Blog

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness techniques can be a powerful tool to treat mental health problems, and improve our general wellbeing.

What does mindfulness mean?

Mindfulness literally means ‘paying attention’. A mindful state is one where we are focused on the present moment, not caught up in worries, troubling emotions, or the past or future. Being mindful is not about reaching a higher plain of existence, it’s about living in the moment. In practice, mindfulness is a set of techniques that can help us focus on the moment.

The idea is not to clear the mind, but to be aware of our own thoughts and feelings. We recognise where there are coming from, and can deal with them as a result. So instead of acting on our anger for example, we can simply recognise the feeling of anger, and respond to the feeling, rather than reacting blindly.

The Wandering Mind

Left to itself, the mind wanders through all kinds of thoughts and emotions – anger, frustration, self-pity, etc. As we indulge in these thoughts we reinforce them causing ourselves to suffer. Most of these thoughts are about the past or the future. The past no longer exists, while the future is just an idea until it actually happens. Most of the time we avoid the one moment we can actually experience – the present.

This animation explains it well:

When we practice mindfulness, we have a conscious intention of coming more into the moment and being more aware of your surroundings, your body, your emotions and especially your mind. It is bringing your mind back to the present moment when your mind wanders off or gets caught up in thoughts and emotions. We recognise that we have the power that we can take control of our mind and our thoughts. When your mind wanders off, you can continually bring your mind back to the present, to focus on and enjoy the present moment.

We can be in the present moment with acceptance, without resistance, without trying to control things that we have no control over, and letting things happen without being judgemental.

Mindful Parenting

As part of my counselling services I offer parenting support, and I find mindfulness very useful in this particular therapy. Mindful parenting keeps the parent in the present moment, keeping in mind what is truly important in our lives and our children’s lives. As a parent, the best gift we can give our children is to be fully present, in the moment. We can use mindfulness to manage stress and anxiety which gives us time to spend with our children and be fully present.

Benefits of Mindfulness

The benefits of mindfulness include reducing worry, stress or anxiety, improving our mental health, and improving our relationships with others. It leads to peace of mind and wellbeing, and improves focus and creativity.

If you are interested in practicing mindfulness there are lots of tools to help you. In particular I find the app Headspace very useful, it gives a good introduction and you can sign up for a free trial to see if mindfulness is for you.