essentials
What is mindfulness? Is it meditation? Is this a religious practice? How does it work? What do I require to start?
mindfulness fundamentals
Q: What is the difference between mindfulness and meditation?
A: To me, meditation is any technique practised over a period of time, to cultivate a positive mental quality such as concentration, memory or relaxation. There are Transcendental meditation, religious meditation, mantra meditation, music meditation, and more.
Mindfulness is about paying attention on purpose in the present moment, preferably non-judgmentally.So mindfulness meditation is training on the techniques to habituate the mind to be aware of what’s going on right now – in the body, thoughts and emotions.
Q: Is mindfulness practice the same as the meditation during a yoga class?
A: I have experienced concentration, chanting and body scan techniques during yoga classes, typically before and/or after a series of yoga poses. These are done either sitting upright (in a lotus or half-lotus pose) or lying down.For a mindfulness meditation session, the primary focus is on cultivating the habit to inhabit the present moment. Unless specified, you can choose to practise by sitting, standing, lying down, or walking – whichever position you feel at ease in.
Q: Is this mindfulness thing religious or spiritual?
A: Mindfulness has its roots in contemplative traditions. The way I teach it is secular and anchored on brain science and your actual experiences. Science and technology has caught up and we are able to see what is actually happening in the brain. The number of research journals published on mindfulness has grown exponentially since 1980 to 842 in 2018.The skill and habit to live in the present moment is a universal skill. If you are religious or spiritually-inclined, nurturing this habit enhances your experience and devotion.
Q: Is daily prayer like mindfulness meditation?
A: Setting aside time for prayers offers an opportunity to pause and reflect. But it is not mindfulness. Friends who are Muslims and Christians have confided that they are often distracted during religious rites or prayers. Mindfulness training can improve one’s devotion. Intentional awareness and openness help to foster the capacity to receive God’s wisdom.
Q: When is mindfulness not a meditation?
A: When we practise formally, for example paying attention to our breath for 10 minutes, I see that as a meditation. It’s like going to the gym for a targeted workout, for example cardio or upper body. When our heart is strong and healthy, any atypical exertion does not leave us breathless. When we settle down to read with our children, aware of thoughts about work and choosing to be fully present with our loved ones, that’s being mindful without meditating.
Q: Is mindfulness positive psychology?
A: The mental training and habit conditions us to see things as they really are, not how we would wish a situation to be. Hence, we welcome everything – happiness, sadness, anger, gratitude, disappointment, even boredom. We learn to be with these emotions and watch the true nature of our minds. Observe long enough and you will discover that thoughts and emotions ebb and flow, never staying the same.
Q: How does mindfulness work?
A: At the physical level, we are switching our body to non-doing mode (instead of trying to do too much). This invites our stress response system to dial down a bit and switch to the healing rest-and-digest mode.
At the cognitive level, we start to notice well-worn and automatic patterns of thoughts, beliefs and actions. Regular training strengthens your brain’s executive functions. Become the wise Owl that you already are.
Q: Is sleeping a form of mindfulness meditation?
A: Some of the benefits of mindfulness practice can be realised during sleep: rest, repair, detoxification and cognitive integration.
I have taught many adults who cannot sleep. Their minds were overactive at the end of the day. Through regular mindfulness training, we learn to make space for the many thoughts zipping around when our heads when it’s time to sleep. Many practitioners report feeling calm and relaxed, important conditions to slip into dreamland.
You’d also notice that mindfulness training is an active undertaking, while sleeping is passive.
Q: How long and how often should I practice mindfulness?
A: For a start, try a mindfulness exercise for 3 to 10 minutes. Long enough to feel like you are having a mental workout. This is what we call your formal practice. Use the timer app on your smartphone to monitor time. Sustain such formal training once or twice a day. Like brushing your teeth, it shouldn’t feel like it’s one more thing to do.
You can support with informal practices as many times as you can remember in a day. For example, paying attention to your breath while commuting to an appointment, waiting in a queue or before starting on the next task. There are so many opportunities to purposely strengthen attention and openness through impromptu practices.
experience mindfulness for yourself.
curiousnow