MSI Press Blog

  Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from   Pathways to Inner Peace  by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order. TAKING A MINDFUL PAUSE WEEK 1, DAY 6 Taking a mindful pause throughout our days can help us overcome the constant rushing of the hurry sickness and restore our oneness with the present moment. Many of us are caught up in hurry because we cram too many activities into our days. Pausing to reflect at the end of the day and mindfully review the next day’s plans can bring us greater perspective.  If tomorrow’s schedule looks too busy, we can delay, delegate, or delete some tasks to make our day more manageable. We can also pause throughout the day, taking slow, deep, mindful breaths to become more present. My colleague Andre Delbecq, former dean of Santa Clara’s business school, used to encourage busy Silicon Valley CEOs to pause each morning for a mindful moment before getting out of their cars at work in order to be more fully present that ...

  Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from   Pathways to Inner Peace  by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order. STRESS SKILLS WEEK 1, DAY 3 Today’s practice is a two-step process you can use whenever you’re feeling stressed. Your natural stress reaction can help you survive in an emergency—you can run away from a wild animal or jump out of the way of a speeding car. But most of the time, this stress reaction does not serve you. Problems with work, home repairs, bills, or relationships cannot be solved with the stress reaction of fight, flight, or freeze. if your stress reaction becomes constant, it can tense your muscles, shut down your digestive and immune systems, keep you from thinking clearly, and compromise your physical and emotional health. The good news is that instead of surrendering to constant stress, you can take charge of your life. By recognizing when you’re feeling stressed and responding more mindfully, you can create a new reality for yo...

  Precerpt (excerpt prior to publication) from   Pathways to Inner Peace  by Diane Dreher, currently available on pre-order. TAKING A MINDFUL MOMENT WEEK 1, DAY 2 We’ll begin this week’s practices by mindfully bringing our attention to the present moment. Mindfulness, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, “is awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (2012, p. 1). So much of life can pass us by when we are disconnected from the present moment. Becoming mindfully present is simple, but not easy, especially in our Western world that emphasizes external accomplishments and offers so many distractions. The present moment embodies the Taoist concept of wu-wei— being, not doing. When we’re in a state of being, we are present, in touch with our feelings. We’re not distracted, not emotionally numb, not driven by stress or feeling disconnected and alone, but present in this moment, connected t...