What is Mindfulness? A Presentation by Simply Mindful Fall 2018 www.smindful.ca

What is mindfulness in words? Barry Boyce, Editor-in-Chief, Mindful Magazine (www.mindful.org) Big range of practices Tight focus Contemplative (Requires thought) 1. Being present. Aware of body, mind, surroundings 3. Awareness & connections (cause & effect) 2. Can be trained through practice 4. Kindness & Compassion 5. Suspending Judgement Lecture Source: “A Mindful Society” Conference 2017: https://vimeo.com/205555085

Quick Video: Why Mindfulness is a Superpower? https://youtu.be/w6T02g5hnT4

Misconceptions about mindfulness: Mindfulness is meant to “fix” something. False: Mindfulness is exploration of our own sensations, emotions and thoughts. E.g. I’m feeling hungry. Should I grab a chocolate or banana? How does my body feel after eating each one?

Mindfulness is the next trendy industry. True: It’s expected to generate $1.15 Billion dollars in mindfulness services in USA alone (BBC News). Many corporations mislead customers into buying products by using the word “mindful” or “mindfulness.” Just like “green” or “diet” products, be aware of false labels as a consumer. “The danger of the over-commercialization of meditation is real.” – Barry Boyce Choose mindfulness products & programs wisely. BBC News source: http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180802-why-everything-you-thought-about-mindfulness-may-not-be-true Barry Boyce Lecture: https://vimeo.com/205555085

3. Mindfulness on its own is religious. False: While meditation has its roots in Buddhism, mindfulness as we know it today is not religious. The most important part is intention. If you do mindfulness as a way of prayer or reaching your own religious faith, then it becomes religious. But if you’re just paying attention to your breath to calm down, then that’s not religious. “Mindfulness is a basic human inheritance and capability, and it’s not owned by any group, religion, or philosophy.” – Barry Boyce E.g. Paying attention to your date instead of being on the phone. Barry Boyce Lecture: https://vimeo.com/205555085

What can Mindfulness Meditation help with? According to Goyal et al. (2014) from John Hopkins University, after analyzing over 18,000 meditation studies, they found that there is scientific evidence to support effectiveness in treating: Depression Anxiety Pain Low evidence for treating: Substance use Eating habits/obesity Insomnia Goyal, Madav, MD et al. (2014). Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Intern Med. 174(3):357–368. Retrieved from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1809754

Mindfulness meditation is not for everyone There are many mindfulness programs, including: - MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) program to reduce stress - MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) program to treat depression Original founder: Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn (Source: http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/mbct/mbct-and-mbsr-differences/) There are exclusions for individuals attending these programs: Substance use disorder Active suicidality Psychosis Bipolar disorder Severe symptoms of PTSD or social anxiety (Source: http://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/assets/pdf/wmhp/MBCT-Referral-WCH-2015.pdf)

Meditation is just ONE way to practice mindfulness: Misconception that you need to sit and eliminate your thoughts. The task is to just simply observe without judgement. Meditation is just one vehicle of practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is just paying attention to what’s important right now.

There are many ways practice mindfulness: Noticing things through your five senses: What do you smell? What do you see? What do you hear? What can you touch? What can you taste? Other popular methods: Colouring or art Music or singing Journaling

Try one of the techniques or visit our website for more info! Questions or comments: Website: www.smindful.ca Facebook: www.facebook.com/smindful/ Twitter: @smindfulcanada