Episode 047: Practicing Mindfulness with Dena Samuels

Dena Samuels has taught on social injustice issues through mindfulness in the university setting for years and left her tenure position about a year ago to start her own consulting firm.  In this conversation she helps answer my burning question about how you stay in the present moment while visualizing and setting goals for your future.  She breaks down different forms of mindfulness and the importance of using meditation as a form of mindfulness to help with the way we interact with others. 

TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

There is research that shows if you have any kind of meditation or mindfulness practice, it lowers your implicit bias. What is implicit bias you ask?  Great question! Implicit bias suggests that people can act on the basis of prejudice and stereotypes without intending to do so. When you are focusing on your breath you are calming your parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest).

When you begin a meditation practice start small, try one minute a day laying down and just breath for 3 seconds in and 4 seconds out. If your exhale is longer than your inhale you are able to calm your entire nervous system.

Use moments throughout your day to practice mindfulness, sopped at a red light, waiting in line at the store or having a conversation with a coworker.

Reacting does not come from a place of love where responding does. 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

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CONNECT WITH DENA SAMUELS:

Website: https://www.denasamuels.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dena.samuels/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dena.samuels
The Mindfulness Effect by Dena Samuels
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