Mindfulness and mindlessness
04/06/14 05:34
I have never learned very much about Yoga, Buddhist meditation, Zen, or other meditation techniques. It is not that I am not intrigued by them. I am. I have read quite a bit about mindfulness and other Buddhist practices. I think that I would enjoy Yoga and could reap its benefits. I keep meaning to take a Yoga class, but somehow I never get around to it. What little I have experienced leads me to believe that many of the disciplines and practices of Yoga would not be strange to me.
Years ago, when I was burned, I had a few days of learning to manage pain in a way that I had not previously needed to know. I worked hard on controlling my breathing and focusing on it as a way to move my mind away from the pain. I recited scripture quietly to myself and recalled the words and tunes of hymns in my mind. I used visual imagery to move away from the place of pain to a more relaxed place. The dermatologist who assisted with my recovery commented that I seems to go into a “Zen state” during debridement or changes of dressing. I don’t think that my mental state was exactly “Zen,” but it was a form of meditation that helped me on that particular journey.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk who has written several books that I have read. In his book “The Miracle of Mindfulness” he speaks of the discipline of being completely present in the moment - of using simple techniques to focus attention on what is going on right now. I have found these techniques to be very helpful for me. When I am completely present with grieving relatives, I am able to discern ways to craft a funeral service that addresses their particular needs as they journey through grief. I often hear positive comments about the funeral services - people frequently say kind things about the words I have said. From my point of view, however, it is not so much the words that I say, but rather the ability to listen to the people that I serve. When I am really listening, I seem to be able to find the words for the occasion. I think that quality of genuine listening is similar to the concept of mindfulness that Hanh teaches.
I have also heard the concept of mindfulness described as “presentness.” It is a process of being truly present in the moment - truly with and for the other person.
The Gospels report that Jesus had a unique capacity to be present with those who came to him. He responded to each request for healing or teaching in a unique way, tailored to the specific needs of the person who was presented to him.
But there is another aspect to spiritual practice that is, in some ways, the opposite of presentness or mindfulness. It is that state that assisted me with pain management as I recovered from burns. I might describe that state as mindlessness. At least, in my experience, I was shifting my attention from the here and now to other places and times, other experiences, other states of being. I probably was the opposite of a good listener in those moments. I did try to pay attention to the instructions the doctor was giving, but when procedures were being done, I focused my attention away from the location of the burns.
Of course a lifetime of study of the various states of the mind would be too short to really understand these processes. Those who dedicate their lives to mental exercise remain perpetual students constantly learning. So one blog post isn’t going to explain or even add much to the understanding of what we are capable of doing with our minds.
But the power of the human brain and its imagination is not to be discounted. We are capable of incredible powers of mind when we pay attention, practice a little discipline and allow ourselves to reach beyond ourselves.
Recent learnings about the way that the human brain functions have provided better understanding of the capabilities of our minds. Some of the newer medical imaging techniques such as MRI scans reveal pictures of brain activities. In one study of Buddhist monks it was clearly observed that they were able to significantly reduce the brain activity associated with pain. My doctor’s comments about a “Zen state” might not have been too far from the experiences that I was having.
Ellen Langer, professor of Psychology at Harvard University has written extensively about mindfulness and mental health. She has been able to make connections between the latest revelations of brain science and the experiences of mental health. She uses slightly different terms that I do, and speaks of there connection between mindlessness and illness and mindfulness and health. She writes about mindlessness and unhappiness. It is possible that my use of the term mindlessness is at odds with the common usage in psychology. I experience the ability to focus one’s attention as the critical element. Sometimes I focus on the present, as when I am listening to grieving people. Sometimes I focus on another place or time, as when I am employing a mental discipline to reduce pain. Perhaps Ellen Langer would refer to both of these states as mindfulness. Both involve the discipline of mental focus.
It is a skill that improves with practice. When I work with teens and teach them techniques for prayer, they often have trouble being quiet even for a few seconds. However, when we meet regularly and they have an opportunity to practice, they quickly achieve a minute of silence and then the ability to quiet themselves for even longer periods of time. I have a whole series of meditation techniques and mental exercises that I practice daily.
There is much yet to be learned about how our minds work. But I am convinced that our minds and bodies and spirits work together. Learning to discipline my mind influences my health and the quality of my spiritual life.
I am yet a beginner in these things.
Years ago, when I was burned, I had a few days of learning to manage pain in a way that I had not previously needed to know. I worked hard on controlling my breathing and focusing on it as a way to move my mind away from the pain. I recited scripture quietly to myself and recalled the words and tunes of hymns in my mind. I used visual imagery to move away from the place of pain to a more relaxed place. The dermatologist who assisted with my recovery commented that I seems to go into a “Zen state” during debridement or changes of dressing. I don’t think that my mental state was exactly “Zen,” but it was a form of meditation that helped me on that particular journey.
Thich Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk who has written several books that I have read. In his book “The Miracle of Mindfulness” he speaks of the discipline of being completely present in the moment - of using simple techniques to focus attention on what is going on right now. I have found these techniques to be very helpful for me. When I am completely present with grieving relatives, I am able to discern ways to craft a funeral service that addresses their particular needs as they journey through grief. I often hear positive comments about the funeral services - people frequently say kind things about the words I have said. From my point of view, however, it is not so much the words that I say, but rather the ability to listen to the people that I serve. When I am really listening, I seem to be able to find the words for the occasion. I think that quality of genuine listening is similar to the concept of mindfulness that Hanh teaches.
I have also heard the concept of mindfulness described as “presentness.” It is a process of being truly present in the moment - truly with and for the other person.
The Gospels report that Jesus had a unique capacity to be present with those who came to him. He responded to each request for healing or teaching in a unique way, tailored to the specific needs of the person who was presented to him.
But there is another aspect to spiritual practice that is, in some ways, the opposite of presentness or mindfulness. It is that state that assisted me with pain management as I recovered from burns. I might describe that state as mindlessness. At least, in my experience, I was shifting my attention from the here and now to other places and times, other experiences, other states of being. I probably was the opposite of a good listener in those moments. I did try to pay attention to the instructions the doctor was giving, but when procedures were being done, I focused my attention away from the location of the burns.
Of course a lifetime of study of the various states of the mind would be too short to really understand these processes. Those who dedicate their lives to mental exercise remain perpetual students constantly learning. So one blog post isn’t going to explain or even add much to the understanding of what we are capable of doing with our minds.
But the power of the human brain and its imagination is not to be discounted. We are capable of incredible powers of mind when we pay attention, practice a little discipline and allow ourselves to reach beyond ourselves.
Recent learnings about the way that the human brain functions have provided better understanding of the capabilities of our minds. Some of the newer medical imaging techniques such as MRI scans reveal pictures of brain activities. In one study of Buddhist monks it was clearly observed that they were able to significantly reduce the brain activity associated with pain. My doctor’s comments about a “Zen state” might not have been too far from the experiences that I was having.
Ellen Langer, professor of Psychology at Harvard University has written extensively about mindfulness and mental health. She has been able to make connections between the latest revelations of brain science and the experiences of mental health. She uses slightly different terms that I do, and speaks of there connection between mindlessness and illness and mindfulness and health. She writes about mindlessness and unhappiness. It is possible that my use of the term mindlessness is at odds with the common usage in psychology. I experience the ability to focus one’s attention as the critical element. Sometimes I focus on the present, as when I am listening to grieving people. Sometimes I focus on another place or time, as when I am employing a mental discipline to reduce pain. Perhaps Ellen Langer would refer to both of these states as mindfulness. Both involve the discipline of mental focus.
It is a skill that improves with practice. When I work with teens and teach them techniques for prayer, they often have trouble being quiet even for a few seconds. However, when we meet regularly and they have an opportunity to practice, they quickly achieve a minute of silence and then the ability to quiet themselves for even longer periods of time. I have a whole series of meditation techniques and mental exercises that I practice daily.
There is much yet to be learned about how our minds work. But I am convinced that our minds and bodies and spirits work together. Learning to discipline my mind influences my health and the quality of my spiritual life.
I am yet a beginner in these things.