Bank Of England Runs Meditation Classes For Staff Mindfulness

BoE Staff Taught To Meditate In Special Classes
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Bank of England Governor Mark Carney during the bank's quarterly inflation report news conference at the Bank of England in London.
Toby Melville/PA Wire

Mark Carney would be forgiven for feeling a bit stressed at the Bank of England, as he took over with the weight of huge expectations as the man to keep Britain's economic recovery on track.

The Bank has clearly recognised the importance of its staff's wellbeing as meditation classes have been held to help staff manage their hectic working lives and get a better sense of mindfulness.

After a Freedom of Information Request by the Huffington Post UK, the Bank revealed that it had run two meditation "taster" sessions for staff over the last year - on 28 November and 12 December 2012 as part of a series of "Working Lives" seminars.

Thirty staff attended the first session and 36 people went to the second with both sessions costing £880 to put on.

The Bank also offered a self-funded six-week meditation course, which ran from 30 January 2013 and cost £90 per person. Twenty-three staff attended this course, which was run by an outside company.

Of course, Carney's stress levels may have relaxed as the economy shows signs of recovery, telling reporters last week: "For the first time in a long time, you don't have to be an optimist to see the glass as half full. The recovery has finally taken hold."

It's not just central bankers who need their mindfulness. Here are seven professional athletes (and one college basketball team) who meditate to improve their game.

Athletes Who Meditate To Improve Their Game
Kobe Bryant(01 of07)
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In 2009, Lakers shooting guard and NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant told Conan O'Brien that he meditated with the team, led by coach Phil Jackson, before big games. "[Jackson] said, 'You're a frog on a lily pad...' I'm not making this stuff up," Bryant said. (credit:AP)
LeBron James(02 of07)
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Miami Heat star LeBron James practices yoga to improve his performance -- and maybe meditation, too. A video of James seemingly meditating during a time out made its way to YouTube last year. (credit:AP)
Michael Jordan(03 of07)
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Sports psychologist and meditation teacher George Mumford worked extensively with the Chicago Bulls while Jordan was the team's star player, helping them to sharpen focus through a regular meditation practice. "When we are in the moment and absorbed with the activity, we play our best," Mumford told Mindful magazine. "That happens once and awhile, but it happens more often if we learn how to be more mindful." (credit:AP)
Derek Jeter(04 of07)
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In a piece published by Grantland in October 2012, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter described a one-hour solo morning meditation as being part of his day-off routine. (credit:AP)
Misty May-Trainor & Kerri Walsh(05 of07)
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Olympic gold medal-winning volleyball players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh have enlisted the help of sports psychologist Michael Gervais to maintain high performance under pressure, Outside reported. Gervais helps the volleyball champs stay mentally sharp through meditation, yoga and visualization. (credit:Getty)
Ricky Williams(06 of07)
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Former Miami Dolphins runningback Ricky Williams has said that he used to meditate every day and before each game. The NFL star even went on to teach a class on meditation at Florida's Nova Southeastern University."This is my passion," Williams told NBC Miami. "I think a lot of people are so used to being stressed, they don't realize they're stressed. And I was one of those people." (credit:Getty Images)
Michigan Basketball Team(07 of07)
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To help his team get back on their feet after slumps and stay focused on the game, University of Michigan coach John Beilein looks to visualization practices and meditation. "We [meditate] throughout the year, and we try to teach them some things about how to relax," Beilein told AnnArbor.com last year. "A lot of athletes use it, and it's important if they're going to see themselves in positive [situations]." (credit:Getty)