Finding solace in mindful meditation
Mindfulness is knowing and paying attention to what is most important in the present moment. Mindfulness also involves remembering, but not dwelling in memories. It means readjusting our attention and awareness fully and wholeheartedly to the present moment. A basic definition of mindfulness is ‘moment-by-moment’ awareness.
Mindful meditation- breathe in; breathe out while focusing on your breathing all the time! It’s as simple as that, but the upshots are magnificent.
Some 2,500 years ago, an Indian philosopher who called himself ‘Buddha’ (meaning a person who is awake), found this technique of relieving mental agony. It still works and much research has been done regarding this process of mindful meditation.
In clinical circles, meditation has become one of the most researched psychotherapeutic methods (Walsh& Shapiro, 2006). Although neuroscientists like Sigmund Freud could not tolerate mindful meditation of the easterners and Franz Alexander(1931) wrote a paper entitled ‘Buddhist Training as an Artificial Catatonia’, Carl Jung displayed a lifelong curiosity about Eastern Psychology.
Neuroimaging techniques suggest that mindful meditation is associated with ‘changes in the anterior cingulate cortex, insula, temporo-parietal junction, frontolimbic network and default mode network structures.
It has been suggested that the default network of the brain can be used as a potential biomarker for monitoring the therapeutic effects of meditation. Cardiologist Herbert Benson(1975) was known for using meditation to treat heart disease.
Although Sri Lanka is a country with a majority of Buddhists, so far only a few researches have been done on mindful meditation.
One was by Prof. Ranil de Silva, which was presented at IBRO-APRC conference held at the Department of Anatomy, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. He has identified EEG changes associated with mindful meditation.
The term mindfulness is an English translation of the word sati. Sati implies awareness and attention.Brown and Ryan(2003) define awareness and attention under the covering of consciousness: Consciousness encompasses both awareness and attention. Awareness is the background ‘radar’ of consciousness continually monitoring the inner and outer environment. We may be aware of stimuli without them being the centre of attention.
Attention is a process of focusing conscious awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience(Western,1999).
In actuality, awareness and attention are incorporated, such that attention continually pulls ‘figures’ out of the ground of awareness, holding them focally for varying lengths of time(p.822)
Mindfulness is knowing and paying attention to what is most important in the present moment. Mindfulness also involves remembering, but not dwelling in memories.
It means readjusting our attention and awareness fully and wholeheartedly to the present moment. A basic definition of mindfulness is ‘moment-by-moment’ awareness. Other definitions include ‘keeping one’s consciousness alive to the present reality’(Hanh, 1976,p.11); the clear and single-minded awareness of what actually happens to us and in us at the successive moments of perception’(Nyanaponika, 1972,p.5); and ‘the awareness that emerges through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment’(Kabat-Zinn, 2003,p.145).
Ultimately, mindfulness cannot be fully captured with words because it’s a subtle, nonverbal experience (Guna-ratana,2002).
There are levels of practice of mindfulness. People will concentrate on what they are doing at the present moment: How they are feeling.
Even when they are angry, they can feel that they are angry and be aware of it and pay attention to it. That is the mindfulness of the person who feels moments of awareness, and attention at a given moment of perception.
On the other hand, in a yogi, or a person who concentrates on his breathing for long hours at a stretch, with his eyes closed, in calm and quiet surroundings, the mind picks up minute details of mental activity. The following instruction is an example of intensive meditation practice.
Should an itching sensation be felt in any part of the body, keep the mind on that part and make a mental note itching——. Should the itching continue and become too strong and you intend to rub the itching part, be sure to make a mental note intending.
Slowly lift the hand, simultaneously noting the action of lifting and touching when the hand touches the part that itches. Rub slowly in complete awareness of rubbing.When the itching sensation has disappeared and you intend to discontinue the rubbing, be mindful of making the usual mental note of intending.
Slowly withdraw the hand, concurrently making a mental note of the action, withdrawing. When the hand rests in its usual place touching the leg, touching (Mahasi, 1971,pp.5-6)
Mindfulness is not the goal, it’s only the path to cessation of suffering. As mindfulness deepens, wisdom and compassion are likely to arise, and these qualities naturally lead to psychological freedom (Germer & Siegel,2012).
Riddance from repetitive thinking frees us to see ourselves as we are; how impermanent everything really is; we are no longer concerned with the petty insults or unpleasant day-to-day activities.
Mindfulness can be used to treat a wide range of disorders, from psychosis (Brachler et al, 2012; Langer; Cangas,Salcedo, & Fueites,2012) to stress management at the work place (Davidson et al 2003). Mindfulness has a place in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, Humanistic/ Existential Psychotherapy, Behavioral Medicine and Positive Psychology.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a common type of mental health counselling and it helps you to become aware of inaccurate or negative thinking , so you can view challenging situations more clearly and respond to them in a more effective way.
CBT can be very helpful in treating mental disorders such as anxiety or depression. It can help any person to better manage stressful situations.
If we look at the worldwide statistics of substance abuse disorders for which Humanistic/ Existential Psychotherapy can be used as a method of therapy, the harmful use of alcohol results in 3.3 million deaths each year.
On average, every person in the world aged 15 years or older drinks 6.2 litres of pure alcohol per year.
Less than half the population (38.3%) actually drinks alcohol.
At least 15.3 million persons have drug use disorders. Injecting drug use in 148 countries of which 120 HIV infection among this population. And positive psychology helps a person to realize how to lead a worthwhile life.
Thus, in a world wrecked by a multitude of mental disorders, a person could find solace in mindful meditation.