Thomas G. Plante, Ph.D., ABPPSanta Clara University and

Stanford University School of Medicine

tplante@scu.eduwww.scu.edu/tplante

It’s much more than sitting in the lotus position and saying “om.”

Think prayer, meditation, yoga, mantrams, solidarity with the poor and oppressed, running, the rosary, Mass, Sufi dance, drumming…….

They include “practices that quiet the mind to cultivate a personal capacity for deep concentration and insight.”

They include placing yourself in the “presence of the sacred/divine.”

Similarities include (a) setting aside time, (b) mental centering/stabilizing practices, (c) nurturing virtues and character strengths, (d) having contemplative models

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

Center for Professional Development

FALL 2009

Conference TopicsIntroduction: Contemplative Practices in Action - Tom Plante The Eight Point Program of Passage Meditation - Tim Flinders, Carol Flinders, Doug Oman, Diane DreherMantram Repetition: A "Portable Contemplative Practice" for Modern Times - Jill BormannManaging Stress Mindfully - Hooria Jazaieri and Shauna ShapiroThe Path of Yoga - T. Anne RichardsThe Eternal is with me, I shall not fear – Rabbi Zari Weiss and David LevyCentering Prayer: A Method Of Christian Meditation For Our Time - Jane FergusonA Pilgrimage from Suffering to Solidarity: Walking the Path of Contemplative Practices – Sonny Manuel S.J. and Marty Stortz“Shaking the Blues Away”: Energizing spiritual practices for the treatment of chronic pain - Amy Wachholtz The Impact of Meditation on Daily Perceptions of Silicon Valley Leaders - Andre DelbecqConclusions – Tom Plante

Friday, October 30, 2009Benson Center, California Mission Room

Those who are engaged and active with religious and spiritual practices tend to be healthier, happier, have better habits, and more social support than those who are not.

Religious and spiritual engagement helps people cope better with the stressors in their lives and is associated with better mental health functioning such as more optimism, compassion for self and others, forgiveness, and less anxiety and depression. Religious people are more likely to stay married than non religious people

National Institute of Health panel concluded that “persuasive” evidence exists that religious and spiritual engagement is associated with lower all cause mortality with overall results suggesting a 25 to 30 percent reduction in risk of death. On average, spiritual and religious people can expect to live about 7 years longer than non religious and spiritual people. For the African American population, these figures are 14 years (see Miller & Thoresen, 2003).

Less depression, loneliness, anxiety, psychosis

Less suicidal ideation and behavior

Less alcohol and drug use, delinquency, crime

Higher self esteem, hope, purpose, meaning

Higher marital adjustment, social support

Higher life satisfaction Better coping with illness and

stressors, bereavement Enhanced sense of well being,

optimism

36% fewer deaths23% fewer deaths after

controlling for health practices

90% lower smoking rates

38% more exercise66% lower alcohol rates37% less obese79% more likely to stay

married29% fewer deaths from

all cause mortality

Lower cortisol and stress reactivity

Lower EEG brain wave activity

Lower blood pressureLower hypertension Lower all-cause

mortalityLower depression,

distressHigher well beingLowers stress and

promotes forgiveness

Infrequent church attendees are 2x more at risk of CVD than frequent church attendees

Non religious men are 4-7x more like to experience a MI than religious men

Nonreligious patients are 3x more likely to die during first 6 months following heart surgery than religious patients

Hypertension is 40% lower for those who maintain a spiritual practice

29 samples, N=126,000 plus

15+ factors controlled in analyses

29 % fewer deaths/ 7 more years

Women, age, social support, disease at baseline also predicted mortality

MindfulnessPassage MeditationMantram TrainingEnergizing PracticesModeling Practices

1. Concentrative meditation: involves concentrated practice and attention enhanced by focused attention on an external object such as a candle, a religious/spiritual figure, or on something internal such as one’s breath

2. Mindfulness meditation: a more detached, observing way of noticing yet not judging or manipulating one’s experience

3. Transcendental meditation: uses a mantram such as a Sanskrit or religious term or phrase to assist in focusing one’s attention

All of the meditation styles involve concentration, focused attention, retreat from distracting stimuli, muscle relaxation

23rd Psalm:The Lord is my shepherdI shall not want....

Prayer of Saint Francis:Lord, make me an Instrument of Thy peaceWhere there is hatred, let me sow love...

Discourse on Good Will: May all beings be filled with joy and peace...

Memorize / Recite silently in mind for 30 mins

Psycho-spiritual health education/skills1. Mantram Repetition -- Sanskrit root word “mantra”

“to cross the mind” or “set free from the mind” to be repeated silently, day or night, to train attention

2. Slowing Down awareness of being “speeded up!” “intentionality” versus “automatic pilot” setting priorities

3. One-Pointed Attention doing one thing at a time versus multi-tasking mindfulness/meta-cognition

Growing Empirical EvidenceGrowing Empirical Evidence

Sample PublishedHealthcare employees & Veterans with chronic illness

Bormann & Oman (2006) Journal of Advanced Nursing

Nurses Richards, Oman et al (??) Advances in Nursing Science

1st time mothers Hunter, Bormann et al. (2010) Applied Nursing Research

HIV+ adults Kemppainen, et al. (in review) Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Veterans with PTSD Bormann, Hurst et al. (2010) abstract Journal Behavioral Medicine Suppl

Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian RevivalsSufi Muslim Sema Dance Fire handling / Snake handling (1200 B.C.)Laughing YogaModern Firewalking

All using highly focused (contemplative) meditations but using energizing experiences

Drumming• 30 individuals• 65-102 years

•ImprovedChronic painBlood pressureIncreased social connectionPhysical exerciseAnecdotal: spiritual connectivity

(Bilkey et al, 2008)

Primary paradigm for psycho-social pain relief has been relaxation

Energizing practices can create: physiological arousal + positive mood =

pain

Sufficient evidence to support further research on the bio-psycho-social-spiritual pathways that link energizing spirituality and pain

● Jesus ● Mother Teresa ● Buddha ● Mahatma Gandhi ● Martin Luther King ● Dalai Lama

(from Doug Oman, UC Berkeley)

Islam refers to Muhammad as a “beautiful exemplar” (uswa hasana, Qur’an 33:21).

Hindu texts state, “What the outstanding person does, others will try to do. The standards such people create will be followed by the whole world” (Bhagavad Gita 31)

Christians: “What would Jesus do?” (WWJD).

Spiritual models: Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama, friends and family

Attention: attend to the behavior of the model

Retention: remembering the behavior of interest

Reproduction: engage in similar behaviors as the model

Motivation: desire to behave like the model in question.

1. Passage Meditation2. Mantram repetition3. Slowing down4. One point attention5. Training the senses6. Putting others first7. Spiritual association8. Inspirational reading

3. Centering tools (frequent use)

IdeallyElements attuned to each other (and to individual)

1. Set-aside time

4. Spiritual models(people whoexemplify)

2. Characterstrengths / virtues

Stressors

Boredom

?

Wise living /

effectivecopingdaily cycleRetrain

attention

Altered Perceptions Changed Mood Changed Social Interactions Changed Behaviors

Physiological/Neurological Changes Altered neurotransmitter levels Altered sleep Altered HPA activity levels Altered threshold for recognizing distress signals

Psycho-Social Changes Meaning Making Attributions Self-Efficacy Distraction Social Support Instrumental Support Relaxation

Possible Unique R/S Factor Spiritual Support Spiritual Growth Spiritual Meaning Making Attributions Additional Efficacy Beliefs

Spiritual Beliefs and Practices Positive vs. Negative Public vs. Private Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Existential vs. Religious

(Adapted from: Wachholtz, Pearce & Koenig, 2007)

Saturday, June 18, 20118:30 am - 3:30 pmInterfaith Counseling Center 15 Austin Avenue (at Kensington Avenue)San Anselmo, CA 94960Located on the campus of San Francisco Theological SeminaryFree to all. Donations welcome at the door.Bring a bag lunch.

Sponsored by Pacific Center for Spiritual Formation, in collaboration with the Interfaith Counseling Center.“Translating Spiritual Ideals Into Daily Life: The Eight-Point Program of Passage Meditation.”

Doug Oman, PhD, Adjunct Professor in the School of Public Health, UC Berkeley, and Tim Flinders, MA, author and teacher of contemplative spirituality.

“Centering Prayer: A Method of Christian Meditation for Our Time.” Jane Ferguson Flout, DMin, Parish Partnerships Director at Catholic Charities CYO.

“The Impact of Meditation Practices in the Daily Life of Silicon Valley Leaders.” Andre Delbecq, PhD, Director of the Institute for Spirituality of Organizational Leadership at Santa Clara University.

Join us for an interfaith contemplative practice day