Poetry and Mindfulness Interruption to a Journey
At a time when the Humanities are under threat, this book offers a defense of poetry within the context of growing interest in mindfulness in business, health care and education. The book argues that the benefits and insights mindfulness provides are also
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Bryan Walpert
Poetry and Mindfulness
Bryan Walpert
Poetry and Mindfulness Interruption to a Journey
Bryan Walpert School of English and Media Studies Massey University Auckland, New Zealand
ISBN 978-3-319-68680-6 ISBN 978-3-319-68681-3 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68681-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017955051 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: Pattern adapted from an Indian cotton print produced in the 19th century. Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
For Nancy, Abigail, and Zachary, here and now
Preface
Much has been said about the speed of our lives at this particular point in history. Many forces, professionally and socially, pressure us to flit from one thing to another, to be in two places at once. The prevalence of smartphones, tablets, and wearable technology not only make it possible to multitask across time zones but obliges us to do so. Whatever the advantages of the internet and the many technologies we use to leverage it, there is growing evidence that we are paying a price in distraction and in neurological changes that are affecting our ability to concentrate, to follow lengthy arguments—and perhaps even to empathize with one another. This book is about how a very old and ultraportable piece of technology can help us to stave off such problems. That piece of technology is called a poem. And I will make my argument about poetry in the context of mindfulness. For every action, there is a counter-reaction. And in an age of technological distraction, mindfulness offers an increasingly popular counter-tendency tow
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