Mindfulness with a “dash” of History and a “side” of Science
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the art of awareness and the ability to pay attention to the here and now with acceptance and non-judgment. The goal is to be an unbiased observer. Sounds simple, right? Well, that’s easier said than done for many of us, and it’s not abnormal to quit in the process of trying mindfulness due to frustration. You’re not alone; modern society has conditioned us to be human doings which often distracts humans from just being. What do I mean by that? Throughout human history, eras like the Industrial Revolution supported our evolution toward becoming more task and production-oriented. Don’t get me wrong; this has allowed us to expand our intelligence as a species and build systems we depend on today like manufacturing and infrastructure—the list could go on. It has also created an expectation and, in some cases, an urgency to always be doing something. Leaving little time just to relax and be, making it difficult for the mind and body to find solace within our fast-paced world. This feeling is what many of us describe as feeling stressed, overwhelmed, fatigued, or anxious.
Thankfully, mindfulness research has increased over the past decade. Neuroscience and psychology studies have been highlighting the benefits of engaging in mindfulness regularly. Mindfulness practices have been linked to reducing the amygdala stress response, which promotes better self-regulation (Jerath et al., 2012). For reference, the amygdala is comprised of two small almond-sized portions of the brain. It is responsible for our primitive “fight/flight/freeze” response and houses circuits that engender fear, love, bonding, anger, and aggression- just to name a few. Although small in size, it packs a mighty punch when it comes to our daily functioning. Incorporating mindfulness into our daily routines can support building healthier neurological pathways, also known as neuroplasticity. This is the difference between responding to a stressful situation rather than just reacting.
The ambition many of us have is to find that balance between doing and being. Well, I’m here to support you and make the practice of mindfulness less intimidating and more tangible. It’s first important to highlight that mindfulness is a practice. Just like trying to learn anything new, the mind must get a couple of “swings at it” before we start hitting home runs. Learning how to be more mindful is like trying to learn a new language. It would be naïve of us to think we should be able to speak Latin fluently after only studying it for 2 weeks… or even 2 months! Engaging in this practice is an intentional commitment but rest assured in knowing that you may be engaging in mindfulness already! Have you ever caught yourself staring off into “nothingland” without a thought or care on your mind… just staring? To then be interrupted by your friend snapping in your face! If you’ve ever been there, that’s your mind innately connecting to mindfulness… taking a break to just be. Even though we may forget, the mind forever knows we are human beings first! We have a foundation of mindfulness; some of us just need to dust it off a bit and nurture it through the intentional practice of awareness. Your practice doesn’t have to belong. When just starting out, it’s wise to keep it short and sweet.
Let’s jump into a practice now; this exercise is called taking a mindful SEAT. I learned this during a professional mindfulness training hosted by Dr. Christopher Willard, PsyD of Harvard. First, try to find a comfortable seated position while observing your breath… no need to change the way you’re breathing; just observe what’s happening. As you become this unbiased observer, ask yourself...
S - what SENSATIONS are present in the body right now?…
E - what EMOTIONS are present right now?...
A - what ACTIONS are being triggered… are there urges to ACT?...
T - what THOUGHTS are present at this moment?...
Be curious as you observe your SEAT, no need to do anything… just be with the experience. This exercise can last 2 minutes or one hour; that is up to you. GOOD juju TIP: This exercise can be practiced at any time, but many may find it helpful to engage when feeling uncomfortable or unsure.
Until next time, be well.
Reference: 1)Jerath R, Barnes VA, Dillard-Wright D, Jerath S and Hamilton B (2012) Dynamic change of awareness during meditation techniques: neural and physiological correlates. Front. Hum. Neurosci.6:131. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2012.00131
