Meditation at 30,000 Feet

Explore how children, bakers, barbers, marines, police officers, and even an entire flight of people 30,000 feet over Syndey, Australia are proving that mindfulness is not a “soft skill,” it’s an essential craft.

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Mindfulness meets baking

Just like with meditation practice, research has found baking can help reduce anxiety and increase well-being. So why not mix—or knead, or braid—the two together? Baker Ian Waterland, who worked in health and social care for 28 years before changing careers, is leading Mindful Bread workshops out of his bakery in Leicestershire, England. The workshops will offer instruction in bread baking alongside guided practices in engaging the senses and mindful breathing. 

Salesforce supports mindfulness for kids

Software giant Salesforce has made mindfulness a central theme in its philanthropy. The company, which is based in San Francisco, has pledged $15.5 million to two Bay Area school districts to bolster computer science programs, train teachers, and support mindfulness training for students. 

Mindfulness lifts off

You may have meditated on a plane before—either on your own or using one of the in-flight entertainment guided meditation programs offered by many big airlines including Delta, British Airways, and, as of October, American Airlines—but now the trend is really taking off. In October 2018, to launch its partnership with nonprofit Smiling Mind, Virgin Australia hosted a one-time “meditation flight.” Virgin’s founder Sir Richard Branson, VIP passengers, and company employees meditated at 30,000 feet…