I have had the pleasure and privilege to take part in organizing a series of events on science, technology, and mindfulness at MIT under the banner of “Hack Your Mind.” The series was organized by Radius (formerly the Technology and Culture Forum) in partnership with Community Wellness at MIT.
This semester we hosted three lunchtime events on technology, mindfulness and:
- stress reduction (led by Susanna (Zan) Barry of Community Wellness at MIT);
- focus (led by me); and
- addiction (led by Dr. Judson Brewer of the Center for Mindfulness).
The room was packed for all three events, each of which included not only a traditional presentation, but also one or more practices in which attendees could engage, such as a guided meditation or a noting practice with a partner.
The positive engagement and response has made clear to us that there is a strong need for, and openness to, ways to become more mindful, particularly in the face of technology that often encourages the opposite.
We are looking forward to improving and expanding the program next semester. If you have any ideas for directions that the program could take, or if you or anyone you know has run similar programs elsewhere, please contact me directly so that we can share our knowledge and experience.
