Baycrest

The benefits of mindfulness W e're constantly being encouraged to "live in the present" to reduce anxiety and improve well-being. It's good advice, but pushing away bad memories is unproductive. Nobody would enjoy living in the permanent present tense. Being stuck in time is like prison. We need access to the past in order to be free from it. Memories are stored in the connections between brain cells, referred to as "traces." When we recall an event, that memory trace is reactivated then stored again along with events that are happening now. This process is known as reconsolidation. Rumination reinforces the bad memory by pairing it with negativity, digging it deeper into the brain and giving it a more powerful hold on us. On the other hand, when memories of past events are observed in a non-judgmental way, they can be reconsolidated and stored without being evaluated as bad or good. This technique puts ideas, thoughts, feelings and perceptions into perspective, placing a bit of distance between you and the event. This can help to heal from trauma and depressive thought patterns. Mindfulness meditation provides guidance for developing this perspective on your experience. There is real and growing evidence that, when applied properly, it can play a role in treatments for various conditions such as depression and chronic pain. People often say that practising mindfulness meditation "clears the mind." In fact, mindfulness meditation is very different than clearing the mind. You simply observe, without judging, the ever-changing contents of consciousness, including thoughts, emotions, sensations and memories. No special clothing, equipment or music is required. Mindfulness is about accepting the reality in front of your nose, no matter how imperfect the conditions. Brian Levine, Ph.D, is a Professor in the departments of psychology and medicine, University of Toronto, Division of Neurology, and a senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Health Sciences. [This article has been edited for space and clarity. First published in The Toronto Star, June 9, 2015.] To read Dr. Levine's full article on Mindfulness and trauma go to: baycrest.org/brainmatters/levine Dr. Brian Levine BrainMatters WINTER 2015/16 5

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