The present research examined if mindfulness reduced negativity bias on measures of attitude formation and cognitive style, as a potential explanation for the beneficial effects of mindfulness on emotional disturbance. Two studies were conducted. Study One was correlational and found that trait mindfulness inversely correlated with measures of negative cognitive style, and that the latter...
This paper explores the experience of a silent meditation retreat from the perspective of a novice practitioner.The 7-day Scientist Meditation Retreat was held at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, California.It was intended to provide meditation researchers an intensive silent retreat experience.The author shares his reflections throughout the retreat and concludes with some of the...
Mindfulness meditation is increasingly well known for therapeutic efficacy in a variety of illnesses and conditions, but its mechanism of action is still under debate in scientific circles. In this paper, we propose a hypothetical causal model that argues for the role of mindfulness in positive reappraisal coping. Positive reappraisal is a critical component of meaning-based coping that enables...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) has a high prevalence rate, particularly in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Furthermore, depression has been associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality in this population. Regardless of medical status, patients who have had MDD manifest high relapse and recurrence rates, with as much as an 80% likelihood of experiencing another major...
The empirical literature provides increasing support for the efficacy of mindfulness training in the treatment of numerous problems and disorders. However, fewer studies have examined the mechanisms through which these beneficial outcomes are obtained. This article summarizes recent research examining three primary questions related to the mechanisms underlying mindfulness-based treatments: do...
Research has shown that mindfulness-based treatment interventions may be effective for a range of mental and physical health disorders in adult populations, but little is known about the effectiveness of such interventions for treating adolescent conditions. The present randomized clinical trial was designed to assess the effect of the mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program for...
The topic of energy therapies is prompted by the increasing attention of healthcare practitioners and consumers to Eastern philosophies and ancient healing practices. This article includes a conceptual framework of quantum physics principles providing the basis of interpretation of energetic phenomena, along with the exploration of theoretical concepts involving energy as a communicational...
Meditation practices may impact physiological pathways that are modulated by stress and relevant to disease. While much attention has been paid to meditation practices that emphasize calming the mind, improving focused attention, or developing mindfulness, less is known about meditation practices that foster compassion. Accordingly, the current study examined the effect of compassion meditation...
While enormous progress has been made to identify neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), crucial NCC aspects are still very controversial. A major hurdle is the lack of an adequate definition and characterization of different aspects of conscious experience and also its relationship to attention and metacognitive processes like monitoring. In this paper, we therefore attempt to develop a...
Over the past 30 years the practice of meditation has become increasingly popular in clinical settings. In addition to evidence-based medical uses, meditation may have psychiatric benefits. In this review, the literature on the role of meditation in addressing psychiatric issues, and specifically substance use disorders, is discussed. Each of the three meditation modalities that have been most...
Mindfulness is an ancient spiritual practice as well as a unique behavioral technique involving the cultivation of non-judgmental, non-reactive, metacognitive awareness of present-moment experience. Given the growing interest in mindfulness across numerous academic and clinical disciplines, an agenda is needed to guide the next wave of research. Here, we suggest four areas that, in our view,...
Changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) characteristics in experienced Zen meditation practitioners (n = 23) during 40 minutes of meditation were compared with those in the matched controls (n = 23) taking a rest for 40 minutes. Averaged complexity index ([image omitted] ) evaluation and spectral analysis were measured in three intervals: the first, middle and the last 5-min segments of Zen...
The volume presents seventeen papers by different scholars that examine, from an interdisciplinary perspective, questions concerning meditation and yogic perception. The contributions focus on various aspects, such as the nature of consciousness, the relation of body and mind, and health, and bind together the perspectives and approaches of disciplines such as South Asian, Buddhist and Tibetan...