Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World

Home > Other > Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World > Page 25
Mindfulness: An Eight-Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World Page 25

by Williams, Mark

SUMMARY TEXT

  Crane, R., Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy (Routledge, 2008).

  MEDIATION

  The selection below is meant as an introduction to insight meditation and as an invitation to explore. Many of these teachers and authors have written more books than are listed here and have meditation tapes/CDs you can buy. (Dates/publishers of recent paperback editions cited when possible.)

  Beck, C. J., Everyday Zen: Love and Work (Thorsons, 1997).

  Boorstein, S., It’s Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness (HarperSanFrancisco, 1996).

  Chödrön, P., The Wisdom of No Escape: How to Love Yourself and Your World (Element, 2004).

  Dalai Lama, Advice on Dying: And Living a Better Life, translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins (Rider & Co., 2004).

  Goldstein, J., Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom (Newleaf, 1994).

  Goldstein, J., One Dharma: The Emerging Western Buddhism (HarperSanFrancisco, 2002).

  Goldstein, J. & Salzberg, S., Insight Meditation: A Step-by-Step Course on How to Meditate (Sounds True Inc., 2002).

  Gunaratana, B. H., Mindfulness in Plain English (Wisdom Publications, 2002).

  Hanh, T. N., The Miracle of Mindfulness: Manual on Meditation (Rider & Co., 1991).

  Hanh, T. N., Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Rider & Co., 1995).

  Kabat-Zinn, J., Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain and Illness (Piatkus, 1990).

  Kabat-Zinn, J., Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation foreveryday Life (Piatkus, 1994).

  Kabat-Zinn, J., Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness (Hyperion/Piatkus, 2005).

  Kornfield, J., A Path with Heart (Rider & Co., 2002).

  Kornfield, J., After the Ecstasy, the Laundry: How the Heart Grows Wise on the Spiritual Path (Bantam Books, 2001).

  McLeod, K., Wake Up to Your Life (HarperSanFrancisco, 2002).

  Orsilo, S. M. and Roemer, L., The Mindful Way through Anxiety (Foreword by Segal, Z. V.) (The Guilford Press, 2011).

  Rabinowitz, I. (ed.), Mountains Are Mountains and Rivers Are Rivers: Applying Eastern Teachings to Everyday Life (Hyperion, 2000).

  Rinpoche, S., The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (Rider & Co.,

  1998).

  Rosenberg, L. with Guy, D., Breath by Breath: The Liberating Practice of Insight Meditation (Shambhala Publications, 2004).

  Rosenberg, L. with Guy, D., Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive (Shambhala Publications, Boston, Mass., 2001).

  Salzberg, S., Loving-kindness. The Revolutionary Art of Happiness (Shambhala Publications, 2004).

  Santorelli, S., Heal Thy Self: Lessons on Mindfulness in Medicine (Three Rivers Press, 2000).

  Shafir, R. Z., The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction (Quest Books, 2003).

  Sheng-Yen (Master) with Stevenson, D., Hoofprint of the Ox: Principles of the Chan Buddhist Path as Taught by a Modern Chinese Master (Oxford University Press, 2002).

  Smith, J. (ed.), Breath Sweeps Mind: A First Guide to Meditation Practice (Riverhead Trade, 1998).

  Tolle, E., The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (Hodder, 2001).

  Wallace, B. A., Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up: A Practical Approach for Modern Life (Wisdom Publications, 1993).

  MEDITATION AND PSYCHOLOGY

  Bennett-Goleman, T., Emotional Alchemy: How the Mind Can Heal the Heart (Harmony Books, 2001).

  Brazier, C., A Buddhist Psychology: Liberate Your Mind, Embrace Life (Robinson Publishing, 2003).

  Epstein, M., Thoughts without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective (Basic Books, 2005).

  Epstein, M., Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart: A Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness (Thorsons, 1999).

  Epstein, M., Going on Being: Buddhism and the Way of Change, a Positive Psychology for the West (Broadway Books, 2001).

  Goleman, D., Emotional Intelligence (Bantam Books, 1995).

  Goleman, D., Working with Emotional Intelligence (Bantam Books, 1998).

  Goleman, D., Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them? A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama (Bantam Books, 2004).

  Index

  Underscored page references indicate sidebars. Boldface references indicate illustrations.

  ABC model of emotions, 137–38

  Acceptance

  of difficulties, 171, 179, 180

  meaning of, 165–66

  poem about, 166–67

  in Exploring Difficulty meditation, 177

  mindful, 40, 45, 166, 180

  of past, 194, 196

  of self, 60, 104, 165, 197

  steps toward, 169

  Amygdala, overactive, 27, 180

  Analysis, in Doing mode, 38–39

  Anger, 4, 8, 19, 25, 47, 48, 58, 71, 90, 102, 116, 126, 130, 144, 149, 154, 155, 156, 157, 173, 182, 185, 188, 202, 203, 236, 245, 246, 247

  Anhedonia, 230

  Animals, responses to danger by, 26

  Antidepressants, 3, 52, 189

  Anxiety, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 23, 26, 28, 40, 60, 66, 72, 95, 115, 242

  chronic, increase in, 17

  Exhaustion Funnel and, 213

  mindfulness meditation reducing, 5, 6, 37, 46, 56, 156

  moods creating, 8

  motivation and, 229

  reduced sense of control from, 230

  self-feeding nature of, 19

  Anxious feelings or thoughts, 2, 8, 11, 16, 37, 47, 72, 114, 130, 144, 154, 207, 229, 244, 245

  Appreciative attention exercise, 108–9

  Approaching

  vs. avoiding, 41–42, 47, 48, 180

  difficulties, 39, 44, 206

  Approach-orientated puzzles, 113–14

  Arm raising, in Mindful Movement meditation, 120–21

  Attention

  appreciative, exercise on, 108–9

  in Breathing Space meditation, 132–33, 181, 182–83

  focusing, 117, 240

  in Body Scan meditation, 58, 97, 98, 99, 100

  on breath, 4, 4, 81, 163

  likened to resistance training, 101–2

  on present, 35

  full

  benefits of, 77, 78

  in Habit Releasers, 57

  paying, 79

  steps toward, 79

  intermittent, 69

  paying

  in Mindfulness of the Body and Breath meditation, 83, 84, 85

  to routine activities, 76–77

  in Raisin meditation, 72, 73, 76

  Audio tracks, on meditation, 14, 56, 82, 103, 106, 119, 131, 152

  Autonomy, mindfulness meditation increasing, 50–51

  Autopilot, 58, 88, 142, 153, 177, 231, 243, 244

  advantages of, 69, 70

  disadvantages of, 71–72

  in Doing mode, 37–38, 43, 105, 106

  example of, 67–68

  experiments on, 68

  mindfulness and, 70

  Aversion, 113, 114, 115, 124, 176, 177, 179, 180, 204, 245

  Avoidance, 41, 44, 47, 114

  Avoidance-orientated puzzles, 113

  Awareness

  anchoring, in moving body, 118

  in Being mode, 38

  in Body Scan meditation, 95

  in Breathing Space meditation, 181, 182

  in controlling automatic pilot, 71

  cultivating, 87–88

  in Exploring Difficulty meditation, 175, 176, 178

  focusing, 72

  on everyday activities, 78

  of mind, 11, 31, 112

  power of, 31

  thinking process and, 148

  in Three-Minute Breathing Space meditation, 132

  Balanced life

  achieving, 220, 221–26

  represented in Exhaustion Funnel, 213, 213

  Befriending meditation, 59, 197, 198–200, 200–206

  Befriending your feel
ings, 244–45

  Being mode, 34–35, 36, 37–43, 60, 133, 240, 241

  Bending sideways, in Mindful Movement meditation, 122–23

  Body. See also Body Scan meditation

  connecting with, 94

  as emotional radar, 95

  in Exploring Difficulty meditation, 170, 171, 172, 175, 178, 179

  ignoring and mistreating of, 92–93

  mind connected with, 20–22, 23, 91–92

  in Mindfulness of the Body and Breath meditation, 83–85

  as sensitive to feelings, 58

  Body Scan meditation, 58, 118, 178, 196, 247

  beginning, 106

  handling difficulty with, 101–4

  instructions for, 97–100

  as pleasant experience, 104–5

  preparing for, 95–96

  revealing Doing mode, 105–6

  Brain

  amygdala of, 27, 180

  changes in, from mindfulness meditation, 46–49, 179–80

  imaging of, 27, 36, 46, 47, 49, 206

  insula of, 48, 205

  prefrontal cortex of, 47

  reward centers of, 230

  Breath

  in Befriending meditation, 198

  in Body Scan Meditation, 97–100, 178

  in Exploring Difficulty meditation, 172, 173, 174, 178

  in mindfulness meditation, 4–5, 80–81, 163, 244

  in Mindfulness of the Body and Breath meditation, 81–82, 83–85

  in Sounds and Thoughts meditation, 146, 147

  for starting day with mindfulness, 244

  for weaving your parachute, 245

  Breath and Body meditation, 126, 127–29, 143, 146, 172, 196

  Breathing Space. See also Three-Minute Breathing Space meditation

  case history about, 211, 212

  hourglass shape of, 133–34, 156, 181

  for maintaining peace in frantic world, 244, 245

  making time for, 249

  rainstorm analogy and, 157–58

  uses for, 153–54, 156–58, 159

  in Week Five, 181–83

  in Week Six, 206–7

  Brooding, 30, 41, 45, 93, 175, 188, 191, 194, 195, 196, 243

  Brushing your teeth, paying full attention to, 77

  Bullying script, 114

  Burnout, 41, 115, 130, 213

  Busyness, 8, 24, 36, 43, 59, 68, 85, 96, 105, 201, 206, 222, 241

  Cancer

  mindfulness meditation and, 6

  story about, 161–64

  Cartoon experiment, on mind-body connection, 21–22

  Chair changing, as Week One Habit Releaser, 88–89

  Chocolate meditation, 14, 54, 55, 72

  Chronic pain, 6

  Compassion, 5, 8, 12, 19, 40, 42, 45, 46, 49, 54, 59, 60, 85, 117, 126, 129, 131, 139, 163, 167, 173, 175, 176, 177, 181, 182, 195, 196, 197, 204, 205, 209, 210, 241, 244

  Completeness, achieving sense of, 239–40

  Context, effect on memory, 10

  Control, enhancing feelings of, 230–31, 232–33

  Creativity, influences on, 5, 60, 113, 180, 204, 206, 212

  Daily life

  rebalancing, 221–26

  weaving mindfulness into, 117–19, 120–23, 124–26, 127–29

  Dance of ideas, 192–93

  Death, 46, 117, 164

  Demobilization, 115

  Denial of difficulties, 164

  Depleting activities, 43, 218–20, 221, 223–24, 226

  Depression, 2, 16, 115, 180, 189, 242

  clinical, 18

  effect on memory, 191

  effect on movement, 21

  increase in, 17

  mindfulness meditation preventing or reducing, 3, 5, 6, 51–52

  moods creating, 8

  recurrence of, 17, 52

  symptoms of, 217

  Difficulties. See also Exploring Difficulty meditation

  acceptance of, 165–67, 179–81

  facing, stories about, 161–64, 168–69

  ineffective methods of dealing with, 164–65

  mind vs. body for dealing with, 171, 175–78

  turning toward, 222–23

  Doing mode, 28–29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37–43, 105–6, 115, 133, 155, 166, 177, 231, 240, 241

  Driving, as mindfulness bell, 235–36

  Eating, as mindfulness bell, 235

  Eight-Week Mindfulness Program. See also individual entries for Weeks One through Eight

  caution about, 63–66

  equipment for, 63

  overview of, 56–61

  setting up time and space for, 61–63, 96

  Einstein, Albert, 209–10

  Emotions

  ABC model of, 137–38

  acknowledging vs. solving, 28

  components of, 19, 20

  connected to thoughts and body, 20, 23, 29–30, 91

  constellations of, 25–26

  empathic sharing of, 116–17

  habits and, 71–72

  negative, 9, 10, 11, 25, 28

  past influencing, 25–26, 27

  positive, 6, 19, 46, 50

  as secondary suffering, 155

  set-point of, 46–47, 48

  Empathy, 19, 44, 46, 49, 54, 60, 94, 116–17, 204, 205–6, 209

  Equipment, for Eight-Week Mindfulness Program, 63

  Exercise(s), 245

  stretching, in Mindful Movement meditation, 118–19, 120–23, 124–26

  Exhaustion, 1–2, 3, 8, 18, 19, 28, 41, 56, 59, 69, 71, 72, 114, 115, 118, 140–41, 142, 164, 191, 212, 217, 226, 230, 231, 232, 234, 236–37, 242. See also Tiredness

  Exhaustion Funnel, 213–18, 213

  Exploring Difficulty meditation, 59, 167, 196, 247

  instructions for, 171, 172–74, 175–78

  overview of, 170–71

  preparing for, 169–70

  results from, 178–81

  role of mind vs. body in, 170–71, 175–78

  External circumstances, happiness linked to, 34, 35

  Failure, 24, 59, 64, 102, 104, 117, 139, 148, 151, 188, 195, 202

  Fatigue. See Exhaustion; Tiredness

  Fear, 10, 19, 24, 25, 40, 41, 42, 81, 91, 94, 113, 117, 126, 162, 164, 175, 181, 188–89, 194, 202, 203, 204, 205, 245

  Fight-or-flight response, 22, 27

  Food preparation, as mindfulness bell, 235

  Forgetfulness, 68, 69

  Franticness, common negative thoughts with, 140–41

  Frantic world, 2, 8, 13, 59, 195, 239

  finding peace in, 241–43, 244–45

  Freecycling, 208

  Freedom, 35, 40, 63, 79, 115, 145, 153, 196

  Friendship. See Befriending meditation; Befriending your feelings

  Frustration, 245

  dealing with, 154–55

  Future, living in, 78, 105

  Gardening analogy, describing meditation, 153

  Gardening Habit Releaser, 183–84

  Gratitude exercise, ten-finger, 109

  “Guest House, The” (Rumi), 166–67, 244

  Guilt, 188, 194, 203, 204, 205, 215

  Habit breaking, 12–13

  Habit Releasers, 232

  purpose of, 56–57, 61

  Week One, changing chairs, 88–89

  Week Two, going for a walk, 106–7, 109

  Week Three, valuing the TV, 134–35

  Week Four, going to the movies, 159–60

  Week Five, sowing some seeds or looking after a plant, 183–84

  Week Six

  random act of kindness, 208–9

  reclaiming your life, 207–8

  Habits

  automatic pilot and, 69–71

  driving routine behavior, dissolution of, 79

  power of, 68

  Happiness, 2, 8, 19, 34, 35, 45, 46, 47–48, 66, 108, 159, 184, 204, 205, 206, 221, 226, 246

  Hardiness, 53, 54

  Headphone experiment, on body’s influence on thoughts, 91–92

  Health, mindfulness meditation improving, 50–51


  Helplessness, 114, 230–31

  “Hokusai Says” (Keyes), 238, 249, 250–51

  Holocaust survivors, hardiness traits of, 53

  Hourglass shape, of Breathing Space, 133–34, 156, 181

  Hypertension, meditation reducing, 6

  Ideas, dance of, 192–93

  Immune system, meditation strengthening, 6, 48

  Inattention, 68, 77

  Inner critic, 9, 25, 139. See also Self-criticism

  Insula, of brain, 48

  empathy and, 49, 205

  Interpretation of world, ABC model and, 137–38

 

‹ Prev