10 week health intervention involving mindfulness-based stress reduction

1. Vipassana Meditation
A mindfulness-based practice
Translation of ‘vipassana’:
To see things as they really are

2. AS THINGS ARE...REALLY
OK, IT’S NOT THAT BAD BUT...
MEDITATION WAS THE FIRST THING
I THOUGHT OF WHEN I READ THE
WORDS
“HEALTH INTERVENTION”
WHICH TELLS YOU SOMETHING

3. symptoms
that inspired this intervention
POOR READING AND/OR RESPONSES TO BODILY CUES:
•HEADACHES, MAINLY ASSOCIATED WITH LONG PERIODS IN FRONT OF THE
COMPUTER SCREEN
•THAT CUP OF COFFEE AT 4 IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN AN ORANGE WOULD
HAVE SUFFICED
•INTERPRETING DEHYDRATION AS HUNGER (NOT MINDFUL OF WATER
INTAKE)
•NOT RESTING OR RELAXING FATIGUED BODY PARTS, WANTING TO ‘PUSH
THROUGH’
•STRESS, MANIFESTED IN NECK AND BACK TENSION, UNEVEN OR SHALLOW
BREATH, MUSCULAR TIGHTNESS, ACHES AND PAINS
THE MIND:
•STRESS, MANIFESTED IN CYCLICAL OR UNWANTED THINKING AND/OR
BEHAVIORS
•DISTRACTION, PROCRASTINATION, ATTENTION SPAN
•OCCASIONAL LOW MOOD STATE ESPECIALLY AROUND THE SENSE OF
CONNECTION (OR LACK THEREOF) TO WHAT I’M DOING, NEGATIVE
RUMINATION AND MEMORY RECALL

4. THE SCIENCE ON MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
OVERVIEW:
•VARIOUS TYPES OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATION ARE GROUPED
TOGETHER IN THE SCEINTIFIC LITERATURE UNDER MBSR:
MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION.
•IF INDEED THE STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION IS STILL IN ITS
INFANCY IT IS DUE TO A LACK OF CONSISTENCY IN THE METHODOLOGY
ACROSS STUDIES
FINDINGS:
•SIMILAR TO RELAXATION TRAINING, MBSR IS SHOWN TO MEDIATE
DISTRESS, DEPRESSIVE RUMINATION, AND POSITIVE MOOD STATES OVER
THE SHORT AND LONG TERM. MODELING SHOWS THAT MBSR’S MEDIATION
OF DISTRESS MAY CAUSED BY ITS EFFECT ON RUMINATION. INFACT,
MBSR MAY BE UNIQUE IN ITS EFFECT ON DISTRACTION AND
RUMINATION (1)
•A STUDY ON MBSR AND MOTOR CONSCIOUSNESS SUGGESTED THAT, WHILE
A MBSR GROUP FOUND A PHYSICAL TASK JUST AS HARD AS A CONTROL
GROUP, THE MBSR GROUP EXPERIENCED MORE PLEASURE DURING THE
TASK AND A GREATER SENSE OF CONTROL AND CALMNESS.(2)

5. BY NOW...
WE KNOW THAT MBSR ENJOYS WIDE APPLICATION IN CLINICAL AND NON-
CLINICAL SETTINGS BUT HOW DOES IT WORK, REALLY?
ONE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT MINDFULNESS CHANGES EMOTIONAL
INFORMATION PROCESSING. MBSR INCREASES POSITIVE WORD RECALL
AND POSITIVE MEMORY RECALL. WITH THE BRAIN DRAWING FROM ITS
‘SUNNIER’ PARTS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION DROP SIGNIFICANTLY.
NEUROLOGICALLY THIS IS DESCRIBED AS IMPROVED PREFONTAL
ATTENTIONAL CONTROL OVER THE AMYGDALA.(3)
IT IS NATURAL THAT THE AMYGDALA IS USED IN MOMENTS OF PHYSICAL
AND EMOTIONAL DISCOMFORT OR THREAT. BUT CHRONIC STRESS OR PAIN
CAN CAUSE IT TO BE OVERUSED.
IN OTHER WORDS, THE AMYGDALA IS VERY FAST AND VERY DECISIVE BUT
SHOULD ONLY HAVE THE MICROPHONE WHEN THE AUDITORIUM IS ON
FIRE...
SO...
DID IT WORK FOR ME?

6. INTERVENTION
•THE NEXT STEP WAS TO FIND INSTRUCTION IN HOW TO INTERVENE
THROUGH MBSR: I ATTENDED SEVERAL BEGINNER MEDITATIONS AT THE
NEW YORK INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER (NYIMC.ORG) IN MANHATTAN.
•THE BEGINNER’S SIT WAS ONLY ONCE A WEEK, TUESDAY NIGHTS. THIS
DIDN’T SEEM LIKE ENOUGH FOR A TEN WEEK INTERVENTION. I FOUND
THROUGH THE CENTER A SIT IN BROOKLYN MUCH CLOSER TO HOME THAT
HAPPENED BIMONTHLY ON MONDAYS.
I’VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED BIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
OF STRESS DUE TO A BUSY LIFE

7. •IN BOTH CASES I STAYED FOR THE DHAMMA TALK AFTERWARDS. I
WASN’T REALLY LOOKING FOR A BELIEF SYSTEM (AND NONE WAS PUSHED
ON ME) BUT THE LECTURES HELPED ME TO UNDERSTAND OTHER PEOPLE’S
EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR MEDITATION, GAIN ADDITIONAL INSIGHT
INTO HOW TO MEDITATE AND, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, A SENSE OF
WHAT ARE CONSIDERED UNIVERSAL GOALS AND EXPERIENCES IN
VIPASSANA.
INTERVENTION CONT’D

8. •THE COST OF ATTENDING GROUP MEDITATIONS WAS BASED ON THE
BUDDHIST NOTION OF DANA: VOLUNTARY DONATION TO THE ‘TEMPLE’
THAT IN MY CASE WORKED OUT TO 5 TO 10 DOLLARS PER SIT. THIS WAS
IMPORTANT FOR MY ATTENDANCE AND ADHERENCE BECAUSE, HAD THE
PRICING BEEN HIGHER OR MANDATORY, I WOULD HAVE GONE LESS OR
MIGHT HAVE COME TO THINK OF THE INTERVENTION AS INDULGENT
RATHER THAN PERSONAL MAINTENANCE. IT MIGHT HAVE ACTIVATED
PART OF MY SELF-CONCEPT: A MILD CONTEMPT FOR THE
FITNESS/SPIRITUAL COMPLEX...
INTERVENTION CONT’D

9. BUMPS IN THE ROAD
•IT SEEMED OBVIOUS TO MEDITATE IN THE MORNINGS BUT I COULDN’T DO
IT. I TRIED AND TRIED BUT MY ADHERENCE WAS POOR.
•MY BEST TIMES FOR ADHERENCE TURNED OUT TO BE FRIDAY THROUGH
MONDAY AT AROUND FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON.
•I FOUND THAT I HAD TO REDUCE MY COFFEE INTAKE, EVEN IN THE
MORNINGS, TO GET THE MOST OUT OF MY AFTERNOON SITS. OVER THE
COURSE OF THE INTERVENTION I HAVE REDUCED MY COFFEE INTAKE BY
ABOUT HALF -A WELCOME CHANGE.
AS I STARTED TO TRY AND BRING A MEDITATION PRACTICE HOME WITH
ME
IT FELT AS THOUGH MY ENVIRONMENT WAS SUDDENLY COMPRISED
OF ONLY TWO COMPONENTS:
AND,
OF COURSE,

10. •SOME OF MY MEDIA HABITS, NAMELY POLITICAL SCREEDS AND COMMENT
BOARDS, PROVED COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE.
•FULL NIGHTS OF SLEEP PROVED ESSENTIAL. WITHOUT PROPER SLEEP I’D
GROW SLEEPY WHILE MEDITATING OR BE TOO WIRED.•THE HARDEST CHALLENGE BY FAR, AND I KNOW I’M NOT ALONE ON THIS,
WAS SIMPLY GETTING MY BODY TO STOP FOR A MINUTE EVEN WITH
ALTERATIONS IN STIMULI. AS A NOVICE MEDITATOR I KNOW MY MIND
WILL TAKE TIME TO HAVE REAL MOMENTS OF PAUSE AND NON-JUDGMENT.
BUT THE BODY HAS ITS OWN ATTENTION SPAN AND MINE IS PRETTY
SMALL WITHOUT HELP...
•I STARTED TO TIRE MYSELF BEFORE SITTING BY JUGGLING A SOCCER
BALL IN THE PARK FOR AN HOUR. THE ADVANTAGE HERE WAS THAT I DO
THIS ANYWAY BUT ALSO JUGGLING A SOCCER BALL HAS A WAY OF
CLEARING THE MIND OF ALL ELSE.
•MAYBE THIS IS CHEATING BUT EXERCISE BEFORE SITTING ALSO
PRODUCED ENDORPHINS WHICH, UNLIKE CAFFEINE, FEEL LIKE STABLE
ENERGY.
STRATEGIES AND HABIT CHANGES

11. monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday saturday sunday
meditation
sit
80% 30% 10% 10% 100% 70% 80%
exercise
time
100% 10% 0% 10% 100% 90% 100%
amount of
sleep
8hrs 7hrs 7hrs 6.5hrs 8hrs 8hrs 8hrs
coffee
intake
2 cups 3 cups 3 cups 3 cups 2 cups 3 cups 2 cups
•BELOW IS AN OBSERVATION TABLE WITH THE AVERAGE RATES OF
ADHERENCE TO MEDITATION AND EXERCISE, AS WELL AS AVERAGE
AMOUNTS OF SLEEP AND COFFEE OVER THE TEN WEEK INTERVENTION
PERIOD. PLEASE NOTE: I DIDN’T RECORD LENGTH OF MEDITATIONS (NEVER
LESS THE 20 MIN., NEVER MORE THAN 45 MIN.) NOR QUALITY OF THEM. THE
FIRST TWO ROWS SIMPLY DOCUMENT THE 10 WEEK AVERAGE OF ADHERENCE.
•TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY ARE MY BUSIEST DAYS; THAT IS
REFLECTED IN THE TABLE BELOW
OBSERVATION

12. OBSERVATION CONT’D•ADHERENCE TO BOTH MEDITATION AND EXERCISE AS WELL AS, TO SOME
EXTENT, REDUCED COFFEE INTAKE AND SUFFICIENT SLEEP PROVED
DIFFICULT MID-WEEK WHEN I HAD BOTH WORK AND SCHOOL. OFTEN
THERE WAS LITERALLY NO TIME FOR MEDITATION AND EXERCISE; SLEEP
AND CAFFEINE INTERVENTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OBSERVED
DURING THE BUSIEST PART OF THE WEEK
•FRIDAY WAS MY BEST DAY ADHERENCE-WISE. THIS REFLECTED AN
EXCITEMENT TO RESUME THE INTERVENTION AFTER THE KIND OF BUSY
DAYS THAT INSPIRED THE INTERVENTION IN THE FIRST PLACE
•SATURDAY’S LOW MEDITATION ADHERENCE REFLECTED TWO THINGS:
FRIDAY NIGHT IS MY NIGHT TO GO OUT SOCIALLY AND SATURDAY IS A
BIG DAY TO PREPARE FOR DEADLINES.
•PERHAPS MY COFFEE INTAKE SEEMS LIKE A LOT BUT THE TABLE
ACTUALLY REFLECTS A REDUCTION FROM PRE-INTERVENTION LEVELS (BY
HALF!, EMBARASSINGLY)
•THIS MEDITATION INTERVENTION ALSO INSPIRED GREATER
ADHERENCE TO AN EXERCISE REGIME AS I FOUND A TIRING OF THE BODY
USEFUL PRIOR TO EACH SIT. AS THE TABLE SUGGESTS I DID NOT ALWAYS
FOLLOW THROUGH ON MEDITATION AFTER EXERCISE.

13. CONCLUSIONS
•THE USE OF EXERCISE IN THIS INTERVENTION HAD TWO BENEFITS
SPECIFIC TO IT:
IT HELPED TO REDUCE FIDGETING DURING MEDITATION
IT HELPED STRENGTHEN MY CORE WHICH FACILITATED PROPER POSTURE
AND STAMINA DURING MEDITATION: A MAJOR DETAIL THAT IMPROVED
RESULTS HERE AND MORE GENERALLY
•THE RESTING OF THE EYES INHERENT TO MEDITATION (EYES CLOSED OR
GENTLY FOCUSED ON A POINT IN FRONT OF YOU) SHARPLY REDUCED
HEADACHES ASSOCIATED WITH COMPUTER SCREENS EVEN WITHOUT
SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TIME IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER
•ALTHOUGH ADHERENCE WAS POOR MIDWEEK THERE WAS A GENERALIZED
IMPULSE TO “TAKE A MOMENT” AND “DEEP BREATHS” WHICH INDICATES AN
IMPROVED SELF-CALMING SKILL SET
•I WAS LESS WILLING TO ENGAGE IN PROCRASTINATION BECAUSE OF A
MORE LOGICAL ANTICIPATION OF WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE IF I DID:
MINDFULNESS AT WORK…
•I COULD FOCUS ON WORK FOR LONGER AND MORE HAPPILY
•AS PER THE STUDY MENTIONED EARLIER I DID EXPERIENCE A CHANGE IN
MEMORY RECALL: SHORT TERM MEMORY WAS MORE EFFICIENT AND
NEGATIVE LONG-TERM MEMORY RECALL LESS FREQUENT. I WAS MORE
‘UNDERSTANDING’ WITH MYSELF

14. CONCLUSIONS CONT’D
•VIPASSANA, THE MBSR I TRIED, INVOLVES TRYING TO MINDFULLY
OBSERVE THE BODY’S SENSATIONS AND LET THE MIND’S INSISTENT
GENERATIONS COME AND GO WITHOUT JUDGMENT. VIPASSANA’S
INNOVATION FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS A TEN DAY SILENT RETREAT
WHERE PRACTITIONERS MEDITATE 8 HOURS A DAY. THE BENEFITS OF
THE PRACTICE CAN BE HAD WITHOUT THE RETREAT ALTHOUGH I NOW
LOOK FORWARD, WITH EXCITEMENT AND FEAR, TO MY FIRST CHANCE TO
DO SUCH A RETREAT.

15. AN INCREDIBLE DOCUMENTARY ON THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION UNDER
FAR MORE STRESSFUL CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THOSE I’VE KNOW IS THE
DHAMMA BROTHERS (http://www.hulu.com/watch/255596)
EVEN WITH REAL ATROCITIES IN ONE’S PAST AND AN ENVIRONMENT THAT
VIRTUALLY ASSURES SOMEONE A SHORTENED LIFESPAN THERE IS THE
POSSIBILITY AND REASON TO GROW.
MEDIA

16. the metta prayer
I CONCLUDE MANY OF MY SITS WITH THE METTA PRAYER WHICH I
LEARNED AT THE BROOKLYN GROUP I MENTIONED. IT IS A USEFUL
REMINDER BUT ALSO GIVES THE MEDITATION A FEELING OF USEFULNESS
OUTSIDE OF JUST MYSELF. I HOPE YOU ENJOY!

17. REFERENCES
1 Jain, S., Shapiro, S. L., Swanick, S., Roesch, S. C., Mills, P. J., & Schwartz, G. E. (2007). A
randomized controlled trial of mindfulness meditation versus relaxation training: Effects on distress, positive
states of mind, rumination, and distraction. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 33(1), 11-21.
2 Delevoye-Turrell, Y. N., & Bobineau, C. (2012). Motor consciousness during intention-based and
stimulus-based actions: modulating attention resources through mindfulness meditation. Frontiers in
Psychology, 3.
3 Roberts-Wolfe, D., Sacchet, M., Hastings, E., Roth, H., Britton, W., Roberts-Wolfe, D., ... &
Britton, W. (2012). Mindfulness training alters emotional memory recall compared to active controls:
support for an emotional information processing model of mindfulness. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience,
6, 15.
ACKOWLEDGEMENTS
THE NEW YORK INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER
JOSHUA, A GREAT TEACHER