Mindful Living
What does it mean to live mindfully?
Mindfulness puts us in touch with and aware of the present moment without judging or evaluating our inner experience. It helps us soften the inner voice that judges our thoughts, actions and feelings. When we have freedom from the harsh critic within, anxiety and depression no longer cripple us. We can allow the feelings of sadness or fear to come and to go. As a result, we get to choose the life we want, to make changes in our behavior, our habits, and in our relationships.
Mindfulness puts us in touch with and aware of the present moment without judging or evaluating our inner experience. It helps us soften the inner voice that judges our thoughts, actions and feelings. When we have freedom from the harsh critic within, anxiety and depression no longer cripple us. We can allow the feelings of sadness or fear to come and to go. As a result, we get to choose the life we want, to make changes in our behavior, our habits, and in our relationships.
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy was developed as a model of relapse prevention for recurring depression. An integration of Buddhist psychology, meditation practice, and cognitive therapy, it has been shown to be effective for anxiety and addictive disorders as well. By learning to identify habitual thoughts and feelings, we can become free of old, automatic reactive tendencies. Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy brings together the skills of concentration and nonjudgmental awareness -- developed through mindfulness meditation practice -- with the ability to recognize and let go of negative and repetitive thoughts and beliefs.Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy is offered as an 8-week group program. Participants have an opportunity to practice skills during the group meeting and when completing homework assignments. For more information about this program and when it's offered, please contact me.
Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation is very simple -- and often very difficult. We bring bare, nonjudgmental attention to the breath or to some other object. The breath is a great choice because it is always with us. We don't need anything special to become mindful of the breath.One misperception about meditation is that you are supposed to empty the mind of all thoughts. This is not true. Sometimes the thinking mind is relatively quiet. Other times the mind is busy. Thoughts will intrude. The task of mindfulness is to remember to keep our attention on the breath and not follow the thoughts, feelings, memories or daydreams that come and go.
Lovingkindness Meditation
Lovingkindness or metta is an excellent meditation practice for cultivating positive feelings toward yourself and others. Rather than focusing on the breath, which can be difficult for many people, this meditation practice invites you to focus on particular phrases and to try to generate genuine feelings of support, care and kindness. This practice can be used in a wide variety of situations as well since it doesn't require that you sit quietly or close your eyes. Lovingkindness practice can be done while walking or when standing in line.
Lovingkindness or metta is an excellent meditation practice for cultivating positive feelings toward yourself and others. Rather than focusing on the breath, which can be difficult for many people, this meditation practice invites you to focus on particular phrases and to try to generate genuine feelings of support, care and kindness. This practice can be used in a wide variety of situations as well since it doesn't require that you sit quietly or close your eyes. Lovingkindness practice can be done while walking or when standing in line.
