Happiness Education in India: Two Researchers Set out to Ask What Students and Teachers Think

Imagine students in nursery school through Grade 8 developing the skills to cultivate greater happiness in life—from the inside out. In daily half-hour happiness classes, students learn from teachers and engage in games, storytelling, guided mindfulness practices, and role-playing. Each is encouraged to reflect on their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, and how these impact their …

How Self-Compassion Can Improve Teen Mental Health (Part 2 of 2)

This piece by Karen Bluth, PhD is part 2 of an article honored with the 2022 Mind & Life Institute Award for Public Communication of Contemplative Research and was originally featured in Psychology Today online. Part 1 explained what self-compassion is and its role in improving teen mental health outcomes. But how can self-compassion be taught, and how can …

Sona Dimidjian Honored with 2022 Mind & Life Catherine Kerr Award for Courageous and Compassionate Scholarship

An estimated 280 million people globally experience depression, with more than 75 percent of people in low- and middle-income countries receiving no treatment at all. What role can mindfulness play in cultivating mental health and wellness? And how can researchers help ensure equitable access to mindfulness-based approaches? Clinical psychological scientist Sona Dimidjian has spent over …

Contemplative Researchers Seek to Leverage Power of Technology for Well-being

A familiar scene for many: It’s the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and we’re missing social lunches and coffee dates. Connection is lacking and we’re confined to our homes for work, play, rest, and everything in between. In this reality, online tools like Zoom and social media skyrocketed as a resource for maintaining relationships and …

Leading Researchers Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Challenge of Rising to Our Better Selves at a Time of Division and Uncertainty

Mind & Life periodically invites guest writers to contribute their perspectives and experiences on the blog as a way of deepening dialogue and understanding around key themes related to our mission. “We live through our mind and mental experiences, and to live well in this world is to have peace of mind,” said His Holiness …