In this article, I will make three important points.

First, as far as I can tell, none of the major wisdom traditionsHuston Smiths combined term for the worlds religions, mystical paths, and first nations beliefshave encouraged the cultivation of rage.

Second, today there is a real trend across the political spectrum that stokes anger, rage, and grievances for political gain. This is happening in America and all across the world, primarily driven by inflamed emotions and repetition on social media. The infection equally affects religious people and spiritual adherents with an us vs. them paradigm, causing both personal and social maladies.

Third, basic religious teachings and the ideals of nonviolent resistance offer us alternatives.

Nearly all of the worlds wisdom traditions are based on an underlying admission. Humans are volatile by nature. Our history is full of violence, greed, anger, and unspeakable acts of cruelty. Therefore, the central question for most of these traditions has been: How can we temper our worst instincts?

Hinduism is arguably one of the oldest remaining religions in the world. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna says:

Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined. (Chapter 2, Verse 64).

Buddhism offers us the middle way and encourages temperance. When asked about anger, the Buddha reportedly replied:

Holding on toangeris like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.

In Christianity, forgiveness is a central tenet. Jesus urged people to love thy neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:39) and not to return violence with violence but instead turn to him the other [cheek] also (Matt. 5:39). He got mad at the merchants in the temple, yes, but anger was never central to his teachings.

Martin Luther King Jr. took these sentiments a step further in one of his sermons when he said:

Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.

And in the book of Good Manners (Sahih Bukhari), an Islamic scripture, the following passage describes an encounter:

A man said to the Prophet, Advise me! The Prophet said, Do not become angry and furious. The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, Do not become angry and furious. (Narrated by Abu Huraira, Book 073, Hadith 137).

Across the board, the message is similar. Do not allow your worst instincts to guide you in your interactions with others. Temper yourself. Rise above. Cultivate something better.

I like even-handed arguments, so let me turn the tables and defend anger for a moment. It is a primal emotion that can signal when something is wrong. Anger is a part of our emotional range for a reason.

That said, stewing in anger and nurturing it into a constant state of rage is dangerous. Yes, it may feel exhilarating. Yes, there is a sense of camaraderie when people unite against something. Yes, angry and enraged people are more likely to act. But, what sustained anger does to the social fabric and how it corrodes individuals from the inside is too steep of a price to pay.

The politics of personal grievances, constant outrage, and foul-mouthed angry spewing are deeply troubling, and they have invaded religions and spiritual communities at a base level.

For instance, I was taken aback when an acquaintance of mine told me last year that she was in a constant state of rage. Anyone who is not feeling rage all the time simply isnt paying attention, she said, implying that rage was a new type of social justice virtue. Another friend to a break from his kids birthday party to rage tweet, then returned as if nothing had happened.

It appears that too many people have forgotten the lessons of history, of how populations marched into a justified war on similar sentiments? Or perhaps they have just forgotten basic conflict resolution skills that most of us were taught in elementary school?

The truth is that no family can last if the feuding is constant. To paraphrase Confucius, what is true of families is also true of societies, and what is true of societies is also true of nations.

Look, I get it. Watch the news, any news, for one or two days, and there is plenty to be upset about. But the cultivation of love and compassion in the face of difficulty is at the heart of all spiritual traditions.

Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do, as he was being crucified.

After the Dalai Lama was run out of Tibet, no one would have faulted him for being angry and resentful. Yet, he has spent the majority of his life teaching people all around the world about compassion and mindfulness.

Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. faced many indignities in their nonviolent struggle yet refused to stoke hatred. At the core of their approach were three important principles that we would do well to remember.

By contrast, stoking destructive emotions is a shortcut. Its like letting weeds overtake a garden. Minimal effort is involved. That is why it is a popular ploy.

In this atmosphere, good people must continually seek a better way. They need to appeal to their better angels and do the hard work of cultivating love and compassion. And it is not only about feeling good. It is about selecting a constructive path over a destructive one.

I know, all the money is going in the other direction, and it will feel like swimming against a tidal wave, but if we believe an ounce of what the great teachers have taught us, we should at least make an effort.

As the Dalai Lama said:

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.

Gudjon BergmannAuthor and Columnistwww.gudjonbergmann.com

Picture: CC0 License

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Cultivating Rage Probably Goes Against the Teachings of Your Tradition - Patheos

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a name that needs no introduction. The spiritual leader and the yoga guru has shown the world the path of peace. His words have influenced many to resolve conflict through meditation. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tours more than 40 countries every year and spreads the word of peace amongst his followers. Various celebrities follow him and often visit his Ashram.

Last year, Bhumi Pednekar collaborated with Sri Sris The Art of Living foundation to help people suffering during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, as Sri Sri celebrates his 66th birthday, lets take a look at some of the interesting facts about him which will make you want to follow the leader.

Read all the Latest News , Breaking News and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.

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Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Birthday Special: Interesting Facts You Should Know About the Founder of The Art of Li - News18

3 yogic principles to deal with stress

By Anjaan

Published: Fri 13 May 2022, 12:08 AM

Our ability to respond instead of react is an important element in any situation we face. According to Yogic Rishis this can come through with a healthy mind, which often leads to a healthy body. Conversely, an unhealthy mind can lead to an unhealthy body and this can cause us to be reactive. However, there can seldom be a healthy body without a healthy mind. The power of the mind is, therefore, humongous in self-regulation.

If the mind is in a state of good health, it can move on undeterred after every troubling situation. A good mind is a product of good thoughts. Good thoughts are that which are free of selfishness, greed and envy.

Our judgmental nature

We encounter external impressions constantly. We receive a stimulus of a situation, apply a verdict based upon our moral wisdom, and then decide whether the event stimulus is true or false, good or bad, virtue or sin.

When you cannot determine this, you will let go of judgment and categorise it as indifferent. Indifference, however, does not mean lacking interest rather it brings about equanimity. To be able to come to the decision that we need not decide whether this situation is good or bad and therefore suspend our judgment of it.

The ancient Yogic text, the Bhagavad Gita, says: One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is the true Yogi, not he who lights no fire and performs no duty.

Be hopeless and fearless

Hope and fear are figments of human imagination. When we fear, our mind is affected in an undesirable way; when we hope, we seek viable alternatives. The Yogic thought, however, professes a Golden middle path a state of perfect equilibrium where you are neither worried nor fearful. You are neither happy nor unhappy.

You may wonder, whats the use of a mind thats neither joyful nor sorrowful? As a matter of fact, an indifferent mind, in many ways, helps to lead a fruitful life and is in a state of perpetual bliss. It knows the eternal truth, that in life neither happiness nor sorrow is forever; both are temporary and such a mind shuns both.

With this stoic disposition, you can focus on growth and concentrate on work. This type of mind will help you to do great things not just for oneself and your family, but for the entirety of humanity. Yet, detached from the fruits of action.

The power behind yogic and stoic indifference

Its not that the yogis or the stoics didnt care, its that they were good either way. Does that make sense?

An indifferent mind is bereft of temporary passion, yet it has a vision. Its never afflicted with pains. Since its without sadness and happiness, its never in stress or distress, let alone crisis. It looks at the whole world as if it is a show on Netflix, as a detached spectator. Its neither bothered with tragic scenes nor happy endings.

Since this type of mind is bereft of stress and any positive or negative emotion, such a mind is well suited to handle any crisis, not just at an individual level, but at a larger world level as well. This type of mind looks at the situation objectively. It assesses objectives, but never clings on to sentiments, negative or positive. This is the highest form of sobriety.

Can you develop such a mind? Think of that today, that its not about apathy or even a lack of expectation. Its simply the quiet strength of not needing a preference because youre that strong.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com

Connect with Anjaan across social media @MeditateWithAnjaan

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The power behind yogic and stoic indifference - wknd.

In recent times, the freedom of the Press in Sri Lanka appears to be free of any interference. Due to the efforts of the Free Media Movement and other concerned groups of journalists, Chapter XIX of the Penal Code containing Sections 479 and 480 dealing with defamation have been abolished by the Penal Code (Amendment) Act No.12 of 2002. In 1998, the Colombo Declaration on Press Freedom and Social Responsibility was made.

A revision was made in 2002, the year in which the Penal Code was amended to exclude the offence of criminal defamation. Lord Black of Brentwood, Executive Director British Telegraph Media Group and Former Director of the UK Press Complaints Commission in his foreword to the book titled Other War Sri Lankas recent struggle for media freedom. by Raja Weerasundera states, It took many years, much sweat, toil and commitment, but in 2002, the government announced that criminal defamation would be abolished and the countrys media associations reciprocated by announcing that a self-regulatory body, the Sri Lanka Press Complaints Commission would be established.

There are five C accepted in journalism, which hold that the reporting should be correct, clear, concise, complete and consistent. Of course correctness in reporting encompasses that the truth must be stated without fear or favour. There is no doubt whatsoever that although the truth can be suppressed for some time, it will finally prevail as stated in the Bhagavad Gita Sathyam mevathu Jayathu.

Article 14(1) (a) of the present (1978) Constitution of Sri Lanka provides that: Every citizen is entitled to the freedom of speech including expression and publication. Article 3 asserts that In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the People and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. Article 4(d) ensures that the fundamental rights which are by the Constitution declared and recognized shall be respected, secured and advanced by all the organs of Government, and shall not be abridged, restricted or denied save in the manner hereinafter provided. Article 15 in 8 sub-articles sets out the restrictions on the aforementioned provisions in detail.

Restrictions on fundamental rights, including those described above, may be placed in the interests of national security, public order, protection of public health or morality, racial and religious harmony or in relation to Parliamentary privilege, contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence, national economy or for securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others or meeting the general welfare of a democratic society. Thus it is seen that the fundamental rights of a citizen are not absolute but restricted.

In the case of Sinha Ratnatunga v. The State {2001}2Sri LR 172, The Court of Appeal held as follows: What the Press must do is to make us wiser, fuller, surer and sweeter than we are. The Press should not think that they are free to invade the privacy of individuals in the exercise of the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression merely because the right to privacy is not declared a fundamental right of the individual. It was further held that: The law of defamation both civil and criminal is also geared to uphold the human beings rights to human dignity by placing controls on the freedom of speech and expression.

The press should not seek under the cover of exercising its freedom of speech and expression, make unwarranted incursions into the private domain of individuals and thereby destroy their right to privacy. Public figures are not exceptions. Even a public figure is entitled to a reasonable measure of privacy. It is also important to note that the Court held: The press is all about finding the truth and telling it to the people. In pursuit of that, it is necessary that the press should have the broadest possible freedom of the press. In other words there should be very limited control over the newspapers. Otherwise wrong doing would not be disclosed.

Charlatans would not be exposed. Unfairness would go unremedied. Misdeeds in the corridors of power in government and private institutions will never be known. However, with that great gift of freedom of the press, comes great responsibility. In other words the more powerful the press is, it should also be a responsible press which will not abuse the enormous power it has.

Dr. Wickrema Weerasooriya in his speech titled Self-Regulation of the Media: Some Thoughts from Experience at the Sri Lanka Press Institute on September 6, 2011 quoted the Buddha as follows: You, yourselves should strive towards perfection. The Buddha can only show the way.

Similarly he said my humble request to Editors, Journalists and others associated with the media is, you, yourselves should strive towards ensuring a free and socially responsible media. The Code of Professional Conduct and the Press Complaints Commission and all that it is doing can only show the way.

At the present time in Sri Lanka a new Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has assumed office and commenced his work as to remove the obstacles in providing food supplies, fuel, medicines and electricity without any breakdowns to the people using his past experience in rectifying the lack of money supplies to the nation required to ensure constant supplies. With vast experience in the political field and many international connections the new Prime Minister has wide experience in completing the work assigned to his position.

The media can assist the newly established apolitical Government by publishing informative articles in their various relevant fields by providing relevant information for the government in attending to these difficult tasks. All patriotic citizens should assist the Government to salvage our Motherland from the abyss it has fallen into. Finding fault with predecessors whoever they may be will not assist in this task but observing where they had failed solutions can be suggested.

All political animosities should be laid aside and our patriotic brethren protesting at Galle Face should cooperate with those in authority to solve this crisis. Regarding the press which is part of the media should cooperate with the government to solve the present crisis. Then once the country is made stable and funds are made available with the cooperation of international sources a general election can be held and as decided by our people let all citizens devoid of any struggles set up the government to proceed with the activities of the State by people appointed by our people with consensus. All differences among our people concerning political affiliations, caste, creed, race and all other differences must be set aside and all our people of Sri Lanka should unite as one to salvage our beloved Motherland, our little beautiful paradise island of Sri Lanka.

The writer is an Attorney-at-Law

with LLB, LLM, M.Phil. (Colombo)[emailprotected]

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Press Freedom and Unity in Sri Lanka - Daily News

In the 5thcentury BC, the Greek dramatist Euripides understood that there was much at the heart of Tragedy that was comic in essence and much in Comedy that was close to Tragedy. He demonstrated this inCyclops, a satyr-play, satyrs being a kind of second-class gods with the ears and tails of horses. One of the characters Euripides created was Polyphemus, a Cyclops,known for his shrill songs, weird stories and fondness for younger men. However,in Greek mythology, Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, the god of the seas.Three centuries before Euripides, the poet Homer had shown Poseidon getting violently angry when the epic hero Odysseus makes the one-eyed Polyphemus blind.

Poseidons rage, which makes Odysseus voyage home dangerous, raises some intriguing questions: One, do the gods ever get angry?And two, how do mortals know when the gods are angry? The answer, as provided in the Greek myths, was that Hermes, the interpreter, alone knows when the gods are angry.Hermes is the herald of the gods as well as a trickster somewhat like the Narada figure in Indian myths. He is also considered the god of travellers, thieves, orators and merchants. The institution of interpreters of gods moods was not an original Greek fancy. In the 33rd century BCE, the Egyptian dynasts known as pharaohs had founded their authority on the claim of their ability to interpret the gods moods.

A similar echo of theological hermeneutics can be seen in Indias history in the institution of the Vedic purohit, phonetically close to the Egyptian pharaoh (pronounced phe-ro-aa). Not much is known about how the Indus Valley people thought about the gods wrath.Though their civilisation disintegrated around the 19th century BCE, the Harappans have not left behind archaeological signs about this. Perhaps, the Indus Valley civilisation had no interpreters, no orators and no figure that anticipated Hermes or the Vedic purohit.In sharp contrast to the Vedic purohit,Buddhism had no concept of an interpreter of the gods. Homer was a near-contemporary of Gautama Buddha. The Buddha located misery and grief in the minds of human beings, in their inadequate understanding of reality, and not in the whims of the gods.

Sadly, the purohits managed to oust Buddhism, and soon after, metaphysics rife with superstition came to be seen as knowledge.The nobler parts of the Vedic and Upanishadic traditions describe anger as a self-destructive emotion. The Bhagavad Gita speaks of anger as a cause of delusion, memory loss and destruction. Yet, when the interpreters of Gods mind assume the form of a coercive social institution, God himself becomes the loser. During the second millennium, the Bhakti movement rebelled against the self-assumed role of the purohits as Gods interpreters.During the 19thcentury, the resurgence of Hinduism rested on widening access to the divine for all sections of society. The greatest among our national leaders, Tagore, Aurobindo and Gandhi, accepted the idea of God but made humans the centre of spirituality. B R Ambedkar bravely rebelled against the social domination of the purohits and, in works likeAnnihilation of CasteandRevolution and Counter Revolution in Ancient India, tried to establish how repressive the idea of the superiority of purohits has been in Indias social history. In Europe, Friedrich Nietzsche could speak of the death of God, and after Stalins coercive policies started hurting people,Louis Fischer, Andre Gide, Arthur Koestler and Stephen Spender used the bold phrase the God that failed as the title of a book. In the light of this history of gods and their interpreters, it is absurd in the 21stcentury to invoke the gods to justify anger among humans.

The ethnography of the interpreters of Gods anger should be of interest to those of us who believe in the ideas of justice and the rule of law as upheld by the Constitution. There is a small town called Madhi in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Every year, thousands of people from nomadic communities get together there and express their devotion to the deity at the shrine. In recent years, the advocates of purohitrajhave been gradually blocking the devotees access to the shrine. When asked if this would make their God angry, many of those nomads replied, No, our God is not angry, we are angry. They were honest and had not surrendered their ability to think.

Some four decades ago, I used to teach at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. There was a small temple inside the campus. When communal riots broke out in the 1990s, one of my colleagues remarked that if the faculty does not side with the majority community, the God on the campus would feel betrayed and angry. This reminded me of a poem by Aurobindo.Eight decades before my time, he had taught on the same campus. Explaining a sudden and unjustified burst of anger, he wrote, apologetically, It was not me, but my bellys hungry god that was angry.

One knows that it is humans who get angry when there are no jobs and prices continue to go up, or bulldozers raze their houses. In an attempt to divert the peoples attention from the hunger in their bellies, clever interpreters point to some trivial gesture or expression as an insult to the gods. Credulous mobs take the cue and attack the misconstrued expression in the work of painters, artists, singers, writers, cartoonists, protesters, critics, opponents, minorities, meek and mild people all in the name of the gods. Hermes wins; the journey home for Odysseus gets longer; Buddha has to remain in exile. If we continue to be led by the interpreters of the gods moods, we may as well find ourselves sliding back to the eras before science replaced myth. Historians describe those eras as the Dark Ages.

This column first appeared in the print edition on May 16, 2022, under the title Gods arent crazy, mobs are. The writer is a cultural activist

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From Baroda to bulldozers: Gods arent crazy, mobs are - The Indian Express

By now, youve heard of mindfulness meditation. Everyone is doing it, not just yoga teachers and monks sitting cross-legged on a mountain top. But what exactly is it and how is it supposed to help your ADHD?

Mindfulness meditation means noticing the present moment without judgment not something adults with ADHD do very well. Were either living with our heads in the clouds or so hyperfocused that we might not notice volcanic activity.

However, meditation may help the ADHD brain improve executive functioning. Except that Im sorry, did you say meditate? Have we met? I have ADHD. Sitting still and thinking of nothing is impossible.

[Get This Free Download: Mindful Meditation for ADHD]

Heres the good news for us squirming souls: Meditation comes in many forms from simple breathing to wandering in a park and taking in its sights and smells. Here is how I make it work for me.

Before beginning a task at work, set an intention: Im at my desk to finish this assignment. Im going to use a version of the Pomodoro Technique, turn off the internet, take two-minute stretch breaks, and do a minute of deep breathing every 20 minutes.

Mindfulness at work means checking in with yourself: Am I within my intention or has my brain drifted off-task? Mindfulness also means letting go of judgment. If you got little done, just notice it. Then regroup and try again.

Many with ADHD struggle with rejection sensitive dysphoria an automatic assumption that someones irritability or indifference is intentional and directed at us. She hasnt returned my text all day. She doesnt like me. Sometimes, our perceived rejection causes us to feel angry or depressed. But we arent mind readers, and often our assumptions are way off base.

[Do I Have ADHD? Take This ADD Symptoms Test for Adults]

Practicing mindfulness meditation allows us to pause and consider whether our sensitive reaction to rejection is real or perceived. Breathe in, consider your assumption and the discomfort it brings. Consider possible alternatives to your assumptions, and whether you can let go of the sensitive reaction.

If your child has ADHD, maybe youve reacted angrily or in frustration to his or her behavior. Consider starting your morning with a moment of mindfulness. Set your intention for how you want to parent that day. Breathe in and visualize asking your child clearly for the behavior you want, and reacting calmly if you dont get it the first time. Develop a practice of pausing before responding to your childs emotional dysregulation or defiance.

Checking in with your body, and breathing into your frustration, can give you the moment you need to reflect on that parenting intention and meet it.

SUPPORT ADDITUDEThank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you.

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Mindfulness Meditation to Soothe Squirming Souls - ADDitude

People have practiced various forms of meditation for thousands of years, usually in a religious context. But only recently has meditation been the subject of scientific study.

Clifford Saron, a neuroscientist at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and the MIND Institute, leads the Shamatha Project, one of the most ambitious and comprehensive longitudinal studies of meditation ever conducted.

In this episode of The Backdrop, Saron discusses the projects findings so far; what science can tell us about the tangible effects of meditation; and how mindfulness can affect our physical, mental and emotional health.

The Backdroppodcast is a monthly interview program featuring conversations with UC Davis scholars and researchers working in the social sciences, humanities, arts and culture. It is available free, on demand at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Stitcher, Spotify and YouTube.The Backdropis hosted by public radio veteran Soterios Johnson.

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'The Backdrop' Podcast Features Neuroscientist on the Scientific Study of Meditation - University of California, Davis

May the Fourth be with you: Four ways to celebrate 'Star Wars' day

"Star Wars" fans around the world know exactly what day it is.

Scott L. Hall, USA TODAY

Here's a new way to celebrate Star Wars Day: Become one with the meditative force.

To help you on that mission, meditation and mindfulness app Headspace has teamed with Lucasfilm to create special content to coincide with the unofficial Star Wars holiday on May the 4th the date arises from a line of dialogue in the first movie released in George Lucas' space saga, "Star Wars: A New Hope."

Even if you are Padawan when it comes to meditation, Headspace has several new Star Wars-themed breathing exercises for you to try. Each is led by an iconic charactersuch as Yoda, R2D2, Chewbacca orBB-8.

The breathing exercises are accompanied by a peaceful animation of each character's breathing, along with relaxing musicand sound effects.

And if the dark side is keeping you from a restful night of sleep, Headspace also has three Star Wars-themed "sleepcasts" to help you doze off. You can take a mental trip to a Star Wars planet such as Tatooine or the Islands of Ahch-To (home of Luke Skywalker's Jedi Temple) or embark on an X-Wing voyage.

"The new content encourages members to turn inward and focus on breathing to help center users in the moment to reduce stress and motivate greater concentration," Headspace said in a press release announcing the Star Wars-themed features.

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Let Yoda, BB-8 help find the force with special Star Wars-themed meditations from Headspace - USA TODAY

Ive had a daily meditation practice for years, but over the past few months I have made it a point to practice 10-15 minutes of resonance frequency breathing in the morning before I start the day. I set a timer and count my breathing: 5 counts inhale and 5 counts exhale. Rinse and repeat until time is up.

I already knew the benefits of meditation and breathing through my yoga practice, but it wasnt until I read the book Breath by James Nestor that I understood the physiological benefits of regular breathwork. Then I read a couple of compelling scientific studies about the health benefits of resonant frequency breathing and was convinced it was a habit I needed to incorporate into my life. Thus my morning meditation practice shifted to a morning breathwork practice.

I can honestly say that I wake up and look forward to my breathwork. Its a familiar habit now and one that I can take with me wherever I go. Without my morning breathwork, I feel discombobulated and lack a sense of clarity for the day. After months of regularly practicing resonance frequency breathing, Im much more aware of my breath and heart rate. I also notice that my breathing is much more relaxed during the day; I dont hold my breath or strain to breathe.

Breathwork is also a great tool to practice at work. I host weekly mini meditation breaks for my customers employees every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. We meet on a virtual call to practice a 5 minute meditation and I utilize guided meditations available through their EAP program to lead us in practice. Not only is it calming and refreshing, but it gives us something to connect about that is not work-related.

My well-being philosophy is to start simple and practice small steps, one at a time. The simplest, most straightforward healthy habits are often the ones that make the most impact: drinking plenty of water, eating colorful vegetables and fruit, getting outside at least once per day, disconnecting from devices, and learning to be still and enjoy a moment of quiet

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How Pamela Terlizzi Thrives Using Meditation & Breathwork - Thrive Global

Brussels officials are being trained to meditate to help them tackle the climate crisis as part of a new wave of applied mindfulness that seeks to take the Buddhism-inspired practice off the cushion and into hard politics.

EU officials working on the 27-country blocs green deal climate policy are attending inner green deal courses intended to foster a deeper connection among decision-makers and negotiators tasked with tackling the crisis. The courses incorporate woodland walks near Brussels and meditation sessions, including one that invites participants to feel empathy for trees and animals to boost environmental compassion.

Some managers have reportedly shown impatience at being asked to meditate and want to get on with business. But early results from the first 80 participants suggest the course has strengthened officials motivation to tackle climate problems and overcome personal despair that little can be done.

Mindfulness has boomed in the west in recent years through courses, meditation apps and books. But it has drawn criticism that it has become a religion of the self, with one critic warning of McMindfulness. However, it is recognised by the NHS as an effective treatment for recurrent depression when delivered as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy.

Now advocates of applied mindfulness believe it could accelerate consensus-building between climate decision-makers. A recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlighted the need for inner transitions and the potential of meditation to encourage lower-carbon lifestyles.

Some UK MPs are backing a policy report launched this week that argues examining the human heart and mind is the missing dimension in the global response to the climate crisis.

The report, overseen by the Mindfulness Initiative, which supports the UK parliaments all-party group on mindfulness, says tackling climate breakdown has too long been framed as a problem of technology rather than compassion and empathy, and this is holding back humanitys ability to move faster.

Supporters include the former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres and the UKs only Green party MP, Caroline Lucas.

The report argues the climate emergency is rooted in a crisis of relationship that has us treating the world we belong to as a resource to be exploited, and the other people in it primarily as competitors.

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It calls urgently for policy attention to the neglected inner dimension of the climate crisis and argues for the importance of mindfulness and compassion practices in restoring the conscious connection fundamental to human and planetary health. Applying mindfulness, it argues, can help decision-makers mentally stay with the often overwhelming problem humanity is facing rather than fleeing it.

Figueres, who led the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord negotiations, told the Guardian her practice of deep listening, which is related to mindfulness and emerges from Buddhist teaching, was the key to the successful agreement.

Had I not been practising deep listening I never would have understood where 195 countries and thousands of stakeholders were coming from, she said. I really wanted to know deeply what they were saying. I chalk up a lot of the Paris accord to deep listening.

Lucas said: Mindfulness is about making the space to feel the connections that could then inspire action. Reaching into peoples deeper empathy for the world is a way of generating the extra energy, motivation and belief that change is possible.

She is among a group of MPs who meditate regularly together at parliament and she said the practice keeps me on track by reminding myself, amid the noise and distraction of political life, of whats important.

Under the EUs training package, officials learn mindfulness practices before being presented with raw facts about the climate emergency. They then explore how they personally relate to problems that can seem overwhelming.

Jeroen Janss, who runs the course, said strong emotions often arose, including deep sadness, frustration over lack of progress, guilt and hopelessness. Participants learn how to regulate these emotions, find their personal role and, through collaborating around concrete initiatives, come out with a sense of agency.

They feel I can do something, said Janss. There is less eco-anxiety.

There is a lot of power in even one or two people being fully present in a meeting, said one policy officer working on EU-wide climate negotiations who has taken the course. The inner dimension has been missing for some time and it has the potential to unlock how we collaborate.

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EU officials being trained to meditate to help fight climate crisis - The Guardian