As Mind & Life celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Francisco J. Varela Grants, we’re pleased to share the voices and experiences of Varela grantees. Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW is a Mind & Life Varela Grantee and Fellow. He is Endowed Professor in Health Sciences at the Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion, Professor of …
Continue reading “Healing the Opioid Crisis with Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement”
Today’s adolescents are growing up in an increasingly connected world. And while the daily grind of young adult life—like the pressure to get into the right high school or college—isn’t created by technology, its gears can be sped up by digital immersion and spending time absorbed in apps and surfing social media. For over a …
Continue reading “Digital Immersion, Technology Use, and Teens: How Can Mindfulness Help?”
Increasingly, Mind & Life presenters, grantees, and partners are exploring the healing benefits of mindfulness in nature. Below are highlights from this growing area of inquiry. Practicing mindfulness in nature isn’t just about getting outside and experiencing the natural world; it’s about cultivating awareness of our interconnection by immersing ourselves and being fully present to …
Continue reading “4 Ways Mindfulness in Nature Can Help Us Heal Ourselves and the Earth”
As the Mind & Life podcast reaches a major milestone with 1,000,000 downloads, I wanted to take a moment to share a few reflections about what I’ve been learning from the show. When we launched in April 2020, there were a lot of unknowns. We’d been preparing for months, and were excited to start sharing …
Continue reading “What We’re Learning from Contemplative Science on the Mind & Life Podcast”
As in many countries, more children in India—up to 11 percent—are growing up with attention deficit disorder, often combined with hyperactivity. This can lead to behavioral difficulties and academic challenges. While enhanced diagnosis and awareness of mental health issues partially explain these trends, researchers also point to the isolation students experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic …
Continue reading “Investigating Nature-based Contemplative Education”
For thousands of years, Indigenous cultures in America have engaged in sacred ceremonies and practices—singing, dancing, beadwork, prayer, basketmaking, drumming, running, and more—that nurture present moment awareness and a felt sense of interconnection. How can such practices be integrated into efforts to support the mental health and well-being of Native American youth today? With support …
Continue reading “Indigenizing Mindfulness: A Path Toward Well-being for Native American Youth”
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 108 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, the highest level on record. By 2050, this figure is expected to rise to 200 million—and potentially to over a billion—due to climate change and natural disasters. Such statistics belie the reality that each and every one …
Continue reading “The Global Refugee Crisis: How Can Mindfulness & Compassion Training Help?”
