Maybe make May a mindful month
Buddhist monks, incense or the shrink’s couch probably come to mind when you hear the words “mindfulness meditation” — and all of those thoughts are reasonable, to a degree. With ancient ties to eastern mysticism, including Buddhism and Hinduism, mindfulness has been part of Asian cultures for thousands of years.
Though all major religions — including Christianity, Islam and Judaism — promote a form of self reflection and contemplation in their teachings. But it wasn’t until the 1960s and 70s, in the age of counterculture and social revolution, that mindfulness practices started to take off in the west, gaining interest from spiritual seekers and scientists alike. Now, the evidence is clear — it works.
Mindfulness is an intentional approach to life. It helps you become more present and aware, regulate your emotions, improve your thinking and communication skills and gain new perspectives. It’s fabulous for enhancing your state of mind and overall health, too.
A lot of people are experiencing pandemic depletion and many of us haven’t yet been able to recalibrate. Depression is already on a trajectory to become a leading health issue, globally. And suicide rates are high, particularly among males who are three times more likely to die as a result of suicide than women in Australia. Being able to restore a sense of peace and stability, from within, is critical.
The Mindful In May challenge is just around the corner and it might be the thing you’re looking for. For just 10 minutes a day, during the month of May, you can taste the transformational benefits of guided mindfulness practices, delivered directly to your inbox.
The movement, which operates as a social enterprise, was founded by Elise Bialylew, a medical doctor who trained in psychiatry. Knowledge about how to create a “high-performance mind” and use it to its full potential, was, and still is, a missing link in clinical practice.
But, what we now understand — thanks to those incense burning spiritual seekers and curious scientific minds — is that the mind (the software) and the brain (the hardware) can be enhanced and upgraded, through a variety of mindfulness and meditation techniques.
Mindfulness can even transform the body, right down to the gene level. That’s pretty phenomenal when you think about it. We have the capacity to create “exquisitely functioning minds,” according to Dr Bialylew.
“This means we can experience a level of satisfaction and happiness in life, not just because we’re achieving things, but because we’re mentally healthy.
“We need mental training to be as mentally fit as we can be.”
The Mindful In May program includes science-based interviews with leading experts, along with the guided meditations, so you can learn how to integrate mindfulness into everyday life, work, relationships and parenting.
The expert line-up includes Mark Williams, whose research using randomised control trials proved that meditation can reduce relapse of depression for certain people, as effectively as prescribed medication can. You’ll also hear from the likes of: Matthew Rhiccard, a famous monk and former molecular geneticist; David Creswell, a leader in meditation for resilience and stress reduction; and Tara Brach, renowned psychologist and Buddhist meditation teacher.
There is a registration fee for the program, but funds raised are donated to clean water projects in developing countries. So, if you’ve been thinking about dipping your toes into mindfulness, or want to dive deeper with your existing practice, the Mindful in May challenge could be a real goer.
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This article was first published in The West Australian in Renée Gardiner’s weekly column in Agenda, 23 April 2022.