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Greetings!
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~ Thornton Wilder
As 2014 has begun to unfold, it appears that "mindfulness" has risen to a new level of interest, as evidenced by the numerous references and articles that have appeared over the past several weeks. For those of us who have practiced and taught mindfulness strategies for years, this is a welcome shift but also one of challenge. How do we prevent mindfulness from becoming simply the current "flavor of the week" and slipping back into obscurity before the end of the year? I believe one way to do this is to meet people where they are in their lives, by making mindfulness a relevant and necessary part of daily routines, simple and accessible at any moment. Sharon Salzberg, the well-known meditation teacher, speaks of mindfulness meditation as the ultimate mobile device, one we can tune into anytime, anywhere. I like this image of mindfulness -- simple but not easy, and always available. Throughout 2014 let's share ways we have found of being mindful so we don't let this opportunity for dialogue to a larger audience slip away. For those of you in the Boston area, I will be speaking on the topic of mindfulness in our busy lives at the Healthy Concord kick-off event on March 1 (see below for more details) and would welcome your presence at the event. Let's keep the mindfulness conversation evolving!
Wishing you many opportunities for mindfulness,
Pam
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ARE YOU ON FACEBOOK?
Stress Resources has an active Facebook Page with frequent links to articles, research and events related to resiliency, mindfulness and stress management.
"LIKE US" today!
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Pam Ressler
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I invite you to read AND comment on my blog. I write reflections and post links to articles of interest on the intersecting topic areas of resiliency, healthcare, stress management, mindfulness, and life!
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Meditation Maintenance
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2014 Winter/Spring Schedule
Meditation Maintenance Sessions
are a great way to give yourself a monthly self-care "tune-up" by joining with fellow meditators to discuss insights and challenges of your practice.
Our general schedule is the 2nd Wednesday (evening) and 2nd Friday (afternoon) of each month. However, there may be some months when we will meet on the first Wednesday or first Friday. Please see the schedule below.
You are welcome to attend each month or simply on an occasional basis. You will find a supportive and welcoming respite in the midst of your busyness.
Winter/Spring 2014 Schedule
Evening sessions meet 7-9 PM
Wed, Feb 12
Wed, Mar 12
Wed, Apr 2 (note 1st Wed)
Wed, May 14
Wed, Jun 11
Daytime sessions meet 12:30-2:30 PM
Fri, Feb 14
Fri, Mar 14
Fri, Apr 11
Fri, May 9
Fri, Jun 13
Both evening and daytime sessions are held at Stress Resources' office (97 Lowell Rd, Concord, MA). Please pre-register for sessions as space is limited.
Meditation Maintenance sessions are $15 per session. Register by e-mail or by phone (978-369-5243).
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Stress Resources and Pam Ressler are on TWITTER
Follow @pamressler
and @stressresources
for updated resources and links to relevant healthcare articles and research
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2014...The Year of Mindfulness???
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Mindfulness in the News
Is 2014 the year of Mindfulness? Perhaps we have reached a point in our society where we see mindfulness as an important tool not only for managing stress but also for reaching our optimal level of performance and efficiency? Here are some indicators that we, as a society, are beginning to pay more attention to mindfulness: Healthy Concord A local initiative focused on resilience through mindfulness. I am an honored to be an invited speaker for the March 1, 2014 event (my talk will be on use of digital tools to strengthen mindfulness practice). Read more about the event and register (free) here 2014 Wisdom 2.0 conference This tells us something about the popularity of mindfulness, the Wisdom 2.0 conference is totally sold-out, attracting its largest audience to date (more than 2000 attendees) learning about mindfulness and awareness with tools connection. There will be additional 2014 summits in New York and Europe due to the overwhelming interest in this conference.
Mindful MagazineMindful is a new magazine recently launched that focuses on many aspects of mindfulness in our  society. The February issue features Jon Kabat-Zinn and his pioneering work in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.
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February is Heart Month
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 February is a perfect month to focus some attention on the heart -- both the metaphorical heart represented by the flood of Hallmark ads, heart shaped boxes of chocolate and perhaps a rose or two; and the physical heart, the workhorse of the cardiovascular system. Heart disease is the #1 killer of both men and women in the United States and chronic stress is a significant risk factor for heart disease. While we often think of heart disease as a disease for men, you may be surprised to learn that in fact heart disease is the #1 killer for women over 20 years old in the United States. Since 1984, heart disease has killed more women than men annually. The good news is that over 80% of risk factors associated with heart disease are preventable or treatable. A great place to start is by learning to manage your stress more effectively and proactively -- this is where mindfulness training can play a significant part in your overall heart health. |
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Cognoscenti: Thinking That Matters
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As I wrote in the last newsletter, I am honored to be a new featured contributor to WBUR's Cognoscenti pages. My recent piece, Memo to Bill Keller: This is Why Patients Blog About Illness received much discussion in the health care community about the phenomenon of sharing openly, through social media, one's experience with chronic illness. While each of us has our own feelings about this topic, I would welcome your opinions and comments on the WBUR comment site. |
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Just for You...Flexible Mindfulness Training
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Do you love the idea of learning mindfulness based strategies and meditation to enhance your life and decrease your stress, but a weekly program does not work for your schedule? Look no further than our Flexible Mindfulness Training. Stress Resources offers individual and semi-private training in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. Sign up for semi-private sessions with a friend and one of you trains for 1/2 price ($200 savings).
Flexible MBSR/Private and Semi-Private Mindfulness Training: This unique option offered by Stress Resources allows the individual to set the pace for training but maintains the essential framework of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in private or semi-private sessions.
Stress Resources' Flexible MBSR has been successfully taught to business leaders, healthcare professionals, management consultants, teachers, busy parents and students. We work together, mindfully, to meet your needs. What are you waiting for?
The Flexible Mindfulness Training:- Includes four 1-hour sessions that may be scheduled
in the morning, afternoon or evening to meet your needs. We can meet in person, in Stress Resources' Concord office, or via Skype.
- Materials provided include 5 CDs (downloadable to mp3), copy of Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn, training workbook and reference guide.
- Allows your MBSR training to take place over 8-12 weeks at your own pace and schedule with individualized coaching.
- Add a friend option allows you to learn the skills of MBSR with a friend and train for 1/2 price! (BCBS discount cannot be combined with this special rate)
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What Does Resilience Mean to You?
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1. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape;2. the capacity to recover quickly from adversity, difficulties; toughness.
This may be the dictionary definition of resilience, but what does resilience mean to you personally? Is there a quote or saying that is meaningful to you, perhaps one that has given you insight through times of challenge or change?
Thank you so much for the wonderful quotes on resilience my readers have sent in over the past two months. They are surprisingly varied and each speaks to particular qualities of resilience, which is fascinating. I am still compiling the quotes and catagorizing them into subtopics. Please continue to send in your favorite quotes by emailing them to me at pressler@stressresources.com. Feel free to send in multiple quotes. Please attribute the quote(s) to the original author, if known. For each quote selected for inclusion in the book, I will send you an autographed copy of the book when it is published in 2014.
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