Mindfulness training is proven to be effective in reducing the following symptoms:
- work stress and burnout
- negative thinking, ruminating
- relapse to depression
- chronic pain and the emotional effects of a serious disease
- symptoms regarding anxiety and fear
- physical symptoms which are stress and tension related, like high blood pressure, psoriasis, fatigue, RSI and insomnia Mindfulness training improves the skills to: - cope with stressful circumstances
- increase energy levels
- develop a better concentration (due to less worrying)
- set and maintain personal boundaries (due to increased self esteem)
- experience and enjoy the present moment due to a deeper level of awareness Mindfulness meditation seems to improve physical resistance. It reduces the sensitivity for negative experiences (reactivity). (More on this subject on the (Dutch) research) page. Therefore the mindfulness training seems to be beneficial to people who are physically or mentally going through a difficult time in their lives. But… the connection is not linear
When you start a diet you like to see exactly how many ounces you lose. When you train for a marathon you can calculate quite precisely how much and how extensive you’ll need to practice to be ready at the right time. This is how our result-oriented mind calculates. We want to know exactly what results to expect from the efforts we put in. The training of mindfulness offers results as well. But quite in a different way: there is no predictable connection between effort and result. Practicing in the morning doesn’t guarantee a relaxed and balanced day. Sometimes the contrary seems to be the case: practicing can cause restlessness and tension.
A true paradox
How can this be? The training of mindfulness doesn’t focus on the changing of problems, but on changing our attitude towards problems. We can’t change tension or a stressful mood, but mindfulness helps us to look at painful issues from a different point of view. It encourages us to gently move problems out of the focal point of our awareness. And so difficulties will tend to get less important and less dominant, which - in the end - changes them after all. A true paradox indeed. A natural process
The process of focusing on the present moment instead of on problems of the past and the future, is a skill that will become part of everyday life of those who practice regularly. Sometimes it seems changes take place just by themselves. It’s a most beneficial effect of living a mindful life, a life with awareness for the here and now. But of course it’s not a process that can be forced. Practicing creates fertile soil, but the seeds have to grow by themselves. You can’t pull them up by force. So the two main benefits are:
- shifting problems away from our focus, into the background
- being aware and present in this very moment, here and now Return to previous page | 