Mindfulness Talks
Mindfulness is the cognitive skill, usually developed through meditation, of sustaining meta-attention of the contents of one's own mind in the present moment. Mindfulness derives from sati, a significant element of Hindu and Buddhist traditions, and is based on Zen, Vipassanā, and Tibetan meditation techniques. Though definitions and techniques of mindfulness are wide-ranging, Buddhist traditions describe what constitutes mindfulness, such as how perceptions of the past, present and future arise and cease as momentary sense-impressions and mental phenomena. Individuals who have contributed to the popularity of mindfulness in the modern Western context include Thích Nhất Hạnh, Joseph Goldstein, Herbert Benson, Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Richard J. Davidson.
Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people experiencing a variety of psychological conditions. Mindfulness practice has been employed to reduce depression, stress, anxiety, and in the treatment of drug addiction. Programs based on mindfulness models have been adopted within schools, prisons, hospitals, veterans' centers, and other environments, and mindfulness programs have been applied for additional outcomes such as for healthy aging, weight management, athletic performance, helping children with special needs, and as an intervention during early pregnancy.
Clinical studies have documented both physical- and mental-health benefits of mindfulness in different patient categories as well as in healthy adults and children. Studies have shown a positive relationship between trait mindfulness (which can be cultivated through the practice of mindfulness-based interventions) and psychological health. The practice of mindfulness appears to provide therapeutic benefits to people with psychiatric disorders, including moderate benefits to those with psychosis. Studies also indicate that rumination and worry contribute to a variety of mental disorders, and that mindfulness-based interventions can enhance trait mindfulness and reduce both rumination and worry. Further, the practice of mindfulness may be a preventive strategy to halt the development of mental-health problems. Mindfulness practices have been said to enable individuals to respond more effectively to stressful situations by helping them strike the balance between over-identification and suppression of their emotional experiences by finding the middle point which is recognition and acceptance.
Evidence suggests that engaging in mindfulness meditation may influence physical health. For example, the psychological habit of repeatedly dwelling on stressful thoughts appears to intensify the physiological effects of the stressor (as a result of the continual activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis) with the potential to lead to physical health related clinical manifestations. Studies indicate that mindfulness meditation, which brings about reductions in rumination, may alter these biological clinical pathways. Further, research indicates that mindfulness may favorably influence the immune system as well as inflammation, which can consequently impact physical health, especially considering that inflammation has been linked to the development of several chronic health conditions. Other studies support these findings.
Critics have questioned both the commercialization and the over-marketing of mindfulness for health benefits—as well as emphasizing the need for more randomized controlled studies, for more methodological details in reported studies and for the use of larger sample-sizes. While mindfulness-based interventions may be effective for youth, research has not determined methods in which mindfulness could be introduced and delivered in schools.
Title | Speaker | |
---|---|---|
Meal ChantsSerial: BZ-00002A Saturday Lecture Instruction, Chanting, Greed, Hate, Offering, Karma, Meal Serving, Mindfulness, Vows... |
May 07 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Bowing to Our Dharmakaya NatureSerial: BZ-00004A Saturday Lecture Dharmakaya, Karma, Bodhisattva Ceremony, Discrimination, Precepts, Non-discrimination... |
Apr 30 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Bodhisattva MindSerial: BZ-00003B Saturday Lecture Building, Enthusiasm, Mindfulness, Separation, training, Tassajara, Offering,... |
Apr 23 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Organic Gardening and CompostingSerial: BZ-00005B Interdependency and Impermanence, Saturday Lecture Interdependence, Impermanence, Mindfulness, Mindfulness, Don't Know Mind,... |
Apr 02 1983 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Public Lecture Enemies, Peace, Anger, Daily Life, Happiness, Mindfulness, Half-Smile, Silence, Non-... |
Mar 28 1983 SFZC |
|
Public LectureSerial: SF-01798 Duplicate Enemies, Peace, Daily Life, Half-Smile, Anger, Happiness, Silence, Birth-and-Death,... |
Mar 28 1983 SFZC |
|
Gakudo Yojin-Shu Section 8Serial: BZ-00048A Conduct (understanding) Zazen Mind, Saturday Lecture Gakudo Yojin-Shu, Birth-and-Death, Sixth Patriarch, Buddha Nature, true dharma,... |
Nov 27 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
August 25th, 1982, Serial No. 00998Serial: NC-00998 Monastic Spirituality, Set 7 of 12 OSB Cam, Separation, Oneness, Letting Go, Equanimity, Mindfulness |
Aug 25 1982 |
|
Work Sesshin: Building the New Zendo Study Period, Building, Non-violence, Happiness, Mindfulness, Tassajara, Religion,... |
Aug 21 1982 |
|
Work Sesshin: Building the New ZendoSerial: BZ-01528B One-Day Sitting Zendo, Sangha, Berkeley Zen Center, Building, Non-violence, Study Period, Karma,... |
Aug 21 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
1982.08.17-serial.00103 Mindfulness, Daily Life, Compassion, Gratitude, difficulty, Concentration, Samadhi,... |
Aug 17 1982 |
|
WorkSerial: BZ-00035 Saturday Lecture Building, Lay Practice, Enthusiasm, Mindfulness, Separation, Tassajara, training, Lay... |
Aug 14 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Blue Cliff Record: Case #80Serial: BZ-00033 Does a Baby Have the 6th Consciousness?, Saturday Lecture Consciousness, Storehouse Consciousness, Monastic Practice, Discrimination, Buddha... |
Jul 31 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
July 24th, 1982, Serial No. 01516, Side B Heart Sutra, Mindfulness, Eight Aspects, Concentration, Aspects of Practice,... |
Jul 24 1982 |
|
Mumonkan: Case #19Serial: BZ-00036A "Nansen's Everyday Mind in the Way", Saturday Lecture MM-19
Nansen, Absolute-and-Relative, Koan, Ordinary Mind, Non-violence, confusion,... |
Jun 26 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Mindfulness and Care: Adapting to ConditionsSerial: BZ-01516A Sesshin Mindfulness, Lay Practice, Composure, Lay, Bell, Daily Life, Non-discrimination,... |
Jun 1982 Part 1 of 1 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Essence of Mind: The Fifth ParamitaSerial: BZ-00008A Subject and Object--Buddhanature, Saturday Lecture Paramitas, Subject-and-Object, Duality, Buddha Nature, Buddha Nature, Daily Life,... |
May 15 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Dana: The First ParamitaSerial: BZ-00011B Saturday Lecture Paramitas, Dana, Study Period, Precepts, Posture, confusion, Concentration,... |
Apr 17 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
Buddha's ParinirvanaSerial: BZ-00017 Eight Aspects of Enlightenment, One-Day Sitting Parinirvana Sutra, Enlightenment, Eight Aspects, Buddha, Eight Aspects, Right Effort... |
Feb 13 1982 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
February 4th, 1982, Serial No. 00683Serial: NC-00683 Monastic Spirituality Set 5 of 12 Emptiness, Balance, Renunciation, Obstacles, Mindfulness |
Feb 04 1982 |
|
Precepts Karma, Precepts, Right Speech, Repentance, Greed, Confession-and-Repentance,... |
1982 SFZC |
|
The Human Encounter with Death Heart Sutra, Death-and-Dying, Chanting, Transmission, Subject-and-Object, Mindfulness... |
Oct 11 1981 City Center |
|
The Stages of Practice IISerial: BZ-00024B Saturday Lecture resistance, Daily Life, Samadhi, Mindfulness, Aspects of Practice, Describe, Doubt,... |
Apr 04 1981 Berkeley Zen Center |
|
April 4th, 1981, Serial No. 01064 resistance, Daily Life, Samadhi, Mindfulness, Doubt, Aspects of Practice, Describe,... |
Apr 04 1981 |
|
Morality and Ethics Cultivation, Precepts, Commitment, Mill Valley, Vows, Peace, Daily Life, Birth-and-... |
Dec 16 1980 Green Gulch |
|
Breathing Concentration, Subject-and-Object, Posture, Mindfulness, Suzuki Roshi, Zazen,... |
Jul 1980 Unknown |
|
Ngon Dro: Vajrasattva, Serial 00055 Precepts, Mindfulness, Balance, Patience, Hindrances, Intention, Non-duality,... |
Mar 15 1980 |
|
The Nature of Mind, Serial 00069 Buddha Nature, Sutra, Non-duality, Concentration, true dharma, Right Effort,... |
Feb 05 1980 |
|
December 19th, 1979, Serial No. 00143 Buddha Mind, Intimacy, Mindfulness, Anger, Emotions |
Dec 19 1979 |
|
November 16th, 1979, Serial No. 00618 Practice Period, soto, Mindfulness, Breath, Daily Life |
Nov 16 1979 |
|
March 7th, 1979, Serial No. 00115 Mindfulness, Obstacles, Samadhi, Enemies, Balance, Bell, Nirvana, Emotions, Evil,... |
Mar 07 1979 |
|
March 7th, 1979, Serial No. 00130 Mindfulness, Samadhi, Obstacles, Chanting, Enemies, Balance, Bell, Nirvana, Emotions... |
Mar 07 1979 |
|
March 3rd, 1979, Serial No. 00593 Buddha Mind, Anger, Chanting, Mindfulness, Paramitas |
Mar 03 1979 |
|
February 16th, 1979, Serial No. 00599 Ordinary Mind, Breath, Mindfulness, Love, Samadhi |
Feb 16 1979 |
|
March 7th, 1978, Serial No. 00586 Mindfulness, Shikantaza, Mandala, Buddha's Birthday |
Mar 07 1978 |
|
February 15th, 1978, Serial No. 00569 Anger, Mindfulness, Fox, Demons, Attachment |
Feb 15 1978 |
|
July 16th, 1977, Serial No. 00066 Truth, Right Speech, Zendo, Mindfulness, Bell |
Jul 16 1977 |
|
July 15th, 1977, Serial No. 00065 Truth, Samadhi, Building, Greed, Mindfulness |
Jul 15 1977 |
|
July 1977 talk, Serial No. 00067 Right Speech, Mindfulness, Community, Politics, Mahayana |
Jul 1977 |
|
October 30th, 1976, Serial No. 00041 Right Effort, Mindfulness, Daily Life, Ceremony, Freedom |
Oct 30 1976 |
|
October 30th, 1976, Serial No. 00187 Right Effort, Mindfulness, Daily Life, Ceremony, Freedom |
Oct 30 1976 |
|
March 15th, 1976, Serial No. 01824 Dependent Origination, Daily Life, Transmission, Faith, Nirvana, Mindfulness,... |
Mar 15 1976 SFZC |
|
February 19th, 1976, Serial No. 00203 Avalokiteshvara, Joshu, Mindfulness, Compassion |
Feb 19 1976 |
|
December 6th, 1975, Serial No. 00050 Gutei, Mindfulness, Concentration, Evil, Love |
Dec 06 1975 |
|
November 26th, 1975, Serial No. 00021 Silence, Mindfulness, Religion, Ceremony, realization |
Nov 26 1975 |
|
January 28th, 1974, Serial No. 00253 Bodhidharma, Mindfulness, Truth, Mahayana, Breath |
Jan 28 1974 |
|
December 12th, 1973, Serial No. 00242 Mindfulness, Doubt, Delusion, Lineage, Anger |
Dec 12 1973 |
|
November 26th, 1973, Serial No. 00233 Anger, Precepts, Mindfulness, resistance, confusion |
Nov 26 1973 |
|
October 11th, 1973, Serial No. 00217 Mindfulness, Building, Patience, Vows |
Oct 11 1973 |
|
July 7th, 1973, Serial No. 00134 Right Effort, Chanting, Mindfulness, Karma, Anger |
Jul 07 1973 |