Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Six "How We React to Stress and Difficulties"

The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast

#Fitness #Mental Health #Oxford Mindfulness Centre

1:15:36

In this episode, we welcome back David French, columnist for The New York Times , former constitutional attorney, and author of Divided We Fall . We discuss the current state of American democracy, the challenges of political division, and how we can engage in civil discourse despite deep ideological differences. David also shares a personal update on his family and reflects on the profound trials and growth that come with adversity. 📌 What We Discuss: ✔️ How David and his family navigated the challenges of a serious health crisis. ✔️ The rise of political polarization and the factors driving it. ✔️ Why distinguishing between “unwise, unethical, and unlawful” is crucial in analyzing political actions. ✔️ How consuming different perspectives (even opposing ones) helps in understanding political dynamics. ✔️ The role of Christian values in politics and how they are being redefined. ⏳ Episode Highlights 📍 [00:01:00] – David French’s background and his journey from litigation to journalism. 📍 [00:02:30] – Personal update: David shares his wife Nancy’s battle with cancer and their journey as a family. 📍 [00:06:00] – How to navigate personal trials while maintaining faith and resilience. 📍 [00:10:00] – The danger of political paranoia and the pitfalls of extreme polarization. 📍 [00:18:00] – The "friend-enemy" paradigm in American politics and its influence in Christian fundamentalism. 📍 [00:24:00] – Revisiting Divided We Fall : How America’s divisions have devolved since 2020. 📍 [00:40:00] – The categories and differences of unwise, unethical, and unlawful political actions. 📍 [00:55:00] – The balance between justice, kindness, and humility in political engagement. 📍 [01:00:00] – The After Party initiative: A Christian approach to politics focused on values rather than policy. 💬 Featured Quotes 🔹 "You don't know who you truly are until your values are tested." – David French 🔹 "If we focus on the relational, we can have better conversations even across deep differences." – Corey Nathan 🔹 "Justice, kindness, and humility—if you're missing one, you're doing it wrong." – David French 🔹 "The United States has a history of shifting without repenting. We just move on." – David French 📚 Resources Mentioned David French’s Writing: New York Times David’s Book: Divided We Fall The After Party Initiative – More Info Advisory Opinions Podcast (with Sarah Isgur & David French) – Listen Here 📣 Call to Action If you found this conversation insightful, please: ✅ Subscribe to Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other on your favorite podcast platform. ✅ Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen: ratethispodcast.com/goodfaithpolitics ✅ Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/politicsandreligion ✅ Watch the full conversation and subscribe on YouTube: youtube.com/@politicsandreligion 🔗 Connect With Us on Social Media @coreysnathan: Bluesky LinkedIn Instagram Threads Facebook Substack David French: 🔗 Twitter | BlueSky | New York Times Our Sponsors Meza Wealth Management: www.mezawealth.com Prolux Autogroup: www.proluxautogroup.com or www.granadahillsairporttransportation.com Let’s keep talking politics and religion—with gentleness and respect. 🎙️💡…

about a year ago 43:40

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In this insightful session, Willem Kuyken explores our habitual reactions to stress and challenge through concepts like the 'vicious flower' and 'two arrows of pain and suffering'. Willem discusses how our responses can be supported through practices like the breathing space, the 50/50 practice, and mindful walking.

If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register

Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

100 episodes

Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Six "How We React to Stress and Difficulties"

The Oxford Mindfulness Podcast

30 subscribers

published about a year ago

MP3•Episode home

If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register

Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website

100 episodes

#Fitness #Mental Health #Oxford Mindfulness Centre

All episodes

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Seven "Befriending Our Minds"" 45:55

10 days ago45:55

45:55

Join us for Chapter Seven “Befriending Our Minds”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem explores the foundational attitudes of mindfulness, contemplative traditions, and practices like the befriending practice to consider the concept of befriending your mind as a lifelong friendship to nurture. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Six "How We React to Stress and Difficulties" 43:40

4 weeks ago43:40

43:40

Join us for Chapter Six, “How We React to Stress and Difficulties”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Willem Kuyken explores our habitual reactions to stress and challenge through concepts like the 'vicious flower' and 'two arrows of pain and suffering'. Willem discusses how our responses can be supported through practices like the breathing space, the 50/50 practice, and mindful walking. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Five 'Our Most Important Natural Resource: Our “Body-Mind”' 43:55

9 weeks ago43:55

43:55

Join us for Chapter Five, “Our Most Important Natural Resource: Our “Body-Mind””, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Professor Kuyken discusses the interconnected nature of the body and mind, reframing it as the 'body-mind.' He explores a four-part model to help us unpack our experiences moment by moment so that we can be intentional and resilient in our responses. Practices include a mindful phone use practice and a deep listening and speaking practice. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Four "Appreciating the Life We Have” 39:37

10 weeks ago39:37

39:37

Join us for Chapter Four, “Appreciating the Life We Have”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this insightful session, Professor Kuyken illustrated how appreciation is an active skill and a habit that can bring beauty even to life’s complexities. Practical tools included the three-step breathing space to foster presence as well as ideas for broadening and building appreciation in daily life. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Mindfulness for Life Book Launch with Willem Kuyken and Mark Williams 31:20

17 weeks ago31:20

31:20

Enjoy this conversation between Professors Willem Kuyken and Mark Williams, which took place in October, 2024 in Blackwell's book shop in Oxford, UK as part of the launch of Willem's new book Mindfulness for Life . Hear Willem and Mark discuss what mindfulness for life means, the inner critic and befriending your mind-body and the importance of spending our 'attention budgets' wisely. They also shared two short mindfulness practices.…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Three "Coming Home to Our Bodies" 46:17

18 weeks ago46:17

46:17

Join us for Chapter Three, “ Coming Home to Our Bodies ”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this session, Professor Kuyken shared valuable insights from the third chapter of his new book, Mindfulness for Life , exploring the theme of reconnecting with our bodies. Willem emphasised the body as a source of grounding, awareness, and wisdom, highlighting how mindfulness practices can help us cultivate presence in everyday life. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Luke Doherty - From Boxing Gyms to Boardrooms: Making Mindfulness Accessible to All 40:26

22 weeks ago40:26

40:26

“How can mindfulness help me if I’m under pressure to stab someone to join a gang?” Mindful Peak Performance (MPP) was founded to answer this stark question and find ways to make mindfulness more accessible to disadvantaged young people. MPP has pioneered an award-winning approach to combining mindfulness with boxing that has been successfully delivered with a range of communities, including young people at risk gang of involvement, young and adult carers, ethnic minority groups and the LGBTQ+ community. MPP, alongside the grassroots foundation, has also made mindfulness more accessible in elite sports and business through team away-days, 1:1 coaching and courses that fuse high performance with mental wellbeing. In this talk, the founder of MPP, Luke Doherty, will share the origins of the organisation, how its approach was co-created with at-risk youth in some of London’s most deprived areas, and adapted for elite athletes and corporate leaders and teams. Luke will share key learnings around the importance of mindfulness, meeting people where they are and presenting mindfulness in ways that are relatable and relevant to their lives, work and socio-economic context while keeping the core essence alive.…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter Two "Pay Attention!" 49:34

23 weeks ago49:34

49:34

Join us for Chapter Two, “ Pay Attention! ”, of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters," in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this session, Professor Kuyken shared valuable insights from the second chapter of his new book, " Mindfulness for Life" , providing practical strategies for developing and managing attention in everyday life. Willem emphasised attention as a valuable resource and highlighted how mindfulness practice can enhance our ability to manage and direct our attention. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. Find out more and register Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website…

1
Professor Willem Kuyken and 'A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters' - Chapter One "Wake Up!" 46:43

27 weeks ago46:43

46:43

Join us for Chapter One, “Wake-Up!” , of our year-long Guest Speaker Event series: "A Life Well-Lived: Mindfulness for Life in 12 Chapters " in collaboration with Professor Willem Kuyken. In this foundational session, Professor Kuyken shared valuable insights from the first chapter of his new book, " Mindfulness for Life " focusing on the importance of values, befriending the mind, and cultivating attention and awareness. He also introduced practices for pausing and checking in, starting and ending the day mindfully, and staying present in the moment. If you'd like to join the events live, they're taking place monthly between September 2024 and October 2025 and are free to access. You can find out more and register here The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation is a non-profit organisation internationally recognised for mindfulness teaching and training – find out more…

1
Book Launch: "Mindfulness for Life" with author Professor Willem Kuyken 1:01:09

27 weeks ago1:01:09

1:01:09

In this Guest Speaker event ahead of the launch of his new book, "Mindfulness for Life" , Professor Willem Kuyken - the Ritblat Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science at the University of Oxford - joins us to introduce key themes of his book, shares his journey behind it, the people and ideas that helped to shape it and explores how mindfulness can help us to navigate today's complex world. Willem's book 'Mindfulness for Life' is now available to buy in the US and will be published in the UK in November 2024. Purchase the book (US customers) ▶️ https://a.co/d/dVF2rCq Pre-order the book (UK customers) ▶️ https://amzn.eu/d/3pLYqIy The Oxford Mindfulness Foundation is a non-profit organisation internationally recognised for mindfulness teaching and training - find out more here…

1
Barney Dunn & Megan Colletta: "Letting the Light In: Using Mindfulness to Reconnect with Positive Emotion and Build Wellbeing" 1:01:14

42 weeks ago1:01:14

1:01:14

The predominant focus of mindfulness-based approaches to date has been supporting individuals to manage challenging situations, so that negative emotions do not escalate out of control and skilful life choices can be made. There is now increasing interest in using mindfulness techniques to also help individuals make the most of life opportunities, so that positive emotions and broader wellbeing (pleasure, meaning and social connection) can be enhanced. This talk introduces ways mindfulness-based treatments are being adapted to also build positive emotions and wellbeing, including how they are translating findings from basic science and other treatment approaches. The talk was delivered by Barney Dunn and Megan Colletta from the Mood Disorders Centre, University of Exeter (which runs a clinic and range of research trials of mindfulness and other approaches that aim to build wellbeing in clinical populations). It was free to access live to everyone with a general interest in this topic.…

1
Norman Farb and Zindel Segal - Better in Every Sense 57:51

51 weeks ago57:51

57:51

In collaboration with ACCESSMBCT, we are delighted to bring you this guest talk from Norman Farb and Zindel Segal, introducing their new book, "Better in Every Sense".

1
MBCT for OCD: A Manualized Treatment Program with Dr. Fabrizio Didonna 55:42

1 year ago55:42

55:42

Dr Fabrizio Didonna is a clinical psychologist, senior mindfulness teacher, trainer, supervisor and author. He is also a Founder Director of the International MBCT for OCD Center, in Vicenza, Italy, and the developer of the therapeutic model. His manual "Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" (Guilford Press, 2020 - translated into Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French and Russian), is the first manualized and validated mindfulness-based treatment model for OCD. In this free Guest Speaker Event, Dr. Didonna shares the key features of MBCT for OCD including effectiveness, rationale, agenda, and contents of the model. If you work with people with OCD, or have an interest in this area, this will be an informative and insightful episode.…

1
Trish Bartley - Holding Groups: Exploring the ‘Inside Out Approach’ to Working with Groups 56:48

1 year ago56:48

56:48

In this special guest talk, we're pleased to welcome back Trish Bartley, an OMF guest trainer, mindfulness teacher trainer and author of a number of books including ‘Mindfulness: A Kindly Approach to Being with Cancer’, ‘Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Cancer’ and ‘Teaching Mindfulness-Based Groups’ which Trish co-authored with Dr. Gemma Griffith. In this event, Trish will begin to draw out the Inside Out Group (IOG) model for mindfulness-based programmes which offers a simple yet profound approach to teaching mindfulness-based groups. If you’re a group leader, mindfulness teacher or someone working with groups and are curious to learn what this approach could offer your work, this will be an insightful and informative episode.…

1
Mark Williams - Deeper Mindfulness: The New Way to Rediscover Calm in a Chaotic World 47:15

1 year ago47:15