(photo by Craig ONeal)

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a type of awareness meditation. The purpose is for you not to focus on anything but the thing you are doing at the moment.

That may sound simple in theory but we all know life is full of distractions. A walk in the park may be interrupted by a text from a spouse, a phone call from work, or even your own thoughts may be a distraction. Mindfulness encourages you to just take a walk. And that’s it.

Thich Nhat Hanh who wrote The Miracle of Mindfulness…

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a hospice volunteer is the commitment that VNSNY makes to our continuing education. We all want to improve our skills and be better practitioners, even if we are just practicing. We want to be ready, when the time comes, for anything.

For three consecutive Tuesdays I am participating in vigil training, which means I am learning how to be present when someone is actively dying. Hospice has a philosophy that no one should die alone, and when patients come to us who don’t…

According to a pilot study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania, meditation has the potential to increase brain activity and improve memory and cognition in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. The study, which appeared in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, showed that tests in memory and cognition improved after 8 weeks of participation in Kirtan Kriya meditation. This type of meditation involves repetitive finger movements plus repeating the sounds Saa Taa Naa Maa (Alzheimer’s Research and Prevention Foundation, Newberg AB et al. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 2010 Apr; 20(2).

“Meditation is practiced…

I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to improve my memory.   When I think of meditation, I associate it with helping to reduce stress and lower blood pressure.    Now, there is exciting new evidence that it may also help memory.   

In a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania by Andrew Newberg, MD, researchers looked at brain images and cognitive tests for individuals aged 52 to 77 with memory problems.    In the subjects that meditated for 8 weeks, their tests showed improvement in cognition, general memory and…