The 9 Attitudes of Mindfulness according to Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an approach to psychotherapy that uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) methods in collaboration with mindfulness meditative practices and similar psychological strategies. MBCT takes practices from CBT and applies aspects of mindfulness to the approach.

In brief, the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory asserts that mindfulness allows one to decenter from stress appraisals into a metacognitive state of awareness that broadens attention to previously unnoticed pieces of information about one’s life, accommodating a reappraisal (i.e., a reframing) of adverse circumstances that …

• Non-judging.
• Acceptance.
• Patience.
• Beginner’s mind.
• Trust.
• Non Striving.
• Letting Go.
• Gratitude.

With a daily practice of 10 to 20 minutes, you should see positive results from within a few weeks to a couple of months.

Cons of Being Mindful: It takes work, practice, and personal effort. Its just another thing you should do. Sometimes, being more aware can actually increase personal frustration or judgment. It doesn’t always help.

You might notice a sudden, strong reaction to a person or situation, or maybe it’s more of a bubbling of intuition. It could be a feeling that you just can’t shake for days or weeks. In addition to needing to be present and mindful to hear your gut, you can’t be distracted by your cell phone.

The researchers concluded that mindfulness-based therapy may be useful in altering affective and cognitive processes that underlie multiple clinical issues. Those findings are consistent with evidence that mindfulness meditation increases positive affect and decreases anxiety and negative affect.

7 Easy Ways to Be Mindful in Your Everyday Life

1. Pay attention to: Your mind and your body.
2. Pay attention to: Taste, texture, smell—there’s so much to notice in every mouthful of food.
3. Pay attention to: Whatever your hands are doing.
4. Pay attention to: Your feet and legs.
5. Pay attention to: The feel of the water.
6. Pay attention to: The whole experience.

• Fire up your five senses. One of the simplest ways of staying mindful is to bring your attention to the present moment.
• Focus on your breath. Another access point to bringing our attention to the moment is by focusing on our breath.
• Observe your thoughts.
• Mindful eating.
• Practice active listening.
• Observe your surroundings.

Mindfulness means paying full attention to something. It means slowing down to really notice what you’re doing. Being mindful is the opposite of rushing or multitasking. When you’re mindful, you’re taking your time.

Training helps people to become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and body sensations so that instead of being overwhelmed by them, they’re better able to manage them. Practising mindfulness can give more insight into emotions, boost attention and concentration, and improve relationships.

Reduces stress and its consequences – Mindfulness can lead to less intense stress responses. This has many health benefits, such as lowering your blood pressure and strengthening your immune system.

Designed to deliberately focus a person’s attention on the present experience in a way that is non-judgmental, mindfulness-based interventions, whether offered individually or in a group setting, may offer benefit to people seeking therapy for any number of concerns. …

That’s why a new study published in the journal Mindfulness is so encouraging: It compares four different types of meditation, and finds that they each have their own unique benefits. Mindful breathing isn’t the only place to start—and it’s not the end of meditation, either.

1. Mindfulness can be a refuge for the therapist

1. Start by sitting comfortably, with your back straight and eyes either softly open or closed.
2. Notice that you are breathing and feel the sensations of the breath.
3. If your mind wanders, no problem; just gently bring your attention back to the breath.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is an eight-week program that involves training in mindfulness meditation and yoga. By increasing their mindfulness, participants in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction aim to reduce their overall arousal and emotional reactivity and to gain a deeper sense of calm.