Mindfulness Connect

Group on June 2nd

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Category: Connect

Published: Wednesday, 08 June 2016 08:48

Written by Cherry

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Our opening practice was a simple breath meditation, based on one from Jack Kornfield (www.soundstrue.com), gently bringing the attention back on the breath every time it should wander, rather like training a puppy with firm kindness. Followed by enquiry.

Followed by general enquiry around practice, difficulties, habits of mind, favourite practices, the benefits and uses of both longer and shorter practices.

We discussed the recent online Neuroscience Summit (www.soundstrue.com) and a talk by Kelly McGonigal on 'The Default State'. Interesting key aspects of this state of the brain are: (1) When the brain is in its so-called 'resting state' it becomes more (not less) active: more areas of the brain are turned on - this is the Default State (DS) (2) This is the same state elsewhere called 'monkey mind' 'wandering mind' 'blah blah blah mind' (3) Experienced meditators are shown to mind wander to the DS, but they return more quickly to the task in hand (i.e.. meditating) (3) The DS is involved with memory and emotion, problem solving, self-reflection, social cognition and judgement (with negative bias) (4) The DS is also how we know who and what we are in the world - so we need it! (5) Studies with those with social anxiety, depression, chronic pain and trauma show how the Default State is involved - e.g., those with depression have trouble switching from the default to task focus and other areas of the brain get involved, i.e. those involved with self-judgement and inhibition of behaviour, so causing a kind of paralysis and withdrawal from the world and the future (6) but the good news is we can change the Default State - through meditation, including mindfulness, by labelling/naming it, through breath focus, using a mantra, and through compassion training the mind can become more likely to 'mind wander' to the more positive, thereby developing an alternative Default - e.g., the relationship to chronic pain can be radically transformed. ((7) the wisdom is 'not to talk to the Default Mode' i.e. not to see it as the solution, but as a brain concoction that has bias and though necessary, can lead to suffering, but that can also be checked and influenced through awareness and choice. 

We then moved to some of Kristin Neff's self-compassion exercises (self-compassion.org) which tap into our care-giving selves using warmth, touch and soothing vocalisation.

We closed with a short self compassion practice from Rick Hanson (Just One Thing).