Mindfulness changes the brain!

It’s official! Mindfulness meditation, which has been around for more than 2,500 years, measurably changes the brain for the better. Scientists can see a thickening of the cortex areas of the brain where memory and empathy reside. In one famous study*, subjects who meditated showed less activity in an area of the brain associated with negative emotions like anger, depression and anxiety, and more activity in the area associated with buoyancy, optimism and confidence. “It is fascinating to see the brain's plasticity and that, by practicing meditation, we can play an active role in changing the brain and can increase our well-being and quality of life." says Britta Hölzel, PhD, first author of the paper and a research fellow at MGH and Giessen University in Germany. "Other studies in different patient populations have shown that meditation can make significant improvements in a variety of symptoms, and we are now investigating the underlying mechanisms in the brain that facilitate this change." And so it appears that we now have incontestable evidence that Mindfulness practice produces the neuroscience of resilience!
And, before you start jumping to the conclusion that one has to spend hours every day in the lotus position on a zafu, take a gentle step back, be aware of your posture and breathing, and observe what’s going on right now, in the present moment.
What was that like?
Believe it or not, even a few minutes practising this a couple of times a day can start to make a difference to our perceptions and responses. This is often how people get started on the Mindfulness path. The great news is that there are many ways to practice being present in the moment, and not all of them involve formal meditation. What is known as “everyday Mindfulness” can be practiced anywhere and everywhere; driving the car, cooking a meal, walking to the train station and even communicating with a colleague at work.
Being present to whatever arises in the moment, observing without judging, is the key. You can start off by simply being present to your breathing, without trying to change or alter it in any way. Next, become aware of your posture and any aches and pains that you may have in your body. Again, observe these, without trying to suppress anything. As you observe, you will notice thoughts coming into your awareness. This is fine, we are always thinking, just observe the thoughts as they come and go, rising and falling in your awareness. They will come and go, one thought always replaced by another. Simply accepting the thoughts, without judgement and realising that you are not your thoughts, you are much more than that, is what Mindfulness awareness is all about.
Before you write me off as being slightly away with the pixies, let me tell you that the positive results that Mindfulness brings are evidence based. There are Mindfulness therapies treating chronic pain, depression and anxiety, chronic illnesses, PTSD and, my personal favourite, stress reduction. Mindfulness is now so legit that it is being taught around the world in medical centres, hospitals, schools, prisons and corporations.
Mindfulness teaches us that there are two different states of experience, and that we oscillate from one to the other all the time. The state of doing, and the state of being. “Doing mode” is essential. We’re in doing mode when we make lists, accomplish tasks, think ahead…..problem solving and the like. We wouldn’t get very far without “doing mode”. Being mode is altogether different. Being mode is when we get in touch with the present moment, without ruminating over the past or worrying about the future. Being mode is when we appreciate a sunset, or really enjoy what we’re eating. It’s being present with a friend or loved one, being present out in nature, engrossed in a sport, or a good book, just enjoying the experience for what it is, here and now. It is presence awareness, and providing that we are accepting the experience for what it is, without comparing or judging it, “being mode” is an important part of who we are. It is Mindfulness itself.
For more information about Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness Meditation, please visit my website www.stresstosuccesstraining.com or follow me on twitter http//twitter.com/@stress_info or contact info@stresstosuccesstraining.com

* Massachusetts General Hospital Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program

Author's Bio: 

Michelle Clemons, Director of Stress to Success Training, was born in
Melbourne, Australia, where she trained and worked as a classical musician.
However, she started to suffer with stress and performance nerves. So, in
2005 she began to search for ways to combat these debilitating fears and
anxieties. She studied Meridian Therapies, Ericksonian hypnotherapy, and
Neuro Linguistic Programming.
Keen to share what she had learned with others, she began working with
people with similar problems. This led Michelle to realise the importance of
balancing the three aspects - physical, emotional and psychological - in
order to create lasting, positive change. In 2010 she studied Mindfulness
and integrated this evidence-based stress reduction method into the
program.
The unique Stress to Success Training Program was created in 2011. The
basis being that the high energy stress response can be transformed into
resilience and peak performance through changing perceptions and
responses. The success of these methods is based on the latest research
from the world of neuroscience.
Michelle is the author of Transforming Stress to Success and
Performance, Productivity and Profit