University of Minnesota Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing

Here's a simple daily gratitude exercise that  you can do from the comfort of your own home. It doesn't cost a thing, and can improve your wellbeing. #Gratitude

"For the communities of people who surround me in my workplace, my neighborhood, and in the larger community, I offer gratitude." When was the last time you took a bit of time out of your work day to think about what you're grateful for in your workplace? Bakken Center Mindfulness and Wellbeing Instructor Mariann Johnson leads this 11-minute gratitude meditation on our SoundCloud. Focusing on gratitude reminds us of our connections, helps give us perspective, and reminds us to appreciate our sources of ease, contentment, and happiness. Listen and reflect at https://lnkd.in/gP75c9U4

VOTE TODAY! One of the most important things that you can do to advance the wellbeing of your community is to vote in local and national elections. In the Center's Wellbeing Model, we note that one common type of community consists of groups that live in a defined geographical area and share physical and governmental resources. This kind of community exists at different levels, from neighborhoods to towns to states and countries! Learn more about community wellbeing, and how community wellbeing contributes to your own health and wellbeing, on our Taking Charge site. https://lnkd.in/gc8FEWcb

"I am participating in Mindful Monday because it's easy to enroll in, and it offers a good variety of movements to choose from based on one's ability. It has helped me to start the week with a calm and centered outlook." --Donna M We are grateful for you, Donna, and for all who attend our free, online Mindful Monday programs! Join us today at noon (Central) and every Monday. The program is free and online, but registration is required. Sign up at https://lnkd.in/g9ecUK8P

The Bakken Center is hosting a number of programs before and after the election that you may find helpful - whether you are looking for tools or to just carve out some time to decompress. Join us for: Nov 4: Mindful Mondays Nov 5: Cultivating Emotional Balance and Resilience Nov 6 & 7: Post-election processing spaces (UMN students only) Nov 6: Guided Mindfulness Workshop for Community Renewal and Wellbeing: A Post-Election Healing Space Nov 8: Returning To Source: A Music Meditation for Rest, Reflection, and Connecting with Our Inner Wisdom webinar Visit https://lnkd.in/ghcFzv7X to register and learn more.

"There is an art to the science of healing, and a science to the art of healing. The thread where science and art intersect is where healing occurs, and we stitch ourselves back together with this thread. This thread is what enables us to transform our lives (in spite of the pain and suffering) and to give us even the faintest glow of hope in our darkest moments." - Don Thorpe Don Thorpe, DC, MS, a Research Clinician/Post Doctoral Associate in the Bakken Center's Integrative Health and Wellbeing Research Program, is a featured artist in the University's "2024 Fall Art Exhibition from the Community Arts @ Health Sciences program. " The exhibition can be seen on the 3rd, 5th and 7th floors of the Health Sciences Education Center in early November. We are grateful for Don, and the gift of arts that he shares with the community. Learn more and view other art in the exhibit at https://lnkd.in/gBgDsNKV

Two simple gratitude practices from Center Founder and Director Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer as we kick of #GratitudeMonth! You can begin these practices right now, and they don't cost a thing - and you'll likely see improvements in your own wellbeing, too!

Join us for a reading by Tibetan poet, writer, translator, and publisher Bhuchung Sonam, followed by a conversation between Bhuchung and Tenzin Namdul, Assistant Professor at the Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/g5E2KMQv

The Bakken Center needs your help! We are so grateful for the students, staff, faculty, and community members who engage every day with the Bakken Center. Frequently, we hear from people who have attended workshops, taken classes, or attended webinars and have been impacted by our content. This November during Gratitude Month, we will be sharing stories of gratitude and impact from those we impact. If you have a story about the Center you'd like to share, or gratitude/thanks, please take a moment to fill out this very short form and share your thoughts - audio, video, or written messages are all great! Visit https://lnkd.in/gsfHCJ3M to share your story of thanks or impact.

FREE HEALTH COACHING OPPORTUNITY! Looking at your life through a whole health lens can help you identify the challenges you face, the changes you want to make, and the resources/plan to help you get there. Coaching is a thought-provoking process that can help you hear your voice more clearly in the midst of the demands of the modern world. A health coach partners with individuals or groups to facilitate productive conversation and empower them as they explore self-care strategies, gain clarity on their goals, and develop creative ideas for a more balanced life. Working together, we have the potential to adjust our perspective and move towards changing our mindset. This fall, the Bakken Center's Integrative Health & Wellbeing Coaching Program will offer an opportunity to engage in five free, 90-minute group health coaching sessions led by graduate student health coaches. Sessions will take place virtually on Zoom and will occur Tuesdays from 6 - 7:30 pm starting October 22 and ending on November 19. Before the program begins, interested participants will participate in an initial one-on-one phone consultation with one of our health coaches. Please provide your contact information using this Google form to discover the transformative power of group health coaching to boost your resilience and enhance your wellbeing: https://lnkd.in/gtBpXPym