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What is mindfulness?

Modern life is, for many, increasingly stressful. We are all subjected to pressures from many different sources:

  • work
  • relationships
  • family
  • money worries
  • information overload

Our modern way of living can cause problems:

  • A high proportion of illnesses are now thought to be stress related, and many of them have no ‘quick fix’ medical answer.
  • Anxiety, panic attacks
  • depression
  • social isolation
  • lack of confidence and low self esteem

Many people feel exhausted, trying to find solutions, and feeling powerless to change things. A lot of time is spent wishing we were somewhere, or someone, else. Energy may be invested in ruminating over unwanted thoughts.

Mindfulness is an approach which offers an antidote to this way of being. It enhances our awareness of moment to moment experience in everyday life. By focusing on what is happening right now, and cultivating kind and non- judgemental attitudes to ourselves, we can learn to develop a different relationship with what distresses us.
Using the simple, but ever present, tools of our breath and our bodies, and becoming deeply attuned to them, we can learn to be aware of thoughts and emotions, and, instead of being overwhelmed by them, we can become better able to manage them. We can discover new ways of responding intelligently to difficulties, rather than reacting in old, often unhelpful, automatic patterns.

The approach was developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn in the late 1970’s. It draws from ancient eastern philosophies, but is delivered in an entirely secular way. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) courses are specifically designed to increase well being in an often stressful world.
For more information visit www.bemindful.co.uk

Does it work?

Research, over three decades, supports this approach
It has been shown to:

  • Increase feelings of well being
  • Enhance enjoyment and enrichment of life
  • Decrease the impact of living in a stressful world
  • Decrease the impact of chronic pain
  • Increase immunity
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Decrease relapse rate in recurrent depression (and is in the NICE guidelines for treatment of this condition)
  • Reduce symptoms in those with anxiety and panic disorders
  • Help patients with fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
  • Help patients with multiple sclerosis
  • Improve psoriasis
  • Improve well being in cancer patients

Mindfulness is now taught widely in many different settings

  • schools
  • the mental health services
  • hospitals and hospices
  • prisons
  • government agencies
  • corporate settings