Mindful Meditation

Mindfulness is an incredible skill, it is a practice that is taking the world by storm and helping more and more people live in their present.

Wk 25/ 4th April 2014 Journal Homework Assignment Jeanette Sweeney: 20243457 BTEC Level 5 counselling Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling

Recent research in the clinical field of psychology has focused on combining mindfulness-based practices with clinical therapy to create more positive affects for clients. Mindfulness is often practiced in the form of meditation, but is determined by the development of one’s mental state to be able to create nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment. Awareness of the present moment can be induced by thoughts, emotions, physical perceptions, and one’s environment (Grow, Collins, Harrop, & Marlatt, 2015). Research has begun to analyze mindfulness-based practices as an alternative treatment program for individuals with a substance abuse dependence. Substance abuse dependence often is correlated with increased stress, impulsivity, negative

Mindfulness is an abstract concept that can take on many different meanings to individual people. This form of self care is when one is mentally aware of the present or accepting of the moment. Many benefits come with practicing mindfulness, which is why all people should try to understand its importance.

The hypothesis is projected that mindfulness interventions will alter and improve the way the teachers score the students and perceive their behaviors as well as the students’ ability to improve academically and behaviorally when extended interventions take place. It is suggested that mindfulness training serves as a benefit to the students as well as the teachers in that it will train the teachers to conduct their classes in a certain manner as well as train students to practice a mindset that is conducive to formulating what is a non-disruptive learning environment to both teacher and student.

One study asked if and how mediation helps chronic pain (The Effects of Brief Mindfulness Meditation Training on Experimentally Induced Pain, Zeidan, http://www.psych.uncc.edu/pagoolka/seminar/jofpain2009.pdf). The study had just 15 participants and each underwent an MRI while pain was induced. Each participant was then taught mindfulness meditation and given another MRI. One group meditated during the MRI and pain induction and the other group did not. The meditating group experienced a 40% reduction in the intensity of the pain.

Mindfulness practitioners and teachers have been coming forth with the consequences of teachers with minimal training. Some National Health Service (NHS) trusts have been persuading health professionals to teach mindfulness after only going through one round, 8-weeks, of these Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy practices. Lokhadi Lloyd, for example, is an experienced psychotherapist and mindfulness meditation teacher in London and has brought up these problems. Generally, when some people practice, things can get undesirable before desired outcomes surface. With less training being required of a teacher, they are not as prone to help those practicing under them in a beneficial way. Dr. Farias also agrees

It is important to do some formal mindfulness meditation practice, understanding thoughts are mental events, not truths, living in the present moment not past or future, increasing self-knowledge, becoming and accepting of emotional states; for formal practice of meditation helps people find a special place, day and time every day and remembering to feed the body, not the emotion or the mind for people suffering an eating disorder. Informal practice, the individual as to do their best to remember to remain mindful every time they need to eat. Release outside influences such as the media and their image of a perfect body, the goal is the relationship to food changes over time with mindful attention.

The Krame Center at Ramapo College recently partnered with the Center of Mindfulness (CFM) at the University of Massachusetts, introducing new programming this fall semester designed to create awareness about the meditative practice of mindfulness.

fixating feelings of loneliness or a low sense of purpose (Shonin et al., 2014a). Mindfulness training is effective because it provides coping skills to reduce impulses, emotions and stress associated with gambling urges (Reid, DiTirro & Fong, 2014).

I am my theory and what my theory says about me is mindfulness. I am at peace with myself. While mindfulness most commonly practiced and cultivate through meditation, being mindful does not necessarily require a meditation practice. Simply put, (which isn’t easy), paying attention in a sustained and particular way such as on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally. Why I chose mindfulness techniques?? Throughout these years, I learned that multitasking is the enemy of focus. I always thought that multitasking is a reflection of one’s talent, wrong, rather keeps us from truly living the present.

Mindfulness is the human ability of awareness, to be present in where we are and what we are doing and not overreacting to surrounding situations. Mindfulness is naturally possessed, but readily available if we practice it daily. As a continual practice, mindfulness can help transform suffering to bring happiness to ourselves and others alike. Growing research shows that when you train your brain to be mindful, you’re actually remodeling the physical structure of the brain. Mindfulness can put space between ourselves and our reactions, conditioning the way we respond throughout the day. Some basics of mindfulness are; setting aside some “quiet time,” observing the present moment as it is, let all judgments roll by, returning the present moment,

As we discussed in class, a few people had difficulty understanding mindfulness based on the definition. I experienced that same difficult as well. Based on my understanding from class, “Mindfulness” is being fully present wherever you are. Basically, being aware of your surroundings, such as the dog being aware of the trees in the illustration photo. Often times, we are like the human in the photo. We have a mind full of different thoughts not mindful. We think about everything that has happen to us or what we are going to eat tonight for dinner, which takes our minds of the things we should be mindful of. In addition, mindfulness is also about knowing yourself through having a deep understanding of yourself based on past experiences. I would

Meditation is, at its core, a way to help you develop your own inner calmness and tranquility and it's also meant to help you grow as a person. Meditation isn't something just for hippies or the spiritual; people of all ages and all walks of life use meditation in one form or another to help them.

Simply, mindfulness is being conscious of your mind, body, and soul. Even simpler, when you attain mindfulness you are aware of the whats, whens, wheres, hows, and many other puzzling thoughts related to your mind and body.