1. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   October 7, 2016 at 7:29 am

   A May 26, 2016 Guardian article is entitled: ” ‘No Muslims allowed’: how nationalism is rising in Aung San Suu Kyi’s Myanmar: Concerns grow that Buddhist extremism may flourish unless country’s new democratic leaders counter discrimination against minorities.”

   An Oct. 6, 2016 Guardian article is entitled: “Tourist in Myanmar jailed for pulling plug on Buddhist sermon: Dutchman gets three months for ‘interfering with prayers’ near Mandalay hotel and fine for violating the culture.”

   A Dec. 4, 2016 Guardian article is entitled: “Malaysia PM urges world to act against ‘genocide’ of Myanmar’s Rohingya: Najib Razak tells Kuala Lumpur rally attended by thousands ‘the world cannot sit by and watch genocide taking place’”.

   A Jan. 16, 2017 New York Times article is entitled: “The Lady and the Rohingya.”

   A Feb. 2, 2017 Guardian article is entitled: “Plan to move Rohingya to remote island prompts fears of human catastrophe: Rights groups have warned that a Bangladesh government proposal to move Rohingya refugees to a flood-prone island could have fatal consequences.”

   An April 25, 2017 Reuters article is entitled: “How a two-week army crackdown reignited Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis.”

   A subhead reads:

   “In November, Myanmar’s army swept through Rohingya villages in Rakhine state. Hundreds of Rohingya were killed and some 75,000 fled to Bangladesh. The violence has presented Aung San Suu Kyi with a major crisis.”

   Reply
2. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   October 16, 2016 at 7:02 am

   An Oct. 16, 2016 Guardian article is entitled: “The conundrum of mind and matter: what is consciousness? It’s one of the greatest puzzles scientists struggle to define. Susan Greenfield explains why understanding consciousness remains elusive.”

   A Nov. 14, 2016 Science of Us article is entitled: “Switching Detention for Meditation Seems to Really Work.”

   Universities teaching meditation

   A Nov. 24, 2016 Maclean’s article is entitled: “Universities are teaching meditation to help students control stress: Meditation goes to school.”

   A Dec. 20, 2016 New York Times article is entitled: “Where Buddhism’s Eight-Fold Path Can Be Followed With a Six-Figure Salary.”

   A Dec. 23, 2016 Globe and Mail article is entitled: “The dark side of empathy.”

   An April 4, 2017 CBC article is entitled: “Mindfulness means putting the oxygen mask on yourself first: study: ‘We have to take care of ourselves,’ says Toronto mother of son, 25, with autism.”

   Tibet

   A Dec. 25, 2016 Globe and Mail article is entitled: “Tibet: Behind the looking glass.”

   With regard to the latter topic, a series of posts at this website related to gentrification, gated communities, and public relations is of relevance:

   Click here for posts related to The Government Next Door (2015) >

   Two studies that provide backstories related to the topics at hand include:

   The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time, 2nd Beacon Paperback Ed. (2001; originally published 1944)

   The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression (1999)

   Reply
3. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   January 12, 2017 at 1:30 pm

   Empathy

   A July 12, 2012 Wired article is entitled: “Compassion over empathy could help prevent emotional burnout.”

   A June 3, 2013 Harvard University Press article is entitled: “Is Empathy Bad?

   A Sept. 10, 2014 Boston review article is entitled: “Against Empathy.”

   A Jan. 4, 2017 CBC The Current article is entitled: “Against Empathy: Yale psychology professor says too much emotion leads to bad moral decisions.”

   A Feb. 14, 2017 Science of Us article is entitled: “Rich People Literally See the World Differently.”

   A March 1, 2017 Scientific American article is entitled: “Too Much Emotional Intelligence Is a Bad Thing: Profound empathy may come at a price.”

   A June 24, 2017 Guardian article is entitled: “‘It’s a superpower’: meet the empaths paid to read your mind: They feel your pain as if it were their own – and charge you £200 an hour to do so. Why has empathy become such a prized commodity?”

   An excerpt reads:

   The authors noted the correlation between the fall in empathy and the rise in narcissism, and suggested the emphasis neoliberal economics places on individualism as one likely explanation.

   A second excerpt reads:

   It is not only humans who are capable of the most sophisticated consolatory form of empathy. As the primatologist Frans de Waal has noted, chimpanzees will take special care when grooming a mother who has lost her child. But empathy isn’t always a predictor of the best moral outcomes. Like chimpanzees (with whom we share 98% of our DNA), our conceptions of selfishness and selflessness tend to relate to our own particular in-group. Studies have shown that the brain’s empathy circuits fire less when we observe pain in someone of a different race, social class, political persuasion, or even a supporter of a rival football team. The child psychologist Paul Bloom has argued that for this reason, empathy alone is not a reliable way of coming to a moral decision: “It can motivate cruelty and aggression, and lead to burnout and exhaustion.”

   Comment

   An underlying subtext concerns the question of who benefits – and what worldview and mindset benefits – from the denigration of empathy? A related question concerns evidence-based practice, as it relates to the topic of empathy. To what extent are we dealing with facts, when we talk about empathy, and to what extent are we dealing with framing?

   Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin (2015)

   I much enjoy the following overview (p. 280; I’ve broken the original, longer paragraph into shorter ones) from Mr. Putin: Operative in the Kremlin (2015) regarding “the worst approach to empathy”; the quoted text from the book goes as follows:

   Beyond his time in the KGB, Vladimir Putin has no firsthand experience of Western society. To assume that he does, and that he should think like us or even understand how we think, is an example of what U.S. scholar Zachary Shore – in his 2014 book, A Sense of the Enemy: The High-Stakes History of Reading Your Rival’s Mind – describes as “simulation theory.”

   We ask ourselves what we would do in another per­son’s position, but this is “unfortunately, the worst approach to empathy because it assumes that others will think and act as we do, and too often they don’t.” [62] As we have pointed out in earlier chapters, Putin’s under­standing – in the Russian context – of how the free market works or should work is very different from a U.S. or European perspective. It was informed by his experience growing up in the Soviet Union and working in St. Petersburg as deputy mayor, as well as by his studies in the KGB and life in Dresden when the East German economy was in shambles. Putin’s conception of democratic politics, or at least what he views as democratic politics, was filtered by his experience in the German Demo­cratic Republic, and then in the rough-and-tumble of post-Soviet Russian politics in St. Petersburg and later in Moscow.

   Reply
4. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   April 22, 2017 at 11:07 am

   A May 9, 2017 BBC article is entitled: “The Japanese skill copied by the world: Mindfulness has become trendy around the world in recent years – but in Japan, it’s been ingrained into the culture for centuries.”

   A May 19, 2017 Guardian article is entitled: “Myanmar failing to stop spread of religious violence, UN envoy says: Special rapporteur on human rights calls on Aung San Suu Kyi’s government to curb hate speech and attacks by nationalists.”

   Reply
5. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   May 10, 2017 at 7:25 pm

   Additional article of interest, from Brown University

   Frontiers in Psychology, 20 April 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00551

   Women Benefit More Than Men in Response to College-based Meditation Training

   Authors: Rahil Rojiani1*†, Juan F. Santoyo2,3†, Hadley Rahrig4, Harold D. Roth2,5 and Willoughby B. Britton2,4

   A May 10, 2017 post at the Preserved Stories website related to this article is entitled:

   I have received an apt correction regarding a Brown University study that I reviewed earlier, regarding meditation

   Reply
6. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   June 20, 2017 at 7:11 am

   A June 18, 2017 CBC article is entitled: “Meet a Toronto-area police officer fighting back against violence and trauma — with zen: York Region Const. Jon Carson says mindfulness can lead to better policing.”

   An Oct. 22, 2017 Guardian article is entitled: “Master of mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn: ‘People are losing their minds. That is what we need to wake up to’: By taking the Buddhism out of the practice, Kabat-Zinn pioneered a meditative approach used all over the world to treat pain and depression. He talks about Trump, ‘McMindfulness’ and how a 10-second vision in 1979 led to a change in the world’s consciousness.”

   An Oct. 24, 2017 New York Times article is entitled: “Across Myanmar, Denial of Ethnic Cleansing and Loathing of Rohingya.”

   An Oct. 27, 2017 Guardian article is entitled: “Revealed: Dalai Lama’s ‘personal emissary’ suspended over corruption claims: Tibetan monk who is gatekeeper to the Dalai Lama in the US strongly denies allegations he demanded improper payments.”

   Of related interest regarding Myanmar: Myanmar’s enemy within: Buddhist violence and the making of a Muslim ‘other’ (2017)

   A Nov. 18, 2017 CBC article, which refers to a CBC Passionate Eye broadcast, is entitled: “Behind the Rohingya Crisis.”

   A Nov. 19, 2017 Toronto Star article is entitled: “Bob Rae on Rohingya crisis in Burma: ‘It’s more than an emergency’.”

   A Dec. 2, 2017 New York Times article is entitled: “‘No Such Thing as Rohingya’: Myanmar Erases a History.”

   An Aug. 2, 2018 Toronto Star article is entitled: “Burma says Rohingya are back, but evidence is thin.”

   Reply
7. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   July 2, 2018 at 5:46 pm

   A blurb for Mindlessness: The Corruption of Mindfulness in a Culture of Narcissism (2017) at the Toronto Public Library website reads (I’ve broken the original single paragraph into shorter ones):

   A contemplative practice with Buddhist roots, mindfulness is “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present-moment, non-judgmentally.” Practicing mindfulness can be an effective adjunct in treating psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and addiction.

   But have we gone too far with mindfulness? Recent books on the topic reveal a troubling corruption of mindfulness practice for commercial gain, with self-help celebrities hawking mindfulness as the next “miracle drug.” Furthermore, common misunderstanding of what mindfulness really is seems to be fueled by a widespread cultural trend toward narcissism, egocentricity, and self-absorption.

   Thomas Joiner’s Mindlessness chronicles the promising rise of mindfulness and its perhaps inevitable degradation. Giving mindfulness its full due, both as a useful philosophical vantage point and as a means to address various life challenges, Joiner mercilessly charts how narcissism has intertwined with and co-opted the practice to create a Frankenstein’s monster of cultural solipsism and self-importance.

   He examines the dispiriting consequences for many sectors of society (e.g., mental health, education, politics) and ponders ways to mitigate, if not undo, them. Mining a rich body of research, Joiner also makes use of material from popular culture, literature, social media, and personal experience in order to expose the misuse of mindfulness and to consider how we as a society can back away from the brink, salvaging a potentially valuable technique for improving mental and physical wellbeing.

   Reply
8. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   July 11, 2018 at 12:37 pm

   A July 10, 2018 Vox article is entitled: “How Buddhist meditation kept the Thai boys calm in the cave: The boys’ coach lived in a Buddhist monastery for a decade and taught them to meditate in the cave.”

   A July 11, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “Buddhist group leader steps down over sexual assault claims: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, leader of global Shambhala community, steps down while claims are investigated.”

   Useful background reading regarding the latter story: Re-enchantment: Tibetan Buddhism Comes to the West (2004).

   An Aug. 3, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “High-profile Chinese monk accused of sexually harassing nuns: Shi Xuecheng faces allegations in 95-page dossier compiled by fellow Buddhist monks at Beijing monastery.”

   An Aug. 29, 2018 CBC article is entitled: “Aung San Suu Kyi ‘bears some real responsibility’ for Rohingya crisis, says Bob Rae: UN fact-finder says Myanmar military leaders should be tried for persecution of Rohingya Muslims.”

   An Aug. 31, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “Myanmar army fakes photos and history in sinister rewrite of Rohingya crisis: Propaganda unit’s 117-page book contains pictures purportedly taken in Rakhine state that are really from Tanzania and Bangladesh.”

   A Sept. 4, 2019 Guardian article is entitled: “Debating the definition of genocide will not save the Rohingya: The time for talk is over. The international community has to act, or it could fail in Myanmar just as it failed in Rwanda.”

   An Oct. 9, 2018 CBC article is entitled: “‘What country is next?’ Amnesty director warns inaction on Rohingya crisis could lead to wider abuse.”

   Reply
9. 

   Jaan Pill says:

   December 9, 2018 at 8:56 pm

   A Dec. 10, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “Ai Weiwei: ‘The mood in Germany is like the 1930s’: The artist has battled surveillance, underground exile and even irate Berlin taxi drivers. He thinks the world has forgotten what human rights mean, which is why he has designed a new flag.”

   An excerpt reads:

   Many of Ai’s works over a career spanning more than 40 years have been investigations into human rights transgressions, including his own imprisonment by Chinese authorities. But now he has taken his interest a step further by accepting the invitation from UK arts organisations and human rights charities to design a flag to mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

   “I don’t recall any kind of symbol for human rights,” he says, sitting at a long wooden table in his studio in Berlin, where he has lived in exile since 2015. “So it was time we gave it one.”

   He lays out a series of photographs. They show the muddy footprints of Rohingya refugees who have been forced to flee attacks by Myanmarese soldiers and take refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh.

   Reply
10. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 9, 2018 at 8:59 pm

    A Dec. 9, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “Twitter CEO accused of ignoring plight of Rohingya in tweets promoting Myanmar: Jack Dorsey rhapsodised about 10-day meditation retreat and encouraged his 4 million followers to visit.”

    An excerpt reads:

    The CEO of Twitter has faced fierce criticism for promoting Myanmar as a tourist destination in a series of tweets despite hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing human rights abuses that the UN says amounts to genocide.

    Jack Dorsey told his 4 million followers he had travelled to northern Myanmar last month for a 10-day silent meditation retreat, before encouraging them to visit.

    “The people are full of joy and the food is amazing,” he said, before encouraging his followers to visit.

    A Dec. 13, 2018 Reuters article is entitled: “Special Report: In a Muslim lawyer’s murder, Myanmar’s shattered dream.”

    A Dec. 26, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “Battle of the bulge: Thailand strives to bring monk obesity crisis under control: Health problem hits Thai temples where worshippers leave sweet alms and holy men shun exercise as vanity.”

    A March 2, 2019 New York Times article is entitled: “Shared Buddhist Faith Offers No Shield From Myanmar Military.”

    Reply
11. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    May 22, 2019 at 1:41 pm

    A May 19, 2019 Open Democracy article is entitled: “The faux revolution of mindfulness: McMindfulness is the new capitalist spirituality.”

    An excerpt reads:

    Against this background, the hubris and political naiveté of the cheerleaders of the mindfulness ‘revolution’ is stunning. They seem so enamored of doing good and saving the world that these true believers, no matter how sincere, suffer from an enormous blindspot. They seem mindless of the fact that all too often, mindfulness has been reduced to a commodified and instrumental self-help technique that unwittingly reinforces neoliberal imperatives.

    For Kabat-Zinn and his followers, it is mindless and maladapted individuals who are to blame for the problems of a dysfunctional society, not the political and economic frameworks within which they are forced to act. By shifting the burden of responsibility to individuals for managing their own wellbeing, and by privatizing and pathologizing stress, the neoliberal order has been a boon to the 1.1 billion dollar mindfulness industry.

    This is an intriguing article. I think a key feature of mindfulness is that how it is defined is up to each person who uses the term. I note that the article argues that mindfulness can be used to advance any particular position – for example, on the left or on the right.

    My own anecdotal experience is that mindfulness is indeed highly valuable in helping a person deal with stress. The fact I have learned to practise mindfulness has come in very useful with regard to how I deal with stress and with regard to how I address stressful social interactions. I can see tremendous value in mindfulness.

    I also note that newsstands across the province of Ontario, where I live, feature magazines extolling the benefits of mindfulness. I’ve spent a lot of time of observing the covers of these magazines. I’ve also at times purchased a copy and read a few articles. From such anecdotal observations I would affirm: Pitching the concept that mindfulness will cure what ails you is the perfect way to prop up a neoliberal worldview.

    However, mindfulness has tremendous value, period. Whether or not it end up in the hands of neoliberal ideologues, who use it to push their own view of what reality entails, is neither here nor there; such tactics or strategies are beside the point. People can use mindfulness, like any technique, for whatever purpose they wish to use it for.

    Reply
12. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    June 14, 2019 at 10:46 am

    A Sept. 11, 2017 BBC article is entitled: “Rohingya crisis: Seeing through the official story in Myanmar.”

    An excerpt reads:

    We were then taken to a Buddhist temple, where a monk described Muslims burning down their own homes, nearby. We were given photographs catching them in the act. They looked strange.

    Men in white haji caps posed as they set light to the palm-thatch roof. Women wearing what appeared to be lacy tablecloths on their heads melodramatically waved swords and machetes. Later I found that one of the women was in fact the animated Hindu woman from the school, and I saw that one of the men had also been present in among the displaced Hindu.

    They had faked the photos to make it look as though Muslims were doing the burning.

    A June 14, 2019 Guardian article is entitled: “The mindfulness conspiracy: It is sold as a force that can help us cope with the ravages of capitalism, but with its inward focus, mindful meditation may be the enemy of activism.”

    Reply
13. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    July 12, 2019 at 6:13 pm

    A July 10, 2019 Aeon article is entitled: “Zen terror: Master Nissho Inoue and his band of assassins teach some uncomfortable truths about terrorism, for those who will hear.”

    A September 2019 Atlantic article is entitled: “What Happened to Aung San Suu Kyi? A human-rights icon’s fall from grace in Myanmar.”

    An excerpt reads:

    After the meeting, as Obama’s motorcade snaked through a throng of Suu Kyi’s supporters, many of them holding posters with her face on it, he said something in the back of the limo that has stuck in my mind. “I used to be the face on the poster,” he said. “The image only fades.”

    The above-noted article addresses the history of Myanmar in some depth, thereby assisting to establish a historical context whereby a person can gain a better understanding of the dynamics of genocide.

    An Aug. 14, 2019 BBC article is entitled: “Why stress is dangerous – and how to avoid its effects.:

    The subtitle reads:

    Are we really more stressed than ever before? In an essay based on her recent book Stress-Proof, Mithu Storoni explains how modern life may have amplified our anxiety, and the best ways to reduce its impact on our bodies and minds.

    Reply
14. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    October 16, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    A Sept. 24, 2018 CBC article is entitled: “Post-work decompression techniques for busy people: A daily full body relaxation practice that you can try at home to reduce stress and reset.”

    What is called a ‘body scan’ is a key practice learned in the MBSR approach to mindfulness outlined at the current post. The practice brings to mind the close relationship between mind and body, a topic discussed at a number of posts including:

    Crooked (2017) – an impressive investigative report on the American back pain industry – underlines that the theory of a mind-body split is defunct – it’s had its day

    An Oct. 16, 2019 Stat article is entitled: “Here’s a brain teaser: Surprising study shows reduced neuronal activity extends life.”

    An Oct. 16, 2019 New Scientist article is entitled: “Damping down brain cell activity may help us to live longer.”

    An excerpt reads:

    “Initially it seemed counter-intuitive that suppressing neural activity would extend lifespan without deleterious side effects,” he says. The researchers suspect the benefit comes from suppressing excessive activity that might prove harmful. Even so, it was surprising that something as short-lived as neural circuit activity could have such far-ranging impacts on someone’s lifespan, says Yankner.

    He is optimistic that therapies designed to reduce excessive neural circuit activity could work. The findings raise the possibility that activities such as meditation could also work on these pathways to boost longevity.

    Reply
15. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 4, 2020 at 4:29 pm

    A Jan. 8, 2019 Aeon article is entitled: “The Blind Spot: It’s tempting to think science gives a God’s-eye view of reality. But we forget the place of human experience at our peril.”

    An excerpt reads:

    We can now appreciate the deeper significance of our three scientific conundrums – the nature of matter, consciousness and time. They all point back to the Blind Spot and the need to reframe how we think about science. When we try to understand reality by focusing only on physical things outside of us, we lose sight of the experiences they point back to. The deepest puzzles can’t be solved in purely physical terms, because they all involve the unavoidable presence of experience in the equation. There’s no way to render ‘reality’ apart from experience, because the two are always intertwined.

    To finally ‘see’ the Blind Spot is to wake up from a delusion of absolute knowledge. It’s also to embrace the hope that we can create a new scientific culture, in which we see ourselves both as an expression of nature and as a source of nature’s self-understanding. We need nothing less than a science nourished by this sensibility for humanity to flourish in the new millennium.

    A Jan. 4, 2020 Guardian article is entitled: “Trying to be happy could make you miserable, study finds: Westerners who put high value on happiness tend to show greater signs of depression.”

    An excerpt reads:

    The link appears, at least in part, to be down to individuals becoming distracted by their feelings or emotional situations and a lower ability to reframe thoughts or experiences. The latter trait was also linked to symptoms of depression.

    Reply
16. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 5, 2020 at 11:55 am

    A Sept. 25, 2018 Guardian article is entitled: “About time: why western philosophy can only teach us so much: By gaining greater knowledge of how others think, we can become less certain of the knowledge we think we have, which is always the first step to greater understanding.”

    An excerpt reads:

    The emphasis on connectedness and place leads to a way of thinking that runs counter to the abstract universalism developed to a certain extent in all the great written traditions of philosophy. Muecke describes as one of the “enduring [Indigenous Australian] principles” that “a way of being will be specific to the resources and needs of a time and place and that one’s conduct will be informed by responsibility specific to that place”. This is not an “anything goes” relativism, but a recognition that rights, duties and values exist only in actual human cultures, and their exact shape and form will depend on the nature of those situations.

    Reply
17. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    October 24, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    A New York Times article, accessed on Oct. 24, 2020, is entitled: “Mindfulness for Children.”

    An excerpt reads:

    Adversity comes at us from the moment we are born. Infants get hungry and tired. Toddlers grapple with language and self-control. And as children develop through adolescence to become teenagers, life grows ever more complicated. Developing relationships, navigating school and exercising independence — the very stuff of growing up — naturally creates stressful situations for every child.

    At each developmental stage, mindfulness can be a useful tool for decreasing anxiety and promoting happiness. Mindfulness — a simple technique that emphasizes paying attention to the present moment in an accepting, nonjudgmental manner — has emerged as a popular mainstream practice in recent decades. It is being taught to executives at corporations, athletes in the locker room, and increasingly, to children both at home and in school.

    (Emphasis in original.)

    Reply
18. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    October 24, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    A Sept. 28, 2020 Walrus article is entitled: “Survivors of an International Buddhist Cult Share Their Stories: An investigation into decades of abuse at Shambhala International.”

    An excerpt reads:

    For survivors of Shambhala, the reckoning continues—and with it, the struggle for recovery. Rachel Bernstein, a Los Angeles psychotherapist who treats ex–cult members, told me that it can be healing to reconnect not only with former members of the same group but also with former members of similar groups, so the person can understand that abuse patterns are standard and predictable. Janja Lalich, an expert on the effects of cults on children, argues that kids who grow up in a group controlled by charismatic leadership have almost no access to outside points of view or ways of being in the world. That’s why she encourages ex-members to reestablish secure bonds with family or those who knew them before they entered the group. But, for those born into a cult or recruited through their parents at a young age—as was often the case with Shambhala—this option is rarely open.

    Reply
19. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 7, 2020 at 4:50 pm

    Article of interest:

    Be open: Mindfulness predicts reduced motivated perception
    September 2015, Personality and Individual Differences

    Abstract

    Mindfulness is defined as non-judgmental present-moment attention and awareness, which varies across persons and moments. As a non-judgmental stance, mindfulness should allow for greater perceptual objectivity. Previous research suggests that self-interest can motivate people to “see what they want to see” (Balcetis & Dunning, 2006). We hypothesized that mindfulness would moderate this effect such that state and trait mindfulness would be associated with less motivated perception. We adapted the methods of Balcetis and Dunning (2006) in an online study (N = 161). Results show that state and trait mindfulness predicted less motivated perception. These effects were stronger after excluding participants who noticed the ambiguity of the image as well as controlling for mood. These findings suggest that mindfulness is a stance of greater objectivity.

    Reply
20. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 7, 2020 at 4:58 pm

    Also of interest, a master’s thesis at the University of North Carolina:

    Is mindfulness a non-judgmental stance?

    Adair, Kathryn Carrie
    Affiliation: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience

    Abstract

    Mindfulness has been defined as being comprised by 1) present moment attention and awareness, and 2) a stance of non-judgment towards experience. To date, scant basic research has been conducted to test whether this second aspect, non-judgment, is indeed related to mindfulness at automatic levels of consciousness. Theoretical work has posited that as a non-judgmental stance, mindfulness allows for stimuli to be viewed more objectively, or empirically. Thus, we hypothesized that individuals high in state and trait mindfulness would exhibit a reduction in automatic judgments. Three studies were conducted to assess the role of mindfulness across a variety of measures of judgment (i.e., personally motivated perception, implicit and explicit attitudes, and affective reactivity to various photographs as measured by facial EMG). Across these studies we found evidence that mindfulness is related to attenuated bias in judgments and behaviors, however mindfulness also appears related to greater positive affective reactivity.

    Date of publication
    December 2013

    Reply
21. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 15, 2021 at 2:53 pm

    A Dec. 30, 2020 CBC Tapestry article is entitled: “McMindfulness: how capitalism hijacked the Buddhist teaching of mindfulness.”

    As I’ve mentioned previously, I’m intrigued for sure to see countless magazines on display at places like Shoppers and other stores extolling the role that mindfulness can play, according to such magazines, in ensuring people enjoy a better life, than would otherwise be the case.

    That being said, in my anecdotal experience the practice of mindfulness, when a person has learned to practise it as a result of good-quality instruction and plenty of practice, can be very helpful in addressing stress responses, of the kind that can occur in everyday life.

    Mindfulness is not the answer to all of life’s problems but it is, nonetheless, a powerful technique, which a person can put to good use quite outside of the confines of a neoliberal economic (and sense-making) system.

    I can add that I find it is most intriguing to encounter the concept that Buddhism, supposedly unlike any other world religion, is invariably directed toward all things in life that promote peacefulness and non-violence. This is a topic I’ve explored at the page you are now reading, and at previous posts including one entitled:

    Buddhist Warfare (2010) highlights connections between Buddhisms and violence

    Reply
22. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    February 4, 2021 at 6:36 pm

    Regarding the following article I have some comments. First, the article notes (as I recall; I may be paraphrasing) 25 per cent of people referred to in some or another piece of research had problems with anxiety in relation to the practice of mindfulness meditation. We can state the matter another way: 75 per cent did fine. I can add that the version of MBSR that I was taught involved a thorough screening interview, by Lucinda Sykes, before anybody was admitted to the course. The interview established whether you were a good candidate, for taking the course. Such an approach makes good sense. Now, on with the story:

    A Feb. 4, 2021 BBC article looks like a good read; it’s entitled: “Stress, anxiety, productivity: mindfulness is often touted as a solution to nearly everything. But research shows that you can actually take meditation too far..”

    An excerpt reads:

    “Probably, for the average person, it can help with mental health promotion,” says Julieta Galante at the University of Cambridge, who recently conducted a meta-analysis reviewing the evidence to date. Overall, she found that there was a positive effect, though there was large variation between studies. Like Britton, she thinks that we need more nuance in our understanding of the specific situations in which mindfulness may or may not be useful, alongside a greater investigation of the potential adverse effects.

    An additional excerpt reads:

    At the moment, some people may feel like they have to stick with one particular strategy – like mindful breathing or the body scan – without considering the alternatives. But this is a mistake, says Britton. “We should really honour the diversity of contemplative practices that are available, because they all do different things, and people would have a much better chance of matching what they need, if they had a bigger buffet of choices.” Each person should choose the best technique – and the correct “dose” – for their particular situation, rather than doggedly pursuing a plan that is not working.

    Reply
23. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 21, 2021 at 2:29 pm

    A March 21, 2021 CBC article is entitled: “Basic Goodness – Episode 1: ‘You’ve pledged your body and soul’: sexual abuse allegations in the Shambhala Buddhist community.”

    I’ve so far heard a segment of the final part of the first episode, while driving my car. An interviewee noted that when you’re mucking around with ultimate concerns such as ‘What is the meaning of life,’ it’s good to be wary of those who seek to answer that question. There’s also a reference to the marketing of spirituality and the phenomenon of ‘unjust power dynamics.’ That’s a good point: power dynamics can be just, or they can be unjust.

    Students of power dynamics such as James C. Scott note that in many realms of life, working together collaboratively pretty much outside of hierarchical relationships makes good sense, if that can be arranged. In some cases, such arrangements are indeed possible.

    In my anecdotal experience spread out over three decades, community self-organizing entails the kind of power dynamics that I refer to in the previous sentence.

    Reply
24. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 25, 2021 at 11:50 am

    A March 24, 2021 BBC article is entitled: “Can companies actually help workers stay happy and healthy?: More employers are providing mental-health benefits to employees. But is this what workers want – and can they actually help keep people well?”

    An excerpt reads:

    Ultimately, although some workers are grateful for the extra corporate support with wellness benefits, many experts and workers alike feel there’s an extra step necessary: structural change. So, what actually may make the biggest impact is building work cultures that aren’t just not bad for mental health, but that actively promote and contribute to wellbeing.

    “In the most supportive workplaces,” says Harvey, “individuals were four times more likely to say, ‘work is good for my mental health’. So much of what work offers is good for our mental state. It gives us a sense of purpose, camaraderie, connection, a feeling we’re achieving something. If you can manage the stress, and you’re given the resources you need, you get these places that are actually really good for you.”

    By way of commentary: Changing workplace culture for the better, so far as dealing with stress is concerned, is feasible.

    However, that requires an evidence-based approach to structural change, which is distinct from rhetorical flourishes. The same principles are at play regarding inequality; environmental racism; employment precarity; the climate crisis and habitat loss; housing affordability and dealing with homelessness; anti-racism initiatives; and efforts to eliminate stereotyping and stigmatization in relation to life situations and circumstances.

    As well, based on what I’ve read and based on anecdotal experience, mindfulness meditation when practised after instruction from a competent teacher is a tremendously powerful technique. It’s also a technique that benefits (in my anecdotal experience) from being separated from associated belief systems – that is, treated as a module, so to speak, separate from whatever belief system that a person can think of.

    As well, it’s a technique that, when appropriately applied and practised for a suitable period of time, can re-wire a person’s brain, for the better. In my anecdotal case, situations that in the past used to give rise to strong and not beneficial stress responses, in everyday life, no longer give rise to such responses, except on the most rare (and increasingly rare, as the years go by) occasions. Such a result serves for me as one of many anecdotal demonstrations of the neuroplasticity of the human mind/body system.

    Reply
25. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 28, 2021 at 11:20 am

    A March 28, 2021 New York Times article is entitled: “Inside Myanmar’s Army: ‘They See Protesters as Criminals’: Four officers spoke about life in the feared Tatmadaw, which has turned its guns on civilians again.’The Tatmadaw is the only world’ for most soldiers, one said.”

    I am reminded of Erving Goffman’s concept of the total institution.

    An excerpt from the New York Times article (which I read through access at the Toronto Public Library website) reads:

    In-depth interviews with four officers, two of whom have deserted since the coup, paint a complex picture of an institution that has thoroughly dominated Myanmar for six decades. From the moment they enter boot camp, Tatmadaw troops are taught that they are guardians of a country — and a religion — that will crumble without them.

    A second excerpt reads:

    The Tatmadaw has been on a war footing since the country gained independence in 1948, battling communist guerrillas, ethnic insurgencies and democracy advocates forced into the jungle after military crackdowns. In the cultlike confines of the Tatmadaw, the Buddhist Bamar ethnic majority is glorified at the expense of Myanmar’s many ethnic minorities, who have faced decades of military repression.

    Reply
26. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 30, 2021 at 11:18 am

    An April 2021 Harper’s article is entitled: “Lost in Thought: The psychological risks of meditation.”

    Until I read this article, I had believed that heavy-duty meditation was a good way to explore consciousness and pretty much harmless.

    An excerpt from the print version of the April 2021 Harper’s article reads:

    Until the sleep study, Britton had been, in her own words, an evangelist for meditation. “I just sat on the data,” she told me. “I really didn’t want to see it, because it was sort of the wrong an­swer.” Britton filed away the results and delayed publishing them. On a vipas­sana meditation retreat in 2006, she told one of her instructors about her research. “The teacher kind of chas­tised me, like, ‘Why are you therapists always trying to make meditation a relaxation technique? That’s not what it’s there for. Everyone knows that if you go and meditate, and you meditate enough … you stop sleeping.'” Brittan’s resistance to her own findings gradually gave way to curiosity. In 2010, she finally published the results of her sleep study.

    A second excerpt reads:

    Britton and her team began visit­ing retreats, talking to the people who ran them, and asking about the difficulties they’d seen. “Every medi­ tation center we went to had at least a dozen horror stories,” she said. Psy­chotic breaks and cognitive impair­ments were common; they were often temporary but sometimes lasted years.”

    A third excerpt reads:

    Today, the luminaries of main­stream Buddhism widely pro­mote meditation to laypeople, and refuse to acknowledge that it car­ries any risks. In 2012, at a conference on mindfulness at the Mayo Clinic, Britton presented her early findings on the potential adverse effects of medita­tion to the Dalai Lama. “The science of meditation has pretty much exclu­sively focused on the positive effects of meditation,” Britton said. “But if we want to understand the entire trajec­tory of the contemplative path and everything that that entails, we need to be more evenhanded and more balanced in our investigations, and begin to investigate the full range of experi­ences, including the ones that would be considered negative, difficult, chal­lenging, or maybe even problematic.”

    In a recording of the proceedings, the Dalai Lama can be seen nodding gravely, smiling genially, and, on sev­eral occasions, interjecting to crack a joke, such as suggesting that he him­self might one day end up with such impairments. At one point, he said, “These people, I think they just hear things and then develop some sort of excitement.” He said that these medi­tators needed to read more books, an­alyze what they’d read, develop firm convictions, and only then try to meditate. If they followed this course, he didn’t think there was any danger. The Dalai Lama cheerfully concluded that “these negative sides are their own mistake – the positive things, that’s the real truth.” He encouraged Britton to do more research.

    Reply
27. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    April 2, 2021 at 7:34 am

    A March 13, 2021 New York Times article is entitled: “Over 3 Million People Took This Course on Happiness. Here’s What Some Learned. It may seem simple, but it bears repeating: sleep, gratitude and helping other people.”

    An excerpt reads:

    “It’s hard to set those boundaries with yourself sometimes and say, ‘I know this book is really exciting, but it can wait till tomorrow, sleep is more important,’” she said. “That’s discipline, right? But I had never done it in that way, where it’s like, ‘It’s going to make you happier. It’s not just good for you; it’s going to actually legitimately make you happier.’”

    She said she found having a daily meditation practice helpful, and has stuck with it even after finishing the class. Meditation also helped her to get off social media.

    Reply
28. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    May 20, 2021 at 12:39 pm

    A May 19, 2021 CBC article is entitled: “Woman who claims ‘marriage-like relationship’ with Buddhist holy figure can sue for support: Alleges she got pregnant after the Karmapa Lama sexually assaulted her in New York.”

    An excerpt reads:

    In the months leading up to the child’s birth in June 2018, Dorje allegedly transferred $420,000 US and $350,000 Cdn to Han, including money for a home and a wedding ring.

    In the months that followed, he allegedly wrote: “Taking care of her and you are my duty for life.”

    According to the decision, Han claimed they had what was in essence a spousal relationship but could not be together because Dorje “is forbidden by his station and religious beliefs from intimate relationships or marriage.”

    The pair lost contact in January 2019, and Han sued the following June.

    Reply
29. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    June 1, 2021 at 9:13 am

    The wider topic is strongly held religious beliefs of any kind; a June 1, 2021 CBC article is entitled: “Survivors, faith leaders call on Catholic Church to take responsibility for residential schools: Acknowledgement and mental health services among ways church is being urged to start making amends.”

    An excerpt reads:

    “I don’t think I could be an ordained minister in the United Church of Canada if we hadn’t been honest in our role,” she said.

    The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation in B.C. said last Thursday [May 27, 2021] that preliminary findings from a survey of the grounds at the former residential school in Kamloops revealed the remains of 215 children — some as young as three years old.

    In the wake of the find, survivors, Indigenous leaders and advocates, and faith leaders are calling on the Roman Catholic Church to apologize and take responsibility for the atrocities committed against children, families and communities in the residential school system.

    “As an Indigenous ordained minister, it deeply pains me to see our ecumenical partners not do that work,” said Lansdowne.

    The Roman Catholic Church was responsible for operating up to 70 per cent of residential schools, according to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS). United, Anglican and Presbyterian churches were among those operating the remainder.

    In the years since, the Roman Catholic Church is the only one that hasn’t made a formal apology.

    Reply
30. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    August 17, 2021 at 11:00 am

    An Aug. 16, 2021 BBC article is entitled: How mindfulness could make you selfish: Mindfulness may have many benefits – but the latest research shows it can also make some people more selfish.”

    An excerpt reads:

    Mindfulness is said to do many things for our psyche: it can increase our self-control, sharpen our concentration, extend our working memory and boost our mental flexibility. With practice, we should become less emotionally reactive – allowing us to deal with our problems more calmly.

    One ‘benefit’ that you might not expect to gain, however, is heightened egotism. Yet a recent study suggests that, in some contexts, practicing mindfulness really can exaggerate some people’s selfish tendencies. With their increased inward focus, they seem to forget about others, and are less willing to help those in need.

    This finding, alone, should not be a cause for you to cease meditating, if you do find it useful in other ways. But it adds to a growing body of research suggesting that mindfulness training can have undesirable side effects as well as potential benefits – and many psychologists now believe that the potentially negative consequences of certain meditative practices should be advertised alongside the hype.

    Reply
31. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 17, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    A Feb.4, 2021 BBC article is entitled: “How too much mindfulness can spike anxiety.”

    An excerpt reads:

    In any discussion of mindfulness, it’s important to remember that there are many different techniques that train particular types of thinking and being. The best-known strategies are mindful breathing, in which you focus on the feelings of respiration, and the body scan, in which you pass your attention from head to toe, noting any physical sensations that arise in the course of the session.

    These kinds of practices are meant to ground you in the present moment and the effects can be seen in brain scans, with growth in the insula cortex, a region that is involved in bodily perception and emotion. As a result, mindfulness training can leave us more in touch with our feelings, which is important for good decision making. Many mindfulness practices also encourage a more general “observing awareness”, in which you train yourself to notice your thoughts and feelings without reacting or judging. With practice, this can increase your capacity for emotional regulation so that you are no longer as susceptible to flashes of anger, for instance.

    Ideally, these changes should complement each other and result in greater wellbeing. But that’s only possible if they occur in balance and moderation. Unfortunately, some meditators may pass the optimum point on either one of these elements, leading to distress.

    I find all such articles of interest. In my anecdotal experience, taking a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course in 2004 has been tremendously beneficial for me. That said, I can see from reading articles such as this one that learning about mindfulness must be approached with a measure of caution. In the MBSR course I took there was a screening process in place, to ensure that each person who was planning to take the course was a good candidate, for such a series of lessons.

    From time to time I’ve noticed that magazines abound at places like Shoppers Drug Mart where mindfulness is presented as a sort of cure-all for all that gets in the way of a person’s happiness. Such a promotion of mindfulness appears to me somewhat dubious. That said, the fact that mindfulness is promoted in this way does not detract from the fact that, when suitably presented as, for example, in the kind of MBSR course that I took in Toronto years ago, learning to be mindful in everyday situations can, indeed, serve to strongly enhance the quality of a person’s life.

    Just by way of a small example: If certain things push your buttons in everyday life, the application of mindfulness can, indeed, and I say this on the basis of my own anecdotal experience, keep the pushing of the buttons from taking place. Sometimes, that can make a huge difference in how the day goes.

    The thwarting of button-pushing responses require a process – an application of mindfulness – that plays out in a fraction of a second.

    It’s like you’re dealing with beats – as in a piece of music, or in delivery of a line on stage, or in the editing of a sequence in a film. The process is vastly faster than what occurs when a person stops to think and ponder.

    I would never have believed that this way of dealing with button-pushing would be possible, had I not taken the MBSR course and engaged in a regular practice of mindfulness mediation, for a considerable period of time after taking the course.

    Reply
32. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 16, 2022 at 7:25 pm

    An October 31, 2019 American Political Science Review article, published online by Cambridge University Press, is entitled: “How Empathic Concern Fuels Political Polarization.”

    The article notes that growing partisan polarization has contributed to legislative gridlock, lower levels of trust in government, and job discrimination in nonpolitical domains. The authors argue that a strong focus on empathy will not invariably solve such problems.

    The abstract reads:

    Over the past two decades, there has been a marked increase in partisan social polarization, leaving scholars in search of solutions to partisan conflict. The psychology of intergroup relations identifies empathy as one of the key mechanisms that reduces intergroup conflict, and some have suggested that a lack of empathy has contributed to partisan polarization. Yet, empathy may not always live up to this promise. We argue that, in practice, the experience of empathy is biased toward one’s ingroup and can actually exacerbate political polarization. First, using a large, national sample, we demonstrate that higher levels of dispositional empathic concern are associated with higher levels of affective polarization. Second, using an experimental design, we show that individuals high in empathic concern show greater partisan bias in evaluating contentious political events. Taken together, our results suggest that, contrary to popular views, higher levels of dispositional empathy actually facilitate partisan polarization.

    An excerpt from the article reads:

    But while empathy might have the potential to reduce intergroup conflict, that potential may not always be realized. Many of the more optimistic findings regarding empathy’s utility in reducing conflict come from laboratory experiments involving direct manipulations of the experience of empathy, but the effects derived from forced exposure experiments may differ from those under self-selection (for discussion, see Gaines and Kuklinski 2011). This methodological point is crucial because people are systematically biased in how they experience empathy on a day-to-day basis (Bloom 2016) and tend to display greater empathy toward ingroup members (Sirin, Valentino, and Villalobos 2017).

    Reply
33. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 23, 2022 at 11:49 am

    A Dec. 21, 2021 PNAS article is entitled: “Large-scale genomic study reveals robust activation of the immune system following advanced Inner Engineering meditation retreat.”

    PNAS is acronym for Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

    An excerpt reads:

    Significance

    Several studies on the impact of yoga and meditation on mental and physical health have demonstrated beneficial effects. However, the potential molecular mechanisms and critical genes involved in this beneficial outcome have yet to be comprehensively elucidated. This study identified and characterized the transcriptional program associated with advanced meditation practice, and we bioinformatically integrated various networks to identify meditation-specific core network. This core network links several immune signaling pathways, and we showed that this core transcriptional profile is dysfunctional in multiple sclerosis and severe COVID-19 infection. Very importantly, we demonstrated that the meditative practice enhanced immune function without activating inflammatory signals. Together, these results make meditation an effective behavioral intervention for treating various conditions associated with a weakened immune system.

    Abstract

    The positive impact of meditation on human well-being is well documented, yet its molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood. We applied a comprehensive systems biology approach starting with whole-blood gene expression profiling combined with multilevel bioinformatic analyses to characterize the coexpression, transcriptional, and protein–protein interaction networks to identify a meditation-specific core network after an advanced 8-d Inner Engineering retreat program. We found the response to oxidative stress, detoxification, and cell cycle regulation pathways were down-regulated after meditation. Strikingly, 220 genes directly associated with immune response, including 68 genes related to interferon signaling, were up-regulated, with no significant expression changes in the inflammatory genes. This robust meditation-specific immune response network is significantly dysregulated in multiple sclerosis and severe COVID-19 patients. The work provides a foundation for understanding the effect of meditation and suggests that meditation as a behavioral intervention can voluntarily and nonpharmacologically improve the immune response for treating various conditions associated with excessive or persistent inflammation with a dampened immune system profile.

    Reply
34. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    January 23, 2022 at 11:56 am

    A Dec. 21, 2021 PNAS article is entitled: “The rise and fall of rationality in language.”

    The excerpt reads:

    Significance

    The post-truth era has taken many by surprise. Here, we use massive language analysis to demonstrate that the rise of fact-free argumentation may perhaps be understood as part of a deeper change. After the year 1850, the use of sentiment-laden words in Google Books declined systematically, while the use of words associated with fact-based argumentation rose steadily. This pattern reversed in the 1980s, and this change accelerated around 2007, when across languages, the frequency of fact-related words dropped while emotion-laden language surged, a trend paralleled by a shift from collectivistic to individualistic language.

    Abstract

    The surge of post-truth political argumentation suggests that we are living in a special historical period when it comes to the balance between emotion and reasoning. To explore if this is indeed the case, we analyze language in millions of books covering the period from 1850 to 2019 represented in Google nGram data. We show that the use of words associated with rationality, such as “determine” and “conclusion,” rose systematically after 1850, while words related to human experience such as “feel” and “believe” declined. This pattern reversed over the past decades, paralleled by a shift from a collectivistic to an individualistic focus as reflected, among other things, by the ratio of singular to plural pronouns such as “I”/”we” and “he”/”they.” Interpreting this synchronous sea change in book language remains challenging. However, as we show, the nature of this reversal occurs in fiction as well as nonfiction. Moreover, the pattern of change in the ratio between sentiment and rationality flag words since 1850 also occurs in New York Times articles, suggesting that it is not an artifact of the book corpora we analyzed. Finally, we show that word trends in books parallel trends in corresponding Google search terms, supporting the idea that changes in book language do in part reflect changes in interest. All in all, our results suggest that over the past decades, there has been a marked shift in public interest from the collective to the individual, and from rationality toward emotion.

    By way of comment I would say: If we look back on the content of ‘rational’ language dating back to the European Enlightenment, as expressed for example in the linguistic history of settler colonialism, we can say that comments about rationality of language may have somewhat limited utility, in the event we seek to excel at the task of making sense of things.

    Reply
35. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 3, 2022 at 9:19 am

    I find 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation per day is a great use of my time. What works for me may not work for everybody.

    I also like to read articles about cautions associated with mindfulness. Such articles are informative on many levels.

    An ecosystem of perspectives regarding mindfulness is readily evident. The ecosystem is well worth exploring.

    In my own experience, the practice of mindfulness has made me vastly more effective in a wide range of realms than otherwise would be the case. It is a tool, a technique, that can be used for a wide range of purposes, some of which may be benign while some of which may be other than benign.

    Not unlike the uses to which the European Enlightenment has been put.

    A March 2, 2022 BBC article addresses this topic.

    An excerpt (I’ve omitted embedded links) reads:

    There are many forms of mindfulness, but the most common techniques involve either focusing on your breathing or paying intense attention to the sensations in your body. There is some good evidence that these practices can help people to cope better with stress, yet a handful of studies over the past few years have shown that they can also have some unexpected and undesired effects. Last year, for example, researchers from the State University of New York showed that mindfulness can exaggerate people’s selfish tendencies. If a person is already individualist, then they become even less likely to help others after meditation.

    Reply
36. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    March 5, 2022 at 5:40 pm

    On March 5, 2022 I came across a tweet Catriona MacLeod @CatrionaMacL
    Replying to
    @ykomska

    Catriona MacLeod said:

    It’s the neoliberal mindfulness industry.

    The original tweet from Yuliya Komska 🇺🇦 stand with Ukraine@ykomska· reads:

    Seems like a lot of people need to hear this: the western/appropriated wellness arsenal (yoga-meditation-therapy) doesn’t work for everyone. Instead of pushing it onto those affected by war, maybe ask about other therapies—food/walks/animals/retail (can be thrifting)/etc.

    My comment:

    These are valid points. That said, mindfulness does not belong to neoliberalism. Anyone who wishes to can take ownership of mindfulness in whichever way they want.

    Reply
37. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    July 3, 2023 at 10:29 am

    A July 3, 2023 Guardian article is entitled: “The big idea: why you shouldn’t always try to live in the moment: Being present is a popular life hack – but where does that leave nostalgia, fantasy and rumination?”

    My comment: We can access the past solely through the present moment.

    Reply
38. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    September 19, 2023 at 12:01 pm

    A Sept. 18, 2023 BBC article is entitled: “How I rewired my brain in six weeks.”

    The subhead reads: “There is growing evidence that simple, everyday changes to our lives can alter our brains and change how they work. Melissa Hogenboom put her own brain in the scanner to find out.”

    An excerpt reads:

    So, with the help of Thorsten Barnhofer, a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Surrey in the UK, that’s what I set out to do. He’s currently running a study on the effects of mindfulness in managing stress and difficult emotions, with a special focus on individuals with severe depression.

    I was surprised that something as simple as mindfulness can play such a crucial role in keeping our minds healthy. Research has shown that mindfulness is a simple but powerful way to enhance several cognitive functions. It can improve attention, relieve pain and reduce stress. Research has found that after only a few months of mindfulness training, certain depression and anxiety symptoms can ease – though as with any complex mental health problem, this may of course vary depending on individual circumstances.

    There’s more to it. Mindfulness can change the brain. That’s because when the stress hormone cortisol increases and remains high, “it can become toxic for your brain”, says Barnhofer. Stress can also directly inhibit neuroplasticity, so managing it allows the brain to remain more plastic.

    Reply
39. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    September 19, 2023 at 12:05 pm

    A Sept. 19, 2023 New York Times article is entitled: “A skeptical look at self-care.”

    An excerpt reads:

    Love it or hate it, self-care has transformed from a radical feminist concept into a multibillion-dollar industry. But the wellness boom doesn’t seem to be making a dent in Americans’ stress levels. In 2021, 34 percent of women reported feeling burned out at work, along with 26 percent of men.

    Dr. Pooja Lakshmin, a psychiatrist, has observed how wellness culture fails her patients, who she says are often burned out because of systemic failures, from the stresses that come with financial precariousness to the lack of paid family leave. In her book “Real Self-Care: A Transformative Program for Redefining Wellness (Crystals, Cleanses, and Bubble Baths Not Included),” she encourages people to look beyond superficial fixes — the latest juice cleanses, yoga workshops, luxury bamboo sheets — to feel better. Instead, she argues that real self-care requires embracing internal work, which she outlines as four practices: setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, aligning your values and exercising power. Lakshmin argues that when you practice real self-care, you not only take care of yourself, but you can also plant the seeds for change in your community.

    Reply
40. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    November 8, 2023 at 9:15 pm

    A Nov. 4, 2023 CBS News article is entitled: “Feeling angry may help people achieve their goals, study finds: More than desire or amusement, anger could help people overcome challenges that get in the way of their ambitions.”

    The article refers to recent research about anger as a source of motivation. A positive feature of the article, in my view, is that research about how intense anger can destroy a person’s health is also highlighted.

    Reply
41. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    November 8, 2023 at 9:20 pm

    George Orwell’s connection to Burma [Myanmar]

    A Nov. 8, 2023 BBC article is entitled: “A turning point in Myanmar as army suffers big losses.”

    For your interest, a previous post – Our most recent MCHS picnic took place in Woodstock, Ontario on October 4, 2023 – discusses George Orwell’s connection to Burma [Myanmar].

    A Nov. 2, 2023 BBC article is entitled: “The Chinese mafia’s downfall in a lawless casino town.”

    An excerpt reads:

    More than 100,000 foreign nationals, many of them Chinese, were estimated to have been lured to these scam centres, where they were effectively imprisoned and forced to work long hours running sophisticated online fraud operations targeting victims all over the world.

    Ming Xuechang ran one of the most notorious of these scam centres, called Crouching Tiger Villa. He also reportedly ran the local police force, which, while it donned the regular uniform of the Myanmar national police, acted as little more than a private militia, one of several which enforced the rule of the four families in Laukkaing.

    The article highlights earlier Myanmar history

    A second excerpt reads:

    Peng began as a commander in the China-backed Burmese Communist Party, but he mutinied in 1989 as Chinese support stopped, breaking the Burmese Communist Party up into several armed insurgent groups.

    This was a time when the Myanmar military government was feeling vulnerable. It had just crushed a popular uprising in 1988 with great brutality – the uprising in which Aung San Suu Kyi first emerged as an opposition leader.

    I am reminded of previous posts about gangster literature including one entitled:

    Haberman (2022), Galeotti (2022), and O’Kane (2022) among others are exemplars of the gangster genre of literary nonfiction

    I am reminded as well of previous posts about scams and scamming. Over the years, many site visitors have found the latter category of posts of particular interest.

    Reply
42. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 12, 2023 at 10:14 am

    A Dec. 12, 2023 NBC News article is entitled: “War-wracked Myanmar is now the world’s top opium producer, surpassing Afghanistan: The Southeast Asian country’s opium output has topped that of Afghanistan, where the ruling Taliban imposed a ban on its production, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.”

    An excerpt reads:

    Northeastern Myanmar is part of the infamous “Golden Triangle,” where the borders of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand meet. The production of opium and heroin historically flourished there, largely because of the lawlessness in border areas where Myanmar’s central government has been able to exercise only minimum control over various ethnic minority militias, some of them partners in the drug trade.

    Reply
43. 

    Jaan Pill says:

    December 25, 2023 at 11:26 am

    A Sept. 18, 2023 BBC article is entitled: “How I rewired my brain in six weeks.”

    An excerpt reads:

    My instructions were to be as aware as possible to the present moment – and pay attention to things I might usually ignore, such as where my thoughts go, and what occupies my mind from moment to moment. He also encouraged me to be more mindful in daily life – say when cooking or running, to really focus on the moment, bringing my mind back to what I was doing, as well as noticing how often it wanders.

    Reply

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