Whether you scroll through the app store in search of meditation apps such as Headspace, or see articles on your newsfeed citing research related to the effects of mindfulness meditation as a treatment for anxiety and stress reduction, the concept of mindfulness continues to prompt discussion and attract people of all ages from around the world. What is mindfulness, though, and why does it resonate with so many people? While mindfulness originates from ancient Buddhist practice, it continues to be relevant and beneficial to our current, everyday lives. Mindfulness includes making conscious choices to be in the present moment and, as defined by author and University of Massachusetts Medical School Professor Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn “paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Rather than becoming stressed and overwhelmed by thoughts about what happened yesterday or what might/should happen in the future, being mindful asks us to notice and observe ourselves in the present moment, without trying to force it to be any other way.
Accepting our reality is often hard though, and withholding judgment from ourselves or a circumstance we are unhappy with is even more difficult. However, being mindful helps us to develop a more understanding and compassionate relationship with ourselves, while also being more open to the unfolding of circumstances in our environment. Remaining in the present moment and just noticing where we are can allow for more creativity, less stress, and greater awareness of our own thought patterns. Indeed, research shows that the practice of mindfulness, whether through mindfulness meditation, walking, or even eating mindfully can have powerful and transformative effects on health, happiness, and personal and professional success.
Jennifer Earls, a Tufts University Alumna ’08, Career Counselor and Mindfulness teacher is currently teaching free, four-week Mindfulness Courses at Tufts as a representative from KORU Mindfulness. Jen is also currently a mindfulness career counselor at her self-founded company and is confident in the positive effects that mindfulness and mindfulness meditation have had on her life, both personally and professionally. Jen describes herself as a college student who was a very driven and motivated person, “really striving for excellence in school.” Jen notes, “I was also very self-critical, which I think a lot of people who are Type A perfectionists can be.”
After majoring in Psychology with a minor in communications and media studies and Entrepreneurial Leadership, Jen initially went into a corporate marketing role after college to combine her interests in psychology, business and communications. However, she felt that her first job did not satisfy an underlying thread of teaching and connecting with people that so often appeared in previously rewarding experiences, whether as the leader of a salsa dancing group at Tufts or an orientation leader for incoming freshman students. After leaving her first job to ponder what she wanted to do next, Jen began teaching dance full time. One of her salsa students recommended that she attend a yoga class, and at one of these classes the teacher read a Buddhist passage “very much about two core aspects of Buddhism of impermanence, meaning everything is changing and we are not necessarily in control or overpowering life, and also the idea of self-compassion and compassion.” These two tenants inspired Jen to explore mindfulness and meditation further.
“Learning to really be in the moment rather than being caught up in stories about the past or the future, it transformed my life in being able to have more choice in how I move through the world, realizing things I want to do, and how I treat myself and other people.”
Jen decided that ultimately what she wanted to do was become a career counselor and help others with “the process of knowing themselves.” She worked as a career counselor at MIT in Boston for four years before embarking on her current adventure of building her own career counseling business, Dancing With Life Consulting. Jen seeks to integrate mindfulness as a part of the career counseling process to help people discover their authentic selves and connect that with what it is they want to do. “I have found mindfulness to be really helpful in my own career path and personal life,” Jen said. “So I thought this has to be something that I share with others, and let them decide ‘Is this going to be beneficial for me?’ If it is, great, if not, then that is fine, but I think it is my responsibility to offer it to other people.”
Anybody can benefit from mindfulness practices, but where do you start and how can you experience the positive effects in your life? Jen suggests finding an entry point, often through what you are already interested in and excited about, adding: “for example dance, yoga, and meditation. For other people, it may be martial arts or music or other things that pull them in that direction. A lot of things can be a contemplative, meditative experience.” So, whether you choose to meditate, to run, to paint, or simply to sit outside, do so with the intention of paying attention to that activity and just observe your sensations, feelings, and thoughts without trying to change them. Rather, try to observe, do not judge, and remain in the present. As said by The Buddha, “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
The next KORU Mindfulness Course taught by Jennifer Earls at Tufts starts Wednesday, April 5th from 6:00-7:15 pm and continues until April 26th. Email ian.wong@tufts.edu to register.
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Photos: Samantha Murray Photography: http://www.samanthamurrayphoto.com/
Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are : Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life.New York: Hyperion, 1994. Print.