Summary
Learning to be ‘mindful’ is a key skill for improving well-being … even with just 8 minutes of daily practice. Try it out here with a few videos.
OnAir Post: Mindfulness Works!
About
Introduction
Learning the mindfulness technique facilitates learning to be more self-aware. It’s a crucial first step to starting to use other behavior change skills. Please watch Dr. Marsha Linehan, founder of DBT (a variation of the theme of CBT), discuss what’s involved in the skill of Mindfulness.
Understand your Brain
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation is NOT the same as a ‘relaxation skill’ – which quiets down your central nervous system … to relax when you’re too jazzed up with anxiety or too charged up to fall asleep.
Videos #1 – #5 explain and demo mindfulness meditation (and 1 for relaxation):
(1) Animation explains (simply) what mindfulness meditation is
(2) Animation shows how mindfulness meditation works
(3) Jon Kabat Zinn demonstrates ‘mindful’ practice;
(4) Brian Schwartz explains its value for getting out of obsessive loops
(5) Judson Brewer explains its value for stress management and breaking a self-defeating habit.
Video #6 demonstrates a skill to bring on the ‘relaxation response’ (to calm your nervous system):
(6) David Carbonell demonstrates the quickest relaxation skill that is science-based – slow belly breathing
(7) Fascinating article on the different benefits of different meditation types
(1) What is/Why to use mindfulness
(2) How it works
(3) Jon Kabat-Zinn demonstrates it
Learning to be ‘mindful’ is the first step in managing your moods. Below is a quick sampler of Dr. Kabat-Zinn’s instruction. He founded the scientifically-validated Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) class at UMass. Their first study showed that a brief mindfulness practice boosted the immune system of patients — reducing the physical symptoms of psoriasis.
The full MBSR course is given at many universities. Locally, I recommend the one at George Washington University. I also recommend the MBSR course led by Stan Eisenstein, MSW, given in DC and Maryland at different times of the year.
Another option is to take the ONLINE Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course (produced by JKZ’s Center) – from the convenience of your own home! To date, more than 20,000 patients have completed the MBSR program at UMass, which they now offer LIVE-Online as well. Worldwide, there are more than 740 MBSR programs in hospitals, clinics, and at free-standing programs serving the needs of tens of thousands of people on six continents. Also, you can experience MBSR online – FREE of charge.
Another option is to try out Headspace, a computer-based (or an app for the phone) program that walks you through mindfulness – easily/briefly. It’s free. Many people find it a helpful way to get started, especially to see what it’s like before trying out the MBSR course.
(4) Jeffrey Schwartz, MD – You Are Not Your Brain
One of the most important things we learn from mindfulness practice is … You are not your thoughts (you notice that you are having a thought), you are not your feelings (you notice that you are having a feeling), and ultimately, you are not whatever your brain automatically throws at you.
We can choose to focus on what is most important to us. We use our ‘wise mind’ to choose. It’s essential to realize the difference between your autopilot brain and your wise mind.
See more interesting videos related to mindfulness by Dr. Schwartz.
More about the Default Mode Network
(5) Breaking an old habit
Can we break bad habits by being more curious about them? Psychiatrist Judson Brewer studies the relationship between mindfulness and addiction — from smoking to overeating to all those other things we do even though we know they’re bad for us. Learn more about the mechanism of habit development and discover a simple but profound tactic that might help you beat your next urge to smoke, snack or check a text while driving.
It’s never too late to start! It’s proven … Just 8 minutes of daily practice will change your brain, for good.
See more interesting studies from the American Mindfulness Research Association. For instance, MBSR has been found to be cost effective for Low Back Pain.
(6) Breathe: The simplest relaxation skill
David Carbonell demonstrates slow deep breathing. You will want to use this behavioral tool to help yourself to relax your central nervous system – to reduce anxiety – or to simply wind down from the day (before sleep) when you’re jazzed up.
7) Benefits of different types of meditations
What Type of Meditation Is Best for You?
One of the most in-depth meditation studies to date shows that different practices have different benefits.
More about Mindfulness
Dan Harris (not an animation) debunks 3 misconceptions about mindfulness meditation …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM2CP7A3HKk
Dan Harris cites studies showing mindfulness can grow gray matter in your brain to change the “Default Mode” and to help you be happier …
Well-Being is a Skill
Modern neuroscience teaches that we can train our brains to have more well-being; it’s a skill to learn. Watch a thought-leader in the field of neuropsychology, Dr. Davidson, talk in Part I … about the science of well-being and in Part II … the 4 constituents of well-being, including the importance of practicing mindfulness.
