Thich Nhat Hanh
Over one thousand mental health professionals attending the U.C.L.A. Conference on Mindfulness and Psychotherapy anxiously awaited Nobel Prize nominee, the venerable Thich Nhat Hanh (Zen Master) to come on stage.
He entered in his robe, barefoot, surrounded by monks, a small man with a huge presence. He sat down on a platform and closed his eyes as he allowed himself to settle in. You could hear a pin drop as everyone sat there straining their ears to hear his gentle voice.
It seemed as if we were all waiting to hear words of wisdom that would somehow help ease the human suffering in this world. Pen in hand I began to scribble as he spoke.
He addressed the audience using the endearing term, "Dear Friends." When this man said those two words, it melted my heart, and immediately released warm childhood memories.
He spoke about the simplicity of living a life being fully awake and responsible, and using mindful meditation to attain this.
Mindful Meditation
How could something as simple as sitting still, focusing on your ingoing and outgoing breath have such a profound effect on a person's well being? There's no expensive equipment to buy, no special outfit to purchase, no elaborate gyms to join, and no prescriptions to prescribe to.
Budget wise, it's great, the equipment comes built in, you are it; you and your focus on your breath. Although mindful meditation is simple, it is far from easy. As you sit, your practice entails being fully present in the moment with acceptance.
While focused on your breath, the floodgates of restlessness open. Those familiar voices start to invade: "What are you doing sitting here while you have so much to do?" Thoughts from the past and about the future, and all kinds of invasive thoughts start marching in. Who knew we could have so many thoughts in our heads at any given moment?
The practice of meditation is being able to observe your thoughts rather than allowing them to take over. This leaves you able to enjoy and experience the clarity of each present moment without the murkiness from the past or future.
How To Stop Painful Thoughts From The Past
I often have patients who after working hard in therapy for several years, painfully trying to understand themselves, turn to me in desperation wanting to know how to stop painful thoughts from the past from invading their present thoughts. Even though they now understand themselves, they are looking for some kind of tool to lock out the bad memories.
I usually tell them that they can't erase what has happened to them, but through understanding, it doesn't have the power over them that it did when they were not conscious of it.
This is very helpful in creating some space to think about their situation long enough to realize that they are no longer the helpless child of the past, but a capable adult in the present.
Yet, there still seemed to be something missing from this process, something that patients could do to enhance their new sense of being. That's where the genius of mindful meditation fits in perfectly. By practicing your focus on your breathing and learning to gently refocus yourself to stay in the present moment.
The Gift Of Breathing
So, when Ted or Sally is in a situation at work where their boss reminds them of their abusive father and anxiety appears, they can focus on their breath. This allows them to physiologically calm down and stay in the present moment. This present moment is one where they are not a helpless child vulnerable to an abusive father's wrath, but an adult capable of taking care of themselves.
This is a wonderful way to do an internal and external check-up; letting the mind know that the thoughts which are arousing these feelings are not part of their current reality.
Scientific Proof
For those who need scientific data to back up the enormous benefits of this simple but not easy practice, here it is: Neuroscientist and meditator Dr. Sara W. Lazar, conducted research on the neurobiology of meditation. Through functional magnetic resonance imaging, she investigated the neural correlates of changes in autonomic function during the practice of meditation.
It simply translates into taking moving pictures of the brain's blood flow. The most active parts of the brain at any point will have the most blood flow. During this study, she was surprised to discover that the cortex of the meditators did not get thinner with age which suggests that meditation practice may help in slowing down some of the cognitive decline associated with aging.
Neuronal plasticity (neurons changing in response to experience), was believed only to take place in young brains. Recent findings show, according to Dr. Sara W. Lazar, that the adult brain can reorganize, grow and form new connections between neurons.
Meaning that the brain is a growing organ that responds structurally not only to the demands of the external environment, but also to internally generated states, including aspects of consciousness.
The benefits of mindful meditation and psychotherapy continue to reveal themselves as exquisite resources of transformation and healing.
Summmary From Thich Nhat Hanh
Thich Nhat Hanh put it beautifully when he said that, "The psychotherapist has to give birth to the psychotherapist within the patient. Together with the patient, a therapist looks at the nature of the pain. Often, the therapist can uncover causes of suffering that stem from the way the patient looks at things, the beliefs he holds about himself, his culture and the world. The therapist examines these viewpoints and beliefs with the patient, and together they help free him from the kind of person he has been. But the patient's efforts are crucial. Our attitude of not clinging to or rejecting our feelings is the attitude of letting go, an important part of meditation practice."
For more information on mindful meditation, visit http://www.bonniekatz.com