Mindfulness and Meditation Explained

Mindfulness is the capacity to be aware of one’s emotional state.

Meditation is a tool to help one develop that capacity.

Both are learned skills that require practice over time to develop.

Many people begin thinking that Mindfulness and Meditation is like a switch you can turn on to find an immediate benefit. That would be wrong.

Think of it like wanting to be a race car driver, yet you don’t even drive yet.

When first behind the wheel of a car, we are awkward. Every little action requires such deliberate conscious attention. The dream of being that race car driver feels dashed.

However, all of us who drive now, don’t even think about what we are doing. It has become automatic. Indeed, if you want to be a race car driver, you could with additional lessons and practice.

So too with Mindfulness and Meditation.

These are skills to be learned over time to experience a benefit.

The benefit is that capacity to put thinking between feeling and doing.

We are triggered. We have a big feeling. We act automatically as learned previously. That previous learning, reaction, may contribute to a poor outcome.

With these new skills developed over time, we can then recognize feelings and consider options for responding before doing so.

We have the increased capacity to catch ourselves, pause, consider and then make better choices in terms of responding.

That is a race worth winning.

It will take practice.

Mindfulness and Meditation.

---

Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts!

I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

www.garydirenfeld.com – to build your successful practice

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.