“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 on purpose, without judgement to the present moment. This kind of awareness encourages greater awareness, clarity and acceptance of present-moment reality. With regular practice it enables us to respond skillfully to life events and situations, as opposed to simply reacting from habit.

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).

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Mindfulness means:

·  Gently bringing our attention to the present moment, noticing our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and experiences as they naturally come and go.

·  Letting go of dwelling on the past or overthinking the future, and instead fully waking up to the here and now.

·  Observing what we notice without judgment or criticism—simply allowing things to be as they are.

·  Shifting out of autopilot mode and into a more experiencing mode, becoming more present and connected.

·  Easing feelings of stress and anxiety through mindful practices.

·  Discovering new ways to approach and manage physical or emotional challenges.

·  Cultivating a sense of calm and balance, even amidst the fast pace of modern life.

·  Exploring what truly matters to us and feeling able to live in alignment with our values.

·  Learning to savor life more deeply, appreciating the richness of each moment.

·  Developing greater compassion for ourselves, those around us, and the world we share, while creating space for more joy and balance in daily life.

A few misconceptions

Mindfulness meditation is not about emptying the mind or achieving a ‘blank’ mind state. People often have the wrong idea about this and decide mindfulness isn’t for them because they have a busy mind. Well, the good news is that we all do!

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.

It is not about trying to stop thoughts from arising, which is actually impossible!

We’re gently training our attention with a sense curiosity and care and becoming aware of when our mind wanders. By doing so we can change our relationship with our thoughts, feelings and emotions.

Meditation is not about trying to achieve a ‘bliss’ state. We sit or lay down and be aware of whatever is happening in our experience and steady the mind by bringing attention to sensations in the body or the movement of the breath. By practicing regularly, you will notice that you begin to feel calmer and more at ease in life.

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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

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.)

    • 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

“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