Mindfulness

Resources for the Wheeler Community on the practice of Mindfulness.

The Basics

What is mindfulness?

  • Mindfulness or mindful awareness is an ancient practice that helps relieve the stresses of modern life.
  • Mindfulness involves paying attention to present experiences with openness and curiosity.
  • Mindfulness involves exercises like meditation, yoga, or art to help us stop, breathe, observe, and connect.
  • Mindful awareness can help one better connect mental, physical and emotional experiences.

To get a better sense of mindfulness, you may want to listen to these recordings from from past Inward Bound Teen Retreats.  

Why do I want to try this?

According to UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC),  

"significant research has shown mindfulness to... increase attention and focus, including aid those suffering from ADHD; help with difficult mental states such as anxiety and depression, fostering well-being and less emotional reactivity; and thicken the brain in areas in charge of decision making, emotional flexibility, and empathy."

In other words, adding mindfulness practices into your daily routines, may help alleviate stress, improve focus, and help with decision making.

What are some ways to practice mindfulness?

Find balance

  • Sure, school is important, but so is your family, and so are you. Be sure to make time during the week to do the things YOU enjoy. Set aside time for work and time for play.

Calm your mind

Alter your thinking

  • Is the glass half full or half empty? Your attitude influences the way you see things, and when things are stressful, a bit of optimism can go a long way. 

Will mindfulness make all my troubles go away?

Not exactly.

Mindfulness practices focus on being, not doing, which is almost opposite to other aspects of our daily life. It can be difficult and uncomfortable. 

The practice also teaches you to approach and be with difficult emotions instead of avoiding them. This too can be difficult for some people. (Williams)

However, mindful awareness helps still thoughts, feelings, and urges that often muddy our vision, enabling one to begin to see more clearly. (Willard)

Learn more

Explore other guides in this series

Special Thanks to Zaiga Alksnitis, librarian at the Warburg Library at Middlesex for her Mindfulness Resources LibGuide. This guide includes many of the materials she initially recommended.