MindfulMeditation

LindaRSecretan,MA,CMC,CWC,AACBoardMember,RLSFoundation

©2016RLSFoundation

TheExpert

“TheWaytodoistobe.”―LaoTzu

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Agenda

Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?

'That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat.

‘I don't much care where—' said Alice.

‘Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat.

'—so long as I get SOMEWHERE,' Alice added as an explanation.

'Oh, you're sure to do that,' said the Cat, 'if you only walk long enough."

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Wherediditallbegin?

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Science

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EvidenceofEffectsontheBody

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Whathappensinmeditation?

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FAQ’s

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WhatareDifferentKindsofMeditation?

•MBSR (thegranddaddyofmodernapproachesinourcultureBodyScanmeditation(alsopartofMBSR)•Taichiandqigongaremovingformsofmeditationthatcombinephysicalexercisewith•Breathingandfocus.•Transcendentalmeditation• Walkingmeditationturnsyourfocustobothbodyandmindasyoubreatheintimewithyourfootsteps.• Loving-KindnessMeditation (LKM)• HuggingMeditation• LaughingMeditation• MandalaMeditation

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DifferentKindsofMeditations

• Samatha (andVipassana)meditationarestylesthatcomefromTheravadaandmostlytheBurmeselineageholders).Samathaistranslatedas“tamingthemind”Thespecifictypesofmeditationpracticesthatareinvolvedinthesecontemporarysettingsinclude1.FocusedAttention(andOpenmonitoringmeditation- seebelow)– FocusedAttentionMeditation

• Focusedattentioncanbetrainedonanyobject(e.g.,amantra,adiety,oraflame),butinthecaseofsamatha,thefocusisonthebreath.Focusonthebreathandnothingelsehelpstostabilizethemind(bringittostillness).Similarlytoamantrameditation,focusingononeobjectisthoughttobehelpful– mostlybecauseitdoesnotallowmanyotherdistractionstoarise.

• Vipassana - theBuddhistmeditationtechniqueonwhichthenowwildlypopularWesternizedconceptof“mindfulness”isbased.Theword Vipassana roughlytranslatesfromtheancientPali languageofBuddhistscripturesto“seeingthingsastheyreallyare”or“insight”– OpenmonitoringMeditation

• Openmonitoring(OM)typicallybuildsuponthestabilityofattentionyouhavecultivatedinFocusedAttentionpractice.Itdirectsyourattentiontoanyobjectthatarisesandallowsyoutakeinventory,withoutreactingorintentionallyfollowinganyonetrainofthought– justletitriseandpass.

• …andasmanymoreastherearemeditators !

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Letmeaskagain…

• Whatdoyouactuallydo?

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Ithoughtyou’dneverask…

• MeditationandRLS

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Do-Be-Do-Be-Do-Be-Do

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RESOURCES – Books&Articles

BOOKS

• 10%Happier:HowITamedtheVoiceinMyHead,ReducedStressWithoutLosingMyEdge,andFoundSelf-HelpThatActuallyWorks--ATrueStory,DanHarris

• TheHowofHappiness,Sonia Lyubomirsky• LivingWellwithPainandIllness:TheMindfulWaytoFreeYourselffromSuffering,

VidyamalaBurch• MindfulnessforBeginners,DalidaTurkovic• TheMiracleofMindfulness:AnIntroductiontothePracticeofMeditation,ThichNhat

Hanh

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RESOURCES - Books&Articles,continues

• QigongforStayingYoung,ShoshannaKatzman• WhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre:Mindfulnessmeditationforeverydaylife,JonKabat-Zin

• ScientificAmerican,“NeuroscientistsandtheDalaiLamaSwapInsightsonMeditation”http://bit.ly/2cevlxr

• “Mindfulness-Meditation-BasedPainReliefIsNotMediatedbyEndogenousOpioids,”March15,2106.mindfulnessmeditationdoesnotemploytheendogenousopioidsystemtoreducepain.Thisisagroundbreakingdiscovery.http://www.jneurosci.org/content/36/11/3391.short

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AUDIORESOURCE&WEBSITES

• Breathworks - basedontheexperienceofVidyamalaBurchwhosustainedaseverespinalinjuryin1976whenshewassixteenleadingsurgeriesandpartialparaplegia.Over27yearsagoshebeganexploringmindfulnessandmeditationtomanagepainhttp://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/aboutbreathworks

• CenterforMindfulnessinMedicine,HealthCare,andSociety,.UMass,http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/

• CopingwithRLSandwhatSleepDeprivationDoestoYou,JeffreyDurmer.M.D.,Ph.D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJp5nrCVYmY

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AUDIORESOURCE&WEBSITES,continued

InsightTimer– Hometomorethan1,000,000meditators.Freeorpaid($2.99).Setbeginning,endingandintervalchimes.Vastarrayofguidedmeditations,oneminutetoninetyminutesinlength.Keeptrackofsessions.3,000discussiongroupsrunbyusersfrom210countries,rangingfromcommunitysupporttomindfuleatingtostressrelief,Rumipoetryandevenmeditationhumor.www.insighttimer.com

• Headspace - engaginganimationsandsimpleexplanationshttps://www.headspace.com

• SeealsoHeadspaceFAQ’sAboutYourPractice.https://www.headspace.com/faqs/category/about-your-practice

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AUDIORESOURCE&WEBSITES,continued

• FreeGuidedMeditations,UCLAMindfulAwarenessResearchCenter.http://marc.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=22

• GuidedAudioFilestoPracticeMindfulnessBasedStressReduction,UCSanDiegoCenterforMindfulness.http://bit.ly/2c8gqSp

• GuidedPractices,CenterforContemplativeMindinSociety.http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/recordings

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AUDIORESOURCE&WEBSITES,continued

• GuidedPractices,InsightMeditationSociety. .http://www.dharma.org/resources/audio#guided

• MindandLifeInstitutehttps://www.mindandlife.org/

• QigongforStayingYoung- DVD

• SharonSalzberg– ananimatedtaleoftwowolvesfightinginourheartsshowshowmindfulnessletsus seeourthoughtsandfeelingsastheyare.http://www.sharonsalzberg.com/animation/

• VidyamalaBurch.http://www.vidyamala-burch.com

Questions & Answers

JointheRLSFoundationatwww.rls.org2016RLSFoundationWebinarSeries- UpNext:PLMS:IsthereClinicalSignificance?presentedbyDr.BrianKoo,Director,YaleCentersforRestlessLegsSyndrome