Value Inculcation

through Mindfulness

P L Dhar

Objective of EHV

• To empower a person so that his

actions ( bodily, vocal , mental) neither

hurt nor harm him nor any body else

Paradigms of EHV

• Deep Ecology Paradigm : focus on

understanding the web of interconnectedness

-- person’s relationship / interaction with the

world

• Depth Psychology Paradigm : focus on

understanding the mind – how mental texture

motivates and modulates person’s interaction

with the world

Analysis of how we interact with

the world

• Cognition Re-cognition [ perception] … memory, intellect

Feelings …. Mental and bodily concomitants

Response …, habits, emotional texture

• Transformation in response : Change perception <appearance vs

reality> , overcome the shackles of pleasure pain principle

• How ? Embracing pain and running away from pleasant feelings ?

Analysis of how we interact with

the world….. • Transformation in response : Change perception <appearance vs

reality> , overcome the shackles of pleasure pain principle

• How ? Embracing pain and running away from pleasant feelings ?

• Neither run away nor run after feelings – just observe them with

equanimity as these change in their natural course

• Feelings arise due to interactions at all sense doors

• Train the mind to be able to experience even subtle feelings below the

threshold of normal awareness, and not to get carried away by them .. In

the light of the Truth of Impermanence

• Cultivating Mindfulness of body – mind complex

• It is direct awareness of whatever is happening in the body-mind complex from

moment to moment ……… ………………..... and also in the outside world

with which one is interacting

Cultivating Mindfulness

• Mindfulness of body

• Postures , natural movements, breathing

• Mindful walking, mindful eating

• Mindfulness of Feelings

• Feelings arise at all sense doors

• These have a somatic concomitant – body mind coupling

• Mindful walking, mindful eating

• Feeling sensations all over the body

Cultivating Mindfulness

• Mindfulness of quality of mind

• …with or without craving, aversion , delusion

• .. Focussed or distracted

• Mindfulness of Mental contents / phenomena

• Factors Obstructing practice [proper functioning of the mind]

• Dimensions of personality, interactions at sense doors

• Factors aiding the practice [proper functioning of the mind]

• ‘Dis-satisfaction” , its causes and cessation

What is Mindfulness ?

• Three characteristics of Mindfulness – Mindfulness reminds us what we are supposed to be doing …

it is both the bare attention and the function of reminding us to

pay bare attention when we have ceased to do so.

– Mindfulness sees things as they really are …. No evaluation, no

preferences

– Mindfulness sees the true nature of all phenomena … viz.

Impermanence , un-satisfactoriness, unsubstantial-ness

• Mindfulness works like an electron microscope … it

reveals those realities which are normally ‘invisible’

What do we actually do in a

workshop?

• Sessions to explain theory - step by step

• Practice sessions on Mindfulness of body, Mindful walking,

Eating, hearing , seeing, Mindfulness of bodily feelings, quality of

mind, various mental phenomena encountered during practice

• Video films on Mindful eating, Benefits of cultivating mindfulness

etc.

• Open Sessions of Q & A

• One to one interaction on the practice everyday

• Sessions on the practice of cultivating “ loving kindness”

Benefits of Practice

Benefits of practice…….1

• Increase in concentration & efficiency

reduced digressive thoughts & day dreams…

practice of living in the present

• Clarity of goals and the hierarchy of

values,

• ability to resist temptations, distinguish between

‘urgent’ and ‘important’ ; and say NO

Benefits of practice…….2

• Self control – pausing before action => look before you

leap ....mindfulness acts like the brakes on a car …seize that decisive moment when the mind is still open to receive skillful directions, reduction in rash and aggressive behaviour

• Ability to face the vicissitudes of life with equanimity – reduction in escapist tendencies: smoking,

drinking, drugs

Benefits of practice……3

• Proper self appraisal-knowledge of

strengths and Weaknesses …

mindfulness is like a mirror

Increases Humility and Forgiveness

Benefits of practice……4

• Increased selfless love and compassion -

improvement in relationships , working

together ….mental impurities are the enemies

which besiege our inner household and destroy

our peace and harmony

Think WIN-WIN SYNERGISING

Motivation for self less service

International Acceptance of

Mindfulness practice in Higher

Education

Mindfulness in Colleges and Universities

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - Mindful Living Programs Umass

• University of Minnesota Mindfulness club

• Oxford Mindfulness Centre

• Center for Mindfulness - the University of Massachusetts Medical ...

• UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

• Mindfulness Meditation Course - Stanford Hospital & Clinics ...

• Mindfulness Programs - University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

• Center for Mindfulness at UC San Diego Health System

• Guided Mindfulness Practices - University of Missouri System

• UVA Mindfulness Center - School of Medicine - University of Virginia

• Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative - University of Miami

http://www.mindfulnet.org/page7.htm

Mindfulness in Colleges and Universities

• Antioch University Mindfulness programme Antioch University

New England

• Mindfulness at UEA, UK The University of East Anglia, UK

• Manchester University: Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation

• Mindfulness Programs - Monash University

• Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice,

Bangor University

• 2014 Mindfulness Workshop Series - Psychology -

University of Exeter

• Mindfulness | Brown University Health Education

• Applied Mindfulness Meditation - Factor-Inwentash Faculty of

Social ...

http://www.mindfulnet.org/page7.htm

Mindfulness in Colleges and Universities

• Mindfulness Meditation Exercises - Counselling -

The University of Sydney...

• Mindfulness - University of Surrey

• Mindfulness Meditation - University of Strathclyde

• First International Conference on Mindfulness

• May 8-12, 2013 Sapienza – Universita di Roma in Rome, Italy

• Applied Mindfulness Conference - West Chester University

• Mindfulness in Education Conference 2009 - Association for ...

http://www.mindfulnet.org/page7.htm

The neuroscience of mindfulness

• Practicing mindfulness can bring

about calmness, stilling the brain

chatter, and help us shift

towards right brain mode.

• By engaging our right brain we

activate the parasympathetic

nervous system (as opposed to the

adrenaline releasing sympathetic

system). More parasympathetic

activity means less stress and

therefore better health.

http://www.mindfulnet.org/page25.htm

Books on Teaching of

Mindfulness

Thanks for your kind attention !