From the July 2012 magazine: “Politically Aware”

 Originally posted by Shambhala Sun

In a mindful nation, we’d begin to see.......


Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan is a vocal advocate for incorporating mindfulness into all aspects of American society. In this Q&A from the July 2012 Shambhala Sun magazine — now online in its entirety — Ryan talks about his own meditation practice and his vision for more mindful country, which he outlined in his book A Mindful Nation.

“We’d all slow down and reprioritize our values. Today, consumerism seems to be front and center and caring about one another is on the back burner. In a mindful nation, we’d begin to see and appreciate that we are all connected—we are all part of the 100 percent. It would lead to an education system that’s more mindful in teaching social and emotional skills. It would lead to a health care system that focuses on prevention. Our neighborhoods would start to look different. There would be more urban farms and parks and bike trails—things that connect us. In a mindful nation, the pressure would go down. There’d be more time off with your family, like it was for my grandparents.”

Read the rest of Andrea Miller’s interview with Ryan here. And click here to browse the entire July 2012 magazine online.