Mindfulness means being completely conscious of one’s surroundings and circumstances through all of one’s senses. Being mindful is to be totally aware of what is going on around us, with the people around us, as well as what is going on within us – our emotions. It is a psychological concept of the recent times.
Mindfulness has its origin in ancient Buddhism, though as a concept it has gained popularity in recent times, mostly owing to the teachings of Jon Kabat Zinn. Of mindfulness training.
What is mindfulness training?
Mindfulness training is one of the most popular techniques employed today for helping one to lead a balanced life and control restraining emotions. It helps one to learn how to control one’s feelings during difficult but everyday circumstances.
As we wake up each day, most of our activities are mechanical- working out, having breakfast, working through the day, taking care of home and various activities of children- mostly everything happens automatically. We don’t usually pay much attention to what we are doing, how we are doing it, or if there is some other way to do the everyday routine task. The same applies to our reactions to the various situations we face in day to day life. Our minds are auto wired to react in specific ways when we are faced with specific crises.
Often times we fantasize having reacted differently to a particular situation, in a way which would have caused us less grief or pain. Though when the similar situation would arise again, we would be sure to react as we did in the past, setting up a cycle of negative destructive behaviour, which would lead to a cycle of remorse. Unresolved feelings lead to stress, depression and anxieties of every kind, which prevent us from living our lives to the fullest.
Through mindfulness training, a person is taught to be extremely aware of each and every second of what is going on around him and within him. A person is made responsive to each and every emotion that arises in him. This helps the individual to take a balanced approach to whatever is troubling him. He is able to pay close attention to his responses and monitor them, rather than reacting in pre-defined destructive ways. Thus the person is able to govern his behaviour leading to his own happiness, rather than behaving in a set pattern defined by external factors.
That is the reason it is fast becoming one of the most used procedures for treating symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve general wellbeing and health of individuals.
How this is done
Where Buddhism teaches mindfulness through meditation techniques and the five-aggregate model of the mind, Jon Kabat Zinn developed an MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) program for teaching the practice of mindfulness training. Different teaching centres follow their different criteria for training clients in mindfulness.
Benefits of mindfulness training
1. It is effective in reducing stress and worries and unnecessary rumination about the past
2. Helps to handle difficult situations in life
3. Helps to balance life in a better relaxed way.
4. Helps to recognise and do away with depressing unwanted behaviours.
5. Mindfulness training is used to alleviate symptoms of many physical ailments as well.
6. It improves the general wellbeing of a person practising it.
Where can you get mindfulness training?
Healthy Mind works offers an 8 session mindfulness training course, during which patrons are taught both theoretically and practically, the various techniques involved in becoming conscious to ourselves and our surroundings. Interactive meditation CDs and home exercises are also provided to impart greater knowledge.