Benefits Of Mindfulness Meditation
explanatory Essay
833 words
The Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation
"Sit with your hands resting in your lap or on your knees, keeping your back straight. Your neck should be relaxed, with your chin slightly tucked in. [..] Take five deep breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. On the last exhalation, allow your eyes to close. Slowly settle into your body" (Puddicombe, 2013, para. 5).
This is the beginning of mindfulness meditation, a basic script written by Andy Puddicombe, a Buddhist monk and co-creator of a revolutionary meditation app called Headspace. Many question meditation and many do not know what meditation is, especially mindfulness meditation. In the beginning of his documentary "The Mindfulness Movie," Paul Harrison asks strangers in the street if they know what mindfulness is or what mindfulness meditation
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In this essay, the author
- Explains the benefits of mindfulness meditation, a basic script written by andy puddicombe.
- Explains the importance of mindfulness meditation in western culture. buddha guatama practiced meditation and came to what is known as "the four noble truth."
- Explains that mindfulness meditation helps individuals who suffer from depression, anxiety, and stress to achieve a self that is emotionally stable and confident.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation is a popular form of meditation, available in local programs and accessible through applications on our phones. andy puddicombe and rich pierson created headspace.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation has brought awareness and attention to the world around us, mending the mental health of individuals suffering from mental illness, mood disorders, and everyday people with lots of stress.
Over twenty-five hundred years ago, Buddha Guatama practiced meditation and came to what is known as “The Four Noble Truth,” an important principle in Buddhism (Elder, 2010). This principle informs the reader of what suffering is and how affect is. This is a great example of how valuable meditation is- on the very first session ever recorded, the awareness that came from it would later be the foundation of a new religion. This proves how powerful meditation can be. Furthermore, some form of meditation can be found in various religions. Although the styles, techniques, and ideology behind the meditation can vary per religion, personal transformation is the key goal (Modi, Singh, 2012). Today, in Western society, mindful meditation (a form of meditation) has grown in popularity, used for relaxation and to help treat those who suffer from mental illness’ and mood disorders. Viewed as alternative medicine for the mind and soul, it is beneficial for our emotional and mental
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- Meditation as a Preventative Measure to Reduce Morbidity and Stressargumentative essayMeditation as an Preventative Measure to Reduce Morbidity and Stress: Meditation Promotes Immune Function and Reduces Self Reported Stress in Practitioners In Eastern cultures, meditation has been practiced for over two thousand years. Through this training a culture has developed in which an individual is empowered to engaged in preventative behaviors, which reduce stress and morbidity, resulting in a general state of wellbeing, with stability and mental peace in the face of everyday challenges (Richardson and Lutz, 2008). Over the last half-century, the western-scientific community has begun to evaluate the efficacy of the eastern methods of meditation. In the modern western world there is an over abundance of stress, pressure and over stimulation.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that meditation has been practiced for over two thousand years in eastern cultures. the western-scientific community has begun to evaluate the efficacy of the eastern methods of meditation.
- Argues that meditation could be integrated into modern culture as a means of reducing stress, supporting immune function, expanding productivity, and improving mental health.
- Explains that davidson et al. and the tibetan monastic community led by h.h. the dalai lama demonstrated how meditation can affect the physiology of the brain in a positive direction.
- Describes carlson, e. l., speca, m.
- Opines that mann, r., cheung, t.w. j, ialomiteanu, a.
- Explains that solberg et al. examined the effects of meditation on immune response after physical stress.
- Explains how hopkins and proeve examined the efficacy of an eight-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on a group of trainee psychologists.
- Concludes that meditation counteracted the immune suppression after strenuous activity. carlson et al. concluded meditation aided in the over-all wellbeing of cancer patients.
1934 wordsRead More - Do Mindfulness- Based Interventions Influence Psychological Health?argumentative essaySauer-Zavala et al.(2013) exaamined if meditation practice in mindfullness-based interventions influenced changes in psychological health. Mindful yoga, body scan, and sitting meditation were all studied during different time periods. The participants were undergraduate students that were majoring in psychology. They volunteered for the study online to receive one credit. The participants were assigned to a random condition based on the time they chose to participate in the study. They only participated in one of the three conditions. They did not know anything about the condition that was assigned to them before they signed up. They were also given a questionaire and introduction before they started the intervention. The results showed that psychological well-being increased with all three methods of meditation. Mindful yoga had a higher association with an increase in psychological well-being than the other two methods. Therefore, yoga would help reduce my stress and help me improve my well-being as a whole. By reading this article, I feel more confident in my choice that yoga will help relieve my stress. I don’t expect to see quick results in the level of stress from starting yoga. I hope over time I will be able to live a less stressful life.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that sauer-zavala et al. (2013) exaamined whether meditation practice in mindfullness-based interventions influenced changes in psychological health.
- Compares mindfulness-based intervention strategies: different effects of sitting meditation, body scan, and mindful yoga.
- Concludes that yoga is not only useful for health conditions, but also psychological conditions. however, they realized that many of the articles they found were not reliable.
- Cites chugh-gupta, baldassarre, f. g., and vrkljan, b. h.
- States that gard et al. (2012) investigated whether yoga had an effect on the quality of life in young adults. they concluded that yoga improved life satisfaction while decreasing stress and anxiety.
- Explains that they chose the health belief model because it matched well with the goal they were trying to reach.
- Explains that they will tell their friend about their goal, which she will keep asking about.
- Explains that they will have the yoga dvd standing on their dresser so they can see it from all angles of their room.
- Explains that when they complete their goal, they will reward themselves by having a free day from schoolwork for the first week.
- Analyzes the effects of a yoga-based intervention for young adults on quality of life and perceived stress.
- Explains that they will put a note on their calendar, calendar reminders, computer home screen, and bathroom mirror.
914 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Mindfulness By Ellen J. Langeranalytical essayMindfulness, as described by Langer, is “the continual creation of new [categories]” (Langer, 2014). In other words, mindfulness is the use of critical think in which people engage in creative solutions for everyday stresses. Throughout the novel, she summaries the results of numerous experiments she has conducted over the years. Each one offers insight into how one can become more mindful and how mindlessness can
In this essay, the author
- Explains that mindfulness by ellen j. langer explores the ideas of mindlessness and mindfulness and their implications on health and wellbeing.
- Explains langer's goal of writing mindfulness is to share the practical implications of her studies with the general public.
- Analyzes how langer introduces strategies for people to use in order to remain mindful in the decisions they make throughout their day without even realizing it. mindfulness adjusts thinking in a way that incorporates creative and critical thinking skills.
- Explains mindfulness's importance of creativity, stating that creative people come up with novel solutions to everyday problems. creativity fosters mindfulness and critical thinking.
- Explains that mindlessness hinders critical thinking, leaving one with maladaptive decision-making skills that may hinder adjustment. mindfulness allows individuals to come up with solutions to old problems that they may otherwise discount due to rigid views.
- Explains how increased mindfulness may improve health through several experiments mentioned in mindfulness. it encourages awareness and creative thought while providing the added benefits of improved health.
- Explains that mindfulness brings awareness to how much people live their life without really contemplating what they are actually doing. it allows people to live a fuller life that can help them adjust to daily stressors and improve health.
854 wordsRead More - Mindfulness Meditation Essayexplanatory essayVariants of mindfulness meditation have been incorporated into Western psychology and have shown evidence of improving mental health (Goyal et al., 2014). For example, mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) programs have been effective in alleviating depression, anxiety, and chronic pain (Kabat-Zinn, J., et al., 1992). Moreover, increased mindfulness has been found to be related to improved psychological functions, and it led to reductions in suffering; it has been shown to be an important predictor of depression in nursing students (Ratanasiripong et al.,
In this essay, the author
- Explains that nursing students report higher levels of anxiety than the overall population of college students due to heavy course loads, rigorous exams, long hours of clinical experiences, and ongoing pressure to get good grades.
- Explains that despite stressors and demands nursing students experience as they begin clinical practice, study findings support the use of mindfulness meditation intervention.
- Explains that nursing students experience stress, mood changes, and cognition disturbance that negatively impact their academic success, but little is being done to address this issue.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation is a means of sensory detachment and reducing bias in one’s perception of the world; it cultivates self-awareness, non-judgement, and compassion towards oneself and others.
- Opines that teaching mindfulness meditation techniques to nursing students may be one way to help them manage stress, improve academic performance, and mental health.
911 wordsRead More - Mindfulness and Conscious Processinganalytical essayIn addition, while the concept of mindfulness appears to have been first described in Asia, as we have already indicated at the beginning of Chapter 2, its phenomenological nature is strikingly familiar to different Western philosophical and psychological schools of thought. Mindfulness creates the chance to explore the specific role of this quality in subjective experience and behavior through methodologies derived from basic science that can complement applied intervention research.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that in the theoretical context of mindfulness self-awareness has been traditionally understood as a key component for self growth.
- Explains that while the concept of mindfulness appears to have been first described in asia, its phenomenological nature is strikingly familiar to different western philosophical and psychological schools of thought.
- Explains that self-awareness and awareness of others and the world are identical in buddhism. socrates and shakespeare spoke about the distinction between the false and true within.
- Explains that hegel believed in the in depth awareness of the self by'seeing with the eyes of others'. otherness and pure self-consciousness are mutually contradictive moments in a life and death struggle.
- Explains that in mindfulness, one is self-aware and aware of the feelings, thoughts, and actions of others. self awareness has a social impact since it implies one being of tasks and behaviors that could hurt other people.
- Analyzes how dreyfus equates mindedness, mindfulness, and the mental with a form of reflective or self-monitoring rationality.
- Explains husserl's two main components of conscious processing: the natural attitude and the phenomenological attitude.
- Explains that husserl referred to the relation between reflective and pre-reflective self-awareness, which is a condition of reflection and mindfulness practice.
- Argues that mindfulness meditative perspective agrees with merleau-ponty on the primacy of sense perception in the constitution of perceptual cognition.
- Explains that cognitive science supports the phenomenological claim that the natural attitude can be considered a default mode of conscious processing because what comes into awareness is often held in focal attention only briefly.
- Explains that humanists like carl rogers, young and deci argue against materialism monism. they believe subjective experiences are the only way to study human behavior.
- Analyzes how jung's work anticipated the major themes of the humanistic-existential approach, including his concepts of "self", active imagination, and human consciousness.
- Explains that brown and ryan (2003) consider mindfulness to be an aspect of consciousness. they propose that consciousness encompasses both awareness and attention.
- Explains that it is easier to conceptualize the opposite concept of mindfulness, which is called mindlessness. socrates gave us the foundation of modern philosophy when he claimed his only wisdom was in knowing his ignorance.
- Explains gallup et al.'s connection between self-awareness and theory of mind, which is a landmark to the development of social intelligence. the success of chimpanzees in the mirror-self-recognition experiment suggests that they are phenomenally conscious.
2254 wordsRead More - Zen Meditation Essayopinionated essayThe power of thought is an incredible force that controls our actions and emotions. Often these thoughts can lead to distractions, suffering, and stress. However, many forms of meditation ease and diminish the negative ideas that humans face. Meditation has been practiced since ancient times and has a variety of different approaches and methods, but I will focus on what has helped me the most in my life, Zen meditation. As an individual who battles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive thoughts daily, conscious-altering methods such as meditation have allowed me to escape my compulsive and frightening thoughts and relax my body
In this essay, the author
- Opines that meditation eases and diminishes the negative ideas that humans face. it has been practiced since ancient times and has a variety of different approaches.
- Explains that they had obsessive tendencies since they were a kid, which worsened because of their inability to control dark thoughts.
- Explains how meditation helps them to detach themselves from their dark thoughts and gain more control over their anxiety.
- Recommends cognitive behavioural therapy, a form of psychotherapy that utilizes mindfulness meditation and can help with many mental disorders.
- Opines that mental health is a serious issue that many adolescents face. it is vital that people who face challenges with their thoughts and feelings find ways to neutralize the negative rumination.
907 wordsRead More - Mindfulnessanalytical essayMindfulness is an ordinary cultivatable cognitive ability related to the well-being of psychology in both the adults and young people. It is characterized by the consciousness and approval of current opinion, emotions, and physical sensation (Bien and Beverly 2003). Mindfulness is intentionally developed using a secular method borrowed from the meditation practices of the Buddhists (Emet 2012). Mindfulness meditation training programs have been familiar to the adults and the small extent to children and young people. However, after realizing that it would be helpful to young people by promoting their social and emotional helping and improve their academic performance, a mindfulness meditation training program have become a priority
In this essay, the author
- Explains that mindfulness is an ordinary cultivatable cognitive ability related to the well-being of psychology in both adults and young people.
- Explains that cultivation of mindfulness is derived from a buddhist meditation practice. it is used to alleviate self-induced distress caused by maladaptive responses to an event.
- Explains how jon kabat-zinn developed the worldly and realistic mindfulness-based stress reduction (mbsr), an organized course that goes for eight weeks, and it is designed to develop mindful consciousness.
- Argues that reputation determines the instantaneous and long-term therapeutic effect of mindfulness. however, shorter mindfulness programs yield positive effects too.
- Explains the factors that mediate the outcome of mindfulness meditation training program. the relationship between the student and the teacher has potential effects on learning to practice methods as well as on results.
- Explains that adolescence is characterized by changes in emotions, psychological and physical changes, and argues that the causal and effect relationship has not been tackled in the study.
989 wordsRead More - Meditationexplanatory essayMeditation is an age-old practice that has renewed itself in many different cultures and times. Despite its age, however, there remains a mystery and some ambiguity as to what it is, or even how one performs it. The practice and tradition of meditation dates back thousands of years having appeared in many eastern traditions. Meditation’s ancient roots cloud its origins from being attributed to a sole inventor or religion, though Bon, Hindu, Shinto, Dao, and later, Buddhism are responsible for its development. Its practice has permeated almost all major world religions, but under different names. It has become a practice without borders, influencing millions with its tranquil and healing effects.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that meditation is an age-old practice that has renewed itself in many different cultures and times. its ancient roots cloud its origins from being attributed to a sole inventor or religion.
- Explains that meditation thwarts all notions of modern medicine with its shocking ability to take obscure visualizations and create physical responses in the body.
- Describes meditation as the practice of bringing the mind home to awaken in us the sky-like nature of mind and introduce us to that which we really are, our unchanging pure awareness.
- Explains that the posture assumed during meditation resembles the crossed leg position of the buddha. sitting tall with a straight spine opens the body's channels with the mind.
- Explains that tibetan medicine is a 2,500-year-old tradition that incorporates the practice of meditation when treating physical or mental illnesses.
- Explains that meditation's indisputable positive effects for the eastern cultures have made some western doctors extremely curious about it.
- Explains benson's fascinating case studies of buddhist monks practicing an advanced form of meditation called tum-mo.
- Explains how benson and his team of researchers observed three buddhist monks in the himalayan mountains at an altitude of 1,800-2,800m.
- Explains that modern science knows more about the composition of the earth than the functions and workings of human mind.
- Explains that cancer and aids are a worldwide epidemic and that meditation can help reduce pain and improve the quality of t-cells.
- Explains the benefits of meditation when treating cancer and aids, and the emotional and psychological influences that are the most fascinating. meditation has reached a new modernization by being applied to psychological therapy.
- Explains how therapists aid patients through the struggles of love because they are uncomfortable with their own sense of emptiness and can't be open with another person.
- Analyzes begley, s.s., "tibetan medicine: a transcultural nursing experience," j holist nurs. vol. 12 no.3, september 1994.
- Explains that "evidence builds that meditation strengthens the brain." university of california - los angeles.
- Analyzes richard boerstler's "author’s commentary: a holistic and meditative approach to the dying process." journal of personal and interpersonal loss.
- Describes de silva, padmal's "buddhist psychology: a review of theory and practice." current psychology.
- Explains dreyfus, georges, the sound of two hands clapping, university of california press, berkley, ca, 2003.
- Opines that la torre, mary anne, "enhancing therapeutic presence," perspectives in psychiatric care.
- Explains lodro, geshe gedun, and hopkins, jeffrey. calm abiding and special insight. snow lion publication ithaca, ny, 1998.
- Explains meissner, john, and pirot, michael, "unbiasing the brain: the effects of meditation upon the cerebral hemispheres," social behavior and personality, vol. 11, issue 1.
- Opines that michalon, max, "selflessness in the service of the ego," american journal of psychotherapy, vol.55, no.2, 2001.
- Analyzes tacon, anna, "meditation as a complementary therapy in cancer," family and community health, vol. 26, issue 1.
- Explains that the eyes should be closed in the dark or open in light, and the mouth should not be fully open or closed with a separation between the upper and lower teeth.
- Opines that meditation will revolutionize the medical world as a treatment that requires no health insurance, no prescriptions, and no medically trained doctors.
- Explains how tibetan spiritual practices bring peace of mind to the dying. one popularized ancient practice is phowa, meaning transference of conscience.
- Explains that tonglen is a practice similar to the phowa, where one attempts to take on the emotional sufferings of another.
- Describes terrence, clifford, thera, nyanaponika, and roberts, peter. the heart of buddhist meditation.
4152 wordsRead More - Have you ever wondered if your brain could process quicker, come to conclusions easier, stay focused longer, make decisions swifter, be healthier, or even live longer? If you answered yes, there is indeed a way to do so; you two just haven’t been introduced yet. If you’re thinking of some breakthrough technology, a revolutionary medicine, or perhaps that someone has finally discovered the fountain of youth, think again. Not a breakthrough technology, but rather one of the oldest practices in human history, mindfulness meditation. Regular practice of mindfulness meditation is capable of increasing an individual’s mental efficiency and physical well-being, which allows for an increase in productivity among individuals in the workplace, classroom, and ultimately, our society.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that mindfulness meditation is one of the oldest practices in human history and can increase an individual's mental efficiency and physical well-being.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation is the focus upon introspective consciousness and present-moment awareness to allow an individual to become cognizant of sensations, emotions, and thoughts without judgment.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation, even for twenty minutes per day, has been proven to increase working memory, strengthen focus, and decrease stress levels.
- Analyzes the relationship between an individual and the environment that the individual appraises as potentially endangering to their well-being. cohen's perceived stress scale is the most widely used psychological instrument for measuring the perception of stress.
- Analyzes the correlation between mindfulness and compliance among children with adhd. mindfulness helps treat disorders such as adhd and can substantially increase focus for any individual.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation increases an individual's working memory, observance, and learning due to an increased rate of processing, learning rates, error types and other process data.
- Explains that mindfulness may help protect one's telomeres, the protective caps at the end of the chromosome, to allow for a longer life.
- Explains that while some people disagree with the promising effects of mindfulness, others believe it is an unhealthy way to deal with problems.
- Explains that mindfulness meditation has been proven to positively affect the mind and the bodies of individuals who practice it, leading to an overall increased well-being of the individual.
- States davis, daphne m., and jeffrey a. hayes, "what are the benefits of mindfulness?" american psychological association.
- Describes epel, elissa, elizabeth blackburn, and susan folkman's research, "can meditation slow rate of cellular aging?"
1834 wordsRead More - Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy: The Origin Of Mindfulnessexplanatory essayIf you can sit down in the meditation (lotus) position, that's great, if not, no worries. Either way, all you have to do is be still and focus on your breath for just one minute. Start by breathing in and out slowly. One breath cycle should last for approximately 6 seconds. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, letting your breath flow effortlessly in and out of your body. Let go of your thoughts. Let go of things you have to do later today or pending projects that need your attention. Simply let thoughts rise and fall of its own accord and be at one with your breath. Purposefully watch your breath, focusing your sense of awareness on its pathway as it enters your body and fills you with life. Then watch with your awareness as it works work its way up and out of your mouth and its energy dissipates into the world. If you are someone who thought they’d you would never be able to meditate, guess what? You are half way there
In this essay, the author
- Explains that mindfulness requires a certain level of effort, time, patience, and ongoing practice like any other skill. meditation is one of the key techniques used in mindfulness training.
- Recommends creating space between you and stressful situation, and choosing how to respond. if you're overwhelmed with negative thoughts, stop and focus your attention on your breathing or notice the sensation of your feet.
- Explains that there are 6 exercises that take very little effort and can be done pretty much anywhere at any time.
- Explains that the exercise is simple but powerful because it helps you notice and appreciate seemingly simple elements of your environment in a more profound way.
- Explains that this exercise is designed to cultivate a heightened awareness and appreciation of simple daily tasks and the results they achieve.
- Explains that mindfulness is rooted in buddhist philosophy and practice tradition which is more than two and half thousand years old. mindfulness can be practisced by anyone of any faith and religion.
- Explains that mindfulness uses different terms and ideas to help us become more aware of our thoughts and feelings. automatic pilot describes times when we are not really paying attention to things or activities in our daily life.
- Explains that the exercise can be done standing up or sitting down, and if you can sit in the meditation position, no worries.
1007 wordsRead More