November 5, 2011

Mindfulness meditation refers to the practice of paying attention to the present moment with acceptance and without judgment, and mindfulness has become a very popular topic in the psychological and medical community as a means to counter stress and improve well-being. Research suggests that mindfulness meditation can increase immune function, reduce blood pressure and improve thinking ability.

A recent article in the October 31, 2011 issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science attempts to build a framework through which to better understand mindfulness meditation’s positive effects.

In a press release by the Association for Psychological Science, author Britta Hölzel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, states that the goal of the paper is to “unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the ‘big picture’ by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic.” Hölzel was also first author of a recent study at Massachusetts General Hospital, which showed how mindfulness training increases brain gray-matter density.

The release also states that the mindfulness framework emphasizes that mindfulness meditation is not a vague cure-all. Instead, effective mindfulness meditation requires training and practice and has distinct measurable effects on subjective experiences, behavior, and even brain function.

According to the release, mindfulness meditation may appear to be one single skill, but in reality is a practice with multiple aspects and mechanisms. The authors identify four key components: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and sense of self. Combined, these components help individuals manage the mental and physiological effects of stress in ways that are non-judgmental.

The researchers relate that although the components of mindfulness meditation are separate in theory, they are closely connected. Improvement in focusing attention might directly increase physical body awareness. In turn, increased body awareness might help in recognizing the emotions that are being experienced. As researchers gain a better understanding of these interrelationships, mindfulness approaches will become more tailored to a patient’s specific needs.

Source: Association for Psychological Science





Dave Gorczynski is president of SPARK, a non-profit organization that has provided free energy work sessions and workshops across New York City since 2002. He writes a regular column about energy work and meditation for the Compact News in New York City's Chinatown. E-mail him at dave@sparkenergy.org.