Mindfulness is all the buzz these days, or so it seems. It’s on the cover of Time magazine and, according to the New York Times, has reached “the height of trendiness.” But what is it?
More than just a trend, mindfulness involves age-old practices which nourish deep contentment, stability, and joy. Many of these practices were developed by Asian monks and nuns over the course of thousands of years, but you don’t need to be a spiritual practitioner to enjoy them.
You’ve probably already experienced mindfulness. Remember a time when you felt completely immersed in the moment – a beautiful view, a loving embrace, a tearful goodbye – and part of you was also aware of how fleeing and precious the moment was. These are the ingredients of mindfulness. With practice, you can learn to experience these moments more joyfully by letting go of judgment, clinging, and avoidance. Over time, you may start to see all the moments in your lives as precious, fleeting, and filled with wonder – even those you had once considered mundane, irritating or downright awful.
In therapy, mindfulness practices can have a powerful healing effect. I have training in the three core therapy modalities which combine CBT and mindfulness (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). In addition to this formal training, my work is deeply influenced by my personal mindfulness practice in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. If you are interested in mindfulness or think it could help you experience life more fully, please contact me for more information.