This talk completes a series beginning February 16, 2022, which was titled “How Do You Want To Live?”, that encourages reevaluating lifestyle choices in response to the significant changes created by the pandemic, ecological disruption and other emerging disruptions in cultural norms.  There is increasing concern about a lack of proactive individual approaches to physical health and well-being in the general population, creating an epidemic of obesity and other chronic health-related conditions.  This is significantly stressing the health care system, including the medical, insurance and economic functions of society.  Until individual Americans become more proactive regarding physical health through appropriate nutrition, exercise and other appropriate lifestyle changes, the negative effects will continue to become more culturally disruptive.

During this talk, the results of decades of neuroscientific results on the beneficial ways that regular mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation affects the body’s adaptation to chronic pain and illness are reviewed.  Research also suggests that dedicated cultivation of mindfulness practices enhances immune responses and slows the degenerative affects of ageing.  The creation of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), an 8-week training for patients with chronic pain or disabling medical conditioning has played a significant role in alleviating the suffering of those participating.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  Mindfulness and a Healthy Body

The topic for the next discussion will be determined and posted prior to the meeting.