We’re all being called to tap into our deepest wells of resilience and meet this moment with skill and compassion. But how do we do that when there’s so much vying for our attention all at once? From the national trauma of racial injustice, to climate change, to cultural fragmentation, social unrest, and targeted, purposeful trust erosion at the highest levels of leadership—not to mention a global pandemic. Our brains are overloaded.
How to protect yourself from “pandemic brain”
Neuroscientist Amishi Jha has a name for moments like the one we all find ourselves in. She calls them VUCA events: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous. She’s been studying what happens to our brains under these circumstances. Hint: It’s not pretty. In this issue, Dr. Jha explains what her research says about how mindfulness can help protect you from the kind of constant stress we’re dealing with these days.
What the science of deep sleep says about your sleep routine
These intense days are leading to restless nights, with many of our readers saying they feel like they’d be able to manage their emotional and physical health a little better if only they could get some sleep. So, we tapped veteran health writer Caren Osten Gerszberg to explore the science of deep sleep. What she uncovered is fascinating. Not only is there a master clock inside your head that keeps all of the cells in your body running smoothly, protecting you from disease, it’s also the orchestrator of deep, rejuvenating sleep. Here she offers a roadmap to your optimal sleep routine.
A companion guide for extraordinary times
For this winter issue, our team here at Mindful endeavored to create a companion guide that will not only help you meet this extraordinary moment with skill—for yourselves, for your families, and for your communities—but we hope it also reminds you to be kind to yourself right now. There is always compassionate space available to you, in every moment. Space to pause. Space to breathe. Space to reclaim your attention. To communicate with wisdom and skill. To forgive yourself and others. And to remember that joy is your birthright. We’re all in this together. Let’s celebrate our connection, our diversity, our essential humanity, and connect with the deepest compassion for each other. As Sebene Selassie so beautifully reminds us in her feature, You Belong: “You are not separate. You never were. You never will be.” Wishing you all moments of clarity and kindness, Editor-in-chief, Mindful magazine and mindful.org
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Caren Osten Gerszberg December 2, 2020
Amishi Jha November 5, 2020
Sebene Selassie January 12, 2021
