I will certainly try this in 2009. Thanks for the interesting tips!

Benefits of mindfulness meditation included a reduction in distraction and rumination, a decrease in overall stress, and improvement in positive states of mind. When practiced on a regular basis and over a period of time these positive benefits become new habits. And, what did we learn about negative habits in MAPP? They don’t just go away by themselves but rather often decrease once we add/create new positive changes in our life. They eventually crowd out the bad ones.

How about trying a personal experiment of your own and practicing mindfulness meditation for a short time every day to see what you experience? That’s what I’ve done and I noticed that it’s decreased the negative ruminating that I had mindlessly been doing for years. I’d be interested in hearing how it works for you.

Thanks again,
Suzie

You’re right – the two go hand in hand. What the research suggests is that it’s the acceptance dimension that makes the difference. Awareness is the easy part. Its the same with CBT. You can be aware but unless you can reframe the thoughts, then the awareness is probably harmful. Hope this makes sense.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and some research on mindfulness. I think that awareness and acceptance go hand in hand because awareness needs to take place first before you can accept something. How can you accept certain thoughts if you’re not aware of them taking place in the first place? Sometimes, we haven’t even slowed down enough to realize the thoughts that are mindlessly running through our mind.

I look forward to checking out the article you sent. Thanks Wayne!

Suzie

Because meditation is the practice of being a nonjudgmental witness of one’s thoughts, bodily experiences, and emotions, its practice does naturally continue to impact other parts of your life. Let’s say I’m really anxious about an interview I will have in a few days. Meditation provides me with the opportunity to sit with myself, watching the thoughts and emotions that run like a rat on a wheel inside my head. I notice the jittery feeling in my body. I don’t have the intention to change any of these, but simply to observe and to name them when I see them. I am “the watcher.” What emerges is not only a detachment from the powerful pull of these thoughts and feelings, but also a lightness – an ability to put my worries into perspective with the rest of my life and with my place in the world. That experience translates to later in the day when those same anxieties come pouring back in. I can more easily observe them as I would a child crying for the candy that is not good for him. It’s not a magic bullet, obviously, and it requires the time and effort of the meditation practice, but I’ve experienced its power.

Kirsten

Are there any articles, or other thoughts about how long the “mindfulness-buzz” continues after meditating or yoga? I certainly expect mindfulness to rise after mediating, but what about later in the day when people get caught up in their quotidian routines, habits and general busyness? Thanks so much for your thoughts!