Dr. Sabine Grunwald

Director of UF Mindfulness

Professor, Soil and Water Sciences Dept.,

College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF.

Pedometrics, Landscape Analysis, and GIS Laboratory

AchievementEnjoyment

We fell fully alive and content

We want more

Resilience

How do we find balance?

Kindness

Care

Generosity

How did I find more balance?

Self

Family

Friends & Colleagues

Work

Meaningful dailyachievement andenjoyment in each of the four life quadrants

Worksheet (Q1)

Set manageable goals each day.1. Set manageable goals each day. Being able to meet priorities helps us feel a sense of accomplishment and control. 2. Be efficient with your time at work. 3. Ask for flexibility. 4. Communicate effectively.5. Give yourself a break.……

WLB is a concept including proper prioritizing between "work" (career and ambition) and "lifestyle" (health, pleasure, leisure, family and spiritual development/meditation).

…. self-help tips. Often unrealistic to meet in real life. Unsustainable.

Reframing to: What is your relation to ……?Worksheet (Q2)

Mental,

emotional, and

somatic impacts.

Brain, mind, and

body.

Van der Kolk (2014)

Efforts at institutions to develop trauma-informed work environments to enhance emotional resiliency

Life and Work

How we respond to stress and external stimulus (“the dramas in our life”) has a lot to do with genes, life experiences, family, culture, and social expectations → individuality and diversity.

How to resolve any problem by making the invisible inner world visible.

Hanson (2013). Hardwiring happiness.

STOP !

BREATHE

CREATE SPACE

MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness PracticeBreath exploration

Mindfulness PracticeBreath as anchor

PromotionA little stress is helpful.

Not all stress is bad.

Nature: “Women in science: Women’s work” (2013)

Practices to de-stress, such as mindfulness and presencing

Understand; becoming

aware

Feel

Practice; act

Knowledge

Body / emotions

Behavior

Knowing

Feeling andbelieving

Living and doing

• Behavior activities

• Emotions

• Mind• Body

Stress / trauma

Stress, trauma, daily living

Yoga

Meditat-ion

Music

Nature

Reflect-ion

….

Break

Exercise, walking

HOW CAN WE TRANSITION INTO A MINDFUL STATE –GREEN ZONE?

Homeostasis – Organizes all the regulation systems that coordinate the requirements of the internal milieu and environmental variations.

The tendency toward a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially as maintained by physiological processes.

Bassal and Coster Heller (2015)

Environmental

challenges

Variable in homeostasis

3. Input:

Information sent

along afferent

pathway to

4. Output:

Information sent

along efferent

pathway to

5. Response of

effector feeds

back to influence

the magnitude of

stimulus and returns

variable to homeostasis

Control center

EffectorReceptor

1. Stimulus

produces

change in

variable

2. Change

detected by

receptor

Balance

3. Input:

Information sent

along afferent

pathway to

4. Output:

Information sent

along efferent

pathway to

5. Response of

effector feeds

back to influence

the magnitude of

stimulus and returns

variable to homeostasis

Control center

EffectorReceptor

1. Stimulus

produces

change in

variable

2. Change

detected by

receptor

It operates largely out of consciousness at the level of the reptilian brain or brainstem, which controls involuntary body processes.

The self-regulatory functions of the ANS include homeostatic regulation of bodily functions, emotional balance, and enhanced capacity for social engagement.

Activation Deactivation

Sympathetic Parasympathetic

Mindfulmoment

Mindfulness practice

Trigger

Stress

Trauma

Ogden et al. (2006): Window of tolerance for stress

Hypoarousal Zone:

– “too little arousal”

– Parasympathetic system /

Dorsal vagal

– “freeze response”

– Immobilization

Optimal Arousal Zone:

– “Window of tolerance”

– Parasympathetic system /

Ventral vagal

– Social engagement system

Hyperarousal Zone:

– “too much arousal”

– Sympathetic system

– Hypothalamic-pituitary-

adrenal (HPA) axis

– “fight or flight response”

– Mobilization

Stephen Porges (2009): Polyvagal theory.

1. Safe

2. Dangerous

3. Life-threatening

Ogden et al. (2006): Window of tolerance for stress

Hypoarousal Zone:

– “too little arousal”

– Parasympathetic system /

Dorsal vagal

– “freeze response”

– Immobilization

Optimal Arousal Zone:

– “Window of tolerance”

– Parasympathetic system /

Ventral vagal

– Social engagement system

Hyperarousal Zone:

– “too much arousal”

– Sympathetic nerv. system

– Hypothalamic-pituitary-

adrenal (HPA) axis

– “fight or flight response”

– Mobilization

Stephen Porges (2009): Polyvagal theory.

• Heightened to extreme vigilance against

perceived fear or threat

• Overwhelming feelings; high levels of anxiety;

anger and rage; feeling unsafe

• Emotional reactivity; defensiveness; irritability

• Obsessive/cyclical thoughts; racing thoughts

• Tension, shaking

• Comfort zone

• Present moment awareness “right here, right

now”

• Ability to regulate emotions

• Feelings are tolerable

• Alert, attentive, safe, secure, empathy

• Open and curious

• “Shut down” against perceived fear or threat

(reduced physical movement)

• Feeling disconnected; unaware; numb; flat;

dissociation; no energy

• Disabled cognitive processing (“can’t think”)

• Passive; hopeless; helpless

Flight

Fight Face

Freeze

Most healthy response

Hypothalamus

Long-term stress– Prolonged increase in cortisol– Volume of amygdala ↑ (amygdala

in the limbic system: experiencing of emotions, especially fear)

– Volume hippocampus ↓(hippocampus in the limbic system: responsible for processing of long-term memory and emotional responses)

Pagliaccio et al. (2014)

Mindfulness training can reverse the process and bring us back into the

green zone

Mindfulness practice enhance resilience and equanimity

• Body / emotions & mental / cognitive functions are coupled• We have a choice to respond to stress mindfully or

mindlessly • Decoupling of stress response: Turn automatic reaction into

conscious response

Stimulus(e.g. stressful

event)

ReactionWithout

mindfulness

With

mindfulness

Stimulus(e.g. stressful

event)Mindfulness Response

AttentionAwareness

Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you and within you (in your body, heart and mind) in the present moment non-judgmentally.

Mindfulness enhances the cognitive, emotional, physiological, neurological, and relational aspects of being in the world. Chozen Bays (2011); Kabat-Zinn (1994; 2015)

Deliberately;increased awareness of experience

The here and now

Being curious and open to the experience

Listening Kabat-Zinn (1990; 2003)

Worksheet (Q3, Q4 and Q5)

Mindfulness PracticeYin Breathing

Siegel (2010). Mindsight – a new science of personal transformation.

Siegel (2012). Pocket guide to interpersonal neurobiology.

Coherent Mind

Empathic

Relationships

Integrated

Brain

Well-

being

• Attention

• Quieting the mind

• Awareness

• Non-judgement

• Present moment

experience(MacDonald et al. 2013;

Shapiro and Walsh, 2003)

Sati (Pali, mindfulness) relates

to conscious awareness,

attention, remembering, and

maintaining a constant present

mind (Bhikku, 1993).

• Mindfulness of body

• Mindfulness of life – the

fundamental tendency of the mind

to cling, attach, and grasp;

nonattachment

• Mindfulness of effort – practice

• Mindfulness of mind – Being,

rather than watching some object

which requires presence (Chögyam, T.

Rinpoche, 2010; Thich Nhat Hanh, 2012).

Mindfulness is paying

attention in a particular

way, on purpose, in the

present moment and non-

judgmentally (Kabat-Zinn, 1994;

2015)

Attention;

Concentration

on an object

Pure awareness;

Open monitoring;

witness

State of being

Insight;

Positive affections

Ginny Whitelaw (2012). The Zen Leader.

Letting go

Letting come

Lettingbe

Mindfulness

Mindfulness PracticeBody mindfulness practice

Meta-analysis (52 studies) (Greeson, 2009)

Clinical trials and laboratory studies alike suggest that the mechanisms of mindfulness involve not only relaxation, but important shifts in cognition, emotion, biology, and behavior that may work synergistically to improve health.

Mindfulness practice can influence the brain, the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones, the immune system, and health.

Research is beginning to prove what mindfulness practitioners have known for centuries—that greater attention, awareness, acceptance, and compassion can facilitate more flexible, adaptive responses to stress, which, in turn, can help free us from suffering and realize greater health and well-being.

Greeson, J.M (2009). Mindfulness research update 2008. J. of Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 14(1): 10-18.

“What fires together, wires together”

Hanson R. (2009). Buddha’s brain: the practical neuroscience of happiness, love and wisdom. New Harbinger Publ.

Hanson R. (2013). Hardwiring happiness: the new brain science of contentment, calm and confidence. Harmony Publ.

Luders et al. (2012)

• Lazar et al. (2005). Neuroreport.

Meditation experience was associated with increased cortical thickness. Brain areas associated with attention, interoception, and sensory processing.

• Hölzel et al. (2011). Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging J.

Meditators showed increase in gray matter density in the left hippocampus, brain areas involved in learning and memory.

• Desbordes et al. (2012). Frontiers in Human Neuroscience J.

Meditators in non-meditative states showed decrease in right amygdala activation (implicated in emotional processing, e.g. fear). Findings suggest that effects of meditation training on emotional processing transfers to non-meditative states.

• Luders et al. (2012) Frontiers in Human Neuroscience J.

Larger gyrification in the brain of meditators - integration of autonomic, affective, and cognitive processes.

Mindfulness PracticeLoving Kindness Meditation

Things come and go – Big

and small. We have a

choice how to relate to

them.

Don’t try to deny or avoid

your emotions. Face them.

Let them flow through you.

Turn every task, activity

and moment into a

mindful moment.

Do one thing at a time

instead of living in the

past or in the future.

Be curious, open,

receptive and accepting.

Whatever comes, comes:

Good, bad, & neutral.

Slow down when live is

rushing by. Speed up

when live gets dull.

Enjoy experience;

participate in the

unfolding of each

moment.

No judgement

Now Just be

Flow of lifeLife is change Inner world

Mindfulness

Give yourself permission

to take breaks & naps.

Unplug. Nourish your

mind, body and soul.

Rest your mind

Be still, listen and know.

Time to reflect allows to

chose wisely.

Inner knowing

When something triggers

and stresses you take a

breath and chose a

mindful response.

No stress

Take time to yourself away

from others. And spend

time with loved ones, a

friend, or pet.

Balance

Do one thing at a time and

be fully present.

Monotasking

Mindfulness – A Way of Living (ASA-CSSA-SSSA

Monday, October 23, 2017: 8:00 AM-8:30 AM. Marriott Tampa Waterside, Room 4.

Tuesday, October 24, 2017: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM. Marriott Tampa Waterside, Room 6. Business Meeting & Mindfulness Practice.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017: 8:30 AM-9:00 AM. Marriott Tampa Waterside, Room 4.

Join the Specialty Group: https://www.soils.org/membership/specialty-groups/mindfulness

Worksheet: Intention to setup your own mindfulness practice(s)