05 Sep Mindfulness is not a “hippy-dippy placebo”
Years ago when I first started researching mindfulness, my answer was to read about it. I read several books, but it wasn’t until I began to practice that I began to experience that it was life-changing. Fortunately, today there are many studies demonstrating how mindfulness can change your brain. Here is an article about a skeptical businessman beginning his journey on the path of mindfulness: hippy-dippy placebo
If you want to begin, there are many websites and apps with guided meditation. However, neither are necessary. I began sitting with counting breaths. You can count 1 on the in-breathe and 1 a second time on the out-breath or 1 on the in-breath and 2 on the out-breath until you reach 10. If your mind wanders and you lose count, gently (do not judge and notice frustration) and begin at 1 again. If you find yourself starting over again and again, not to worry, this is practicing mindfulness. Your brain is like someone who is out of shape beginning a workout program.
In DBT, individuals are taught mindfulness “What” skills: observe, describe, and participate, and “How” skills: non-judmentally, one-mindfully, and effectively. You can begin this practice by observing with the senses, and observing thoughts and emotions. Try to describing using facts. To participate mindfully, simply throw yourself into any activity fully.
#mindfulness
#DBT
#Orange County