Mindfulness Meditation Practices in Politics

Did you know that there are now mindfulness meditation practices in politics? These three excerpts should demonstrate this fact.

Mindfulness Meditation Practices in Politics

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in Vancouver 2011 | Photo Jerome Freedman

1. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh

The first is Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s visit to Stormont. He spoke to members of parliament about reconnecting with their spiritual life to create a lasting peace.

The 85-year-old Buddhist, who promotes the mindfulness meditation technique, also stressed the importance of focusing on the present instead of dwelling on the past or forever looking to the future. “The past has already gone and the future has not yet come,” he said. “Only the present moment has life.”

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2. Tim Ryan Employs Daily Mindfulness Meditation Practices

The second excerpt is about Tim Ryan, a Congressman from Ohio, who is a devout Catholic and who employs daily mindfulness meditation practices.

Tim Ryan: A Mindful Nation

The practice it refers to is ‘mindfulness,” a concept which is closely associated with meditation and which springs directly from Buddhist teachings. It could be defined as a state  of being completely in touch with and aware of the present moment, as well as taking a non-evaluative and non-judgmental approach to your inner experience.

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3. Tim Ryan’s Book: A Mindful Nation

The third excerpt is also about Tim Ryan, but this one is about his book, A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit. This is why he wrote the book:

A Mindful Nation - Tim Ryan

The book came out of my going around the county to meet scientists studying mindfulness; teachers using it in schools; health care practitioners implementing it in our health care system; our military using it to treat veterans and build mental resilience. And I thought the world needed to see what they are doing. They are pioneers in what will be the next great movement in the United States: the movement of mindfulness.

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I’m sure you could easily find many more articles like these if you looked around. For example monks, nuns, lay men and lay women practitioners in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and other masters held events in San Francisco and Oakland on the weekend of April 14 and 15 in 2012.

It seems to me that Tim Ryan is a blessing to the mindfulness community.

What do you think?

You can start by buying A Mindful Nation by clicking here. Then write your comments below and share your thought.