In our ailing civilization, we often feel cut off from what truly matters. For some people, including myself, this causes deep distress.

Mindful Biology grew from my struggle with this dilemma. As a physician, I knew biology could help—at times via therapeutics and always by deepening my understanding. Yet it wasn’t enough by itself, so I sought guidance in a variety of spiritual traditions.

Buddhism and Quakerism aligned best with my values, philosophy, and Life science background.

Buddhism teaches us to see things “as they actually are” free of assumptions, projections, etc. Biology supports such realism with truths about our bodies and the natural world. Buddhism also values direct experience over mere concepts, while feeling into our biology connects us with present-moment, embodied experience.

Quakers sense a divine Light within each person, and many sense the same in nature. Biology bolsters this sensibility, inspiring reverence for all forms of Life, from cells to ecosystems. Quaker faith also opposes every sort of inequity, violence, and exploitation, while biology highlights Life’s deep commonality and the perils of overburdening our earth.

As Life science and spirituality grew together in my understanding and practice, Mindful Biology was born. It awakens wise knowing, embodied caring, and earthly being. For myself and others, it has proven helpful for living in an ill society while drawing strength from our deepest values. 

Mindful Biology initially used lots of Life science imagery. My love of biological beauty spurred this choice, but I also believed images deepen our connections with our bodies and Life on earth.

Though valuable in some ways, imagery seemed less appropriate as the years passed. Time devoted to slide presentations limited time for meditation. Worse, engaging the conceptual mind reduced direct, felt contact with bodily experience. 

To plumb the currents of Life more directly, Mindful Biology classes now use images sparingly and focus more on meditative practice.

As Mindful Biology grows away from slide presentations, it is evolving toward exploration of aging. This fills a neglected niche, because although most mindfulness programs offer guidance relevant to elders, few focus primarily on growing older with skill and grace.