benefits
Why mindfulness intervention popular with stress management? How does mindfulness help organisations? Can mindfulness help my sister who has been diagnosed with cancer?
an innate quality of the mind
Q: Can mindfulness calm me down?
A: Many of my students, young and old, report feeling calm and tranquil from practicing mindfulness regularly. When the body and mind attempt to be still, we allow our nervous system to settle down.
But we don’t train on mindfulness to expect relaxation. Sometimes, we can be feeling overanxious, fearful or sad. Staying with and observing the unpleasant thoughts and emotions will not be relaxing. Under such circumstances, the skill supports by making space for the discomfort. The unwanted thoughts or emotions can feel less painful.
Q: What are the benefits of mindfulness?
A: Most of my students experience calm and relaxation. Some gained new insights while others report discomfort, either physical or even release of pent-up emotions. For a handful more, they don’t feel anything immediately after practice until a different opportunity in the future highlights that subtle shift in perspective that they had gained during class.
My personal experience has been one of physical and mental healing. Which is why I am highly motivated to share this with as many people as possible.
I got well and pills-free from my decade-long battle with arthritis, which had baffled doctors. I recovered from my mental burnout. Through my own observations of my body and mind, I’ve gained many convicted insights including patience and acceptance.
Q: How does mindfulness help with stress management and anxiety?
A: When I teach mindfulness, I get participants to experience first-hand what is going on in their own minds. For someone who is stressed or anxious, the safe space allows them to notice their worries and what those thoughts do to their bodies, including muscular tensions.
It is very empowering to be aware of cause and effect, and to use our own bodies as laboratories. Attempt to befriend our thoughts, and notice how the rest of the physical body responds.
Q: How does mindfulness benefit a corporate entity?
A: When professionals within an organisation or department start to report feelings of calm, relaxation and openness (and knowing how to easily access those states), it translates to a more productive team. After a corporate mindfulness training, continued sustenance of the habit leads to better decision-making (you are calmer, less reactive), increased creativity (you are aware of your bias, you are open to ideas) and improved communication (you are more deliberate, you see the other person’s point of view).
Q: Does being mindful make me a good person?
A: The decision to do something, good or otherwise, comes from the brain – and influenced by the environment. Cultivating the habit of being in touch with your thoughts and emotions helps you make more deliberate decisions. You cannot control whether the actions from those decisions are perceived as good or bad. You can only act from a place of kindness – first for yourself and then for others. Being mindful makes you a more authentic person.
Q: How can I control my thoughts using mindfulness techniques?
A: Training in this habit is not about choosing only positive thoughts, and filtering out negative or unwanted ones. By being aware of what’s going on in our mind, we get to act on useful ones. Constantly making such choices guides us towards the kind of life we want to live.
Q: What are the benefits of mindfulness for children?
A: Enabling our young friends with this lifeskill is akin to teaching them how to swim. Once a child is familiar with the feelings of centredness and stability, the reinforced neural pathways are easily accessible when required.
When I teach mindfulness skills at schools and to families, the intent is two-fold: to improve concentration, and to enable emotional self-regulation. In the education context, the ability to pay attention in the classroom, when completing schoolwork, or while taking a test or exam will be productive. All of us were teenagers before and experienced emotional roller-coaster rides of as our hormones rage. The ability to recognise the ebb and flow of emotions allows our little adults to cope as they explore their own identities.
Q: How does mindfulness help with ADHD (and ADD)?
A: Highlighting two areas: attention and memory.
People with ADHD finds it more difficult to pay attention at the right time. Through regular mindfulness practice, you can become more aware of your attention and develop the strength to concentrate.
In ADHD, working memory is weak, making it hard to learn and remember. Mindfulness training reminds a practitioner to regularly be in the moment, exercising the memory ‘muscle’.
Q: How does mindfulness help patients with chronic illnesses such as cancer?
A: When someone receives news of being diagnosed with a chronic illness, the reaction is usually described as an emotional rollercoaster. Distressing feelings like fear, sadness, uncertainty and anger swell within.
Mindfulness training during such a highly stressful period seeks to cultivate a person’s capability to self-regulate attention and emotion. The skill and experience can then be applied broadly to manage stress, anxiety and pain.
Q: What should I expect when attempting to do this? What else should I be experiencing?
A: The most common feedback I get is a sense of calm and tranquility. Some participants report discomfort and even a sense of release of pent-up emotions.
With regular training, you should be able to know when you are “lost in thoughts”, and you start to see thoughts for what they really are – just thoughts in your mind.
Q: Can mindfulness make me forget unpleasant memories?
A: I’ve met folks who misunderstand mindfulness and its techniques. They use it to turn away from their painful thoughts or experiences. One of my teachers had pointed out that they are no longer practicing mindfulness; they are practicing distraction.
Mindfulness techniques cultivate openness in the quality of our attention. Instead of attempting to chase off unwanted memories, thoughts or feelings, the mindful aim is to make space for and allow such thoughts or feelings to come, stay and go as they wish. Much practice is required.
try a practice now.
feelnow