By Debra Disney, MSEd, LCPC, and Counselor at Methodist College
Do you ever wish you could be content and peaceful with life just as it is in this moment? This is not implying that we should give up on our dreams for the future. Please keep those! However, it is possible to be at ease today even before the dreams of tomorrow happen, particularly for individuals who practice mindfulness meditation.
What Is Mindfulness?
Many people have answered this question in a variety of ways. One description is that mindfulness has three distinct aspects: being aware, being in the present moment, and not judging.
Being aware simply means that the mind and body are in the same place at the same time. If your body is driving, your mind is noticing aspects of driving rather than wandering to other topics. If your body is eating, your mind is noticing aspects of eating rather than watching TV.
In the present moment means that your thoughts are not wandering into the future or the past, but instead, your attention rests on the here and now.
Not judging implies totally accepting the situation as it currently is and not judging the self, others, or circumstances as good or bad or right or wrong. This does not imply giving up individual preferences. For example, a practitioner of mindfulness might still prefer classical music, but if she walks into a store where country music is blaring on the loudspeaker, she does not cause herself suffering by rushing to judgment about what the music should have been.
Why Practice Mindfulness?
For many, emotions can cause life to feel like a roller coaster with high highs and low lows. For practitioners of mindfulness, difficult circumstances still occur, but the emotional reaction tends to be more balanced.
There is ample evidence from research studies to indicate that mindfulness can reduce insomnia, anxiety, phobias, depression, increase compassion and empathy, and help people with ADHD improve the quality of their attention. For more information on empirical evidence of the benefits of mindfulness, a suggested resource is the work of Dr. Richard Davidson at www.centerhealthyminds.org/science/overview. His Center for Healthy Minds is located at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. His latest book is entitled The Emotional Life of Your Brain.
How Can an Attitude of Mindfulness Become a Way of Life?
The short answer is that it takes practice. A musician would not wait until performance day to learn a new song. Nor is it useful to wait until a time of trauma to learn how to manage emotions. The brain does well what it does often. In order to approach life mindfully (being aware, in the present moment, and not judging), the brain needs practice. One way to practice mindfulness is by carving out a few minutes each day for mindfulness meditation. There are several guided meditations available on YouTube by searching the keywords “Jon Kabat-Zinn” and “mindfulness.” Choose the one that is a good length for you. Happy practicing! Happy peace!
Methodist College offers expanded degree programs in Nursing and Health Science. For more information, visit www.methodistcol.edu, or contact the admissions department at 309-672-5513.
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