Practicing Mindfulness Dr. Anomi Bearden
Outline Mindfulness vs. mindlessness Mindfulness practices Try mindfulness meditation (focused breathing) Benefits of focused breathing & mindfulness meditation MBSR program Benefits of consistent mindfulness practice Growing popularity of mindfulness Mindfulness in everyday life Try loving-kindness meditation exercise Great resources
Mindlessness vs. Mindfulness Many of us go through life waiting for something to happen in order to make us happy or content. We miss experiencing life as it happens. True well being is not going through life on autopilot, but being aware and present moment to moment to truly experience your life as it unfolds. mindfulness is an active search for novelty, whereas mindlessness involves passively zoning out on automatic pilot attributable to repetitive behaviours. - Ellen Langer, PhD (Social Psychologist at Harvard) (Compton & Hoffman, 2005; Snyder, Lopez, & Pedrotti, 2011)
On Autopilot: Automatic vs. Controlled Thinking Automatic Thinking is unconscious, unintentional, involuntary, effortless. Most of our thoughts and actions throughout the day tend to be automatic/habitual. Controlled Thinking is effortful, requiring motivation and mental energy/capacity. We have a finite amount of mental/psychic energy (can be taxed due to stress, lack of sleep, etc.). (Aronson, Akert, Wilson, & Fehr, 2011)
Mindfulness Mindfulness is paying attention to one s ongoing experience in a way that allows openness and flexibility (Compton & Hoffman, 2005). It requires us to: - overcome desire to avoid uncertainty - override automatic behaviours/reactions - avoid evaluating ourselves, others, situations (Snyder, Lopez, & Pedrotti, 2011)
Mindfulness Mindfulness cultivates a relaxed state of awareness that observes both the inner world of thoughts, feelings and sensations, and the outer world of constantly changing phenomena without trying to control anything (Kabat-Zinn, 1990). You must be present to love, or experience peace, or joy, or contentment. When you are here you can have the experience of your life. Jon Kabat-Zinn (Kabat-Zinn, 2009).
Mindfulness Practice Mindfulness involves formal & informal practice. Formal practice: Time dedicated daily to meditation or mindful movement practices (e.g., yoga). Informal practice: Meditation is done continuously with one pointed focus on each task. Being completely present IN the moments of our lives. (Kabat-Zinn, 2009)
Common Mindfulness Practices Mindfulness Meditation* Mindful Breathing* Mindful Eating Mindful Movement (Yoga) Mindful Walking The Body Scan Technique Loving-kindness Meditation* (Kabat-Zinn, 1990; 2009)
2 Components of Mindfulness Practice Self-regulation of attention: sustain attention to immediate experience inhibit secondary elaborative processing switch attention to desired focus Openness to experience: Curiosity Acceptance Avoid resistance (Bishop, Lau, Shapiro, Carlson, Anderson et al., 2004)
Components of Mindfulness Meditation Intention: Commit to a dedicated and regular practice Attention: Observe contents of experience Attitude: Manner of observing experience (Shapiro & Carlosn, 2009)
Elements of Mindful Attitude Non-judging impartial witness, observe without categorization Non-Striving non goal-oriented, remain unattached to outcome Acceptance acknowledge things as they are in this moment Patience simply allow things to unfold Trust trust in yourself & your experience (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009)
Elements of Mindful Attitude Beginner s Mind/Openness see things fresh as if for first time Curiosity interest, exploration, investigation. Letting Go not holding on to thoughts, feelings, experience Gentleness soft & considerate, but not passive or undisciplined Non-reactivity respond with consciousness and clarity Loving-kindness friendliness, benevolence, love (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009)
Simplified: The COAL Approach The COAL approach to mindfulness (Siegel, 2007) is to consistently watch here and now experience with: Curiosity Openness Acceptance Love Daniel Siegel, M.D. (Harvard Medical School & UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Centre)
Mindfulness Meditation Increases grey matter in left prefrontal cortex area responsible for higher thinking (Holzel et al., 2008) May be the most useful way to improve emotional & physical well being (Compton & Hoffman, 2005) Benefits experienced in a short period of time & increase with frequency & consistency (Carmody & Baer, 2009) 3 days meditating 20 minutes/day can impact perception of & sensitivity to pain (Zeidan, Gordon, Merchant, Goolkasian, 2009)
Importance of the Breath Most common focal point of awareness in meditation 15 minutes of focused breathing lowers negative mood and decreases reactivity to stressful stimuli (Arche & Craske, 2006) Can generate feelings of joy (Hendricks, 1995) Can activate genes responsible for countering stress response (Duesk et al., 2008)
Focused Breathing Meditation Breath-focused meditation exercise 3 points of breath awareness: nostrils chest belly
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn developed MBSR program at University of Massachusetts Medical Center. MBSR common form of medicine for a variety of health problems. MBSR classes taught by physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists, as well as other health professionals. Patients/clients take on responsibility for doing inner work in order to tap into their own resources for growing and healing. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) focuses on depression & training to recognize & manage the relationship between depressive moods & negative thought patterns. (Kabat-Zinn, 2009; Compton & Hoffman, 2005)
Mindfulness enhances: Classroom learning (Ritchart & Perkins, 2002) Working memory functions (Jha et al., 2010) Ability to focus/concentrate (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009) Musician performance (Langer, Russell, & Eisenkraft, 2009) Marital satisfaction (Burpee & Langer, 2005) Self-awareness & positive emotions (Brown & Ryan, 2003) Empathy (Shapiro, Schwartz, Bonner, 1998)
Mindfulness enhances: Affiliative trust & oneness motivation (Weinberger et al., 1990) Self-regulation skills (Evan, Baer, & Segerstrom, 2009) Hardiness (Kabat-Zinn & Skillings, 1989) Regulation of heart rate (Delizonna, Williams, & Langer, 2009) Immune system functioning (Davidson et al., 2003) Physical health outcomes (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009) Pain management (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009) Subjective well being (Jacob & Brinkerhoff, 1999)
Mindfulness reduces: Use of stereotyping (Djikic, Langer, & Stapleton, 2008 Negative effects of social comparison (Langer, Pirson, & Delizonna, 2010) Experience of stress (Shapiro & Carlson, 2009) Anxiety & worry (Miller, Fletcher, Kabat-Zinn, 1995; Mohan, Sharma, & Bijlani, 2011)
Mindfulness reduces: Depression (Shapiro, Scwartz, & Bonner, 1998) Symptoms of cancer, insomnia, multiple sclerosis (Epstein, 2003; Grossman, 2010) Negative affect (Jha et al., 2010) Impulsivity and habitual behaviours such as those in addictions, eating disorders, and borderline personality disorder (cf. Boyce, 2011)
Growing Popularity of Mindfulness - Every year well over 100 new studies are published on the effects of mindfulness in a wide array of domains and disciplines. - Mindfulness training is offered at over 250 medical institutions in the US including leading medical centers (e.g., Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, Duke Center for Integrative Medicine). - Hundreds of health care professionals are applying MBSR to problems ranging from anxiety and drug addiction to cardiovascular disease, chronic pain, cancer, insomnia, and many more (Chang et al., 2010; Chen et al., 2010; Matousek & Dobkin, 2010; cf. Compton & Hoffman, 2005)
Really doing what you are doing: Mindfulness in everyday life Mindfulness influences the mind (thoughts & emotions) and body (nervous system activity) in a positive direction for optimal health outcomes. Be fully present in your life experiences with moment to moment awareness. Mindful breathing Mindful eating Mindful walking Mindful parenting Mindful working
Cultivating Loving-Kindness Loving-Kindness Meditation Exercise
Great Resources Compton, W. C., & Hpffman, E. (2005). Positive psychology: The science of happiness and flourishing. Wadsworth Cengage Learning: Belmont CA Kabat-Zinn, J. (2009). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Fifteenth Anniversary Edition. The Program of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. Delta Trade Paperbacks. Bantam Dell: A Division of RandomHouse Inc. New York. Shapiro, S. L., & Carlson, L. E. (2009). The art and science of mindfulness: Integrating mindfulness into psychology and the helping professions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Publications.
Great Resources Snyder, C. R., Lopez, S. J., & Pedrotti, J. (2011). Positive psychology: The scientific and practical explorations of human strengths (2 nd Edtn.). SAGE: Thousand Oaks, CA. Boyce, B. (2011). The mindfulness revolution: Leading psychologists, scientists, artists, and meditation teachers on the power of mindfulness in daily life. Shambhala Sun Books: Boston MA Siegel, D. J. (2007) The mindful brain: Reflection and attunement in the cultivation of well-being. Mind your Brain Inc. W. W. Norton & Co: New York, NY