Cultivating A Sense of Well Being

1. Cultivating A Sense of Well Being

2. Ingredients for class • The meditation techniques and philosophy have made a profound impact to my life. • Tibetan Tantric Practices • Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche – traditional – Tibetan – inspiration – in Nepal • Anam Thubten Rinpoche - spoke my language – simplified and clarified • Houston Jung Center • Continuing Education in psychology. • Provided clarity into why we behave the way we do. • Wanted to teach, but Tibetan practices not designed for Americans • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction – focus on integrative medicine • Jon Kabat-Zinn Americanized from a zen perspective • Micki Fine’s 8 week course MBSR • MBSR teacher training program • Teaching Experience • Brighton Gardens Nursing Home • Houston Area Parkinson Society

3. Brief Introductions • Name • Experience in Meditation • What you wanted from the class • Hobbies or interests • Profession Any or all of the above!

4. Six Week Overview • Pain is inevitable suffering is optional. • General Meditation instructions – alleviate • Guided Mindfulness exercise – avoid it • Letting go, non judgmental • Don’t make a situation worse!! • You are not a door mat. • Compassion • Psychology • Complexes and shadow • Identities / Expectations • Inspiration / spiritual

5. Meditation techniques • Diaphragmatic breathing • Integrate into your daily routine • Body Scan - Assistance in sleeping • Zen • Sitting meditation – breath and bodily sensations • Tibetan tradition – Skillful Means • Compassion • Saddhana - Prayers, mantras and visualizations • Mindfulness • Taking your meditation discipline into your moment to moment awareness

6. Tools Used to help youCultivate a Sense of Well Being • In class guided meditations so that you can experience meditation. • Provide instructions and guidelines for a meditation practice. • Why should you invest the time in meditating? • Insights into understanding how meditation helps. • Understand the benefits of a regular practice. • Insights into the philosophy and attitudes that are cultivated through meditation. • Insights into the psychology that drives our anxieties. • Guided meditation CD’s to facilitate a regular home practice.

7. Mindfulness and Meditation Exercises

8. Strange Object Exercise • Look at these objects with new eyes

9. Questions • What was your direct experience? • What did you see, smell, taste, feel • Were you surprised by anything? • Did the exercise inspire you to want to do any things differently? • What were the differences between this and your normal eating experience?

10. Common Observations • Slowing down and paying attention changes the experience • We are often lost in thought, on autopilot most of the time and not really experiencing what is happening • When you focus, you notice things you weren’t normally aware of • The mind can easily wander • Mindfulness can have a calming effect

11. What is mindfulness? • In the present moment • Doing one thing at a time • Attention • Single point of focus • Intentionality • You choose the point of focus • Non Judgmental – No Drama! • Equanimity • Awareness • you are conscious of what you are doing • Beginners mind • Look at everything with fresh eyes • Continually Bringing the focus back to this moment

12. Pain is inevitable Suffering is optional Attitudes Personal Filter Personal History Complexes ====== Sense of Doom === OR === Sense of Well Being Drama ===== Stories of Victimization Inadequacy Suffering ====== Mental Agitation Hopelessness Anxiety, fear Anger Pain Circumstances ========= Losing loved ones Illness Financial Loss Physical Pain Red Lights OR Mindfulness Meditation Clarity =========== Open Perspective Confidence Optimism Presence Equanimity OR The drama is a magnification of reality! 90% of the things that we worry about never happen

13. The Rumination CycleChanges the filter Thoughts - The Drama Mood Emotions Bodily Sensations Body Chemistry

14. The second arrow - reactivity Unwanted Circumstances Impulsive Response Dramatization Fear Anxiety Anger

15. Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.- Leo Tolstoy

16. The Suffering that is optional in the context of meditation • Using the word “suffering” to convey a concept. • This is the “suffering” that is avoided and relieved by meditation. • (Dictionary definition is different, but I don’t have a better word.) • It is a gut level uncomfortable psychological feeling that can be described as distress, sorrow, hopelessness, sadness, anger, misery, wretchedness etc. • Since it is a psychological it is • Under your control - Will change based on your focus and how you interpret situations. • You can’t change reality, but you can cultivate productive vs. destructive thought patterns. • Limited control over reality – sickness – loss - misfortune • Meditation is the mental discipline that enables us to change our thought patterns.

17. Suffering an example Possible reactions to financial loses • Suffering • You might think - My life is over - I am ruined – I don’t deserve this – Why didn’t I – If only – Why didn’t they • You may be unable to focus on and implement a solution • You may get depressed • Awareness • You may think - This is a difficult situation for me and my family • Determining blame, anger and regret will not help. • What are the best actions to take to maximize my remaining resources? • You may observe that others have a tendency to be either: • Optimists or pessimists • Complainer or a doer

18. Suffering – your thoughts? • Is suffering optional? • If it is optional is this insight • Obvious • Helpful • Do you have thought patterns that cause you to suffer? • Have you ever tried to stop those thought patterns? • Is there some good reason for keeping those thought patterns?

19. Start with the goal in mindCultivating a sense of well being • Cultivating • An on going life long process • Sense of • Deep inner EXPERIENCE • Well being • Equanimity • The peaceful emotional state that is achieved through meditation • Holding a new born in your arms • “Authentic Happiness” – Matthieu Ricard • Unchanged by circumstance Meditation is the discipline that cultivates a sense of well being This is how we change that filter!!!

20. Mindfulness vs. Meditation • Common • Focus, intentionality, awareness, present moment, disciplined • Differences • Meditation • protected environment • Controlled posture • Mindfulness can be done during every waking moment • Mindfulness is the goal, meditation develops the skills needed • Being here to what is present in the moment

21. Sitting MeditationPostures • Hand posture - Gyan Mudra • Fingers of thumb and index finger touch • Receptive to external energy • Wholeness of a circle • Circle of life • Imparts happiness, the intellect develops, memory is sharpened.

22. Meditation Postures • Regardless of whether you are on a chair or are sitting on a pillow • Eyes closed • Back Straight • Head slightly down • Mouth slightly open tongue on roof of mouth • Hands on thighs or may use hand mudras

23. Postures continued • Sitting on a chair • Use a pillow between your back and the chair to keep your back straight • Feet flat on the floor • Sitting on the floor • To increase comfort • Sit on a pillow • Put pillows between your knees and feet • Take Yoga Training • Preferred method BUT -- Don’t do it if you feel pain • Lying Down • Good for body scan meditation particularly if you want to lie down. • Whatever is comfortable for you!

24. Why Postures are important an experiment • Posture 1 • Slouched in chair, fist clenched, scowl on face, all muscles tightened • Posture 2 • Back straight, feet on floor, gyan mudra, relax head, chest, feet, legs • Just sitting up straight can increase your ability to focus and change your state of mind • Maintaining that posture takes discipline and awareness

25. Guided MeditationDiaphragmatic Breathing • Close your eyes • Bell – Dedication – May all beings have happiness… Body Position Erect and dignified posture • Listen first and the do it • Breathing • Breath in slowly First from the stomach Second from the rib cage • Breath out slowly First from the rib cage Second from the stomach • Focus your attention on the bodily sensations - Stomach and rib cages rising - Notice the skin stretching • Notice the air coming through your nostrils • Now begin with your breathing • Quality of awareness open and non judging • Constantly be aware of the body sensations of breathing in and breathing out • Breath naturally - Your mind will wander but gently bring attention back to your breath • Non judgmentally – be kind to yourself – it is a life long process doesn’t expect to be perfect in a day, week, month or year. • This is it! You are in this moment. No regrets of the pass or fear of the future. You are here now. • Eyes closed – ring bell – Move your toes, fingers, gently stretch out, open your eyes.

26. Questions • What did you experience? • Anyone able to feel the air coming in through the nostrils? • Did your mind wander? • Were you aware of wandering while you were wandering? • Did the thoughts reflect or cause anxiety? • How did you feel afterwards? • More relaxed? • Able to think more clearly?

27. Equanimity as an Experience • Describe the experience you had after our meditation • Is a feeling of • Calm • Joy • Clarity • Confidence • Optimism • Fearlessness • It is free from destructive emotions of • hatred, anger and jealousy • Sense of Well Being • Comfortable in your own skin • Physiologically – calm – slow breathing and heart rate – free of somatic symptoms of anxiety

28. Opportunities to practice • Take advantage of any seconds and minutes you have! • When get up in the morning or going to sleep • Before or after each activity • Meals • Tasks • While waiting for anything • Red lights • Shopping lines • During the commercials when we are watching TV

29. Guidelines for meditation • Make it a habit • At least once a day even for one or two minutes • Find a balance between: • Pushing too much • Not pushing enough • Non judgmentally • Do not create unnecessary drama! • You are your own authority • We are all different. • Choose what is best and leave the rest! • There are times when you need to grieve and to be angry, don’t judge / condemn yourself for being human! • Go at your own pace • Don’t make meditation one more stress in your life

30. Guidelines continued • Fill your mind in the first stage of meditation • Your mind is busy keeping on your point of focus • The more detailed your focus the better • Periods of prolonged absorption lead to spontaneous calmness where you mind becomes empty. • Every meditation is a good meditation • Benefits may take time to manifest • The distracting thoughts are venting your frustrations • All meditations strengthen your discipline and focus. • Beginners mind • See everything with a sense of wonder • Be patient • The beginning is the hardest part

31. The importance of awareness Forgiveness Inspiration Sacred Non Judgmental Compassion Equanimity Negative Circumstance Awareness/ Mindfulness Acceptance Insight Clarity Psychology Strategic Actions

32. What is awareness? • There is a doer and an observer • Observer is a an objective perspective • Gives the time for insight before reaction • Diffuses anger • Intentionality • Not reacting out of instinct and behavior patterns • Conscious • Aware of the consequences of what you say and do • Focus is on the present moment experience • It is a discipline that takes time to develop and meditation cultivates it. • By this definition most people are unaware for most of their lives.

33. Importance of awareness • Can enjoy the beauty of each moment. • Emotions are less likely to control you. • The observer becomes a voice of reason. • Avoid bad decisions that cause more problems • Less likely to be burdened by • fears of the future • regrets of the past • current circumstances • habits and complexes

34. Awareness levels • Different levels of awareness can be observed as our meditations deepen. • As we become more focused we have more • Sensitivity • Clarity • Calmness • Focus • Intentionality • Consciousness • Joy

35. The Process Life is more calm and serene Others treat you better Become a calming influence to others Recover from big things more quickly See a broader perspective when big things hit Change your reactions to small things Awareness of the monkey mind and habitual reactivity Monkey Mind – Constant thoughts of fear and anxiety

36. Feedback • Appreciate your feedback. • Before or after class • Email stan@beingmindful.com • Handouts PowerPoint presentation on http://www.beingmindful.com • Two or three breaks for questions

37. Homework Guidelines • They are designed to help you • Find balance • Challenge and stretch yourself • Don’t stress yourself and hate the practice. • Choose what you can do and want to do and do it • This develops self discipline.

38. Homework assignments • 10 minute guided diaphragmatic breathing meditation for Audio CD 1 • Before going to sleep • After waking up • Extra Credit • Slowly build up this week from 10 minutes to 40 minutes • MBSR program at UMASS Medical school starts out with 40 minutes once a day. • During the day, between activities or when you are waiting try to take several diaphragmatic breaths as many times as you can • Take one activity each day and do it mindfully • Be aware of what you are doing • Observe if your mind wanders • Observe what emotions arise if any • Notice when you experience “suffering” • Can you change the emotional experience? • Can you be more thoughtful in your reactions?

39. Optional Reading List • Jon Kabat-Zinn – “Wherever you go there you are” • Easy to read. There are a lot of insights into meditation practice. • Jon Kabat-Zinn – Full Catastrophe living • More of textbook on the scientific aspect of mediation • They have an 8 week MBSR type program to follow

40. History Meditation was not taken seriouslyNaval Gazing – Dropping out Your father and I want you to know that we are behind you 100% should you decide to go back to being a dope addict.

41. Meditation is a science Meditation - New age mumbo jumbo? Not for millions of Americans who meditate for health and well being

42. The problem is Stress Life becomes a juggling act with work, family, job. Any change can throw us off balance.

43. The impacts of stress • Fight or flight response triggered constantly • Produces adrenaline • Scientific studies show that prolonged stress • Heart rate and blood pressure increase • Impacts our sleep • Negative impacts to the immune system • Decrease in the ability to concentrate • Increases aging • Clogs arteries

44. Scientific approach to stress reduction • Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction MBSR • University of Massachusetts Medical School • Jon Kabat-Zinn Program started 27 years ago • Based on ancient meditation techniques • Modified for Americans - Non Sectarian • Physicians referred patients • When modern medicine failed • The pain and stress from the physical ailments • Significant and measured results • Improved sleep, calmness, clarity and physiological changes and sense of well being • MBSR is the foundation used for this class

45. Scientific approach to depression • Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy • Depression is an epidemic • Cognitive Therapy – standard treatment • Questioning our own thoughts. • Are the valid? Are they helpful? • Segal, Williams, Teasdale leaders in Cognitive Theory • Needed a group treatment approaches • Rumination key indicator of recurring depression • Merged MBSR approach with Cognitive Therapy • Scientifically shown to be helpful in decreasing the reoccurrence of depression

46. Meditation practice vs. theory • Learning weight lifting without lifting weights won’t make you strong. • Full impact of meditation comes with • Regular meditation practice • Understanding of the theory • Tibetan approach to encouraging meditation • Won’t teach the theory until a student has thousands of hours of meditation practice. • Meditation actually triggers physiological and attitudinal changes. • You can spontaneously EXPERIENCE compassion, insight and clarity throughout the day.

47. Why meditate? Meditation is a mental discipline that • Cultivates • Mindfulness and Awareness • Which leads to • Insight and Understanding • Which allows us • To cope more effectively with the inevitable challenges that life presents us • And decreases the suffering that is under our control • (And much of our suffering is really optional)