Increase Well-Being and Spirituality with Loving Kindness Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Loving-kindness refers to a state of unconditional kindness and compassion for all beings. . . Some studies suggest you can boost your empathy and feelings of connection and reduce your implicit bias, anger, depression and anxiety.” – Heart.org Meditation training […]
Increase Pain Tolerance and Spirituality with a Brief Meditation By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Bit by bit, as I sat noticing my breath and body sensations, I began to feel the deep knots of pain in my body start to untie themselves.” – Avi Craimer We all have to deal with pain. It’s […]
The Power of Retreat 5 – Meditation and Spirituality “Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.” – Alan Watts In a prior essay ‘The Power of Retreat 4 – the Container of Silence’ (https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/insights/?section=navPosts), the effects of the container in which retreat is […]
Increase Spirituality and Positive Emotions in Meditation with Oxytocin By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “A meditation practice gives you the benefit of turning inward to your spirituality for answers, instead of looking to others. Meditation can drastically improve the loneliness, or longing you have in your life. Reach a state of interconnectedness […]
“Migraine is a disorder of a hyper-excitable brain, and it makes sense for people with migraine to adopt a stress-reducing . . . One behavioral intervention that may be useful, not only for migraine, but also for life in general, is what is called mindfulness meditation.” – John Wendt Migraine headaches are a torment […]
“Meditation is the discovery that the point of life is always arrived at in the immediate moment.” – Alan Watts In a prior essay ‘The Power of Retreat 4 – the Container of Silence’ (https://www.facebook.com/ContemplativeStudiesCenter/insights/?section=navPosts), the effects of the container in which retreat is conducted were explored. But, the point of retreat is not […]
Spirituality May Alter the Brain to Protect Against Major Depression By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “spirituality or religion may protect against major depression by thickening the brain cortex and counteracting the cortical thinning that would normally occur with major depression.” – Lisa Miller Spirituality is defined as “one’s personal affirmation of and […]
Spirituality is Associated with Awe/Gratitude and Well-Being during the Covid-19 Pandemic By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “During the COVID-19 pandemic . . . spirituality and religious practices are a protective factor connected not only with psychological and mental but also physical health.” – Ilaria Coppola The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the […]
Improve Alcohol Treatment Completion with Spirituality By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “spiritual experiences and spiritual practices, including prayer and mindfulness meditation, may be helpful in reducing hazardous drinking and in the treatment of [Alcohol Use Disorder].” – Katie Witkiewitz Inappropriate use of alcohol is a major societal problem. In fact, about […]
Workplace Well-Being is Associated with Spirituality By John M. de Castro, Ph.D. “Burnout, compassion fatigue, career exhaustion—you can rewire your brain to see these afflictions as opportunities for embarking on a new path. You don’t have to stay on a dead-end street.”- Pamela Milam Work is very important for our health and […]