Social Anxiety is Reduced by Mindfulness Meditation

vgnwtch posted this talk explaining how mindfulness meditation was used in a clinical trial to teach people to reduce and manage social anxiety:

http://vgnwtch.livejournal.com/1304408.html?view=3388504#t3388504

It was a great talk, and I learned plenty about both topics.

Weight loss, Buddhism and the iPhone App Store

I went in for an evaluation at my gym last Sunday, and I'm making slow but steady progress. My weight was up a little, but my measurements showed progress, including a 1/2 inch off my waist. Just from living in my body, I can tell that my strength has greatly increased, my posture has improved and my VO2 max and endurance are up.

So I am pleased.

I've been watching my unwillingness to track my food intake for quite a few months now. "Oh look, there it is. My complete unwillingness to stay aware of my eating. And look, there it is again."

The victory here has been an increased ability to just observe it and stay curious without beating myself up. I figured that if I remained curious and patient, the pattern would eventually shift.

"If you want to become whole,
first let yourself become broken.
If you want to become straight,
first let yourself become twisted.
If you want to become full,
first let yourself become empty.
If you want to become new,
first let yourself become old."

Tao te Ching

And that's what happened. It unfolded like this: I got a new iPhone, which I had been resisting because 1.) it is yet another new technology to learn, and 2.) it costs a significant amount of money. But the time came in which I needed to buy it, so I did.

One unexpected consequence of this purchase was my discovery of the "Tap and Track" app I stumbled upon in the iTunes app store. This food and exercise tracker turned out to be just right for my life, and tracking---once such a pain in the a$$---suddenly became easy.

Effortless effort, 1
Fruitless and painful striving, 0

Buddhist/Taoist wisdom: Priceless