Has anyone tried Mindfulness meditation?

[Ashtray88]

There is evidence that it can reduce loneliness and negative emotions in social anxiety. I haven't tried it myself but from what I know it involves focusing on the moment rather than on past events and the future, which are of course sources of great anxiety and it's also supposed to reduce ruminating negative thoughts by being non-judgemental about everything. I know some therapists use it too in their sessions.

Here's the article about it http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...alleviate-soci

I looked up the training course mentioned and they are pretty damn expensive. I did manage to find some audio lectures about mindfulness training for only £22. http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/c....aspx?cid=1933 Hopefully I don't sound like an ad bot.

[Lord Lucan]

I bought a book and cd ages ago but still haven't got round to trying it.

[black_mamba]

I always Google "free X guide" before I part with my money. These days there are so many free resources out there, and if youre uncertain about trying something new it might be worth reading something free first to avoid dissapointment. But yeah, mindfulness is brilliant. Applying mindfulness techniques has helped me became so much happier, calmer and more laid back. I even got a tattoo relating to it to act as a reminder to always return attention to the present moment.

[Jim]

I've done a mindfulness course and found it very helpfull.

Like black_mamba, I think it's brilliant.

One thing I would say though is that it's not a quick fix; it's not like you can do a session or a couple of mediatations and then everythings ok. It takes more time and effort than that. I've only been practising for a couple of months and am finding that the time and effort I dedicate to it are well worth it. Talking with my tutor, it seems mindfulness is more like a way of life rather than a prescribed treatment. I am choosing a mindful life over a life dominated by anxiety and depression.

I would definitely advise anyone to try it, it won't do you any harm, but give it a good chance. In the beginning of the course, the tutor said to try not to have expectations, try not to judge your performance and above all just do it.

[Aelwyn]

I started mindfulness/meditation while reading Steve Flowers "Mindful Path through Shyness". I found the book extremely helpful and have been practising meditation ever since. I never did a proper course, it's not absolutely necessary. But some NHS areas offer free mindfulness courses occasionally. It's worth asking your GP about.

I would recommend meditation to anyone who feels stressed, for whatever reason.

[Olly.]

Originally Posted by black_mamba

I always Google "free X guide" before I part with my money. These days there are so many free resources out there, and if youre uncertain about trying something new it might be worth reading something free first to avoid dissapointment. But yeah, mindfulness is brilliant. Applying mindfulness techniques has helped me became so much happier, calmer and more laid back. I even got a tattoo relating to it to act as a reminder to always return attention to the present moment.

Yeah or look round youtube, there's 100s of mindfulness meditation/relaxation videos on there, so personally I wouldn't usually pay money for this sort of thing.

[black_mamba]

I agree with the above poster who said it's not a quick fix. Don't expect too much too soon. Being "mindful" takes practice but it is well worth it. One resource I like is the ZenHabits blog. It talks about ways of incorporating a mindful attitude into your everyday life.

[esarempee]

Seek out your local Buddhist centre, they might run Mindfulness lessons/sessions usually for free, but they do suggest some sort of donation.