Mental Management: Understanding the Practice of Mindfulness
From submitting college applications, to managing a rigorous athletic schedule, to taking intellectual risks, there is no doubt that Derryfield students can get a little stressed out. When you find yourself up past midnight frantically working on a paper, you know you might have reached your limit. Thankfully, our very own Mr. Barnard, college counselor and yoga guru, is here to help! Mr. Barnard was first introduced to yoga when the school added it as a sport and soon discovered the calming practice of mindfulness, which he has been has been studying for five years. Taking into consideration Mr. Barnard’s Quaker roots, it may not seem surprising that he has adopted the practice of mindfulness and thoughtful silence; however, he admits that “it is difficult at first, but… the more you do it, the easier it gets.” Mr. Barnard has experienced the impact mindfulness has had on his ability to stay centered and even continued to build upon his skills by attending a three day silent retreat!
Yes, mindfulness IS a practice - something to be built and used daily. Mindfulness is “paying attention in the current moment without judgement,” says Barnard. If you’ve had a conversation with Mr. Barnard, you might have noticed his calm and thoughtful demeanor. This being said, mindfulness does not necessarily mean living in silence and is more about focusing on living in the moment. Mindfulness is about “stopping and being aware of your own body first and then being aware of the things around you.”
The power of mindfulness was put to the test when doctors Greg Flaxman and Lisa Flook from the University of California, Los Angeles conducted an experiment regarding the effects of mindfulness on depression. Out of the patients who had experienced depression and then completed a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course, only 37% faced relapses, a significant decrease when compared to the 66% not in the program who experienced relapses. Whether you have struggled with depression or simply find yourself overwhelmed at times, mindfulness is a practice that everyone can learn and benefit from.
“Six minutes... You need six minutes out of your day,” states Barnard. Six minutes is all it takes to begin practicing mindfulness. “Some people suggest that you take two minutes when you wake up, two minutes before you go to bed, and during the day, at some random time, just take two breaths.” This is a way to take a quick mindfulness break and “tune into your breath”.
If you are a college applicant, an athlete, an academic, or all of the above, Mr. Barnard recommends a simple technique for tapping into your own sense of peace and quiet: “Pick something you do everyday and use it as a cue to stop and take two deep breaths. Focus on where you are in the moment.” One example would be, every time you grab your car door handle, to stop and say ‘here I am.’ This is a repetitive action that could mark the start and end of your academic day with a calming thought. “Some people will say something they are grateful for or thankful for. There are lots of ways to do it… but it’s taking the time to do it which is most important.” Mr. Barnard emphasizes that mindfulness is different for everyone and that no two people are the same in the way they practice.
Six minutes of mindfulness a day may seem insignificant in the moment, but “it’s pretty powerful,” says Barnard. As a senior, especially, it’s easy to get on the “hamster wheel” in terms of the college process and students “lose the connection to why they are actually doing it.” Mindfulness is about remembering and being thankful for what’s truly important in your life.
If you are interested in joining Mr. Barnard’s Mindfulness Club, they meet every Tuesday during Activities Period in the Lockwood Lyceum and are welcoming both leaders and participants looking to recenter and connect with themselves.
Resources Consulted:
Flaxman, Greg, and Lisa Flook. "Brief Summary of Mindfulness Research.": 1-8. University of California, Los Angeles. Web. 24 Oct. 2016.
Photo Source:
http://learnshedlive.com/a-brief-history-of-mindfulness/
Anja Stadelmann is a part of the Class of 2017 at DS and the Editor-in-Chief of Lamplighter.