From Mindfulness To Wakefulness – Michael Chaskalson

This may be because we process bad information more thoroughly than good, returning to it over and again. But in any case, it seems that evolution has shaped us so that positive experiences have less of an impact on the way we think, feel and experience than negative ones. It’s easy to see why this is. If our early human ancestors human missed out on a possible positive experience like the chance to mate or get some food there would most likely be another opportunity for that soon.

But if they missed out on a potentially negative experience, perhaps not noticing the presence of a predator, that could well be their last chance to do that. Even though today most of us now live in much less predatory environments, evolution has not caught up. We are still wired to emphasise the negative. If we want to be more wakeful, if we want to experience more frequent positive emotions, we will need to compensate for that negativity bias. The bias is instinctive and unconscious. But when we know that we have it, we can take it into account.

We can make conscious choices that incline our experience towards greater positivity. Increasing Our Positivity Ratio We each have our own ‘positivity ratio’8 – the ratio of positive to negative emotions that we experience over the course of a day. And to be happier it is not simply a case of having a few more positive than negative emotions each day. Although there is no agreement around the precise numbers involved in the ratio, even people whom researchers describe as ‘languishing’ – which is several steps up from being depressed or clinically anxious – often experience more positive than negative experiences during a typical day.8 Why?

Because due to the negativity bias we are so prone to focus on the negative that many of our positive experiences slide away un‐ noticed.

3 Seeing Things as They Really Are 1. Everything Is Conditioned 2. Everything Is Impermanent 3. Everything Is Insubstantial References 4 Understanding the Ego Flow What Is the Ego? What Is the Self? Talking Ourselves into Existence – Over and Over Our Quest for Happiness Three Different Selves Two Different Ways of Experiencing Foraging for Sense Experiences References 5 Becoming More Mindful Paying Attention to Attention What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness Meditation Is Widely Misunderstood Basic Mindfulness Meditation We Cannot Just Stop Our Thoughts Meta‐awareness An Open, Allowing Attitude Cultivating Curiosity Learning to AIM References 6 Becoming More Compassionate It Is Not What You Think Embodying Compassion Developing Our Existing Compassion Loving‐Kindness Meditation Goodwill Being Kind to Ourselves Love References 7 Developing More Positive Emotions Building More Positive Emotions Overcoming Our Negativity Bias Increasing Our Positivity Ratio Savouring Gratitude Getting Off the Treadmill Love References 8 Appreciating Beauty The Divided Brain Our Sense of Wonder Cultivating Our Imagination Darwin’s Warning The Naturalistic Imagination We Live In An Imagined World We Are Surrounded By Wonders Some Practical Suggestions References 9 Doing the Right Thing Don’t Kill or Otherwise Harm Living Beings.

Instead, Cultivate Loving‐Kindness Don’t Take What Hasn’t Been Freely Given. Instead, Cultivate Generosity Avoid Harming Others Through Your Sexual Behaviour. Instead, Cultivate Contentment Don’t Lie. Instead, Cultivate Truthfulness Avoid Intoxication. Instead, Cultivate Mindfulness and Clarity References 10 Building Deeper Connections with Others References 11 Letting Go and Embracing Mortality References 12 Conclusion References 13 Meditations and Contemplations Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation The Bodyscan Meditation Just Like Me The Loving‐Kindness Meditation Reference Acknowledgements Index End User License Agreement OceanofPDF.com From Mindfulness to Wakefulness Science and Practices on the Journey to Enlightenment Michael Chaskalson OceanofPDF.com This edition first published 2026 © 2026 John Wiley & Sons Ltd All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies.

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