Dr. Margaret McLean Acute Psychology Professional Lead Mindfulness Workshop Dr. Margaret McLean Acute Psychology Professional Lead 25.01.13

Outline An experiment Old brain / New brain What is mindfulness? Brief practice Why is mindfulness important? What does mindfulness training involve? Questions / discussion 25.01.13

Old Brain 25.01.13

New Brain 25.01.13 Interpreting direct experience “filling in the gaps” 2. Look for solution Problem-solving 3. Fixed on one perception 25.01.13

Interaction of Old and New Psychologies New Brain: Imagination, Planning, Rumination, Integration Old Brain: Emotions, Motives, Archetypes, etc. 25.01.13

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; namely, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally (John Kabat-Zinn) Knowing what’s happening as it’s happening without preference (Rob Nairn) Opening to experience BEFORE responding. Unconditional friendliness! 25.01.13

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is sustained attention. Instead of being swept away by a thought , emotion or sensation, mindfulness steadily observes those experiences as they come and go. It gives us breathing space; it gives us time to become aware of unhelpful patterns of reaction and learn that there are more helpful ways of responding; it gives us flexibility. 25.01.13

What is Mindfulness? It is the opposite of ‘mindlessness’ or ‘automatic pilot’ 25.01.13

Seven Elements of the Mindfulness Attitude Non-judging Patience Beginner’s mind Trust Non-striving Acceptance Non-attachment 1. Non-judging Our tendency to categorise & judge experience locks us into patterns of reacting and repeating thoughts, feelings and behaviours. To be mindful we need to recognise this and learn to witness our experience in an unbiased, attentive manner. 2. Patience Ability to bear difficulty with calmness and control. Requires connection with calm inner core and faith and courage. Also requires degree of kindness to be able to stay with what is difficult. To become patient need to recognise impatience which often arises when we want things to be different. Beginner’s Mind Thinking creates a filter on our direct experience. BM is opening to each experience as if it were the first time you had encountered this. You have never experienced THIS moment before though perhaps ones which seem the same. 4. Trust Learning to trust yourself and your feelings. Coming to know yourself and learning to discern between what is direct experience and what is happening in your mind and body. 5. Non-striving Spend much of lives DOING things and trying to change things. Meditation is about non-doing, about BEING. About truly stepping back and allowing whatever is there to be there. Paradox of stepping back in order to get somewhere. 6. Acceptance Willingness to see things as they are in the present moment. Not how you want them to be or think they should be. Opening to what is here. You don’t have to like it but just be willing to see it for what it is. 7. Non-attachment We often cling to idea and beliefs about ourselves, others, situations. Driven by judgement, like and dislike. As we learn to recognise judgements and to start to let things be then we release the internal contractions within us. 25.01.13

Core Principles Cultivating moment to moment awareness Gently turning towards unpleasant Joyfully opening to pleasant Broadening perspective Responding not reacting Cultivating moment to moment awareness Training concentration Purposeful directing of attention Widening of field of awareness 2. Gently turning towards unpleasant Training good will, curiosity, openness, courage Developing capacity for compassionate, balanced response 3. Joyfully opening to pleasant Training receptivity towards pleasant/nourishing Learning to fully digest/savour (juicing each pleasant experience) 4. Broadening perspective Seeing that awareness can hold both pleasant and unpleasant without preference Becoming more at home with ‘Being’ and seeing that awareness is not itself in pain Allowing, connecting with experience as it is 5. Responding not reacting What do I/others need? What would genuinely help? Seeing the interconnectedness of self-care & caring for others 25.01.13

Why should we be interested in Mindfulness training? Evidence of it’s effectiveness in Healthcare, including for improving communication and reducing burnout More present, and therefore less likely to be on autopilot and make mistakes More creative and better problem solvers: mind is more free and less confined by habit More likely to enjoy, savour, appreciate! 25.01.13

Thank you for listening. Any questions ? Thank you for listening. 25.01.13