CBS News: 60 Minutes Examines Mindfulness

 I have written a number of posts about the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of mindfulness. Today's "60 Mintutes" examined those benefits through a segment presented by Anderson Cooper. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/mindfulness-anderson-cooper-60-minutes/. I highly recommend it for those interested in the way to experience mindfulness.

The Alexander Technique

The Alexander Technique is probably one of  the least understood but most helpful technques to gain control over your mind and body. The technique was developed by F.M. Alexander, an Australian actor at the early part of the 20th Century, as a means of improving the control of his own voice as a performer.  Many prominent performers up to the present are followers of the technique, including, e.g., Hugh Jackson, the Broadway and movie actor

The cornerstone of the technique is a simple exercise that isn't really an exercise at all but rather a means of slowing down your mind and at the same time, relaxing your body, removing tension and improving your posture and breathing. It is really a form of mindfulness designed to makeourselves aware of how we move and use our body.

The essential exercise is to lay on the floor with a book or several books under your head and not under your neck.  Your head should be tilted upward somewhat and your knees should be bent with your feet on the floor about six inches from your buttocks.  You should try to keep your mind free of any thoughts and I recommend just concentrating on your breathing.  No need for any particular breathing pattern, just concentrate on the movement of air in and out of your lungs through your diaphragm.

It is recommended that you do this exercise, called the semi-supine, for approximately 6 to 10 minutes at least 6 times a day.

Once you complete your semi-supine exercises, you should feel your neck and head to be more upright and your thinking a lot more clear.

I am not a teacher of the Alexander Technique,  but I do try to practice it as often as I can. If you do decide to do it yourself. let me know how it goes.

If you would like to learn more about the Alexander Technique, please go to the following website for many good resources:www.alexandertechnique.com. https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=9013743511055028233#editor/target=post;postID=917151010961604367;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=2;src=link

Mindfulness Goes Mainstream

Since I began writing this blog two years ago, I have advocated the philosophy of mindfulness as an antidote for a variety of physical, mental and spiritual ills. Now, mindfulness has gone mainstream. It was the cover story for Time Magazine. Nothing is more mainstream than Time.

The February 3 2014 Time issue contains an article explaining some of those benefits as well some of the mindfulness techniques that work. The key to mindfulness is focusing on the moment, whether that is eating a raisin (the example cited in the Time article) or simply sitting and watching your breath.

What is a little disappointing about the article is the author's admission that he has not continued with the mindfulness program he studied for the purposes of the article. Anyone serious about the idea of mindfulness should consider continuing the program  to make sure they maximize its benefits.

Not Just for Boomers ---But for Everyone

The title of this blog is, of course, "Not Just for Boomers."  And that is exactly, what it is intended to be. I am a baby boomer myself, but the material in this blog is not limited to baby boomers. It is really intended for everyone who has an interest in an eclectic mix of travel suggestions, help with your finances and health and exercise issues. Over the last almost two years, I have written almost 200 posts, all original, and covering material from a Mediterranean cruise to the many benefits of meditation and mindfulness.I hope what I have written has been helpful to you.  And no, I am not shutting down the blog. On the contrary, I expect to keep on going.  I appreciate your support, but I would ask you to remind your friends and not just boomers, that this blog is "Not Just for Boomers--But for Everyone."

3 Simple Ways to Meditate and Improve Your LIfe

I have written several times about the many benefits of mindfulness or meditation. http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/03/understanding-mindfulness.html; http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2012/11/what-is-mindfulness.html; http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2012/12/sherlock-holmes-and-mindfulness.html.  Here are three simple ways to incorporate mindfulness in your daily life:

1. When you awaken in the morning, while still in bed, concentrate on your breathing.  Start with a minute or two and then build slowly from there to 5 to 10 minutes.  It will clear your head and put you in a good mood the whole day.

2. When driving your usual commute to work, concentrate on one word or sound when you begin to feel frustrated with the traffic tie-ups and crazy drivers around you. I use the word "ten" and just keep repeating it until I feel relaxed.

3. Finally, at night when you are in bed, use the 4-7-8 breathing method three or four times. That's where you breathe in for a count of 4, hold the breath for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 8. I predict you will be asleep even before you finish the last count.

How to Improve Your SAT and GRE Scores

Students (and their parents) are always looking for ways to improve SAT, GRE and other similar test scores. They often pay thousands of dollars for classes, books and other devices to increase those important scores.  While those methods do work for some people, they are expensive and can be very time-consuming.  There may be an easier and less expensive way to achieve the same results: mindfulness.

Now, I have written several times about the beneficial health benefits of mindfulness. However, recent studies have shown that mindfulness may help students increase their test scores on standardized tests such as the SAT or GRE.  Mindfulness is a means of focusing the mind and clearing it of random thoughts which can interfere in the thinking process. It is very simple to learn yet a very powerful tool. Typically, it involves sitting quietly with your eyes closed while you focus on your breath, a number or some sound. As thoughts intrude, you simply acknowledge them as merely thoughts and allow them to disappear.

In a study published in the journal, Psychological Science, a group of researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara put a group of undergraduate students through a two week mindfulness study program.  Prior to the program, the average verbal score of the group was 460.  After completion of the program, the average score was 520. That is approximately a 13% increase which could make the difference between admission and rejection to a graduate program. A test group that was not given the mindfulness training but rather nutrition training,did not show any improvement

Several scholars of the brain functioning believe mindfulness can help keep the mind from wandering  and reduce stress and susceptibility to worry.

So, if you are preparing for a standardized test, include mindfulness training in your preparations. There are various books available that can get you started. The best in my mind is "Mindfulness" by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. Shop Amazon - Cinco De Mayo Event - Books, Music, Party Supplies

Sherlock Holmes and Mindfulness

In an interesting article in the Sunday New York Times, author Maria Konnikova, suggests that Sherlock Holmes was one of the early practitioners of mindfulness.  "The Power of Concentration." www.nytimes.com.  She points out that Holmes frequently was able to solve his cases while sitting in his rooms at 221 B Baker Street, by concentrating on one aspect of the case at a time.  Rather than a multitasker, he was the ultimate unitasker.

The article also discusses several studies which have shown that as little as five minutes a day of mindfulness (sitting quietly, observing the breathing and clearing the mind of all thoughts) can have a beneficial effect on both your emotions and your thinking ability.  Based on those studies, mindfulness may even have an effect on preventing the decline in mental ability as we age, including, perhaps, helping to prevent Alzheimer's disease.

Bottom line:  if it was good enough for Sherlock Holmes, it surely is good enough for all of us. After all, don't we all want to remain mentally sharp as we age? 

Please see my November18, 2012 post, "What is Mindfulness?" for a further discussion of how to use mindfulness and its cognitive benefits. You will be glad you did.

What is Mindfulness?

What is mindfulness?   I have written before about the many beneficial effects of mindfulness and deep breathing techniques. "Every Breath You Take," May 2, 2012. These include lower blood pressure, better cognitive skills and many other health related benefits.  It is clearly a practice that everyone can and should do everyday if you value your health or want to become healthier. But what is it about mindfulness that makes it so beneficial and why has it become so popular?

While I don't claim to be an expert and certainly I am not a doctor or health professional, I think the answer lies in the fact that our nervous systems today are so overtaxed by all the outside forces that bombard us from every corner of our world. We are constantly exposed to numerous stimuli which is fueled by the belief that the more things we can do at the same time, the more productive we are. I think mindfulness offers a form of relief that eases both the mind and the body by reducing the number of stimuli. In a world of multitasking, mindfulness is the ultimate form of unitasking.

In other words, by concentrating on just one thing at a time, we find relief from all the other outside forces that seek to demand our attention. And all it takes is to concentrate our mind on what we are doing right now and not try to do too many things at the same time.  If you are watching a football game on the television, watch the game but don't read the newspaper at the same time. If you are walking down the street, notice how you are walking, pay attention to your stride, the movement of your arms and every aspect of your body. If engaged in conversation, just listen rather than thinking only about what you are going to say.

 If you try these simple measures, I believe you will enjoy the benefits of mindfulness everyday without even thinking about it (no pun intended).

The Beneficial Effects of Meditation

The many beneficial effects of meditation continue to be recognized.  In an earlier post, " Every Breath You Take," I discussed a number of different forms of meditation or mindfulness. In today's edition of The New York Times,an article entitled "In Sitting Still, A Bench Press For the Brain," the Times reports on a number of studies which tend to show that meditation has a number of beneficial effects on the brain. These are believed to include increased gray and white matter which can improve cognitive performance in older adults.  What is fascinating is that the longer meditation is practiced, the greater the benefits appear to be. This is in addition to the physical benefits such as lower blood pressure as shown in such studies as the "Relaxation Response.."

Moreover, it is never too late to start. It requires no equipment and almost no time. Just get started.

Every Breath You Take

Sting sang about "every breath youI take."  In my last post, I quoted Ralph Waldo Emerson on clearing the mind of all the "absurdities" of yesterday in order to face the "serenity" of today. You are probably asking your self, "Just how do I go about doing that?"  The answer is really quite simple and it is something we do unconsciosly every day.  The difference is we never think to pay attention to it. The way to clear the mind is to finally pay attention and use it as an opportunity to improve not only our state of mind but also our physical well-being.  What is it?  You  have probably guessed it by now: breathing. Not just any breathing, of course.

Dr. Andrew Weil, the anti-aging guru, has a CD set called Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing, which describes a number of breathing techniques and leads you through them. One of the simplest is to inhale for a count of four, hold the breath for a count of seven and exhale to a count of eight.Doing this three times with your tongue behind your upper front teeth is designed to reduce anxiety. I have tried it and it really does work.

Another widely popular breathing technique is mindfulness or meditation as it used to be called. Basically, it involves sitting in a chair quietly with your eyes closed and monitoring your breathing. You should not try to breath any specific way but you should just concentrate on breathing, paying attention to to exhalation and inhalation. When other thoughts come to mind, just let them float away since they are not real.  It takes a while, but you will get used to it.  Start with a minute or so and work your way up for as long as you can.  The important thing is not to get discouraged.  Keep at it.  You will be surprised how quickly your mind will clear. A good book describing several more techniques is Mark Williams' Mindfulness: An Eight Week Plan for Finding Peace in a Frantic World. It is available on Amazon for the Kindle and well worth the price.

If you really get into breathing techniques, you might want to pick up The Art of Breathing by Nancy Zi.  It describes breathing techniques for almost every occasion. Let me know if you like it.

Just remember to breathe easy!