by Magüi Moreno
Mindfulness has become a trendy
topic. Whereas not that long ago mindfulness and meditation were
associated with Eastern spiritual practices and new age living;
mindfulness has now broken through to the mainstream and is being
applied in areas as diverse as education, healthcare, and the
business. It's even got politicians interested - the UK Parliament
recently held a session discussing the many benefits of mindfulness
and its applications in a whole host of policy areas.
But what is mindfulness? Simply put,
it is to pay attention to everything in (thoughts, feelings, body
sensations) and around (noises, other people's talk, sights, etc) us
without passing judgement. Mindfulness is being aware of our
judgements, our thoughts... in short, all that passes before and
within us. Sounds easy, doesn't it? And don't we do that all day
anyway? Think about the last time you were eating: were you savouring
every bite, focusing on all the sensations in your mouth, slowly
chewing, and just enjoying the mere act of eating? Or were you
thinking about all the things you need to get done, replaying a
disagreement you had with someone yesterday, or wondering who's going
to win 'Strictly' this year? (As well as checking emails, Facebook,
Instagram and the weather forecast on your phone)?
Mindfulness if about paying
attention to the right here, right now with acceptance
- to observe everything as it unfolds. It doesn't require you to do
anything (no need to get incense sticks out, or sit in the lotus
position for hours). You just need to 'take time out' from our busy
lives (a few minutes here and there) to breathe, be aware of your
body and of the constant mental chatter in the background. Our brains
are designed to never stop producing thoughts - and that's fine. But
it is beneficial for the mind itself (as well as the body) to press
the 'pause' button sometimes and simply pull back from thoughts and
feelings to see them for what they are: thoughts and feelings. As
they come, they go.
How is mindfulness good for women
suffering endometriosis? Why would we want to be fully present with
our pain, our discomfort, our bloating, our fatigue, our mood swings?
- Mindfulness reduces stress. When your body is in pain, the mind automatically kicks in to try to do something to take the pain away. That's normal. Unfortunately the mind cannot always help, rather it's responsible for creating stress. The mind tends to operate in the past (worrying that something you did or didn't do is the cause for your current pain) and in the future (creating all kinds of dire scenarios in your head). None of this mental chatter helps you deal with your pain RIGHT NOW. In fact, it makes it worse as you get increasingly frustrated, anxious or depressed.
- Pain is a way for the body to communicate. Turning towards the pain, rather than away from it, can give us lots of information that we can then use to 'fix' the situation - to get treatment, or change current treatment. Pain is a complex set of signals: when, where, intensity, duration, quality (throbbing, pulling, sharp, etc). These are all aspects of pain that we can pay attention to whilst we breathe deeply, physically rest, and keep the thoughts coming and going - rather than getting stuck in them.
- Mindfulness is not a substitute for medication. For those of us suffering with chronic illnesses, such as endo, the hard truth is that surgery, pills and pain are part of our lives. But it doesn't have to be the whole picture. Let's break the chain of 'It hurts, I medicate' by creating a bit more space for self-discovery in there. You might find that you do less reacting and more responding. What that means is that your actions are more in-tune with what your body actually needs.
- Above all, mindfulness can help you be more compassionate with yourself. Part of the mind's remit is to judge, assess and categorize reality: 'This is good, this is bad.' Compassion allows us to accept what is (the pain) whilst taking better care of ourselves. We can't magically erase endometriosis, but we can be kinder, less judgemental of ourselves and of others. This allows us to seek support where we can get it (better professional help) and to move on from situations that don't work for us (unsympathetic GPs, unsupportive friends) - with hopefully fewer regrets and resentment.
Endometriosis is an infuriatingly
complex disease and mindful living is one of many approaches towards
a better quality of life for those who suffer it. It rests on being
aware of the present moment, paying attention to and respecting our
bodies, and becoming more conscious of how our minds work (and the
role they play in creating stress!). It is a journey of
self-discovery and awareness of what we do, what we think, what we
feel. And it can have a profound impact on our level of contentment,
for the better.
Practical ideas:
- Find moments throughout the day when you find it easier to press the 'pause' button in the mental broadcast! Is it whilst doing the dishes, cooking, or taking a shower? Use these moments to practice simply being present in the right here, right now.
- Use your phone to set random bell alarms throughout the day (or the evening, or at weekends) to remind you to stop for 1 minute and simply observe your breath.
- Try conscious breathing exercises when you are relaxed. See below for resources. A simple one is simply to sit and count your breaths up to 20 or 40 (with inhale and exhale being 1).
- If guided relaxation techniques work for you (they don't for everyone!), try listening to them at night whilst lying in bed. This can also help you to doze off and get a good night's sleep! A good place for free audio is yoganidranetwork.org
- When in pain or discomfort, try some simple relaxation or body scan techniques. When pain arises, the brain reacts automatically with thoughts, such as “I hate this, what am I going to do?” Though you can’t stop these first few negative thoughts, you can calm your mind by focusing on your breath. This automatically lessens anxiety levels and increases endorphins. A body scan involves bringing awareness to each body part. When in pain, you’re bringing attention to what the brain wants to move away from. However, instead of immediately reacting to it, the body scan teaches your brain the experience that it can actually be with what’s there.
- Paying attention to the body is a sure way to work through difficult emotions. Just let them unfold (particularly when at home or another safe environment) and observe how they feel in your body. Do you have a lump in your throat? Do you feel a tightness around your chest? You do not need to explain away these sensations. Just let them be and in time, you'll be better able to 'read your body'.
- When going to a medical appointment, or any other potentially stressful meeting, try to focus on your breath before, during and after. A couple of minutes of conscious breathing before can really help settle your mind and your body, so that you can be centred on what you want to achieve.
For more information:
The
Mindfulness Solution to Pain by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Mindfulness
for Health by Vidyamala Burch and Danny Penman
http://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk
for UK-based courses and resources on mindfulness for chronic illness
http://www.endoyoga.com
for Yoga and Breathing Exercises for Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain
http://alwayswellwithin.com/body-scan-meditation/
for helpful videos with guided body scans
