Mindfulness

Does anyone know anything about Mindfulness? More specifically, what were your experiences like (if you've practiced it) either in group sessions, or......?

My pdoc mentioned that i might benefit from it. We have group sessions at my University, and she gave me a list of books that are related to it.

My understanding is it is kind of like a form of meditation? I've never done that either ... although, it would probably be beneficial as my mind seems to be always running all over the place.

Thanks
Jacq

The word mindfulness itself has seemed to me at first approach to signify some kind of New Age, Politically Correct rightthink. But I think it actually can relate to a state of mind where you are, or try to be, aware of what your feelings are, why you are reacting to daily events the way you are, trying to examine what is happening in your own mind and the minds of others -- in as calm, searching, inquisitive, even "respectful" way as you can manage. This applies to all kinds of thoughts and feelings that may strike you or others as way beyond the pale, at the very least. However weird or frightening thoughts and feelings seem, to try to examine them, to find out what they are, what they mean.

Not easy.

Mindfulness is just totally paying attention to whatever it is you are doing, being mind-ful of it instead of yourself or anything else.

Broadly, it's about action rather than feeling. How we feel can't do anything, only what we do "matters" and what we do is based on what we think, our mind, and what it's doing.

It's about focus and seeing what is in front of us in all of its myriad beauty and detail.

I like this mental health use of it: http://www.todoinstitute.org/

Mindfulness in the therapeutic sense is like a meditation technique that we can use in times of stress.

It's a bit dificult to describe it here on the net. I'll have a go at explaining how I use it, but there are many ways of doing it.

So, if you are feeling a bit stressed out, kinda like a storm going on around you. Find a quiet comfortable place to sit. Notice the feeling within you, notice the feelings around you. Be aware of all those feelings. So instead of denying the storm, you sit in the centre of the storm. You are safe within the centre of the storm as it whirls and twirls around you. Gradually real in the storm, that belongs to you. During the meditation process the storm/ whirlwind was let out, gradually real in the bits that belong to you. Gradually you will feel calmer, more at ease and able to go on with your work. This process can take between 10 to 20 minutes.

There are other mindfulness techniques that I use. The one above helps me, I hope this helps you too.

Thank you all so much for your responses!
I gathered it was a form of meditation - or along the same lines as - but i wasn't quite sure how to go about doing it.

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pegasus said:
So instead of denying the storm, you sit in the centre of the storm. You are safe within the centre of the storm as it whirls and twirls around you. Gradually real in the storm, that belongs to you. During the meditation process the storm/ whirlwind was let out, gradually real in the bits that belong to you.

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I really, REALLY like that way of looking at it. Especially the part of being right in the center, and then taking in the parts that belong to you. You did a very good job explaining it

Has anyone read the book "Wherever you go, there you are?"
It was one of the one's pdoc recommended ...

i practice Shambhala, a form of more secular Buddhism. The main focus is mindfulness. You train your mind through meditation to calm the constant chatter and become more aware of your surroundings, your feelings, you in the real world,right now.

you talk a walk down the street and at the end you dont remember any of the walk, you remember what you were thinking about. we go on autopilot. Mindfulness, loosely, would be learning to pay attention, to be here and now... look at the world around you and notice.

the benefits are not about knowing what colour the third neighbour down has painted their fence... it's about pulling ourselves outside of that inner chatter and engaging the world and even other aspects of ourselves. It's exactly why getting busy doing something eases anxiety.. it pulls your mind away from that dialogue in your head.

when we are mindful the world becomes a larger place. IME mindfulness can bring a great deal of calmness, and can help you manage your emotions and thoughts better.

> we go on autopilot.

I think mindfulness is simply being in a state where all our thoughts and perceptions are freely available to us, and not where most of that is shut off and we are, as you said, on autopilot, blanking out our real thoughts and perceptions because we have been taught (forced) to not know them.

"Mindfulness" is being fully aware of where you are and what you are doing at the time. It's being focused fully on the task at hand, and all that it encompasses.

That means we aren't multi-tasking!

I try to do it all the time, as it really is the best way to live for me. It creates safety, a sense of calm, and gives me a purposeful view of life.

How? Safety... I need to be aware of where I am walking, how I am walking etc or driving as the case may be... if I misstep I can really injure myself and go into a pain flare. I can trip on a shag carpet...and if I'm not mindful of my going, I can even trip on a step that isn't there. (neuropathy does this.) It keeps me from bumping into walls in my haste, or from "near misses" when driving. It kept me from running over a police officer getting into his car just last week. (He was in the right hand lane and was obscured by a truck as I was changing lanes.)

Sense of calm... I can be at peace in what I am doing. Keeping other concerns from my mind while I am performing a task not only is a good focus, but shows me that I can do this task, and can complete it. It allows me to dispense with any anxiety over having to do a task, or other worry about it. It keeps me from worrying about future tasks not yet done.

Purposeful view of life... when I am focused on the here and now, I am not dwelling in the past, nor concerned over the future I don't know yet. It gives me a sense of capability because I can do what I am doing right then, I can live...in fact I AM living right then, and doing just fine. When I am not dwelling on the past, or the what if's or what might have beens, nor worried about what else is coming my way, or what will be expected of me, then I can be at peace. My life "right now" is good. Even now as I type this, see? Being mindful that I am ok. I'm sitting and typing a reply to try and share the good things about being mindful. I have my pain managed. I only need to finish my answer right now, and all is good.



Let me know if you wish to chat more on this.. .might be a good topic for a chat, what do you think?

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jacq10 said:
Has anyone read the book "Wherever you go, there you are?"
It was one of the one's pdoc recommended ...

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No, jacq, I haven't read the book (read an unfavorable review saying it was too "Buddhist" though :-) but here's the author's site:

http://www.umassmed.edu/content.aspx?id=41252

Sky:

> My life "right now" is good. Even now as I type this, see?

You are multitasking!

Hmm "THIS" is my life right now and there's nothing bad about it! I have no issues with living because I'm doing it, and doing it by replying. I'm sitting, thinking about this, typing .. and it's all good.

Wow .. this is all so interesting, really!

And i love the idea of just "being in the moment" .. but how exactly does one go about doing that? I mean i love the idea, and i sooo wish i were able to do it, but it's almost as if i can't focus my mind to just be with me in body. I'm trying to focus on something for example, but that triggers other thoughts (perhaps of similar feelings to what i'm experiencing) and then my mind travels off and i have to "pull" myself back to reality. "Jacqueline - STOP doing what you're doing, and just be HERE."

And I think thats probably by my pdoc mentioned something about it .... especially when it comes to self-destructive, or restrictive actions/thoughts. It's hard for me to just control what i'm thinking...

For example, i had an exam last week (Psychology of course ) and it took me so long to just read what the questions were asking. I'd read something, or see a word - i.e. anxiety, family - something that i relate a lot to, and BAM ... not in the exam room.

Probably sounds like ADD, but I'm sure i don't have that. I just wish i were able to better control my thoughts, as they're always a mess of the past and the future.

Sky - I think this actually might be an interesting topic for chat .... i know that i would like to discuss this further.

Read Full Catastrophy Living by John Kabat-Zin. He kind of launched mindfullness as a treatment modality in the west. Mindfullness based meditation was taught both in the alcohol treatment centre I went to and the psych hospital I was in. It basically means learning to focus intently on what you are doing at any one time, like breathing. I've got a couple of other self help books based on mindfullness. One is a mindful recovery, which is about overcoming addictions, and one is on depression Kabat-Zin is one of the authors along with 2 other people. He also has guided meditation CD's for beginners which I use and find really helpful.

--splitimage

Amazon has a lot about Wherever you go, there you are...both reviews from readers and things about the author and book..

http://www.amazon.com/Wherever-You-T...7236375&sr=8-1

I have been practicing mindfulness -- somewhat -- for about a year now. I began last year during a particularly stressful time in my life when my mind was also running, running, running......

I have read "Wherever you go there you are," by Jon Kabat Zinn and found it a beautiful book. It teaches mindfulness.

However, I also discovered Pema Chodron, a buddhist nun. Her books are beautiful and easy to read. The first of her books that I read was "When things fall apart." All of her writing is on mindfulness type techniques and meditations but I don't know if she uses that exact word.

To me, it is simply, being present in the moment, something that is very difficult for me.

I find it extremely helpful. I also use guided imagery meditation that feels like it is based on mindfulness prniciples. I get my tapes from www.healthjourneys.com and use recordings by Belleruth Naparstek.

Give it a try--you might like it!

Peace

(((jacq))) Perhaps the first thing to work on is grounding? There are many ways to ground yourself in the "room" or wherever you are... tips on that in the psychotherapy forum I think (sticky post?)

Being aware of your breath was first and foremost for me, now it's automatic. Breathe.... focus on your breathing...

TC!

Full Catastrophe Living was actually one of the other books that was suggested to me! I'm thinking that i might give that one a try too ...

Thank you all so much for your posts. They have been very helpful. Once i get these exams over with I'm definitely going to look into this some more!

You guys are all amazing
((((( hugs to all )))))))

and maybe i just don't see it .. but i can't find the sticky in regards to grounding ...

Top of the Post - traumatic Stress Forum.

i dont mean to interfere... mindfullness is a great topic.. there are many things happening in any given moment.. a lot to be mindful of!

i try to narrow down to a few prime "things" .. personal safety is always one... then there is safety of those around me.. followed by safety in a circular area around myself...

then i consider events.. top news stories of the day are good to be mindful of...

the emotions of those around me are good to be mindful of..

my breathing is good to be mindful of... it trains me to be aware of basics...

i try to know where the fire extinguishers are wherever i am..

i pay attention to strangers, are they friend or foe? to myself, or to others?

are there children in my vicinity? who is watching them? are they safe?

to name just a few!!!

Thanks Pegasus ... haha at first i thought you meant "On top of the Post - (entitled) Stress Forum" I was so confused! but i figured it out .. muchly appreciated !!

Nowhere, you are never interfering! That looks like a good list, I think i ought to do something similar to try and "narrow" these running thoughts down!
Thanks for sharing

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jacq10 said:
Has anyone read the book "Wherever you go, there you are?"
It was one of the one's pdoc recommended ...

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Yes, I checked it out from the library a couple of months ago and liked it quite a bit. I didn't read the whole thing, but a chapter here and a chapter there. The chapters are very short, some less than a page, so if you don't have much time like me, it is a good one for browsing. It is very Zen, so if you like that, you will probably like it. I would like to check it out again and read more when I have time.

I haven't read anything about mindfulness, or anything at all related ... any suggestions for "beginner" books? lol

sister, pema does in fact use that exact word.. her monastary is connected with the Shambhala group i mentioned. i have 2 of her books on my shelf somewhere... when things fall apart is a beautiful book. She's a wonderful speaker if you ever have the opportunity.

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unfavorable review saying it was too "Buddhist" though

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wow. just wow.