“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose,
in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
~ Jon Kabat-Zinn
Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment.
Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them — without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.
Being mindful means paying attention to the present moment, exactly as it is. It is really hard to be anxious if you are completely focused on the present moment – what you are sensing and doing RIGHT NOW … and NOW … and NOW.
This is different than what we usually do when we are anxious: get stuck in our heads and think about everything that could go wrong. Our anxious brain likes to hang out in the unknown future and think about all the bad things that could happen. An anxious brain is very creative and can come up with the most amazing worst-case scenarios! Our anxious brain also likes to obsess about the past, and dwell on regrets.
When we do this, we can’t notice the pleasant experiences all around us.
For example, imagine you are learning how to sail. As you are getting in the boat, you decide that you are going to focus on the present instead of worrying about what will happen at school tomorrow. You feel the warm sun and cool breeze on your cheeks. You look up and watch the sail catch the wind above you. Maybe you smell the salt water and hear the seagulls as they circle above. As the boat increases speed, you enjoy the rush. All of your senses are alive and focused on the present moment. This is sailing in a mindful way.
It would be just as easy to have this experience and not be present and mindful. You might be thinking over and over about the test you have on Monday or worrying about why your friend didn’t call you back. You wouldn’t notice the pleasant feeling of the sun on your face. You wouldn’t appreciate the thrill of the wind. You may even get home and not remember very much about sailing, or even feel like it was like a dream.
Our current understanding of mindfulness meditation stems from the work of Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn who began to apply the practices of meditation and body awareness developed in Buddhism to the problem of chronic pain (1990). Based on the tradition of Vipassana, Kabat-Zinn defined mindfulness as “Paying attention in a particular way, in the present moment, on purpose, non-judgementally” (1990).
Awareness here is meant to include not only focusing attention on sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch that we experience in the interface between ourselves and the environment, but to notice bodily sensations occurring within us as well; accepting non- judgementally all experience, even if it is painful. This was quite counterintuitive. Many strategies for coping with chronic pain sought to help patients numb, distract, or ignore distressing sensations.
Trauma causes a number of changes in the brain that can be tracked using various forms of scanning techniques. Researchers have noted particular changes in the part of the brain associated with memory and learning difficulties; more reactive and weaker neural connections between the hemispheres (Perry and Szalavitz, 2006 and Badenoch, 2008).
When we are being “mindful”, we are bringing, focused, non-judgemental awareness to our experience. It is this attention that changes the structure and functions of our physical brain (Siegel, 2007). For example, when we are passengers in a car, we may not be able to retrace the route taken from our home to a new destination, but if we have to drive, we pay close attention to where we are going; our brain literally builds a pathway of neurons that “remember” how to get from A to B. Such bulking up of spatial memory has been studied in London cab drivers who need to recall thousands of streets and laneways. Their knowledge can be seen as a thickened area on a brain scan (Begley, 2007).
Studies into the brains of chronically traumatized children reveal that although there can be crippling side effects, there is also hope for healing with mindfulness practice.
Childhood trauma has been linked to smaller brain size, diminished IQ, anti-social behaviour, aggression, and emotional numbness. “Trauma is the residue of what those experiences leave in your body,” says Bessel van der Kolk, the president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. “People’s brains change because of trauma.”
Yet, recent studies show that mindfulness practice helps children connect with positive emotional and social experiences, often things that a traumatized brain struggles to do. These practices stimulate the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain linked to reflective awareness.
This recent study is one of a growing number of studies into the practice of mindfulness for children living with trauma. Many have offered promising results.
Over time, mindfulness meditation practice builds more connections between the areas of the brain, slows down the reactivity, and increases the sense of the body as a whole (Siegel, 2007). These changes can lead to greater emotional regulation and the capacity to tolerate the ups and downs of relationships, as well as the frustrations and setbacks that are simply a part of life. More body awareness also strengthens the part of the brain that is associated with interpretation of the emotions and bodily sensations of others which strengthens empathy (Siegel, 2010). Yi-Yuan Tang and Michael J. Posner (2012) note that meditation improved the ability of people to read the emotional states of others, after an eight week intervention.
Mindfulness practices can be very helpful in relieving the symptoms of toxic stress and PTSD, however, some caution is advised. It is important to choose the practices that fit the learning style and tolerance levels of the person who uses them. Sitting quietly and focusing on the breath for long periods of time may be soothing for some but very unsettling for others. If introducing mindfulness meditation, starting with very short periods of practice, is the best approach, people can still benefit from only a few minutes of focusing their attention on their breath or their bodily sensations of sitting in the chair.
Come Back
When you catch yourself being caught up in worries about the future, or in guilt and regret about the past, just notice that it is happening, and simply and kindly say to yourself, “come back.” Then take a calming breath and focus on what you are doing right now.
Three Senses
Another helpful mindfulness trick is simply to notice what you are experiencing right now through three senses – sound, sight, touch. Take a few slow breaths and ask yourself:
Think of these answers to yourself slowly, one sense at a time. It’s impossible to do this exercise and not be present.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness. For example:
10 Daily Mindfulness Exercises
The cultivation of mindfulness has roots in Buddhism, but most religions include some type of prayer or meditation technique that helps shift your thoughts away from your usual preoccupations toward an appreciation of the moment and a larger perspective on life.
Professor emeritus Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder and former director of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, helped to bring the practice of mindfulness meditation into mainstream medicine, and demonstrated that practicing mindfulness can bring improvements in both physical and psychological symptoms as well as positive changes in health attitudes and behaviors.
Mindfulness improves well being
Mindfulness improves physical health
If greater well-being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered the benefits of mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can:
Mindfulness improves mental health
In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness meditation as an important element in the treatment of a number of problems, including:
Some experts believe that mindfulness works, in part, by helping people to accept their experiences — including painful emotions — rather than react to them with aversion and avoidance.
It’s become increasingly common for mindfulness meditation to be combined with psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy. This development makes good sense, since both meditation and cognitive behavioral therapy share the common goal of helping people gain perspective on irrational, maladaptive, and self-defeating thoughts.
Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of physical, psychological, and social benefits. Here are some of these benefits, which extend across many different settings.
Recommended Reading
Wherever You Go There you Are
Jon Kabat-Zinn
The Miracle of Mindfulness
Thick Nhat Hanh
Self Compassion
Kristin Neff Ph.D
Aware
Daniel j. Siegel MD
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Hazel Williams-Carter is not licensed in California ( or any other state) as a psychiatrist,
psychologist, social worker, marriage family child counselor, or psychotherapist.
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