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 past, present and future moments 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.
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August 23rd, 1997, Serial No. 00321, Side A Mindfulness, Bodhisattva Vow, Duality, Diversity, American, Vows, Interdependence,... |
Aug 23 1997 |
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August 9th, 1997, Serial No. 00319, Side A Mindfulness, Peace, Hindrances, Happiness, Forgiveness, Patience, Chanting,... |
Aug 09 1997 |
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August 2nd, 1997, Serial No. 00318, Side B Blue Cliff Record, Mindfulness, Sixth Patriarch, Culture, American, Emotions,... |
Aug 02 1997 |
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How We Practice: Dogen's "Thoroughness"Serial: BZ-00314A Sesshin Day 2 Practice, Dogen, Big Mind, Buddha Nature, Thoroughness, Bowing, Duality, Non-... |
Jun 19 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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The Most Important Thing: Just This As It Is Gratitude, Suzuki Roshi, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Practice Period,... |
Apr 26 1997 |
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April 3rd, 1997, Serial No. 00847 Four Noble Truths, Evil, Four Foundations, Dependent Origination, Mindfulness,... |
Apr 03 1997 |
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March 20th, 1997, Serial No. 00849 Four Noble Truths, Renunciation, Vows, Lay, Lay Ordination, Concentration,... |
Mar 20 1997 |
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Zazengi: Mindfulness, Concentration, EquanimitySerial: BZ-00360A One-Day Sitting Zazengi, Mindfulness, Concentration, Equanimity, Concentration, Subject-and-Object,... |
Mar 16 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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February 15th, 1997, Serial No. 00357, Side A Happiness, Posture, Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Lay Practice, Dharma Transmission... |
Feb 15 1997 |
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Interdependence/Temple VolunteersSerial: BZ-00782A Saturday Lecture Interdependence, Community, Sangha, Interdependence, Monastic Practice, Aspects of... |
Feb 01 1997 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Mindfulness SutraSerial: SF-00069 January PP Class; introduction of Mindfulness Sutra; quotes from Henry David Thoreau and Walt Whitman; Walden and Leaves of Grass. Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Four Noble Truths, Forgiveness, Concentration, Letting... |
Jan 08 1997 Green Gulch Farm |
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November 17th, 1996, Serial No. 00787, Side B Gratitude, Commitment, Silence, Passions, Mindfulness, Precepts, Religion, War, Peace... |
Nov 17 1996 |
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Zen and No-BenefitSerial: BZ-00116 Lecture Suzuki Roshi, Bodhidharma, Attachment, Mindfulness, Subject-and-Object, Anger, Family... |
Sep 16 1996 Unknown Location |
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Five Lords or PowersSerial: BZ-00792A Saturday Lecture Concentration, Mindfulness, Buddha Nature, Offering, Bowing, Ego, Samadhi, Daily Life... |
Sep 06 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Encouraging Words from HongzhiSerial: BZ-00794B Sesshin Day 1 Hongzhi, Silent Illumination, Happiness, Pure Existence, Karma, Discrimination,... |
Aug 31 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 29th, 1996, Serial No. 00256 Ego, Buddha Nature, Discrimination, Attachment, Karmic Consciousness, Big Mind,... |
Aug 29 1996 |
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Five HindrancesSerial: BZ-00795A Saturday Lecture Hindrances, Doubt, Hindrances, true dharma, Anger, Emotions, Daily Life, Ego,... |
Aug 10 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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March 24th, 1996, Serial No. 00809, Side A Mindfulness, Four Foundations, Right Effort, Instruction, Silent Illumination, Soto... |
Mar 24 1996 |
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ParinirvanaSerial: BZ-00749 Eight Awarenesses, Lecture Eight Awarenesses, Eight Awarenesses, Nirvana, Eight Aspects, Mindfulness, Samadhi,... |
Feb 15 1996 |
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Eight Awarenesses of an Enlightened BeingSerial: BZ-00811B Saturday Lecture Eight Awarenesses, Parinirvana, Eight Awarenesses, Nirvana, Samadhi, Nirvana Sutra,... |
Feb 11 1996 Berkeley Zen Center |
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Title UnknownSerial: BZ-00817B Rohatsu Day 3 Posture, Discrimination, Building, War, Daily Life, Buddha Nature, Harmonizing,... |
Dec 05 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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September 23rd, 1995, Serial No. 00822, Side B Buddha Nature, Soto Zen, Priest, Birth-and-Death, Anger, Karma, Gratitude, soto,... |
Sep 23 1995 |
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August 26th, 1995, Serial No. 00825, Side B Vows, Happiness, Conversation, Interdependence, Commitment, Describe, Bell,... |
Aug 26 1995 |
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Dogen's Five PointsSerial: BZ-00827B Saturday Lecture Four Methods of Guidance, Instruction, Thoroughness, Hindrances, Absolute-and-... |
Aug 12 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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August 5th, 1995, Serial No. 00827, Side A zen meditation, Subject-and-Object, Mindfulness, Blue Cliff Record, Mundane Life,... |
Aug 05 1995 |
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June 18th, 1995, Serial No. 00978, Side B Practice Period, Teacher-and-Student, Instruction, Emotions, Funeral, Obstacles,... |
Jun 18 1995 |
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Hsin Hsin Ming IVSerial: BZ-00978A Sesshin Day 4 Hsin Hsin Ming, confusion, Oneness, Continuous, Duality, Subject-and-Object,... |
Jun 17 1995 Berkeley Zen Center |
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May 13th, 1995, Serial No. 00976, Side B Fundraising, Intimacy, Evil, Teacher-and-Student, Mindfulness, Emotions, Anger,... |
May 13 1995 |
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1995.04.10-serial.00044 Mindfulness, Repentance, Emotions, Monastic Practice, Don't Know Mind, Posture,... |
Apr 10 1995 |
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April 9th, 1995, Serial No. 00909, Side A Buddha's Birthday, Right Speech, Beginners, Four Noble Truths, Right Effort,... |
Apr 09 1995 |
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March 31st, 1995, Serial No. 00765 Culture, American, Monastic Practice, Transmission, Practice Period, Humility, Non-... |
Mar 31 1995 |