This week my t suggested teaching me mindfulness. I know others have tried it, is it like Zen meditation? It sounds like it from T descrpition, but we didn't have enough time to go any further. Using the cllective mind of the forum is there anything i can read that would be useful. Typing mindfulness in google i got lost in the results and could not separate worthwhile articles.

[NowhereUSA]

I'd recommend looking DBT mindfulness. It's pretty straightforward. Not meditative (although it can be) so much as building awareness of yourself, your emotions, and the world around you so that you can participate in an effective way.

[BlessedRhiannon]

My T uses a lot of the mindfulness techniques from DBT. I don't actually do DBT with my T, but it is one of her specialties, so she brings in elements that she thinks I might find helpful. Mostly, it's about being fully in the moment, rather than trapped in the past or obsessing about the future.

I've found it most helpful in dealing with panic attacks. It's also been useful for me when I start to dissociate. Also, if I'm starting to have racing thoughts and catch it early enough, mindfulness can help me to calm the thoughts a bit.

[Ididitmyway]

In the nutshell mindfulness can be understood as living with the heightened awareness and self-awareness at all times. It means that you are making your best effort to be aware of your feelings, thoughts, intentions, beliefs, as well as your surroundings, at each given moment. I don't know of any specific book or online source that could explain it in basic down-to-earth terms, but if you aren't familiar with the concept in general, try to find something that explains the basic philosophy of it, as opposed to descriptions of specific meditation techniques.

And yes, mindfulness as a philosophy and mindful living are the foundation of Buddhism, including Zen Buddhism. They use various tools and meditation techniques to increase their level of awareness and self-awareness. Yoga does the same but through somewhat different means, usually through specific physical postures that are coordinated with breath and held for specific periods of time.

The best thing to grasp it is through experience. If you have a meditation class for beginners or gentle/therapeutic yoga class in your area, take it. You will understand from experience much more than you can get from explanations.

[Ellahmae]

I just finished reading "Calming Your Anxious Mind" it has really helped me with mindfulness in respect to my attacks - I rather enjoyed it and it did help me understand more of what T meant when she talked about mindfulness. It goes over several meditations in the book (walks you through them) and discusses it in depth.

We used to Zen meditation with one enlightened nun at school. I'll search out "Calming the Anxious Mind"

[gayleggg]

Here is a link to a youtube video about mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn. He is one of the notable experts on mindfulness. I hope this helps explain it.

I really prefer to do breathing meditation, which is basically just paying attention on your breath going in and out. It lowers the heart rate and reduces anxiety.

Here is the method I use.
You will do at least 10 breath cycles, and each cycle will be comprised of three stages:

1. Inhale, count to 5
2. Hold breath, count to 7
3. Exhale, count to 9

When you breathe in, make sure that you're breathing in through your stomach first and your chest second. Don't perform this exercise if you have a heart condition.

[Lauliza]

I love yoga but have always had a hard time with meditation. DBT was more accessible for me and was the first and only way I could put the concept of mindfulness into practice. Everyone's different so it just depends on your own style and what resonates with you. Either way I don't think DBT workbooks alone would very useful as an introduction.

[Favorite Jeans]

My favorite mindfulness book is Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Han. It's short, divided into little accessible vignettes and is just the right combination of silly and serious.

Is Mindfulness really structured and logical like CBT? I can't do logic...very well

[scallion5]

i recommend the work by tara brach - you can google her

mindfulness is basically just noticing and accepting whatever is coming up, whatever you are experiencing without judgement or attachment. trying not to tell yourself why or explain or think too much, but to just name it, experience it a little, and notice it. emotions aren't good or bad, though you might notice pain or tightness in your chest or a weight or anything. mindfulness would ask that you sit with it and just notice. no judgement. just observing.

[WrkNPrgress]

I'm reading Full Catastrophe Living, bu Jon Kabat-Zinn about Mindful Based Stress Reduction. I highly recommend looking into it.

Personally speaking, meditation is simple concept but it's not as easy as people seem to think it would be and the effects, after some practice, are a lot more profound than anyone could suspect.

I've found that a lot of people misunderstand the core concepts. They're trying to hard to make it perfect. Or they're trying to get their mind to be quiet, or 'go somewhere else.' That's not the point, really.

There are some good beginner's podcasts by Jack Kornfield, Kabat-Zinn out there I would recommend looking up.