Photo by Ksenia Makagonova
Something that occurs to me regularly at our mindfulness retreats is: “I never would have thought of this!”
It never would have occurred to me that being quiet and sitting still with a group of people for days at a time would bring so much benefit. That it would lead to such heart opening; to such a deep feeling of returning to best selves; to both dramatic insights and more subtle shifts in perspective. And even more astounding: that these kinds of shifts can also happen in mere minutes of practice.
And yet that is the core of mindfulness training: stopping and being present. And that’s it.
While there are techniques and suggestions, in essence what we’re doing in mindfulness meditation is absolutely nothing more than paying attention to what’s happening. Not problem solving, not strategizing, not trying to change ourselves or improve ourselves. It’s more about doing less than doing more!
Photo by Nadya Shuran
It all can seem too simple to be believed. At least it seems too simple for minds that are conditioned by our usual way of thinking: that every problem, once it’s properly analyzed, has a solution. And applying solutions is all about strategy and hard work.
When I take a step back and think about this I am amazed. And also grateful.
Grateful to the people who came before us – thousands of years of practitioners of mindfulness in many forms, in many cultures. And I feel grateful to the bridge builders of these last centuries who helped the western cultures understand that there’s something deeply missing in the mind-body separation of many of our philosophical traditions (and thus how we think day to day). If our true nature was captured by Descartes’, “I think therefore I am,” none of this would work at all.
And yet it does work. In fact, one more piece of evidence crossed my screen just yesterday.
Photo by Olha Maliar
A new study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology by researchers from English Universities of Bath and Southampton reveals that just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can enhance well-being and increase motivation to adopt healthier lifestyle habits such as improved exercise, eating, and sleeping routines. An exciting thing about this study’s findings is that the most significant improvements were on the two biggest mental health issues of our era: anxiety and depression.
And all in just 10 minutes a day!
The study participants kept this up for 30 days. What’s realistic for you? While most of us can certainly find 10 minutes in even a busy day, there are always so many other things competing for our attention. And yet, 10 minutes…and perhaps 10 minutes that really matter.
Maybe we could think about 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice like brushing our teeth. It’s not like we think, “Well I’ll brush my teeth every night for a while and that will get them cleaned up. Then I can stop brushing.” Instead, we know teeth brushing is a wise and healthy thing to do so we keep it up for the rest of our lives. So with what the research is showing about 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice, perhaps it’s best to include mindfulness practices in that rest-of-our-lives category of essentials as well?
Photo by Nong
Study participants, who were all brand new to mindfulness, also showed lasting benefits after the 30 days were over. This is doubly exciting as there is much debate in the meditation research community around how much practice is needed for the benefits of the practice to start to shift from short term “state” changes to more lasting “trait” changes.
Ready to get started? Here’s a link to some of our simple, grounding practices of mindful awareness.
Breath and Anchoring Meditations at MindfulnessNorthwest.com
While there are also many additional interesting, and potentially quite important, aspects of mindfulness practice, it’s good to be reminded that the basic idea is just the practice of stopping and being more fully present: so very basic!
I hope this article and the free resources we share on our website support you to do just that. Our mission is to make mindfulness more accessible. We are also happy to announce a new set of offerings in our Fall Schedule. Our interactive classes support participants with the guidance of a certificated teacher and a classroom community. Both of these elements will serve to encourage and empower you on your journey as well.
And if you’re busy and your “that’s too good to be true!” mind argues with you that it’s a waste of time to meditate and there is too much to do, send it to one of the many powerful scientific findings delineated above. Then take your seat and see how it goes!