What is mindfulness?

What is a typical class like? Do we meditate the whole time?

Why do people usually come to these classes?

Do I have to stop thinking to do mindful meditation?

Is this a religion? Do I have to give up my current religion?

Do I have to "believe" in anything to benefit from mindfulness? What if I am a skeptic?

Is there research on the benefits of mindfulness?

What if I can't pay the full amount? What does "no one turned away for lack of funds " mean?

Scientific Research on Mindfulness

Mindfulness in the Media

What is mindfulness?
Technically speaking, the simplest answer is that mindfulness is what reminds us to return our attention to what is in front of us, to return to being aware of what is happening in the present moment. How often have you driven somewhere, arriving at your destination suddenly realizing that you were not aware of driving there. That moment of waking up and coming into the present is a moment of mindfulness. It is actually a function of memory. So often we are hooked by thoughts recounting the past, or rehearsing the future stealing us away from being aware and present. Mindfulness meditation helps us to be more aware of what is happening now (see example below).

Although it may be hard to believe, squares A and B below are exactly the same color! The reason A looks darker than B is because our brain is doing something that is often helpful - making assumptions based on the surrounding context. Because of this, we don't see squares A & B as they truly are. Our 'perception' is contaminated. We continue behaviors that cause stress and unhappiness by a similar misperception. Not because we are bad or defective, but simply because the context of our experience distortes what is right in front of us, mistaking actions that cause stress with actions that cause happiness. In order to solve this misperception, we must have skills that either change or turn down the volume of the surrounding context to see what is really there. Mindfulness cultivates a focused and dependable mind, enabling us to turn down the volume of distracting context and see clearly. Press the KNOW button in the image above and watch the background fade, leaving only the squares . (No, the squares do not change color, but it looks that way. To see for yourself, you can print the original image and then just cut out squares A and B. It will blow your mind!) Once we see for ourselves what is really there, we KNOW. Even when we see the original image again, we know what is true about it. In this way, mindfulness brings us into direct experience with things as they really are, and once we see clearly that actions that cause stress cause stress, and not happiness, we simply stop them. (back to top)

What is a typical class like? Do we meditate the whole time?
While each class session is different, a typical class will include time for teaching, group discussion about people's successes and obstacles, as well as time for guided group meditation. In the earlier classes the meditations can be as short as five minutes. Over the class sessions, the guided meditations grow up to about twenty minutes.

Why do people usually come to these classes?
There are lots of reasons that people have given for coming to these classes. The most common reasons revolve around issues of stress/anxiety and trying to feel a greater sense of well being. Many have heard or read about the benefits of mindful meditation and are looking for a class where they can learn about it.

Do I have to stop thinking to do mindful meditation?
This is a common misconception. We are not trying to stop thinking, we are trying to cultivate awareness of the present. Part of that awareness is being mindful of our thoughts rather than being "lost in them".

Is this a religion? Do I have to give up my current religion?
While the principles and practices taught in these classes do originate from Buddhist philosophy, the classes emphasize a secular orientation. This is not a "religion" and there is no desire (or need) to dissuade anyone from their current religious faith and beliefs. In fact, most religious people who practice mindfulness simply become better Christian, or Jews etc. As the Dalai Lama said, "Don't try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist.
Use it to be a better whatever you already are."

Do I have to "believe" in anything to benefit from mindfulness? What if I am a skeptic?
Skepticism is not only welcome, but encouraged. There is no aspect of "blind faith " in these practices. Everyone is encouraged to try these practices out for themselves and see how they work for them. Just as you don't need to "believe" in aspirin for it to helpwith a headache, you don't need to "believe" in the benefits of mindfulness meditation for it to benefit you in your life.

Is there research on the benefits of mindfulness?
Yes. In fact, the UCLAMindfulness Awareness Research Center has compiled a Mindfulness Bibliography that lists over 94 pages of references to scientific studies on mindfulness. These references describe the benefits of mindfulness in a variety of areas,including pain, sleep, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

What if I can't pay the full amount? What does "no one turned away for lack of funds" mean?
This means, you are welcome no matter your ability to pay. We of course have business and personal expenses like everyone else, and must make enough money to maintain these in order to continue to provide quality services. However, most people honor this system and do not abuse it. At Mindful Valley we are also aware that some individuals are students, unemployed or have difficulty paying due to financial difficulties that we all face from time to time. Because of the inconstancy of financial stability, if you can't pay the full amount we simply ask that you pay what you can honestly afford for our classes, retreats and practice labs. This is also the definition of "no one turned away for lack of funds."

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Scientific Research

• Mindfulness Research References - For those who like to "go to the source", this page lists over 60 scientific articles demonstrating the benefits of mindfulness meditation programs and mindfulness.

• Psychological Inquiry An International Journal for the Advancement of Psychological Theory - Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects; by Kirk Warren Browna - Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia; Richard M. Ryan - University of Rochester, Rochester, New York; J. David Creswell - University of California, Los Angeles, California.

• Psychosomatic Medicine - Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation - Medical Abstract on the effects of Mindfulness on brain function and the immune system.

• The UCLA Mindfulness Awareness Research Center has compiled a Mindfulness Bibliography that lists over 94 pages of references to scientific studies on mindfulness. These references describe the benefits of mindfulness in a variety of areas, including pain, sleep, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

• Click here for research conducted by the University of Massachusetts Center For Mindfulness The home of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

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Mindfulness in the Media

• Harvard Medical Journal - The Benefits of Mindfulness - This article originally appeared in the February 2004 Harvard Women's Health Watch. It describes mindfulness as well as some of the scientific research demonstrating its benefits. For example, one study described there found that increased mindfulness was "correlated with established measures of well-being, including better mood, optimism, more openness to new experiences, and greater satisfaction with life."

• Time Magazine, Calming The Mind - 1. The Meditating Brain, a graph that shows the various elements of the brain when you roll over it with the mouse; 2. Meditation Training, a graph showing increases in relaxation and decreases in thought after 8 weeks of meditation training; 3. Wave Change, shows the changes in beta waves that occur after only 20 minutes of meditation.

• From OPRAH.com: What Is Mindfulness? Descriptions, practices, audio meditations etc.

• De-Clutter Your Mind Through Mindfulness - This article, originally published in The Independent (London, UK) describes mindfulness meditation and research related to augmenting the treatment of depression with the teaching of mindfulness meditation, showing that "At the end of 60 weeks, just over a third of those who were taught meditation had suffered depression, compared to two-thirds of the control group."

• Business Week (HealthDay News) - New research suggests that qualities the world desperately needs more of -- love, kindness and compassion -- are indeed teachable. Imaging technology shows that people who practice meditation that focuses on kindness and compassion actually undergo changes in areas of the brain that make them more in tune to what others are feeling.

• Meditation Calms Mind, Helps Heal Body - This article, originally from the St. Louis Dispatch, describes some of the research supporting the benefits of mindfulness. It also underscores the point that mindfulness meditation is not a religion and how practically minded people can find benefits from it.

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"I think it's wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly."
- Steven Wright