Civilizing the planet through lovingkindness

Barbara Fredrickson of UNC and colleagues recently affirmed the relationship between lovingkindness meditation, health indicators and social connections. The vagus nerve plays a vital role in health and our sense of social compassion and connectedness. The researchers studied possible changes in the functioning of this nerve and behavior with two groups who did and did not participate in six weeks of hour-long classes in meditation focused on wishing good for others in their daily lives.

The vagus regulates how efficiently heart rate changes with breathing and, in general, the greater its tone, the higher the heart-rate variability and the lower the risk for cardiovascular disease and other major killers. It may also play a role in regulating glucose levels and immune responses.

In addition, and relevant to the study, the vagus is intimately tied to how we connect with one another — it links directly to nerves that tune our ears to human speech, coordinate eye contact and regulate emotional expressions. It influences the release of oxytocin, a hormone that is important in social bonding. Studies have found that higher vagal tone is associated with greater closeness to others and more altruistic behavior.

More of the meditators than those on the waiting list showed an overall increase in positive emotions, like joy, interest, amusement, serenity and hope after completing the class. And these emotional and psychological changes were correlated with a greater sense of connectedness to others — as well as to an improvement in vagal function as seen in heart-rate variability, particularly for those whose vagal tone was already high at the start of the study.

via The Biology of Kindness: How It Makes Us Happier and Healthier | TIME.com

In this age where people must yet endure barbaric bullying and other insensitivities across contexts, these studies show promise and deserve scaling in any ways possible.

Presence & The Art of Possibility

In the upcoming book, Abundant Possibilities, I argue that an intentional life is a life of authentic presence. We have the best view of new possibilities from the practice of being fully in the present. Being fully present is a challenge. We are easily pushed and pulled by the gravitational forces of memories and anticipations. Presence is the space of bliss between worry and regret.

Yet, the more present we become, the more new possibilities open up to us.

This is critical to those of us whose careers center on creativity, innovation, improvisation, planning, engagement, and change. We thrive on new options and angles, new inspirations and questions.

Breathing Into A New Future

You’ve met them before. People who can walk into a room and effortlessly win the hearts and minds of everyone they meet. And thanks to this seemingly natural ability, achievement, influence, and happiness seem to land in their lap.

Mandar Apte is one of these people. When you meet him, it’s no surprise he won the People’s Choice Award at the inaugural League of Intrapreneurs awards, an event that convened the “who’s who” of the growing global social intrapreneurship movement. Apte’s humble energy is captivating. And his dedication to being a catalyst for unlocking the potential of his colleagues at Shell is inspiring.

via How Shell Is Fostering Innovation With Meditation | Co.Exist: World changing ideas and innovation

Apte is co-founder of the powerful and popular program Empower at Shell where thousands of people have discovered authenticity and greater potentials through something as simple as breathing practices. It transforms the way work gets done. It is the future of how work can be more possible.

Thanks, Jack

We Are Here To Make A Difference

We come alive in new perspectives. We love the optimism infused by new ideas. We delight in the invitations of new conversations and connections. We are grateful for new understandings of what once puzzled and perplexed us.

New perspectives come from presence. New possibilities reveal themselves to those who live in the present because the present is the only time new possibilities can show up.

We cannot go back to the past or ahead to the future to discover new possibilities. They are only here, now.

The more present we are, the more we are naturally drawn to making a difference. The size, scope, and location of our differences doesn’t matter. They can be small or large, humble or heroic, in our own personal circle or in circles concentric to our globe.

Our spirit thrives in large spaces. That’s why we’re naturally drawn to mountains and seas, and stories that swallow us whole and return us as never before.

That’s why the deepest meaning we author in our lives is the meaning in making a difference. Every day life gives us is a fresh opportunity to surprise our world with the fruits of our new perspectives.

Our capacity to make a difference is equal to our capacity to discover new possibilities. And new possibilities emerge at the depth of our presence.

An excerpt from my 13th book launching this summer, “The Now Of Next"