THE GOLDEN RULE Archives - Mindful Happiness

May 25, 2016 By Admin

Human Beings Having Trouble BEING Human! Mindful Happiness Offers Some Help.

Human Beings Have Trouble BEING Human –

Some Sound Advice from Dr Anthony Quintiliani

The world today appears to be even more destructive than ever before in human history. However, historians and violence researchers inform us that we as average persons are safer today than we were in the past. Finger-tip access to world-wide media leads us into the conclusion that the whole world is falling apart. In some cases, it is! Let’s look at some obvious problems, problems especially current in the United States. In my opinion massive mindfulness and wise mind adoption and regular practice in our culture may be an answer to the turmoil we face. Here is a short list of OUR problems.

Problems We Face Are:

Rugged individualism, sometimes over-dependency, a separate self, material gain and greed, rising fear, rising intolerance, strong striving, learned helplessness, I/me/my entitlement, narcissism, conditioned limbic dominance, norms of defensiveness, the GREAT rush, craving and desiring, corruption of power and money, corporate influence in government, more smartphone less face-to-face communication, greed-based climate change, endless wars, Big Pharma-made opioid overdose crisis, increased white working class premature deaths, growing personal and national debt, earlier onset of serious mental illness in children and youth, earlier onset of suicide risk, weak self-esteem, earlier onset of medications use in children and youth, declining standard of living, racial and ethnic hatred, increased mental illness in college-aged populations, declining physical health status, an inner emptiness for many, loss of hope for many, more anxiety, depression, trauma, and substance misuse, rampant self-medication for short-term relief of our suffering, etc.

Need I go on? Hopefully not. These are the more severe norms of American suffering.

Yet in spite of this cultural mess we still produce vast achievements, great wealth, many goods, vast opportunities, strong caring, generosity, philanthropy, and HOPE for so, so many people who wish to come here to improve their lives.

Mindfulness and Wise Mind Traditions That Can Help Us –

Some Common Outcomes from REGULAR Practice of Mindfulness, Meditation, Yoga, Even Exercise Are:

Mindfulness awareness, improved attention, improved concentration, the ability to pause before reacting, emotional slowing, inner calm, compassion, self-compassion, executive strengthening, limbic weakening, mindful responding, kindness, impermanence, interbeing – the Golden Rule, dependent arising, no independent self, non-material authentic happiness, contentment, skillful reduction of suffering, ultimate emptiness (non-nihilistic), personal responsibility for doing good, etc. etc. I will not continue the list. You get the picture.

It is highly unlikely that American leaders will guide us into becoming a nation of reasonable, mindful beings. However, we as individuals and groups may pursue life-changing opportunities through the regular practice of mindfulness, meditation, yoga, etc. Such practices and skills will improve our inner emotional lives and inner/outer peace. Yes, this is possible. If you doubt it, search the many, many research studies on the positive effects of mindfulness, meditation, yoga and exercise. I dare you to try!!!! Go ahead. You have nothing to lose.

For more information refer to Alper, S. A. (2016). Mindfulness Meditation in Psychotherapy…Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.

By Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont

Author of Mindful Happiness

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Vipassana Meditation and Introduction Vipassana meditation, as taught by S. N. Goenka, has been practiced in India, Europe, the United States and in many other parts of the world. There are various claims for effectiveness when used as a form of meditative treatment with various populations (often correctional and substance using populations); however, there is […]

What is Mindfulness – The Nature of Mindfulness This is an expanded second post on the nature of mindfulness. This post will begin with secular understandings, and end with basic spiritual path information. Generally mindfulness is a wide-ranging process with a special noticing quality. It focuses the power of attention leading to improved concentration. Mindfulness […]

Mindful Observation Through Mindful Breathing The following guided meditation is a combination meditation from Asanga’s Grounds of Hearers, Jam-Yang-Shay-Pa’s concentration meditation on the breath, and the Anapanasati Sutta. These guided meditation instructions have been simplified and combined for contemporary use by lay meditators. Observation of Observation – Mindfulness in Breathing Contemplate breathing in and out with complete […]

Failure and Success: After We Fail, We Succeed Humans tend to get very discouraged when things do not go our way. This may be especially true for younger people, who have grown up attached to their instant gratification digital devices. Below I will list several highly successful people, but I will also note their many […]

Polyvagal Interventions for Anxiety S. Porges and his Polyvagal Theory may provide innovative interventions for both anxiety and depression. Many people become trapped in ruminating about the past or worrying about the future; they cannot seem to keep their mind and body in the present moment. Some strong, fear-based, bodily defenses may not respond well to […]

Gratitude Along with Sadness and Fear – It Is Life The famous Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh gently advises us to appreciate the many things that we may take for granted. For example, when he does walking meditation he believes and feels that the the earth below his feet is, itself, a miracle of reality. […]

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Tibetan Tantric Meditation on Selflessness Mahamudra meditations tend to unify emptiness and bliss, and represent many core principles of Tibetan Buddhism. Nagarjuna’s text on The Middle Way played an important and influential role in these practices. Selflessness of persons and selflessness of phenomena are highly represented in noted meditation practices. Therefore,, this can be considered […]

Using Your Compassionate Mind in Psychotherapy For you to become a more compassionate therapist, follow the details noted below. These preconditions, skills, and practices are required as a baseline for compassionate practice. You need the ability to access calmness in an environment of emotional suffering, chaos, or conflict. Most people do this by breathing in […]

Trauma Therapy: Basics from Some Expert Clinicians For many years trauma therapist have used many approaches in their psychotherapy. Most of these approaches lack strong empirical support for outcomes, and are often the “favorites” of these therapists. One might wonder what benefits therapists derive from using approaches that are not evidence-based. If an intervention fails […]

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Meditation Guide to Getting Started Since just sitting in basic (mindfulness or vipassana) meditation is such an important practice on your way to emotional regulation – and possibly and eventually to Enlightenment – I decided to offer a quick review of this skilled practice. Practice every day! 1) Sit comfortably with your back softly errect […]

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Vipassana Meditation – Emptiness One of the great insights from regular, long-term vipassana practice is the experience of emptiness. The actual knowing of it by the experience of it. This is not your typical conceptual emptiness of the West; it is not total void, negative beings, or nihilistic pit, or suffering in endlessness. It is […]

Vipassana for Depression, Anxiety, Trauma, and Addictions The integration of Vipassana meditation with various forms of therapy has for many years been a standard of treatment worldwide and in Vermont, especially when impulse control and emotion regulations issues are included. Buddhist Psychology offers clear explanations why this intervention may be helpful for so many suffering […]

Beads: Significance in Spiritual and Religious Practices The significance of religious and spiritual practices in the world is enormous. Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist practitioners make up the overwhelming majority of the world’s population. The CIA estimates are that Christians (33%), Muslims (23%), Hindus (14%) and Buddhist (7%) make up the majority of religious followers. […]