Mindfulness

Question 1

What is and what isn’t mindfulness (how it works) ?

Answer 1

It’s not : A cure, hours of sitting meditation, clearing your mind of all thoughts and emotions, easy

It’s : paying attention, in the moment, on purpose, no judgement, having open and curious attitude and willingness to accept what is, brain exercise, requires practise

Question 2

Negativity bias

Answer 2

1. Evolutionary brain allows us to survive in dangerous conditions
2. It’s evolutionarily adaptive for bad to be stronger than good
3. We process negative data faster and for longer than positive data
4. Heightens our threat reactivity

Question 3

Mind wandering

Answer 3

1. 50% of the time our brain defaults to a story, narrative, simulation
2. A wandering brain is an unhappy brain
3. Rewind or Fast-Forward - but we need to be on Play (and record)
4. Default Mode Network is active (I, me, my)

Question 4

What does it do to the brain?

Answer 4

Training attention network, improve memory, more productivity, calm sympathetic system, engaging parasympathetic nervous system