Topic Tuesday: Special guest - Mindfulness expert & psychologist Jordan from Mindfulgym! *CLOSED*

[NikNik]

Hi Everyone,

Keeping with this week's 'Mental Health Begins With Me!' theme, Jordan, a psychologist who specialises in mindfulness, will be giving us the run down on what mindfulness is and providing us with practical tips on how to integrate mindfulness into our everyday lives.

A big helllllooo to Jordan aka BeMindful

🙂
 

NikNik

[BeMindful]

Hello and thanks NikNik. I'm Jordan and I'm a psychologist who owns a Mindfulness training and treatment centre. Mindfulness is pretty popular at the moment, and I'm here to answer any queries you might have about Mindfulness.

[Eagle]

Hi there,

This might sound like a silly question, but is mindfulness and meditation the same thing? Or connected in some way?

Thanks

E

[Jackson]

Hi

I'm interested in what I think of as the perception of the thickness of the line between where you are now psyhcologically and where you want to be.

Or in other words, how does one make a change in attitude stick? (from a mindfulness perspective).

Cheers,

Jack

[BeMindful]

Hi Eagle,

Your question is not silly at all! It is really important. Mindfulness and meditation are different in that meditation is a formal way to practice mindfulness. There are many other ways to practice mindfulness for example a body scan, mindful walking or even when you are washing the dishes! So they are connected but not the same thing!

[BeMindful]

Hi Jackson,

You probably have to let go of something emotionally in order to let a new attitude into your reality. Mindfulness theory talks a lot about acceptance and absense of judgement. So accepting a new attitude into your life as it is in the present moment, without all those other (perhaps negative) thoughts hanging around is important. This is easier said than done, but give it a go!

[Jackson]

Take a task that involves some unpleasantness now that only makes sense enduring for a benefit later on that is perceived to be of pleasurable extent to more than offset the pain now endured.

How does mindfulness deal with such considerations?

Cheers,

Jack

[BeMindful]

Hi Jack,

Unpleasantness is a judgement so if you feel you are doing something unpleasant there is not much mindfulness. When doing something you feel is unpleasant you need to be in the moment and say to yourself "I am doing a task, this is just a task" without any further thought, action or judgement. This is because as soon as you judge something it takes you out of the present moment so you are not able to experience mindfulness, and your mind usually wanders down an emotional track finding some kind of past story to back up your original thought. Then your mind goes around in circles and never gives you peace!

[tam63]

Hi Jordan,

I do Buddhist meditation every day, but I started out with russ Harris' CDs initially. I needed something a little more definite and with an ethical albeit religious value system. I would be interested to hear a little more about what differentiates meditation from mindfulness?

Tam63

[BeMindful]

My favourite mindfulness technique

Hi all I wanted to share with you my favourite mindfulness technique, mindful walking (or walking meditation).

Instructions;

1. find a quiet room or a nice space outside where you feel safe

2. if you are inside not wearing any shoes is best so you feel the connection with the floor

3. stand up tall in the room, hands by your side and close your eyes

4. take a few deep breaths and imagine the air coming from your head through your toes and to the ground

5. open your eyes and take a small step (no bigger than your foot length forward) as slowly as you possibly can, then another, then another

6. watch how your weight changes from side to side heel to toe with each step you take

7. continue talking small and slow baby steps, for a minimum of 5 minutes, however 15 is best for best results