Losing your mind; finding your mind

We live in a world of distractions. Cell phones growing out of our ears. Overstuffed e-mail boxes. The glub-glub of rap music scoring our lives whether we want it to or not. And what about Byzantine voicemail mazes, terrorist threats ... and those teenagers?

No wonder we all feel like we're losing our minds. And no wonder Adult Attention Deficit Disorder and its prescriptions for Ritalin are so hip among my peers.

Before we become a generation of middle-aged speed freaks, I thought I would see if there were a better way.

I've been hearing a lot about "mindfulness" lately. Just the word calms me down. It is a concept that has been around for centuries, central to many contemplative traditions such as Buddhism. But how does one cultivate mindfulness?

According to John Patrick Sullivan, a "mindfulness meditation coach," it takes work.

First, you have to meet the challenge of finding the time to sit down and sit still. Focusing on your breath, you create a calming rhythm of breathing in for five counts and out for five. "The breath becomes the anchor to the practice."

Your mind will invariably wander. In mindfulness meditation, this is OK, even helpful. You observe where your mind goes, note it without judgment, and then gently nudge it back to the present, and the anchor of your breath. Your mind will wander off again; and again, you bring it back to a focus on your breathing.

This is harder than it sounds. "The noise in the mind becomes like an addiction," says John Patrick. "Judging, analyzing, forming opinions fill our mind. And it can control us." He gives the example of hearing a train whistle blow in the distance. "I have a choice here. Do I follow the train down the track or do I come back to the present moment, to my breath? Bringing my mind back develops those spiritual muscles."

There are many benefits of "mindfulness" besides developing a strong mind.

Studies have shown a significant reduction of stress symptoms in cancer patients who become more mindful. And there is a significant reduction of medical symptoms in general for those who have had mindfulness training.

"We work ourselves into an ego-driven frenzy in this society," says John Patrick. "Our mind is going constantly. If we come back to the present, we can feel the wind on our skin, the warmth of the sun. If we stay in the moment we have no problems. It's only when our mind moves away into the past or the present that we encounter stress."

Our psychological health is also helped by greater mindfulness.

Studies show lower levels of depression and anxiety in those with mindfulness training. A University of Rochester study found that individuals who were more mindful were more likely to have a better mood, higher self-esteem and optimism.

This same study found that mindfulness enhances everyday "life satisfaction." It helps people to be more aware of what they need and feel and this, according to the authors of the study, means the more mindful are able to "make better choices in a complex world."

By the way, you don't need to strip yourself bare of all material possessions, don a loin cloth and move to the top of a mountain in order to practice mindfulness.

Walking down the street is a great opportunity. Just try to stay present to what you see and sense. When your mind wanders off to the past or the future -- those unpaid bills or your gruesome boss -- gently bring it back to the present reality.

Just breathe in, breathe out: No problem's possible when you focus on the caressing wind and the lush warmth of the sun.

Dr. Michael O.L. Seabaugh, a Cape Girardeau native, is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Santa Barbara, Calif. Contact him at mseabaugh@semissourian.com.