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Aug 28, 2017

Medical Doctor Craig Hassed does not own a mobile phone. Never has. Craig is an Associate Professor in General Practice and is Australia’s leading expert in the science and practice of mindfulness. He has written 13 books related to mindfulness (see below), featured in the documentary ‘The Connection’ and regularly presents locally and internationally. Craig also introduced meditation into the medical curriculum at Monash University as an examinable subject. He changed the lives of the New Normal Project's Claire and Andrew Davies after he first appeared on their radar nearly 5 years ago.

Craig was a teenager, dealing with the impending stress of a swimming race a few weeks away, when he was struck by a thought. ‘What if I just stopping thinking about this event in the future that’s causing me so much angst, and just be here. In this moment?’ This moment of profound insight provided Craig with his first experience of how being in the present, rather than the past or future, can immensely improve the experience of living. Of being human. And it kicked off a career in demonstrating to others just how mindfulness can improve the quality of their lives; something that will no doubt be a lasting legacy to thousands of people, including us here at the new Normal Project.

In this interview we hear more about Craig’s own path to discovering mindfulness plus stories of others who have benefited from starting a regular meditation practice.

Whilst most of us think of meditation as being a single practice once or twice a day, Craig describes how the informal practice of being in the moment enhances the overall quality of our lives rather than constantly worrying about the sabre tooth tiger in our minds. He gives advice about technology and how to ensure that we remain its master rather than the other way around.

There are many ways to connect with Dr Craig Hassed. His books are listed below and we recommend “Mindfulness for Life” and “The Essence of Health” as our favourites. He also runs a free on-line course via a collaboration between Monash University and Future Learn called “Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance” (see below)

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Craig Hassed’s website

Monash University Mindfulness

Smiling Mind (meditation app)

Headspace (meditation app)

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Future Learn Mindfulness Course

Documentary "The Connection"

Book "The Whole Health Life" (by Shannon Harvey)

Books Craig Hassed has authored:

- “New Frontiers in Medicine” (Volumes 1 and 2)

- “Know Thyself”

- “The Essence of Health”

- “General Practice: the integrative approach” (with Kerryn Phelps)

- “Mindfulness for Life” (with Stephen McKenzie)

- “Mindful Learning” (with Richard Chambers)

- "Playing the genetic hand life dealt you"

- "The Mindful Home" (with Deirdre Hassed)

- “Mindful Medical Practitioners” (with Patricia Dobkin)

- “Illuminating Wisdom” (with Deirdre Hassed)

- “The Freedom Trap”