What is Mindfulness
mind·ful·ness ˈmīn(d)-fəl-nəs
1: the quality or state of being mindful
2: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis
~from Merriam-Webster
AKA: the hippie Buddhist monk shit and unfortunately also the most important module in DBT and one of the hardest to master. It can be hard for beginners, so if you’re having a lot of trouble, watch one of the meditation videos the first week then skip to distress tolerance.
Why?
According to the American Psychological Association
Researchers theorize that mindfulness meditation promotes metacognitive awareness, decreases rumination via disengagement from perseverative cognitive activities and enhances attentional capacities through gains in working memory.
Several disciplines and practices can cultivate mindfulness, such as yoga, tai chi and qigong, but most of the literature has focused on mindfulness that is developed through mindfulness meditation
Other benefits mentioned in this online article include:
- Stress-reduction
- Focus
- Less Emotional Reactivity
- More Cognitive Flexibility
- Relationship Satisfaction
- Clinically Measurable and Proven health benefits (eg: blood pressure, immune function)
If you're struggling with Mindfulness...
...I did too! Try Cheat Day Mindfulness