The Dalai Lama and climate activist Greta Thunberg met—for the first time—alongside prominent climate scientists to deliver a shared message: We must act swiftly to address climate change, and particularly the threat of climate feedback loops, before it’s too late. An audience spanning the globe tuned in to the free, livestream event hosted by the …
Perspective Type Archives:
Coping with Loneliness & Stress: The Role of Mindful Acceptance
Even before the coronavirus hit, the United States was considered one of the most stressed out countries in the world. Fear and anxiety brought on by the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem, with 8 out of 10 adults citing the pandemic as a significant source of stress in their lives. Researchers have been studying …
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Bridging Psychology and Contemplative Practice to Benefit Hearts and Minds Today
Science has served as a double-edged sword for meditation. On the plus side, scientific research has helped adapt meditation into secular settings, which has provided broad access to Western audiences. It has also led to innovations in healthcare, education, social activism, workplace culture, and other areas. At the same time, there are valid critiques to …
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Dr. Peter Wayne Honored with Catherine Kerr Award for Courageous and Compassionate Science
“What excites me is making connections,” says Dr. Peter Wayne, who has devoted much of his career to bridging Chinese medicine and Western science, the mind and body, research and practice. As Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Health at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Peter oversees efforts to facilitate connections …
Calling on Our Shared Humanity
As we all navigate the current moment of uncertainty surrounding the U.S. Presidential election, we recognize that many of the challenges in today’s world have roots in the mind—and that there, too, lie solutions. Through bringing science and contemplative wisdom together, we seek to foster insights that can contribute to individual, collective, and planetary flourishing. With this in mind, I would like to share five kernels of wisdom, gleaned from members of Mind & Life’s expanding community, to help guide the way forward.
How One Scientist is Using Mindfulness to Transform Treatment for Pain and Addiction
There’s growing concern that the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating another ongoing epidemic: the opioid crisis. Recent reports point to an increase in fatal overdoses in the United States since the pandemic began. Could mindfulness-based approaches offer long-term relief for those grappling with chronic pain and addiction? Dr. Eric Garland, Director of the Center on Mindfulness …
What Contemplative Wisdom Can Teach Us About Navigating Challenging Times
As I teach, I encounter a great deal of anxiety about the pandemic, racial injustice, and political polarization. But the pervasive sense of separateness, divisiveness, and fear are not totally new, they have been present long before this year. To respond we first need to hold these struggles and collective fears with compassion. And then …
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Our Vision for Humanity
What if human minds hold the key to bringing our world together? When the Mind & Life Institute began over three decades ago, our founders envisioned a future where science and contemplative wisdom would come together to promote human flourishing. In collaboration with hundreds of scientists, contemplatives, and changemakers, Mind & Life has since helped …
Student Flourishing Initiative: Building Resiliency Among College Students
One in five college students reports declining mental health as a result of the COVID pandemic. This is on top of a recent generational rise in rates of anxiety and depression among college-aged youth. Could a unique course that blends academic and experiential learning help prepare first-year students for the stressors that lie ahead during …
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2020 Land and Peoples Acknowledgement
What is a Land and Peoples Acknowledgement, and Why is it Important A Land and Peoples Acknowledgement is a formal statement rooted in Indigenous protocol that recognizes the peoples who traditionally inhabited the land where you live or work and the relationship that continues to exist between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. It’s a …
