AcademicsExtended CampusFinding Your Peak State of Mind: A Conversation with Amishi P. Jha, PhD

Finding Your Peak State of Mind: A Conversation with Amishi P. Jha, PhD

March 17th 2022 // 1 Evening // Live Online

About This Program

In today’s breakneck digital world, we tend to miss so much of our lives. From the perpetual buzz of our phones and itch to endlessly scroll through social media, to the exponential growth of our endless mental to-do lists, the demands on our attention have never been greater. We frequently feel mentally dazed and overwhelmed by a constant barrage of attention-seeking notifications, advertisements, and messages, yet many of us feel unable to resist the temptation of distractions that seemingly exist all around us. With all of these disruptions, how can we declutter our minds and strengthen our focus so that we can start experiencing more presence in our lives? According to acclaimed neuroscientist Amishi Jha, PhD, the answer can begin with just a few minutes of mindfulness practice each day.

In her new book, Peak Mind, Jha presents compelling research demonstrating that directed daily mindfulness practices can create more mental bandwidth, strengthen focus, and mitigate what she calls “attention degradation.” Utilizing easy-to-follow exercises that last no more than 12 minutes, Jha shows how we can harness the tremendous power of our attention system, training ourselves to stay more engaged during all moments of our lives, and achieve despite stress and anxiety.

Join Naropa neuroscience faculty Jordan Quaglia, PhD and CU Boulder’s Renée Crown Wellness Institute Director Sona Dimidjian, PhD for a conversation with Amishi as they discuss Peak Mind. Together, they will explore the intersections between neuroscience and contemplative practice, discuss how Jha’s mindfulness-infused approach to brain training can increase focus and decrease interest in distractions, and examine how meditation can profoundly improve cognition and help us find a peak state of mind.

Pick up your copy of Peak Mind today from our partners, Boulder Bookstore.

Program Format

  • Single Evening Discussion Panel held online via Zoom.

Program Schedule

This program is offered live online via Zoom. Zoom meeting link will be provided after registration.

Free Evening Discussion Panel

Thursday | March 17th 2022 | 6:00-7:30pm Mountain Time

Presenters

Amishi P. Jha, PhD

Amishi P. Jha, PhD is a professor of psychology at the University of Miami. She serves as the Director of Contemplative Neuroscience for the Mindfulness Research and Practice Initiative, which she co-founded in 2010. She leads research on the neural bases of attention and the effects of mindfulness-based training programs on cognition, emotion, resilience, and performance in education, corporate, elite sports, first-responder, and military contexts. In her laboratory at the University of Miami, she uses functional MRI, electrophysiological recordings and behavioral analysis techniques to understand why our attention sometimes fails us, and if it can be trained for greater focus and less distractibility. Her work has been featured at NATO, the World Economic Forum, and The Pentagon, and she has received coverage in the The New York Times, NPR, TIME, Forbes and more.

More About Amishi

Sona Dimidjian, PhD

Sona Dimidjian, PhD, a clinical psychologist, is Director of the Renée Crown Wellness Institute and Professor in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. She is a widely recognized expert on women’s mental health; the clinical application of contemplative practices, such as mindfulness meditation; and cognitive and behavioral approaches. She has developed successful prevention and treatment programs to promote mental health and wellness in health care, education, and community settings. Dr. Dimidjian is a recipient of multiple awards and the author of widely cited scholarly papers. She is coauthor of the self-help resource Expecting Mindfully as well as Behavioral Activation for Depression and Behavioral Activation with Adolescents.

More About Sona

Jordan Quaglia, PhD

Jordan Quaglia, PhD, is Associate Professor of Contemplative Psychology, Director of the Cognitive and Affective Science Laboratory, and Research Director of the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education (CACE) at Naropa University. Jordan has served as Panelist for multiple United Nations Day of Vesak conferences, Fellow and Senior Investigator for Mind and Life Summer Research Institute, and Contemplative Social Justice Scholar for Contemplative Mind in Society. His research, supported by funding from the Mind and Life Institute and John Templeton Foundation, has been featured in leading scientific journals and books, and relies on a range of tools, from neuroscientific measures to virtual reality, to study topics such as mindfulness, compassion, and lucidity.

More About Jordan

For more information about Extended Campus, please email us at extendedcampus@naropa.edu

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Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.