Introduction to Mindfulness The aim of this brief document document is to provide you with an introduction to mindfulness and to help you in establishing a daily mindfulness practice. What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is a particular way of paying attention to yourself and your surroundings. It s based on being curious and kind towards all the thoughts feelings and sensations that arise, regardless of whether they are pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. Cultivating this particular type of attention can lead to a greater sense of ease and wellbeing, and this comes about through developing a direct and open relationship to things as they are. For some people this can be quite a different way of seeing themselves and the world, particularly if they believe that they need to be fixed in some way; that who they are right now isn t good enough, and that there is some kind of idealised version of themselves that they need to become in order to be happy. A definition of mindfulness I often return to is : Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to things as they are From The Mindful Way Through Depression, Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, Jon Kabat-Zinn. There are a few key things to note in this definition of mindfulness. On purpose we pay attention in a deliberate manner to what is happening, and we stay with what we are observing. So if you were brushing your teeth mindfully, you would keep Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 1
your attention on the sensations of brushing, the taste of the toothpaste, the sounds. Mindfulness is an intentional activity, and not about mentally drifting around. In the present moment we pay attention to what is happening right now, this very breath, this very body, these feelings, these thoughts not the events of yesterday, or the plans for tomorrow. There is nothing wrong with recollecting the past or planning for an event in the future as such, but it is possible to miss a great deal of what s going on if you are caught up in the past and the future. Non-judgementally this means to cultivate a sense of allowing and permission towards your experience of what is happening right now, regardless of whether you like it or not - this is where the rubber meets the road. This acceptance of your present moment experience is a starting point, not an end point as such. What is conveyed in this point could be summed up in the sentence This is what is happening right now, and it s happening regardless of whether I like it or not. Rather than get caught up in mental resistance, what is called for in this moment? What Mindfulness Isn t Being mindful is not about having a mind free of thoughts, it's not about achieving special mental states, and it's not about only feeling happy all the time that s just not being realistic. Wanting these things is a valid reason to start practice, and it acknowledges that how you ve dealt with things to date may not be ultimately working out, but at some point it will become clear that trying to get rid of unpleasant thoughts and feelings is actually what s causing the problem, not the thoughts and feelings themselves. This however doesn t mean that you cease acting in the world. You do what you need to do, but it becomes more out of responding skilfully to a situation, rather than reacting out of habit. Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 2
The Work of Mindfulness Simply put, your job is just to pay attention to what you can directly experience here and now, and allow that experience to be as it is. Working from this basis, you actively participate in the world. It can seem somewhat paradoxical allowing things to be as they are, and yet still act in the world and we ll be exploring this over the next few weeks. What you may start to find is that the struggling against difficult thoughts, feelings and physical symptoms actually creates more problems than it solves. Mindfulness practice helps you to see things in a broader context; to see that pain, stress and illness may happen to you, but they don t have to define who you are or dictate how you live in the world. Mindfulness is a fundamental act of kindness and courage. It takes courage to stay with difficult thoughts and feelings, and in that staying with what arises (and allowing it to be present) is a type of radical kindness. You are ok and complete as you are. Sure you can learn more skilful ways of dealing with life, but you are not a broken unit that needs fixing. In developing a mindfulness practice, it s good to work at your own pace, and to get assistance when you need to. This can be from a therapist or counsellor, a friend, or an experienced meditation or mindfulness teacher. Whilst mindfulness has its origins in Buddhism, it is not necessary to be a Buddhist, or have any religious or spiritual beliefs to practice mindfulness. Perhaps everything terrible is in its deepest being something helpless that wants help from us. -Rainer Maria Rilke Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 3
Cultivating a Mindfulness Practice Mindfulness can be cultivated through formal and informal practices. A formal practice is one done for a set period of time on a regular basis, for example, mindfulness of breathing, or the body-scan. Informal practices involve bringing mindful attention to regular activities such as eating or washing your hands, and can include practices such as the S.T.O.P. practice shown below where you deliberately interrupt what you are currently doing. Formal practice Breath awareness 10 minutes Sit comfortably Pay attention to the process of breathing This can be the sensation of breathing at the nostrils or the rise and fall of the abdomen. When you realise that your attention has wandered off, gently and patiently come back to observing the breath. Informal Practice - Walking Whilst out walking, pay attention to the sensation of your feet touching the ground. When you realise that your mind has wandered off, gently and patiently come back to observing the sensations of walking. Informal Practice - S.T.O.P. breathing space STOP what you re doing. TAKE a breath, focusing on the sensations of breathing. OBSERVE what is going on. o What am I thinking? o What am I feeling? o What am I sensing? PROCEED and respond from this perspective. Adapted from A Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Elisha Goldstein and Bob Stahl Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 4
Getting Started One of the common issues I talk to people about is around motivation to start and continue a mindfulness practice - this is a perennial issue and is also one that I work with as well. What motivates one person to practice won t necessarily have any spark for another, but in general terms there are two key things that come to mind - being specific and being consistent. To get moving you ll need to make choices with both of these things, and it s important that you write these choices down. It cements in what you re going to do, and gives you something to refer back to when you check how you re going. The templates in this section will help you be specific and consistent with your practice. Being Specific - Set up your When, Where and What. The more specific you are in setting yourself up to practice, the greater the likelihood of you actually doing it. There are three things you can be specific about that will help you establish and maintain your mindfulness practice setting the When, Where and What. When - What time specifically will you do your formal practice? 6:30am? 11:00am? 9:00pm? Where - Where will you do your practice? As much as possible, you need to pick a spot (in advance) where you are not going to be interrupted - this may mean practicing before others wake up, or after they go to bed. What Firstly, What practice are you going to do as your regular practice? Mindfulness of Breathing? Bodyscan? Secondly, what are you going to do beforehand? If you are going to practice in the morning, it can be good to have a quick shower first to wake you up a bit, maybe have a cup of tea or a glass of water. The Where, When and What worksheet at the end of this booklet has multiple lines for you to fill in. This is in recognition of the changes that happen over time. You might find that the choices you first made don t actually work for you, so rather than just stopping, revisit your Where, When and What, look at what you want to do differently, write those choices down and start again. Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 5
Being Consistent Practice everyday, with the practice that is the best fit for the day. There are two things you can do to help with building consistency Chart Your Progress and Pick Your Practice. Chart Your Progress Keeping track of your practice is important. If you miss a few days it s easy to forget when you last practiced, and then before you know it you ve stopped completely. Using the attached Mindfulness Calendar (included at the end of this workbook), if you mark off the days when you do your practice, you know what s going on. If you miss a few days, no big deal, you just start again and tick the box for that day. It s good to put the Mindfulness Calendar up somewhere you ll see it everyday such as on the fridge or the back of the toilet door. Formal Practice is when you set aside a period of time to be mindful of breathing, walking etc. Informal Practice is when you do things like brush your teeth or have a cup of tea mindfully. You can also use the included Practice Log worksheets to go into greater detail with tracking your day to day experience with Formal mindfulness practice. This is helpful, but not essential. Filling in the Practice Log worksheets can help you to see things like what happens when you practice in the morning compared to during the evening, or what happens during your practice when you are say going through a busier than usual period at work or at home. Pick Your Practice Different practices are suitable at different times. A mindful walking or mindful movement practice may be better suited to the times when you re feeling tired and a bit over-stretched. A mindfulness of breathing practice or a body-scan may be better for when you ve got more energy and are feeling more settled. It s important to be responsive to where you re at and work with the resources and energy you have. Also, it s better to do a short practice of even a few minutes than it is to miss a day. Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 6
Attitudinal Foundations Getting the right orientation to mindfulness practice is crucial. Working with the seven attitudinal foundations below will help you keep heading in the right direction. 1. Non-Judging - Taking the stance of an impartial witness to your own experience. 2. Patience - Letting things unfold in their own time. 3. Beginner s Mind - A mind that is willing to see everything as if for the first time with fresh curiosity and vitality. 4. Trust - Developing a basic trust in yourself and your feelings. Trusting in your own authority and intuition, even if you make some mistakes along the way. 5. Non-Striving - Paying attention to how you are right now however that it is. Just watch. 6. Acceptance - Seeing things as they actually are in the present. If you have a headache, accept you have a headache. We often waste a lot of time and energy denying what is actually happening. 7. Letting Be - Seeing the possibility of moving out of the perpetual human tendency to want to hold on to the pleasant and get rid of the unpleasant. Adapted from Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 7
Resources Books Goldstein, E., Stahl, B., 2010, A Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Workbook, New Harbinger Publications Kabat-Zinn, J., 1990, Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, Delta Kabat-Zinn, J., 1994, Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation for Everyday Life, Piatkus Saltzman, A., 2014, A Still Quiet Place. A Mindfulness Program for Teaching Children and Adolescents to Ease Stress and Difficult Emotions, New Harbinger Websites www.bordermindfulness.com - Border Mindfulness provides training in Mindfulness for Individuals and Groups. http://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-practice/mindfulness-the-basics - Getting started with Mindfulness practices http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/home/index.aspx - Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society http://www.mindfulexperience.org/newsletter.php - Mindfulness Research Monthly Disclaimer The Introduction to Mindfulness workshop includes training in relaxation, mindfulness and meditation methods as well as gentle movement practices. Material provided is of an educational nature and is not a substitute for professional care nor a therapeutic relationship. Participants understand that if for any reason they are unable to, or think it unwise to engage in these techniques or exercises either during the workshop or at home, they are under no obligation to engage in these techniques nor will they hold Border Mindfulness liable for any injury incurred from these exercises or through participation in the workshop or at home. Introduction to Mindfulness Border Mindfulness page 8