Mindfulness: The Western Psychology Tradition

The Use of Mindfulness to Improve Mental Health

In recent years, Mindfulness and Psychotherapy has been gaining a mounting interest among psychologists and clients with mindfulness becoming the focus of considerable attention for clinical practice and research.  Empirical studies have examined the construct of mindfulness for almost 40 years, and a conceptual definition of mindfulness has been continuously revised and clarified over this period.  What we currently term mindfulness in the area of contemplative science, and the corresponding techniques of its cultivation, stem from Eastern introspective psychological practices, specifically Buddhist psychology, which made reference to the concept over 2,500 years ago.

As the concept of mindfulness has been gradually introduced into the realm of Western science, many thought mindfulness and its associated meditation practices, a method used to develop mindfulness, was a capacity attainable only by certain people. However, several decades of research methodology and scientific discovery have defrayed these myths.

Viewed from a psychological perspective, mindfulness can be seen as a process of self-regulated attention, focusing on present-moment perceptions with an open and non-judgmental awareness (Bishop et al., 2004). Mindfulness is widely considered to be an inherent quality of human consciousness. That is a capacity of attention and awareness oriented to the present moment that varies in degree within and between individuals, and can be assessed empirically and independent of religious, spiritual, or cultural beliefs.

As the field of psychology continues to expand and evolve, one fruitful avenue of exploration has been the integration of mindfulness into psychological theory and practice. Mindfulness meditation is a useful technique for enhancing mindfulness and forms the basis for the majority of mindfulness-based interventions (Kabat-Zinn, 2005). Two decades of empirical research have generated considerable evidence supporting the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions across a wide range of clinical and nonclinical populations, and these interventions have been incorporated into a variety of health care, community and academic settings. For example, studies have shown that mindfulness practice has the potential to mitigate academic, social, and existential stressors experienced by university students (Lynch et al., 2011), and reduce anxiety, negative affect and increase positive affect and hope in university students (Sears & Kraus, 2009). Mindfulness also significantly predicts high levels of self-esteem and low levels of social anxiety in university students (Rasmussen & Pidgeon, 2011).

Educators are turning to mind-body practices such as mindfulness meditation not only to help them manage their own stress (Miller & Nozawa, 2002), but also to promote well-being, stress reduction and better coping in their students (Wall, 2005).

The practice of mindfulness teaches us a different way to relate to our thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they arise. It is about learning to approach and acknowledge whatever is happening in the present moment, setting aside our lenses of judgment and just being with whatever is there, rather than avoiding it or needing to fix it. It’s the mind’s attempt to avoid and fix things in this moment that fuels the feelings of stress and disturbing emotions.

Now, this is easier said than done and it takes practice……...

Bishop, S.R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N.D., Carmody, J., Segal, Z. et al. (2004).   Mindfulness: A proposed

    operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11,     230-41.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress,  pain and illness. New

  York: Delta.

Lynch, S., Gander, M., Kohis, N., Kudielka, B. & Walach, H. (2011). Mindfulness-based coping with    university life: A non-

   randomised wait-list-controlled pilot evaluation Stress and Health, March 20-45.

Miller, J. & Nozawa, A. (2002). Meditating teachers: A qualitative study. Professional Development in Education, 28, 179-192.

Rasmussen, M. & Pidgeon, A.M . (2011). The direct and indirect benefits of dispositional mindfulness on self-esteem and social

   anxiety. Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 24 (2), 227-233.

Sears, S & Kraus, S. (2009) I think therefore I om: Cognitive distortions and coping style as mediators for the effects of

   mindfulness meditation on anxiety, positive and negative affect, and hope. Journal  of Clinical Psychology, 65(6), 561-573.

Wall, R. B. (2005). Tai chi and mindfulness-based stress reduction in a Boston public middle school. Journal of Pediatric Health Care 19, (4): 230-7.