{"id":158,"date":"2023-01-22T14:06:38","date_gmt":"2023-01-22T19:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/rebootyourresiliencywithselfcare\/?post_type=chapter&p=158"},"modified":"2023-11-01T18:56:48","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T22:56:48","slug":"mindful-or-mind-full","status":"web-only","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/rebootyourresiliencywithselfcare\/chapter\/mindful-or-mind-full\/","title":{"raw":"Mindful or Mind Full?","rendered":"Mindful or Mind Full?"},"content":{"raw":"[caption id=\"attachment_190\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"683\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 30.1 Mindful vs Mind Full[\/caption]\r\n\r\nOur brains are constantly working, fliting from one thought to another and back again.\r\n\r\nA 2020\u00a0study<\/a> from Queens University used data form the MRI scans of 184 volunteers and \u00a0found that the average person has more than 6000 individual thoughts per day.[footnote]University of California Los Angeles. (2023). UCLA Health. MARC Research. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.uclahealth.org\/programs\/marc\/about-us\/research[\/footnote] <\/span>That\u2019s a different thought every 9 seconds! Ask yourself, how many of your 6000 daily thoughts are in the present moment?\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_192\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 30.2 Squirrel[\/caption]\r\n\r\nMindfulness<\/strong> is being aware of everything that is happening in your experience and paying attention to the present moment with an open mind. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author and creator of the research-backed stress-reduction program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), states \u201cMindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, and then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.\u201d [footnote]Amazon Canada. (2023). Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Author Jon Kabat-Zinn. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Revised-Illness\/dp\/0345536932[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nMindfulness is NOT relaxation, hypnosis, prayer, or religion. It's not that stereotypical clearing your mind of all thoughts while in a lotus position, and it\u2019s not always peaceful and calm.<\/em><\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_191\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"1024\"]\"\"<\/a> Figure 30.3 Meditating[\/caption]\r\n\r\n
\r\n\r\nWhen ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, you\u2019re causing yourself artificial anxiety. Being in the now rather than yesterday or tomorrow can make for a happier life. It\u2019s a lot harder to do than it sounds. Mindfulness takes practice to train our mind to stop wandering.\u00a0 The foundation of mindfulness is to not judge yourself, have patience and practice acceptance in letting go.\r\n\r\nNumerous mindfulness research studies (here\u2019s an extensive list)<\/a> show mindfulness improved symptomatology with stress, mood, anxiety, depression, sleep and so on, as well as psychological well-being in quality of life, and biological functions such as improved blood pressure, regulated cortisol and less inflammation.[footnote]University of California Los Angeles. (2023). UCLA Health. MARC Research. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.uclahealth.org\/programs\/marc\/about-us\/research[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nSo how do we begin to live with mindfulness?<\/strong> Starting small and slowly is the key. Big goals of meditating for an hour every day to start will likely end up in frustration and failure. One of the easiest practices of mindfulness is to just notice your breath. One hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Don\u2019t change your breath, just notice it, notice the transition between the in and the out breath. When your mind wanders, bring it back to the breath.\r\n\r\nThere are plentiful resources in a variety of platforms to start someone on their mindfulness journey. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in the art and science of mindfulness, has a book that was originally published in 1990 and revised since, called Full Catastrophe Living<\/a> where he\r\n
\u201cShows you how to use medically proven mind-body approaches derived from meditation and yoga to counteract stress, establish greater balance of body and mind, and stimulate well-being and healing. By engaging in these mindfulness practices and integrating them into your life from moment to moment and from day to day, you can learn to manage chronic pain, promote optimal healing, reduce anxiety and feelings of panic, and improve the overall quality of your life, relationships, and social networks.\u201d[footnote]Amazon Canada. (2023). Full Catastrophe Living (Revised Edition): Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. Author Jon Kabat-Zinn. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Full-Catastrophe-Living-Revised-Illness\/dp\/0345536932[\/footnote]<\/blockquote>\r\nJon also has a website<\/a> that offers information on mindful practice and meditation, providing audio clips of various practices.\r\n\r\nThere are numerous mindfulness programs out there that share the same over-arching components such as relaxation with abdominal breathing, body scan, gentle yoga, mind-body connection, visualization\/imagery, cognitive coping strategies, personal empowerment, and social support.\r\n\r\nThe Mindful Awareness Research Center is a part of The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and it offers free guided meditations<\/a> and\u00a0\u00a0 free programming and resources<\/a> which also includes a plethora of previous podcasts<\/a> to listen to.\r\n\r\nThe American Mindfulness Research Association offers numerous podcasts<\/a> regarding mindfulness, such as Mindfulness added to the culture of a university, Meeting pain with mindfulness, App-based mindfulness for revising bad habits that impact health, and more.\r\n\r\nThe Free Mindfulness Project website provides plenty of downloadable mindfulness exercises<\/a> such as focusing on bringing awareness to the process of breathing, body scan meditations to move your focus of attention around the body, sitting meditations, guided imagery and self-guided exercises where a bell sounds at different intervals to allow you to move from one phase of the meditation to the next.\r\n\r\nAs always, There's An App For That<\/strong> to help you in your mindfulness journey. Perhaps one of the most well-known mindfulness apps is Headspace<\/a>, that states \u201cWith guided lessons on mindfulness, sleep, and simply remembering to breathe, it\u2019s the everyday app for feeling better\u201d.[footnote]Headspace. (2023). Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.headspace.com\/[\/footnote] This app does however require a monthly or annual subscription after a free trial.\r\n\r\nThere are definitely free apps available that are full of features. Insight timer<\/a> states it is \u201cthe #1 free app for sleep, anxiety and stress with more than 100k guided meditations led by the best teachers from Canada and the world\u201d.[footnote]Insight Timer. (2023). Retrieved from: https:\/\/insighttimer.com\/en-ca[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nThe app \u201cAm mindfulness\u201d or \u201cAmDTx<\/a>\u201d purports to be clinically researched and offers 10 to 20 day structured programs. \u201cAmDTx is clinically proven to boost stress resilience, improve mood, enhance focus, and establish discipline. The first and only app with objective measures of stress, AmDTx allows you to measure and visualise your stress levels and find the most impactful content for you at any given point of time.\u201d [footnote]AmDTx. (2023). Google Play Store. Retrieved from: https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.mobiointeractive.wildflowers2&hl=en_CA&gl=US[\/footnote]\r\n\r\nMindfulness can be useful for a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, anger, and addiction.[footnote]American Psychological Association. (2019). Mindfulness meditation: A research-proven way to reduce stress. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.apa.org\/topics\/mindfulness\/meditation#:~:text=Researchers%20reviewed%20more%20than%20200,%2C%20pain%2C%20smoking%20and%20addiction.[\/footnote] It can be an easy practice that helps us to be self-aware of our bodies and thoughts, thus enriching our quality of life.\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Figure 30.1 Mindful vs Mind Full<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our brains are constantly working, fliting from one thought to another and back again.<\/p>\n

A 2020\u00a0study<\/a> from Queens University used data form the MRI scans of 184 volunteers and \u00a0found that the average person has more than 6000 individual thoughts per day.[1]<\/sup><\/a> <\/span>That\u2019s a different thought every 9 seconds! Ask yourself, how many of your 6000 daily thoughts are in the present moment?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Figure 30.2 Squirrel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mindfulness<\/strong> is being aware of everything that is happening in your experience and paying attention to the present moment with an open mind. Jon Kabat-Zinn, author and creator of the research-backed stress-reduction program Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), states \u201cMindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, and then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.\u201d [2]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Mindfulness is NOT relaxation, hypnosis, prayer, or religion. It’s not that stereotypical clearing your mind of all thoughts while in a lotus position, and it\u2019s not always peaceful and calm.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Figure 30.3 Meditating<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

When ruminating about the past or worrying about the future, you\u2019re causing yourself artificial anxiety. Being in the now rather than yesterday or tomorrow can make for a happier life. It\u2019s a lot harder to do than it sounds. Mindfulness takes practice to train our mind to stop wandering.\u00a0 The foundation of mindfulness is to not judge yourself, have patience and practice acceptance in letting go.<\/p>\n

Numerous mindfulness research studies (here\u2019s an extensive list)<\/a> show mindfulness improved symptomatology with stress, mood, anxiety, depression, sleep and so on, as well as psychological well-being in quality of life, and biological functions such as improved blood pressure, regulated cortisol and less inflammation.[3]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

So how do we begin to live with mindfulness?<\/strong> Starting small and slowly is the key. Big goals of meditating for an hour every day to start will likely end up in frustration and failure. One of the easiest practices of mindfulness is to just notice your breath. One hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Don\u2019t change your breath, just notice it, notice the transition between the in and the out breath. When your mind wanders, bring it back to the breath.<\/p>\n

There are plentiful resources in a variety of platforms to start someone on their mindfulness journey. Jon Kabat-Zinn, a pioneer in the art and science of mindfulness, has a book that was originally published in 1990 and revised since, called Full Catastrophe Living<\/a> where he<\/p>\n

\u201cShows you how to use medically proven mind-body approaches derived from meditation and yoga to counteract stress, establish greater balance of body and mind, and stimulate well-being and healing. By engaging in these mindfulness practices and integrating them into your life from moment to moment and from day to day, you can learn to manage chronic pain, promote optimal healing, reduce anxiety and feelings of panic, and improve the overall quality of your life, relationships, and social networks.\u201d[4]<\/sup><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Jon also has a website<\/a> that offers information on mindful practice and meditation, providing audio clips of various practices.<\/p>\n

There are numerous mindfulness programs out there that share the same over-arching components such as relaxation with abdominal breathing, body scan, gentle yoga, mind-body connection, visualization\/imagery, cognitive coping strategies, personal empowerment, and social support.<\/p>\n

The Mindful Awareness Research Center is a part of The University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and it offers free guided meditations<\/a> and\u00a0\u00a0 free programming and resources<\/a> which also includes a plethora of previous podcasts<\/a> to listen to.<\/p>\n

The American Mindfulness Research Association offers numerous podcasts<\/a> regarding mindfulness, such as Mindfulness added to the culture of a university, Meeting pain with mindfulness, App-based mindfulness for revising bad habits that impact health, and more.<\/p>\n

The Free Mindfulness Project website provides plenty of downloadable mindfulness exercises<\/a> such as focusing on bringing awareness to the process of breathing, body scan meditations to move your focus of attention around the body, sitting meditations, guided imagery and self-guided exercises where a bell sounds at different intervals to allow you to move from one phase of the meditation to the next.<\/p>\n

As always, There’s An App For That<\/strong> to help you in your mindfulness journey. Perhaps one of the most well-known mindfulness apps is Headspace<\/a>, that states \u201cWith guided lessons on mindfulness, sleep, and simply remembering to breathe, it\u2019s the everyday app for feeling better\u201d.[5]<\/sup><\/a> This app does however require a monthly or annual subscription after a free trial.<\/p>\n

There are definitely free apps available that are full of features. Insight timer<\/a> states it is \u201cthe #1 free app for sleep, anxiety and stress with more than 100k guided meditations led by the best teachers from Canada and the world\u201d.[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The app \u201cAm mindfulness\u201d or \u201cAmDTx<\/a>\u201d purports to be clinically researched and offers 10 to 20 day structured programs. \u201cAmDTx is clinically proven to boost stress resilience, improve mood, enhance focus, and establish discipline. The first and only app with objective measures of stress, AmDTx allows you to measure and visualise your stress levels and find the most impactful content for you at any given point of time.\u201d [7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Mindfulness can be useful for a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, anger, and addiction.[8]<\/sup><\/a> It can be an easy practice that helps us to be self-aware of our bodies and thoughts, thus enriching our quality of life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Media Attributions<\/h2>