Understanding Mindfulness

Mindfulness and meditation offer a way out of chronic stress, and a positive shift toward an “undisturbed mind.” But what is mindfulness? From ancient spiritual masters to modern-day teachers, the definition and understanding of the concept of mindfulness continue to evolve. 

The undisturbed mind  

A central goal of all spiritual traditions in general, and all meditative practices in particular, is to achieve a state in which nothing (either external or internal) can disturb the mind. Anecdotes about Taoist masters whose mind was “free and without concern” abound. In modern times, the common stress triggers have changed from biological (predators) to mainly psychological (regretting the past and worrying about the future), contributing to long-term stress, chronically high levels of cortisol, and physical sickness. Mindfulness and meditation offer a way out of chronic stress, and a positive shift toward an “undisturbed mind.” 

What is mindfulness? 

John Kabat-Zinn, who greatly popularized mindfulness in the West, defines mindfulness as “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience.” 

The term “mindfulness” belongs to the popular jargon of modern-day spirituality, such as New Age schools of meditation and self-improvement. The word is a translation of the word sati in the old Pali language. There is, however, no consensus among scholars when it comes to the best translation or interpretation of the word sati —it stands for “attention,” “awareness,” “retention,” and “discernment.” Common use of the word “manfulness” also includes anything from meditation to observation of the “monkey mind” and returning the attention to the present moment. Elements of mindfulness can be recognized in various spiritual techniques, from concentration to mantra chanting. The meaning assigned to the concept of ‘mindfulness’ and the interpretation of what constitutes a mindfulness practice, varies across spiritual traditions such as Zen, Theravada, or Tibetan Buddhism.  

How is mindfulness measured? 

Scientists often measure the effects of mindfulness programs through self-reporting, such as asking participants to complete “The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire,” which include a question such as: “I watch my feelings without getting carried away by them” or “I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening in the present moment,” or “I do not judge myself when I have an inappropriate feeling.” However, this type of measurement approach has several weaknesses, including failure to demonstrate discriminant validity (the ability to show that measurements that are not supposed to be related are unrelated). For example, the use of “The Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire” has shown a positive correlation between drinking and mindfulness, suggesting that binge drinking makes a person more mindful.  

To overcome such traps of subjective (self-reported) measurements, researchers are shifting toward more robust approaches. One of these is breath-counting—measuring, through a rather sophisticated laboratory setup, the ability of an individual to maintain their focus while counting their breaths, one at a time. Such an experiment has confirmed that meditators (especially experienced ones) are better at this exercise compared to nonmeditators.  

The neurology of change  

Based on expensive research conducted over the last 50 years, Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson have identified four main neural pathways that change (positively) as a result of mindfulness and meditation. The first neural pathway determines our reaction to stress and recovery. The second neural pathway deals with our capacity for compassion and empathy. The third neural circuitry determines one’s attention. The fourth neural pathway determines our sense of self. When positive transformation occurs at the level of all four neural circuits, the individual enjoys both a healthy body and a healthy mind. 

Source

~Based on the book “The Science of Meditation: How to Change Your Brain, Mind and Body” by Daniel Goleman and Richard J. Davidson. Penguin Life. UK, 2017.