Finding Peace of Mind

Discovering mindfulness in an increasingly loud world.

A couple of years ago, I found myself having little fits of anxiety at work. During these episodes, it was hard to catch my breath and hard to focus. The high-pressure world of public relations was catching up to me. A coworker, who was having a lot of stress both at work and at home, suggested I listen to some “guided meditations” on YouTube. She emailed me some links and told me to keep an open mind.

I was skeptical. Up to this point, the only experience I’d had with any type of meditation was in a college acting class. Cliché, but true.

I waited until I got home. I put in my headphones, settled into my favorite chair, and pushed play. Ten minutes later, I was pleasantly surprised.

What are meditation and mindfulness, exactly?

Things like meditation and mindfulness seem to be increasing in popularity. People all over the world engage in these practices as a way to improve their health, explore their spirituality, and get in touch with who they really are. And while these practices weren’t introduced to western culture until the 20th century, with a popularity boom in the 1960s, meditation has been part of other cultures for thousands of years. So it’s safe to say that meditation is not a fad.

There’s a lot of terminology to keep straight. If you’re interested in finding your Zen but are confused where to look, you’re not alone.

Let’s start with meditation. After scouring dozens of definitions, you’ll find that meditation boils down to the practice of quieting the mind and disconnecting from the distractions of the outside world. The objective is to achieve a state of consciousness that allows you to focus your attention inward to discover your true nature or connect with your spiritual side.

Mindfulness, sometimes called insight meditation, is a particular type of meditation, but it’s a little different, in that you do not disconnect from what’s going on around you.

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally,” says Dr. Peter Holmes, a local retired psychologist who was introduced to meditation by theravadan Buddhist monks 35 years ago and has been practicing it ever since.

In other words, mindfulness is achieved when you intentionally focus on noticing and embracing every thought and sensation you are experiencing here and now, from the sound of the traffic outside to the tension in your neck to the racing thoughts about your to-do list. Rather than judging or reacting to these sensations, you simply observe them — you become mindful of them.

“A basic aspect of mindfulness meditation is paying careful attention to the arising and passing of thought,” says Holmes. “Thoughts come and go just like sounds or physical sensations. We try to notice the passage of thoughts without getting lost in thinking.”

This sounds simple enough, but achieving that takes some practice. Western culture tends to teach us to focus outward and interact with what’s around us rather than sitting still and examining what’s going on in our own minds. As a result, simply observing our thoughts rather than engaging them is one of the most common challenges reported by newcomers to meditation.

Practice makes perfect

This is where paying attention to your body and breathing come in. A great technique is called the body scan, in which you sit or lie in a comfortable position and bring your focus through every part of your body from head to toe and release all muscular tension.

Once your body is relaxed, you can begin focusing on your breath. Without changing or controlling it, you simply observe your breath and the rising and falling of your belly with each inhale and exhale. Your breath becomes home base for you when your mind starts to wander. When you catch yourself getting caught up in thought, you simply notice it, without judging yourself or reacting, and return your focus to your breathing.

Body scanning and the breathing technique take a little practice, but they’re what really sparked my interest in mindfulness. Each time I tried the techniques when I felt a bout of anxiety, I emerged amazingly calm. My breathing was easy, my blood pressure felt normal, and I felt an overall sense of ease and ability to continue with my hectic day. I was surprised, but both mental and physical health benefits of meditation are well documented in medicine.

“[Mindfulness] has been used to lower blood pressure and reduce gastrointestinal problems,” says Josh Hulen, licensed professional counselor and founder of Columbia-based ABLE (Achieving Better Living with Empowerment), a private counseling practice. “Mindfulness is often used for dealing with chronic pain and various physical ailments,” Hulen says. “The practice can also be directly used to promote healthy eating and sleeping habits.”

In 2004, Hulen started studying the technique known as mindfulness based stress reduction developed by Dr. John Kabat-Zinn, an MIT-educated molecular biologist and professor emeritus of University of Massachusetts Medical School. Hulen now regularly employs mindfulness techniques in his counseling practice.

“Most problems people present in counseling can be improved with mindfulness training,” says Hulen. “Mindfulness training is certainly not a panacea or a guaranteed cure for any problem, but it can provide a means for anyone to find within themselves a way to increase their quality of life.” 

Another type of mindfulness practice worth exploring is yoga. Like meditation, yoga has been around for a while, with origins dating back to India some 5,000 years ago. If you’re not thrilled by the idea of sitting in prolonged quietness, yoga may be a great option for you.

Yoga is, among other things, “the practice of moving meditation,” according to Sarah Hoover, a registered yoga instructor who teaches at Yoga Sol, alleyCat Yoga, and offers private yoga sessions in her home. 

Hoover says that mindfulness is achieved during yoga by focusing on the movements of your body while also paying attention to your emotions, thoughts, and external surroundings. And, as with other types of meditation, Hoover’s clients see health benefits.

“Most styles of yoga classes guide practitioners to align the body in certain ways for maximum benefit to the muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, bones, and organs,” says Hoover. “My clients report many health benefits, such as a stronger spine and back with less pain, more joint mobility and less stiffness, a greater lung capacity, and less body pain caused by tension and injury.” She says her clients are more in tune with their daily lives off the mat as well.

Let go and jump in

Whether your goal is to connect with your spirituality, understand your true nature, or simply reap the health benefits associated with meditation, the trick is just getting started. Being open-minded and committed to not giving up (even when it feels like it’s not working) are key, along with keeping your self-judgment in check. It’s natural to doubt yourself, to wonder if you’re doing it wrong and feel frustration at that initial difficulty in focusing your stray thoughts. But keep at it. Remember, the monks who devote their whole lives to meditation usually don’t nail it on the first try.

“Meditation is simple, but not easy,” says Holmes. “We have to develop a regular practice and stick with it through doubt, discomfort, and lack of immediate rewards.” A great way to get started is to embrace your favorite pair of stretchy pants, join a meditation group or yoga class that meets regularly, and remember to cheer yourself on.

 

Meditate on this

Part of achieving mindfulness is exploring what works — and doesn’t work — for you personally. Everyone is different. Check out these additional resources to help you discover your path to meditative bliss:

Books

“Wherever You Go, There You Are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn

“The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle

“Yoga Bitch: One Woman’s Quest to Conquer Skepticism, Cynicism, and Cigarettes on the Path to Enlightenment” by Suzanne Morrison

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Blogs

yogajournal.com

mindful.org

aboutmeditation.org

Join a group or class

Show Me Dharma (showmedharma.org)

alleyCat Yoga (alleycatyoga.com)

Yoga Sol (yogasol.org)

Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbia meditation group (uuchurch.net)

Multimedia

Spotify

“Relax & Focus” playlist in the Focus genre

“Ocean Escapes, A Sudden Rainstorm” and “White Noise” playlists in the Sleep genre

YouTube

Jon Kabat-Zinn channel

Scientific research

Dr. Brick Johnstone, clinical neuropsychologist at the MU School of Health Professions and director of the MU Spirituality and Health Research program. Johnstone studies the neuropsychology of spiritual experiences.

Dr. Richard Davidson, professor of psychology and psychiatry at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2006, Davidson is considered a leading mind in neuroscience and has conducted research on meditation with the Dalai Lama.