Resources

Mindfulness is one of those ancient concepts developed from the teachings of the eastern world. Although it takes root in Buddhist and other spiritual philosophies, it has gradually been gaining more attention in modern-day western medicine as well. Its application to Psychological health has proven to be impacting in both clinical and non-clinical settings over the past few decades.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6597263/

Sure, stress is universal and unavoidable. And today, the world is undoubtedly getting even more chaotic. Often enough, while working within the chaos we unconsciously allow it to become part of our everyday. It may not seem unmanageable at first but when we give in to stress, it sooner or later finds its way around and expresses itself even in the unrelated aspects of our lives. If we ignore it or leave it undetected over a period of time, it can ultimately build up to more complex forms of psychological distress.

So where does mindfulness come in? Well, our spiritual gurus, as expected, were far from wrong. Empirically speaking, learning to be mindful and consciously practicing the concepts of mindfulness everyday has proved to be effective in the fight against increasingly common forms of clinical distress like anxiety, fear, worry, anger, depression and trauma. However, it is not only helpful in intervening, but also in preventing the occurrence of distress as it keeps the mind healthy thereby increasing subjective wellbeing.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3679190/

The short answer is, NO.

In the recent past, mindfulness has slowly been gaining importance in the clinical field. Most practitioners have started to see the benefit of mindfulness techniques in addressing mental health concerns. But even before its application in treatment interventions, mindfulness was used in everyday life to increase focus and concentration, reduce stress, build resilience, decrease chronic pain and improve emotional intelligence, among other benefits. It has also proved to be a helpful tool in bettering overall wellbeing including physical health.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3629307/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24719001/

Interestingly, quite the opposite!

Mindfulness is in fact a ‘doing something’ form of meditation. The main aim of mindfulness is to train your brain to improve its awareness of the present moment. It is about bringing your attention to the minutest detail of every experience. As rightfully theorized, mindfulness at work is “being while doing”.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5318448/

Do you feel that as soon as you try to calm your mind and sit in quiet stillness, your thoughts become even louder, intense and erratic?

You’re not alone. Also, it’s nothing new. It’s just that now you’re becoming aware of the number of thoughts that constantly enter your mind in a moment. Our thoughts are like a hamster on a wheel. But we rarely sit in stillness to pay attention to how it works. Now that you are ‘aware’ of it, congratulations! You’ve actually reached stage one of awareness. It will slowly get easier to separate these thoughts out and concentrate on just one thing while giving it your full and undivided attention. What’s best – you’ll learn to make it a practice and eventually find meaning in the things you once took for granted.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6419774/

Don’t worry, this can happen even to people who have been practicing for years. Often, it depends on the circumstance around you; the day you’re having; the news you just received; the conversation you just had; the list is endless. It’s alright if you find it difficult some days and not others. The important thing is to pick yourself up and try again another time. Also, try a practice session to see if it can help declutter your mind.

Reference: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12671-012-0123-4

Having been trained and working in this profession, you know that it is not enough to just be physically fit. The job demands emotional regulation, presence of mind, mental agility, quick thinking and behavior control. Research has in fact shown that mindfulness has helped military personnel improve attention, be more aware, focused and better prepared for high stress situations that come with the job. All these factors help build resilience, which is vital in a job as hard pressed as the military.

Reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4324839/

Recommended Books for Further Reading

‘The Miracle of Mindfulness’ by ThíchNhấtHạnh
This is a 1975 book that was originally written in Vietnamese. It has been translated into English by Mobi Hoe. It is a manual on meditation that presents several methods for becoming liberated.

‘Wherever You Go, There You Are’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book was published in 1994. Here, the author maps out a simple path for cultivating mindfulness in one's own life.

‘Mindfulness for Beginners’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book was published in 2006 delves into the truth that wholeness is already here and already ours.

‘The Little Book of Mindfulness’ by Patrizia Collard
This book talks about mindfulness as an easy way to gently let go of stress and live in the moment.

‘Full Catastrophe Living’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This book was published in 1990. It is written in the context of a mindfulness-based stress reduction program that addresses the inevitability of stress that ultimately undermines our physical and mental health.

‘The Untethered Soul’ by Michael A. Singer
This is a book that discusses the inner monologue inside our head. It draws the conclusion that thoughts do not define who we are. They are just the output of an always active mind.

‘The Four Agreements’ by Don Miguel Ruiz
This book is a little less about meditation and a little more about being mindful in daily life. The four agreements are four truths to live by according to the author.

‘The Power of Now’ by Eckhart Tolle
The ideas in this book are certainly enlightening however, this may not be a recommended read to a beginner in mindfulness.

‘The Mindful Path Through Worry and Rumination: Letting Go of Anxious and Depressive Thoughts’ by Sameet Kumar
The focus of this work is mindfulness and disrupting the destructive tendencies of your thoughts. ‘10% Happier’ by Dan Harris.

The author shares the story of his own life and how meditation has helped him live with more compassion and fulfilment.