AN INTRODUCTION TO MINDFULNESS Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Session 3 Based on A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook by Bob Stahl, PhD and Elisha Goldstein, PhD

Seeing Thoughts As Creations of the Mind Example: Boy waiting for his father after school

Negative Self Talk “We get so used to its whisperings that we don’t even notice its there” – (A Mindful Way Through Depression)

Negative Self Talk We are our own worst critic “I’m such an idiot!” “I’m not good enough!” “Nobody understands me” “I’ll never find a partner” “I hate myself.” “Things will never get better….”

Habitual Styles of Thinking They often occur unconsciously so it is helpful to be familiar with them: Catastrophizing Exaggerating/discounting Mind readingEternal Expert ShouldsBlaming

Negative Interpretations “I’m the only one who does anything around here!!” “Why does everyone else get to relax and I’m left to work?!” “No wonder I can never get anything done!” “Oh no, here I go again. I need to get this under control. Just relax! What is wrong with me!?.....” “All I need is a little bit of help….Nobody cares about me. This is never going to change…”

Negative Interpretations Scenario #1: You are feeling down because you’ve just had an argument with a coworker … Shortly afterward, you see another coworker in the hall and he or she rushes off quickly, saying her or she can’t talk. What would you think?

Negative Interpretations Scenario #2: You are feeling happy because you and a coworker have just received positive feedback from your boss….. Shortly afterward, you see another coworker in the hall and he or she rushes off quickly, saying her or she can’t talk. What would you think?

Mindfulness & Negative Self Talk Mindfulness helps you to treat thoughts as mental events rather than facts

Mindfulness: Seeing Thoughts As Thoughts Our thoughts are NOT facts Learn to relate with thoughts from “being mode” of mind (i.e. observing)

“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather”

Thought Stream: Getting Carried Away Observe thoughts as you would observe actors on a movie screen “ It’s as if the mind has left its seat and gotten sucked into the action up there on the screen, now playing a part in the story that it was mindfully observing the moment before ” – (The Mindful Way Through Depression)

Mindfulness & Negative Self Talk Not banishing or repressing thoughts, just relating to them differently Practice observing without getting caught up

Mindfulness & Negative Self Talk Helpful to give a name to patterns of thinking that habitually occur: “Judging Mind” “My worst critic” “Hopeless Mind”“Doubting Thomas”

Formal Practice 15 Minute Mindful Breathing

15 Minute Mindful Breathing Take a moment to write about whatever arose for you mentally, emotionally, and physically when doing this practice for the first time. How was it different for you than the five-minute practice?

Formal Practice Walking Meditation

Formal Practice Walking Meditation Journal As soon as you finish your first mindful walking practice, take a moment to write about any thoughts, feelings, and sensations you noticed during this meditation

Informal Practice: STOP S =STOP T=TAKE A BREATH O=OBSERVE P=PROCEED

Planning Your Practice Try to practice at least 5 days a week Formal Practices: - Mindful Check-In - 5 and 15 Minute Mindful Breathing - Walking Meditation Informal Practices: - STOP - 8 Attitudes of Mindfulness in Your Life - Weaving Mindfulness Throughout Your Day - Mindful Eating