Mindfulness may seem like a vague concept, but a clear understanding of its physical, emotional and mental benefits can prompt a regular meditation or breathing practice, which needn’t be time-consuming. Counselling psychologist and hypnotherapist Karin Steyn explains the difference between mindfulness and meditation, how meditation affects certain parts of the brain, and suggests practical resources and ways to develop this skill.

What exactly is mindfulness?

“I always like to refer to Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness, describing the state of paying attention intentionally, in the present moment, and as non-reactive, non-judgemental, and open-hearted as possible. To live mindfully, we are maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. 

“If we can live mindfully

• we will be less reactive and defensive and not take things personally

• we can be responsible for thoughtful and proactive responses

• we will be more accepting of all experiences and all parts of ourselves, observing it through a gentle and nurturing lens.

“Through mindfulness practice we learn to notice how we are paying attention to things, and how to sustain attention moment, to moment, to moment.”

Less judgement means more acceptance, curiosity and openness

“If we do not judge things to be good or bad, we can allow it to be what it is. It takes a measure of paying attention and curiosity to know things for what they are, or patience to allow situations to unfold and see the bigger picture. 

“As humans we love to judge ourselves and others; we even judge our emotions, looking down upon the ‘bad’ emotions like anger or jealousy. A mindful attitude would investigate those feelings for what they are, without judging the self for having those emotions. It might even extend compassion towards this misjudged part of the self.

“I like to think of all emotions as communications from the deepest part of the self – like the lights on the dashboard of the car, they go on when they need us to pay attention – the oil light, water light or petrol gage tells us what needs to be done next. We cannot just ignore them or wish they would go away. Through mindfulness we can love and accept all parts of ourselves and see their positive intention and communication.

“The Buddhists note that much of human suffering is a consequence of our expectations – expectations of how we believe things should be, or attachment to outcomes we are anticipating. If we could let go of attachment to expectations and allow experiences to be what they are, we take judgement of the now out of the picture and make place for acceptance. Then, instead of being burdened with feelings of ‘it should not be this way’, we can confront it with ‘it is what it is, and how can I make the best of what is?’

“This is particularly helpful when we sit with problematic diagnoses like a terminal illness, or face challenging realities like having being fired from work, or just not having enough money to make ends meet this month. If you acknowledge that your parents are human and have their faults (and are not perfect as you believed they should be), what is the best relationship you can have with them, considering what is? Through non-judgement we accept things for what they are and choose to practice mindfulness by directing an attitude of acceptance, curiosity, and openness toward our deepest needs and wishes.”

The difference between mindfulness and meditation

“Mindfulness refers to a quality or a state of being present and aware in your life, with an attitude of non-judgement.You can practice mindfulness anytime, anywhere, and with anyone by being fully engaged in the here and now.

Different kinds and levels of meditation

“There are different traditions and types of meditation e.g. breath awareness, mantra meditation, visualisation or guided meditation, contemplative practice, insight meditation, loving-kindness or metta meditation, transcendental meditation and others – people will select the one that best suits their character or needs. People can practice meditation on different levels. Some people just do a few minutes of meditation a day, popping in their earphones and listening to a beautiful, guided visualisation or relaxation exercise. Others take to the cushion and practice in earnest, perhaps spending time in silence or going on retreats.

“Individuals will have a personal relationship with their meditation practice. I remember the Dalai Lama who said if he has a particularly stressful schedule, he will make sure to do two hours of meditation practice in the morning instead of the regular one hour. The physiological state changes that accompany meditation help people to cope with many stressful challenges with more confidence.”

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Breathing changes our physiology

“The breath is one of the anchors of meditation. It is easily accessible and anyone can use it. It is a means of connecting the body and the mind through conscious breathing. Focus on the breath helps the individual to create a focus for attention whilst they learn to manage their minds.

“There is also an important connection between the breath and what happens in the body when we breathe slowly and deeply. A slow exhale slows down the brain waves and stimulates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic side of the nervous system and changes physiology. The vagus nerve is an important mediator of the parasympathetic nervous system response; it travels through most of the internal organs of the body and is the largest bundle of nerves that goes from the spinal cord to the chest, to the lungs, gut, intestinal walls, and even the immune system is activated.”

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Training the mind to lower the body’s stress response

“When I talk about mindfulness I think about the body-mind connection and facilitating a strong working connection between these parts of self. We train the mind to lower the stress response of the body (deactivate the sympathetic nervous system response when it becomes unnecessarily activated) and activate the parasympathetic nervous system more regularly. When individuals are receptive to the cues and communication from their body, be it physical symptoms or gut feelings, they can make the necessary adjustments in their life to improve well-being.

“When individuals know their values and boundaries and live with integrity, they can make conscious decisions that align with their boundaries that manage health and mental well-being.”

Research shows many ways in which the body and mind benefit from mindfulness:

Emotional benefits

• The aim of mindfulness is to help create a calmer mind that will lead to a calmer body/being, and eventually result in experiencing more happiness and greater well-being

• Mindfulness and meditation practices help lower stress, anxiety and prevent burnout

• It protects against depression and loneliness

• It helps lower the emotional response to pain

• It improves patience, kindness, empathy and compassion

Mental benefits

Physical benefits

• Protects telomeres and therefore prevents premature ageing

• Meditation practice can improve brain health

• It lowers inflammation in the body and improves gut health

“Overall, it improves resilience.

“When appropriate, individuals may also use mindfulness and meditation to facilitate a spiritual connection to the world, a higher power or higher self, on a path of enlightenment.”

Mindfulness and focus

“Our minds are not made to multitask or deal with simultaneous streams of incoming information. To approach a task mindfully means that you give that task your full attention in the present moment.  

“Multi-tasking is not considered to be a mindful activity. Interruption science research has indicated that it may take people up to 30 minutes to return to a task when they have been interrupted. To boost your productivity, think about how you can avoid constant distractions in your day-to-day life, like the telephone, text messages and emails.

“People can become anxious when they think of undesirable future outcomes or past mistakes. Mindfulness can help reset their minds to focus on the present moment and problem-solve or make the best decisions that they can with the information they have in the present moment.

“Mindfulness is linked to increased creativity. Mindfulness therefore can help individuals get unstuck and drive for outcomes in the present.  

“Mindful leaders in business often inspire their team members or allow them to feel valued and respected, which will also improve productivity in the workplace.”

Meditation and the different areas of the brain

“Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to form new neural connections and pathways throughout an individual’s life. Neuroscientists like Sara Lazar and Richard Davidson have studied the effects of meditation on the brain, and reported on cortical thickening of the gray matter in areas that affect anxiety, fear, attention, memory, compassion, depression, and the body’s ability to heal itself. Meditation and repetitive stimulation of certain brain areas can cause structural changes in time and lead to more permanent trait changes, not just temporary state changes.

Some areas of the the brain that are affected by meditation practice (not a comprehensive discussion of all the affected areas):

• The amygdala, a structure in the limbic system, is also known as the fight-or-flight activator in the brain. The amygdala is like a panic button that is pressed and alerts the brain when it senses any danger and starts the chemical cascade that prepares the body for action. Meditation practice strengthens the connection between the emotional parts of the brain (limbic system and amygdala) and the executive functioning part of the brain (the prefrontal cortex, in particular the left prefrontal cortex.)

  As this circuitry becomes more established with continued meditation, amygdala reactivity is inhibited or will diminish and there is a correlation between our ability to recover from setbacks, challenges and threats. Individuals will experience more creativity, lateral thinking and problem solving ability; they might even feel more able to anticipate the consequences of their actions in planning and decision-making. It improves their emotional intelligence, sense of optimism and motivation. Individuals may also report a sense of growing calm and control which may be related to decreased amygdala reactivity to stress.

• As they progress with compassion meditations and the empathy circuits in their brains are better developed, meditators will feel more connected to others. With compassion meditation practice, the insula is strengthened. The insula plays a role in our ability to feel our feelings and those of others, and individuals show an increased capacity for empathy and compassion. Compassion is different to empathy, and includes an aspect of taking action to relieve others’ distress or pain.

 Outcomes Karin experiences in her practice when clients embrace mindfulness:

“I love being a witness to the process of awareness and a growing sense of control that individuals experience in counselling and through their meditation and mindfulness practice. Many people live in their heads and forget that they have a body and emotional being. Many times, what is in an individual’s mind can be cruel and critical and maintain their suffering.

“This is what is required for individuals to take the risk to be true to themselves, honour their ‘calling’ and live an authentic life. It takes love and courage. Dr Barbara Mariposa writes that when individuals become fully present in their lives, they experience an aliveness that is not tied to their external circumstances, but their sense of well-being is anchored within themselves. Through the stillness, they access a sense of enjoyment, energy, and adventure.  

“Individuals who connect back to their true selves live more authentic lives. They might need to make adjustments that align their actions with their goals and intentions. Their relationships and general well-being improve.”

What practicing mindfulness has meant to Karin personally:

“I knew about mindfulness before I discovered meditation. One of the earliest quotes that inspired and reflected my journey was the one by Thornton Wilder, who describes that we can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of its treasures. Some of my favourite moments and milestones in life were mindful moments that were treasured or intentionally created, such as my marriage, baby welcoming ceremonies, special milestone celebrations, funerals, etc.

“Mindfulness allows me to savour all the magical experiences in life. I am constantly aware of searching for the beauty in life, whether it is seeing an exchange of love between a parent and child or paying attention to a beautiful sunrise or sunset – my children always laugh at my ability to appreciate the sunset, even though it is a daily occurrence. If we choose to notice, there is beauty and magic everywhere – and this makes me feel special and glad to be alive. It sometimes takes effort to remember to create mindful moments in life – savouring a warm shower or writing a heartfelt note to a friend, but it is always worth it.  

“It was my meditation teacher’s training that taught me the health benefits of meditation and how to include it as part of my health management daily ritual. I now know, just like managing personal hygiene, exercise and meditation practice is non-negotiable. Meditation is a tool for me to relax and let go of attachments at the end of a challenging day; I use it as a tool to enhance focus and self-confidence at the start of a challenging day. It helps me to put things in perspective and stay in gratitude.”

Resources for people who’d like to live more mindfully

• We talked about growing self-awareness as the starting place of mindfulness. Individuals can improve their self-awareness through the mere intention to be more conscious in life. They might choose to read self-help books like “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle, or complete an online course.

• They might embark on a journey of self-discovery through attending counselling, therapy, or a coaching process whereby they dedicate the time and energy to grow awareness and learn tools and techniques to improve their self-acceptance.

• There are growing numbers of meditation teachers who run six to eight-week courses in which an individual can learn how to meditate and develop their practice. Finding a circle of like-minded individuals, as well as a teacher who can guide and develop your practice, is recommended.

• There are many Mindfulness and Meditation Apps that they can download on a tablet or cell phone, such as Insight Timer, Calm, Healthy Minds, or Headspace. On any one of these apps you will have access to a variety of recorded guided meditations and visualisations, or music and background tracks to support your meditation practice. I use Insight Timer and love the fact that I can select the time I can spend in meditation, set the timer, and a gong will sound to end my practice. The app keeps track of my statistics of how many consecutive days I have meditated, it offers rewards for meditation milestones achieved, and connects one to the global meditation community who are meditating at the same time as me. The app also offers various meditation courses that one could sign up for and allows me to follow my favourite teachers. There are also interactive chat areas where individuals can connect through questions and answers.  

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Contact details

Karin Steyn is a counselling psychologist and hypnotherapist with a private practice in Johannesburg. She is also a HypnoBirthing® instructor and a Fertile Body Method practitioner.

Tel. 082 902 6042

Email karin.m.steyn@gmail.com  

Website www.freechildcompany.co.za

Images: Pexels, unless indicated otherwise.

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Image of Karin Steyn: supplied.