Comments on: Mindfulness: Meditation vs. Skill Set

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 08:46:40 +0000

This is addressed to Jason. It is important to remember that most mindfulness meditation strategies and techniques do not only use “just sitting” practice, but other adjunct strategies that naturally create a meaningful progression. For example, MBSR (J. Kabat-Zinn) employs certain questions for the very purpose of figuring out “where one is” so that he or she can then act appropriately to change it positively. Meditation is a tool that, like any tool, is used within a larger context and not alone.

By: Larry

Larry — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:50:02 +0000

I am amazed at how often meditation is described as boring. In my experience this has certainly not been the case. Meditation; being directly aware of personal experience as it arises, brings joy in the moment. Unless meditation is being enjoyed in the moment I don’t think we can excpect a sudden burst of positive benifits. Meditation is a holistic approach, and it can’t be done with gritted determination to endure boredom. Meditation needs to be approached correctly and unless it is, it can not be regarded as meditation at all.

By: Lisa Dale Miller, MFT

Lisa Dale Miller, MFT — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:37:13 +0000

I so appreciate this dialogue on meditation and psychotherapy. Mary, meditation is anything but boring. The mind is infinite in its expressions and is also capable of experiencing infinity. Release your fear and dive in, I am sure there must be resources in your area to learn vipassana or mindfulness meditation. Would like to hear from more of you!

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:07:28 +0000

While it is imperative that people come to understand why they do what they do, meditation can play a key role in helping someone change behavior. If someone gives him or herself the opportunity to understand why they do something and then meditate on making a change, a very powerful thing can happen. Marrying both sides of this equation produces excellent results with most of my clients. Not all, but most. I feel that giving someone the option of meditating once they see the big picture of their lives is very empowering. I feel that I would be irresponsible if I helped someone see why they were engaging in an unhealthy behavior and left it at that. Often meditation can be the catalyst that brings about change.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:05:02 +0000

I personally think that meditation is way overrated. It is so much more effective to work with someone on understanding the root of his or her behavior rather than telling someone to sit quietly for 30 minutes. If clients don’t understand why they behave the way they do, how are they to change it?

By: Jessie

Jessie — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:03:31 +0000

I agree that what I call experienced meditation is not boring. But, inexperienced meditation often can be. If you want to really derive meaning from meditation, you have to be willing to commit yourself to the process on a long term basis.

By: niels

niels — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:02:20 +0000

I am so glad there are those like the author who still adhere to meditative practices. It is very sad to see the practice of psychotherapy going the way of so many other American institutions. If we as a society can boil something down to a few steps, throw some statistics at it, and teach it in a one day seminar, it suddenly becomes the latest and greatest thing. In this case, as probably in most others, this boiling down makes for a practice that is unrecognizable from its original. And, no, Mary, meditation is not boring. As long as you take the time to really whole heartedly embrace meditation, you’ll find it anything but boring.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:59:34 +0000

I’ve never practiced meditation before. I guess I fear that I might be bored. Is this a common mindset? What, if any, flawed thoughts are present in this fear?