“From mindfulness comes inner strength and the development of trust – growing trust that things can fall apart, that the nature of things is change. . . (and we can learn to) place the fearful mind in the cradle of loving kindness.” Pema Chodron, Nobel Heart

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction is being utilized in many areas of health care and wellness. Research shows that MBSR training improves subjective quality of life and objective measures of immune response in subjects with breast and prostate cancer. www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/4/571

For a map of how this works, see: Stress REACTION vs Stress RESPONSE Cycles: lelaccarney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Stress-REACTION-RESPONSE-Cycles.pdf I find it helps to understand what we’re aiming for and how to shift from stress reactivity to stress responsiveness — to increase resilience, support healing and speed recovery.

Daniel J. Siegel describes the neurobiology of mindfulness in these recordings (at library or for purchase through Sounds True recordings, www.soundstrue.com/ or Amazon): The Neurobioloby of ‘We’ and Mindfulness and the Brain (with Jack Kornfield). You can listen to an online podcast of Dan at a Upaya Institute retreat with Joan Halifax at http://www.upaya.org/dharma/mindsight-series-the-psychology-and-neuroscience-of-awareness-all-9-parts/ .  A better quality recording of Dan’s Wheel of Awareness meditations are at http://drdansiegel.com/resources/wheel_of_awareness/ . His books, The Mindful Therapist (or doctor, teacher . . .), Mindsight, The Developing Mind, Parenting Inside Out: drdansiegel.com/books/ — “Books and More” tab.

There is an encouraging description of studies using MBSR to enhance the sexual experience for women in Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach, summarized at ( lelaccarney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Mindfulness-and-Sexual-experience.pdf )  Be sure to read the book. It will make you laugh, too.

And mindfulness training is included in the latest advances in changing habits.  How the Brain Forms New Habits: Why Willpower is Not Enough (IBP/Institute for Brain Potential seminar  by Jodie A. Trafton, PhD.) .  “Why are habits so difficult to change? Habits govern how we think and act. They influence who needs care and who stays well in medical, dental, and psychological settings. This unique 6-hour seminar describes how the brain forms new habits and how to facilitate meaningful change. Mindfulness training is listed as one of the evidence-based strategies for managing reward-centered habits — strengthen beneficial ones. lelaccarney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Mindfulness-application-to-changing-harmful-habits.pdf

For Links to MBSR training and resources go to: lelaccarney.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/MBSR-links.pdf