Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
This coming Monday, I’ll be giving a talk on Buddhism and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) at the Interdependence Project in NYC.  Both ACT and Buddhism heavily incorporate mindfulness, and I promise that it will be an interesting (and helpful) presentation.  If you’re familiar with it, the ID Project is also [...]

Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
If anyone is going to the Book Expo America (BEA) at the Javitz Center in NYC tomorrow, please come by and introduce yourself to me. I’ll be signing galleys of my forthcoming book, Urban Mindfulness: Cultivating Peace, Presence, and Purpose in the Middle of It All, from 11 – noon [...]

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
Later this week, I am going to a press meeting with the Dalai Lama who is visiting NYC. Most likely, I’ll ask him to elaborate on the distinction between urban and rural challenges to mindfulness and compassion, which he discussed at a conference last year. However, I thought that I [...]

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
Recently, I had the distinct privilege of sitting down with Sharon Salzberg, one of the pioneers in introducing Buddhist practices to the West.  Based on her experiences of teaching mindfulness and compassion (i.e., loving-kindness) around the world, I invited her to comment on introducing these practices to many of our common urban [...]

Submitted by Irene Javors, LMHC
The Roman statesman and stoic philosopher once wrote, “true happiness is … to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.”
Staying in the ‘now’ is easier said than done. We are either looking backward or rushing forward. To stay present is to let go of control, to let life unfold. [...]

Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
As of yesterday, the UM blog is now available on the Kindle! For those of you who enjoy the contributions of our bloggers, you can now read their posts on your Kindle, whether you’re at home or “out and about” in the city. The monthly subscription ($1.99) costs less [...]

What reflection have you found?
By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
The past few days have been quite rainy and blustery here in NYC.  Not wanting to get rain in my eyes, I found myself leaning forward and looking at the ground, while dodging pedestrians and their umbrellas.  As I watched what passed underfoot, I became more aware of what [...]

By Jennifer Egert, Ph.D.
In a group, I was recently leading a “Three Minute Breathing Space,” from Segal, Williams and Zindel’s book on Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression. The core of the three-minute breathing space is to check in with oneself, to see what is happening in the moment with one’s thoughts, feelings and body [...]

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
PsychologyToday.com is featuring one of my recent posts on its main page today. Titled, “How to be Happy When the Weather Won’t Cooperate,” it provides 6 tips on applying mindfulness to our feelings about the weather.
You can view the main page here:
Psychology Today
Or check out the post directly here:
Seasonal Mindfulness: 6 [...]

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D.
2009 is drawing to a close. Only a few more days left to realize those New Year’s Resolutions. Oh, don’t you remember? Those aspirations from earlier this year that you wanted to achieve? Well, fear not, regardless of whether or not you realized them (or can even remember [...]