Scroll down to learn how a $25 contribution in Kickstarter will give you full access to the upcoming Running with the Mind of Meditation Online Course.

New study proves meditation and running to be an effective therapy for depression and general mental well-being.

There’s been a lot of discussion about running and meditation around the internet the last couple days, all corresponding with an opportunity to take part in a 7-week online course with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on the subject. More on that below.

Scientific research identifying meditation and running as key components of a holistic approach to managing depression are well known, and just a couple days ago the New York Times published an article based on a study discovering that meditation and running actually have a synergistic effect, enhancing the overall benefits.

The article cites a study published in Translational Psychiatry that found meditation and running to reduce symptoms of depression including rumination—the tendency of the mind to dwell on negative emotional experiences. The study makes an argument that the joint discipline of running and meditation is an effective alternative therapy for treating clinical depression as well as maintaining a general state of mental well-being.

An article by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on running and meditation was also featured today on Lion’s Roar. In it, he describes the natural relationship between the two activities, stating, “Just as in running, in meditation we leave behind our daily concerns—the daydreaming, stress, and planning. We become very present. We enter into the now.” You can read that whole article here.

If you’re interested in putting these findings to the test in your own life or just have an interest in running and meditation, you can help create, and be one of the first to participate in, an online course featuring meditation master and ultramarathon runner Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.

Until March 29th, a $25 pledge on Kickstarter will grant you a seat in the $197 course as soon as it goes live. That’s an 87% discount. Just make your pledge here then look for the “contact me” link below and right of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s photo, and send the message “Shambhala Mountain Center”.

To learn more about this topic you can also check out the book written by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche that the online course is based on: Running With the Mind of Meditation.

About the Author

Ryan Stagg received an MA in Contemplative Religious Studies from Naropa University, and currently lives and works at Shambhala Mountain Center, where he explores the dharma as a personal, social, and professional path.