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The Press Association: Group psychology involving Buddhist meditation techniques can be just as effective at combating depression as medication, a study has found. The treatment, known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), helps people focus on the present instead of dwelling on the past or planning the future. Read more here.

Links to Wildmind’s articles can now be found on the Buddhist section of Alltop.com (http://buddhism.alltop.com/).

As the name suggests, Alltop is an “online magazine rack” of popular topics. Alltop hand-picks sites offering exceptional content and aggregates articles into themed sections. Their Buddhist section is just one such example: they have categories covering everything from addiction to yoga and auto-racing to zoology.

Stories are updated … Click to read more »

Alternet: For thousands of years, Buddhist meditators have claimed that the simple act of sitting down and following their breath while letting go of intrusive thoughts can free one from the entanglements of neurotic suffering. Now, scientists are using cutting-edge scanning technology to watch the meditating mind at work. They are finding that regular meditation has a measurable effect on a variety of brain structures related to attention — an example of what is known as neuroplasticity, where the brain … Click to read more »

Vancouver Sun: Renowned University of B.C. social psychologist Ara Norenzayan, 37, spent his teenage years in bomb-ravaged Lebanon thinking he could die at any moment in a civil war largely fuelled by religion. Recently, Norenzayen has earned an international reputation for his ground-breaking research into trying to answer the question: How does religion affect the way people behave, pro and con? Or, as Norenzayan succinctly puts it: “What is it about religion that can turn nice people into murderers?” … Click to read more »

CBC News, Canada: That roller-coaster economy got you worried about your professional future? Maybe problems at home are eating away at you and affecting your performance on the job. Think about it: meditation could be your ticket to cutting stress and improving the way you perform. Recent studies have found that meditation can slow progression of HIV, reduce death rates and extend lifespan and reduce overall stress. Read more here.

Yes!: East meets West in the Deep South. An overcrowded maximum-security prison—the end of the line in Alabama’s correctional system—is dramatically changed by the influence of an ancient meditation program. Behind high security towers and a double row of barbed wire and electrical fence dwells a host of convicts who will never see the light of day. But for some of these men, a spark is ignited when it becomes the first maximum-security prison in North America to hold an … Click to read more »

Yoga Journal: A growing number of yogis have created a dedicated space for practicing yoga and meditation at home. A few have built a true studio space; some have converted an extra bedroom; and others have created a soothing sanctuary in the corner of a room. Regardless of the approach, making physical space at home for your practice can have a profound effect on your life. Read more here.

Courier Press: Meditation — that’s something that involves Eastern religion, cross-legged sitting and mantra chanting, right? Well, sometimes. Some forms of meditation are associated with Eastern religions, but other forms are rooted in Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam. Other forms are secular. Read more here.

International Herald Tribune: A Beijing court Tuesday sentenced a follower of the banned Falun Gong meditation movement to three years in prison on a vaguely worded charge, her lawyer said. Artist Xu Na was convicted of “using a cult organization to undermine implementation of the law,” her lawyer Cheng Hai said. Read more here.

Herald Tribune: Why meditate? A better question is why not? A regular meditation practice is good medicine for body, mind and soul. Countless studies have explored its therapeutic benefits and found meditation can lower stress and your risk of heart disease, and treat many anxiety disorders. Read more here.

The State: A Nepalese teenager revered by many as a reincarnation of Buddha has returned to the jungle to meditate after emerging for less than two weeks, officials said Saturday. Ram Bahadur Bamjan, 18, reappeared on Nov. 10 after several months of meditation to bless thousands of his followers, speaking to them on at least two occasions. He made his last appearance on Friday and then returned to the jungle to meditate. Read more here.

The Scotsman: A TEENAGE boy who many believe is the reincarnation of the Buddha has re-emerged from the jungle in southern Nepal, attracting thousands of devotees.
After retreating into the jungle for more than a year, Ram Bahadur Bamjan, 18, re-emerged on Monday near Nijgadh town, about 100 miles south of the capital, Katmandu. Read more here.

Wales Online: THE comedienne, Ruby Wax, has revealed how she has learned to cope with depression by practicing “Mindfulness”, an approach that blends modern therapy with ancient meditation practices. Ruby claims mindfulness was an important element in her cure. Read more here.

Wildmind’s monthly newsletter goes out tomorrow at 11:00 EST. It offers articles on the theme of “Solitude” by Kulananda, Sunada, and Bodhipaksa. Kulananda writes about a pilgrimage to an Irish island where hardy monks lived lives of intense spirituality for 600 years.

Sunada reflects on being an introvert in a world of extroverts, and how that’s a good thing! Lots of encouragement there for you “I”s. Bodhipaksa takes a quote by French thinker … Click to read more »

Wildmind offers a range of online courses on meditation, practice in daily life, and Buddhism.

Starting November 3, 2008:

• The Path of Mindfulness and Love (4 weeks)
• Change Your Mind (4 weeks)
• Awakening the Heart (4 weeks)
• Entering the Path of Insight (4 weeks)

More information about all of our courses is available on Wildmind.

ScienceDaily: Those who worship a higher power often do so in different ways. Whether they are active in their religious community, or prefer to simply pray or meditate, new research out of Temple University suggests that a person’s religiousness – also called religiosity – can offer insight into their risk for depression. Read more here.

Psychology Today: Psychologist Nick Epley explores how we attribute beliefs and attitudes to other minds, including those of deities. In ongoing research at the University of Chicago, he and his collaborators are finding that people’s own beliefs line up much more closely with the beliefs they attribute to their gods than to those they peg on other people. If you manipulate people’s views, their gods’ assigned views change, too. Read more here.

Fort Collins Now: For the past several years, an organization called The Mind and Life Institute has been coordinating a yearly dialogue between the Dalai Lama and Western scientists. Increasingly, these scientists are neurologists and psychologists interested in such things as how emotions can be controlled and how attention can be marshaled to perform tasks more efficiently than before. They believe that meditators throughout the long history of Buddhism have uncovered some insights into such topics. Read more here.

The Florida Times UnionJacksonville resident Roger Cochran viewed meditation as his fast pass to Nirvana when he became a Buddhist about 15 years ago. “I thought that was a surefire way to reach an enlightened state of mind,” said Cochran, 64. “I thought [meditation] was the slickest thing around.” But the ensuing years and a harrowing encounter with cancer have since convinced Cochran that - in this lifetime, anyway - meditation is more about seeking refuge from daily stress than … Click to read more »

Shambhala Sun: There are two sides to singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls: the “just sitting” meditator and the crazed composer. What side wins when they duke it out? Read what Amanda writes in the Shambhala Sun.