STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH MINDFULNESS CLASS
NL MINDFUL
Nowadays we face challenging times with an overload of information, fears regarding the future, media distraction and social expectations. During the day we often feel overwhelmed, helpless or threatened. Inner and outer stressors, acute and chronic stress activates the SNS too often, increasing heart rate and muscle tension with hormones like adrenalin and cortisol running through our body.
Let’s look closer at the human Stress Reaction: The Nervous System consists of the Parasympathetic System (PNS) and the Sympathetic System (SNS). The SNS is the normal human alarm reaction of our body, mobilizing us in situations of danger, enabling us to have full access to all our resources to protect ourselves. We instinctively either fight, flee or freeze when in danger. A continuously activated SNS is characterized by Hyperarousal and Hypervigilance and may become a chronic state of body and mind. This may cause Depression or Cardiac Arrythmia, Inflammation, chronic pain or sleep disorders: Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn: Full Catastrophe Living 1990.
MINDFUL BREATHING
Luckily, if the PNS grows, the SNS goes dow. The PNS slows down our heart rate, it helps us to calm down, to feel centered and relaxed. We can learn to activate the PNS to deal better with stress with Mindful Breathing and the Long Exhale Breathing. People under stress, anxiety or pain breathe quickly and not regularly. Meditators have a slower Breath, indicating a reduced automatic responses, better mood and improved health. Mindful Breathing activates the PNS and has therefore a calming effect, as Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn has pointed out in his book Full Catastrophe Living, 1990.
PRINCIPLES OF MINDFULNESS
Let’s look closer at the core Foundations of Mindfulness developed by Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn in 2013. We reflect on how we understand them and how we may apply these attitudes in our Mindfulness Class NL MINDFUL.
1.Patience:
We don’t put pressure on us. We give ourselves time and space and we allow that things will evolve over time, your Mindfulness practice as well. Learning to have more patience obviously is not easy, we train that muscle while practicing Mindfulness day by day.
2.Beginner’s mind:
Beginner’s Mind is the willingness to see things in their original freshness, as we would see them for the first time. Without Judging instantly and without presumptions. We practice Beginner’s Mind in NL MINDFUL in our exploration of a Mindful Morning: Eating an orange can be boring and not very satisfying, as we often are rushing through our meals. If we apply Beginner’s mind to eating an orange, our meal can become a complex experience with many different tastes and smells.
3.Non Judging:
Dr. Jon Kabat Zinn defined the principle of Non Judging: We are obviously constantly judging ourselves and others and we tend to judge even the judging. In Mindfulness we try to become aware of the harsh inner judging voice that we all have inside.When we can detect it, this is a moment of Mindfulness. We learn to accept our human mind with all its rushing and judging.
4.Letting Go:
In Mindfulness we practice Letting go, because Clinging to something gives us a feeling of being trapped. Not easy for many of us. We can learn that by exploring and imagining how Letting go would feel like in our body & mind. This way we explore the beneficial effects of Letting go. During the Meditations and in daily life we lean to observe thoughts, sensations, feelings from a distance: Letting them arise and Letting them Go again.
5.Trust
In Mindfulness we trust in our own experience. If we feel fearful or angry, we do not suppress our feeling, instead we look closer at this feeling and start an inquiry, without questioning ourselves. In Mindfulness we trust in our own ability to meet life, even if we all make mistakes, that is human.Through the Mindfulness technique we learn, it will be easier to trust to our own capability to meet even difficult moments in life.
6.Non-Striving:
In Mindfulness we allow ourselves time and space for supporting ourselves, not trying to fix things immediately, not acting when we are not in balance, there is time for action later. Not thriving for a better me, a perfect world, a perfect meditation moment. There is no such thing as perfection.We do not meditate with a certain goal in mind, that would put a senseless pressure on us.
7.Acceptance
We reflect on Acceptance in NL MINDFUL with the „Willingness to be with what is“, as Diana Winston calls it, not in the sense of accepting bad things that happen to you. But, In the sense of seeing clearly at what is happening inside and outside. Reflecting on what we can change and what we cannot change.Fighting against circumstances we cannot change like some health issues, is a burden for us. Accepting things we cannot change and dealing with them with a calm mind.
NL MINDFUL Additions
Self Compassion:
We add Self-Acceptance in the sense of Self Compassion to the principles of Mindfulness (Neff/Germer). In Mindfulness we respond to self blame with Self Compassion and Kindness towards ourselves.„Mindfulness means being self compassionate with ourselves- Prof. Mark Williams (Oxford University).
Awareness:
Awareness is at the core centre of Mindfulness. Maybe it is not on the list, because Awareness might not be called an attitude, but actually we think it is, because we can set the intention of waking up and becoming aware of the world inside and outside.
MEDITATION
What are we actually “doing” when meditating? As kids we were told „pay attention!“ by our parents or in school, but nobody taught us HOW. Getting distracted is normal. In Mindfulness we train coming back to our attention, again and again, we build our capacity to sustain attention, observing the natural cycle of our mind: Wandering and Coming back. We will have a clearer and more stable mind over time.
Arriving in the Here & Now:
Find your meditation posture that feels right for you, either Sitting, Standing, Lying or Walking, Eyes open or closed. Notice how you are feeling right now without judging yourself. Get in touch with yourself: How am I doing right now in this moment? Feet on the ground to feel connected. Observe sensations that may signal stress: Allowing some softening of body and mind, breathing into tensed body areas like the stomach.
the Breath as an Anchor:
Take some deep & slow breaths. Stay with one breath at a time, Feeling the gentle Rising & Falling of the breath. Become aware of your breath where it is most tangible, staying with the wave of each breath, breath by breath- moment by moment. If you lost attention: gently coming back to your anchor the breath- again and again. Each moment you kindly become aware of your Wandering Mind is a mindful moment.
ALLOWING:
The willingness to be with how we feel right now. Giving space and not pushing away, becoming aware and observing: Noticing, Softening. Not getting lost in thoughts or sounds, not analyzing, simply listening, with openness and kindness. It’s not surrendering to what is, it is about waking up, becoming aware of what is going on and staying balanced amidst turbulences. We can think and act more wisely when we are calm. Mindfulness means showing up for life and ourselves with a balanced state of mind.
Kindness:
How we relate is essential: Are we gentle to ourselves or harsh? Gently noticing the Wandering Mind. Bringing some Kindness to yourself. See if you can imagine to embrace sadness or fear. Mental notes: May I be safe & protected. May I be free from pain & fear. Soothing Touch: Hand on your heart.
Meditation Posture:
In our Mindfulness Class you can chose the Meditation Posture that feels right for you: Either Sitting, Standing or Lying down.You can sit on a comfy chair or sofa if you like with an upright spine or in a cozy casual way. We even have a Tea Mind Meditation in our NL MINDFUL class with a cup of tea or coffee. There is no perfect way to meditate, it should be your personal way.
We suggest our participants to explore practicing Mindfulness in a Sitting Position with an upright spine. The upright spine may help you stay awake, clear and focused. It certainly gives you a sense of the right intention for your Meditation, focus, intention and solemnity. Though, it certainly is the most difficult position for our participants to get used to. Explore how you can sit upright and stay relaxed at the same time. If it feels better, you can sit with an elevated spine on your sofa or bed as well, with a cushion in your back. If this positions do not suit you at all, chose your favorite position. You can always come back to explore Sitting Meditation and its benefits later on.