Belonging Amidst Bias: Embracing Difference On The Path To Common Humanity, Alyssia Sheikh

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The mindfulness community prioritizes self-awareness and common humanity, but is often entrapped by the idea that oneness is equivalent to sameness. This inclination for objectivity is rooted in the same neural propensities that facilitate bias; the brain is a subjective organ, however, and so neurologically speaking, bias is inevitable. This paper asks: Is striving for sameness separating us from interconnectedness? A human experience is a subjective, diverse, and variable one. The path to shared humanity and social justice co-occurs with increasing cultural humility through mindful awareness and acknowledging our subjective nature. Exploring our neurological tendency to make assumptions, we …

A Qualitative Study On Nurse Facilitators Of Mind-Body Skills Groups, Paula D. Blake-Beckford

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM), founded by Dr. James Gordon, provides communities with evidence-based Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSGs) that foster self-care, self-awareness, and self-expression. MBSGs range from 8 to 12-week series on various mind-body practices wherein group members meet, practice, and reflect on the impact of mind-body skills in their lives. Research has demonstrated that participants in MBSGs have positive outcomes. Healthcare professionals (HCPs), especially nurses, gain resiliency from MBSGs. As facilitators of MBSGs, nurses develop essential skills transferable to clinical and educational settings. MBSGs are therapeutic for adult participants with chronic stress. Prior to this thesis, only one …

Polyvagal Informed Embodied Mindfulness: An Online Program, Stephanie D'Angelo

Mindfulness Studies Theses

During the COVID-19 health crisis, facilitators of Mindfulness-Based Programs were prompted to provide virtual options for navigating stressors. In response, I developed a program that integrated embodied mindfulness and Polyvagal Theory to support healthcare students and professors in higher education. This rationale paper defines embodiment and explains how embodied mindfulness through a Polyvagal lens can be used to provide safer options for practitioners and people experiencing high stress. The program highlights awareness of the physiological state as primary, offering opportunities to create autonomic flexibility and self-regulation through vagal toning already embedded in some contemplative practices. This awareness may offer practitioners …

Mindfully White: An Anti-Racist Affinity Podcast Inspired By The Buddha’S Teaching Of The Four Noble Truths, Christine Eaton

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The Buddha’s foundational teaching of the Four Noble Truths offers a direct seeing into how suffering arises, its causes, and a pathway to liberation. This thesis focuses on racism as a specific form of suffering for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and offers a way for White people to consider how they contribute to its manifestation and what they can do to help end it. This re-formulation of the Four Noble Truths is; First, the truth of racism; Second, the truth of the cause of racism; Third, the truth of the end of racism; and Fourth, the truth of …

Healing Racial Injustice With Mindfulness Research, Training, & Practice, Danielle "Danae" Laura

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis offers a collection of authors and studies in support of improved research, training, and practice connecting mindfulness with racial justice through intergroup applications. The paper identifies barriers at work (e.g., colorblindness, spiritual bypass, white fragility, and implicit bias) in contemplative science, Western Buddhist communities, and secular mindfulness centers, which block the sizeable contributions possible in studying the intergroup application of mindfulness practice—specifically Lovingkindness Meditation, among others—when used as an intervention with anti-racist aims. Through secondary qualitative research, I reviewed six key works from Black authors on mindfulness and race, as well as six sample studies on the prosocial …

Syllabus Development Of A Mindful Exploration Of Contemplative Chanting Course, Edwin Ebinger

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Contemplative chanting has a long history across a broad cross section of the world’s civilizations. However, with the modern American acceptance and expansion of Eastern-based contemplative practices, chanting has not at present firmly established itself. Within this context, further investigation into the physiological and neurological effects of chanting, the various ritualistic traditions and purported transformational effects of chanting, and the role of chanting within the modern American mindfulness movement is warranted. To this end, a syllabus for graduate level study is developed herein based upon a literature review of the existing English-language discourse, the Lesley University Mindfulness Studies program design, …

An Introduction To The Brahmavihāras: For Lawyers, Law Students, & Judicial Officers, Jill Carnell

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This paper outlines what I have learned about the lawyer well-being movement, the overwhelming suffering that is affecting lawyers, law students, and judicial officers in the United States, how the suffering of each group is similar and different, why this suffering should concern all of us, a review of mindfulness practices in the legal profession, the brahmavihāras and some studies about kindness and compassion training programs, and how these lessons informed the seven module asynchronous online training program created to introduce the brahmavihāras to lawyers, law students, and judicial officers. The training program is freely accessible at http://www.thought-kitchen.com/.

Bringing Up Buddhas: How Mindfulness Can Impact The Next Generation, Alex Tzelnic

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The following presents both a rationale paper and a creative thesis on the topic of how mindfulness can meaningfully impact the next generation. Given the daunting issues faced by Generation Alpha (those born after 2010), including climate change, social justice, and mental health, understanding how the tool of mindfulness can best support children, as well as inform the caretakers most influential to them such as parents and educators, is crucial.

The following rationale paper outlines how mindfulness can make an impact in the fields of parenting and education, as well as in addressing the pertinent issues mentioned above. In surveying …

Exploring Our Grief: Mindfulness Guide For Survivors Of Suicide Loss, Elaine Y. Ramos-Rodriguez

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Suicide is one of today’s major health issues. Survivors of suicide loss (SOSL) suffer major and very peculiar adversities in their grieving process. It is important to address the needs of this population as a way to prevent suicide. In fact, it is imperative for this population to take part in activities that promote resiliency and healing after experiencing the loss of a loved one by suicide (postvention). This paper mainly argues that SOSLs are a population poised to benefit from mindfulness practices. A dearth of information exists concerning this particular population and the possible benefits of mindfulness practices for …

Mindfulness As A Personal Strategy To Combat The Negative Effects Of The Attention Economy, Alison Magee

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This paper argues the importance of a personal mindfulness practice as an antidote to the concerning effects of the attention economy. Modern technology is becoming more powerful every day and is giving individuals access to an unprecedented amount of information at the touch of a button. Many technology companies are profiting from gaining and selling the attention of their customers and are contributing to the attention economy. These very technologies have been shown to hijack the attention of consumers and keep them in an addictive feedback loop. Early research suggests mindfulness practices may be an effective strategy for strengthening attention …

Mindful, Aware Parenting: The Pathway To Raising Emotionally Regulated Children, Brid Martin, Bridget C. Martin

Mindfulness Studies Theses

To address several key elements in raising emotionally regulated children, this paper reviews existing literature on social-emotional skills and traits essential for children’s development, including emotional intelligence and self-regulatory skills as well as morality, compassion, and kindness. Parents play a crucial role in helping these skills to evolve, beginning with parental self-awareness and the ability to review how early experiences shape current practices. The research presented examines key parental competencies, styles, and practices influential in the process of raising emotionally regulated children. The practice of mindfulness by parents is considered, and evidence suggests, that it can be foundational in developing …

Mindfulness Workshop For Airline Pilots, Eric Miller

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The science on mindfulness as it relates specifically to aviation is sparse. It has only been in recent years that mindfulness has been examined as it relates to aviation. That being the case, this paper draws connections from areas that are already well studied with mindfulness; stress, anxiety, attention, and communication. Evidence exists that even short duration mindfulness interventions can have positive effects on mindfulness. The one-day workshop created with this thesis gives pilots a cursory overview of mindfulness as it relates to various areas of commercial aviation. Furthermore, the workshop will teach pilots how these different mindfulness techniques can …

Fostering Resiliency During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Mindfulness And Compassion Training, Jess Okanya Patel

Mindfulness Studies Theses

The outbreak of COVID-19 has brought tremendous and abrupt challenges to various aspects of our daily lives, from school and work to interpersonal relationships. Given the high rates of stress and anxiety brought on by COVID-19, solutions to help ease uncertainty are warranted. This study is intended to provide support, from research on neuroscience, collected from scholarly peer reviewed journals, for the contention that compassion practice may be a potent strategy to reduce caregiver burnout and buffer the adverse mental health impacts of COVID-19 related threats. This study examines mindfulness and compassion, as well as attending to their interrelatedness, so …

Mindfulness Practices For Women’S Midlife Transition, Patricia A. Chilangwa

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Every major period of life brings a unique set of opportunities and challenges. Midlife remains a mostly uncharted territory in the field of human development. Given that women of middle age currently comprise over 17 % of the total population, it is essential that we seek a better understanding of middle age and what may or may not be beneficial during this stage of life. The purpose of this work is to present a supportive academic rationale paper and a creative project consisting of a book with a journal component on mindfulness practices for finding ease and grace in the …

The Impact Of Mindfulness On Healthcare Provider Burnout During Covid-19, Natasha Johnson

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Healthcare providers are subject to unique stress as part of their job in a helping profession and regularly suffer the effects of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Mindfulness-based interventions have been demonstrated to be effective in reducing burnout and addressing the impacts of secondary traumatic stress, however the current COVID-19 pandemic poses a new, more debilitating type of stress to healthcare providers. This paper seeks to examine the existing evidence on the effects of mindfulness in reducing burnout and secondary traumatic stress, incorporate new evidence on the unique stress of COVID-19, and determine if mindfulness interventions remain effective. It also …

Mindfulness For Legal Professionals: An Appeal For Positive Change, Dianna Mejia

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Recent studies and reports address growing concerns about high rates of chronic stress, depression, and substance use by lawyers and law students. The National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being identified the practice of law as a profession that is struggling and urged leaders to act now to improve the state of mental health and well-being of legal professionals. Among the recommendations in the 2017 report, The Path to Lawyer Well-Being: Practical Recommendations for Positive Change, the National Task Force included mindfulness as a practice to address the psychological and psychosomatic disorders permeating the legal profession. The National Task Force urged …

Considering Oppression Through A Buddhist Lens: Conceit Of Self And The Comparing Mind, Joanne Clingan

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This thesis explores Buddhist concepts of conceit of self and the comparing mind and the impact they have on an individual’s interaction with the wider world, specifically in relation to behavior that could unknowingly contribute to oppression. It asks if discussion, dialogue, and mindfulness practice around concepts of conceit of self and the comparing mind could help to illuminate and evaluate bias and reduce prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. Dharma talks and articles about conceit of self and the comparing mind are engaging and relatable (Baraz, 2011; Bradshaw, 2016; Feldman, 2008; Fulton, 2018), as are Buddhist informed social justice views that …

Servant Leadership As Organizational Mindfulness, Cia Kozak

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Abstract

Servant leadership exemplifies mindfulness precepts in a systems environment. Robert K. Greenleaf’s (1970/2008) servant leadership movement launched with his seminal essay, The Servant as Leader, in which he revealed an affinity with the philosophy of mindfulness. There is a commonality of language and behaviors that servant leadership shares with mindfulness principles. In addition, servant leadership’s aspiration for holistic member wellbeing reflects mindfulness teachings. The servant leadership hierarchical model upends traditional organization constructs, demonstrating a mindfulness view of community whereby the leader serves all rather than all serving the leader. This echoes Buddhist monastic communities in which power is …

Lightly Peaceful: Facilitating College Transition Through Instagram Delivered Mindfulness Experiences, Cheryl Lynn Kress

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This creative project is an investigation into the feasibility and efficacy of offering mindfulness experiences to college freshmen through Instagram, a popular social media platform. Research indicates that many college freshmen struggle with issues such as depression, social isolation, anxiety, substance abuse, poor academic performance, overeating, etc., all of which may increase the likelihood of dropping out of college or the establishment of long-term dysfunctional coping patterns. Mindfulness has been noted to mitigate many of the difficulties associated with making the transition from high school to college; however, very few studies investigate the effects of offering mindfulness experiences through social …

Mindfulness Interventions For Educators: Preventing Burnout Through Personal And Professional Development, Jessica Noble

Mindfulness Studies Theses

When it comes to professions with the highest rate of burnout, educators are prime candidates for facing this often debilitating and life-altering phenomena. Although the causes of teacher burnout are vast (and typically depend on the teacher’s context and level of experience), the effects appear to not only impact the life and career of the teacher, but also the students and school community. Despite the sense of both hopelessness and helplessness that arise with burnout, there are accessible strategies teachers can use in order to mitigate the amounting stressors. The growing field contemplative sciences have found that mindfulness, the act …

Four-Week Foundational Mindfulness Curriculum For Small Businesses, Madeleine Pizey

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Abstract

This creative thesis is for trained mindfulness instructors and facilitators to offer small businesses a curriculum to reduce burnout among their employees and strengthen their inner-resilience through a four-week mindfulness training in the workplace or virtually. This thesis contains a rationale paper which includes a literature review. The focus of this thesis is on offering a four-week foundational mindfulness training for small businesses of twenty-five or fewer employees. It will include the purpose of having this type of training and how it will be of service, the benefits of this type of training, the current epidemic of burnout occurring …

Mindful Empowerment For Business Transformation: Adapting Inner And Social Technology, Betsy Parayil-Pezard

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This paper develops a program for cultivating mindful leadership skills within an organizational context. Building on the history of digital transformation, it emphasizes the capacity of business professionals to apply learnings from the field of mindfulness to situations found in their environment and relationships. The program, Mindful Empowerment for Business Transformation, is divided into 4 units : Attention and Awareness, Empowerment, Connection and Change. Each unit visits mindfulness theory and practice, and encourages participants to create an action plan to integrate learnings into their lives.

Using A New Tea And Dialogue Mindfulness Practice (T&D) To Combat Community Dwelling Older Adults' Risks From Social Isolation, Kathleen Fink

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Much sound research indicates that the significant negative health impacts associated with social isolation affect increasing numbers of older adults. Thus, addressing their social isolation could be an effective means to support older adults’ wellbeing while reducing demands on limited healthcare resources. The relative effectiveness of various interventions to address older adults’ social isolation is not clear. This thesis proposes using a new relational mindfulness practice, Tea and Dialogue (T&D), that combines elements of Japanese tea ceremony and Insight Dialogue developed by Gregory Kramer. Videos of older adults engaging in variations of T&D show trusting connection indicated by nonverbal social …

Buddhist Psychology And Mindfulness: Does It Provide A Remedy For Western Shame?, Richard Biehl

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This writing explores shame and its distress. It does so through a historical examination of Western psychological theories of emotion compared to emotions as seen through Buddhist psychology, based upon scholars and authorities within these respective fields. Further, it explores some Western psychotherapeutic approaches used to alleviate (unhealthy) shame compared to Buddhist mindfulness methods for alleviating aversive emotions and their efficacy, alone or in combination. The question examined is whether mindfulness grounded in Buddhist psychology and teachings, when applied within Western therapeutic settings and populations, is an effective and appropriate means to help alleviate aversive states of shame.

To identify …

Mindfulness And Retention: A Potential Solution To The Lack Of Persistence Of Community College Students, Sandra Parsons

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Retention of community college students has many obstacles and unknowns. Students leave school and abandon their dreams of a college education for various reasons, such as lack of financial support, family support, and campus support. Efforts to research and develop retention practices and theories have been pursued for more than fifty years. Researchers and higher education institutions believe that incorporating such practices as first-year programs, learning communities, and tutoring will help in their retention efforts. While some of these practices have improved college student persistence, their efficacy has not been demonstrated for all students, specifically for those who attend community …

Considerations For Introducing, Facilitating, And Expanding Mindfulness Training In The Workplace, Laura H. Saher

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This creative thesis is designed to further the understanding of the considerations for offering mindfulness training in the workplace and to offer mindfulness practitioners a guide for introducing and facilitating mindfulness training into their workplaces. This thesis consists of two primary components: 1) a rationale paper and 2) a creative component. The rationale paper includes a literature review that focuses on the benefits and risks of offering mindfulness training in the workplace; these form the business case for bringing mindfulness to the workforce and identify the gaps in the research that prompted the questions underlying this thesis. These gaps were …

Mindfulness And The Need To Minimize The Risk Of Harm: A Proposal To Implement And Enforce Standards For Secular Mindfulness Practice, Michael Falick

Mindfulness Studies Theses

While Western mindfulness practice is indeed beneficial for many participants, the research now clearly demonstrates that for some meditators, there are attendant potential risks. These potential risks to practitioners require a level of care from those individuals (and corporations) that disseminate mindfulness practice. Historically, in traditional Buddhist practice, mindfulness was but one of the eight factors on the Noble Eightfold Path. An important component of traditional practice strongly relies on ethics in the delivery of the practice. A formalized standard of care for modern, secular mindfulness practices, and a method to implement and enforce that standard, will greatly enhance safety …

Addressing The Midlife Happiness ‘Dip’: An Evidence-Informed, Mindfulness-Based Approach To Support & Promote Women’S Well-Being, Shelby Wayte

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This work articulates the need for and introduces a novel model of supportive care: a mindfulness-based wellness intervention that holistically addresses the unique implications and stressors of middle-aged women. Midlife remains the most poorly understood and understudied period of the lifespan. Research suggests that not only are middle-aged people less happy, they have the lowest levels of life satisfaction and experience the most anxiety and stress compared to both younger and older age groups. This marks a trend currently being analyzed: Happiness dips gradually in early adult life until it reaches its lowest point, approximately around a person’s mid-40s to …

Diversity In The Women Of The Therīgāthā, Kyung Peggy Meill

Mindfulness Studies Theses

A literary work provides a window into the world of a writer, revealing her most intimate and forthright perspectives, beliefs, and emotions – this within a scope of a certain time and place that shapes the milieu of her life. The Therīgāthā, an anthology of 73 poems found in the Pali canon, is an example of such an asseveration, composed by theris (women elders or senior disciples), some of the first Buddhist nuns who lived in the time of the Buddha 2500 years ago. The gathas (songs or poems) impart significant details concerning early Buddhism and some of …

Cultivating Social And Emotional Wellness In Teachers And Students Through Sel And Mindfulness-Based Interventions: A Course For Pre-Service Teachers, Kathryn Schmoyer

Mindfulness Studies Theses

In a time when more and more children are being diagnosed with mental health disorders and many teachers are leaving the field of education, there is a movement for social and emotional wellness in education. Policy makers and school administrations are acknowledging the need for social emotional learning but are challenged with the logistics of implementing the learning. In addition, the teachers do not feel that they are equipped to implement and teach social and emotional learning in their classrooms. This creative thesis course addresses this need. The course will help prepare preservice teachers to create a socially and emotionally …