The Mindful Word

The Mindful Word publishes a daily blog of engaged living and a free monthly newsletter featuring our best stories. www.themindfulword.org

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MINDFULNESS AND NUTRITION: How to improve your relationship with food

For years, nutritionists advised dieters to slow down and savour their food. Biology tells us that it takes the body a certain amount of time to register that it feels full. But could mindful eating change not only your physical health, but also your underlying attitudes surrounding food? In my experience, yes. While I can't claim that I eat mindfully at every meal, incorporating mindfulness techniques has fundamentally changed my relationship with the food on my plate. Here's a rundown of what I've learned from eating more mindfully and how you can also benefit. Read the full article

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INTERFAITH SURVIVORS: A story of four saints

Donovan couldn’t recall how long he’d been walking through the hot summer heat of southern Appalachia. All he knew was that he’d transversed roughly 300 miles (about 483 kilometres) of rugged terrain, starting in what had once been the city of Roanoke, Virginia and ending in the mountainous region of what was formally called North Carolina. Only one year earlier, a mammoth asteroid had slammed into Earth. Of the world’s 8 billion human inhabitants, it was thought that only 2 million survived. These days, though, no one could be certain of the exact toll, for the remaining inhabitants were more concerned with day-to-day survival then with tabulating such now-meaningless figures. Read the full article

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POEMS BY GEORGE PAYNE: Buddha Taught, Meeting Toni Morrison and more

Buddha Taught

Everything is in flux: our body heat, the flow of blood circulating through the arteries, even the thoughts  in our heads, and the sounds bouncing off objects all around— the fluctuating vocal cords and the atmospheric pressure, too. Read the full article

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POEMS BY FORREST RIVERS: Mysterious Tao, Earth Dance, An Ode to One and more

Mysterious TAO

Everything in nature is fleeting Leaves turn colour and fall away Trees grow old and some decay Caterpillars undergo a glorious metamorphosis Into butterflies…. While the mountain winds And ocean tides They come and go Read the full article

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BOOST YOUR HAPPINESS: 7 small but life-changing shifts to make

Have you ever wished for a magic wand that could make all your stress and worries disappear with a single swish? You’re not alone—we've all been there! Failure or disappointment brings gloomy clouds along with it, and before you know it, you can forget what it feels like to be happy. But take heart in knowing that experiences like this are common and natural, and there are simple practices you can apply within your daily life to recover from disappointment and become a happier person. Read the full article

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MINDFULNESS: A state of being, not a magic pill

Mindfulness has become the new buzzword. From doctors to mental health practitioners, from teachers to corporate workshops and from research papers to Instagram hashtags, mindfulness is being portrayed as an ultimate solution for all human stress. The misconception arises when the real deal is lost between promoting the results instead of the practice itself. We are so focused on the results that we fail to understand the process behind it. Read the full article

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SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORKS: Do they boost depression and loneliness?

The use of social media has increased tenfold with the growth of smart technology and the ease of access to the internet. Without a doubt, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter have all made it easy for people to interact effortlessly and seamlessly without being restricted by regional borders. The sharing of ideas is more convenient now than it has ever been. But there is a twist in the plot: Studies show that social media is leading many people towards depression and loneliness. Social media users tend to sleep less; they are hyperactive, they struggle to be attentive and are more vulnerable to social pressure than those who don’t have social media accounts. Read the full article

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THE FACE OF KINDNESS: 11 ways to raise kinder children

The face of kindness is something that's easily recognized when we see it in action, but children learn by doing and having a role. The positive effect of kindness reinforces more kindness, and over time, children discover that when you're kind, people want to play with you, invite you to come over and be your friend. Social reward is a powerful motivator, but the core value underlying kindness is how good it feels to be nice without expecting anything in return. Read the full article

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FINDING MY FAITH: A foundation for healing and growth

I’ve recently been on a path of faith renewal. I suppose it’s been growing stronger—this nagging need to return to some kind of faith—since I started my Master’s degree. Or, at least, reaffirm what was already there, just somewhat dormant. I grew up in the Catholic faith—both my parents were born and raised Roman Catholics, so naturally, my sisters and I were, too. I had the classic Catholic education, and sometimes I found the religious lessons tedious, boring, mundane and repetitive. Read the full article

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WE ARE NOT OUR BODIES: Loving yourself when you don’t like yourself

Dealing with depression from a young age has left me with a lot of baggage to unpack and a lot of knots inside my head to unwind. The thing that pops up, time and time again, is me not liking myself. The way I have dealt with this recurring theme differs each time. I have tried to fight these feelings, I have tried ignoring them, and most recently, I have tried accepting them by saying to myself, “OK, I don’t like myself, but I still need to take care of myself.” Read the full article

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MAN, IN OUR IMAGE, IN OUR LIKENESS: A dialogue about divinity and free will

If people ask me how I define myself, I say I’m Jewish. Orthodox Jewish. This means observing the holidays, the Sabbath, the dietary laws and rules far too numerous to mention here. People also assume that it means blind acceptance of what I’ve learned and that I adhere to the strict interpretation of the Torah. After all, that’s what "orthodox" means. But this isn’t true, at least not in my case. It wasn’t—and still isn’t—the idea of evolution, or the age of the universe that gave me pause. A constant phrase we hear from Jewish commentators is that the Torah isn’t a history book. It's more of a doctrine, which is the meaning of “Torah.” For me, it means that and more. It describes how we see God, and how we relate to Him. Read the full article

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POEMS BY JOHN GREY: In Need of Flow, The Edge of Extinction and more

In Need of Flow

I stroll home along the banks of the white river, my hair set afire by sunset. My mind is shared with the stream, its swift current, the banking, blithering debris. Air encourages the trees to speak but their words come to nothing. Read the full article

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I FOUND MYSELF THROUGH MEDITATION: Taking time to be with my Inner Self has brought me closer to peace

For many years, I would go to bed around the same time every night. In the micro-moments between leaving behind sleep and fully waking up, my overactive mind was already buzzing. I could sense its agitation. I was thinking of all the things I had to do, all the tasks to check off the to-do list, all the events of yesterday. Although I had officially slept eight or more hours, I felt anxious at the moment I was back in the realm of consciousness. Read the full article

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MAKING MISTAKES: There is 'sew' much to learn from trying something new

I have a love-hate relationship with my sewing machine that brings out the best and worst in me. I am not one to swear, but if my mother heard me while sewing, she would want to wash my mouth out with soap. I am not one to give up or throw in the towel easily, but sewing makes me wonder why I even started in the first place.   I have never excelled at domestic activities like sewing on buttons, ironing or baking, but I could do an OK job since, growing up, I was taught all of these ‘necessary’ skills by my mother and grandmothers.  Read the full article

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MINDFULNESS IN THE CITY: 10 ways to find peace amid the hustle and bustle

If you live in a bustling city, it's easy to get caught up in the frenetic pace. You may feel like you need to hustle constantly just to keep up, and this can lead to serious burnout quickly. You may often ask yourself, "How can I slow down and get back in touch with nature?" Doing so can be challenging in an urban environment, but with a bit of creativity, you can reclaim your Zen. If you're not sure where to begin, try following the 10 tips below to reconnect with nature and cultivate inner peace—no matter where you live. Your mental health and your circle of friends will thank you! Read the full article

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SOOTHE THE SOUL: 3 poems about love by Matt Buonocore

Locked in Thought

My Dear, All I want is your happiness, I want to see you smile. I’ve watched for years behind these bars, and I’ve waited patiently for you. You’ve visited on occasion and you’ve written many times, I know in time, you’ll find a way to free me from this cell. Read the full article

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THE ADVENTURES OF SAINT ISSA IN THE FAR EAST: A tale of three incarnations

One morning, Saint Issa, a 13-year-old Jewish mystic boy, made the fateful decision to leave home and set off by foot along the ancient silk trade route to India. His goal was to explore the eternal truths arrived at by the holy men of the far East. Along his nearly one-year journey across expansive desserts and fertile countrysides, the young saint performed miraculous healings of the sick and taught everyone he met to look within to find the perennial truths of existence. Read the full article