This just in: Bill Clinton practices meditation. You may be aware that after being treated for several serious heart conditions, he has modified his lifestyle, including adhering to a vegan diet. According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, he has added meditation, noting “Ever since his heart scare, Bill has looked for ways to help him relax. He has a hectic life, he travels a lot on business as an ambassador for the U.S. and needs something to keep him sane.” I’m not yet sure what his entire practice consists of. The Daily Mail reports that he uses a mantra (repeating a sacred phrase in the mind), but it also mentions that he has hired a Buddhist monk to provide instruction. Most streams of Buddhism teach shamatha (calm-abiding meditation, or a concentration-oriented practice) or vipassana (insight meditation, through which you train attention to meet whatever thoughts, feelings, or sensations arise) practices, so he may be engaged in mindfulness practices in addition to mantra practice. I’m happy to add President Clinton to the growing roster of leaders and politicians who meditate.
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