The role and importance of cognitive factors in the development and maintenance of insomnia have been well recognised for some time. Indeed, insomnia is characterised by several types of challenging thoughts, and these, coupled with hyperarousal, lead to difficulties sleeping. This chapter describes the role of cognitive factors in insomnia and describes in depth a range of cognitive techniques, their background, and the evidence for them. A number of cognitive techniques are described, including cognitive control, paradoxical intention, articulatory suppression, imagery-training, mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and problem-solving. For each therapeutic, the reader is provided with specific instructions and narratives to follow to aid in their implementation when working with a patient.

One of the ways in which artificial intelligence can be a useful tool in the scientific study of religion is in developing a computational model of how the human mind is deployed in spiritual practices. It is a helpful first step to develop a precise cognitive model using a well-specified cognitive architecture. So far, the most promising architecture for this purpose is the Interacting Cognitive Subsystems of Philip Barnard, which distinguishes between two modes of central cognition: intuitive and conceptual. Cognitive modelling of practices such as mindfulness and the Jesus Prayer involves a shift in central cognition from the latter to the former, though that is achieved in slightly different ways in different spiritual practices. The strategy here is to develop modelling at a purely cognitive level before attempting full computational implementation. There are also neuropsychological models of spiritual practices which could be developed into computational models.

This chapter discusses psychic contemplation as our participation in the contemplation of the World Soul, who creates the sensible world and time. As a result, we see the world as becoming alive and we transcend time by finding in ourselves the peace and rest of Nature, the lower power of the World Soul. The main faculty in ourselves which participates in Nature is imagination (and memory), although Nature herself doesn’t entertain perception, imagination, or memory. When we ascend to this level, we begin to live in the present, mindfully awake to our sensible experience, but also having a sense that we are something different from it. Sensible experience no longer deceives us because we see the sensible world in and through its archetypes, which are the logoi in Nature. Like a geometer who sees the intelligible structure of the square in squared sensible shapes, we intuitively see the essence of things (“what it is”) revealed to us through their qualities (“what it is like”).

• Practicing self-compassion – kindness towards ourselves, an understanding of our common humanity, and mindfulness – can be an important contributor to the development of a positive body image.

• There are many ways to practice self-care that extend beyond grooming practices and may include nurturing our social relationships.

• Examining what it is that adds meaning to our lives and working to enhance our eudaimonic well-being can also enhance our body image.

High-risk situations can be understood as events and situations that, if not effectively managed, pose a potential risk for relapse. What is important to note is that it is chiefly the individual’s subjective perception of “risk” that plays a significant role in whether a situation is high risk or not. A high-risk situation poses a threat to one’s perceived ability (what psychology calls “self-efficacy”) to handle the challenging situation at hand. Therefore, by developing more effective coping skills, thereby increasing perceived self-efficacy, one can learn to manage a high-risk situation without defaulting to substance use. This chapter provides practices that enables the reader to effectively deal with high-risk situations. The focus of this workbook is not to provide an exhaustive set of relapse prevention skills and tools but to help the reader to unlock their innate resilience through developing a Recovery Resilience Practice, so that they can effectively apply them.

Research has shown that the state of your mental health has an impact on your physical health; thus, ameliorating mental health problems might improve physical health, extend lifespan, and reduce healthcare costs. Not every tool or practice works for every person. It takes some experimentation to learn which techniques effectively calm your fight-or-flight response and engage your rest-and-digest recovery system. Those who are willing to try might just gain a competitive edge. Mentally strong people are willing to learn new modes of self-development, adapt to our constantly changing world, take responsibility for their improvements and periodic failures, and assume control of their lives. They do not let negative environments or distractions deter them from their goals. The research-based practices here are divided into exercises that address specific obstacles to mental strength (perfectionism, imposter syndrome, pessimism, emotion regulation, and self-awareness of introversion, extroversion, and neurosignature strengths) and proactive strategies to empower your rest-and-digest system (growth mindset, mindfulness, meditation, nature therapy, creative play, and interacting with dogs).

What makes us durable in alone time is a combination of background, personality, mindset, approach, and mental tools. It may come as no surprise that adaptable, confident, and optimistic people are better at alone time, because those traits are important for resilience in any context. But we are also learning that those who are able to stop and introspect, who are generally curious and self-reliant, flourish when they’re alone. Perhaps more importantly, how we perceive solitude can make or break that time. Being able to see value or meaning in it, even when we must be alone, is critical. Feeling that we have interesting and challenging activities in that space also makes it more enjoyable.

This chapter addresses the neuroscience of creativity in the context of the trends related to creativity and motivation, namely mindfulness and mind/brain/education (MBE) science. Included are neuroscience methodology, neuroscience studies, mindfulness and creativity, mindfulness and Motivation, mindfulness techniques, benefits of mindfulness in education, mindfulness versus metacognition, and MBE science.

In this final session, we celebrate! We have a formal graduation ceremony complete with a certificate honoring the graduate of the FBI-Academy, Tummy Pain Division. In the context of the clinical trial, this was celebrated with the award of a memory card game that had a match for every new character that was learned throughout the treatment. This game served as a fun reminder of all that was learned in a way to ensure that the children and parents remember the characters and help maintain their progress towards emotion awareness, self-regulation, and reduced distress about pain. This last chapter also serves as the beginning of the journey for clinicians. We provide suggestions for how the FBI intervention can be integrated into mental health and pediatric primary care practices. We introduce the reader to all the online resources, including our online support community, and invites them to participate in online supervision groups for providers and support groups for families. We are excited to continue this lifelong investigation as we all learn to trust in ourselves and wonder at the wisdom of our bodies.

The Epilogue argues that, during the first decades of the twenty-first century, the Buddha has become part of Western popular culture, on occasion little more than a commodity on the shelf in the modern supermarket of individual spiritualities. Thus, whether the story of the Buddha is history or legend, fact or fiction, he remains an exemplary human figure, whose life provides a ‘romantic’ ideal to be followed. As the Oriental ‘other’, now acceptably disenchanted, the Buddha is a symbolic antidote to the ills of modernity in the West. The disenchanted Buddha is thus able to serve as the foundation of a new Western naturalised Buddhism. Naturalised Buddhism provides technologies of self-formation for everyday life in this world. Here, the Buddha is a this-worldly sage and the philosopher of a new form of human consciousness focused upon the practices of meditation and mindfulness.

In our last session of new material, we focus on body sensations that are soothing and pleasant. Practicing ways to lower our heart rate has been a part of every session and thus, by the time Session 9 occurs, children are very good at noticing and embracing calm, soothing sensations, This session is about rejoicing in moments of slow-moving wonderment – drifting off into a daydream, feeling the warmth of a smile, feeling alert as your senses take in everything around you. Children practice noticing everything surrounding them when they just stop and take in the moment. They see where their mind travels to when they find a restful spot to day dream. They feel time slipping away as they become engrossed in something that really focuses their attention. Catching and holding onto soothing moments is a wonderful way to live.