Mindfulness has made the leap from 2600-year-old Buddhist concept to mainstream psychotherapy technique, emerging as an evidence-based medical phenomenon. Mindfulness can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, improve sleep, alleviate addictive or undesirable behaviors and much more.

Mindfulness has emerged as a bona fide medical phenomenon with evidence-based science to support it. It has enjoyed a tremendous surge in popularity, moving from a somewhat obscure 2600-year-old Buddhist concept to mainstream psychotherapy.

Mindfulness techniques can relieve stress, treat heart disease, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, relieve gastrointestinal difficulties, alleviate addictive or undesirable behaviors and much more.

Mindfulness is a moment-to-moment awareness of oneself, with no judgment. The goal is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation. You can reach a state of mindfulness through certain activities like meditation, but it is not the same as meditation. With mindfulness, you pay deliberate attention to emotions, thoughts and sensations—without judgment—to allow your mind to focus on the present moment.

Basic Mindfulness

BREATHING

Sit quietly and focus on your breathing. Just breathe naturally. Your mind will wander because this is what our minds do. Notice when this happens and bring your awareness back to your breath.

SENSATION

You could also focus on body sensations like tingling, pulsing or even the absence of feeling. Explore these sensations. Pay attention to each part of your body in succession from head to toe.

SENSORY

Identify sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Keep them in your awareness as long as you’d like. When your mind begins to wander away from the immediate sensation, bring your attention back to it.

EMOTIONS

Allow emotions to be present. Practice a steady and relaxed naming of emotions: joy, anger, frustration. Accept their presence and let them go.

URGES

Observe your craving for undesirable substances or behaviors. Acknowledge how your body feels as the craving enters. Notice how those cravings change and eventually pass as you sit with them. Replace the desire to feed the craving with the knowledge that it will subside as you continue focusing on the sensations, emotions and thoughts that the craving brought forth.

Robin Maier is a licensed clinical social worker who uses a gentle therapeutic approach to guide women in every stage of life toward greater happiness

Mind-body connection: mindfulness techniques