Coming soon...I'm Still Human (Chinese version)

E-book is available HERE

I'm Still Human: Understanding Depression with Kindness

Open publication - Free publishing - More depression

The book is available from HERE or NOW.

PMR Made Clear & Simple

When we are under stress, one of the changes in the body is muscular tension, especially those around the neck, shoulders and face. This can lead to physical pain, restlessness, tiredness and more stress. When the breathing muscles are tensed, it can also lead to difficulty in breathing. Oxygenation of the brain will be poor, and this naturally worsens the stress reaction. One effective way to overcome this is by using a relaxation technique known as Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR). PMR was first introduced by an American physician by the name Dr. Edmund Jacobson. This is an effective technique for relaxing the muscles in the body, which in turn calms the mind. Since its introduction in the nineteen thirties, there have been many versions of PMR. The one introduced here consists of 10 basic postures, and each posture involves alternatively tensing and relaxing a different group of muscles in the body. The subsequent figures and instructions will guide you on the basic steps involved in PMR.

Video available at You Tube from HERE
DVD book available from HERE or NOW.

Mindful-Gym House - Nalanda Family Fun Fair

3G-Gratitude Project

See HERE

M.A.R.S. Workshop

See HERE

FREE Mindful-Gym (2012-2013)

BMHA will be conducting its 4-week Mindful-Gym course FREE for the community starting from 2012. The program is supported by the Ministry of Health (MOH) through the National Health Promotion Board (LPKN). For those of you who are interested to participate in the program, kindly look out for further announcements. Preview of Mindful-GYM.

3G GRATITUDE: Card Game For Cultivating Happiness

For more information

http://www.klbmha.com/mindfulness/3g-gratitude-workout

MINDFUL-Gym Tracks

All 9 tracks can be accessed HERE

MINDFUL-Gym for UPM Medical Students

This was presented on behalf of the Department of Psychiatry at the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) on 1/6/2011. Participation in the 4-week MINDFUL-Gym program (N = 53) was significantly associated with reduced level of stress (GHQ & PSS), increased level of mindfulness (MAAS), and higher marks in the end of psychiatric posting exam. Slides can be downloaded from HERE. Happy MINDFUL-Gyming.

Relaxation Response & Biofeedback

BMHA's talk at Turning Point Wellness Center on 27/11/2010. Click HERE for access to the power point slides with notes.

Discussion points:

- What are the physiological changes associated with ‘Jhana’? Relaxation Respose vs. Jhana ?

- What are the differences & similarities between samatha meditation & relaxation response?

- What are the differences & similarities between mental cultivation (bhavana) & relaxation response?

- Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson) & Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (Kabat-Zinn)

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Depression

This is a talk on Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy for Depression delivered at Kuala Lumpur Buddhist Mental Health Association's (BMHA) monthly meeting on 19th June, 2010. Click on the slide for full access to the powerpoint presentation (notes are attached to the slides).

8-week MINDFUL-Gym™ in Malaysia

Yahooooo...i have just completed my first 8-week MINDFUL-Gym™ training in Kuala Lumpur. i have learned a lot from the 14 participants. i will be sharing the training experience in the coming KL Buddhist Mental Health Association's monthly talk on 19/6/2010.

MINDFUL-Gym™ Acronym

MINDFUL-Gym™ Acronym for programming Mindfulness...

MINDFUL-Gym™ Exercises

I have recently come out with a series of guided audio mindfulness-based exercises for stress reduction, relaxation & wellness. These are also the mental exercises that i use for my 8-week MINDFUL-Gym™ program in Malaysia. The mindfulness scripts are adapted from the work of Dr. Tan Eng Kong's 8-week Relaxation-Hypnosis-Meditation program in Sydney. Voice recording is sponsored by Mr. Leong KT and his Incognito Production Studio. The mindfulness tracks can be downloaded from HERE or NOW

The MINDFUL-Gym™ tracks include:

1. Mindful-S.T.O.P. & Falling Awake
2. Mindfulness of Breathing
3. Rotation of Body Awareness
4. Body Scan & Kindness
5. Mountain Meditation
6. Lake Meditation
7. Four Pleasant States Imagery
8. Mindfulness Affirmation

How To Forgive Yourself?

Forgive for Good, Fred Luskin, Ph.D. lays out 9 steps to forgiving for you!

1. Know exactly how you feel about what happened and be able to articulate what about the situation is not OK. Then, tell a trusted couple of people about your experience.

2. Make a commitment to yourself to do what you have to do to feel better. Forgiveness is for you and not for anyone else.

3. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean reconciliation with the person that hurt you, or condoning of their action. What you are after is to find peace. Forgiveness can be defined as the “peace and understanding that come from blaming that which has hurt you less, taking the life experience less personally, and changing your grievance story.”

4. Get the right perspective on what is happening. Recognize that your primary distress is coming from the hurt feelings, thoughts and physical upset you are suffering now, not what offended you or hurt you two minutes - or ten years -ago. Forgiveness helps to heal those hurt feelings.

5. At the moment you feel upset practice a simple stress management technique to soothe your body’s flight or fight response.

6. Give up expecting things from other people, or your life, that they do not choose to give you. Recognize the “unenforceable rules” you have for your health or how you or other people must behave. Remind yourself that you can hope for health, love, peace and prosperity and work hard to get them.

7. Put your energy into looking for another way to get your positive goals met than through the experience that has hurt you. Instead of mentally replaying your hurt seek out new ways to get what you want.

8. Remember that a life well lived is your best revenge. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, and thereby giving the person who caused you pain power over you, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you. Forgiveness is about personal power.

9. Amend your grievance story to remind you of the heroic choice to forgive.

From Refusing to Forgive: 9 Steps to Break Free
by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.

Healing Journey Workbook

Healing Journey Workbook
For Cancer Patients
by Prof. Dr. Alastair J. Cunningham

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4

Guided healing mp3

For more information on
Healing Journey Program

The WORK of Byron Katie

The WORK is a simple yet powerful process of inquiry that teaches you to identify and question thoughts that cause all the suffering in the world. It's a way to understand what's hurting you, and to address your problems with clarity. How to Do The Work?

MIDDLE WAY: An Expanded Concept of Mindfulness in Psychotherapy

This is a presentation delivered at the 2nd Asian Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Conference in Bangkok on 20th October, 2008.

Abstract: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been shown to be efficacious for treatment of a wide range of psychological disorders. In the last two decades, there has been a fruitful integration of Buddhist thoughts and practices in CBT through the concept of mindfulness. But in the western literature, the integration of the mindfulness concept is rather narrow, and does not reflect the complexity of mindfulness as in Buddhism. Mindfulness is actually only one of the eight spiritual practice guidelines of the Middle Way, a pan-Buddhist principle for overcoming sufferings and generating happiness. Therefore, this article will highlight the lesser known aspect of mindfulness (Right Mindfulness) in the Middle Way, its synergistic relationship with the other seven practice guidelines i.e. Right Speech, Action, Livelihood, Effort, Concentration, Thought, View, and their potential application in an evidence-based CBT approach.

Meditation & Psychosis

A talk delivered in the monthly Buddhist Mental Health Association (BMHA) meeting at Buddhist Gem Fellowship (BGF) Centre on 25th October, 2008.