Mindfulness at a glance
Mindfulness is a Buddhist practice that has been adapted for western mental health purposes mainly to reduce stress and anxiety and develop coping skills. The essence is to focus on one thing at a time, to just breath when you are breathing, or just eat when you are eating. It is about being awake and not letting life just pass by. By being here, in the present moment, and not dwelling on the past or speculating about the future. It is not a relaxation technique and does not aim to change our thoughts or empty the mind, but rather develop awareness of the body, mind and environment and how these are all connected.
A range of practices which increase our attention of the present moment by purposefully increasing our awareness of internal and external sensory information such as thoughts, emotions, communication, stress responses, difficulties, pain and distress are involved.
Such practices can help reveal habits, patterns and unconscious practices we engage in without thinking, and provide us with the capacity to better handle situations while learning from each moment not through judgement, but through curiosity and understanding. In other words, the aim is to develop an awareness that arises from paying purposeful attention to the present moment non-judgmentally. Mindfulness can help us develop concentration, focus and enhance mental stability by directing our thoughts and attention, and purposefully grounding us in the present moment.
Although stress is always likely to be present in our lives, by getting to know and understand ourselves and our bodies we may be able to develop awareness and prevent ourselves from falling into the same reactive patterns, but rather devise tools to help us meet stress in a more adaptive way, so as not to be overwhelmed and improve our coping skills and responses.
Through the use of mindfulness strategies we can re-balance ourselves biologically and in this way skillfully meet unbalanced moments. This is supported by a large amount of research which has found evidence of the important biological effects mindfulness practices can have. Take a look at the research section to know more.
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Sitting meditation is the second form of formal meditation used in mindfulness. It often uses the breath as the central focus of the practice. But at times it can incorporate awareness of sounds, bodily sensations, thoughts or feelings.
The first formal meditation practice in mindfulness is body scan. The purpose is simply to notice your body. There is no need to relax it, although this may happen the aim is just to become aware of it without avoiding or distracting ourselves from any painful areas. In this exercise you will accept and notice with gentle curiosity your body in its comfort and discomfort.
Mindful yoga incorporates mindfulness into yoga. It is different to traditional yoga practices in that there is less of a focus on the exact posture achieved and more focus on body/mind awareness.
Three formal practices
MBSR
Mindfulness based stress reduction
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a blend of meditation, body awareness, and yoga: learning through practice and study how your body handles and can resolve stress neurologically.
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"Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives.
It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment."
- Jon Kabat-Zinn
MBSR
How or when to do it
Mindfulness can be done through formal practices,
such as meditation or by incorporating mindfulness into everyday practices such as brushing your teeth, walking or even eating.
There are three main formal practices used in mindfulness, body scan, sitting meditation and yoga.
Three formal practices
Tell me more
The 3 main qualities involved in mindfulness are:
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attention, so choosing to be awake
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intention, making that purposeful choice
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and an attitude that is open and curious
​With these attitudes the aim is to create a healthier relationship with our experience by
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developing awareness of the body, mind and environment.
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being present in the moment here and now.
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increasing focus and attentional control.
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being embodied and aware of body and mind.
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and by accepting our own and others feelings, thoughts, actions
Mindfulness does not aim to change or eliminate thoughts but rather accept them and understand them and be compassionate with ourselves and the rest of the world.