your thoughts
Are you sure this cushion isn’t for me?
you wrote in I was pleased to find your magazine, and even more pleased that Sandra Oh was on the cover. My wife and I love her work, especially since we are vegans and she practices the vegan lifestyle. It is exciting to see a magazine with great articles on mindfulness with emphasis on compassion. John Mooter Cincinnati, Ohio
Thanks for the gorgeous story and photos in “A Matter of Death and Life” (February 2014). I read it on my lunch break while working at home and felt the sense of connection that was so often mentioned by the students. I am keeping hospice care in the front of my mind as an option from now on. Nikki Narratil Minneapolis, Minnesota
Q: Do you have any tips on integrating pets into meditation practice? DANICE CASHIN Watertown, NY
A: One of the great things about mindfulness meditation practice is that it shows us that being present doesn’t require extraordinary feats of concentration. We don’t have to fight off distractions like a knight slaying dragons. If your dog or cat comes into the room where you’re meditating and barks and meows and brushes up against you or settles down on a part of your cushion, no big deal. Let it be. What works less well is to interrupt your session to relate to them. If that’s what’s going to happen, try to find a way to avoid their interrupting your practice.
connect To learn about future issues and upcoming events, sign up for our email newsletters at mindful.org. To share your feedback on this or other issues, email us with your full name, city, and state or province at mindful@ mindful.org. You can also visit facebook.com/ mindfulorg or tweet us @MindfulOnline. For subscription questions, email subscriptions@mindful.org. Letters chosen for publication may be edited for length and clarity. All submissions and manuscripts become the property of The Foundation for a Mindful Society.
4 mindful June 2014
I recently attended the Bridging Hearts and Minds of Youth Conference at the University of California-San Diego Center for Mindfulness. I got the sense from the conference and from Mindful magazine that this is an exciting time for the young field of mindfulness. Groundbreaking research is being done on mindfulness and its positive effects on mood regulation, academic success, attention and overall well-being for our children, teachers, parents, and neighborhoods. I think it’s great that mindfulness challenges us to examine the intention we are bringing to our relationships, jobs, and interactions with others. As mindfulness continues to grow, I believe we will begin to see shifts in our society: people will feel less stressed and more resilient.
you answered What’s your favorite kind of—formal or informal— mindfulness practice? I find that lying flat on my back with one hand on my heart to feel my heartbeat and one on my stomach to feel my breath works really well to get me grounded. Jennifer Horton Chapel Hill, North Carolina
I like to lay down on the bed with my headphones and a mindfulness app. Most of the time, I’ll do a body scan meditation. Marc Roelofs Veenendaal, Utretcht, Netherlands
Loving kindness meditation while I’m commuting makes for a stress-alleviating transition to and from home to work. Deb Kay Winnipeg, Manitoba
Lately, I’ve been trying to focus on one breath at a time and assess its depth and quality: is it natural and flowing? Or constricted and manipulated? Tom Fandre Los Gatos, California
I wanted to let you know that Mindful is the one periodical that I read cover to cover. I get a lot out of the stories on mindfulness science, lifestyle advice, and in-depth articles about other meditators practicing mindfulness. Can I suggest including ideas for meditation teachers to incorporate into their classes—that would be a much-appreciated addition!
My meditation “routine” varies. Sometimes, I love an early morning or late night seat. Other times, I prefer a moving meditation, like paddle boarding on the ocean. My favorite meditation happens when I remember to connect with my breath in moments that are unexpectedly stressful, like when someone runs a stop sign or a difficult conversation happens.
Jeffrey Thornton Hendersonville, North Carolina
Amanda Shepherd Long Beach, California
Katie Kenefick Edina, Minnesota
VOLUME TWO, NUMBER 2, Mindful (ISSN 2169-5733, USPS 010-500) is published bimonthly for $29.95 per year USA, $39.95 Canada & 49.95 (US) international, by The Foundation for a Mindful Society, 1776 I St, NW, #90046, Washington, DC 20006 USA. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, DC, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mindful, PO Box 469018, Escondido, CA 92046. CANADIAN POSTMASTER: Send undeliverable copies to Mindful, 1660 Hollis St, Suite 701, Halifax, NS B3J 1V7 CANADA. Printed in U.S.A. © 2014 Foundation for a Mindful Society. All rights reserved.
ILLUSTRATION BY JASON LEE
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