Mindfulness works on a number of levels:
- On a physiological level, mindfulness practice activates the relaxation response: Your heart rate drops, breathing slows down, blood pressure drops, and you feel calmer and more relaxed. In other words, this is activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest response.”
- On a neurological level, regular mindfulness reduces the reactivity of the amygdala, which is known as the brain’s “fear center.” Reduced amygdala activity means you become less fearful, reactive, and stressed out. This is related to deactivation of the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “flight or fight response.”
- On a psychological level, regular mindfulness practice develops a sense of equanimity and acceptance. It fosters a sense of being comfortable in our own skin. In other words, we are OK with ourselves as we are. We have an increased sense of acceptance of life and things as they are. With that also comes increased psychological flexibility to adjust and adapt to challenges in life.
- On a spiritual level, mindfulness practice helps develop a sense of peace, contentment, and compassion, and a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, something beyond time and space. There are many names for this “thing”: Higher power, higher self, true self, true home, God, ground of being, etc.
References:
Hanson, Rick. 2021. The Science of Meditation. https://www.rickhanson.net/the-science-of-meditation. Accessed March 2021.
Hozel et al., 2011. How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science,
6(6), 537–559.
Greeson et al, 2011. Changes in spirituality partly explain health-related quality of life outcomes after Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 34, 508–518.
Mindfulness FAQ 