism and even terrorism (among those local and abroad, from all kinds of communities). At the same time, a new worldview— sometimes referred to as a Relational Worldview—is struggling to emerge (Rowe, 2012). The Relational Worldview is challenging because it requires human beings to grow into a lifeway oriented to
continuous growth within a pluralistic environment of mutual thriving. Challenge is accentuated by the fact that so many people are swept up in an almost automatic defensive-aggressive retreat from
a public life which has become fearful and dangerous, into fundamentalism, nativism, and terrorism.
<p>Whether we are religious or not, the Devil--evil incarnate--is a concept that can still strike fear in our hearts. What if he does exist? What if he is causing all our problems in his determination to keep us from reaching our full potential? Buddhist philosopher Stephen Batchelor takes the concept of the Devil out of literature and history and brings him to life in his many forms and guises: the flatterer, the playmate, the caring friend, the stranger who offers rest and solace, the person who knows you best and shows you your greatness in the world. And, most of all, as the great obstructer that blocks all paths to goodness and true humility. For the first time, Batchelor fuses Western literature--Milton, Keats, Baudelaire--with Buddhism and the Judeo-Christian traditions in a poetic exploration of the struggle with the concept and reality of evil.--From publisher description.</p>
Zotero Collections:
This is an authoritative translation of the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, the most important early Indian Buddhist tantra, composed in the mid seventh century. This tantra just preceded the composition of the Tattvasaṃgraha, the tantra which marked the birth of mature esoteric Buddhism in India. Theses two texts together above all other literature represented classic Indian esoteric Buddhism in the seventh and eighth century, before it began to develop into new and more radical forms. The two also came to form the canonical basis of East Asian esoteric Buddhism, in which context they were known as the MahāVairocana Sūtra and Vajraśekhara Tantra respectively. The book has a 40 page historical introduction to the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, and then a lengthy translation section including: the root tantra (30 chapters) in combination with Bhuddhaguhya's eighth century commentary, the seven chapter of its "supplementary tantra" (uttara-tantra), and finally Buddhaguhya's Condensed Commentary (Piṇḍārtha). The first chapter of the tantra is historically the most influential in East Asia. (David Germano)
<p>This is an authoritative translation of the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, the most important early Indian Buddhist tantra, composed in the mid seventh century. This tantra just preceded the composition of the Tattvasaṃgraha, the tantra which marked the birth of mature esoteric Buddhism in India. Theses two texts together above all other literature represented classic Indian esoteric Buddhism in the seventh and eighth century, before it began to develop into new and more radical forms. The two also came to form the canonical basis of East Asian esoteric Buddhism, in which context they were known as the MahāVairocana Sūtra and Vajraśekhara Tantra respectively. The book has a 40 page historical introduction to the Mahā-Vairocana-Abhisaṃbodhi Tantra, and then a lengthy translation section including: the root tantra (30 chapters) in combination with Bhuddhaguhya's eighth century commentary, the seven chapter of its "supplementary tantra" (uttara-tantra), and finally Buddhaguhya's Condensed Commentary (Piṇḍārtha). The first chapter of the tantra is historically the most influential in East Asia. (David Germano)</p>
Clinical studies of MBSR have reported efficacy in treating pain, mood disorders, arthritis, sleep disturbances, and stress. Several academic medical institutions in the United States offer MBSR to their patients, but it has never been offered at Mayo Clinic. The objective of this study was to collect quality-of-life data from subjects who participated in the first MBSR program offered at Mayo Clinic. The class was taught as a collaborative effort with the University of Minnesota that had an established MBSR program. Sixteen participants completed a validated, 12-question, linear analogue self-assessment instrument, administered at the beginning and end of the program. Comparison of assessment scores using paired t-tests showed statistically significant improvement in overall quality of life (P = 0.04), mental well-being (P = 0.005), physical well-being (P < 0.001), emotional well-being (P < 0.001), level of social activity (P = .02), and spiritual well-being (P = 0.006). Although positive changes also were observed for frequency of pain, severity of pain, level of fatigue, level of support from friends and family, and financial and legal concerns, they were not statistically significant. A short intervention in the education of mindfulness significantly improved quality of life for participants.
Medical yoga is defined as the use of yoga practices for the prevention and treatment of medical conditions. Beyond the physical elements of yoga, which are important and effective for strengthening the body, medical yoga also incorporates appropriate breathing techniques, mindfulness, and meditation in order to achieve the maximum benefits. Multiple studies have shown that yoga can positively impact the body in many ways, including helping to regulate blood glucose levels, improve musculoskeletal ailments and keeping the cardiovascular system in tune. It also has been shown to have important psychological benefits, as the practice of yoga can help to increase mental energy and positive feelings, and decrease negative feelings of aggressiveness, depression and anxiety.
Medical yoga is defined as the use of yoga practices for the prevention and treatment of medical conditions. Beyond the physical elements of yoga, which are important and effective for strengthening the body, medical yoga also incorporates appropriate breathing techniques, mindfulness, and meditation in order to achieve the maximum benefits. Multiple studies have shown that yoga can positively impact the body in many ways, including helping to regulate blood glucose levels, improve musculoskeletal ailments and keeping the cardiovascular system in tune. It also has been shown to have important psychological benefits, as the practice of yoga can help to increase mental energy and positive feelings, and decrease negative feelings of aggressiveness, depression and anxiety.
Earth’s most recent major extinction episode, the Quaternary Megafauna Extinction, claimed two-thirds of mammal genera and one-half of species that weighed >44 kg between ≈50,000 and 3,000 years ago. Estimates of megafauna biomass (including humans as a megafauna species) for before, during, and after the extinction episode suggest that growth of human biomass largely matched the loss of non-human megafauna biomass until ≈12,000 years ago. Then, total megafauna biomass crashed, because many non-human megafauna species suddenly disappeared, whereas human biomass continued to rise. After the crash, the global ecosystem gradually recovered into a new state where megafauna biomass was concentrated around one species, humans, instead of being distributed across many species. Precrash biomass levels were finally reached just before the Industrial Revolution began, then skyrocketed above the precrash baseline as humans augmented the energy available to the global ecosystem by mining fossil fuels. Implications include ( i )an increase in human biomass (with attendant hunting and other impacts) intersected with climate change to cause the Quaternary Megafauna Extinction and an ecological threshold event, after which humans became dominant in the global ecosystem; ( ii ) withcontinued growth of human biomass and today’s unprecedented global warming, only extraordinary and stepped-up conservation efforts will prevent a new round of extinctions in most body-size and taxonomic spectra; and ( iii ) a near-future biomass crash thatwill unfavorably impact humans and their domesticates and other species is unavoidable unless alternative energy sources are developed to replace dwindling supplies of fossil fuels.
We implemented a meta-analysis of randomized trials to estimate the treatment effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a group format compared to no treatment or alternative group interventions. We inspected moderators of effect size and estimated treatment effects over time across 31 studies with yielded mean effect sizes revealing large and medium effects for no treatment and alternative treatment comparisons, respectively. Moderator analyses revealed differential models for explaining variations in treatment effects related to age, percentage of men in studies, domicile, study setting, and type of alternative treatment comparison. Implications for group work and limitations of this study are discussed.
The general principles around headache as a cardinal symptom are covered elsewhere (Chap. 21); here we discuss disorders in which headache and associated features occur in the absence of any exogenous cause. The most common are migraine, tension-type headache, and the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, notably cluster headache.
The general principles around headache as a cardinal symptom are covered elsewhere (Chap. 21); here we discuss disorders in which headache and associated features occur in the absence of any exogenous cause. The most common are migraine, tension-type headache, and the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias, notably cluster headache.
While cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a significant percentage of patients struggle with residual symptoms. There is some conceptual basis for suggesting that cultivation of mindfulness may be helpful for people with GAD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group treatment derived from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues. MBSR uses training in mindfulness meditation as the core of the program. MBCT incorporates cognitive strategies and has been found effective in reducing relapse in patients with major depression (Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V., Soulsby, J., & Lau, M. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 6, 615–623).Method
Eligible subjects recruited to a major academic medical center participated in the group MBCT course and completed measures of anxiety, worry, depressive symptoms, mood states and mindful awareness in everyday life at baseline and end of treatment.
Results
Eleven subjects (six female and five male) with a mean age of 49 (range = 36–72) met criteria and completed the study. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms from baseline to end of treatment.
Conclusion
MBCT may be an acceptable and potentially effective treatment for reducing anxiety and mood symptoms and increasing awareness of everyday experiences in patients with GAD. Future directions include development of a randomized clinical trial of MBCT for GAD.
While cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be effective in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), a significant percentage of patients struggle with residual symptoms. There is some conceptual basis for suggesting that cultivation of mindfulness may be helpful for people with GAD. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a group treatment derived from mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn and colleagues. MBSR uses training in mindfulness meditation as the core of the program. MBCT incorporates cognitive strategies and has been found effective in reducing relapse in patients with major depression (Teasdale, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., Ridgeway, V., Soulsby, J., & Lau, M. (2000). Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 6, 615–623).Method
Eligible subjects recruited to a major academic medical center participated in the group MBCT course and completed measures of anxiety, worry, depressive symptoms, mood states and mindful awareness in everyday life at baseline and end of treatment.
Results
Eleven subjects (six female and five male) with a mean age of 49 (range = 36–72) met criteria and completed the study. There were significant reductions in anxiety and depressive symptoms from baseline to end of treatment.
Conclusion
MBCT may be an acceptable and potentially effective treatment for reducing anxiety and mood symptoms and increasing awareness of everyday experiences in patients with GAD. Future directions include development of a randomized clinical trial of MBCT for GAD.
Background: Numerous studies have found Mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) to be useful for a wide range of problems including anxiety, pain and coping with a medical illness. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8‐week MBSR programme in relieving distress in a community based sample.Methods: Subjects (n = 14) were participants in the MBSR programme at a major academic medical center and completed the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) prior to starting the class and at the end of the 8‐week course. Means and standard deviations were computed for the pre‐and post‐POMS total and subscale measures and the MAAS. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was conducted. Results: There were significant reductions on multiple dimensions of distress on the POMS as well as a significant increase in mindful awareness as measured by the MAAS.
Conclusion: These results suggest that MBSR appears to be associated with a reduction of distress and increased awareness of everyday life experiences in a sample of residents living in a large urban community.
BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms complicate pain management for people with FM, with adverse consequences such as a greater need for pain medications and limited pain coping strategies. Determining risks and protective factors associated with depressive symptoms in persons with FM could inform the development and implementation of mental health interventions.AIMS: To formulate and test a behavioral activation model of depression with mindfulness as a protective factor for people with FM.
METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey with 117 adults with FM from community and clinic networks. Path analysis was used to assess the relationships of pain intensity, perceived stress, activity interference, pain catastrophizing and mindfulness with depressive symptoms.
RESULTS: Mindfulness has a negative direct association with depressive symptoms and a negative indirect association with depressive symptoms through perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing. Perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had direct associations with depressive symptoms. Finally, perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had indirect associations with depressive symptoms through pain intensity.
CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness seems to play an important role as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and depression among people with FM and should be included in mental health interventions for chronic pain.
BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms complicate pain management for people with FM, with adverse consequences such as a greater need for pain medications and limited pain coping strategies. Determining risks and protective factors associated with depressive symptoms in persons with FM could inform the development and implementation of mental health interventions.AIMS: To formulate and test a behavioral activation model of depression with mindfulness as a protective factor for people with FM.
METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey with 117 adults with FM from community and clinic networks. Path analysis was used to assess the relationships of pain intensity, perceived stress, activity interference, pain catastrophizing and mindfulness with depressive symptoms.
RESULTS: Mindfulness has a negative direct association with depressive symptoms and a negative indirect association with depressive symptoms through perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing. Perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had direct associations with depressive symptoms. Finally, perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had indirect associations with depressive symptoms through pain intensity.
CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness seems to play an important role as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and depression among people with FM and should be included in mental health interventions for chronic pain.
BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms complicate pain management for people with FM, with adverse consequences such as a greater need for pain medications and limited pain coping strategies. Determining risks and protective factors associated with depressive symptoms in persons with FM could inform the development and implementation of mental health interventions.AIMS: To formulate and test a behavioral activation model of depression with mindfulness as a protective factor for people with FM.
METHODS: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey with 117 adults with FM from community and clinic networks. Path analysis was used to assess the relationships of pain intensity, perceived stress, activity interference, pain catastrophizing and mindfulness with depressive symptoms.
RESULTS: Mindfulness has a negative direct association with depressive symptoms and a negative indirect association with depressive symptoms through perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing. Perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had direct associations with depressive symptoms. Finally, perceived stress, activity interference and pain catastrophizing had indirect associations with depressive symptoms through pain intensity.
CONCLUSIONS: Mindfulness seems to play an important role as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and depression among people with FM and should be included in mental health interventions for chronic pain.
Mindfulness isn't anything that we think; it's what we don't think. Mindfulness isn't something that other people do; it's something that we all do. Mindfulness is an ancient, life-enhancing, healing technique that can help us remember our natural state of happiness and health, even if we think we are too modern and too busy to prioritize what's really important--being fully alive and fully alive to our full life potential.Mindfulness at Work reveals how the practice of mindfulness--the ability to focus our attention on what is rather than be distracted by what isn't--can be a powerful antidote to the distractions and stresses of our modern lives, especially our working lives. It gives you powerful tools to:Reduce your stressBecome more productiveImprove your decision-making skillsWork more creativelyDevelop your leadership skillsAnd much moreWritten by an expert with years of both clinical and personal experience, Mindfulness at Work includes examples of mindfulness in action in the workplace, while also showing you how to apply its lessons to specific professions, from sales to teaching, from law to medicine, from the trades to the creative arts.
ALTON - Youth mini camps started this week at the RiverBender.com Community Center on West 3rd Street, with River Bend Yoga leading the way in a series of weekly exploratory classes for kids. Executive Director Jeff Allsman said the idea for the fun and educational mini camps developed from a desire to add more value to the center's after-school program by exposing kids to areas of interest they may not otherwise get to explore.
"These are just the basics," he said. "We just thought if we can expose the kids to something, they may love it and make a lifetime out of it."
Running 4-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, the highly interactive weeklong camps give kids in grades three through eight the opportunity to learn hands-on from experts in a variety of fields. Utilizing games, exercises, physical activity and technology, volunteer instructors and coaches donate their time to teach lessons in self-defense, food science, floriculture, 3D computer imagery, golf, vet science, survival skills, electricity and money management.
"We've had great support from the community," said Allsman. "All of the folks who are coming down to instruct are volunteers. We already have 13 or 14 mini camps."
Allsman said the center initially wanted to start with just one mini camp a month during the school year. But the response has been overwhelming and there's now at least three months where they have had to double up on camps.
"We don't force the kids to do it," he said. "If you're in the after school program, there's no charge. If you're not, you can still be a part of it."
For anyone not already enrolled in the after-school program, the fee is $40 per camp, including all materials needed for the class. Although the River Bend Yoga mini camp concludes...
Pages |