Summary
Mindfulness can contribute to our mental wellbeing. Mindfulness is an element of the yogic lifestyle. Mindfulness practices are not unique to Eastern societies. Mindfulness can help us in the moment (now) and can allow us to change how we respond to future situations. Mindfulness comprises a group of techniques, Research on mindfulness techniques is evolving to show that different mindfulness techniques elicit different benefits. Practicing mindfulness allows us to respond rather than to react to situations.
The Why of Mindfulness for Mental Wellbeing
Mindfulness is a tool in the quest to achieve mental wellbeing.
One may ask, why? Perhaps, we ought to look at the origin of mindfulness as a term and define the concept of mindfulness.
Mindfulness as a Concept
Mindfulness is a term in English that can be traced to the 15th century CE and its root, mindful, can be traced to the 14th century CE. The adjective, mindful, means “having knowledge, remembrance, or recognition”. In psychology, the term mindfulness is one translation of the Pali word “sati”.
Mindfulness as a term applied to the technique of ‘mindfulness’ was introduced to Western countries and cultures in the Western Hemisphere in the 1960s by a number of people and groups who had ventured to the East (predominantly India and Tibet), in order to explore ‘Eastern’ cultures and spiritual practices and elements of Eastern philosophy (Buddhism and Hinduism, in particular). People or groups who had ventured from the East brought with them to Western societies the philosophies and religious practices from their native cultures.
Mindfulness as a set of techniques is extracted from a larger set of lifestyle choices that form the yogic way of life. Mindfulness is just one component. Other lifestyle components in the Indian yogic tradition include adopting ethical principles towards self and others; embracing personal practices related to contentment, cleanliness, self-study, self-discipline, and connection to a higher power (which can be related to our dietary choices, our sleep, our selection of clothing); asanas (yogic postures); ayurvedic health practices; breath work; cultivating self-awareness (turning our thoughts inward); cultivating attention and concentration; meditation and seeking connection with universal consciousness.
(Nota Bene: The term “Indian” as used in this post refers to the nation of India and does not refer to American Indians or any of the Native Peoples of North America and South America.)
Examples of Influencers in the 20th Century
Think Ravi Shankar bringing classical sitar music to the West.
Think “The Beatles” incorporating Indian instruments, rhythms, and spirituality in their music. The Beatles actually were introduced to Indian culture while shooting a scene in an Indian restaurant for one of their albums. They later attended a lecture on transcendental meditation and proceeded to visit and learn at the academy of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Rikishesh, India.
Mindfulness is not Unique to Eastern Societies
Friends and colleagues who belong to religious orders or who are spiritually engaged without being ordained, specifically engagement in the Roman Catholic faith, Islam, and Judaism, speak of their retreats, their prayers, their vocations, their apostolates, and their meditation and contemplation on various topics. These mindful practices also exist in the spiritual practices of Native Peoples in the Americas. In many spiritual traditions, there are prayers and meditations on topics such as charity, humility, gratitude, hope, peace, blessings, love, acceptance, tolerance. Thus, mindfulness techniques are not unique to Eastern philosophies and spiritual traditions.
Mindfulness Practices: Several Categories of Techniques
Mindfulness practices can be classified based on the cognitive element that is fostered by the technique. There are a number of proposed taxonomies for mindfulness practices. A recent article proposed grouping mindfulness practices as follows, into four groups. 1) Meditation cultivating prosocial habits (such as Gratitude; Compassion and Self-Compassion; Love). 2) Meditation focused on Attention is considered an attentional practice. 3) Cultivating non-reactivity and non-judgement. 4) Meta-awareness and meta-cognition (awareness of our perceptions, awareness of our cognitions or thought processes, awareness of our affective or emotional experiences).
Not simple research and the research has informed our practices and lives as clinicians in behavioural health.
The research is still emerging. One point that is becoming apparent is that all mindfulness practices are not created equal, in terms of what benefits are derived from each technique.
Mindfulness for a Happier Life
In a 2022 article online at Mindful.org, (mindful.org/difference-between-being-and-doing) Zindel Segal, a psychologist at the University of Toronto, wrote about the difference between “Being” and “Doing”.
He notes the benefits of the “Doing” mode of operating in the world and its cons. He provides an argument for the benefits of the “Being” mode. In the “Being” mode, we allow the present to exist and for us to exist in the present moment. We accept what is.
“Being” Takes Practice
The benefits of “Being” can be long-term, as discussed by Daniel Goleman and Richard Davidson in their book, Altered Traits. We can actually change our traits, the tendencies we have to be negative or cynical or arrogant or defensive, by practicing mindfulness, by “Being”. Again, the individual mindfulness categories offer different benefits.
“Being” is not simply a means for me to accept and appreciate the moment. I can actually, over time, change how I approach future situations.
One mindful practice at a time, I become a kinder and calmer and more attentive and more compassionate and more aware human being.
Mindfulness contributes to my mental wellbeing.
Next Steps
The next step to my happiness is to practice “Being”.
“Being” is not how I want to be when a vehicle is barreling towards me as I cross the street. I definitely want to be “Doing”: comparing how far it is from my current location to the sidewalk, checking if the sidewalk is a safe location to be, assessing how fast the vehicle is traveling, gauging if I have the energy to run faster than the vehicle is moving towards me.
“Being” is not the approach we need when someone is beating us up or beating our children.
“Being” is not an option when someone collapses in front of me due to a cardiac arrest or a choking condition.
‘Being” is what the world needs to foster harmony and peace in the face of silly arguments by adults arguing over turf or ego, like 5 year olds in a schoolyard.
Let’s embrace mindfulness and mental wellbeing.
Life Is Not All Unicorns and Rainbows
I know that. You know that.
But, wouldn’t we all have better mental wellbeing if we held back and did not shoot the arrow or fire the gun or explode a grenade, figuratively or literally?
Wouldn’t the world be a better place If we all tried to be present and to pause before we respond to situations?
So, the next step I propose is a call to action.
What We Can Do for Mental Wellbeing
Speak up against oppression. Model compassionate behaviour. Sign on to applaud your friends and colleagues and neighbours for their kindness, participation, and efforts. Offer criticism kindly.
You have to decide what is important for you. Be mindful as you make your decision.
I leave you with the wise words of my friend:
And it’s not serious, trying to understand why flowers go to such trouble to produce thorns that are good for nothing?
The Little Prince, St. Exupéry, translator Richard Howard
Please read the book for additional wisdom (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157993.The_Little_Prince)
or consult Goodreads for more quotes (https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/2180358-le-petit-prince)
Additional Resources
For Beatles fans, I recommend an article by Rodrigo Guerrero available from the Florida Online Journals and originally published in “The Owl. The Florida State University Undergraduate Research Journal”, Vol. 5 No. 1 2015 Spring. The article is entitled The Role of The Beatles in Popularizing Indian Music and Culture in the West.
Goleman and Davidson (2018) Altered Traits. Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body. New York: NY: Avery.
The History and Origins of Mindfulness.
PositivePsychology.com
https://positivepsychology.com/history-of-mindfulness/
Mindfulness Apps with Practices. Listed on the Plum Village website at plumvillage.org
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