Posted by: Julie Lusk
Let me share with you the best definition of mindfulness and its benefits that I’ve come across. Diane Poole-Heller shared it with us at the recent NICABM conference.
Mindfulness is the moment to moment awareness of present time, inner and outer experience, with a non-judgmental and non-evaluative stance.
Research has shown that a mindfulness practice helps develop all 9 functions of the Pre-Frontal Cortex.
- ANS Regulation – Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Balance
- Attuned Communication – felt sense of other’s experience
- Regulation of emotions
- Response flexibility
- Empathy
- Insight – self awareness
- Fear extinction – GABA fibers to amygdala
- Intuition – deep knowing
- Morality.