The Mindfulness Movement: Going Beyond the Buzz to Discover its True Benefits
The term "mindfulness" has been gaining popularity as a buzzword in recent years, but this ancient practice actually has roots in the Buddhist tradition that date back thousands of years. So, what exactly is mindfulness and how can it benefit you? Despite its newfound popularity, mindfulness is much more than just a trend or social media buzz.
In this blog post, we'll delve into the essence of mindfulness and examine its potential to bring positive changes to our lives.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of bringing moment-to-moment attention to emotions, thoughts, and physical sensations with curiosity and acceptance of these internal experiences. There are two key principles of mindfulness:
1. Attention: Paying attention to the present moment. This may involve directing your attention to internal sensations, like observing your body, thoughts or how you perceive your environment.
2. Attitude: Being curious, open, and non-judgemental about the unfolding of your current experience. For example, instead of reacting to, or attempting to change your thoughts and experiences, accepting them as currently occurring.
How can mindfulness be helpful?
It is easy to get caught up in negative thoughts about the past (depression) or worrying about the future (anxiety). Engaging in mindfulness can reorient your attention to the present and, in doing so, derail symptoms of depression and anxiety.
In recent years, mindfulness has gained recognition as an effective form of psychological therapy, with a growing body of research supporting its therapeutic benefits. Researchers reviewed 97 studies and found that online mindfulness exercises were able to improve depression, anxiety, stress, and wellbeing. Additionally, there is new evidence suggesting that mindfulness may help alleviate chronic pain and manage autoimmune conditions or diabetes.
But how can being mindful lead to so many benefits?
Researchers believe that the ‘active ingredient’ of mindfulness is the non-judgemental, curious attention to perception which alters our stress response. When we are stressed, our brain triggers a series of bodily reactions including a pounding heart, higher blood pressure, accelerated breathing, and a tightening of muscles. Repeatedly triggering stress responses can have negative consequences for our mental and physical health including a weakened immune system, digestive problems and insomnia. Researchers hypothesise that mindfulness mitigates this stress response by promoting acceptance and relaxation, allowing us to ‘turn down the volume’ on distress.
Mindfulness activities you can try at home
Breathing. A very simple breathing exercise is taking a deep breath, holding it for two seconds, and then letting it out again. Repeat this ten times, focusing on the physical sensation of your breath. Notice your mind wandering off? Good! Without judgement, notice and accept this has occurred, and gently bring back the spotlight of your attention to your breath. This is mindfulness.
Walking. Find a quiet spot that is roughly 2 metres in length. Start slowly walking, paying attention to the sensation of your feet on the ground, your muscles activating, and the subtle movements of your body whilst walking. Aim to focus exclusively on your movement. Once you become proficient in this, try gradually increasing your distance and changing up your location.
Body Scan. The body scan is one of the most common activities for mindfulness beginners. Position yourself comfortably, close your eyes and focus your attention inwards. Let this attention move from your toes, all the way up to the top of your head, pausing at each body part along the way.
Take your time and ensure that you are simply noticing what is happening at each body part and without judgement. This will allow you to practice bringing your attention to the present and accepting whatever sensations you feel in that moment.
Practice!
Many people tell us that they have tried to practice mindfulness but can’t do it because they can’t “switch the mind off”. The things is, minds are made to switch off, and thoughts will always occur. Noticing this means you have achieved the task of noticing your internal experience. If you are choosing to focus on something else, such as your breath or internal sensations, simply congratulate yourself for noticing your attention has slipped to your thoughts and gently redirect yourself to the task at hand.
Our brain, like any other part of our body, gets stronger when used in certain ways regularly. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. Mindfulness can be a powerful tool in helping your physical and mental health.
Our psychologists at Person Centred Psychology are trained to help you train your mind so that you can be present with all your internal experiences and therefore turn down the volume of physical and emotional pain.
Author: Annabelle Welch