“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf”

– Jon Kabat-Zinn

Author: Katie Davies

Mindfulness is… hard to define! There are many definitions of mindfulness but Mark Williams and Danny Penman sum it up well:

“Mindfulness is a very simple form of meditation… A typical meditation consists of focusing your full attention on your breath as it flows in and out of your body. Focusing on each breath in this way allows you to observe your thoughts as they arise in your mind and, little by little, to let go of struggling with them. You come to realise that thoughts come and go of their own accord; that you are not your thoughts. You can watch as they appear in your mind, seemingly from thin air, and watch again as they disappear, like a soap bubble bursting. You come to the profound understanding that thoughts and feelings (including negative ones) are transient. They come and they go, and ultimately, you have a choice about whether to act on them or not.”

I’m going to tell you about my experience of mindfulness and how it has helped me to deal with the stresses and pressures of life (including studying for a PhD!) I was first introduced to mindfulness by a Buddhist monk living in Glasgow. I was working as a mental health nurse, studying a MSc full-time and trying to manage a long distance relationship. To say I was frazzled was an understatement! I was over-thinking and over-analysing everything and when it began to affect my sleep, I had enough awareness to realise I needed to do something about it.

I signed up to an eight week MBSR (Mindfulness based stress reduction course) with the monk who had introduced me to mindfulness and prepared myself to clear my mind and find peace! I was nervous as I knew it was being led by a practising Buddhist and I am not religious at all but I was pleased to discover that although mindfulness is underpinned by Buddhist teachings and practices, it is in itself a secular practice.

As we progressed through the course, I was surprised at how the practices varied and how little I actually knew about mindfulness.  Mindfulness is NOT about sitting cross-legged with your eyes closed and having an empty mind.  It is about being present and noticing your thoughts without engaging in the act of thinking. Of course, you can practice mindfulness in the lotus position if that’s right for you but you can also be lying down, sitting in a chair, walking, running, brushing your teeth, eating, taking a shower, your eyes can be shut or open. I often practice at my desk with my eyes open… So when others in my office think I’m engrossed in a research paper, I’m actually taking some time out for myself! The way the Mindfulness Association discusses mindfulness particularly resonates with me:

We train in being present, responding with compassion and seeing deeply our habitual patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  This frees us from the conditioning that governs and limits our lives and results in an unfolding of our human potential to make choices about how we live in connection with ourselves and our world…

There is so much pressure on PhD students and we are often striving to produce that perfect paper or chapter whilst forgetting that as humans we are imperfect. Mindfulness is a tool that can be used to give ourselves a break, both physically and mentally.  For me, mindfulness is now a way of life. I have gone on to do further training with the Mindfulness Association and am now learning to teach mindfulness in order to pass on some of the knowledge that has helped me so much.  I feel mindfulness has made me a better person, a nicer person to be around and has helped to challenge those patterns of worrying that used to be at times all-consuming.  I still worry and I still over-analyse but I recognise these thoughts now and know when to take some time out for a quick breathing space or take myself through a body scan that can help relieve the physical sensations of stress.  A daily mindfulness practice has supported me through difficult times and I believe has made me a more compassionate person.  It has definitely helped me though the roller coaster that is studying for a PhD!

There are many teachers and courses that offer mindfulness training and often it is about finding the right one for you.  A good place to start is finding a teacher who has signed up to the UK network of mindfulness teachers which advocates good practice and support in the delivering of mindfulness-based interventions.

There are many courses available such as MBSR, MBLC and MBCT and reading up on these will help you decide what course is most appropriate for you at this time if you would like a formal training course in mindfulness.

The university also runs daily drop-in classes for all students and staff during term time which are a great introduction to mindfulness.  Check the link for more information. (https://www.counsellingservice.manchester.ac.uk/events/workshops/)

By Katie Davies

Katie.davis@manchester.ac.uk

Check out the resources available at the University of Manchester