Mindfulness and

mental health

December 12, 2007

Mindfulness: Whats its all
about?

Now

Here

This
 the human condition
No matter how hard you pursue pleasure and
success, there are times when you fail. No
matter how fast you flee, there are times when
pain catches up with you. And in between those
times, life is so boring you could scream. Our
minds are full of opinions and criticisms. We
have built walls all around ourselves and we are
trapped within the prison of our own likes and
dislikes. We suffer.

Mahathera
What is
mindfulness?
Paying attention in a
particular way: on
purpose, in the
present moment,
and non-
judgementally.

Jon Kabat-Zinn
 Mindfulness: Living the Full
Catastrophe

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Living each moment of

our life as if it counted

Owning and working

with each element of our
lives.
What is mental health?

Awareness
Openness to experience
Freedom from compulsion
Ability to give / receive affection
Sense of purpose
Ability to cope with setbacks
How can
mindfulness
help my mental
health ?
 What mindfulness meditation
delivers

Ability to experience the present moment

Clear awareness of thoughts / emotions
Ability to relate to ones experience with
compassion/understanding
Ability to experience/transform emotional distress
Space where creative solutions can arise
 Mindfulness
Using the breath we learn to ground
ourselves in the present moment

Accepting what is happening in us and

around us, whatever it is, we learn to open
to experience, without judgement

Teaches us ways to connect with our

emotional experience without becoming
overwhelmed

Learning to watch our thought patterns

come and go, we see about how our mind
 why the breath?
Breathing is universal.
Breathing provides a ready focus for
the mind
The breath is the doorway to the
here and now
 helpful attitudes to
practice..
Dont expect anything
Let your effort be relaxed and steady
Dont rush (sit as though you have the
whole day)
Accept whatever arises. Dont cling to
anything; dont reject anything
Be gentle
Loosen up and let go
Dont think. See
Mindfulness creates space
around our pain, allowing us
to work with it without being
overwhelmed.
 The Guest House
This human being is a guest
house. Every morning a new
arrival
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness
comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if theyre a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
For some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Rumi
 Non-mindful
Mindful Responce
Reaction
Emotional
Distress

Allow / accept Avoid / Suppress

whatever arises feelings

Non-judging Distraction

Negative thinking /
Letting be
Rumination
 Mindlessness and Vulnerability to
Depression
Old patterns Memory
intrude bias

Non-
awareness Rumination Depression

Poor
Wish for things problem
to be different solving
 Mindfulness and Prevention of
relapse into depression
Old patterns Safe
intrude platform

Freedom to
Low mood Mindful
choose not to
awareness
go there
Calm
Wish for things Connected
to be different Creative
Sample of goals expressed by
addiction group
To learn to focus on things, to concentrate and relax
and focus on one thing
To be less anxious, not to fear negative thoughts and
run away from negative thoughts
I want to be more aware of where my heads going.
Just to be where I am.
I just want to able to concentrate, to be able to
appreciate the good stuff in my life I have so much
but I have no respect for it.
 For as long as I can remember, as soon as I woke up, Id put the radio
on I cant remember anytime I didnt need noise lately, Im not
interested in banging on noise as soon as I come in

Last week, I visited my grandparents farm. I was very, very sad. It

was sheer pain. I remember sitting there by the swings thinking this
is unbearable but it was OK

I was waiting for the 15A (bus) the other day.. an ambulance was
whizzing by, it was absolutely chaotic but I could hear the birds
tweeting and I thought youre either having a nervous breakdown or a
spiritual awakening Jesus! Your life has done a 360, maybe it was
worth all the work connecting to nature on the middle of Pearse
Street. Before, if I was hungover and a bird was tweeting Id want to
kill it!

The whole thing at the start for me was a bit slow. I wanted to speed
things up, I heard it was a life-changing experience. Usually I make
up so much dramastories in my head Now Im watching a bit
more what Im thinking Ive had two fantastic weeks and I think its
a direct result of slowing down I was so content.
Mindfulness provides a simple
but powerful route for getting
ourselves unstuck, back into
touch with our own wisdom and
vitality. It is a way to take
charge of the direction and
quality of our own lives,
including our relationships
within the family, to work and to
the world, and most
fundamentally, my relationship
with myself as a person.
Jon Kabat-Zinn