MINDFULNESS: WHAT IS IT, AND HOW CAN IT HELP ME?
Mindfulness is both a formal meditation practice and an approach to day-to-day living, based
originally on Buddhist philosophy but adapted for secular practitioners. It teaches moment by moment
relaxed awareness of breathing patterns, bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions and external
stimuli, helping the practitioner to remain fully conscious in the “here and now” instead of living life
on “autopilot”.
What do I mean by “autopilot”? Well, have you ever arrived at a destination, having been so
preoccupied that you remembered nothing about the journey? Or have you eaten a meal without
really tasting the food, because your thoughts were elsewhere? Then you’ve been on autopilot! In
fact, we can often find ourselves living most of our lives in this way, constantly focusing on the next
item on our “to do” list, or dwelling on the past, and never fully being in the present .
Most of the programmes run in the West are based on the work of pioneering work of Jon Kabat-
Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre and the Mindfulness Based Cognitive
Therapy developed by Segal, Williams & Teasdale in the UK and Canada. There is a 20+ year history
of the effective use of Mindfulness in treating stress, depression, anxiety and the psychological
effects of chronic pain; this includes a number of clinical trials that produced the following results:
Anxiety disorders: significant reduction of symptoms in 20 out of 22 patients
Depression: relapse reduced from 78-36% in patients with 3 or more incidents of depression
(maintained over the course of a year)
Significant improvements in ability to cope with chronic pain and related negative body
image, low mood and inactivity. Decrease in use of pain-relieving drugs
Improvements in self esteem; these were ongoing 15 months after the termination of the
programme.
Some forms of meditation aim to quieten the mind and distract it from negative thoughts and
feelings by focusing the attention on a specific object, such as a lighted candle, or a mantra.
Mindfulness is not a distraction technique; participants are taught to recognise & accept whatever is
present for them in a calm, non-judgemental manner, and to recognise the link between thoughts,
feelings and behaviour so that they are in a better position to choose an effective response,
particularly at times of excessive pressure. Mindfulness can therefore:
Improve resilience to stress or depression or chronic pain, by helping people manage their
reactions better
Increase general satisfaction and enjoyment of life, improving mood and self esteem
Encourage focused awareness, improving effectiveness in work and personal life and
facilitating effective decision-making
Increase relaxation (though it is not specifically a relaxation technique)
Programmes generally consist of 8 weekly sessions (1.5 to 2 hours long) plus a one-day intensive.
Sessions include instruction in a range of Mindfulness meditation practices and gentle movement.
Participants need to practice daily between sessions, and CDs and a workbook are provided.
Chris Bowles, Breathing Space Personal Growth Ltd
Mindfulness programmes starting in Bristol on 6th May and 17th September 2010. For details contact Chris
Bowles on 0117 3732168 or visit the Breathing Space website, www.breathing-space.biz
