How to start using Mindfulness against stress?

We live in a hectic society, which has acquired its own pace, which is always in a hurry, which always has something to do. Nowadays, "not doing" means not being productive, not being up to date, not taking advantage of time, in short "not being".

The feeling that this lifestyle produces is that of having to be continuously busy, connected; it keeps us alert, a mechanism related to stress responses.

However, it is true that stress is necessary for the survival of the speciesBut in the long term, when stress is maintained over time, elevated levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) have detrimental effects on health.

Therefore, stress is undoubtedly one of the great problems of society and affects more and more population at certain times in life. And the consequences are clear, more and more people suffer from ailments such as depression, anxiety and psychosomatic illnesses, all associated with high levels of stress.

The keys to Mindfulness as a tool against stress

But… What is it that underlies the activation of stress mechanisms?

Closely related to stress is our ability to recognize and manage our mental activity.

Our mind is in constant dialogue, ruminating, going to the past and anticipating the future, planning, etc. Therefore, it is important that we learn to recognize what thoughts come to mind, and what feelings are associated with these thoughts.

From this perspective, the Mindfulness philosophy works, which is based on learning to become aware, to focus our attention on what we want and thus enjoy a full experience, without being absorbed in other thoughts.

For some years the Mindfulness It has been installed in our lives as a formula to learn to enjoy life fully. But... Where does this idea come from?

Foundations in an ancient tradition

Mindfulness is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and it is a term used to translate the word "Pali sati" which denotes awareness, attention, memory. This mindfulness is combined with meditation techniques that have to do with the Buddhist tradition.

We can say that Mindfulness is a quality of the mind, or an ability to be aware in the present moment. The practice of Mindfulness invites us to value life from a new perspective, to see clearly what is happening in the "here and now."

John Kabat-Zinn provides a definition of Mindfulness that characterizes it as "intentionally paying attention to the present moment, without judging."

Mindfulness practice is having very good results in the field of psychiatry and clinical psychology. And it is not for less, since the benefits can be noticed from the first practice.

How to start practicing?

To start practicing Mindfulness we can do it with informal meditations and then move on to formal practice. Informal meditation is one that we perform when we are paying full attention to certain automatic activities, that is, that we do without realizing it or as they say with the “pilot automatic ”set.

They are activities that in general are neither pleasant nor unpleasant and that we have turned into habits: shower, walk around, brush our teeth, drive, lock the door before leave…

The proposal from the informal practice of mindfulness is that we choose an activity or habit that we usually do automatically and do it with full consciousness. To carry out formal practices or meditations, it is necessary to have a suitable place and time, since the Mindfulness is a quality of the mind, but it requires training and for this, practice is necessary daily.

A training proposal in Mindfulness

For those who want to start in the practice of Mindfulness, or deepen in the full experience, in TAP Center, from our commitment to accompany and create spaces for personal growth, we use these techniques as a complement to our therapeutic work obtaining very good results in the short, medium and long term.

What's more, we offer Mindfulness training workshops for all the people who are interested in knowing and deepening in the practice of this discipline. Learning to enjoy life with awareness and fully is in your hand. You join?

Author: Isabel Rodero López, Pedagogue, num. cabbage. 01678.