What is mindfulness?

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the act of being present and in the moment. When we do this, we pay attention to what is currently going on in the present moment with openness, curiosity, and acceptance. We experience life as it is unfolding, versus being caught up or lost in thought.

When we use mindfulness, it allows us to take a step back from our experience and how we fit in this experience. Often people find it allows perspective or “zooming out” seeing the bigger picture, and helps provide clarity.

What is meditation?

Meditation is simple the drill, or practice of mindfulness. Different forms of meditation are often designed to allow the practice of this experience of being mindful. These may involve sitting down and focusing our attention on different areas of our body in a body scan, it may be focusing on the feeling and sensation of the breath, noticing thoughts that come up, it might be following a guided compassion practice. In any form, it involves focusing our attention into the current moment, and our experience in that moment.

How does it work?

The practice of mindfulness meditation influences and strengthens various areas of our brain related to emotions, stress reactivity, and ourselves.

Often in mental health concerns, we have an over-active default mode network. This default-mode network turns on in all of us when we are in a “rest” state, and likes to think about ourselves, our relationships with others and our goals. Unfortunately, this default mode has a tendency to think negative thoughts, and we can have a tendency to get stuck in this mode, especially when we experience anxiety and depression.

When we meditate, we train and strength areas within our default-mode network, such as our anterior cingulate cortex, a part of our brain that’s involved in impulse control, decision making, emotions, and empathy. Strengthening this area through meditation can help improve our impulse control, decision making, emotional regulation and empathy towards others - some useful skills!This also helps us become more skillful at kicking the negative self focused loop we can get stuck in.

How can I get started?

There are so many ways to get started with a meditation practice, but we often recommend starting with something guided. Many different apps provide great options, ranging from free ones such as Calm and Insight timer, to paid ones like Headspace and 10 Percent Happier. Youtube is also a wonderful resource, as is seeking out meditation groups, classes or centres. The research indicates that somewhere between 5-15 minutes of meditation a day can improve markers of mental wellbeing.

Finding a few minutes in your day, and scheduling it in, and sticking to it can help you reap all these benefits of mindfulness!