Urban Mindfulness

Finding peace in the middle of it all.

Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D., is the founder of Urban Mindfulness and the Director of the Stress Management Program at the American Institute for Cognitive Therapy in New York City. See full bio

January 16, 2009, Anxiety

Comments on "What Is Urban Mindfulness?"

What Is Urban Mindfulness?

By Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D. on January 16, 2009 in Urban Mindfulness

Living in the city presents many unique benefits and challenges to the cultivation of mindfulness. While it's easy to be overwhelmed by the inherent obstacles (i.e., stress, traffic, distractions, etc.), we can--and should--use the unique experiences of urban living to facilitate our mindfulness practice. Read More

Interesting!

Submitted by diary of a shy black woman on January 25, 2009 - 7:33pm.

I will try to follow this blog. Very interesting stuff!

Thanks!

Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D. on February 3, 2009 - 1:26pm.

Next week, I'll post tips on how to meditate on the subway. I hope that you like the blog posts!

urban meditation

Submitted by leau on February 10, 2009 - 8:22pm.

I believe that meditation is good for our health,everybody should put in some minutes doing it daily,but I am worried about the discounts caused by the urban life,especially if you are living somewhere in a noisy asian city like me.

mindfulness in the city

Submitted by Jonathan Kaplan, Ph.D. on February 13, 2009 - 7:46am.

Hi Leau, Living in the city provides both opportunities and hindrances in the cultivation of our mindfulness and meditation practice. Often, there are many meditation communities in cities, which can be helpful. However, the sensory overload (too much noise, ads, shopping opportunities) can be distracting. In terms of the noise, there are a few things that you can do, like extend compassion (or well wishes) to others when you hear a disturbing noise, like a siren or noisy neighbor. This often goes counter to our tendency simply to be annoyed. Also, you can use this sounds as a reminder to check-in with your breathing, and thus create a "moment of mindfulness." Of course, if it is really too noisy and too distracting, you can always get some ear plugs.