Metta Hour with Sharon Salzberg

Ep. 266 – Anxiety Series: Amishi Jha

Jun 24, 2025
Amishi Jha, a professor of psychology and director of contemplative neuroscience at the University of Miami, explores the intersection of mindfulness and mental health. The conversation dives into cognitive resilience and the difference between eustress and distress. Amishi highlights attention’s crucial role in managing stress, using metaphorical 'flashlight' and 'floodlight' techniques. She introduces her app, Pushups for the Mind, designed to improve mindfulness training, especially for high-demand professionals like military personnel and emergency responders.
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INSIGHT

Stress and Attention Hijacking

  • Stress arises from a mismatch between challenge and one's capacity to meet it, with eustress being beneficial.
  • Excessive stress hijacks attention, worsening performance and emotional state.
INSIGHT

Three Types of Attention

  • Attention has three main types: flashlight (focused), floodlight (broad alerting), and executive function (goal management).
  • Understanding these helps clarify how attention impacts mental health and resilience to stress.
ANECDOTE

Amishi's Lecture Distraction Story

  • Amishi felt panicked during a lecture with news of a hurricane headed toward Miami, though she was not there.
  • Her attention was hijacked by worry, illustrating how mental focus can be pulled unexpectedly.
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