People tend to spend much of their time trying to quell negative thoughts or emotions. This can take a lot of energy - energy which would be better utlized elsewhere in life - energy to do something positive. Practising mindfulness does not involve the avoidance of negative emotions and emotional distress in general. Rather, thoughts and feelings of negativity are experienced and then accepted by cultivating the ability to look at the thoughts/emotions in a detached fashion, in a non-judgmental way. They are then experienced as less unpleasant and less threatening. This in turn leads to a better ability to withstand distress without needing to resort to psychological defenses or maladaptive coping strategies in order to decrease the intensity of the emotions.
Thoughts and feelings are not assumed to be valid or permanent - they are seen as subjective and transient. This type of decentered detachment has been shown to be assoiciated with a lowered risk of depressive relapse.
D.
Adapted from "Mindfulness Matters", www.mindfulness-matters.org/what -is-mindfulness/
About Me
- Deborah K. Hanula
- Deborah K. Hanula has a year of Journalism training from Humber College, a Political Science degree from the University of Waterloo, and a Law degree from the University of British Columbia. In addition, she has Diplomas in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Child Psychology, and Psychotherapy and Counselling as well as a Family Life Educator and Coach Certificate and Certificates in Reflexology, Assertiveness Training, and Mindfulness Meditation. She is the author of five cookbooks, primarily concerned with gluten-free and dairy-free diets, although one pertains to chocolate. As an adult, in the past she worked primarily as a lawyer, but also as a university and college lecturer, a tutor, editor, writer, counsellor, researcher and piano teacher. She enjoys a multi-faceted approach when it comes to life, work and study, in order to keep things fresh and interesting. Check out her new book: A Murder of Crows & Other Poems (2023).
