“There is nothing to do but be.” ~ Stephen Levine
Mindful Meditation (Vipassana) has been proven to be affective in reducing stress levels. Research from major universities and medical facilities has shown lower anxiety and strengthening of positive emotions in people who practice Mindful Meditation. The University of Wisconsin-Madison found increase activity on the left-side of frontal region of the brain. It is believed that this activity is what controls anxiety and stress levels.
Though there is still much more work on meditation to be done, the research looks encouraging. My techniques combine mindful Vipassana meditation and nature to reduce stress anxiety. I work in the Santa Cruz and San Francisco Bay Area.
In the 1990s, my long-time friend Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against the Stream, shaped my first experiences in meditation and counseling. His father, author Stephen Levine, is a mindful meditation teacher, and a leader in the early hospice movement. He is a formative inspiration to the both of us. Stephen used Vipassana meditation with healing techniques that include all faiths. I am always grateful for those valuable lessons in stress and anxiety reduction, spirituality, and mindful philosophy.