Article by Dina Oelofsen https://secrets2meditation.com/goto/?url=http://www.mindfulleadership.co.za/
The following research has been done on Mindfulness and has a significant impact on developing Leadership talent. Researchers’ interest in mindfulness practice hassteadily increased as studies continue to revealits beneficial effects. Current research looks athow the brain responds to mindfulness practice,how relationships benefit, and how physical andmental health improves, as well as other topics.The following presents a sample of the resultsfrom investigations seeking to uncover more ofwhat mindfulness can offer to enhance humanwell-being.Brain Immune SystemA burgeoning field of study has grown out ofinterest for the effects of mindfulness practice onthe brain. Current literature points towards thepotential for mindfulness to affect the structureand neural patterns present in the brain. Scientistshave seen these results last not only duringmindfulness practice, but also during the dailylife of practitioners. The results of one studypublished in NeuroReport in 2005 show thickercortical regions related to attention and sensoryprocessing in long-term meditation practitionerscompared to non-meditators. These findings alsosuggest that meditation practice may offset corticalthinning brought on by aging1. A recent studyoutlines the difference in neural functions relatedto emotion in expert meditators and novicemeditators. Individuals performed compassionmeditations, while researchers measured howthe regions in the brain responsible for emotionregulation reacted to varying stimuli. The moreadvanced meditators showed more activationin those areas of the brain that detect emotionalcues, demonstrating a heightened empathicawareness2. However, not all studies involveexpert meditators. A 2003 study focused on howan 8-week training course would affect the brainsand immune systems of individuals.This investigation provided some evidence ofincreased activation in a region of the brain correlatedwith positive affect, as well as evidence thatthe immune system would react more robustly inantibody production after meditation training3.Brief Summary ofMindfulness ResearchGreg Flaxman and Lisa Flook, Ph.D.2Article 02Another recent study showed better stress regulation,as measured by a faster decrease in levels ofthe stress hormone cortisol following a stressfullaboratory task, among Chinese undergraduatesafter 5 days of meditation training at 20 minutesa day. These students also reported less anxiety,depression, and anger compared to a group ofstudents that received relaxation training4.RelationshipsMindfulness training may affect an individual’sability to harbor successful social relationships aswell. A University of North Carolina at ChapelHill study demonstrated a correlation betweenmindfulness practice in couples and an enhancedrelationship. The couples reported improvedcloseness, acceptance of one another, autonomy,and general relationship satisfaction5. A 2007study replicated this finding, also demonstratinga correlation between mindfulness and qualityof communication between romantic partners6.Loving-kindness meditation, which can involvepositive imagery or wishes directed toward othersor self, can affect how one relates to others. Arecent study examined how individuals reacted toviewing photographs of strangers after lovingkindnessmeditation. The meditation significantlyaffected the positive values they attributed tothose strangers, demonstrating a relationshipbetween loving-kindness meditation and socialconnectedness7.Mindfulness practice can benefit familial relationships.Parents of children with developmentaldisabilities described increased satisfaction withtheir parenting, more social interactions withtheir children, and less parenting stress as a resultof mindfulnesstraining8. In another study carriedout by the same researchers regarding parentsof children with autism, the same results ofincreased satisfaction in their parenting skills andrelationship applied9. In both studies, the childrenof these parents benefited from the mindfulparenting practice, showing decreases in aggressiveand non-compliant behavior. In addition, amindfulness intervention for adolescents withexternalizing disorders that involved their parentsin the treatment showed improvement in thehappiness of the children, as well as the parents’perception of their child’s self-control10.ClinicalA popular form of mindfulness intervention,devised by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is Mindfulness-BasedStress Reduction (MBSR). This interventionoriginally came about to help those with chronicpain issues or stress-related disorders. Typically inMBSR programs, individuals go through an 8-10week session in which they practice for at least 45minutes a day. Numerous therapies incorporatingmindfulness have sprouted in recent years. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, similar to MBSR,teaches individuals to recognize their thoughtsand feelings with a nonjudgmental attitude. Whenresearchers studied its effectiveness in preventinga relapse of depression for those in remittancefrom a depressive episode, 37% of those that wentthrough an 8-week MBCT program experienceda relapse compared to 66% of those not in theprogram11. Helping professionals can use mindfulnessto improve their abilitiy to empathize withthose they serve as well. A study3Article 02of an 8-week MBSR course for nurses showed thattheir mindfulness practice facilitated empathicattitudes, as well as decreased their tendency totake on others’ negative emotions12. A previousstudy of health-care professionals going throughthe 8-week MBSR program presented results ofincreased self-compassion and reduced stress inthose individuals13. Such self-care may trickledown to improve upon the quality of the relationshipbetween those professionals and their clients.While the majority of mindfulness studies havefocused on adults, some pertain to the practice ofmindfulness in children and adolescents. A seriesof studies have documented its use as an interventionfor youth with psychological disturbances. Inone 6-week study with anxious children, teachersreported an improvement in academic functioningand decrease in symptoms of anxiety in thechildren14. Another utilized mindfulness-basedcognitive therapy with the result of significantlyreducing observable internalizing and externalizingsymptoms. Over 80% of children and parentsinvolved in this study thought that schools shouldteach mindfulness15. A mindfulness interventionfor several adolescents with conduct disorderresulted in a significant decrease in aggressivebehavior. They reported benefits from mindfullyreturning their attention to the soles of their feetduring distressing situations16. In a recent studyfor adolescents with ADHD, mindfulness trainingsignificantly reduced symptoms associated withtheir disorder17.EducationThere is increasing interest in the utility of mindfulnesspractices in educational settings. A studyof 1st-3rd grade children that involved a 12-weekprogram of breath awareness and yoga (deliveredonce per week every other week) showed improvementsin children’s attention and social skillsas well as decreased test anxiety in children whowent through the training as compared to controls18.Another program that combined elementsof MBSR and tai chi for a small group of middleschool students in a 5-week program found thatstudents reported an increased sense of calm,connection to nature, and improved sleep aftergoing through the training19. Two pilot studiesconducted through UCLA’s Mindful AwarenessResearch Center indicate improvements inself- regulatory abilities among preschool andelementary school students who participated inan 8-week mindful awareness practices trainingprogram (developed and taught by InnerKids intwo 30-minute sessions per week). Specifically,children who were initially less well-regulatedshowed the strongest improvements subsequentto training, as compared to children in the controlgroup who did not receive the training20 21.These preliminary findings suggest potentialbenefit and practical applications of mindfulnessfor children in school settings.Other mind/body practicesMindfulness is not alone in the world of mind/body awareness practices currently studied byscientists. A 2006 qualitative study followed theeffects of one year of Transcendental Medita4Article 02tion! (during the first and last 10 minutes ofeach school day) on ten middle school students.Themes that emerged from individual interviewswith students included a greater ability at selfcontroland improved social relationships, as wellas better academic performance. Other investigatorshave evaluated the benefits of Yoga as well22. Investigators found Sahaja Yoga Meditation,an awareness practice related to mindfulness, asan effective intervention for children with ADHDand their families. Results included an improvementin the self-esteem of the children, a reductionin their ADHD symptoms, and an improvedrelationship between parent and child23. A studyof Iyengar Yoga as a complement to medicationin the treatment of depression found significantreductions in overall depression, anger, andanxiety among participants. Participants alsoconsistently rated their moods higher after thecompletion of each class than before each onecommenced24. The underlying mechanismsinvolved in these types of practice remain to beunderstood, although it appears that each doesoffer health benefits.While the discussed research gives one a glimpseinto the many topics of study involving mindfulness,it does not capture the complete picture.Some areas have barely been broached by investigators,including mindfulness in the workplaceand mindfulness in athletics. Future investigationsmay increasingly shed light on both how mindfulnessworks as well as directly comparing variousforms of practice.1 Lazar, S., et al. (2005). Meditation experience is associated withincreased cortical thickness.NeuroReport, 16(17), 1893-1897.2 Lutz,