Mindfulness: The Best Tool in the Toolbox!
The surge in popularity in mindfulness, a Buddhist concept founded 2,600 years ago, is being supported by recent scientific research. Well controlled, well-designed studies now provide
empirical (means verifiable/testable and reproducible by observation or experiment) support for the beneficial effects of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is defined as the moment to moment awareness of one's experience without judgement.
Meditation is one form of mindfulness, but there are other forms, such as mindfulness in everyday activities Mindfulness in everyday activities is the directing of one's focus on the discrete and specific physical actions of those activities. For example, if one is focusing on emptying the dishwasher, rather than distractedly rushing through it to the next thing, one is fully aware of each movement, each sensation as one bends to lift the plate, feels the weight of the plate, holds it, and places it down.
Mindfulness is beneficial for the following:
1) Reduced rumination
2) Stress reduction
3) Boosts in working memory
4) Focus
5) Less emotional reactivity
6) More cognitive (thinking) flexibility
7) Relationship satisfaction
This suggests that most people would benefit from starting a mindfulness practice. Yes, that probably means YOU could benefit and that means you could start right now!
Starting a Mindfulness Practice: There are many ways to approach it, but simplicity is best here. You can find many books (a couple are listed in my web page under the Books Tab) and web sites for additional information. That is only if you believe you need/want additional information, or are interested in finding out more about the concept; otherwise you are able and prepared to start this practice as soon as you finish reading this blog.
The Basics: Start with a place that is used only for mindfulness practice (I use a small closet in an unused bedroom). Obtain a seating pillow and a timer, incense if you like, and set a time and place to practice every day. Set the timer when you start and thus, you are not distracted by needing to look at the time elapsed. Choose a seating position that is comfortable. (After several experiments, I found my best position; my legs and feet are not resting on top of each other and the hands are held in the middle of the body, one cupping the other, the thumbs gently touching each other.) Have the image and create the sensation that the back is against a wall. Once you take a position, try not to move. If you encounter discomfort, focus your attention on the sensation of discomfort, without needing to judge it or take action to fix it. One can either focus on the breath, which means being aware of the breath as it goes in and out ( but NOT trying to control the breath), repeating a mantra/phrase/word, or, if one is doing open-eyes meditation, focusing on an object. I do close-eyes practice and focus on my breath, keeping awareness on how it feels in the nostrils as I breathe in and how it feels as I breathe out. I started out with 5 minutes and kept increasing it. I do 25-30 minutes now.
Be Prepared: Your mind will wander all over the place! You will have to bring your mind back to the breath (or object of focus) over, and over, and over, again. At times, you will experience your mind as being outside of your control. It will lurch from one thought to another with lighting speed and you will realize that this has been happening
all the time, unbeknownst to you. No wonder it was hard for you to focus, or you felt blue or down, or were quick to react, or could not let go of certain destructive thoughts! Good news: you can re-train your mind with this practice and the intensity of the battle will diminish. You will then be able carry over this new found skill into your everyday life.
No time like the present to get started.
The main article appeared in the journal
Psychotherapy (Vol. 48,No.2). It can also be viewed at the web site of the American Psychological Association:
www.apa.org/monitor/digital/CEmindfulness.aspx.
p.s. In addition, I can provide a hard copy to anyone who would like to have it in hand.Send me your name and address and I will mail it to you.
