part0032

Mindfulness is having a wise mind and being present in the moment. There are many facets to being mindful. It consists of observing, describing, and participating in the present moment. What does it mean to do these things? It means not to let your mind wander. Bring it back to the present moment.

Even if you don’t have BPD, or any diagnosed mental illness, learning mindfulness and learning how to live in the present without worrying about the future or the past is a useful skill for anyone.

Mindfulness is a basic psychotherapy technique used to treat anxiety, anger, depression, and other psychological problems. While it has its roots in the mysticism of eastern cultures, western science has studied the subject a great deal. Psychotherapists even recommend mindfulness meditation for individuals who are suffering from certain mental health problems. Developing mindfulness is a crucial part of CBT, as well as DBT and ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). In fact, it is one of the four skills modules in DBT.

Basically, mindfulness is the state of mind that can be achieved by focusing our awareness on what is happening in the present. It also involves the calm acceptance of our feelings, sensations, and thoughts.

The challenge of focusing on the present may seem trivial for some, but this is actually easier said than done. Our mind may wander away, we lose touch with the present moment, and we may even be absorbed into obsessive thoughts about the things that have happened in the past or worry about the future. But regardless of how far our mind drifts from the present, we can use mindfulness to immediately get us back to what we are presently doing or feeling.

Even though it is natural for us to be mindful anytime we want, we can further cultivate mindfulness through effective ACT techniques that you will learn later on.

Mindfulness is usually linked with meditation. While meditation is an effective way to achieve mindfulness, there’s more to it. Mindfulness is a form of being present, which you can use any time. It is a form of consciousness that you can achieve if you intentionally focus on the present moment without any judgment.

Many of us suffer from what is known as “monkey mind,” whereby the mind behaves like a monkey swinging from one branch to another. Our mind may swing away and back again, and we usually don’t have any idea how we ended up thinking about something.

The monkey mind usually dwells in the past, ruminating on what has happened or what you think would have happened if you had acted differently. It also swings away to the future, being anxious about what could happen. Nourishing the monkey mind will steal away the experience of the present moment.

Suspending judgment and kindness are the basic tenets of mindfulness. Hence, a genuinely mindful person knows how to accept reality and doesn’t engage in arguing with it. This may seem an easy task, but once you begin practicing mindfulness, you will become aware of how frequently we judge ourselves and our thoughts.

Here are some examples of sentences used in the judgment of ourselves and others:

I’m not good at this task.

My shirt looks lame.

I don’t like my home.

I really don’t like my neighbor.

What a grumpy waitress.

Mindfulness is also the art of calming our inner judge. It allows us to erase our internal expectations and become more embracing of how things are in the present moment. But take note that this doesn’t mean you don’t need to make necessary changes.

Remember, you are only suspending your judgment so you can have more time to think about the situation and do something about it. The main difference is that you can make changes from an ideal state of mind for change and not during times that you are influenced by tension or stress.

Moreover, mindfulness will allow you to be more compassionate with yourself, more embracing of your experience, and more caring of the people around you. It will also allow you to be more patient and non-judgmental if you have some lapses. As you practice mindfulness, you can reshape your brain to become kinder and more compassionate.

In the past, people believed that the human brain could only develop to a certain level, usually from early childhood to adolescence. But various studies have revealed that our brain has the capacity to reorganize itself through forming neural connections. This is known as neuroplasticity, and it has no virtually no limits.

Neuroscientists shattered the old belief that the human brain is an unchanging, static organ. They discovered that despite age, disease, or injury, the human brain can compensate for any damage by restructuring itself. To put it simply, our brain is capable of repairing itself.

Studies also support the idea that mindfulness can significantly help in the brain’s development. It specifically helps in the process of neuroplasticity. It is really amazing to know that we can change our emotions, feelings, and thought processes through neuroplasticity and mindfulness.

Even though mindfulness meditation is linked with a sense of physical relaxation and calmness, practitioners claim the practice can also help in learning and memory.

Sara Lazar, a professor at Harvard University Medical School, pioneered an 8-week meditation program that primarily uses mindfulness. With her team of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, she conducted the program to explore the connection between mindfulness and the improvement of cognitive functions.

The program was composed of weekly meditation sessions as well as audio recordings for the 16 volunteers who practiced meditation alone. On average, the participants practiced meditation for around 27 minutes. The underlying concept of mindfulness meditation for research was on achieving a state of mind in which the participants suspend their judgment and just focus on feeling sensations.

Later, the team used Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to capture images of the brain structure of the participants. A group of individuals who were not meditating (the control group) were also asked for an MRI scan.

The researchers were amazed by the result. Primarily, the study participants revealed that they experienced significant cognitive advantages that were proven in their responses in the mindfulness survey. On top of that, researchers also noted measurable physical differences in the density of the gray matter as supported by MRI scan.

The gray-matter density in the amygdala, the area of the brain responsible for stress and anxiety, was decreased.

There were significant changes in the brain areas responsible for self-awareness, introspection, and compassion.

The gray-matter density in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning, was increased.

This Harvard study reveals that neuroplasticity, through practicing meditation, can play an active role in the development of our brain. It is exciting to know that we can do something every day to improve our quality of life and general well-being.

Millions of people around the world suffer from depression. For example, in the US, there are about 19 million people who are seeking medication to combat depression. This is around 10% of the whole US population.

Dr. Zindel Segal, a Psychiatry Professor at the University of Toronto, used a research grant from the MacArthur Foundation to explore the advantages of mindfulness towards alleviating depression. The research, that was mainly focused on the administration of mindfulness-based stress reduction sessions, was considered a success, and he conducted follow-up research to study the effectiveness of mindfulness meditation in patients afflicted by depression. This has resulted in the establishment of Mindfulness- Based Cognitive Therapy or MBCT.

The study involved patients suffering from depression, with 8 out of 10 having experienced at least three episodes of depression. Following the stress reduction sessions, around 30% of participants who experienced at least three episodes of depression did not relapse for more than a year, in comparison to those who followed prescribed other therapies such as antidepressants.

Segal’s study has become a precursor to studies sponsored by Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the United Kingdom, with both studies generating similar outcomes. The research has proved significantly valuable in using mindfulness meditation as an effective and healthier alternative to medication in the UK, and has convinced mental health practitioners to prescribe mindfulness meditation to their patients.

Mindfulness meditation and research studies on MBCT are gradually gaining a foothold within medical and scientific circles in the US and other parts of the globe.

A study conducted at Carnegie Mellon University has revealed that the practice of mindfulness, even for 25 minutes a day, can alleviate stress. The study, led by Prof. David Creswell, involved 66 participants aged between 18 and 30 years.

One group of study subjects was asked to undergo a short meditation session composed of 25 minutes of mindfulness for three days. This group was asked to do some exercises designed to get them to concentrate on their breathing while turning their focus to the present moment. The second group used the same time to assess poetry readings to improve their problem-solving skills.

During the evaluation phase, all the participants were asked to complete math and speech tasks in front of evaluators who were asked to look stern. All participants reported their stress levels increased and were asked for saliva samples to measure the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The group who was asked to practice mindfulness meditation for at least 25 minutes for three days reported less stress during the task, showing that practicing mindfulness even in the short term can increase the body’s ability to handle stress.

It is interesting to note that the same group showed higher levels of the stress hormone, which was not expected by the researchers.

The research concluded that when participants learn mindfulness meditation, they have to actively work on the process – particularly in a stressful situation. The cognitive task may feel less stressful for the individual, despite an elevated cortisol level.

The team is now focusing on automating the mindfulness sessions to make it less stressful while reducing cortisol levels. But it is clear that even in the initial phases, short-term meditation can do a great deal in relieving stress.

Aside from the benefits described above, mindfulness meditation provides great benefits for our emotional, mental, and physical health.

Mindfulness allows us to be more compassionate. Those who practice mindfulness meditation show changes in specific areas of the brain that are associated with empathy.

Mindfulness meditation decreases our reactivity to our emotions. A study conducted in the Massachusetts General Hospital revealed that mindfulness reduces the size of the amygdala, which is responsible for fear, anxiety, and aggression.

Mindfulness meditation can help us avoid negative thoughts, which our brain usually resorts to once left on its own.

In 2007, a study was conducted among students who were taught meditation strategies. It revealed that mindfulness helped the students increase their focus and decrease self-doubt, anxiety, and depression. There was also a notable decrease in suspensions and absenteeism in schools where mindfulness sessions were encouraged.

Mindfulness is also now used to ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Many psychotherapists now prescribe mindfulness meditation for patients who are suffering from depressive episodes.

A study published in the Journal of Psychological Science revealed that students who practiced meditation before taking an exam got better results compared to students who did not. The study discovered a link between mindfulness and better cognitive function.

Mindfulness increases the activity in the anterior cingulate, which is the part of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and emotional regulation. It also increases activity in the prefrontal cortex that is responsible for judgment and planning.

Mindfulness is linked to improved concentration and longer attention span.

Mindfulness meditation also increases the brain’s neural connections and has been proven to fortify myelin, which is the protective tissue that surrounds the neurons responsible for transmitting signals in the brain.

Deep breathing can deactivate our sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our fight or flight response. It also activates the parasympathetic nervous system that is responsible for our rest and digest mode.

Mindfulness decreases the level of cortisol in the body. This stress hormone increases levels of stress and encourages hypertension.

In one study, participants who practiced mindfulness meditation reduced their risk of heart attack by more than five years and also reduced their blood pressure.

Mindfulness allows our mind to become aware of what we eat and has been used for weight loss programs.

Mindfulness is also responsible for increasing telomerase, which is believed to help in the decrease of cell damage.

Mindfulness meditation has been shown to increase the production of antibodies that combat the flu virus. This shows that meditation can help boost our immune system.

Mindfulness means being aware of the things happening right this very moment in both our immediate surroundings and in ourselves — our thoughts, our emotions, our physical sensations, and our behaviors. The purpose of this awareness is to prevent us from being controlled by these events. This awareness must be nonjudgmental and passing, that is, we focus only on the facts and accept them, avoiding our own evaluations or opinions, and then we let them go.

Suppose your boss has severely criticized you about the work you’ve done. You know that you do not deserve it – both the criticism and the way it was delivered, and so you become very angry.

However, instead of letting your emotions dictate your response, you take a step back and mindfully think about the situation. You say to yourself something like this, ‘My boss is under a lot of pressure right now, cranky and easily angered. His criticism of me was unfair. I did not deserve it, and so I got furious.’ And then you move on.

There are different psychotherapy skills associated with mindfulness, and the above example is only one application of them. Those who are learning these skills complete exercises, like meditation and mindful walking. But from this example alone, we can now easily understand and appreciate the benefits of mindfulness.

There is what is called the Wise Mind, which is one of the three states of our mind. This is the balance between our Reasonable Mind (when we act and behave based solely on facts and reason) and our Emotion Mind (when our thoughts and actions are dictated by our feelings). When we are using our Wise Mind — the wisdom in each one of us — we recognize and acknowledge our feelings, but we respond to them rationally.

The Wise Mind, or the practice of using our wisdom, is actually the first of the mindfulness skills. As illustrated in the example above, mindfulness helps us manage and control ourselves, especially in sudden and emotionally-intense situations, where we are more likely to react with our Emotion Mind. This benefit alone has many positive consequences in the long run — better relationships, more self-esteem and self-respect, better responses to unexpected crises, and lesser symptoms of anxiety and depression.

More importantly, when we are mindful, we also get to experience life more fully.

Mindfulness skills also train our minds, so we get the added benefits of improved memory, sharper focus, and faster mental processing. Our anxiety is also reduced, and we gain more control over our thoughts.

And so, what exactly are these mindfulness skills? They are divided into three groups: Wise Mind, the “what” skills, and the “how” skills.

As explained above, this is the middle state between our Reasonable Mind and Emotion Mind, where we recognize both our reason and emotions, and act accordingly.

These skills are in answer to the question, “What are the things you must do to practice mindfulness?” The answers are (1) observe, (2) describe, and (3) participate.

To observe is nothing more than to experience and be aware of our surroundings, our thoughts, our feelings, and the sensations we’re receiving. This is stepping back and looking at ourselves, especially for reorientation when we are too preoccupied with our problems.

To describe is to put words to our present experiences — acknowledging what we feel, think, or do — and using only the facts to do it, without our own opinions. For example, we say to ourselves, “My stomach feels hungry,” or “I’m thinking about my mother.” Doing this lessens distraction and helps our focus.

To participate is to give ourselves fully to what we are doing at the moment (eating, talking, or feeling satisfied). We forget ourselves in it, and we act spontaneously.

These skills, on the other hand, answer the question, “How are you going to practice mindfulness?” The answers are: (1) non-judgmentally, (2) one-mindfully, and (3) effectively.

Non-judgmentally. A non-judgmental stance sees only the facts without evaluating, and without personal opinion. We accept each moment as it is, including our circumstances and what we see in ourselves: our thoughts, our feelings, our values, etc.

One-mindfully. Practicing mindfulness one-mindfully is doing only one thing at a time, and giving it all of our attention — whether that be dancing, walking, sitting, talking, thinking. This is about maintaining our focus and increasing our concentration.

Effectively. Practicing mindfulness effectively is keeping our goals in mind, and doing what is needed to accomplish them. We do our best, and we do not let our emotions get in the way.

These core mindfulness skills are central to Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and they support all the other skills. They are called “core” mindfulness skills because there are a few other skills or perspectives on mindfulness that are less commonly practiced. We will not talk about them in detail, but among these other perspectives is one taken from a spiritual point of view, designed for those who need further help in mindfulness in light of their spirituality.

Now that we know the skills, it is time to apply them to exercises so that we can see them in action. The following is a small sample from the wealth of mindfulness exercises that have already been developed for DBT.

To observe the present moment — in a nonjudgmental way — is the purpose of meditation.

To practice meditation, find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. The goal is daily meditation of at least 30 minutes. For beginners, 10 minutes is advised.

Sit on a chair or a cushion on the floor. Sit with your back comfortably straight, with your arms at your side, and your palms on top of your thighs.

Then bring your attention to your breathing — pay close attention to your inhalation, exhalation, and the sounds they make. Try to do this for the entire duration. Your breathing is what you are using to ground yourself in the present moment.

However, your mind will soon wander, and that is all right. Simply acknowledge your thoughts without judgment, and then return your attention to your breathing.

You may also experience some uneasy feelings while meditating, and that is all right too. Again, simply acknowledge your feelings without judgment, and then return your attention to your breathing.

Do this again and again, always returning to your breathing whenever you are distracted, until the time is up.

Mindful walking is simply practicing mindfulness while walking, to observe one’s own physical body and surroundings.

First, take note of how your body moves and how it feels as you take your steps. Notice the pressure on your feet, and the aches in your joints if there are any. Notice the increased rate of your heartbeat.

Then, expand your awareness to what is around you. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? Do you feel the wind or the heat of the sun on your skin?

This is about using your five senses to observe your present moment. Notice at least one thing that you see, feel, hear, smell, or taste.

You can do this mindfulness exercise sitting down or standing. If the time and place allow you to sit in a lotus position, do it, if not, no problem. You just need to ensure that you are focused on your breathing for at least 60 seconds.

Begin by slowly breathing in and breathing out. One cycle of breathing must last for about six seconds.

Remember to inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Allow your breathing to flow without any struggle.

While doing this exercise, make sure that you can let go of your thoughts. Also, learn to let go of the things that you have to complete today or pending projects that require your attention. Let your thoughts flow their own way and focus on your breathing.

Be aware of your breathing, concentrating on your consciousness as air enters your body and gives you life.

This mindfulness exercise is intended to develop our hearing in a non-judgmental manner. This is also effective in training our brain to be less distracted by preconceptions and previous experiences.

The majority of what we feel is affected by our previous experiences. For instance, we may hate a specific song because it triggers bad memories of a moment in your life when you felt really bad.

Mindful listening is designed to allow you to listen to neutral sounds and music, with a present consciousness that is not blocked by any preconceptions.

Choose music or a soundtrack that you are not really familiar with. Perhaps you have something in your playlist that you have never listened to, or you may choose to turn on the radio to find music that you can listen to.

Close your eyes and plug in your earphones.

The objective is to suspend your judgment of any music you hear – its genre, artist, and title. Don’t prejudge the label and try to go with the flow of the music.

Let yourself discover the music, despite the fact that you may not like it at first. Let go of your judgment and allow your consciousness to be with the sound.

Navigate the sound waves by discerning the vibe of every instrument used in the music. Try to separate every sound in your mind and assess each.

Also, be aware of the vocals – their tone and range. If the music has several voices, try to separate them as you did with the musical instruments.

The goal here is to listen mindfully, to become completely entwined with the music without any judgment or preconception of the music, genre, or artist. This exercise requires you to listen and not to think.

This mindfulness exercise is one of the easiest to do but is also among the most powerful because it allows you to appreciate the simpler aspects of your surroundings.

This exercise is intended to reconnect us with the beauty of our environment; something we often ignore when we are driving to work or even walking in the park.

Select a natural object that you can easily focus on for a couple of minutes. This could be the moon, the clouds, an insect, or a tree.

Try not to do anything except observe the thing you have chosen to focus on. Just relax and try to focus on the object as much as your mind allows.

Look at the object and try to observe its visual aspects. Let your consciousness be consumed by the presence of the object.

This mindfulness exercise is intended to develop our elevated consciousness and appreciation of simple everyday tasks, as well as the outcomes they achieve. Consider something that you do every day that you usually take for granted, such as brushing your teeth.

When you grab your toothbrush, stop for a few moments and be mindful of your presence, your feelings in that moment, and what that action is doing for you.

Likewise, when you open the door before you go out and face the world, take a few moments to be still, and appreciate the design of your gateway to the rest of the world.

These things don’t necessarily have to be physical. For instance, every time you feel sadness, you may opt to take a few moments to stop, identify the thought as harmful, accept the fact that human beings get sad, and then move forward, letting go of the negativity.

It can even be something very little, like every time you see a flower on your way to work, take a moment to stop and appreciate how fortunate you are to behold such a visual delight.

Select a touchpoint that really resonates with you today and rather than going through your everyday tasks like a robot, take a few moments to step back and develop purposeful consciousness of what you are currently doing, as well as the gifts these actions will generate in your life.

In this mindfulness exercise, you will be observing five things in your day that you often ignore. These things could be people, events, or objects. This is really your call. At the end of the day, write down a list of five things that you noticed throughout the day.

The goal of this exercise is to basically show your gratitude and appreciation of the things that may seem insignificant in life. That is, the things that also play their role in our human existence, but we often ignore because we focus way too much on the “bigger and more important” things in life.

There are so many of these little things that we barely notice. There’s the clean water that nourishes your body, the cab driver who takes you to your workplace, your computer that allows you to be productive, your tongue that allows you to savor that delicious lunch you had.

However, have you ever taken just a few moments to pause and think about your connection to these things and how they play a role in your life?

Have you ever stepped back and observed their more intricate, finer details?

Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if these things were not present?

Have you ever properly appreciated how these things give you advantages in your life and help the people you care about?

Do you really know how these things really work or how they came into existence?

After identifying these five things, try to understand everything you can about their purpose and creation. That’s how you can genuinely appreciate the way that they are supporting your life.

Mindful immersion is an exercise that will help you develop satisfaction in the present moment and let go of persistent worry about what the future may bring.

Instead of anxiously wanting to complete our daily work so we can get on to the next item on the list, we can take the task and completely experience it. For instance, if you need to wash the dishes, focus on the specific details of the activity. Instead of treating this as a common household chore, you can choose to develop a completely new experience by taking a closer look at each aspect of your action.

Feel the rush of water when washing the plates. Is it cold water? Is it warm water? How does the running water feel on your hands as you do the dishes? Be aware of the movement you use in scrubbing off grease.

The concept is to be creative and find new experiences for a task that is quite monotonous and very common. Rather than struggling through and persistently thinking about completing the task, be conscious of each step, and completely immerse yourself in the process. Choose to take the task beyond a routine by aligning yourself with it mentally and physically – and even spiritually, if you’re the spiritual kind.

You have now learned what mindfulness is, its benefits, the skills associated with it, and the exercises to boost yours. You will need it not just in CBT but also in DBT and ACT, as you’ll see in the following chapters.

Without a doubt, becoming more mindful and learning these skills are very useful and rewarding. It is not just a treatment option for those who are afflicted with a mental disorder. Learning to act wisely, despite our irrational feelings, and being more observant of ourselves and the things around us, is sure to bring us more happiness and contentment. Nurturing our ability to be aware of every moment in our life is a beneficial practice that can help us better manage the negative feelings and thoughts that may cause us anxiety and stress.

Through regular practice of mindfulness exercises, you will be far less likely to succumb to bad habits and become influenced by fear of the future and the negative experiences of your past. You can finally develop your ability to set your mind in the present and manage the challenges of life in an assertive yet calm manner.

You can, in turn, reshape your brain to harness a completely conscious mindset that is free from the bondage of self-limiting thinking patterns. This will allow you to be totally present to focus on positive emotions that could enhance your compassion, and finally understand yourself and the people around you.