Mindfulness is the practice of focusing your awareness on the present over and over again.
Can be practiced during meditation or during everyday activities such as cleaning, walking, etc
The job is to get the mind to think, analyze, and figure things out
It is a way to train the mind to focus on the present moment
The goal is to have the mind be dissolved
Mindfulness benefits:
Improve cognitive ability
Slow brain aging
Reduce stress, anxiety, depression symptoms
Increase of sense of well being
Help with pain management
Improve quality of life for those with chronic conditions
2019 study meditators who went 40 days of mindfulness meditation had changes in brain structure (gray matter and cortical thickness, which is linked to lower depression scores)
2020 study found that meditation practitioners between 24 and 77 have lower rates of brain tissue loss
How to do it:
Focus on your breathing, paying attention to the inhalation and exhalation
Start by becoming aware of your breathing
Your mind will wander, but bring back your attention to your breath without judging yourself for wandering
Repeat over and over again, practicing for a set amount of time or throughout the day
Other ways to practice:
Mindful therapy
Holistic therapy: approach that considers the whole person, including personal history, beliefs, culture
Ex: Reiki, breathing exercises, hypnosis
Idea that thoughts, emotions, and actions are connected
Doesn’t focus on the past, but focuses on recognizing how your thoughts and feelings can lead to distress
Focuses on self awareness and reflection and how to redirect thinking and behavior
Mindfulness is a way to empty the mind. If practiced regularly, it can lead to a more vivid experience of life itself.
