More on Mindfulness

Amongst medical practitioners, Ronald Epstein, Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, and Oncology at the University of Rochester, is known for contributing what is now a classic article, “Mindful Practice,” to the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1999. In his new book, ATTENDING, Epstein uses anecdotes and disguised personal experiences to further discuss the habit of mindfulness in a medical setting.  As I read this book, though, I was picturing the classroom and became increasingly excited about applying some of his concepts to a school environment. Consider this quote, for example:

“Falling short had little to do with knowledge and technique, but rather it had to do with my state of mind, what I noticed and attended to.  Sometimes I practiced with clarity and compassion, and other times impatience, distraction, unexamined emotions, and defensiveness got in the way.” OR “Attending means showing up, being present, listening ….”

I will be recommending ATTENDING to members of our learning cohort on mindfulness.  I am curious to hear their reactions and to perhaps propose this as an all school read.  Epstein’s comments on defining and developing expertise and attention training, as well as on compassionate caring, increasing effective communication, and reducing burnout seem particularly applicable.   

MODERN MINDFULNESS by Rohan Gunatillake is another engaging read on this subject. He begins by noting that people tend not to pursue mindfulness for three reasons: time problem, hippy [his spelling; referring to spiritual and religious concerns] problem and/or digital problem of being too connected.  Gunatillake employs a somewhat snarky tone in addressing those concerns, offering advice about staying centered and even incorporating technology. In fact, the subtitle is “How to Be More Relaxed, Focused, and Kind While Living in a Fast, Digital, Always-On World.” I particularly liked the chapter about “How to Design Your Own Meditations” where Gunatillake describes an 8 step process for creating a mindfulness practice that fits with the reader’s life.  Throughout MODERN MINDFULNESS, he also suggests over 50 other exercises.   

For recent postings related to the topic of mindfulness, see Stress Management and The Telomere Effect.