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Welcome to The Krame Center for Mindful Living!
Our mission as a global, non-profit organization is to make the benefits of Mindfulness, Self-Compassion and Positive Psychology accessible to all. Our vision is to create a kinder, more compassionate world one person at a time.
Explore Our Three Foundational Pillars
MINDFULNESS
“Mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally.”
-Jon Kabat-Zinn
Our attention is quite possibly our most valuable commodity and our ability to direct our attention into the present moment can be an effective tool in reducing the stress that can arise from a continually wandering mind. If left to its own devices our mind can be swept away in a sea of mental noise, rumination and worry. A cluttered mind generates turmoil leading to a whole host of problems including anxiety, panic, depression, and even physical disease.
Mindfulness is a purposeful way of focusing attention in the present moment to cultivate an awareness of our moment-to-moment experience. By using specific tools to train the mind we are able to develop an awareness of sensations in the body, thoughts as they arise, and the emotions that accompany them. This facilitates an increased ability to respond thoughtfully to daily situations, promoting a more balanced approach to life rather than automatically and habitually reacting in an unhealthy way.
Published research has shown that mindfulness training can be an important adjunct to the conventional medical treatment of many disorders, as well as being a powerful way of reducing stress and pain. Physicians often refer their patients to the MBSR course with conditions including asthma, chronic pain, GI problems, high blood pressure, anxiety, panic attacks, sleep disorders, stress, and heart disease.
SELF-COMPASSION
Having compassion for oneself is really no different than having compassion for others. Think about what the experience of compassion feels like. First, to have compassion for others you must notice that they are suffering. If you ignore that homeless person on the street, you can’t feel compassion for how difficult his or her life may be. Second, compassion involves feeling moved by others’ suffering so that your heart responds to their pain (the word compassion literally means to “suffer with”). When this occurs, you feel warmth, caring, and the desire to help the suffering person in some way. Having compassion also means that you offer understanding and kindness to others when they fail or make mistakes, rather than judging them harshly. Finally, when you feel compassion for another (rather than mere pity), it means that you realize that suffering, failure, and imperfection are all part of the shared human experience. The notion that the other person is “Just like me…” fosters the idea that we are all the same and that more unites us than divides us.
Self-compassion involves responding in the same supportive and understanding way you would with a good friend when you have a difficult time, fail, or notice something you don’t like about yourself. Instead of just ignoring your pain with a “stiff upper lip” mentality, you stop to tell yourself “This is really difficult right now… How can I comfort and care for myself in this moment? Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings – after all, who ever said you were supposed to be perfect? You may try to change in ways that allow you to be healthier and happier, but this is done because you care about yourself, not because you are worthless or unacceptable as you are. Perhaps most importantly, having compassion for yourself means that you honor and accept your humanness. Things will not always go the way you want them to. You will encounter frustrations, losses will occur, you will make mistakes, bump up against your limitations, and fall short of your ideals. This is the human condition, a reality shared by all of us. The more you open your heart to this reality instead of constantly fighting against it, the more you will be able to feel compassion for yourself and all your fellow humans in the experience of life.
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
A completely new approach has emerged in psychology and for the first time we have a new science of “life satisfaction” that focuses on flourishing and wellbeing rather than the pathology of mental health. By taking a step back to gain a broader perspective of our lives and assessing what works as the building blocks for change, a monumental shift occurred in how we came to view our ability to flourish. Evaluating the competencies, while still acknowledging areas in our life that need improvement, then paves the way for a more holistic approach to optimal living and mental wellbeing. Positive Psychology is the real-life application of revolutionary research findings on human flourishing and optimal functioning that can help people lead an engaged, meaningful and fulfilling life.
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