The Flashlight, Floodlight & Juggler: Training Attention with Meditation

Episode 43, Series 2: "Bring Body, Speech & Mind to Life" Featuring: David R. Vago, Ph.D., Amishi Jha, Ph.D., Geshe Tenzin Wangyal, and host Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, Ph.D. Can we live more fully just by paying more attention? Our panelists discuss the science behind attention, how mindfulness can help us achieve our greatest potential and strategies for being more present in each moment. Using metaphors from Dr. Jha’s recent bestselling book, Peak Mind, the panelists will discuss three subsystems of attention: the flashlight (selective focus), floodlight (receptive attention), and juggler (executive functioning). They will also discuss the similarities and differences between neuroscientific and Buddhist models of attention, plus recent findings from lab-based and field studies of contemplative training.