Download - Modern Mindfulness
Modern MindfulnessApril 3, 2009
Elders and Experts
Thich Nhat Hanh John Kabat-Zinn Ken Wilber Pema Chodron Jack Kornfield Daniel Segel
How To:
Observe
Describe
Present Moment
Not Judging
Step One:
Observe
Step Two:
Describe
Step Three:
Present Moment
Step Four:
Not
Judging
What is to be the Object of Our Mindfulness?
BreathBody
SensationsThoughtsEmotions
EnvironsRelationsAll Inside and
Outside
What happens over time?
Greater ability to attend to things inwardly and outwardly
Increased vividness of perceptions
Increased calm in the observing self
Increased clarity, insight, intuition into nature of self and others
Increased wisdom, compassion and clarity
Samhadi
Aim Sustain
Types of AttentionExecutive Frontal Cortex INTENTION
Orienting Lateral posterior cortex
AIMING
Alerting Right and middle prefrontal cortex
SUSTAINING
Meta-awareness
?- hypothesized to be prefrontal
AWARENESS OF AWARENESS
Multi-tasking
Peak=19 yrs. Ability decreases with
age, can be improved with practice
Men and women = ability
You remember what you attend to
David Strayers, Univ. Utah
Time Distortions and Information Density
Crisis- Time slow Aging- Time speeds
up Brain “helps” by filling
in experiences with prior learning, assumptions and expectations which inhibits sensory experiences and deadens feeling alive.
Mindfulness and Pain
Pain Aversion
Suffering Aversion
Brain vs. MindBRAIN=
Hardware
MIND=
Energy and information flow within the brain and between relationships
Neural Plasticity
MIND can use the BRAIN to create itself.
Strength training of neural firings at the synapses
States can become Traits through this brain plasticity, over time
Review of Basic Brain Waves
Alpha Alert and Relaxed High Beta Anxious
Beta Alert Working
Theta Creative Imaging Delta Asleep
Brain Hemisphere Strengthening
Example #1
LEFT=
Body awareness
RIGHT=
Describing
Example #2
LEFT= Autobiographical fact memory
RIGHT= Narrative that makes sense of the memory
“Handy” Brain Model
Wrist= spinal cord
Fingers= cortex
Fingernails=face
Palm= brainstem
Thumb= Limbic System, Hypothalamus
“Handy” Brain Model
Perception- 2nd knuckles back on top
Motor action and planning- between first and second knuckle
Prefrontal Cortex- up to finger’s first segment.
Index Finger/PinkyFirst Segment
PREFRONTAL REGION
Short term memory
Flow of attention
Middle Fingers’First Segment PREFRONTAL Region
Social communication and self-observation
Connects all parts of brain via physical proximity, aiding brain self communication
Prefrontal Cortex:Neural Integration and Attunement
Attachment Empathy Pain Control Placebo Effect
Mindfulness
Long-term Meditators
Larger right insula cortex Thickening of the mid prefrontal areas Decrease of reaction of amygdala and insula Mid prefrontal areas use insula cortex data
about emotions and body states to create representations of other’s minds as well as self-observation= empathy
Decreases cortisol stress reaction (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis)
Applications to Therapies
Psycho-Neuro-Immunology
Stress and Pain Reduction University of Massachusettes
Medical Center John Kabat-Zinn
Applications to Therapies
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy Relapse prevention for chronic
depression Segel, Williams, Teasdale, 2002
Applications to Therapies
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Borderline Personality Disorder Marsha Linehan, Harvard U.
Applications to Therapies
Substance Abuse Marlatt, 2001
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Hayes, 2004
OCD and Eating Disorders
Long-term Demonic Attitudes
Grasping Aversion Anger/Fear/Boredom/Judgment Sleepiness Restlessness Doubt
More Common Problems
Idealizing the practice Not wanting to do it Watching breath vs. thinking about breath Censoring or judging thinking Thinking you’re getting somewhere
Levels of Consciousness
Ken Wilber Author: Integral
Psychology and A Brief History of Everything
Development of Consciousness
STAGE EGO ATTACHMENT
REVOLUTION IN CONSCIOUS AWARENESS
THERAPIES
Perinatal Egocentric Undiff. Rebirthing, Regressive
Sensory-Physical
Egocentric Fused
Emotional Egocentric Diff. Out the physical
Structure Building
Pre-Operation
Egocentric Diff. Out the emotional
Uncovering
Development of Consciousness
STAGE EGO ATTACHMENT
REVOLUTION IN CONSIOUS AWARENESS
THERAPIES
Concrete operations
Sociocentric/ Ethnocentric
Trans-
Body
Cog-Beh, TA, Family, Narrative, Script
Formal Operations
World-centric
Trans-Group
Introspection
Development of Consciousness
STAGE EGO ATTACHMENT
REVOLUTION IN CONSCIOUS AWARENESS
THERAPIES
Vision-Logic
World-centric
Diff. Out Observing Self: Trans-personal
Existential
Psychic World-centric
Trans-personal
Nature Mysticism
Howard Gardner:
“The whole of human development can be seen as a continuing decline in egocentrism.”