Mindfulness meditation has gained attention for reducing stress, calming the mind and emotions, and in many cases helping relieve pain. Mindfulness meditation is simple in theory: we take the time and energy to pay attention to our sensations and emotions. Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, has called this giving ourselves loving kindness. Between the pace of daily life, work stress, and the constant pull of screens and notifications, most of us could use a little more of that.
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Mindfulness Practice
Mindfulness is a practice you can do anywhere, which makes it well suited to doing at home (at least when the kids are sleeping). I frequently recommend mindfulness meditation for my patients with chronic pain, insomnia, digestive issues, and general unease. I find it can help calm and reduce many types of pain, and it’s particularly helpful for those with chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
The goal of mindfulness meditation isn’t to make you healthy. The goal of mindfulness meditation is to be mindful, in itself. The health benefits come along with it. It’s not often we engage in an activity without a specific goal in mind. This gives us time simply to be, and through being we enhance our care, tenderness, and love for ourselves.
There are many schools and approaches to mindfulness meditation. I like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) because it’s accessible, non-religious, and something everyone can do. It centers on paying attention to your body and sensations to train the mind. This approach was founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who has many recordings and lectures on mindfulness.
How to practice mindfulness:
Mindfulness meditation, like all good things in life, takes practice. One of the most important lessons is that it’s not just about sitting and breathing. Mindfulness is a way of being conscious of our whole selves and experiences. It’s normal for your mind to wander during practice. Gently bring it back to focus.
There are many good resources to get started. I like the website FreeMindfulness.org, which has a wide variety of meditations. One of my favorites is a meditation on the breath called Body Scan by Vidyamala Burch of Breathworks. It’s about 15 minutes, a good length to start with, and focuses on feeling the breath. Because you’re conscious of the breath and the diaphragm, it helps encourage diaphragmatic breathing.
If you’re ready to take a full eight week MBSR course, there are teachers all over, and there’s also a free online course that includes all eight weeks of the material along with a wide array of other resources. For those who like listening to podcasts, the Rubin Museum has a wonderful meditation podcast with a rotating cast of teachers.
Start with a regular practice, and understand that it isn’t easy at first. Gradually you’ll improve and become more adept at finding your focus.
