Four Steps to Mindfulness

Four steps to mindfulness The word mindfulness has become a part of our daily language. It is the subject of countless books and magazine articles. It is supposed to improve your health, stress levels, relationships, your sleep, body weight and even your chances of long-term success and happiness. Many people talk about how they are trying to be more mindful, or asking others to be more mindful. But what exactly is mindfulness?

In one sense, mindfulness iis the ability to see yourself in same way you see that someone else. There is a simple approach that I use to guide my patients in pain to see their pain in this way too. Pain and other unpleasant physical symptoms occur in the body and brain, just like thoughts and emotions do. While we cannot change what is happening in our bodies, we can change how we react to what is happening. The beautiful paradox is that this can change what the brain does too.

The first of four steps of mindfulness that seem to make the most sense to me is to notice that something is happening. Whether it is pain in the back, a fear response to something that scares you, a hunger when you see a food you crave, or the thought that you are a failure.

The next step is to pay attention to whatever is happening. Give it as much focus as you can. We ask patients to tell us where they feel it, and then we ask them to give it a shape, a color and a name.

Next, when the impulse comes on its own, take a deep breath. Don't force it; it will come on its own. For centuries, martial arts, spiritual and religious practices have made use of the fact that inhalation is associated with tension and exhalation triggers release. Modern science is telling us the same. So inhale deeply, engaging the diaphragm and pelvis.

Finally, let it go. Release the breath, and as you do it, make a decision to accept whatever you are feeling. Yes, that is right. Accept it. In doing so, you are letting go of your resistance to it. Whether that resistance takes the form of anger, frustration, impatience, self-blame, guilt, fear or sadness, what you resist will persist.

Letting go includes all of the bad things that have happened to you, the hurtful things that people have said or done to you, your suffering and the suffering of those you love. When you choose to let go of your resistance to those challenges, you trigger a major relaxation response from your nervous system. And that triggers healing.