The Mind in Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness is the practice of turning on awareness. In mindfulness practice we learn to observe the breath, physical sensations, emotions, and mental processes. We expand our awareness of the interconnectivity between our thoughts, feelings, breath, body, behavior, and life choices. Through mindfulness we can even change the shape and function of our brains. As mindfulness practice develops, we realize more clearly that everything is changing. Reality is impermanent: our thoughts and feelings pass, our relationships shift, our careers alter, our interests evolve, and so on. The purpose of mindfulness meditation is to attend fully to the present moment without our habitual filters of judgments, expectations, or preconceived ideas and programming that ultimately sabotage our efforts. We witness our passing perceptions without needing to create a story around them, which brings clarity. Although it takes time and effort to establish a meditation practice, there are ways to ensure that you stay on the path and keep your practice vital. We will discuss all of these things in this chapter.
Mindfulness in Breath, Body, and Emotion
One of the simplest ways to cultivate focus is by bringing the awareness to the breath. Breath is such an important part of mindfulness and meditation that it bears repeating. Robert Butera’s chapter on deep breathing focuses on the role of breath and gives you many ideas of how to use it to quiet your mind. Since you are always breathing, the breath can be a constant reminder of the present and an anchor to ongoing awareness. Additionally, bringing attention to the breath often deepens its rhythm and steadies its quality, which in turn has a calming, centering effect on the mind. It is relevant to acknowledge what you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. Notice any judgments, wishes, and habitual thoughts, as well as become aware of how you carry your body. Give mindful attention to your posture and breath while sitting or standing; notice and release hunched shoulders, tensions in the forehead, rapid breathing, or a clenched jaw. This relaxation can extend from the breath and body into the mind by bringing greater awareness to feelings and emotions.
Exercise: Mindful Breathing
The following practice is a basic mindful breathing exercise. This is something you can practice in a dedicated way, in sacred space, or as a regular meditation. You may also perform this exercise during everyday life: while at work, in line at the store, speaking with friends, doing everyday chores, or falling asleep.
1: Be in a comfortable position with the spine erect so that the area where the breath flows is open.
2: Notice the depth and pace of your breath. Where does the air flow into your body? What parts of your torso remain still or closed? What is the length of each inhale, exhale, and the pauses between the breaths?
3: Allow your abdominal diaphragm to move the breath, if it isn’t already. With each inhale the diaphragm curves into the belly as the lower lobes of the lungs inflate, thereby expanding the abdominal area. You may notice your lower ribs flaring front, sides, and back. The upper rib cage, in a full breath, also moves to the sides and back so that the rib cage is opening in a tubular fashion, not lifting up. There is a slight lift in the upper chest toward the collarbones as the lungs inflate fully. On an exhale allow the lungs to release in all directions. Be patient with yourself, as many of us have have locked up parts of the nose, sinuses, trachea/windpipe, lungs, diaphragm, and other associated musculature after many years of stress. The main point is to unite the mind with the breath.
By witnessing the movement of the breath, you calm your nervous system, balance the mind, and relax the body. These internal conditions set the stage for a greater power of focus in your mindfulness practice. Furthermore, attention to the breath gives you an ongoing focus for your mindfulness practice. The continual movement of the breath reminds us that the mind will also continue to move, as will emotions and life circumstances. Remain mindful of your breathing and stay connected to each moment of your life.
Mindfulness easily translates from a physical awareness of breath to other bodily sensations. By attuning to ongoing physical feedback, we have more awareness of our everyday experiences. For people who have suffered in their bodies through chronic illness, pain, or abuse, the ability to be present in the body offers a great potential for healing on all levels: body, energy, emotions, thoughts, and spirit. There is a great deal of information contained in our feelings, both bodily sensations and emotional states. When we are mindful of the purpose and messages of our feelings we can understand how to prevent the things that lead to painful, disruptive, or confused tensions and emotions. Mindful awareness—relaxation and mastery of the story we tell ourselves—is a powerful tool for emotional balance. As the mind settles, issues that were below the surface are revealed in the same way that we can see into deep waters when the surface is smooth and still.
Mindfulness aids emotional balance through awareness and personal responsibility. Even though we are programmed to attribute our internal emotional state to external happenings, mindfulness reveals how our own beliefs and perceptions color situations and create emotional drama. We tend to lay blame for our own feelings on others. Mindful attention gives us the chance to take responsibility for our feelings instead. Although this ownership may be difficult at first, ultimately it empowers us to master our emotional state and choose to remain uplifted and confident in the face of pain or challenge—in other words, to respond to life rather than react. Mindfulness meditation trains us to shift from an automatic reaction to a clear, measured response to any given feeling. In a reactive situation we fall back on our programming and emotional habits, repeating problematic feelings and beliefs of the past with little control of ourselves or the current situation. With mindfulness, however, we develop the ability to mentally take a step back, pause, and witness the feelings and their messages. In this gap of space we are able to measure a response and determine our own best path of clear action, rather than react automatically in a repetitive and often unhelpful pattern.
Exercise: Response versus Reaction
Think of your feelings as having two components: physical sensations and mental thoughts. For most of us, these sensations and thoughts operate beyond our consciousness awareness. Mindfulness helps us become aware of these underlying sensations and thoughts as well as revealing the subtle relationship between them. This exercise gives you a chance to witness the relationship between sensations and thoughts as they happen. Notice what arises within you throughout the process without needing to judge, explain, or change anything about your personal experience.
1: Read the following situations one at a time and then pause. For each one, notice the various sensations and thoughts that arise:
- Relaxing on a warm day
- Missing an important deadline
- Holding an infant
- Spotting a deer
- Hurting someone’s feelings
- Cooking a good meal
- Cleaning the toilet
- Floating in the ocean
2: Ask yourself, “How much of my reaction to the situations was based on past experience?” Become curious about the source of your reactions. Re-read the list of situations with greater interest in your own mind’s activities rather than the situations themselves.
Many people will have similar reactions to each of these situations; however, the subtleties of their experiences are unique. At first, become mindful of your reactions, sensations, and thoughts. In time, as you understand yourself better and become accustomed to observing your internal processes, you can move away from the automatic reactions. Instead of operating on reflex, you may become more curious about your internal habits and their origins and outcomes. In his book Meditation for Your Life, Robert Butera recommends a four-step process to limit reactivity. This practice can be easily remembered by the mnemonic STAR:
Stop
Take a breath
Attend to bodily sensations
Respond rather than react
The response you choose may be to do nothing, to speak with awareness, or to employ mindful action. The capacity to respond mindfully strengthens each time we interrupt an automatic reaction. Mindfulness teaches us to allow feelings to be as they are and supports us in navigating life’s upsets with grace and insight. In addition, you can support your mindfulness practice through journaling, talking to spiritually minded friends or a meditation mentor, and seeking counseling for problematic memories and feelings. This curiosity and the opportunity to process your emotions allows you greater emotional freedom and opens you to the possibilities of each moment. As we change the way we focus our attention, breathe, relax, and relate to our feelings, we actually change our neural pathways, quality of connections, and the shape of our brains.
Mindfulness and the Brain
Studies have shown that various forms of meditation, including mindfulness, change the structure and function of the brain. These alterations to the brain’s pathways and shape are known as neuroplasticity and come from changes in behavior, thoughts, feelings, activities, or one’s external or internal environment. Neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to reorganize itself and form new connections, holds great implications for our ability to transform our emotional, mental, and behavioral patterns and improve all areas of our lives. If we can change the shape and function of our brains, we can change our emotional world, life circumstances, automatic reactions, and even levels of physical and emotional pain. Mindfulness can be a key practice in establishing these changes.
Mindfulness practice activates many areas of the brain at the same time; thus, the neural effects of mindfulness are complex. During the last few decades our ability to look into the brain has improved. We use various technologies to see what happens in our brains when we meditate, reflect, observe, or receive sensory information. We can even see how our brains change shape and function when we change our thinking, either after a single session of mindfulness or over a longer period of time. All these studies have altered our former belief that the brain cannot modify or develop after a certain age. We now know that the brain has the potential to never stop developing as long as we continue to introduce new information or variety into our thinking and activities. Mindfulness and variety create new pathways in the brain. Then again, if we don’t change our thinking and activities, the old pathways get stronger. If we keep thinking and doing the same things, the results of these thoughts and actions will also be the same—not only in our external lives but internally as well! Although the brain is plastic—in other words, able to change shape—it will not do so if we do not offer it new experiences.
Mindfulness can be seen as a way to bring variety to the brain: a newness in perspective or an interruption of our usual way of thinking and being. Mindfulness offers us the opportunity to experience reality as it happens. Every moment is a renewal. Our thoughts, feelings, and interactions with the world around us are constantly changing. When we attune to these changes and witness the myriad internal effects they bring, this mindfulness introduces a change in the shape and function of the brain.
Many recent studies have related mindfulness to the neuroplasticity of cognitive areas of the brain. In other words, mindfulness helps with thinking. Experienced meditators have a thicker cortex than nonmeditators. The areas of the brain associated with decision-making, reason, and focused attention tend to be more developed, with greater connections between neurons and more intricately developed pathways. What this means is that if you practice mindfulness, there is evidence that you will be able to think more readily, formulate theories, recall information and abilities, come up with new ideas, and concentrate better in everyday life. Some studies suggest it may even protect against the loss of gray matter that was thought to be a part of the natural aging process! Mindfulness helps the thinking brain.
In addition to these cognitive benefits, mindfulness is also related to more stable emotional processing. The hippocampus and amygdala, which are associated with emotional regulation, among other functions, change via mindfulness. This is consistent with reports from mindfulness practitioners that they experience greater emotional awareness and are better able to witness their emotions without reacting. Furthermore, evidence of increased density in parts of the brain stem could relate to practitioners’ ability to respond rather than react to stressful situations. Mindfulness meditators report that they are less emotionally charged, even in extreme circumstances. By incorporating mindfulness and remaining the conscious director of our thoughts and feelings, the areas of the brain that fire during worried thinking, anxiety, and even pain responses begin to alter.
Mindfulness practice is shown to have neuroplastic effects. These profound changes in the shape and function of the brain improve our cognitive and emotional processes as well as protect us against some of the neurological effects of aging. Additionally, studies consistently reveal that the longer subjects have been practicing mindfulness, the more pronounced are the benefits. What this means for you is this: the longer you practice, the more elaborate the neuroplastic effects and the stronger your cognitive and emotional benefits. Even a few moments of mindfulness every day can rebuild your brain and support these healthy shifts. What is most important is that you continue to practice in some way, without succumbing to discouragement, laziness, or sabotage.
Self-Sabotage in Mindfulness Meditation
The mind has profound power to improve our mental and physical health, especially when it is harnessed through mindfulness meditation. However, the mind is also powerful enough to sabotage our efforts. Judgments, expectations, and old programming are key factors that can interrupt our steady mindfulness practice. How we handle self-criticism, our expectations, and the stories we tell ourselves are key factors in whether or not we persist with a mindfulness practice. Our own personal vision can serve to either inspire or sabotage our efforts toward mindful living. Here we will discuss the common sabotages of judgments, expectations, and programming and offer suggestions for circumventing them in order to stay true to your path of mindful living.
Is mindful living a good thing or a bad thing? Don’t answer that; it’s a trick question. Mindful living is one valid way among many ways of going through life. It is neither good nor bad. From an early age we are taught to categorize our decisions, and as we grow up this process of judging things becomes more subtle and refined, even automatic. We get so accustomed to judgment that we consider it a normal part of life. As an experiment to watch your judgment habit in action, endeavor to go a full day without thinking “should.” “Should” is a strong indicator of an inner judge hard at work, telling us what is good for us and steering us away from what is judged as bad.
Imagine how challenging it is to impassively witness the human mind while holding onto ideas of good and bad. Minds naturally wander to all kinds of dark and inappropriate places. If we are not allowed to watch the movement of our minds into these so-called bad places, mindfulness practice becomes impossible. The act of steering the thoughts—judging them as good or bad and then moving them in the direction we think they should go—undercuts the benefits of the pure, nonjudgmental awareness mindfulness brings. Soon, judgments will interfere with the witnessing process so much that mindfulness practice will fail. When judgment comes into play, we lose our connection to reality because we prefer it to be different.
Wanting different thoughts and realities is actually some of the intrigue of mindfulness. We gain insight and capacity to respond mindfully when we witness, rather than judge, our complex and contradictory inner experiences. The capacity to respond mindfully strengthens each time we experience vivid feelings and let them simply be there, just as they are, without reacting. Gradually, we learn that effective mindfulness practice arises from acceptance and openness to whatever is happening within us; judgments have no place there. As we begin to accept ourselves we find that acceptance of others increases as well and that compassion for ourselves and others flows more readily and easily.
Rather than sabotage yourself with judgment, when errant thoughts arise during mindfulness practice simply name them—for example, “thinking about the meeting at work,” “making a grocery list,” “wondering about the children”—or categorize them, such as “plans,” “lists,” “fears,” “memories,” and so on. Once you have acknowledged the thought by naming or categorizing it, just let it go. The practice here is to notice what thoughts arise, acknowledge them, and then return to mindful attention. Judgment does not exist in this process. Free from judgment, we greet ourselves with greater calm because we do not struggle against our thoughts and feelings, wish things were different than they are, or have expectations about how things should be.
Once we are able to hold nonjudgmental awareness, our expectations of ourselves and mindfulness practice is the next potential factor that can sabotage our efforts. Expectations are sometimes called “planned disappointments.” In other words, when we preconceive certain outcomes and those narrowly defined circumstances do not turn out, it is easy to feel let down. The effects of mindfulness on reducing stress, improving energy, deepening relationships, and boosting creativity are well known. The trouble is, focusing only on the benefits sets up high expectations, and it is common for us to be hurt or disappointed when our expectations are broken. A more truthful approach is to remember that we have control over the efforts we offer the situation but no control over the results of those efforts. You can avoid a potential let-down in your mindfulness practice by acknowledging that you have preconceived expectations. This acknowledgment strengthens your mindfulness efforts before they even begin. Harness the power of your awareness of the truth of the present moment. Rather than trying to control reality and predetermine outcomes, you can focus on where your control truly lies: in your actions and reactions to reality.
Exercise: Managing Expectations
This exercise is intended to support you in side-stepping any potential future discouragement by becoming clear about your preconceived ideas around mindfulness practice. Record the answers to the following questions in your journal. Be honest with yourself, even if you notice that some of your thoughts are irrational, selfish, or contradictory. One of the key aspects of mindfulness is letting go of judgment. Now is a good time to practice that skill.
1: List why you are interested in becoming more mindful. What do you hope to get out of a mindfulness practice? Perhaps you are seeking freedom from stress, greater awareness in your relationships, improved athletic performance, or enlightenment. You may consider what led you to exploring mindfulness in the first place: life experiences, stories you have heard, others you know who practice, etc. Circle your top three desired outcomes from this list.
2: Review your list objectively and place an asterisk beside all the outcomes that you do not control. Underline all the outcomes you do control. It is normal in the beginning to be unsure about which is which; simply contemplate the question and trust your answer for now. If later on you realize you were mistaken, you may revisit this exercise and change your answers.
3: Going back to your top three desired outcomes, note for yourself how you will handle each of these if they do not come to pass. In other words, if you apply mindfulness practice and do not see your expectations fulfilled, what will keep you motivated to continue practicing mindfulness? (Note that many unexpected benefits arise from a mindfulness practice, and these are often more deeply motivating!)
Acknowledging your expectations before you begin takes their power away. Simply by becoming mindful of the fact that you are hoping for certain outcomes—outcomes that you cannot control—neutralizes those expectations. This process is akin to when someone is playfully hiding behind the door, waiting to jump out at you: when you hear them giggling, you know they are there. When they jump out, you may still startle a little but the jolt passes quickly and does not deeply affect you. Likewise, when we are aware of our expectations beforehand and they do not come to pass, we may feel a little disappointed, but it is not enough for us to stop our mindfulness practice and let go of all the possible unexpected benefits!
Exercise: Mindfulness Intention
Whether or not we get what we expect from a mindfulness practice, there are benefits. Once you are aware of your expectations, you can take those genuine desires and purify them into a highly motivating sense of guidance. Internal motivation is powerful, rather than relying on external benefits to inspire practice. The following exercise supports this process of establishing pure motivation from the beginning while staying free from the pressure of judgment and expectation.
1: What is your intention for practicing mindfulness? Note that this intention is not a reward that will come or an outcome that you are seeking. Intentionality exists at a deeper, more pure level. Some common intentions include self-awareness, slowing down, compassion, or insight. Notice how simple and broad these intentions are, and that each one has a specific spiritual quality.
2: Review your list of expectations from the previous exercise. You may also write a new list of what you expect or hope to get out of a mindfulness practice.
3: Re-read this list, close your eyes, and notice the effect of it in your body and mind. This, in itself, is a mindfulness practice as you bring your awareness to places of tension and relaxation, the thoughts that move through your mind, passing feelings, and your emotional state in relation to the list of expectations. Do not judge what flows through your awareness; simply observe it. After a minute or two, record your observations.
4: Now, re-read your intention from step 1 and repeat the brief mindfulness practice. Notice the effect of the intention on your body and mind: places of tension and relaxation; passing feelings, sensations, and thoughts; your emotional state in relation to the intention. Do not judge what flows through your awareness; simply observe it. After a minute or two of awareness, record your observations.
5: Review your observations of your expectations and intention. Was there a difference between the feeling you got from your expectations and the feeling of your intention? If so, what were the differences?
Often intention is a starting point that guides the direction of our efforts. If we stay true to our intention, then—no matter the outcome—we know that we followed the path that was best for us. Often the intention will refine itself as our understanding grows. Expectation, on the other hand, keeps us focused on the end result of an endeavor without honoring the lengthy process or the underlying call to action. Intention helps us stay clear, focused, and relaxed; expectation causes tension, attachment, and judgment.
Avoid the potential sabotage of expectation by doing your best to keep your intention in mind. Thus, you continue to move in the direction of what is important to you. Once freed from expectations, many unexpected gifts and surprise insights can arrive into your open mind. Sometimes old patterns and programming arise as well, and these are the third common sabotage in a mindfulness practice.
From before we can remember, we have been taught to distinguish right from wrong—who we want to be from who we don’t. Family, teachers, and even society at large offer constant input on what is or is not okay to do, say, or think. Furthermore, our interpersonal wounds and painful life lessons carve deep beliefs into the mind. This programming often occurs through language and makes it a challenge to have a full experience of the mind. We often believe that our biased perceptions are an accurate representation of reality; however, just because we think something, that doesn’t make it real.
Mindfulness practice brings the uncomfortable realization that our beliefs and programming are subject to change. At first it can be frightening to realize how much of our old patterning we project onto new situations; however, if you persist you will come to notice how freeing it is to allow each experience to be new, without the burden of old perceptual patterns. Passing thoughts and emotions are impermanent reflections of a broader reality, often charged with the language of our programming, perceptions, and experiences. For example, note the difference between saying “I’m upset!” and “I’m experiencing upset right now!” In the first example we identify that we are the emotional state; in the second, however, we create distance and objectivity. Programming imposes limits on our ability to experience the full reality of a situation.
Our reactive patterns cover up true awareness and objective reality. Instead of getting caught up on old emotional patterns, ask yourself: “What is the truth in this situation?” Seek the deeper truth within the patterned discomfort. Imagine understanding why you are programmed the way you are and then disengaging that program. Grumpy coworkers would no longer bother you, long lists would not feel threatening, your partner could have a bad day and it wouldn’t be about you. Mindfulness helps us see the programming as it runs, then let go of our limiting beliefs and live with greater freedom and insight.
By surrendering judgment, releasing attachment to expectations, and becoming objective about old programming, we clear the path of mindfulness. These three main methods of self-sabotage make awareness painful. Now you know how to transcend them. Without them you are more objective, ready to experience your inner world as it is and reflect that pure experience into your life choices and behavior. Once free from sabotage, mindfulness practice is simply a matter of persisting.
Trevor’s Story
Trevor is a schoolteacher who came to meditation to help cope with the stress of classroom discipline, pressure from the principal, and frustration with limiting academic policies. Trevor dreamt of being the kind of teacher who could change children’s lives and make a difference in the world. Over the years, Trevor’s dream became jaded and most work days were about going through the motions rather than bringing true inspiration to the classroom—for himself or the children.
Trevor signed up for a mindfulness training program and engaged in practice by watching the breath. This soon led to an unexpected emotional awareness: Trevor was sad about his career path and felt helpless to support the children in the ways they seemed to need it most. Trevor also noticed the thoughts that went along with those feelings: These kids don’t want to learn…What difference does it make?…The curriculum doesn’t match the need… I just want to go home. Before practicing mindfulness, Trevor had not been aware of these deeper emotions and thoughts. There was a sense of extreme stress but no clear source or path to ease. Indeed, through being mindful, Trevor could relate the stress to feelings of pointlessness and futile thoughts.
When Trevor spoke to his mindfulness mentor about the disturbing thoughts and feelings, the suggestion was to continue to watch them. “Everything changes,” the mentor noted. “Witness the change.”
Trevor did not want to indulge the hollowness. He had chosen a teaching career to inspire others. Through watching his thoughts, Trevor noticed there was a lot of focus on things he did not control, such as the children’s situations at home, the principal’s expectations and personality, and the curriculum. By relaxing even as the futile thoughts passed, and by witnessing the emotional pain without trying to change it, Trevor found himself making different choices throughout the day. Instead of getting frustrated when children weren’t absorbing the lesson, Trevor switched to a new teaching style or way of interacting with the content. When there were outbreaks in the classroom, Trevor indulged the brief disruptions and truly connected to what the children needed. When a child approached him, Trevor was able to see the person before him and listen deeply to concerns, even if he was helpless to actually take action and change things. Trevor even taught the children some basic breathing exercises to do after lunch and recess, which led to greater focus and quietude. Each of these small changes made a difference not only to the quality of the teaching, but also to Trevor’s desire to be a teacher and the sense that his work had meaning.
Through mindfulness, Trevor was able to slow down the internal stress and separate out its distinct pieces. From there he was more engaged in choosing his thoughts, feelings, and responses throughout the day. In time this led to a greater personal awareness and satisfaction. Ultimately, although there were still stressful times, Trevor was no longer plagued by a sense of hopelessness or a continual overwhelming stress about his work.
Maintaining Mindfulness Practice
Once you have rid yourself of sabotage, there is still the challenge of continuing mindfulness practice. Every day is a new opportunity to commit to self-awareness. Coming back to the present moment is simple enough, but it requires continual effort. There are ways that you can learn to sustain focus, cope with sensory and emotional distractions, and hold yourself to the present moment. Through these efforts, in time, mindfulness will become a habit.
Sustaining mindful focus is one of the most challenging things you will learn to do. It is strange to think that holding our attention to what is going on within and around us would be so difficult, but it is. Despite all the accolades mainstream media offers about mindfulness and meditation—which tend to be true—the challenges are rarely discussed. For this reason, it is common for people to get down on themselves about interruptions in practice. People often say “my mind is too busy” or “I lose focus all the time.” The truth is, that is part of the process! And every time you notice your busy mind or choose to bring your focus back to pure awareness, your mind and practice get stronger. In time you will come to notice that it is quieter in your mind. When it does get busy it will not wander as far or for as long before you are able to call it back to your mindfulness practice. You can even measure these improvements.
Exercise: Prolonging Focus
The following exercise can be performed weekly over a number of months to help you track personal shifts in your mindfulness practice. It seems like a simple exercise, but over the long term it is highly validating. We often underestimate how far we have come and undermine the power of our own efforts. True change happens via small, consistent alterations.
1: Set a timer for sixty seconds. During that minute, set your awareness to your breath. It is normal for your mind to wander, even as you focus on the quality of your inhales and exhales.
2: When your mind wanders, note to yourself how far it went. How many thoughts were attached to the original shift in focus? Did your mind wander to many different thoughts and topics or did it shift and then refocus? Could you still sense your breath while your mind called on different thoughts? Did your mind return to the breath before the timer rang again?
3: Record your observations in your mindfulness journal. It is recommended that you keep a separate section in your journal for this practice; that way, you can easily find your tracking records. Keep the principles of mindfulness with you, remembering to simply observe without judgment, commentary, or problem solving.
4: Repeat this exercise weekly. Do not re-read the previous week’s observations. After six to twelve weeks, go back and read your first two or three entries, then read your last two or three. Write a summary of the changes you noticed in your ability to hold focus, and rest assured that your small, steady efforts are making a difference!
Distractions occur for any number of deeper reasons; our personality type and associated vulnerabilities usually dictate what it is that tends to distract us the most. External sensory input, especially noise, tends to interrupt mindfulness, as does internal emotional processing. You can train your mind to cope with sensory distractions by applying mindfulness to each of your senses in a systematic way. Common practices include listening to only one instrument in a piece of music, watching the space between leaves of trees, or not scratching when you have an itch. As you strengthen your ability to master your senses, you will turn away from them more easily when they interrupt your mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness helps you discover how your mind works and what situations, thoughts, or feelings seem to trigger stress. While quieting your mind may seem like a great idea, the journey to quietude takes you through some uncomfortable places in your own mind! The distracting emotional pain or mental negativity is enough to make many people turn away from mindfulness. Unpacking the particular reasons behind your own mental busyness might be challenging, but with patience and effort (and perhaps outside support) you will come to understand the roots of your emotional distractions and weed them out. Allow yourself time in a journal or with a friend, meditation mentor, or counselor to move beyond the surface distraction and relate it to overall patterns in your choices, behaviors, and emotions. Investigate the truth of a troubling situation and apply a spiritual concept to this learning process. For example, a bank teller who was very frightened by a robbery found her way out of the fear by having compassion for the thief’s socioeconomic barriers; very few people actually want to be robbers. Via the virtue of compassion, the teller’s repetitive distraction of fear gradually loosened, and she was better able to not only focus her mind in practice but also live life with greater awareness of others. The process of investigating the roots of emotional distractions, weeding them out, and replacing them with spiritual principles helps limit habitual emotional distractions and brings continual improvement to mindfulness practice.
As your mindfulness practice improves, you will find yourself more able to remain a present participant in your own life. Continual practice is the most important thing you can do to make mindfulness a habit. Determine one virtue, such as compassion, love, joy, acceptance, peace, or faith, that holds power for you, and then keep that virtue in mind. That virtue becomes an anchor to the present moment as you witness it in action through your breath, body, thoughts, emotions, and responses. You may also use external reminders to draw yourself back to mindful awareness throughout the day. Every time you see your favorite color, hear a phone ring, or shift activities, let it be a cue to check in with your own mind. Uncomfortable situations, heightened emotions, or a slip in well-being are also excellent opportunities to observe the workings of the mind. Through this commitment to improving practice, mindfulness becomes a habit.
As you commit to incorporating mindful awareness into your life, your connection to healthy breathing, physical well-being, and emotional balance likely will improve. Mindfulness practice is an opportunity for personal evolution. A spiritual intention gives deeper meaning and motivation to the practice of observing the breath, physical sensations, emotions, and mental processes, as well as their connections to our behavior and life choices. Consistent mindfulness practice can change the shape and function of our brains, leading to cognitive and emotional improvements. In order to gain these benefits, you can learn to circumvent the common saboteurs of judgments, expectations, and preconceived ideas and programming. By linking your mindfulness practice to a personally meaningful intention, you further secure your practice and imbue it with meaning and inspiration.
Peter Arcari
is a psychotherapist whose Master of Arts dissertation was on yoga for post-traumatic stress disorder. Erin is a senior creator of Comprehensive Yoga Therapist Training and co-author of Yoga Therapy for Stress and Anxiety. Her home base is Brantford, Ontario, Canada, where she trains yoga and meditation teachers and comprehensive yoga therapists. Erin enjoys traveling to teach these subjects as well as leading diverse groups such as university students, business professionals, and mental health practitioners on topics such as body psychology, transforming feelings, and yoga therapy for mental health.
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