Mindfulness is just awareness. It’s awareness of what you’re doing. Awareness of what you’re sensing. Awareness of what you’re thinking. Awareness of what you’re feeling…
Why do people practice mindfulness?
That’s a lot to be aware of, isn’t it? But that’s the thing. You’re experiencing a lot, constantly. And your brain is dealing with a lot, constantly.
In order to keep up, your clever brain uses all sorts of automatic responses, like the fight-or-flight response to stress.
The only thing is, these automatic responses evolved when what we had to keep up with was being mauled to death by predators. Not always-on technology, fast-paced jobs and instant everything.
So when this stress response kicks in nowadays (and for most of us that’s constantly, too), it’s not very helpful. In fact, if anything, it creates more stress.
This might sound too good to be true, but here it comes anyway… practicing mindfulness meditation can help you become aware of your automatic responses so you can deal with everyday stress in a much more skilful way.
What are the benefits of mindfulness?
Need convincing? I did too. Luckily, there are loads of neuroscientists, cognitive psychologists and all sorts of other clever people researching the benefits of mindfulness and meditation.
And what they’re finding is good news! There’s now scientific evidence that regularly practicing mindfulness meditation:
- Improves concentration
- Improves your working memory (the memory which keeps hold of info just long enough for you to carry out the task you’re doing)
- Enables you to function better during very stressful situations
- Enables you to handle everyday stress better
- Allows you to handle emotions better
- Allows you to cope with pain better!
- Prevents depression and anxiety
- Prevents irritability
- Increases creativity
- Increases levels of happiness
- Speeds up reaction times
- Improves relationships and makes you more empathetic
- Boosts your immune system to keep you physically healthier, and
- Helps beat addictions
Convinced yet?
If not, this next section might help. Because I realise there are a lot of myths about mindfulness that could be off-putting…
What mindfulness is not:
Mindfulness is not new
It stems from Buddhism, a school of thought that began over 2,500 years ago. And similar meditation practices have been commonplace for donkeys years in other religions and cultures too.
It’s for the very reasons above – all that proof of its benefits on your health and happiness – that mindfulness has suddenly become a hot topic in the west.
But it’s not new. What’s new is just our understanding of it. I know it’s easy to shrug mindfulness off as ‘just another fad’. But I’m ready to bet this one’s here to stay…
You don’t need to be Buddhist to practice mindfulness
I’m fascinated by Buddhism. And for me, learning a bit about Buddhism has helped me ‘get’ mindfulness.
But this fascination is completely unnecessary. Mindfulness is a technique which anyone from anywhere can practice. It can complement your own religion or work just as well if you’re an atheist.
You know those clever people I mentioned above? They’ve found that you can practice mindfulness meditation without knowing any of its history, recent science or reasons for practicing and still experience its benefits.
It’s just the practicing that’s key.
Mindfulness is not just for people with ‘issues’
Whether you acknowledge it or not, the fast-paced, technology-filled, high-pressure society we live in is hard work. You might disagree, but your brain (and body) likely agrees.
Losing your keys, missing the bus, demanding deadlines, last-minute social plans, low phone batteries, rushing commuters, group chats, bills, running out of milk…
Has any one of these ever tipped you over the edge?
They might be little and entirely expected in the world we live in, but each one of these is a ‘stressor’. And each one will be firing your fight-or-flight response.
That’s exhausting for your brain and it’s taking its toll on your body. So you might be warding off depression well or keeping anxiety at bay, but instead of thinking “I don’t need mindfulness” it’s worth thinking “What can mindfulness do for me?”. (Prompt: see all the positive benefits above…)
You don’t have to burn incense sticks, sit cross-legged or hold an elongated ‘Omm’ to practice mindfulness meditation
In fact there’s thousands of small ways you can be more mindful in your life without meditating at all!
But if you’re after some of those benefits, you’ll need to practice regular (ideally daily!) meditation. So let’s be realistic, if we’re talking about daily practice, it’s got to fit into your day.
All that mindfulness meditation is, is a practice of being aware of what you’re experiencing now. So whatever the now is, whether you’re sitting, laying down, walking, running, commuting to work… you can meditate.
I don’t know about you, but my ‘now’ very rarely involves incense sticks.