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How to be Mindful of McMindfulness

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Professor Purser a cultural critic of mindfulness, explains the concept of McMindfulness and the concerns it presents with how mindfulness currently practiced in companies and society. Additionally, McMindfulness is a way to examine the potential commodification and mass commercialization of mindfulness, in how it has been reduced to be a form of self-help. Professor Purser, argues mindfulness can be a powerful tool to connect individual to system, civic, and social engagement.
 

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The Mindful Elite and Bringing Spirituality to Work

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by Jaime Kucinskas, guest contributor

In many professional workplaces, mindfulness has become a seeming panacea. According to a recent survey conducted by the National Group on Health and Fidelity Investments, 35 percent of employers offered mindfulness classes or training, and an additional 26 percent were considering adding programs in the future. Advocates argue that it will not only help workers de-stress and improve their health but become more self-aware and self-actualized both in and ou…

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Five Mindfulness-Based Practices for Difficult Times

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By Rich Fernandez, guest contributor

There are many events taking place in the world today that challenge us severely, from the tragic and shocking news of mass shootings in the U.S., to ongoing challenges in places such as Hong Kong and Venezuela (to name only a few), to the latest report from the United Nations on the dire state of climate change.  

There are also many other challenges that don’t come across our screens or manifest on a global scale but can affect us daily and deeply. 

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What Makes a Great Mindfulness Facilitator?

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By Wendy Quan, guest contributor

Mindfulness facilitators in the workplace all have one thing in common:  they are passionate about helping their co-workers or client organizations cultivate a calmer and reduced stressed existence.

But what makes a great facilitator?  What do they specifically do that makes their following grow and flourish?

In training and certifying facilitators, I’m blessed to watch these compassionate individuals shine their light to help others, whether on a volunteer ba…

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3 Common Mistakes Launching Mindfulness at Work & How to Avoid Them

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The mindfulness initiatives in organizations are met with both excitement and resistance to creating programs in the workplace. There are three ways program facilitators can overcome the three biggest challenges to implementing mindfulness at work. These approaches can include formal and informal strategies to initiate programs. To build momentum and keep an audience engaged includes introducing various mindfulness techniques. Also, internal facilitation and program coordinator required leadersh…

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How Managers Can Beat the Summer Slump

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By Karlyn McKell, guest contributor

Creating a culture of mindfulness at work is essential to connecting with your team. As a manager, keeping track of how different times of the year can impact happiness and productivity is one good way to stay on the same page as your team members. 

Five percent of the population will experience seasonal affective disorder, and doctors are still trying to figure out the cause. While typically thought of as a wintertime ailment caused by too much time spent i…

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Time to Grow Up: Adulting Mindfully

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By Fleet Maull, guest contributor

We often associate being an adult with burdens and unwelcome responsibility.  Perhaps some part of us longs for a Peter Pan life, where we imagine we would be happier if we never had to grow up and deal with the challenges of living life as an adult.  Most of us know only too well that a Peter Pan life strategy is actually a prescription for suffering. Nonetheless, truly embracing true adulthood is another matter.  Transactional Analysis offers a very helpful f…

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7 Tips to Balance Your Work & Life with Mindfulness

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By Dorsey Standish, guest contributor

As Chief Mindfulness Officer of Mastermind, a brain health consulting firm, I bring research-backed mindfulness and emotional intelligence training to corporations across the state of Texas. I have worked with thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, and I’ve noticed a common theme amongst my clients: struggling to balance work and personal life.

For many busy professionals, the phrase "work-life balance" can seem like an oxymoron. In today’s world o…

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Can Critical Dialogue save us from Mindful Fundamentalism?

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By Christa Hogan, guest contributor

Mindfulness is on everyone’s radar these days — and on every magazine cover in the checkout line. The explosive growth of the mindfulness movement in America has inevitably triggered a backlash. Many are criticizing the movement and expressing concerns about its increasing popularity in Western culture:

Are mindfulness programs in public schools merely Buddhist Trojan horses? Does it threaten the separation of church …

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Complying with Religion Laws in Workplace Mindfulness Programs

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By Candy Gunther Brown

Most workplace mindfulness programs are positioned as “secular” aids to increase focus, happiness, and productivity. However, some employees may object to participating because they view mindfulness as religious, and specifically Buddhist. Whether or not employers agree with this understanding, they are legally and ethically required to respect it.

Why might some employees object that mindfulness is “religious”?

The term “mindful…

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