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DECOLONIZING THE MIND: HEALING CREATING WELLNESS THOUGH MINDFULNESS NEURODECOLONIZATION
Dakota Diabetes Coalition Summit
2018 Diabetes Summit
MICHAEL YELLOW BIRD, MSW, PHD
PROFESSOR, SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY
DIRECTOR, TRIBAL AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES STUDIES
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THE INFLUENCE OF MINDFULNESS AND NEURODECOLONIZATION
Genetic
Inheritance
(Emotions
Neuroplasticity
(Mind)
Human
Microbiome
(Body)
Cellular and Molecular processes
(Spirit)
As you will see in this presentation colonization has caused a lot of trauma among Indigenous Peoples.
Mindfulness and neurodecolonization can heal the traumas caused by colonization
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DECOLONIZING THE MIND: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
• A colonized mind is one that has
been oppressed and been taken
captive by disturbing, intrusive
and false thoughts and beliefs. A
colonized mind creates greater
confusion, fear, low self-esteem,
and destructive behaviors.
• Decolonizing the mind refers to
the use of approaches that
restore balance, harmony, and
resilience to one’s mind, leading
to healthy outcomes.
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One of the most important event and processes that have changed
Indigenous well-being is Colonization
Colonization 101
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COLONIZATION IN MEDICAL TERMSB AYLOR, SCOTT, & WHITE , 2018
Contamination is the initial exposure to something that is foreign to an organism
An infection means that germs are in or on the
body and make you sick, which results in signs and symptoms such as fever, pus from a wound, a high white blood cell count, or
pneumonia.
Germs can also be in or
on the body, but not make
you sick. This is
called colonization.
People who are colonized
will have no signs or
symptoms. They feel fine.
MRSA can cause infection
or colonization.
Exposure to ideas, beliefs, practices that are harmful and foreign to a culture.
Ex: Mainstream education is superior to Traditional education
The harmful or mismatched ideas, beliefs, and values are forced upon you with bad results
After a while you adapt to the belief that mainstream education is superior and you send your kids to Harvard. You have become colonized.
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Colonization: Human to Human
It is a traumatic experience.
It involves invasion, slavery,
murder, kidnapping, sex
trafficking, removal, genocide,
loss of territory, displacement,
and loss of human and cultural rights…
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EARLY COLONIZATION: GENOCIDE IN HISPANIOLA, CHALLENGING THE MINDSET AND HISTORY
HUMAN v. HUMAN COLONIZATION:
• The invasion and subjugation of one
group by another.
• The action or process of settling
among and establishing control over
the Indigenous people of an area.
• The action of appropriating a place,
or domain for one's own use.
• Control and manipulation of one’s
beliefs, values, ethics, ways of being
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EARLY COLONIALISM: GENOCIDE IN HISPANIOLA (“IN 1492 COLUMBUS SAILED THE OCEAN BLUE…” ( P I C T URE S B A S E D U P O N B A RTO L O M E ’ D E
L A S C A S A S “ A S H O RT AC C O U NT O F T H E D E S TRUCT I ON O F T H E I N D I E S ,” 1 5 4 2 )
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SUBJUGATION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES STARTED LONG, LONG AGO: DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY, 1493
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18TH CENTURY COLONIALISM:
THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE,
JULY 4 , 1779
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: MANIFEST DESTINY, COLUMBIA, AND “AMERICAN PROGRESS” ( J O H N G A S T, 1 8 7 2 )
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: THE BANNING OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES SACRED CEREMONIAL PRACTICES
In 1882 U.S. Interior
Secretary Henry M.
Teller, ordered an end to
all “heathenish dances
and ceremonies” on
reservations due to their
“great hindrance to
civilization.”
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: THE BANNING OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CEREMONIAL PRACTICES
"...there is no good reason why an
Indian should be permitted to
indulge in practices which are alike
repugnant to common decency and
morality; and the preservation of
good order on the reservations
demands that some active measures
should be taken to discourage and,
if possible, put a stop to the demoralizing
influence of heathenish rites“
---Hiram Price, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, 1883
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: THE BANNING OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES CEREMONIAL PRACTICES
In 1892, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Thomas J. Morgan sought to further suppress Native religions by ordering penalties of up to six months in prison for those who repeatedly participated in religious dances or acted as medicine men.
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: THE INDIAN “PROBLEM” - ABDUCTING NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDREN
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19TH CENTURY COLONIALISM: “KILL THE INDIAN, SAVE THE MAN” – CAPT. RICHARD HENRY PRATT
To aid in their assimilation to U.S. Anglo culture, boarding school administrations “forbade, whether in school
or on reservation, tribal singing and dancing, along with the wearing of ceremonial and ‘savage’ clothes, the
practice of native religions, the speaking of tribal languages, the acting out of traditional gender roles” (Hultgren,
1989)
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19TH CENTURY TO PRESENT-DAY COLONIALISM: TAKING OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES LANDS
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CHANGING THE GENETIC EXPRESSION OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: HUNGRY CANADIAN ABORIGINAL CHILDREN
WERE USED IN GOVERNMENT EXPERIMENTS DURING 1940S
• https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/20
13/07/16/hungry_aboriginal_kids_used_
unwittingly_in_nutrition_experiments_r
esearcher_says.html
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HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS PASS THE GENETIC DAMAGE OF THEIR TRAUMA ONTO THEIR CHILDREN
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/descend
ants-of-holocaust-survivors-have-altered-stress-
hormones/
• https://www.dovemed.com/current-medical-
news/genetic-memory-starvation-may-curtail-
lifespan-men-and-male-descendants/
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-
3206702/Holocaust-survivors-pass-genetic-damage-
trauma-children-researchers-find.html
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18TH AND 19TH COLONIALISM: BOUNTIES ON NATIVE AMERICANS
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20TH CENTURY COLONIALISM LOSING OUR TRADITIONAL HOMELANDS U.S . BREAKS FT. LARAMIE TREATY AND FLOODS OUR LANDS IN LATE 1940 S.
When a dam changes
the ecology of the river
it changes the river
which changes the
ecology of the people. It
disrupts ceremony, food
and water sources, and
maybe most importantly,
it changes the human
microbiome which is
critical to health.
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21ST CENTURY COLONIALISM: NATIVE AMERICAN SUICIDE
What drives these children to their own death?
“I think that the number one reason is the extreme poverty and culture of violence that the federal government instituted here, through all the years of oppression and forced assimilation into non-Native culture. Basically just putting us into reservations which make us invisible” (Inila Wakan
Janis, 2015)
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21ST CENTURY COLONIALISM: RESISTANCE TO THE DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE (DAPL), STANDING ROCK, NORTH DAKOTA
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Deep Colonization: Intergenerational Trauma
Colonization, depending on its features, can drastically change our brain, genetic expressions, telomeres length, microbiome, and deep cellular, enzymatic, and molecular structures and processes.
The disturbances change the deep identities of the colonized and can be passed onto future generations
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CH RO NIC S T RE S S , E NZ YM ATIC CO L O NIZATION: T RAUM A, S T RE S S AND T H E B R A I N
There is evidence that chronic stress chemicals floods the brain with an enzyme (protein kinase C) that breaks down delicate the dendritic spines of the neurons in the prefrontal cortex. Dendritic spines are associated with memory and learning. (Chena,
Hentera, and Manjib, 2009).
They can
Repair when
stress is
Eliminated
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COLONIZING THE TELOMERE
• A telomere is a region of repetitive nucleotide sequences at each end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration or from fusion with neighboring chromosomes.
• Telomeres protect our genetic data, make it possible for cells to divide, and hold some secrets to how we age and get cancer.
• Each time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter. When they get too short, the cell can no longer divide; it becomes inactive or "senescent" or it dies. This shortening process is associated with aging, cancer, and a higher risk of death. So telomeres also have been compared with a bomb fuse.
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MOLECULAR COLONIZATION: STRESS, DEPRESSION, AND TELOMERESRU T H BU C Z Y N S K I , P H D, 2 0 1 5 , N I C A B M
In one study, “Middle-aged people who were
physically active not only had higher aerobic
capacities, but also longer telomeres than
those who were sedentary. They had
telomere lengths that were similar to people
much younger than they were.”
In another study, “Telomere lengths were
shortest for both depressed and healthy
participants who were showing chronic
stress. Many of the depressed participants
exhibited disturbed cortisol regulation,
which may explain why they had a higher
overall probability of having shorter
telomere lengths.” (Norrback, et al., 2015).
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TELOMERES SHOW SIGNS OF EARLY-LIFE STRESS S H A I K H - L E S KO, N E W S C I E N T I T I S T, A P R I L 7 , 2 0 1 4
“Telomere length in children is
associated with a stressful home
environment, and genes that encode
certain neurotransmitters may
heighten the effect of that stress.”
In a study of family stability,
“Children living in the most stressful
environments had telomeres that
were on average 40 percent shorter
than those of the children studied
who were living in the most
nurturing settings.”
Daniel Notterman, Penn State, 2007).
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MOLECULAR COLONIZATION: THE BULLIED BRAIN: BRAIN -DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR
BDNF is part of a cascade of proteins, produced in the brain that promotes neuron growth and stops neurons from dying.
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THE COSTS OF BULLYING IN THE BRAIN: BULLY MICE
Bigger, aggressive white mice bullied smaller brown
mice created social stress for smaller brown
mice. The prolonged stress of being bullying
created an increase of BDNF in the brain.
This activated genes in the front part of the brain
which produced high levels of social anxiety,
withdrawal, depression. (University of Texas,
Southwestern Medical Center, 2006)
“Studies suggest the possibility that BDNF and its
mediated signaling may participate in the
pathophysiology of depression and suicidal
behavior” (Yogesh Dwivedi, 2009).
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CHRONIC STRESS AND BRAIN CHEMISTRY
Chronic stress distorts
key brain chemicals:
serotonin (sleep),
dopamine (pleasure),
and noradrenaline
(energy levels).
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Theory and Practice of
Decolonization
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THEORY AND PRACTICE OF DECOLONIZATION
Decolonization theory: Colonization is traumatic, invasive, generational, and affects Indigenous Peoples at an historical, social, and molecular levels. Understanding and eradicating colonization creates greater well being among Indigenous Peoples
Decolonization Practice: includes privileging and engaging in Indigenous philosophies, beliefs, practices, and values that counter colonialism and restore well being
Decolonization
Engaging in Indigenous
beliefs, values, and behaviors
Well Being
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DECOLONIZATION PROCESSES
Stripping away the harmful, invasive thoughts, practices, beliefs, and
values that have been imposed by colonizing structures, processes, and
evolutionary mismatches*
“…the restoration of cultural practices, thinking, beliefs, and values that
were taken away or abandoned (during colonization) but are relevant
and necessary for survival and well being.
It is the birth and use of new ideas, thinking, technologies and lifestyles
that contribute to the advancement and empowerment of Indigenous
Peoples.”
*a concept in evolutionary biology that refers to evolved traits that were once advantageous
but became maladaptive due to changes in the environment
(Source: Yellow Bird, 2008, Indigenous Social Work, 2008, Ashgate Press)
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NEURODECOLONIZATION: DECOLONIZING THE MIND
• Neurodecolonization involves using mindfulness approaches with
traditional and contemporary contemplative practices to change
the function and structure of key regions the brain
(neuroplasticity), as well as neurochemistry (neurotransmitters and
neuromodulators; epigenetic expression; and molecular, cellular,
enzymatic repair, in positive, empowering ways.
• The goal is to replace or prune neural networks and pathways of
negative patterns of thought, emotion and behavior and replace
with healthy, productive structures.
• Decolonization refers to activities (culturally empowering
mindfulness practices) that weaken the effects of colonialism,
facilitate resistance, and create opportunities to promote
traditional practices in present-day settings.
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Mindful Decolonization: Healing the Effects of
Chronic Stress and Trauma
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NEURODECOLONIZATION: SACRED OBJECT MEDITATION
Arikara brain on happiness, joy, optimism, feelings of well being
His belief in
these sacred
objects also
enable him
to grow
neurons of
resilience. If
in his mind
he can call
upon these
objects when
times are
difficult he
will revisit
optimism, joy,
and well
being.
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“The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large" ― Confucius (September 28, 551 BC – 479 BC;
Evidence-base of neuroplasticity: 2,500 years ago)
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MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION DEFINED
Definition of MINDFULNESS
1: the quality or state of being mindful
2: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened
or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences
on a moment-to-moment basis; also : such a state of awareness
Definition of Meditation (using certain practices – Metta –
Loving Kindness practice)
Meditation is a practice of concentrated focus upon a sound, phrase
/word, object, visualization, the breath, movement, or attention itself
in order to increase awareness of the present moment, reduce
stress, promote relaxation, and enhance personal and
spiritual growth.
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TO ACCOMPLISH LIFE OBJECTIVES - MEDITATE: WHY IS MINDFULNESS NEEDED
( P ICTURES AND TEXT FROM CENTER ON THE DEVELOP ING CHILD, HARVARD UNIVERS ITY)
• Toxic stress response can occur when a
child experiences strong, frequent, and/or
prolonged adversity—such as physical or
emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver
substance abuse or mental illness, exposure
to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens
of family economic hardship—without
adequate adult support.
• This kind of prolonged activation of the
stress response systems can disrupt the
development of brain architecture and other
organ systems, and increase the risk for
stress-related disease and cognitive
impairment, well into the adult years.
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Mindfulness
Non judgement
Non attachment
Paying attention
acceptance
Present moment
awareness
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MINDFULNESS APPROACHES
• Sitting Meditation
• Mindful Walking
• Mindful Eating
• Mindful Listening
• Open Monitoring
• Diaphragmatic breathing, or deep breathing breathing
• Practices: Loving-Kindness; Body Scan; visualization; breath awareness
• Mindful resilience training: visiting the charnel grounds of trauma (advanced)
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RESEARCH ON MINDFULNESS RELEVANT TO EDUCATORS (MINDFUL SCHOOLS , 2017 )
• Attention
• Numerous studies show improved attention1, including better performance on
objective tasks that measure attention.2
• Compassion
• People randomly assigned to mindfulness training are more likely to help
someone in need6 and have greater self-compassion.7
• Emotion Regulation
• Mindfulness is associated with emotion regulation across a number of studies3.
Mindfulness creates changes in the brain that correspond to less reactivity4, and
better ability to engage in tasks even when emotions are activated.5
• Calming
• Studies find that mindfulness reduces feelings of stress8 and improves anxiety
and distress when placed in a stressful social situation.9
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MORE BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATIONH T T P S : / / W W W. F O R B E S . C O M / S I T E S / A L I C E G WA LTO N / 2 0 1 5 / 0 2 / 0 9 / 7 - WAY S - M E D I TAT I O N - C A N - AC T U A L LY- C H A N G E - T H E -
B R A I N / # 2 C 7 4 FA 5 A 1 4 6 5
• Meditation Helps Preserve the Aging Brain (Luders, Cherbuin, and Kurth, 2015)
• Meditation Reduces Activity in the Brain’s “Me Center” (Default Mode Network:
wandering Mind; Brewer et al., 2011)
• Its Effects Rival Antidepressants for Depression, Anxiety (Goyal, Singh, & Sibinga,
2013)
• Meditation May Lead to Volume Changes in Key Areas of the Brain (Lazar,
2011)
• Just a Few Days of Training Improves Concentration and Attention (Mrazek, M.,
et al, 2013)
• Meditation Reduces Anxiety — and Social Anxiety (Fadel, Z., et al, 2013)
• Meditation Can Help with Addiction (Tang, Tang, & Posner, 2013)
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EXERCISE II I . LOVING-KINDNESS, GOOD WILL EXERCISE
• “May I be well and happy”
• “May I be at peace”
• “May the world be free from
confusion”
• “May all rez dogs be loved.”
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The Neurobiology of
Mindful Contemplative practices
The neuroscientific investigation of mindfulness focuses on the neural systems that are utilized to
achieve meditative states and to determine the effects that regular practice of mindfulness has
on brain structure.
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NEUROPLASTIC CHANGES HAPPEN FAST: 11 HOURS OF MINDFULNESS TRAINING (EVIDENCE-BASE OF
CHANGE)
After only 11 hours of
practice (30 minute
sessions) positive
structural changes
took place in the
white matter of the
brain, which boosted
brain connectivity
(Posner, et al, 2010)
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NEURODECOLONIZING THE MIND: SIGNIFICANT, LASTING CHANGES IN 8 WEEKS OF PRACTICE
45 minutes of practice per day for
8 weeks changes brain structures
associated with memory, sense
of self, empathy, and stress (Sarah
Lazar, et al, 2011)
Reduction in Stress – decreased
gray matter in amygdala
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MINDFULNESS MEDIATES AND DECOLONIZES CONFLICT
Conflict-related Insula:
Mindfulness meditation activates the “insula, which is associated with
interoception, the sum of visceral and “gut” feelings that we
experience at any given moment (internal body sensations).
It is key region involved in scanning the physiological state of the
entire body and then generates subjective feelings.
• It controls mental emotions and regulation of body’s homeostasis.
• It increases gray matter which enables one to control negative
emotions.
(Hölzel et al., 2011)
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MINDFULNESS INCREASES AND DECOLONIZES EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Temporal parietal junction
Becomes activated during meditation.
This area is associated with the ability to perceive the emotional and mental state of others.
This brain area is more active inmeditators than non-meditators,even when they are notmeditating.
the RIFG is recruited when important cues are detected, regardless of whether that detection is followed by the inhibition of a motor response, the generation of a motor response, or no external response at all (Hampshire et al., 2010, NeuroImage).
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MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICE MODULATES BRAIN WAVES
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MINDFULNESS DECOLONIZES HEALTHY BRAIN CHEMISTRY
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Neurodecolonization and Contemplative
Practices
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MINDFULNESS TRAINING IN MSW PROGRAM HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY, 2010-2011
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MINDFULNESS AT FORT LEWIS COLLEGE, DURANGO, COLORADO, MARCH 2016
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MINDFULNESS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, FARGO, ND, APRIL 2016
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MINDFULNESS AT THE YELLOW BIRD HOUSE, ARCATA, CALIFORNIA, 2012
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ARUNDHATI AND SOLANA, ARCATA, CALIFORNIA, 2013: PRACTICING HEART RESONANCE;
PAACIPIRIINU’U AND HER FRUIT MEDITATION
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ARUNDHATI YELLOW BIRD PRACTICING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION, FARGO, ND, SUMMER 2015
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YELLOW BIRD GIRLS MEDITATING
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TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS CONTEMPLATIVE/MINDFULNESS PRACTICES CAN HEAL
Arikara Engaged in Ceremonial
Mindfulness in Traditional Earth lodge
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NEURODECOLONIZATION: SACRED OBJECT MEDITATION
Arikara brain on happiness, joy, optimism, feelings of well being
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Singing to the Sacred CedarSinging to the Cedar Tree
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PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER – ARIKARA BLESSING OF THE CHILDREN
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INDIGENOUS POWER POSES: ARIKARA BEAR CEREMONY, 1903
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THE FUTURE OF MINDFULNESS AND NEURODECOLONIZATIONWITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
• National Association of Indigenous Peoples Mindfulness and Neurodecolonization
• Using decolonized mindfulness approaches
• National certification of Indigenous mindfulness teachers
• Standards based upon competencies in:: trauma, relevant neurobiology, neuroscience, and genetic sciences;
evolutionary biology; microbiome science; Colonization and Decolonization; Development ofTribal Brain
Policies
• Encouraging the return to traditional foods, behaviors (laughter, happiness), ceremonies, and healing