Learning outcomes. Aim of the course. Course content 14/03/2013. Introduction to mindfulness: reducing stress and enhancing wellbeing

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1 Learning outcomes By the end of today you will have: Used some aspects of mindfulness that can help reduce stress and enhance wellbeing Introduction to mindfulness: reducing stress and enhancing wellbeing Discussed some of the key uses of mindfulness Considered some of the benefits of mindfulness Identified your own future needs 3 Aim of the course To identify key mindfulness skills used to reduce stress and enhance mental wellbeing Course content Overview of mindfulness Benefits of mindfulness Settings where mindfulness is used Key mindfulness concepts and practices Practicing mindfulness Philosophical considerations 2 4 1

2 What is mindfulness? Benefits of mindfulness Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: On purpose In the present moment Non-judgmentally Mindfulness practice trains your nervous system to know itself better and interfere with itself less Mindfulness is an inherent human capacity, we all possess it, and use it to some degree Benefits of mindfulness: Improved emotional regulation (reduces emotional dysfunction) Improved patterns of thinking (reduces negative thinking) Improved relationships with others Patience, non-reactivity, self-compassion, wisdom Body function improvements: Healing Immune response Stress reactivity Sense of physical wellbeing (Davidson, Kabat-Zinn, Schumaker, Rosenkranz, Muller et al., 2003) 5 7 Why Mindfulness? To be free from physical and emotional suffering To derive fulfilment (from physical/emotional pleasure) To change habits (that have negative consequences) To understand deeply who (and what) we are To joyously serve our fellow beings To improve concentration Research findings Non-reactivity to inner experience (perceiving feelings and emotions without having to react to them) Observing/noticing/attending to sensations, perceptions, thoughts and feelings (remaining present with sensations and feelings even when they are unpleasant or painful) Acting with awareness (not on auto-pilot), concentration, nondistraction Describing/labelling with words (easily putting beliefs, opinions and expectations into words) Non-judgmental of experience (not criticising oneself for having irrational or inappropriate emotions) 6 8 2

3 Where is mindfulness used? Psychotherapy Meditation Yoga CBT (anxiety, depression and psychosis) Stress reduction (MBSR) Pain management Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) Action and commitment therapy (ACT) Well-worn neural pathways may take time to change 9 11 The brain Neurons that fire together, wire together When your mind changes, so does your brain (e.g. London cabbies) Left frontal activity linked to happiness Use your mind to change your brain 100 billion neurons The brain Each neuron connects to 5000 others Neurons fire 5-50 times per second Uses 20-25% of oxygen and glucose Mind is made by brain, body, natural world and culture, and the mind itself The mind is what the brain does

4 Stress Evolution (SNS/HPAA) Survival value (is essential) Outside of awareness (automatic) Life is more stressful now Conscious support of the process Reducing suffering Are you suffering? We also suffer that we suffer: Upset about our pain Angry about dying Sad about waking up Are you suffering? Worry about the future? Regret the past? Blame yourself for the present? Frustrated by what you don t have? Disappointed by what you ve lost? Top-down pre-conceptions Whenever we say should and ought to, we are engaging in top-down activity These are the ways in which our memories, beliefs and emotions shape our bottom-up, direct sensation of experience Kindness to ourselves can help us break out of this prison

5 The simulator Some discomfort is unavoidable Each of us lives in a virtual reality constructed by our brains that matches the world out there closely enough that we don t bump into the furniture Ultimately, happiness comes down to choosing between the discomfort of becoming aware of your mental afflictions, and the discomfort of being ruled by them Simulations make you suffer They pull you out of the present moment The simulator isn t accurate They may contain untrue beliefs Playing these clips repeatedly strengthens problematic neural connections Non-judging 7 pillars of mindfulness Patience Beginner s mind Trust Non-striving Acceptance Letting go

6 Mindfulness practice is not selfindulgent it allows us to develop a set of skills that enhance the capacity for caring relationships with others (to their and our benefit) COAL Curiosity SIFT Sensations Openness Images Acceptance Love Feelings Thoughts This is what it can be like moving around the edge of the circle

7 Discernment This is what its like at the centre of the circle A process that allows us to see that your mind s activities are not the totality of who we are Dis-identification from the activity of mind Seeing SIFT as waves on the surface of the mental sea Simply noticing these mental waves at the surface as they come and go Allows us to disentangle ourselves from our mental chatter, see it as just an activity of the mind Helps to alleviate suffering A sea of sensations Being mindful entails sensing what is, even sensing our judgments and noticing that these sensations, these images, feelings, and thoughts, come and go If you have a COAL stance, the rest will simply follow 3 rules: Join the dots using 4 lines The lines must be straight Join the dots They must form one continuous line

8 Mindful presence Mindful presence Loving kindness How we approach the world How we see the world How we react to the world Relaxed And calm Based upon our different experience of our mental constructs and behaviours we can set our intention to approach the world differently That approach can be one of loving kindness Intentions Our mental Constructs and behaviours Beliefs and reactions Mindful presence Coming back to the breath allows us to: Become calm and relaxed and thus Be more open to experience and view and consider our experience more fully Become more aware of our beliefs and reactions and the mental constructs and behaviour patterns we are used to Loving kindness Is it possible to not feel compassion for our fellow human beings when we realise that every single one of them (and us) will die? Irvin Yalom

9 Loving kindness Mindfulness formulation in CBT Requires that we take full account of reality The only possible response to ourselves and our experience, and of others and their experience Moves us towards an experience of living in which we experience less suffering by Mindful response (clear awareness) Acceptance Turning towards the difficult Letting go Unpleasant sensation Distressing reaction (lost in reaction) Experiential avoidance Rumination, worry confrontation Judgement Loving kindness Allowing us to become more aware of our beliefs, attitudes and behaviour Allowing us to be more aware of the brain s impulse to react so that we can choose instead to respond mindfully Allowing us to identify signs of stress and depression and act upon them before they act upon us Meeting needs Autonomy (dreams, goals, values, plans) Celebration (life, births, marriage, death) Integrity (authenticity, creativity, meaning, self-growth) Physical Nurturance (air, food, movement, survival, rest, sexual expression, shelter, touch, love, water)

10 Play (fun, laughter) Meeting needs Spiritual (beauty, harmony, inspiration, order, peace) Interdependence (acceptance, appreciation, closeness, community, consideration, contribution, emotional safety, empathy, honesty, love, reassurance, respect, support, trust, understanding Where do you go from here? Further reading: Rick Hanson & Richard Mendius, Buddha s Brain Daniel J. Siegel, The Mindful Brain Mark Williams & Danny Penman, Mindfulness: A Practical Guide Web resources: Other considerations Nourishing and depleting activities? Nutrition Sleep Movement (exercise) Relationships The future (keep it alive) Do something different Keep practicing 38 10