Mindfulness
“To meditate is to discover new possibilities, to awaken the capacity each of us has to live more wisely, more lovingly, more compassionately, and more fully.”
— Jack Kornfield
Mindfulness is a natural capacity we all have to pay attention, without judgment to the present moment. Another way of looking at it would be that it’s a way of becoming more awake and alive to the whole of our experience.
It has its roots in ancient practices going back over 2500 years but is perfectly suited to modern times and has been steadily gaining popularity in the West since the initial pioneering work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and his Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR).
Mindfulness is often taught in combination with meditation and there can be some confusion about what that actually means.
Mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness meditation is a period of time that we dedicate without interruption to cultivating mindfulness by sitting or lying down and paying attention aspects of our experience such as the breath or sensations in the body.
It is not a way of achieving a ‘blank mind’ state or stopping thinking, both of which are impossible. It is a way of becoming aware of our thoughts rather than always being controlled by them and by doing this we change our relationship with our thoughts.
By practising Mindfulness and meditation we can learn to be more balanced through life’s ups and downs, responding skilfully when difficulties arise, engaging with what is most important to us, and opening up to moments of joy, contentment and gratitude.
A few misconceptions
Meditation is not about emptying the mind or achieving a ‘blank’ mind state. On the contrary the aim is to deliberately notice and be aware of the activity of our mind.
It is not about trying to stop thoughts from happening, which is actually impossible! We’re trying to become aware of our thinking and by doing so we change our relationship with our thoughts.
Meditation is not about trying to achieve a ‘bliss’ state. We just sit and be aware of whatever is happening in our experience and steady the mind by focusing on a single sensation such as the breath. But by practising regularly, you will notice that you begin to feel calmer and more at ease in life.
You don’t have to join a religion or go away to a monastery in the mountains to experience the benefits of meditation. It is suitable for everyone regardless of faith or background and is perfectly suited to modern life.
Evidence that Mindfulness Meditation works
Research indicating the positive effects of Mindfulness meditation practice is growing. Since 1982, more than 25,000 people have studied Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course which has allowed him to carry out numerous research studies in collaboration with Professor Richard Davidson.
Mindfulness meditation’s integrity has been reinforced by two randomized clinical trials that show that MBCT reduces the rates of depression relapse by 50% (published in The Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology) and in 2014 a systematic review of Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being showed that combining tapering of medication with MBCT is as effective as an ongoing maintenance of medication.
Research evidence regarding the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions continues to grow as studies around the world show. For more information on the science of mindfulness, see this comprehensive guide to the research on the effects of mindfulness and meditation for our health, psyche, and overall quality of life.
The Benefits
The following are just some of the acknowledged benefits of mindfulness meditation:
Reducing stress
Reducing chronic physical pain
Boosting the body’s immune system to fight disease
Coping with painful life events, such as the death of a loved one or major illness
Dealing with negative emotions like anger, fear and greed
Increasing self-awareness to detect harmful reactive patterns of thought, feeling and action
Improving attention or concentration
Enhancing positive emotions, including happiness and compassion
Increasing interpersonal skills and relationships
Reducing addictive behaviours, such as eating disorders, alcoholism, and smoking
Enhancing performance, whether in work, sports or academics
Stimulating and releasing creativity
Changing positively the actual structure of our brains
The emerging research on mindfulness makes it sound like a cure-all for whatever ails us, and perhaps it could be considered a simple solution for complex problems. For many people mindfulness practice is an excellent adjunct to other approaches they may be using to promote health and wellbeing.
(Taken from the book ‘Fully Present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness’ by Susan L. Smalley, PhD and Diana Winston.)
“Meditation is the only intentional, systematic human activity which at bottom is about not trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, but simply to realise where you already are.”
— Jon Kabat-Zinn