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Mindfulness in these trying times
Dr. Sanath Mahawithanage
In these times of worry, concern and being restricted to our homes, it is all about the mind which “is always with you” that Dr. Sanath Mahawithanage reminds us and how to harness its immense power.
He is not talking about a strange subject, for this Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura is also Director of the Centre for Mindfulness Based Research & Practice there. The university has facilities for medical students to practice mindfulness, with instructions now being delivered online to them.
“Mindfulness is misunderstood. It’s a way of life and totally different to our perception of meditation,” he says, pointing out that it is a way in which one maintains the mind in the present, using the body as the anchor. The nature of the mind is such that it always goes to the past and the future and it is difficult to keep it in the present.
Mindfulness helps a person to bring the “wandering” mind to the present, says Dr. Mahawithanage, appreciative of his guru Ven. U. Dhammajiva Maha Thera under whom he practises mindfulness.
Reiterating that the world will never be the same post-COVID-19, he says that there will be lots of new challenges as well as trends such as social distancing, working from home and using online platforms for which new skill-sets would be needed. Mindfulness is becoming a useful tool in this scenario. There is simplicity and immediate benefit. It’s easy to master it.
Dr. Mahawitha-nage, who recently advised two famous international groups in the United Kingdom and the United States of America respectively on mindfulness, gives solid statistics from studies. The continuous practice of mindfulness for eight weeks reduced stress levels by 28%, improved attention by 35% and improved overall psychological wellbeing by 10%, based on preliminary studies.
Research has also shown that mindfulness helps strengthen permanent functions and structural changes in certain areas of the brain which are involved in higher order functions such as thinking, decision-making, management of emotions, etc.
Pointing out that mindfulness in the western context is practised mainly as a therapeutic measure for the prevention of stress and certain psychological ailments, he says that he is promoting it for health benefits as a preventive measure as well as positive improvement within oneself.
Mindfulness needs to be practised under right guidance as thinking patterns change and the outcome manifests itself as improved capacity, improved memory and social skills, adds Dr. Mahawithanage.
| Three ways to practise mindfulness | |
 Here are three simple ways to practise mindfulness, as suggested by Dr. Sanath Mahawithanage:
Anyone can select a combination of the three. Practising mindfulness has shown that work and concentration becomes more active and effective, he adds.
Even if the mind wanders, don’t suppress or let it grow. Instead, be conscious of it, without forming an opinion. This is defined as ‘choice-less’ awareness. Then the mind will come back to the present. This is basic choice-less awareness and different to other kinds of meditation such as concentration meditation.
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