Live in the present moment. Pay attention.
It’s such a simple principle . . .
. . . and yet, over the last eight weeks, we’ve watched it flourish in unexpected ways.
We’ve seen how mindfulness can pierce the “trance of unworthiness” to create self-acceptance. We shrank it down to a three-minute exercise . . . and imagined the incredible potential of practicing mindfulness meditation for a year.
We’ve seen how mindfulness can help clients heal – whether they suffer from depression, chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, or any one of countless other conditions.
And we’ve seen how mindfulness can go beyond healing to transform: our selves, our clients, and even a nation.
Mindfulness is simple – but in some ways, it’s grown bigger than we ever imagined.
And it’s gone further, too. During the course of the Making Mindfulness Work series, 8,159 practitioners from 69 different countries participated in the webinars. We’ve heard from folks around the world on our comment boards and our blogs. And we’ve corresponded with many of you personally – on the phone and through e-mail.
So we’re awed by the global reach of this community, and we’re proud that we could be a part of it.
Here’s the list of countries our participants hail from:
| Argentina | Haiti | Panama |
| Australia | Hong Kong | Peru |
| Austria | Hungary | Philippines |
| Belgium | Iceland | Poland |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | India | Portugal |
| Brazil | Indonesia | Puerto Rico |
| Canada | Ireland | Romania |
| Chile | Israel | Saudi Arabia |
| Colombia | Italy | Serbia |
| Costa Rica | Jamaica | Singapore |
| Croatia | Japan | Slovenia |
| Czech Republic | Jordan | South Africa |
| Denmark | Lebanon | South Korea |
| Dominica | Lithuania | Spain |
| Ecuador | Malasia | Sweden |
| Egypt | Mecedonia | Switzerland |
| El Salvador | Mexico | Trinidad and Tobago |
| Finland | Namibia | Turkey |
| France | Netherlands | United Arab Emirates |
| French Guiana | New Caledonia | United Kingdom |
| Germany | New Zealand | United States |
| Greece | Nicaragua | Uruguay |
| Guatemala | Norway | Venezuela |
Those are the 69 countries where practitioners are planting the seeds of mindfulness and growing them into something wonderful.
And that means change is happening . . . all over the world. We’ve been touched by the stories you’ve told us, and we’re deeply moved by the profound ways you’ve helped your patients heal.
It’s been an honor and a blessing to be able to help one simple principle on its worldwide journey.
So which parts of this series resonated with you? What lessons did you take home, and what have you used in practice already? We’d like to hear your experience. Please share your thoughts below.
Kudos to you! I hadn’t thuoght of that!
In response to the question raised by Helle Dueholm on Dec., 11, 2012, I wonder if some answers might be found in the work of Eben Alexander, M.D. He had a very severe form of meningitis and lost nearly all of his memory, but recovered most of it over time. He describes his experience of meningitis and his recovery from memory loss in his book “Proof of Heaven, A Neurosurgeon’s Journey into the Afterlife.”
Ruth, might he be a participant in some future program on the brain?
Hi, Once again I have enjoyed one of your incredible programmes. Alas I tend to catch up after the live sessions due to geographical/ timezones.
Can I ask if you know of any research on Mindfulness effect on post-meningitis in grown-ups ?
I understand the concept of neuroplasticity, but I also assume that I have no control over which parts of my brain I train, and as the aftereffects of the meningitis does not residen in pre-frontal lobes (?!) will it make a difference on memory- impairment ?
I appreciate if anyone has any information.
Kind regards, Helle
Thank you for this series. It has been wonderful.
In the additional Gold sessions, I hope we could briefly look again at when using mindfulness with a psychotherapy patient may be contraindicated. It’s tempting to try it with almost everyone, but I’m not sure that would be wise.
This has been a very fulfilling series with top people in our field sharing in depth the information that needs transmitting! So grateful to each and all! Will be back. Thank you NICAMB and Ruth!
Mindfulness is easy to do and it reaps many benefits. So why isn’t everybody doing it. Because it isn’t instant. It takes practice and not everyone is willing to dedicate time to the practice. Shunryu Suzuki said, “If you do something because you should, then it is a real practice.” The hard part is not teaching people how to practice mindfulness it is getting them to begin the practice.
Looking at the list of countries participating in your work, I see a very real example of Marshall McLuhan’s oft quoted insight, “The medium is the message.” What you are doing is connecting real people from around the world in ways that at least seem to transcend the many things that divide us.
As we are learning, sometimes it is just the fact of connecting with one another that is important, even more than what takes place within that connection.
Thank you for your efforts.
My heart is touched by the kindness, wisdom, generosity and the global nurturing you are doing!!
Wow, what a time of opportunity it is. Those who are ready to heal and change
have the resources and support available.
Tolstoy said, “Everyone wants to change the world, but nobody wants to change himself.” You are helping each person to change himself and thereby changing the world from the grass roots up. In my mind this is skillful action. I love and appreciate your wise action and your heartfulness. Blessings and thanks!
Kick the tires and light the fires, problem ofclifaily solved!