From Learning English, this is the Health Report.
Have you heard of mindfulness meditation?
Meditation, or deep breathing and quiet thinking, used to be found only at spiritual places and yoga centers.
But these days mindfulness meditation can be found almost everywhere in the United States from offices to schools, from prisons to the military.
New Age People
People who meditate, practice yoga and similar exercises are sometimes called New Age. They are usually healthy eaters. Many New Age people do not eat meat. They may follow Eastern religions such as Taoism or Buddhism.
A New Age person may talk about being in the moment. And that is at the heart of the Mindfulness Meditation Movement thinking about the present, not the past and not the future.
The mindfulness movement has been around for many years. But now it is being called a revolution. Supporters say this revolution may reduce tensions, stress and improve the body, mind and spirit.
For example, think about what can be a sometimes tense situation a visit to the doctor, especially the dentist.
Sitting in a dentists chair can make a person feel worried and tense. You might be surprised to hear that the dentist can feel this way too.
Alona Bauer is a dentist in Washington, D.C. She describes how her working environment can be tense.
So, there is definitely stress. You work in a small environment and its very exact. Its very precise. Plus youre managing the patient as a comfort. So, theres great stress right there.
Ms. Bauer practices mindfulness meditation at a yoga center in Washington, D.C. to help to reduce her nervous tension or stress.
Hugh Byrne has been teaching mindfulness meditation since 2000. He says being mindful is all about thinking about the present.
So as you sit here or lie here, see if you can open to whatever youre experiencing right now
Mr. Byrne says that some forms of meditation are about clearing the mind of all thoughts. Mindfulness meditation, he says, is not. It is about being aware of the here-and-now.
Unplugging Plays An Important Role
Americans work more and have less vacation time than people in most other developed countries. Daily travel to work and school can be long and difficult.
The pressures of emails, texts and social media make it harder and harder to unplug or shut off. But shutting off is part of the Mindful Revolution.
Critics, however, say mindful meditation is temporary popular interest, what we call a fad. They say it ignores the moral substance of the ancient Buddhist tradition of meditation.
Mr. Byrne does not agree. He says mindfulness meditation is a way for anyone to reduce pressure, tension and stress. He calls it a broad doorway.
a broad doorway for people to come in people who might say, Im not really interested in Buddhism or Eastern spirituality. But I do want less stress. I do want less anxiety.
Studies show that young Americans increasingly consider themselves spiritual but not religious. Mr. Byrne says mindfulness is for them as it is for Ms. Bauer who grew up in the former Soviet Union. She says religion was not part of her childhood. But now she says she is thinking of trying Buddhism.
And how is the stressed out dentist after half an hour of mindfulness meditation? Ms. Bauer says the exercise helped stop the noise, or as she puts it, chatter, in her head.
It was just chatter, you know, chatter, chatter. Energy, very jittery energy, inside my body tension and now I feel like almost Im speaking slower, my bodys more relaxed, my heartbeat is slower.
And that is the Learning English Health Report. Im Anna Matteo.
词汇讲解：
1. revolution n.革命; 彻底改变
例句：That is the coming education revolution.
这就是即将来临的教育革命。
2. describe vt.描写，形容
例句：It is very difficult to describe my joy in words.
我的快乐难以用语言来形容。
3. reduce vi.减少
例句：They must reduce domestic demand.
它们必须降低国内需求。
4. substance n.物质，材料
例句：Later he became a man of substance.
后来,他成为有大量资产的人。
5. spiritual adj.精神的; 心灵的
例句：At that queer spiritual appeal Soames turned for relief to actuality.
这句古怪的由衷之言倒把索姆斯拉回现实的怀抱。
6. tension n.紧张，不安
例句：Her nervous tension relaxed.
她紧张的神经松弛下来。
短语讲解：
1. They may follow Eastern religions such as Taoism or Buddhism.
such as 像， 例如
例句：Context scenarios address questions such as the following:
情境场景剧本解决了以下的问题。
2. And that is at the heart of the Mindfulness Meditation Movement thinking about the present, not the past and not the future.
think about 考虑 捉摸
例句：How will they think about it?
那么他们会怎样考虑呢?
3. It is about being aware of the here-and-now.
be aware of 知道;意识到
例句：Customers and the public should be aware of that.
客户和公众应该意识到这一点。
4. Mr. Byrne says mindfulness is for them as it is for Ms. Bauer who grew up in the former Soviet Union.
grow up 向上生长; 长大
例句：Children grow up surrounded by fences.
儿童同样伴随着围栏成长。
5. But now she says she is thinking of trying Buddhism.
think of 考虑; 想起
例句：Do you think of me sometimes?
你会偶尔想起我么?