Applications

“Health is the greatest possession. Contentment is the greatest treasure.” – Lao Tzu

Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in secular applications of mindfulness, the practice of focusing attention on your thoughts, feelings and environment in the present moment. Below is a list of some of the areas in which mindfulness has valuable applications:

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Emotional pain/trauma

  • Emotional regulation

  • Focus and attention

  • High blood pressure

  • Immune function

  • Inflammation

  • Information processing

  • Insomnia

  • Irritable bowel syndrome

  • Memory

  • Menopausal symptoms

  • Physical pain

  • Relationship satisfaction

  • School performance

  • Smoking cessation

  • Spirituality

  • Stress reduction

  • Ulcerative colitis

  • Weight management

  • Work performance

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds research on the benefits of meditation, including mindfulness, meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction. NIH provides the following recommendations regarding the use of mindfulness meditation:

  • Don’t use meditation to replace conventional care or as a reason to postpone seeing a healthcare provider about a medical problem.

  • Ask about the training and experience of the meditation instructor you are considering.

  • Help your healthcare providers give you better coordinated and safe care by telling them about your health approaches. Give them a complete picture of what you do to manage your health.

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