Mindfulness Matters

What’s Right With America is Wrong with America

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:18:46 +0000

People love to hate New Jersey. In Vermont, we have bumper stickers that say "Don't Jersey Vermont." I did most of my growing up in the Garden State and recently spent some time there. It is a place of contradictions to be certain. Where I was, there is...

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Participate in Your Own Rescue

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Sun, 05 May 2013 18:36:59 +0000

One of my students shared a story. A friend of hers was on a whitewater rafting trip in Colorado. During the trip, one of the people in the raft fell out into the river. He floundered around passively while the guide attempted to steer the raft towards him. The guide offered assistance but the man...

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Free the Mind: A New Documentary on Mindfulness

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Wed, 01 May 2013 21:26:16 +0000

I had the great pleasure of reviewing the new film by Danish filmmaker, Phie Ambo: Free the Mind. It's a beautiful and compelling film about how mindfulness can help us to overcome fear and heal from trauma. It features of the work of pioneering neuroscientist, Richard...

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Polly Young-Eisendrath: Getting Free Of Self-Importance Is The Key To Happiness

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:04 +0000

My dharma friend and sister, Polly Young-Eisendrath presented at the TEDx Conference at Middlebury College. The theme of the conference was "The Road not Taken." Polly is a world renown author, Jungian analyst, and integrator of Western psychology and Buddhist practice. You can learn more...

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Military Mindfulness

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:07:38 +0000

The following is a guest blog post by one of the current students in my Mindfulness in Health Care course at the University of Vermont, Melinda Rouille. She is a therapist at a local veteran's clinic. Something that we all share in this world is pain, sickness and death. While some of us learn how to cope with this anguish, a vast majority of us suffer tremendously. We often tend to avoid thinking about our suffering or get stuck when it comes knocking at our door. I have worked with people...

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The Transparent Brain: A New Sense of “Clarity”

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 17:41:01 +0000

Scientists at Stanford have developed a technique for imaging brains called "clarity." In this process, the fat is cleared from the brain revealing the underlying neural structure. This is both fascinating and beautiful. ...

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The New Boston Massacre: Marathon Bombing

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:03:37 +0000

I went to college in Boston; I did my internship in Boston and I lived there in between. I've watched the finish line of the marathon at the place where the bombs exploded. This event has riveted the attention of Americans and the rest of the world as evidenced by the amount of news coverage. I...

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Adam Scott: Masters Champion, Hero, Pride of Australia

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:13:35 +0000

Adam Scott won the 2013 Masters in thrilling fashion. In doing so, he became the first Australian ever to claim the Green Jacket. Scott is the consummate champion and hero. His career fits the Hero's Journey. Read the full post here »

Mud Season: Lessons on Impermanence

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:48:10 +0000

It's Mud Season, a time of transition, change, and promise. The ground is thawing, the grass is considering growing, and the geese have returned to the North Country. The trails are wet and muddy from the thaw and the rains. Read the full post here »

Manhunt

Dr. Arnie Kozak — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:54:17 +0000

I was running my morning vigil with the dogs on the back trails of a public park near my home. When I stepped outside the house, I could hear the helicopter droning above in the foggy sky. As we headed into the thick of the woods, the helicopter was more of a presence, circling just...

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