The Mindfulness Phenomenon

An Ancient Discipline Makes the 21st Century Scene

Mindfulness is showing up more and more in the public eye these days. Every other day, it seems, we hear more about the efficacy of mindfulness techniques -- in university studies, in school programs, and in medical research.

In short, mindfulness has gone mainstream. (I feel as if we holistic spirituality practitoners need T shirts that read, “I was into mindfulness before mindfulness was cool!”)

A mere ten or so years back, the term was virtually unknown outside of meditation and holistic spirituality circles. Now, it’s practically a household word. This has been enabled by studies carried out by cognitive researchers, a profusion of articles on the topic, and even instruction for managing stress for everyone from schoolchildren to CEOs.

There have been more and more testimonials on mindfulness meditation’s wide array of benefits as well. People dealing with chronic pain, suffering from anxiety and depression, or in search of a natural means of managing everyday stress have all benefited from the technique.

Scientific findings strongly support these testimonials. The American Psychological Association (an organization known for its empirical rigor) reports that mindfulness meditation improves concentration and memory, reduces the unhealthy effects of stress, and decreases “emotional reactivity” (our tendency to react on “auto-pilot” rather than respond thoughtfully).* The mental process that psychologists call “rumination” seems to respond particularly well to mindfulness practice. The term refers to our habit -- more pronounced in some than in others -- of mulling things over and over in our minds, considering all the ways something could go wrong. We are pattern-seeking animals, and our ability to extrapolate likely outcomes from a given set of circumstances has helped us to survive and thrive. But this ability comes at a price: our minds can easily become trapped on a never-ending hamster wheel of “what-ifs.”

Mindfulness meditation centers us in the present moment as we concentrate on our breath and become fully aware of what is happening both within us and around us. I wrote this short poem (A Sacred Stillness) in my early days of mindfulness practice:

There is a sacred stillness to which we may return,

There to rediscover our true nature.

In this present moment, merely breathing in an out,

Illusion falls away and I am free.

I’m glad this ancient practice is having its moment in the 21st century sun. Our contemporary world needs a lot more of the simple wisdom the practice offers; the more people are exposed to its benefits, the better!

* What Are the Benefits of Mindfulness?  Daphne M. Davis, PhD, and Jeffrey A. Hayes, Phd, Julh/August 2012, Vol. 43 # 7.