How can mindfulness and meditation have a positive influence on your life? Find out more here.
Mindfulness
You can be mindful in a variety of ways. For example, you can do a mindfulness exercise. Or you can simply go through life mindfully, noticing how the birds chirp or the leaves gently sway back and forth in the wind. Apart from that, mindfulness also includes the conscious awareness of one's own thoughts and feelings.
- Mindfulness is conscious awareness and experiencing of the present moment.
- Mindfulness is an important cornerstone for a happy life.
This linked TED Talk features a presentation by Dr. Shauna Shapiro, a professor of psychology. She draws on modern neuroscience findings on the one hand and ancient wisdom on the other. In the video, she shows how mindfulness can help us create positive changes in our brains and our lives.
Meditation
Studies have shown that meditation is helpful for a variety of conditions, including;
- Anxiety and pain disorders
- Depression and stress
- Sleep disorders
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Cancers
It is not surprising, then, that many of the newer forms of psychotherapy are incorporating mindfulness as a fixed part of the therapy.
Compassion meditation, for example, plays a large role in Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) or Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL). Both are very recent procedures that are particularly relevant in the treatment of excessive self-criticism. In compassion meditation one meets oneself and also all other living beings with compassion and empathy. One practices meeting oneself in a loving way.
The following lecture by Professor of Psychology - Dr. Shauna Shapiro - is about compassion meditation. It is an example of how loving mindfulness can enrich one's life: