What is Mindfulness Meditation?

When some think about meditation, the idea of clearing their minds of all thoughts arises.  This is a very difficult process and I believe scares a lot of people away from meditation as a result.  Mindfulness-based meditation involves remaining aware of thoughts and bodily sensations without any judgment.  One simply pays attention to the thoughts in his/her mind instead of trying to get rid of them. 

In a 2000 study of 145 people with a history of recurrent depression, about half participated in an 8-week Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy program that included attending weekly sessions and doing 45 minutes of mindfulness exercises each day at home while the other half did not take part in the treatment.  A year later, researchers found that this form of treatment cut the risk of relapse by half in those with three or more previous episodes of depression. A similar study in 2004 found similar results.  

Here are a few simple exercises to begin mindfulness meditation practice:

1)  Many of us are on the go so much that the idea of sitting down and meditating seems like a lot more work than it really is.  With mindfulness meditation, one can be active while also listening to his/her thoughts.  Practice doing mundane things such as housework (i.e., washing dishes, dusting, vacuuming) or just simply taking a walk while being conscious of what you are thinking about. 

2)  Write down a few thoughts that you pick up on and practice using the writing resources in the thoughts and cognitive-behavioral section of this website.  The more you get to know your inner thoughts, the better you know what it is that you might need to change and what it is that is playing a role in unstable mental health.

3)  Close your eyes and breathe deeply for 3-4 minutes.  Relax your body and notice where it is that you feel tense.  What thoughts do you have about your body, about your symptoms?  Take note and replace these thoughts with something more realistic and positive about yourself, the steps for health you are taking, and the future benefits.