patient Archives - Minding The Bedside

Compassion Doesn’t Have to Hurt, in Nursing or Otherwise

Compassion Doesn't Have to Hurt, in Nursing or Otherwise Albert Einstein wrote: A human being is a part of the whole called by us “Universe,” a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts, his feelings, as something separate from the rest—a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. The delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and [...]

2021-08-16T20:24:18-06:00By Jerome Stone|Nursing|11 Comments

Our Meditative Mind Reminds Us of Compassion While Minding the Bedside

How can we call remaining in the present “meditation?” Is meditation merely a state of non-distraction? When do you find yourself most present? Most distracted? Whether distracted or present, each moment is an opportunity, an invitation, to meditate. Many people assume that we mediate by finding a cushion or quiet place and then sit, motionless, in a state of calm bliss. But, every moment that we’re awake can also be a moment when we’re aware. Each Moment is an Invitation to Practice Each moment that we’re present, whether with our family, friends, or those we care for, is a moment [...]

2019-02-26T11:58:19-07:00By Jerome Stone|Compassion, Nursing|1 Comment

Meditation and Compassion for Nurses

Science Proves that Meditation Works! You've probably read it before, either on this site or somewhere else, that meditation can foster compassion (there's even scientific evidence proving this!). And, we know through scientific research that meditation works to effect changes in the brain as well. So, through meditation, learning to know one's mind and know one's heart go hand-in-hand. When you come to know your mind, your heart follows and vice versa. Okay, so assuming that's the truth, how can you learn to take better care of yourself through the art of meditation? How can you learn to be more [...]

2015-03-09T16:23:25-06:00By Jerome Stone|Nursing|0 Comments

Can Meditation Change the World?

And can nursing change the world...? I have to say that somewhere in my heart, I hold the aspiration to "change the world." Not in a Gandhi or Mother Theresa kind of way; those individuals are as rare as stars in the daylight. I'm thinking more about making a small contribution to the world, something that can make a difference to a few people who can then in turn, bring benefit to others. As a nurse, it's easy to get caught up in the "caring" aspect of nursing while forgetting that every time you care for someone from a "meditative" [...]

2014-09-08T23:47:38-06:00By Jerome Stone|Nursing|2 Comments

The Object of Our Emotion is Not its Cause

Can Meditation Practice Affect How We View Our World? A Series of Articles Part One - The Object of Our Emotion is Not its Cause A funny thing happened on the way to the office today. Okay, it wasn't really funny, and my office these days is The Laughing Goat Coffeehouse. While getting ready to prepare for the day, my wife made a request of me that seemed, to my sleep-deprived mind, unreasonable. Reasonable or not, whether the haze of sleep loss or the actual request was the trigger, the emotions that arose within my mind were ones of frustration [...]

2013-12-16T13:31:24-07:00By Jerome Stone|Meditation|0 Comments