Despite the fact that every human experience is filtered through the brain, there is little focus on cultivating this space into a place in which we want to be. Author Michael Singer aptly states that if we were to take the voice (or sometimes voices) in our minds and imagine him or her as a person sitting beside us, that person would hardly be someone we would trust or value as a confidant. With constant contradictory sentiments and continual reminders of one’s less admirable characteristics, we would probably dislike said person intensely, in fact.
And yet, we trust our minds to guide our every decision and invest our emotions in the stories they tell. Is there another way?
Through training, called mindfulness, individuals can choose to consciously strengthen specific pathways in the hopes that the mind will eventually become a kinder, quieter place. Srinivisan defines mindfulness as:
Mindfulness is an “experience-based” practice. It takes engagement in the process to both learn it and to teach it (Rotne and Rotne 47). In other words, the positive effects of mindfulness will only be experienced through what Ronte and Rotne describe as an, “intentional, systematic way of developing a compassionate and insightful presence in the world” (21). There are two major ways to do this:
In either practice, there are always two parts to sustaining mindfulness: awareness and acceptance.
How (or Why) Does It Work?
Like babbling streams and rushing rivers, our neural pathways are built upon the waters of our every thought, memory, and insight. Each time we engage in a mental process, the currents of that path grow stronger and the banks are washed into deeper and wider channels, making it easier for water to flow. So to which tributaries do we give our energy? And are they leading us to the places we want to go?
The process of building the contours and tributaries of our brains began at a very early age, for better or worse. The systems and patterns that determine each individual’s responses to life are forged early and likely will not change without conscious and targeted effort. Graham explains,
We can, however, reshape the landscape of our brains through awareness of neuroplasticity and conscious conditioning toward new behaviors. With these tools, individuals can choose which rivers run dry and which streams will become the major waterways of thought and active response.
Conditioning is creating responses through repeated actions and patterns
Neuroplasticity is the concept of brain flexibility and growth
What are the Benefits of Mindfulness?
Mindfulness helps to facilitate:
In regular meditators, studies have shown that certain areas are “thicker,” or contain a higher density of neurons than the average brain. These parts of the brain were associated with “sensory information” and “awareness” resulting in an increased ability to exert focused attention (Rotne and Rotne 131).
Furthermore, in studies monks with a regular meditation practice showed significantly less stress when encountering a worrying incident than those without a meditation practice. Stress affects the part of the brain (frontal lobe) that deals with setting goals, planning and reflection on process. It also deals with decision-making and the interpretation and response to other’s emotions. When the average person encounters a stressor, all of these abilities are lessened. The amount to which one can effectively manage stress will improve brain function.
Danielson, C. (1996). Enhancing professional practice: A framework for teaching. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Graham, Linda. Bouncing Back. New World Library: Novato, California, 2013. Print.
Rotne, Nikolaj Flor and Didde Flor Rotne. Everybody Present. Parallax Press: Berkeley, 2013. Print.
Srinivasan, Meena. Teach, Breathe, Learn: Mindfulness In and Out of the Classroom. Parallax Press: Berkeley, 2014. Print.
Zakrewski, Vicki. “Can Mindfulness Make Us Better Teachers.” The Greater Good Science Center. University of California Berkeley. 2013 Oct. 2. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.