Mind Over Matters

For anyone who is stressed out over the economy or any other of life’s little annoyances, Los Angeles offers numerous resources for finding peace within. Aside from the many yoga classes taught all over town, there is another, lesser-known aide to angst.

Part of the UCLA Health System, MARC (Mindful Awareness Research Institute) offers classes and lectures for the general public and all ages. Discounts apply to seniors over 65, students, and UCLA staff members, and work exchange and scholarships are also available.

The institute’s Mindful Awareness Practices (MAPS) encompass ancient practices such as meditation techniques that have been adapted for modern life and daily living, which are taught in a serious of workshops. Daylong classes are also available, as are workshops in such stress-reducers as the Art and Science of Kundalini Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.

Mindful Meditations are also available as mp3 downloads. Try the 12-minute Breath, Sound, Body Meditation; 19-minute Complete Meditation Instructions; 7-minute Meditation for Working with Difficulties; 5-minute Breathing Meditation; or 3-minute Loving Kindness or Body and Sound meditations. Three minutes. Think about it– it could change the world.

Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC)
UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
760 Westwood Blvd, Room 47-444, Los Angeles 90095
Phone: (310) 206-7503