1. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Barrett Values Centre
- 2014 CTT international conference
Sånga –Säby Sweden
Dr Ola Schenström

2. The seven levels of consciousness

3. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Who am I?
Some characteristics of todays society
What is mindfulness?
How can mindfulness contribute?

4. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Who am I?
- Personal
- Professional
- Non profit
- Retreats at Emerald Lake
- Mindfulness work and vision of today

5. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Non profit work
• IPPNW – International Physicians for the Prevention
of Nuclear War – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• Non Violent Communication
• Pugwash movement – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

6. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Non violent communication
• Observation Observation
• Feelings Feelings
• Needs Needs
• Request Request

7. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Background
- personal
- professional
- non profit
- work and vision of today

8. Retreats at Emerald Lake
• Soul / Living purpose
• Intuition
• Mental
• Emotional
• Physical

9. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Vision and work of today
• ”Towards a mindful society” (schools, health
care, workplaces, leadership, sports…)
• Training instructors – 650 by now
• Training programs internet/smartphones: stress,
anxiety, chronic pain and disease, pregnancy and
delivery, support for caregivers
• Virtual classroom
• Research at 5 universities
• Training programs for leaders, workplaces,
educators

10. Some characteristics of todays society
• To much to do
•An enormous and increasing flow of information
•Overload of our senses
•Continuous changes
•Uncertainty about the future
•High speed
•Increased level of distractions/divided attention
•Increased levels of stress
•Less recovery/sleeping disorders increase
•Our times are challenging….

11. What is mindfulness?
• Attention
• Awareness
• Compassion

12. Mindfulness-present moment awareness
M
Thoughts
Emotions Bodily
sensations

13. Mindful attitudesCuriosity
Acceptance
Trust
Awareness
Kindness
Ease Patience
Flexibility

14. MINDFULNESS - A HYPE?

15. Source: Research Studies with Mindfulness in Title or Topic – Web of Knowedge
– Initial Research by Mindfulexperience.org, Update: own research
Research studies on mindfulness (1994 to 2013)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
PERHAPS A HYPE – BUT NOT WITHOUT SUBSTANCE

16. Mindfulness at World Economic Forum
Davos
• New technology – hyperconnectivity – fast paced
lives disconnects us more and more from ourselves
• New challenges – require more self awareness and
emotional intelligence of leaders to be successfull
• New Science – breakthrough in cognition science –
especially mindfulness impact on brain plasticity
•
•

17. Mindful of what?
• The body – posture, movements
• Thoughts – mental processes
• Feelings and emotions
• My assumptions and values
• The world around me
• Other people

18. Why mindfulness works
Mindfulness training gives us:
• More accurate perception of the actual situation.
• Reflective awareness of how we respond to situation: accept and regulate our
thoughts and emotions.
• Greater clarity of personal values that governs our actions.
• Greater flexibility in choosing how to respond and act.

19. Neuroplasticity
- the effect of training
Right Prefrontal cortex
”negative emotions” :
• irritation
• anger
• sadness
• fear
• fight or flight
• anxiety
Left Prefrontal cortex
”positive emotions”:
► joy
► enthusiasm
► interest
► curiosity
► happiness
► calm
► compassion
Mindfulness training

20. Mindfulness
I. Focus
•Calm
•Relaxed
•Alert
•Emotionably stable
II. Open awareness– insight
•Seeing new connections– increased creativity
•Making wise choices– family, work, health…
•Direct your energy
•Oversight
•Control

21. How to be mindful
• Openness/receptivity – what is going on?
• Attitude – how am I responding?
• Values – making a choice – what is important/creative?
• Attention – where is my focus?
• Intention –where am I going?

22. Two forms of self awareness
Referens: Farb et al., Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2007
Conceptual
- Dorsomedial PFC
- Ventromedial PFC
Embodied
- IPL
- SII
- Insula
- Lateral PFC

23. Mindfulness mechanisms
• Increased self awareness– thoughts, emotions
and sensations
•Increased self-control
• More consious choices – less ruled by
autopilot and impulses
• Acceptance of inner experiences – not
fighting with them

24. Reactive or proactive?
Stop
Observe
Accept
Respond
Reactive
Proactive
Stimulus Respons
Take action
Let go
Stimulus
S R

25. Mindfulness a prerequisite for building a
values based society?
We become what we culitvate!

26. The seven levels of consciousness

27. Mindfulness a prerequisite for building a
values based society?
By cultivating:
• Attention
• Awareness
• Compassion

28. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
• Decreases stress levels
• Increases positive emotions
• Increases working memory
• Open to - and prepared for change
• Increases neuroplasticity
• Change of habitual patterns
• Aware of- and open to difficult
experiences
• Keeping balance under stress

29. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Cultivate mindfulness /compassion
through meditation
10-20 minutes/day!

30. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Making it a habit:
• Stepping out of autopilot
• Being aware of and open to
difficult emotions
• Daily reminders of core values
• Reflecting over our core values –
-Family
-Work Aligned? Balance?
-Society

31. Building a mindful and a values based
society
What are the arenas?
• School/educational system
• Workplaces
• Leadership development
• Sports

32. Building a mindful and a values based
society
What are the tools?
• Simple
• Easy to work with
• Specific to target group
• Meaningful, interesting and fun

33. The seven levels of consciousness

34. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
Living our highest values
requires
• Attention
• Awareness
• Compassion
= Mindfulness

35. The role of mindfulness in building a values
based society
...and we will allways be imperfect…

36. Thank you for your attention!
Contact:
ola@mindfulnesscenter.se
www.mindfulnesscenter.se

37. Discoveries from neuroscience
• Full focus thinking – 2-3 hours per day
• Small increase in negative stress – cause great
losses in creativity
• Negative mental states gets stuck – creates
tunnel vision
► Good relationships the basis of thinking and
achievement

38. • Mindfulness training increases working memory
and attention
• Mindfulness training increase ability to regulate
emotions
• Mindfulness training improves relationships and
compassion towards self and others.
Neuroplasticity
- the effect of training