In Part 2 of our Summer 2021 Mindfulness Blog Series, we focused on the first three of six important considerations when beginning mindfulness and its safety for everyone.   Today we will explore the last three of six, to share our view of the best way to practice mindfulness and identify any safety concerns for you, your child, or loved one.   

It is important to note that 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. That’s 223.4 million people.  When considering this high percentage, we always want to err on the side of caution when asking people to close their eyes and invite them to imagine, see visualizations, or even left to just notice the silence.     

Is mindfulness a safe practice for everyone?  These final considerations are the most critical when leading a mindfulness group or encouraging an individual to begin using mindfulness practices.  

Group presentations of mindfulness should be conducted very carefully   

• Many teens share with us that they have been required to participate in mindfulness in one or more of their classes at school.  Some mention that they have felt panicked doing everything in their power to escape the room or be sick the days of those classes.   
• Some have grown to think of mindfulness as something that is not for them.  Frequently this is because it was not tailored to their needs.  Instead, they associate it with a large group of people in a room closing their eyes required to listen to sounds, music, a script, or silence, which is a very narrow understanding of the practice.  

Individuals who have experienced past or recent trauma should participate with caution.   

• It is highly recommended that a professional work with adults or children who have experienced trauma to help them find the right type of mindfulness activities.  Most of the time the activities will not include closing eyes or open meditation initially, but instead will work more on sensory mindfulness.  We will share more about this in Part 4 of our series.   
• A professional will often assist an individual in finding their calm place with evidence that they able to successfully visualize and stay in this place without their mind wandering.  This can be a very powerful mindfulness tool when properly created and practiced.   The trained leader will also be sure that the individual is not experiencing any forms of dissociation prior to teaching these methods.  

Every person needs to remain within their window of tolerance.  

• Earlier we mentioned that clients have shared with us that they left a mindfulness group activity in a panic.  This is an example of someone being drawn out of their window of tolerance without assistance provided to help them find their way back.  No one would create this situation on purpose; however, it can be a direct result of opening mindfulness in a group forum without contingencies for individuals to opt out if necessary.   
• The window of tolerance is a term commonly used in trauma counseling.  It describes the zone of arousal in which a person can function effectively.  An individual can feel upset, anxious, or scared, but still be able to function and not be completely highjacked by their emotions.  If an individual has not been taught the tools to tolerate distress, there is a good possibility that they may struggle with general mindfulness.   

Using a trauma informed lens is imperative when teaching mindfulness however this is not always used by mindfulness leaders.  It is our hope that this blog series will help to spread the word to bring higher levels of safety and success to teaching mindfulness practices.  

We look forward to sharing our final blog soon of our four-part Summer 2021 Mindfulness Blog Series and hope you will join us.    

In Part 1 of our Summer 2021 Mindfulness Blog Series, we learned what Mindfulness is and is not.  We also answered the question about its link to religion.  We encourage you to read all the blogs within the series for a comprehensive understanding.   

Today we would like to focus on the question of, Is mindfulness a safe practice for everyone?  It certainly appears on the surface that mindfulness would be a safe exercise to learn and for many individuals it is, however, there are some important considerations.  Below we will explore the first three of six, in hopes of learning the best way to practice mindfulness and whether further thought should be explored before jumping into using it.   

A clear definition of mindfulness should be understood.  

• Before practicing any new exercises, it is always a wise choice to fully understand what is involved.  If you are learning from a life coach, mental health therapist, or yoga instructor there is usually a discussion and confirmation that the individual understands and would like to learn mindfulness.  Always ask for clarity if it is not shared.  
• On the other hand, there are circumstances in which individuals, including our youth, who find themselves in a scholastic or community group where it is presented without a great deal of explanation or opportunity for having questions answered.  And in some cases, there is no way for the individual to opt out.  This can cause some unintentional harm to a participant, so should be seriously considered prior to introducing mindfulness.  

Meditation is NOT the only way to present mindfulness.   

• Because meditation is one of the first things that comes to a person’s mind when they hear mindfulness, they may not be willing to try this practice.  Although meditation can be a very helpful mindfulness tool, some individuals will reject the concept of mindfulness all together if they think meditation is required. 
• Closing eyes is not a necessity when practicing mindfulness.  If an individual is resistant to closing their eyes during meditation or another mindfulness exercise that is perfectly fine.  Focal points within a room or a favorite drawing or photo is a great way to focus the mind and eliminate visual distractions.  

The person helping you to learn mindfulness should be practicing it as well.  

• When learning mindfulness from another individual it is a very appropriate question to ask if they are practicing mindfulness.  It is very important to have experienced the feelings and challenges that go along with perfecting the skill of mindfulness.  If the leader is not doing so on a regular basis, they will have trouble guiding others. 
• An effective mindfulness leader will acknowledge that there are many ways to practice mindfulness and guide each person into a specialized plan that will allow them to be successful.   

We hope you will join us in the coming weeks for Part 3 of our Summer 2021 Mindfulness Blog Series, where will highlight the last three considerations to insure safe mindfulness practice.