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Module: 4

Mindfulness Applies

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In order to be a boxer, you have to box, in order to be a lawyer, you have to priactice law, and in order to

be mindful, you have to practice mindfulness. The difference between practicing mindfulness and not is

usually a lot simpler than most people think, but it is a difference that can have a severe impact on your

life and how you live it.

In the previous modules, you learned the fundamentals of a mindful practice, how to approach

problems, how to approach stress, and how to proactively create a happy experience for yourself. In this

module, you will learn more about how mindfulness works, how to work on your mindfulness, and

different techniques that can help you to achieve mindfulness and happiness.

4.1 The Science of Mindfulness

4.2 Breathwork

4.3 Hobbies

4.4 Exercise

4.1 The Science of Mindfulness

Studies show that there is a difference between a brain consciously focusing the attention and one that

is not. Over time, studies also show that intentionally focusing the attention becomes a habit, and as

fundamental a part of the personality as the sense of humor or favorite foods. You previously learned

about how habits build, how memories form, and how actions eventually become strong habits and

patterns that are performed by the subconscious and this applies to mindfulness. Sara Lazar and a team

of researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital positively linked structures in the brain to

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meditation and mindful practice, even linking the amount of those structures to the length of time that

the person had practiced.

Mindfulness has been shown to have several very important effects on the brain and on the body, which,

when combined, work to increase health, overall mental health, and changes structures inside of the

brain. Studies with MRI scans show that over time, mindfulness can help to shrink the amygdala which

controls the 'fight or flight' primitive brain. At the same time, the left frontal cortex, the part of the brain

associated with higher brain functions including awareness, concentration, and decision making,

becomes thicker.

Adrien Taren, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh highlighted these finds and others in her

study, and noted that persons with more practice have more changes. Over time, the connections

between the amygdala and the rest of the brain also get weaker, while those of the prefrontal cortex get

stronger, showing that with practice and use, the brain develops as much as any muscle in the body.

These scans effectively show what happens in the brain when the primal instincts that cause constant

stress and worry are superseded by rational ideas and control of the attention.

In addition, practitioners with over 40,000 hours of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation behind

them had normal brain scans comparable to those of non-mindful people when meditating.

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Practicing mindfulness helps to reduce stress, improve happiness, and improve focus. These in turn go

on to affect other things. Some of the studies behind the benefits of mindfulness include:

David Cresswell of the University of California, Los Angeles found that mindfulness patients in the MBSR

program improved their immune system by reducing stress in the body.

The UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center also found that persons with attentionalprobels were

able to improve their attention, sustain attention for longer, and reduce distractions, and this research

was backed up by other studies.

The University of New Mexico found that MBSR (Mindfulness-Based-Stress-Reduction) helped

participants to reduce anxiety and binge eating

While many of these studies were undertaken during 8 week courses and 3 month retreats of

mindfulness immersion, most of them agree about why mindfulness was helpful to their participants.

By training and shaping the attention to focus on specific events, you create a mind that is more

resilient, more open to change, more creative, less prone to stress and anxiety, and that multi-tasks

less. In turn, by freeing up stress on the brain, and stress from multitasking, you free up resources in

the body to improve the immune system, you improve your energy, and your willpower.

As a result, most people find themselves exercising, eating better, sleeping better, having more

energy, and even recovering from colds and illnesses more quickly. Importantly, every one of these

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elements plays into the other to encourage the other, create better health, and to improve the overall

mental and physical health of the person.

4.2 Breathwork

The breath is an intrinsic part of the body. Air enters in through the mouth or nose, passes through

the nasopharynx or the oral pharynx, through the glottis, into the trachea, into the right and left

bronchi, where it goes into the bronchioles, and from there, ends in clusters of alveoli. Here, oxygen

is distributed to the bloodstream, and carbon monoxide is pulled out into the alveoli, taking the

chemical essential for life to every part of the body, and removing toxins created by this process. On

the next breath, the air previously pulled in is expelled back out through the lungs, and into the nose

and mouth.

This entire process is controlled by homeostasis, the unconscious brain which works to regulate your

breathing, body temperature, heart beat, and food digestion. It is also controlled by a series of muscles

around the lungs, between the chest cavity and the abdomen, known as the diaphragm. The diaphragm

is what most people use when consciously directing the breath.

Breath work is similar to meditation in that it requires you to physically control the breath in order to

achieve different things. In any case where you are concentrating on your breath and consciously

slowing it down or speeding it up, or breathing with a goal, you are doing breathwork.

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Importantly, the breath is one of the most powerful tools at your disposal for learning mindfulness,

simply because it allows you to easily concentrate on one thing, to focus your attention on breathing,

and therefore easily shift into a state of meditation and mindfulness.

The deliberate use of the breath is one of the easiest ways to focus the attention, but it is important

that you do so with care, and with respect to your body. Persons with low blood pressure might find

that a long slow breath can cause dizziness, because the heart pumps oxygen more slowly, and

therefore should breathe more quickly. Others might find that their noses are not suited for breathing

in and out, and should use the mouth.

Techniques

There are hundreds of different techniques to control the breath, and many different results that

people work to achieve with the breath. For mindfulness, any variation of the long, slow breath that

you learned earlier in this module will do.

Three Part Breathing

Three Part Breathing or Dirga Pranayama is traditional in yoga, meditation, and breathwork. It is one

of the first and the easiest of the breathing techniques to learn.

1. Close your eyes and relax your face and body, breathing naturally through your nose

2. Place your hand on your lower abdomen a few inches below your navel. Place your right hand on the

outer edge of your rib cage.

3. Focus your attention on your breath, without influencing it. Follow the movement of your chest as

you inhale, and the movement of your abdomen as you exhale.

4. Inhale slowly, expanding your ribs completely, prolonging the breath for a minimum of 3 seconds

and a maximum of 5.

5. Exhale, pulling in with the diaphragm (if you do not know how to use your diaphragm, use your

abdomen) and expel all of the air from your lungs, slowly, and at the same speed as your inhalation if

possible.

6. Relax the body and focus the attention on the breath. Deliberately shift your focus back to the breath

when your attention wanders.

7. Continue at your own pace for a maximum of 5 minutes.

8. Stop if you are uncomfortable, faint, or dizzy

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Victorious Breathing

Victorious breathing or Ujjayi pranayama is used to create energy in the body, it is typically used for

yoga, for the end of a meditation, or as part of a warm up for a run or other type of physical exercise.

1. Sit with your spine upright, and close your eyes.

2. Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale through your mouth, opening your mouth and forcing air

out so your breath can be heard visibly around the room.

3. Keep your mouth closed and breathe only through your nose as you inhale, and then exhale, creating

the same loud breath through your nose as you exhale

4. Place one hand on your wrist to feel your heartbeat. Try to match your inhalations to three

heartbeats, and your exhalations to the same. If this is difficult for you, you can simply count the

seconds.

5. Focus your attention on the breath, as you continue to breathe in and out, creating a steady rhythm

of slow inhalation, and loud, slow exhalation.

6. Begin to lift your hands over your head during the inhalation and lower them during the exhalation,

moving the arms up from the shoulders, and keeping the hands limp.

7. Keep your attention on your breath, the effort of breathing, and on the rising and falling of the chest.

8. Lower the arms, and slowly begin to return your breath to normal breathing.

9. This practice can range from 5 to 20 minutes depending on the person.

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Relaxing Breath

Sitkari Pranayama is known as the relaxing breath and the cooling breath, because the act of this

breathing exercise is designed to calm the mind and reduce stress. There are two versions of

Relaxing Breath, Sitkari and Sitali.

Sitkari

1. Lower your chin towards your chest and then rotate it up towards the ceiling, lifting as high as you

are comfortable. Repeat a few times until you are comfortable with this movement.

2. Sit comfortably with your shoulders relaxed and your spine straight, but not stiff.

3. Slightly lower the chin and place the tongue behind the teeth.

4. Inhale slowly over the tongue, allowing air to wash over the tongue, as you slowly lift your chin

towards the ceiling. Lift as far as your neck is comfortable until you finish the inhale.

5. Close the mouth and lower your chin as you exhale through the nose.

6. Repeat for 8-12 breaths.

7. Stop if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.

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Sitali

8. Lower your chin towards your chest and then rotate it up towards the ceiling, lifting as high as you

are comfortable. Repeat a few times until you are comfortable with this movement.

9. Sit comfortably with your shoulders relaxed and your spine straight, but not stiff.

10. Slightly lower the chin and begin to curl the tongue lengthwise, and begin to slightly protrude it out

of the mouth to create a "straw".

11. Inhale slowly through the tongue as you slowly lift your chin towards the ceiling. Lift as far as your

neck is comfortable until you finish the inhale.

12. Retract the tongue and close the mouth and lower your chin as you exhale through the nose.

13. Repeat for 8-12 breaths.

14. Stop if you feel dizzy or uncomfortable.

1:2 Breathing

1:2 Breathing or Long Exhalation is useful for encouraging sleep, and can help you to relax, fall

asleep, and begin your morning gently. It also requires a great deal of focus, and a great deal of

attention to the mind and the body.

1. Lay on your back on a bed or comfortable floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor,

hip width apart.

2. Place your hands on the abdomen and breathe naturally, getting a feel for the rhythm of your

breathing.

3. Begin to count the length of each exhalation and inhalation, and focus on making both the same

length.

4. Gradually, begin to increase the length of each exhalation by contracting the abdomen.

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5. You can count your inhalation to 2 seconds and your exhalation to 4 seconds if you feel more

comfortable creating length in that way.

6. If the breath is not smooth, you become dizzy, or strained, remember to inhale and stop the practice,

to begin again when you are comfortable.

7. Do not increase your exhalation to more than 8 seconds.

8. Do not push yourself beyond your capacity to breathe comfortably.

9. Repeat for 8-12 breaths

10. Return your breathing to a normal flow, remove your hands from your abdomen, and go back to your

day.

These breathing techniques are just a few of the many that are available to you, but should be

practiced with caution. Work to keep your breathing even and pay attention to your body. If you do

not feel well, stop. You should also expect to practice each several times before you can do them

well. There are many breathwork and breathing courses that can help you to master this skill if you

need or want help.

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4.3 Hobbies

Most people know that they can achieve a state of mindfulness when doing things that they love, and for

that reason, your hobbies should always be a source of comfort and pleasure for you. If you have

something that you love to do, you can use it to begin to work on your mindful practice, where you can

more easily fall in and out of a mindful state.

This method is extremely simple because you have already learned the basics of it, and likely do not

have to do anything but focus your attention on what you are doing and keep it there.

While there are many types of hobbies, you can use the following tactics to begin to implement

mindfulness into yours.

Notice don’t think

Focus on your breathing before your start and make sure you are breathing in even repetitions. The

length of inhalation and exhalation do not matter, but try to keep it natural.

Be aware of all of your senses without consciously shifting your attention to them.

Gently bring your attention back to what you are doing each time your mind begins to wander

Bring a notebook or a phone to write down ideas or thoughts that won't go away

Concentrate on performing your activity and taking pleasure in it, different sensations, different

elements of your hobby, and otherwise enjoying it to its fullest.

It's okay to think, simply remember to redirect your attention back to your hobby each time you become

distracted.

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Using a hobby to practice mindfulness can be considerably easier than practicing mindfulness when

doing something that you don't like, simply because you enjoy it and are more likely to be able to let

go of worries or thoughts, and more likely to want to focus your attention on what you are doing. It

also applies whether you like to cook, cycle, read, write, paint, or climb trees. Putting your attention,

and all of your attention, into what you are doing allows you to be mindful.

4.4 Exercise

Exercise is very commonly used to achieve mindfulness. In addition, learning mindfulness while

exercising can help you to exercise for longer, find joy in getting healthy, and can help you to improve

other parts of your life. Most people gravitate towards Yoga and Tai Chi as mindfulness centric exercises.

Both of these actually involve mindfulness, and require that you be mindful during the practice.

However, you do not have to use one of these exercises. You can use the same focus, the same attention

to what you are doing, and control of the breath when lifting weights as when playing chess. Any activity

that you undertake while mindful becomes a mindful exercise.

Yoga

Most people think that yoga is difficult to get into, that you have to be flexible, or that it's only for girls.

Many also think that it relates to stretching and nothing more. None of these ideas is true. Yoga was

actually originally developed for men, and has only truly been accessible to women since being

introduced to the West.

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Yoga is the process of moving with the breath, controlling the breath, controlling the mind, and

disciplining the body. There are many different types of yoga, but the most popular is Ashtanga,

which is a form of Hatha yoga. Here, you move with the breath, moving through a series of postures

known as asanas which can be physically demanding and strength building. Beginners start out with

easy poses, and use modifications to make those poses accessible. As you practice, your body will

adapt to poses, and will become more flexible.

While it is advisable to start any yoga practice with a teacher (and many teachers offer free

beginners lessons), you can use resources such as Plum.TV, Gaia.com, and even YouTube to find

yoga lessons on the Internet. Should you begin without a teacher, it is crucial that you pay attention

to your body, your exercise form, and your breath, so that you can take care of yourself while

exercising.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a meditative martial art, typically practiced in slowed down form, to build strength, to tone the

body, increase flexibility, create patience, create mindfulness, clarity of mind, and to maintain the health.

Tai Chi is not as popular as Yoga and is therefore less accessible than Yoga, but there are still many

schools and teachers around the world who teach it.

Tai Chi is divided into three aspects including health, meditation, and martial art. Each of these is equally

important, and together, they allow the practitioner to balance their aspects for total body health. Like

other exercises, Tai Chi requires time and a significant amount of dedication to begin and master. It is

less accessible to beginners than Yoga because beginners will primarily learn fundamentals and basic

moves with a teacher instead of flows and exercises but over time can be very rewarding.

If neither of these exercises is for you, you can be mindful in your own choice of exercise or workout.

Simply remember to focus the attention, to remember that your thoughts are irrelevant, and to pay

attention to the body in its entirety as you exercise.

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