How is your
body positioned at this very moment? How are your arms and legs situated? Are
your shoulders slouched? Is your head tilted downward?
Regardless of
the answers, you just practiced mindfulness simply by becoming aware of the
current moment. We often spend most of our day pondering the past or the future
without a break to appreciate the present. We rarely allow our minds to rest
for even a few minutes a day. However, being mindful does not mean having a
completely blank mind. Mindfulness is purely being in the moment and aware of
what is currently happening. This is the essence of meditation, one of the most
common ways to practice mindfulness. Meditation does not require lighting
incense, lining your room with crystals or any other stereotypical “woo-woo”
rituals portrayed on TV. It can be practiced anywhere, anytime.
I have been
meditating on and off for a few years now. I do not consider myself anywhere
near proficient, but I have harnessed techniques that I often implement at dental
school throughout the day. A great benefit I have found helpful in school is
being fully present during a lecture. Everyone has thoughts that cross their
mind in class. “I wonder if anyone has
texted me.” “I wonder what is happening anywhere else in the world other than
this classroom.” The skill of being more observant of my thoughts, which I
obtained through meditation, helps me recognize when my thoughts have wandered.
Once I recognize the distraction, I can bring my focus back to the task at
hand. An important part of this practice is not the constant focus, but
consciously bringing your attention back once it has strayed. This is a very
common exercise during mediation. The repetition of recognizing your focus has drifted
and bringing your attention back to the present moment is mental muscle you
build during a mindfulness practice. This acquired awareness can be applied in
the clinic, while studying or even during conversations and interactions with
others.
I can also
recognize when I am having negative or self-deprecating thoughts in stressful
situations. I acknowledge the thought, understand it does not define me, and
let it go. Another very important aspect of mindfulness is to not judge your
thoughts. Believing or avoiding your thoughts can be detrimental. Instead,
acknowledge them as fleeting objects of the mind. Just because they appear in
your consciousness doesn’t mean they are true and define who you are as a
person. Giving into and believing negative thoughts about yourself can add to
any stress or anxiety you are experiencing. According to a 2013 article in the Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand,
“Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Serum Cortisol of Medical Students,” it
is shown that meditation can lower cortisol (nature’s built-in alarm system and
the body’s main stress hormone) levels. A mindfulness practice can also help
reduce the risk of suicide, according to the 2012 article “Mindfulness in the
Treatment of Suicidal Individuals” in Cognitive
and Behavioral Practice. Any type of mindfulness practice can be a helpful
tool for prevention.
There are many
ways to practice mindfulness, so there is a type for everyone. A good way to
begin is with meditation apps such as Headspace, Calm or Oak. Yoga is also a
popular way to practice mindfulness. My personal favorite is focusing on your
breathing for one or two minutes.
Let’s try it
now.
Close your eyes
and mentally scan your body from head to toe. Note how you are physically
positioned. Don’t change it, just observe it. Now, with your eyes still closed,
focus on the rhythm of your breathing. Feel the air flow in and out of your
lungs. Feel your abdomen softly rise and fall. Try not to control your
breathing but allow it to occur naturally. Continue this for the next minute.
Your mind may roam to something else, which is normal. Once you have
acknowledged the thought, gently bring your attention back to the rhythm of
your breathing.
How did that
feel? For some it might be easy, for others quite difficult. The consistent
focus isn’t the practice of mindfulness, rather it’s the recognition of the
mind wandering and returning your focus that is the practice. Mindfulness is
like a muscle you train. The more you train it, the stronger it becomes. This
is challenging for most type-A personalities, a common trait of dental and
dental hygiene students. We continuously have conversations with ourselves
throughout the day via our thoughts. We cannot be fully present in the moment
until we quiet the mind and allow it to rest for a moment. Our families,
friends, future patients, and, most importantly, we ourselves will benefit from
just a few minutes of a restful mind each day.
Sources
Luoma JB,
Villatte JL. Mindfulness in the treatment of suicidal individuals. Cogn Behav Pract
2012;19(2):265-76. doi:10.1016/j.cbpra.2010.12.003.
Turakitwanakan
W, Mekseepralard C, Busarakumtragul P. Effects of mindfulness meditation on
serum cortisol of medical students. J Med Assoc Thai 2013;96(Suppl 1):S90-5.
About
Gerard Scannell:
Gerard Scannell
Vice President, LSU ASDA
Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of Dentistry, Class of 2021
Gerard Scannell is a second-year student at Louisiana State University Health New Orleans School of Dentistry and the Vice President of his school’s American Student Dental Association (ASDA) chapter. He is also involved at the District level on District 5’s meeting planning committee. In his free time, Gerard stars as an
extra in movies and has been in as many as 10 movies and TV shows shot in New Orleans!