Alek Krumm, M.A.
Practicum Trainee (2019-2020)
Some of us, when we want to improve our lives, think about optimizing our time. I’ll spend more time with my kids and less at the office. I’ll spend more time outdoors. I’ll take time to do the things I love, like golfing or swimming or painting. I’ll wake up an hour earlier each day to read or pray or journal.
All of these are good and worthwhile efforts. Yet, none will have the intended effect if we don’t first learn to master our attention. For example, yesterday, I decided to take my sons for a walk through the neighborhood. As most parents can attest, I knew this walk wouldn’t be “relaxing” per se, but I hoped it would be at least be a way to slow down and enjoy the beautiful day. Yet, even with those good and honest intentions, I found myself only minutes into the walk feeling impatient, rushed, and worried about my to-do list. The beautiful day was all around me—mine for the taking—and, in the amazing way humans can, I wasn’t even experiencing it!
Thus, while time may be our greatest resource, attention is our greatest tool. Many of us make these kinds of efforts in our lives only to throw up our hands in frustration and self-loathing when they don’t “work.” And why don’t they work? Because we don’t yet know how to use the tool of attention.
Mindfulness is a practice aimed at sharpening that tool. Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the world’s experts on mindfulness, defines it as such:
Mindfulness is what arises when you pay attention on purpose in the present moment and without judgment.
So, what exactly does that look like? For many, mindfulness conjures up images of sitting cross-legged repeating the mantra “Om.” That would be an example of a formal mindfulness practice, and it’s one of an infinite number of variations. Formal practices are generally guided, such as through audio or a written script. They typically include suggestions about posture, attitude, method, and mantras. In contrast, informal mindfulness practices involve bringing one’s attention to everyday, routine experiences, such as washing the dishes or walking your dog.
Mindfulness practice (formal and informal) is a central component of a number of evidence-based psychotherapies, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). And, if the centuries of spiritual teaching aren’t enough to convince you, modern research is clear: Mindfulness has proven benefits. Mindfulness has been shown to increase well-being, decrease psychological symptoms and emotional reactivity and improve behavioral regulation (e.g., by decreasing problem behavior, such as smoking or gambling). Mindfulness has even been shown to affect brain structure and connectivity!
Ready to join the hype? Wondering how to begin? If you’re actively in psychotherapy, discuss your interest in mindfulness with your therapist. If you’re contemplating entering psychotherapy, consider seeking a therapist proficient in mindfulness-based approaches. If you’re looking for something simple you can try at home, start small. You could spend a lifetime perfecting mindful awareness of your breath, for example.
Other ways to explore:
· Guided meditations, such as by Jon Kabat-Zinn (https://www.mindfulnesscds.com/) or Tara Brach (https://www.tarabrach.com/guided-meditations/)
· App-based services, such as Calm (https://www.calm.com or wherever you get your apps) or Headspace (https://www.headspace.com or wherever you get your apps)
· Try a yoga class
References
Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: a review of empirical studies. Clinical psychology review, 31(6), 1041–1056. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2011.04.006
Gard T, Taquet M, Dixit R, Hölzel BK, Dickerson BC, Lazar SW. Greater widespread functional connectivity of the caudate in older adults who practice kripalu yoga and vipassana meditation than in controls. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience [Internet]. 2015;9 (137).
Greenberg J, Romero VL, Elkin-Frankston S, Bezdek MA, Schumacher EH, Lazar SW. Reduced interference in working memory following mindfulness training is associated with increases in hippocampal volume. Brain Imaging and Behavior [Internet]. 2019;13 (2) :366-376.