Part 1: What is Mindfulness?
“Mindfulness is awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. It is one of many forms of meditation, if you think of meditation as any way in which we engage in (1) systematically regulating our attention and energy (2) thereby influencing and possibly transforming the quality of our experience (3) in the service of realizing the full range of our humanity and our (4) relationships to others and the world.”
(Mindfulness for Beginners by Jon Kabat-Zinn)
Meditation is a formal way to practice mindfulness. Other formal practices include a guided body scan and walking meditation. Informal mindfulness practice can include a variety of activities in which you direct your attention to the present moment, placing yourself in your physical body, and often times away from the chaos of a distracted mind.
For this course, we will refer often to the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn, especially from his book, Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness.
Jon Kabat-Zinn is an American scientist and professor who studied at MIT and created the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
He created the center to bring what he learned about mindfulness to the medical community. His "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)" program continues to be the benchmark in the United States in bringing secular meditation to our modern society.
Learn more about him and MBSR here.
Step One: Read
Please read the The Introduction and Part 1: Meditation: It's Not What You Think, that you can easily access for free , on Amazon with the "Look Inside" feature.
Step Two: Spend Time with the Experts
“What mindfulness slowly brings to our understanding is how much our experience is shaped by our minds. To have that insight as a personal experience rather than something one reads in the growing body of scientific literature on the subject is transformational. It loosens that reactivity which can trap us in a limiting loop, and allows for very different responses which can manifest in all kinds of ways – greater creativity, more empathy, more patience, less judgment.”
Continue to Part 2 Below
Part 2: Why Mindfulness?
Now that you have a better understanding of Mindfulness, let's explore some of the reasons why it's so important into today's world and what the health benefits can be.
Image from Executive Medicine
The Age of Stress and Anxiety
We live in a world where anxiety and depression disorders are on the rise, as well as feelings of constant stress. These can have negative effects on the quality of our mental and physical health.
Digital Distraction and Instant Communications
Thanks in part to our always-on technologies, we are people bound to an endless stream of instant information. We turn to our devices to distract us away from our inner lives. This seems to have a direct link to our unhappiness.
“Happiness, whether consisting in pleasure or virtue, or both, is more often found with those who are highly cultivated in their minds and in their character, and have only a moderate share of external goods...”
The rhythm of breathing directly impacts neural activity in a network of brain areas involved in smell, memory and emotions. (The Guardian, Dec. 2016)
The Benefits of Mindfulness
Reduced rumination
Stress reduction
Boost to working memory
Focus
Less emotional reactivity
More cognitive flexibility
Relationship satisfaction
Image provided by Elephant Journal
Continue to Part 3 Below and Start Meditating
Part 3: Meditation Practice
If you're ready, find a quiet place to spend the next 15 minutes with our "Guided Sitting Meditation."
Attitudes of Mindfulness
Non-judging: Not getting caught up in our ideas and opinions, likes and dislikes.
Patience: An understanding and acceptance that sometimes things must unfold in their own time.
Beginner’s Mind: Seeing things with fresh eyes, with a clear and uncluttered mind.
Trust: Trusting in your intuition and your own authority.
Non-striving: Trying less and being more.
Acceptance: Coming to terms with things as they are.
Letting Go: Letting our experience be what it is. (From Full Catastrophe Living, Kabat-Zinn)
“...non-doing, the domain of true meditation, in which it looks as though nothing or nothing much is happening or being done, but at the same time, nothing important is left undone, and as a consequence, that mysterious energy of an open, aware non-doing can manifest in the world of doing in remarkable ways.”
Tips for Your Practice
* Set realistic expectations: start your practice with 10 minutes a day, moving evenutally up to 15 mintues and then 30 minutes.
* Routine: Deciding on the same time to practice each day can ensure that you dedicate the time.
* Finding Space: it is helpful to know that your time will be quiet and uninterrupted. If you need to, communicate with those that you live with to avoid frustrations.
* Patience: be patient with yourself, your ruminating mind, and your possible discomfort as you start your practice. There is no final end point.
Resources and Extras
We've gathered some of our favorite books, videos, and other resources to help inform your mindfulness journey in discovering some of the experts and contemplatives in the field. Feel free to purchase the items anywhere, but for your convenience, we've offered some easy links.
Meditation Apps:
Mindfulness Books:
How to Meditate
A Simple Meditation Practice
Sit comfortably. Find a spot that gives you a stable, solid, comfortable seat.
Notice what your legs are doing. If on a cushion, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. If on a chair, rest the bottoms of your feet on the floor.
Straighten your upper body—but don’t stiffen. Your spine has natural curvature. Let it be there.
Notice what your arms are doing. Situate your upper arms parallel to your upper body. Rest the palms of your hands on your legs wherever it feels most natural.
Soften your gaze. Drop your chin a little and let your gaze fall gently downward. It’s not necessary to close your eyes. You can simply let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
Feel your breath. Bring your attention to the physical sensation of breathing: the air moving through your nose or mouth, the rising and falling of your belly, or your chest.
Notice when your mind wanders from your breath. Inevitably, your attention will leave the breath and wander to other places. Don’t worry. There’s no need to block or eliminate thinking. When you notice your mind wandering gently return your attention to the breath.
Be kind about your wandering mind. You may find your mind wandering constantly—that’s normal, too. Instead of wrestling with your thoughts, practice observing them without reacting. Just sit and pay attention. As hard as it is to maintain, that’s all there is. Come back to your breath over and over again, without judgment or expectation.
When you’re ready, gently lift your gaze (if your eyes are closed, open them). Take a moment and notice any sounds in the environment. Notice how your body feels right now. Notice your thoughts and emotions.
Additional Guided Meditation
MAP Mindfulness Programs
MAP Mindfulness is dedicated to an ongoing exploration and discussion about mindfulness in today's world.
Our goal is to provide individuals and groups with tools to help them navigate through life with Meditation, Awareness, and Pause.
We are dedicated to providing mindfulness programs to children, teens, their parents, adults, caretakers, and many others.
Our work takes into account recent research in neuroscience and other disciplines to best develop and deliver mindfulness practices.