The Mindfulness-to-Meaning theory proposes that the established relationship between mindfulness and measures of wellbeing may be due to its effects on emotion regulation. More specifically, they argue that the practice of mindfulness evokes more flexible awareness and the ability to suspend our automatic thoughts, emotions, and actions in-the-moment. As such, it can help create distance …
Grant Type Archives:
A real-time fMRI study to link subjective experience with brain network dynamics during craving
The goal of this study is to investigate the first-person experiences of craving –thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, etc. –and link these experiences to brain activation patterns, to gain insights into craving and how to extinguish it. This study will use a novel technology, real time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) “neurofeedback,” in which brain activation …
Intracranial circuits underlying Deep Slow Breathing and its palliative effects
Francisco Varela believed that the present moment of experience coincided with transient patterns of synchronous oscillations between different neuronal populations. Our findings suggest that these transient patterns of synchronous oscillations throughout the brain are modulated by breathing (e.g., breathing as an organizing principle for neuronal oscillations). While current neuroscientific methods of brain stimulation are limited, …
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Cultivating mental imagery through prayer
Prayer is a cornerstone of religious life, practiced by over 50% of Americans on a daily basis(1). Prayer practices foster a variety of contemplative experiences with deep personal and cultural significance(2,3). For example, evangelical or charismatic Christians—who make up nearly 10% of the global population(4)—often report seeing visions that they experience as originating from an …
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Generalizing mindful emotion regulation: Toward a transdiagnostic approach to training emotion regulation with mindfulness
Emotion dysregulation, difficulties managing intense emotions, is common across many psychiatric disorders and is central to some of the most severe and difficult-to-treat populations in psychiatry. To immediately decrease suffering from emotions, individuals with emotion dysregulation often rely on destructive behaviors, including substance use and violence. Mindfulness may help prevent these problems, as it effectively …
Eudaimonia and sleep: Effects of a mindfulness intervention in caregivers of people with dementia
Unpaid, or informal, caregivers of dementia patients are more likely to experience heightened stress and a variety of adverse psychological and physical health outcomes as well as disturbed sleep. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to identify interventions that can promote psychological and physical well-being of caregivers. The overarching goal of this proposed study is …
Voluntarily regulated breathing practices and their effects on self-regulation, cognition, and problem solving under stress
Conscious breathing is an aspect of all forms of meditation and yoga. Emerging research indicates that the effects of controlled breathing on the mind-body system and concomitant mental states warrants further investigation. We propose a two-phase investigation of breathing practices during which we will: (1) systematically review the literature on reported effects of voluntarily regulated …
Intersections of Buddhism and Psychology: An ethnographic study of contextual factors and contemplative practices in Bhutan
This ethnographic research will investigate contextual factors associated with contemplative practices in the nation of Bhutan. The motivation driving this research is twofold: firstly, the impact of contextual factors in the experience of contemplative practice has not been adequately studied; and secondly, Bhutan is experiencing an increase in the rate of suicide. Although the Bhutanese …
The role of Contemplative Art Education in social, emotional, and cognitive development of children with low SES
Contemplative Art Education (CAE), established in 2012 by the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), seeks to enhance experiences with the arts using innovative models of engagement. CAE is a skill-based, experiential, constructivist education approach that involves: conversational tours, mindful practices, and art-making activities. What makes CAE unique is that it encourages viewers to …
Is mindfulness only for the fortunate? The development and dissemination of a brief home-based mindfulness intervention to low-income couples
Minority and low-income couples tend to experience greater individual and relational stress compared to higher income and/or White couples, which is likely due to the unique challenges these populations face. Given that previous studies indicate mindfulness reduces both individual and relationship stress, it may be a particularly useful tool for these underserved populations. Unfortunately, low-income …
