What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness, as defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn who introduced Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction 30 years ago, is “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”
Stress, depletion, and low-to-medium-grade anxiety have become the new normal in schools and other institutional environments, and students can't absorb information in these fight, flight or freeze states. Learning is dependent on our neurobiology, so in order to be able to absorb information at a deep level, our nervous system needs to be in a focused and receptive state. Youth need a “nervous system” toolkit. Mindfulness practice provides the groundwork for self-regulation and the ability to notice the condition of our nervous system. This allows students to shift gears, when needed, in response to stressful situations.
Mindfulness training is one way to bring focus and sanity back into the way we run our classes and ask our youth to study and engage in the learning process. Contrary to images fed to us in the media, science shows that being a stressed out, hysterical and overly busy multitaskers is not the road to success.
Focused, relaxed and calm attention -- the quality of what we do -- needs to be emphasized in the learning environment.
Focused, relaxed and calm attention -- the quality of what we do -- needs to be emphasized in the learning environment.
What Mindfulness is NOT
(www.mindfulschools.org/pdf/Mindfulness-What-it-is-and-is-not.pdf)
Mindfulness is not about being calm or any particular way.
We often expect mindfulness will bring us peace or calm and relaxation. Although it's true that you can experience a sense of peace, calm, or relaxation while practicing mindfulness, these are not guaranteed outcomes. Mindfulness is just about noticing whatever experience we're having, including all the thoughts, feelings or physical sensations that are a part of it.
Mindfulness can significantly reduce stress but it's not about stress reduction
Rather than remove stress, mindfulness helps us learn to relate to stress differently. It may seem absurd that something as simple as listening to sounds or paying attention to our breathing can help us learn to respond to experiences in a healthy way, but it’s what science is showing and what people are saying. There is now over 25 years of research with adults showing that mindfulness helps with stress by changing our relationship to it.
Mindfulness is not the absence of thought
Instead of aiming for an empty or blank mind where no thoughts are present, we learn the skill of becoming aware of our thoughts, without necessarily doing anything with them. By just noticing thoughts, we learn how to unhook ourselves from our identification with them. This is different from pushing thoughts away. It’s how we relate to our thoughts, not the absence of them.
Mindfulness is not about being complacent
Acceptance does not mean agreement or complacency. It means acknowledging whatever's going on, which is a good idea because it's already happening. We take action to change situations when appropriate - for our well-being and the well-being of others - but we do so out of compassion and understanding versus reaction and frustration.
Mindfulness is not religious
Mindfulness practices are useful for all people, regardless of their spiritual or religious backgrounds or beliefs. It's a human experience that utilizes awareness and compassion that is within us all.
Mindfulness is not a silver bullet
When we’re under stress or going through a difficult time we might look for ‘techniques’ to help us better cope. Mindfulness works, but it is important to approach it with the right attitude. Based on many years of research, it is well established that in order to fully benefit from mindfulness meditation, the best approach is to have a long-term view.
We often expect mindfulness will bring us peace or calm and relaxation. Although it's true that you can experience a sense of peace, calm, or relaxation while practicing mindfulness, these are not guaranteed outcomes. Mindfulness is just about noticing whatever experience we're having, including all the thoughts, feelings or physical sensations that are a part of it.
Mindfulness can significantly reduce stress but it's not about stress reduction
Rather than remove stress, mindfulness helps us learn to relate to stress differently. It may seem absurd that something as simple as listening to sounds or paying attention to our breathing can help us learn to respond to experiences in a healthy way, but it’s what science is showing and what people are saying. There is now over 25 years of research with adults showing that mindfulness helps with stress by changing our relationship to it.
Mindfulness is not the absence of thought
Instead of aiming for an empty or blank mind where no thoughts are present, we learn the skill of becoming aware of our thoughts, without necessarily doing anything with them. By just noticing thoughts, we learn how to unhook ourselves from our identification with them. This is different from pushing thoughts away. It’s how we relate to our thoughts, not the absence of them.
Mindfulness is not about being complacent
Acceptance does not mean agreement or complacency. It means acknowledging whatever's going on, which is a good idea because it's already happening. We take action to change situations when appropriate - for our well-being and the well-being of others - but we do so out of compassion and understanding versus reaction and frustration.
Mindfulness is not religious
Mindfulness practices are useful for all people, regardless of their spiritual or religious backgrounds or beliefs. It's a human experience that utilizes awareness and compassion that is within us all.
Mindfulness is not a silver bullet
When we’re under stress or going through a difficult time we might look for ‘techniques’ to help us better cope. Mindfulness works, but it is important to approach it with the right attitude. Based on many years of research, it is well established that in order to fully benefit from mindfulness meditation, the best approach is to have a long-term view.