So how and why does mindfulness work anyway? Well, even the best scientists on the planet cannot fully answer that question. (In fact, no one can even define the mind itself, much less mindfulness). But it is possible to explain the power of mindfulness in one simple concept without needing to understand the infinite complexity of the human brain. And that is the power of observation.
It is a basic fact of life that whatever we observe as humans, we change. Just think of a few simple examples. What happens when a principal walks by a room full of unruly students? Without a single word, just by her popping her head into the room, the classroom dynamics will shift instantly. What happens when a police officer parks at a busy intersection? Even if he does nothing more than sit and observe, the traffic patterns will change. Now obviously, sometimes a principal might need to issue a detention or three, and sometimes a police officer might need to bestow a well-deserved citation. Clearly observation does not change everything, and further intervention is often required, but here’s my point: observation can change an awful lot—all by itself.
This concept explains not only what mindfulness is, but also why it works. In short, we change what we observe simply by the act of observing it. And that applies to the mind itself. As soon as we observe the mind, the mind starts to behave differently. So does that mean mindfulness will fix all our problems? Of course not. But mindfulness is a great start. And none of our problems will get fixed without it.
So what does mindfulness practice even look like? When you’re just getting started, these tips can help. First, select an activity that you enjoy doing. That way mindfulness will be inherently self-rewarding. After all, why wouldn’t you want to be more fully present with an activity that you enjoy? (Eventually you will need to learn to be mindful of less enjoyable experiences as well, but that will come later.)
Second, select an activity that you are already doing on a regular basis. This has several advantages. For example, if you pick something that you already do, (1) you will not need to remember to schedule it, (2) you will also not need to block off extra time, and (3) you will not need to spend extra money.
Once you have selected an enjoyable activity that you already do on a regular basis, the next step is to be intentional about dedicating at least a portion of that activity to mindfulness practice: learning to focus exclusively on that activity alone, and on as many details of that activity as possible. As your mind wanders to other internal or external distractions (and it most certainly will), simply notice those distractions, notice any judgments you have about those distractions, and then gently refocus your attention back on the enjoyable activity.
When we’re learning to become more mindful, it is usually best to follow this sequence: mindfulness of physical experiences (that is, the body), mindfulness of internal experiences (that is, the mind), and then mindfulness of external experiences (that is, everything else).
Thus, the first phase of mindfulness practice refers to becoming more mindful of your physical body. This includes awareness of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch) plus all other somatic sensations (such as pressure, pleasure, temperature, balance, hunger, thirst, or physical symptoms).
You can practice mindfulness of the body by intentionally paying attention to each of your five senses. For example, take five minutes every day to view your favorite scene (such as the sunrise); appreciate your favorite sound (such as soothing music); savor your favorite aroma (such as a burning candle); relish your favorite flavor (such as gourmet coffee); or snuggle with your favorite object (such as a comfy blanket). If you can mindfully engage each of your five senses per day, that is already twenty-five minutes of mindfulness practice!
You can also learn to pay more attention to your body simply as you go through life: as you walk, dance, exercise, stretch, breathe, brush your teeth, or make love. If you mindfully attune to just five activities per day, for five minutes per activity, that’s another twenty-five minutes of mindfulness practice. You are well on your way to becoming a mindfulness machine!
Mindfulness of the body is essential for healing from trauma for a variety of reasons. First, your body is constantly communicating with you. Every single sensation (both pleasant and painful) is your body’s attempt to send you a message. The more you ignore your body’s messaging system, the more it just may need to scream at you!
Furthermore, as previously explained, unresolved trauma gets trapped in the body through the freeze response. When faced with danger or crisis, the body unleashes high levels of very powerful chemicals (adrenaline, dopamine, and cortisol) in order to execute fight or flight. When fight or flight is not possible, the body continues to pump these powerful chemicals, while at the same time slamming on the brake to contain them. Thus, the body gets locked into an endless war in which both sides continue to escalate (fight or flight versus freeze), resulting in a myriad of physical symptoms in potentially every single body system. In short, you cannot possibly heal from trauma without learning to notice your own body.
