TEDx Talks
In this powerful talk, an instructor bringing mindfulness to shelters shares her research into how mindfulness can set us up for success and break cycles of transgenerational trauma.
AnneMarie Rossi is the founder and director of Be Mindful, a non-profit association of mindfulness instructors dedicated to making the practice accessible to all. They currently teach in Denver Public Schools, St. Vrain Public Schools, Urban Peak Youth Homeless Center, and through the Red Cross. While recently completing her undergraduate work at the University of Colorado Denver, she won the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Grant to complete
research on the impacts of mindfulness instruction on 4th grade students in a Denver Public School.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
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Wow! What a great speach and how true it is. Love it
Such a great talk. Bravo
AnneMarie – In a reply below, you said, 'For centuries it has been understood that the practice is actually quite difficult and the support of a sangha and teacher are necessary.' This is actually not true. The difficulty lies primarily in the self-discipline of the practitioner. This is exaggerated in the west where we promote instant gratification for almost everything. There are two components of mindfulness practice that contribute to the lack of self-discipline. The first is that, in the beginning, there is very little feedback. That is, you don't know if you're doing it right because you're not getting any immediate feedback from your brain or your other senses. In fact you're brain is going to try to convince you that this is a waste of time. It's not. And most people will not notice the difference for quite a while. I like to compare the learning of mindfulness to learning to play the piano. The more you practice, the faster you learn. But even if you practice all day long, it's going to take time before you see any real results. Now with regard to feedback, you can tell exactly how far you've come when it comes to playing piano. Why? Because we already know what it means to be a great piano player – hearing allows us to have a shared experience. Now imagine for a moment a world in which there was no shared piano music and piano players can only play and experience their own piano playing. Only you know what you are doing on your piano, but you don't know if it's right or wrong, good or bad. As you can see, the first problem is that you don't know the difference between making music and making noise. But there are books that explain the basics to you and other piano players who cannot listen to you play, but can ask you what you are doing to tell you whether you're doing it right or not. And some of these piano players tell you that if you keep learning and keep practicing that someday you will achieve something amazing. This is what mindfulness is. Others can do it, there are many ways to learn it, but you have to experience it for yourself. Which brings us to the second component – comprehension. A bad teacher is worse than no teacher at all. And the same is true for sanghas, aka communities. I can tell you from personal experience that neither is necessary. While good teachers do exist, how are you going to tell the difference if you don't what mindfulness is? You're basically taking someone's word for it. Please don't misunderstand me. I think anyone will be better prepared to choose a teacher AFTER they have an idea of what mindfulness is. That might sound illogical but I truly believe newcomers will be better off doing it this way. You don't really need a teacher to get started. That means finding a good book written by a westerner who can explain it in language you already understand. Then spend six months to a year of daily practice. I had a life-changing experience in 6 months using Living The Mindful Life by Charles Tart as my primer. There's also The Science of Enlightenment or the Mind Illuminated, neither of which I have yet read, but both look promising. What everyone is going to discover is that there is an author, a technique, a method of practice that will resonate with you personally. Don't give up. When I began there wasn't even any consensus that it was real. Today, well … as you can see, it's quite different. Check out Rob Nairn. He gets it. I have 6 of his videos in my playlist and this one. Well done, AnneMarie.
So powerful. I nearly cried. Mindfulness and Eckart Tolle have helped me so much, I can barely described how it has changed my life. The process was painful and I only managed it with help but: To leave my addictions behind me and become present and mindful is the greatest relief and freedom I have ever experienced.
This is the perhaps the Best, no BS talk like others do trying to rationalize it by decoding our brains.
You are a fantastic speaker. Bravo
Hola desde BCS México wooooooooooooooo es maravilloso su trabajo, y afortunado es cualquier persona que sienta emociones depresivas, Sad and down sure wen, your public ending your exposition the curiosity move many people's for quest the true. And maybe winner the prime part of the breakbrain of !!!
A wonderful talk …
I absolutely love this – very inspirational xxx
isnt it all about being more heartful and give a break to your mind??
So basically paying attention and living in the present ? sounds like school to me they are subconsciously teaching that. but you mean like full clarity and alert consciousness almost . Iv experience that when I had a good teacher that I actually liked and made their class entertaining. But unlike other classes where the teacher mistreated there students or could care less I learned nothing. ? why don't they teach the teachers so that the students get the positive thinking from them .But still I think you mean something else like what if a class is intentionally boring beyond belief and you want to teach students to use mindfulness to stay focused
A very young an inexperienced lady. She will eventually discover pain is really not always controllable . . .LOL This is one of the issues with having young people trying to teach us "life lessons>"
Im starting to practice mindfullness with a couple of online courses and a book I borrowed from my uni.
I have plenty of faith in this, because I already used the concept of "being present on the moment" to notice when what Im doing is productive/positive or a waste of time, like noticing the moments when I started using fb for too long without actually doing anything.
More mindless mindfulness. Sounds like an Amway motivational talk.
Wow this is excellent, such a powerful lady and so full of wisdom and knowledge. My husband and young son would both benifit immensely from this, they have problems managing their emotions. Of course, we could all benifit from this and would love to know more. Indeed children should be taught mindfulness at school so that they could improve not only as human beings but their overall grades! Love this!!! Thank you.
great words!
continue to teach this kind of knowledge !
that what people need !
One love for your work ❤
Why does youtube show me Ted commercials just when I'm about to watch a ted talk
Good marketing for a person who works like mindfullness teacher (herself)
There are so many teachings on Mindfulness. Can you recommend a specific teaching,
please?
Beautifully presented. Very timely message.
That was awesome!
WOW AMAZING…..THIS INFO IS PRICELESS………….THIS IS A WAKING UP PROCESS………
Aren't parents the #1 support for students not schools?
finally she got over ron
mindfulnessway
The opening study AnneMarie mentions was not conducted by Harvard (oops), nor does the study mention anything about focus or the practice of mindfulness.
I dare say mindfulness is the foundation for all other UNLEARNING
Talks to change world, mindfulness talks.