For Law Students

Recommended Resources

At Berkeley Law

Meditation and Silent Prayer Room – Room 239C (across from Room 244) has been designated a space for silent contemplation throughout the day. Please take advantage of this great resource.

Audio

Mindful Mondays: As part of a six-week series offered in Spring 2014 at Berkeley Law, meditation teacher Shivani Ray offers remarks and instructions on various topics related to meditation and law school.

Session 1: Meditation Basics – January 27, 2014.

Session 2: The Power of Breath – February 3, 2014. 

Session 3: Quiet Mind, Compassionate Mind – February 10, 2014. 

Session 4: Facing Inner Challenges: Dealing with Discomfort and Difficult Emotions – February 17, 2014. 

Session 5: Precision, Clarity and Stamina: Harnessing the Generative Power of Mindfulness – February 24, 2014.

Session 6: From Mindlessness to Mindfulness: Building a Thriving, Sustainable, Committed Practice – March 3, 2014.

Videos

Qi Gong with Charlie Halpern on Vimeo. 

Dan Siegel at Google Tech Talks on Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation. Siegel, a leading neuroscientist, explains the neurological basis for meditation’s effectiveness in improving various cognitive functions.

Jack Kornfield on The Case for Mindfulness and Wisdom in Law. The renowned meditation teacher (and father of Caroline Kornfield, ’12) offers some eloquent reflections on the value of mindfulness to lawyers, and leads a series of short mindfulness trainings.

Reading

Mindfulness Initiative Guide to Peaceful Campus Spots – This document offers suggestions for parks, study spots, yoga classes, and more, all within a short walk of the law school.

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are. A wonderful introduction to the spirit and practice of mindfulness.

Hanh, Thich-Nhat. The Miracle of Mindfulness. A short, poetic book on the essence of mindfulness by one of the most respected modern meditation teachers.

Apps

Insight Timer – An excellent meditation timer app available on iOS and Android. The basic version is free. $2.99 version includes more bell tones, guided meditations, and a useful journaling function.

Pomodoro Technique – A productivity technique that uses a meditation-like structure that teaches you to work more efficiently and mindfully. For more information, see www.pomodorotechnique.com. Various web-based and smartphone apps are available. Our favorites include Pomodoro Timer ($1.99, for Mac/iOS), Pomodoro Timer for Windows 7 (Free) and Pomodroido (Free, Android).