| Many practitioners in healing and mental health are | | | | living in their heads, thoughts can be extremely |
| now espousing the value and research-based | | | | seductive. It can be really challenging not to dive in and |
| effectiveness of mindfulness in helping people to | | | | follow them, so in my experience it is best to go back |
| manage stress, reduce anxiety, deal with depression, | | | | to the simplicity of physical sensation. |
| and be better prepared for life's challenges. | | | | Often the simple act of observing ourselves while |
| Mindfulness is a word that most of you have probably | | | | under stress can settle the symptoms too, although |
| heard, but some of you may be wondering: what is | | | | ultimately in true mindfulness this is not the goal: the |
| mindfulness, exactly? | | | | goal is to simply accept WHAT IS. |
| Mindfulness involves learning how to just BE WITH our | | | | This concept is a fairly radical departure from our |
| experience, without judging it, or trying to change it. | | | | mainstream Western approach which has taught us to |
| Even if our experience feels highly uncomfortable (no | | | | control or try to eliminate symptoms, often through |
| one likes feeling nervous about a job interview, or | | | | suppression of feelings, or with a trade-off of one set |
| angry at their spouse, or afraid of heights), if we can | | | | of symptoms for a bunch of side effects. |
| learn to observe ourselves, something about our | | | | In contrast, the mindfulness approach (which is in line |
| experience will shift. | | | | with many ancient traditions and their understanding of |
| In the extreme, someone who is dealing with the | | | | the mind) involves an attitude of living fully, having an |
| symptoms of anxiety or panic attack knows that | | | | embodied experience, and developing the ability to |
| those feelings can be very physically uncomfortable | | | | have pain without suffering! |
| and even scary. But what tends to happen with | | | | Practicing mindfulness doesn't have to be about only |
| anxiety is that people begin to be more afraid of | | | | unpleasant sensations either. For example, you can |
| experiencing the feeling of the physical sensations than | | | | practice being mindful when you are hugging your |
| the original thing they were fearful of, and get anxious | | | | spouse or your child by just letting yourself experience |
| about that, which creates...well, more uncomfortable | | | | the physical sensations. This will bring you fully into the |
| physical symptoms. Thus, anxiety can become a | | | | present moment, and helps you to better feel |
| vicious cycle. | | | | whatever is there. |
| The actual problem in anxiety or panic then becomes | | | | In this moment, right now, you can choose to feel your |
| AVERSION and AVOIDANCE of certain situations or | | | | legs and your buttocks against the chair, feel your |
| circumstances because of fear of the physical feelings | | | | breath coming into your body, and take a moment to |
| that arise in those situations or circumstances. | | | | just BE with what is. |
| A way to help short-circuit this loop--whether one is | | | | You can practice mindfulness in the morning and |
| feeling full-blown anxiety or just simple stress, fear, or | | | | before bed as part of a meditation practice. Stopping |
| anger--is to learn how to just watch and observe the | | | | and practicing BEING--instead of DOING--is ultimately |
| PHYSICAL SENSATIONS. | | | | rejuvenating for the body. |
| Mindfulness involves practicing investigative, | | | | Ultimately, mindfulness helps us develop an open, |
| non-judgmental self-observation of your physical | | | | curious, optimistic attitude towards our life experiences, |
| sensations, and emotions, and thoughts. | | | | which helps us to better learn, connect with others, and |
| For beginners, or for people who are very used to | | | | self-regulate. |