Category: Video

Andy Puddicombe’s Ted Talk shines light on mindfulness and how only 10 minutes a day can make all the difference. Andy put this into perspective by comparing how much time we spend on picking out our cloths or servicing our cars in comparison to how much time we spend tending to our brains. Andy was introduced to meditation at age 10 and revisited mediation at 20-years-old when life was taking him for a spin. He quit his job, moved to Asia and become a monk. He learned to be able to step back and watching his thoughts without judgment or reaction. He defines the goal of meditation as finding the balance of focus and relaxation. Andy uses juggling balls to explain the different thought patterns we have during meditation. Sometimes we will get bored, worried or ruminating around a thought. This is normal as we begin training the mind to sit back and observe our thoughts without reacting.

I learned that ours mind gets lost in thought 47% of our day which means that we roughly spend 50% of our lives not being in the moment. Since we are not present half of the time, I learned that not being present is what actually makes us unhappy. Andy also explained that it is normal to experience aggravation as we meditate and to realize that that is part of the process. This Ted Talk helps answer my questions regarding what meditation is and how meditation can help with mental and emotional health. 

Puddicombe, A. (2013, January 11). All it takes is 10 mindful minutes | Andy Puddicombe. Retrieved July 13, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzR62JJCMBQ

In a Ted Talk with Rachael West, Rachael addresses the issue of chronic pain being an epidemic in the United States. She explains that pain is actually 100 % controlled by the brain, which is good when we are in dangerous situation. However, the brain can trigger pain even when we aren’t actually in danger, this is called chronic pain. Many people are on pain medications that act more as a band-aid than a real solution. Rachel believes that through yoga, individuals with chronic pain can train the mind to stop sending those warning signals when they aren’t actually in pain. To many people try yoga once and think that, “it is not for them”. She explains that to reap the benefits of yoga, you must practice often and intentionally.

I learned that pain is controlled by the brain entirely. I also learned that 1 in 5 people in the U.S. experience chronic pain on a daily basis. Since yoga is all about the mind body connection, it would make sense that through the practice of mindfulness and meditation that individuals are able to control their chronic pain. I did not know that used could also be used for that reason and that there have been cases where people used yoga therapy to completely get rid of their chronic pain. This Ted Talk helps answer my questions regarding yoga as a way to facilitate the healing of physical pain.

Talks, T. (2017, August 21). How a bit of yoga can help with a big health problem – chronic pain | Rachael West | TEDxBunbury. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHrBFYhcQ6c