Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was initially designed to relieve suffering among chronic pain patients by teaching skills that cultivate present moment-focused, non-judgmental awareness.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was initially designed to relieve suffering among chronic pain patients by teaching skills that cultivate present moment-focused, non-judgmental awareness. [5] Three formal mindfulness techniques are taught over eight weeks: The “body scan,” an attention-focusing technique; gentle yoga; and sitting meditation. The body scan is performed supine with attention directed systematically and non-judgmentally through regions of the body, encouraging relaxed awareness and acceptance of proprioceptive and interoceptive sensation. Hatha yoga consists of gentle movement and stretching sequences that promote awareness of movement and position. Sitting meditation helps develop a stable cognitive perspective from which to observe mental events with openness and acceptance without becoming caught up in distressing thoughts or feelings. Informal mindfulness practice is also encouraged: Participants cultivate an awareness of the present moment, whether perceived as pleasant or unpleasant. The intent is to help participants become engaged with the experiences of each moment as they arise and learn to face stressful events in a way that is skillfully responsive rather than habitually reactive. With practice, individuals learn to modify their reflexive conditioning from automatically reacting or worrying about the future to a more adaptive, measured response with greater awareness of the present moment.