Mindfulness?

[RosieWithTheGoodHair]

Here for traffic

What is it?
What does it do?
Is it a load of tosh?

[lasttimeround]

Focusing on the now. Medirational exercises. Not load of tosh but currently wheeled out by health and social care services when you actually need more respite or support services in our area dhi check makes me

[KenDoddsDadsDog]

Put simply I would call it clearing your head. We've done a lot on it at work over the past three years and how it can support your leadership. Had a really good business coach teach us for a couple of days every year.
Of course it's an antidote to how busy modern life is and we wouldn't need it if we weren't bombarded with 'stuff' all the time.
My best tips have been going for a mindful daily walk , how to breathe and use CBT in times of stress , how to actively listen more.

[RosieWithTheGoodHair]

Really, last? Can you be more specific? I think if a doctor told me to try mindfulness I'd laugh in their face. But I suppose the same was said about counselling not long ago

[MimiSunshine]

A form of mediation that requires you to concentrate on the exact thing you are doing and nothing else I.e. The act of typing your OP without your mind wandering
More often used as a relaxation tool

Google will tell you - Mindfulness meditation involves sitting silently and paying attention to thoughts, sounds, the sensations of breathing or parts of the body, bringing your attention back whenever the mind starts to wander.

Works for me and I used it during labour (hypnobirth) and it was amazing

[Shopper99]

I need this. My head is always all over the place.

Have seriously considered that I might have adult adhd.

[LadyCallandraDaviot]

There is an app called "headspace" and I think that describes exactly what it is - gives your head space from whatever is stressing you. It's all about focussing on the moment, so you can download the app and follow it, or you can sit in the garden with a cup of tea and look at the plants, or lie on the bed and concentrate on the feel of the covers, and your breathing etc. You don't have to do it in any one specific way, although it is often useful to get started.

[RosieWithTheGoodHair]

Hmmmm. I used hypnotherapy apps when suffering from insomnia and it is nice to focus on one thing

It feels a bit like meditation rebranded, though. And I hate the word 'mindfulness'.

[RosieWithTheGoodHair]

I think I might do this so called Mindfulness anyway. I sit on the bus and think my thoughts, I lay in the bath and enjoy the water, I lay in bed before my alarm goes off in the morning enjoying the cold/soft sheet on my feet

But I'm still a nervous wreck

[99GBPChargeToUseMyPostsJournos]

Mindfulness can be in the form of meditation, but it can also be used when doing the housework or taking a phone call or basically anytime.

Not all meditation is mindfulness meditation.

They are very strongly related, but they are not the same.

[Chickydoo]

Just another word for meditation, been around for 1000's of years.

[ginorwine]

There is a fantastic book by mark williams on mindfulness , which is task focused as well as theory so that you follow and build the practice . It's really very good .
Via Amazon etc .

[makingacupoftea]

It seems to be the "in" thing. I had counselling a while ago and she was constantly wittering on about this. I tried it but it seems abut crap.

My fav was when she asked me to take time on my walk to the school and smell the flowers (I live on a housing estate so not exactly full of nature and I take 6 young children to school each morning ). I'm real life I think mindfulness is wishful thinking !

[yorkshapudding]

There is a growing body of evidence that Mindfulness can be helpful for a number of mental health conditions including Anxiety, Depression, personality disorders and for those with substance misuse issues. I have used it with young people who had issues with emotional dysregulation and self harm and seen very positive results. When I worked in mental health I saw so many service users benefiting from Mindfulness I decided to use it myself as a way of managing work related stress and found it invaluable. My sleep improved and I felt much less overwhelmed. It takes practice, perseverance and an open mind initially but once you have the skills it becomes easy to build Mindfulness into your routine.

[Jaimx86]

There's a free book on mindfulness with one of the health mags this month - think it's Healthy Living?

[redexpat]

I don't get it, I just dont really get on with it, but I know others who do and swear by it. I find my quit nailbiting hypnotherapy app much more effective.

[StillDrSethHazlittMD]

Mimi described it "A form of mediation that requires you to concentrate on the exact thing you are doing and nothing else I.e. The act of typing your OP without your mind wandering"

I don't get why we need a new "buzzword" for "concentrating".

[Lilybensmum1]

I use this not daily but when I feel I'm loosing control of a situation or feeling negative and down, I was treated for depression and anxiety related to a close family members chronic ill health.

I was very much dismissive of these sorts of things until I started counselling and I can honestly say mindfulness has changed my life. I don't say that easily and yes you could argue it's the new buzzword for concentrating but it is so much more than that. It is fairly simplistic ie live for the now, concentrate on what is happening right now but there is an art too it, anyone can do it, but it does require practice. I don't do it everyday I don't need to some do.

There is a book called full catastrophe living which I think is brilliant it really help me identify how to help myself and how to turn around perceived negative situations. I have read many self help books and this is by far the best. We all live in a busy chaotic world with a million things to do mindfulness just helps ease that process. Give it a go you have nothing to loose.

[MatildaTheCat]

I did a brilliant free online course on Mindfulness with FutureLearn recently. I think they are running it again soon. Mindfulness meditation is being very focussed on clearing your mind and 'being' whereas living mindfully is everyday noticing your surroundings, focusing on one task and living in the moment.

One phrase that really resonated with me was ,'What is, not what if?'

I'd done a course before for pain management and only partially 'got it' so really benefitted from doing the course. For me it's easier than trying to learn it from a book.

[sportinguista]

I learnt mindfulness when I was going through a bad patch at work. I wasn't recommended it but came across it by chance and decided it sounded a good idea (it was in the Boots free mag). It has helped me and I now do it every day which gives me space, energy and a bit of peace in the million and one things I have to do. It got me through at a bad time and is useful now when I'm not.

One site I find really useful is zenhabits. It has a lot of good exercises and tips which help you live a different lifestyle. They also run programmes which you can join if you want to concentrate on more specific things.

It really does help you view difficult things with more understanding and less permanence.

[timelytess]

It works.

[HermioneWeasley]

Meditation is normally the act of clearing your mind, whereas mindfulness is more about focusing on the present.

Lots of credible research to say it's as effective as meds in terms of treating moderate depression and anxiety.

I don't do it myself - I don't feel the need, but would be open to it if you're feeling stressed etc.

[Chickydoo]

Meditation is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind ( Patanjali's yoga sutra AD 200)
It was known as Dhyana. The 7th step in the 8 limbs of yoga.
The 6th step is Dharana. This can be looked on as concentration on something, be it breath, object or being in the now.
There is you the person who perceives, & then the object ( or whatever your focus is on) Other thoughts come & go, but you the perceiver still try to remain focused on that which is perceived.
When there is nothing else but you & the object, no other thoughts coming in, so you are almost one with the object, that is Dhyana or meditation. It is not about having an empty mind (impossible really, unless asleep or dead) but a mind free from distraction. mindfulness is I guess more Dharana than Dhyana.
One can lead to another. Just another step along the way. Mindfulness is just a less intense word to use.

[Chickydoo]

Mindfulness is meditation