What is mindfulness?
In this endometriosis management program, we have chosen a body-focused mindfulness and acceptance approach to endometriosis management. We have done so because we have extensive experience with this approach and because we have seen the positive effects of this approach many times. But we have also chosen this approach because research has shown that it works really well when dealing with physical illness and pain, as well as the negative psychological and social consequences.
Before we get to the first mindfulness practice, we would like to tell you a little bit about what mindfulness is.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness originates from the Buddhist tradition of meditation, where it is believed that through meditation one can gain insight into the nature of human suffering and thereby gain wisdom, serenity, compassion, and well-being.
However, in the Western world, mindfulness is more often used as a self-help or therapeutic tool to relieve physical, mental, and emotional discomfort.
Mindfulness is explained in Western psychology as a specific way of paying attention called present awareness. It is a form of attention that is simultaneously observant, descriptive, non-judgmental, and non-reactive to the experiences taking place in the present moment. It can be in relation to our inner bodily sensations, thoughts, and feelings, or it can be in relation to external stimuli such as sight, sounds, and smells, or in relation to our behavior and actions or the experiences and events taking place in the present moment.
In this program, we take a skill-based approach to mindfulness. This means that mindfulness is seen as a skill that can be learned through regular practice. By practicing different exercises, it is possible to become more observant, accepting, non-judgmental, non-reactive, and present to different experiences.
Before moving on to how mindfulness is practiced, it may be important to first understand some of the connections between our body, thoughts, feelings, and actions.
