What Is Mindfulness Therapy?

There are many definitions of mindfulness, but the one I find most useful is: to be mindful is to be aware that you are aware.

Of what are you aware? That’s your choice. As my first teacher and founder of The Farm, Stephen Gaskin, would say, “Attention is Energy.”

Here’s another story, sometimes attributed to the Cherokee, that might help explain:

A child inquires of his beloved grandmother, “How did you become so wise?”

She responds, “When I was young, I realized that there were two wolves fighting inside of me: a wolf of hatred, fear and anger, and a wolf of love, gratitude and caring.”

The child asks, “Which will win?

Grandmother says, “The one you feed, child, the one you feed.”

In other words, you can decide what you want more of in your life. Mindfulness is learning how to pay better attention to what is happening now, so that you make your decisions from a place of wisdom.

Entering a mindful state means becoming attuned to thoughts, feelings and physical sensations in the present moment—without judgment. When you become fully engaged in the present moment, the past ceases to be a source of pain, and the future ceases to be a source of fear.

As the saying goes, “The mind is a dangerous place. You shouldn’t go in there alone.” Mindfulness therapy provides a safe, encouraging space for you to explore your mind, with the support of a caring guide. Instead of fixating on doing—all that you “should” have done, all that you “should” still do—you can focus on being—just as you are. With mindful self-compassion, you can learn to enjoy a deep sense of empowerment and peace.

And, with this sense of peace, you can be more able to practice “looking deeply” into your personal and emotional issues. You can become prepared to take peace, wisdom and compassion into any situation—perhaps most importantly, into how you view your own life.

The Rich History Of Mindfulness And Meditation

Mindfulness meditation has roots in Buddhist traditions. Thanks to the influence of monks such as Thomas Merton, Father Thomas Keating and Thich Nhat Hanh, who continues to share his presence and wisdom, people are learning about the profound benefits of being.

In recent decades, science has validated what so many saints and sages have known for millennia: Through a regular practice of centering on the present moment, it is possible to change the very structure of brain. In other words, it is possible to replace patterns of self-criticism, isolation and anxiety with new patterns of thinking in a better direction: toward balance, calm, joy and ease.

The Process Of Practicing Mindfulness

It can sometimes feel impossible to simply be. In our scattered and distracted Western culture, many, many people feel overwhelmed by scattered and distracted thoughts. And, many more are also struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression and other issues that make it even more difficult to focus and cope with all that afflicts you.

Mindfulness is a powerful medicine for the ills of this time and culture (just as it has always been). But even the best medicine in the world is useless on the shelf. You have to take it in order for it to work.

Mindfulness techniques include:

• Focusing on the breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly and naturally to foster physical and emotional calm
• Allowing thoughts to rise and fall away, without judging them
• Becoming aware of the sensory environment of the world around you: the blue sky, the sounds of birds, traffic, the refrigerator hum…
• An experience of the mind-body connection
• Becoming aware of internal states and the information you’re receiving from your own body (e.g., sleepiness hunger, anxiety…)
• Slowing your mind and heightening your awareness through meditation
• Being aware without judgment, of your states of mind, feelings and body, and noticing that they keep changing
• Holding steady attention on all that changes, which brings ease, because everything changes
• Recognizing that thoughts arise and fade away, and you don’t necessarily have to do anything about your thinking mind, which will continue to generate thoughts

Mindfulness Can Help You Cultivate Happiness And Ease

It’s important to note that we call mindfulness a practice. No one ever gets it perfect, nor is that the goal (and even the best meditators say they don’t think they’re good at it). Meditation isn’t something else to add to your internal list of perceived inadequacies.

You can think of practicing mindfulness like riding a bike. Once you learn the practice, you don’t forget the skills you need to “steer” your brain.

However, because you are human, you will likely still go through periods when you don’t get on the bike for a while, or even when you fall off. That’s okay. With a foundation of mindfulness training, you will know how to get back on.

As you learn these skills, a sustainable practice is often most useful overall. If you are open to try a new way of thinking, you might enjoy the same benefits that others have found.

The benefits of mindfulness include:

• Strategies to calm yourself, bringing yourself out of fight/flight/freeze reactivity
• Growth in the part of the brain that controls executive function, which allows you to make decisions based on your values and wisdom
• Reduced irritability, worry and stress
• Increased focus, ease and joy
• Deeper kindness for yourself and empathy for others
• The awareness needed to effectively meet your emotional, mental and physical needs in the moment and over the long-term
• A new ability to recognize the signal of distress before they become overwhelming
• Confidence that who you are—right now, in this moment—is enough

Because of these benefits, mindfulness based therapy has been found to be an effective approach for a wide range of issues, from ADHD to anxiety to depression and more. Your mind is more flexible and trainable than you might realize.

And, with the guidance of a skilled therapist, you can offer yourself a new, lighter way of looking at your world.

My Approach To Mindfulness Therapy

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Zen Buddhist Priest, with 45 years of experience helping others claim freedom over their choices and their lives.

I know how hard it can be to find calm from the chaos, whether internal, external or both. I first encountered mindfulness over 30 years ago, at the darkest point in my own life. My oldest and best friend passed away, and I lost six more friends in as many months. Then, my marriage and family fell apart.

I was so overcome with the pain of these losses, I felt my world was crashing down on me. Now, I recognize that I was deeply, profoundly, suicidally—depressed. Thankfully, a trusted friend sent me to live at a Buddhist monastery, saving my life through the process and practices I learned there.

Monasteries are repositories of traditional wisdoms in how to recover a life, from the worst possible states, regardless of religious background or beliefs. During my time there, I engaged with mindfulness teachings in the traditional fashion. I meditated on each line of the Buddhist texts, and put them into practice in my life. In the face of my personal suffering, I learned that falling down means getting back up again. I learned that there were many new possibilities in front of me. Most of all, I learned how to assemble a new life.

From my own journey and my work with countless clients, I have seen how mindfulness and meditation can foster positive transformation. In my practice today, I draw from my experience as a Zen Buddhist Priest, graduate degree in social work, training in mental health and study of neuroscience. I work as a helpful guide, offering perspective and insights along the path that are difficult to discover on your own, even if you’re reading a map.

I don’t claim to know what you are going through, and there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healing and empowerment. What I’m willing to do is sit with you, witnessing without judgment. More than anything, I am here to help you develop mindfulness techniques that work for you.

No matter what you are going through, you are not alone. Suffering is a part of the human condition. That does not mean your feelings aren’t valid, or that you’re wrong for feeling this pain. It simply means that others have been navigating this same territory through the ages.

If you want solutions, it is possible to find help and craft an easier path across this terrain. As long as you offer open, active participation, I can guide you along your way.

Discover Deep Calm

If you are interested in learning more about mindfulness therapy, I invite you to email me at info@mtsutra.com to schedule a free, 10–15-minute phone consultation. You can ask any questions you have about my therapy approach and my practice.