Mindfulness
What is mindfulness meditation all about?
Mindfulness has become a popular term, but it encompasses a variety of techniques, including both "what" and "how" skills. "What" skills are related to observing, describing, and participating in the present moment. These skills remind us to pause, acknowledge our surroundings, and fully embrace our moment rather than rushing through it. The "how" mindfulness skills involve doing things non-judgmentally and one thing at a time. These skills are crucial when it comes to practicing true mindfulness. Many of us are prone to multitasking or trying to accomplish as much as possible each day, often failing to entirely embrace what we are doing in the given moment. Mindfulness encourages us to slow down, be present, and approach each task with non-judgmental awareness, allowing us to experience and appreciate the present moment fully.
Research suggests that mindfulness meditation has enhanced attention, academic performance, emotion regulation, and slowed cellular aging (Burke et al., 2017). This raises the question: How can individuals effectively integrate mindfulness meditation into their daily lives and reap these benefits? To begin, dedicating just 10 minutes a day to mindfulness practice over a 16-week period has demonstrated significant improvements in how the brain processes challenges and manages conflicts (Moore et al., 2012). Such promising outcomes have led to the incorporation of meditation practices into formal psychotherapy, educational programs to enhance attention and socio-emotional development, corporate environments, correctional facilities, and military settings (Burke et al., 2017).
Clearly, mindfulness meditation offers numerous advantages and can be seamlessly incorporated into your daily routine. Observing, balancing, and being present in the moment are all straightforward initial steps toward cultivating mindfulness in your life. This is precisely why we've developed three candles, each accompanied by guided meditations, to reinforce these simple daily practices. Our "Observe" candle encourages you to assess the present moment and honestly notice what is happening around you and inside of you. Our "Balance" candle encourages you to acknowledge how your emotions impact your thoughts and work to balance them to achieve a wisemind. The wisemind concept is crucial to DBT work and is a pivotal skill to learn. In addition, our "Simply Be" meditation encourages you to be present without trying to overthink or change anything. It encourages you to fully embrace the moment without judgment or attempts to alter it. This practice also promotes pure presence and acceptance of the present moment which is another crucial skill in DBT work.
Together, these candles and meditations are crafted to lead you through purposeful methods for attaining tranquility and surmounting obstacles as you progress toward mindfulness. If you're intrigued by what you've heard, be sure to explore our "How to Integrate Mindfulness into Your Lifestyle" toolkit, available on our website!
Resources:
Burke et al. (2017). Prevalence and patterns of use of mantra, mindfulness and spiritual meditation among adults in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317817605_Prevalence_and_patterns_of_use_of_mantra_mindfulness_and_spiritual_meditation_among_adults_in_the_United_States.
More et al. (2012) Regular, brief mindfulness meditation practice improves electrophysiological markers of attentional control. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00018/full
