Mindfulness in the Middle Kingdom

Text by Lena Gidwani Photo by VCG

Translation by Emma Xu

Mindfulness in the Middle Kingdom

Text by Lena Gidwani Photo by VCG

Translation by Emma Xu

Let it go, let it go. Don't hold it back anymore….

You've probably seen or read something like it before. And I'm not talking about the theme song from the movie Frozen, I'm talking about the idea of letting go of things in your life, whatever that may be.

In early 2014, Time Magazine published a cover story - The Mindful Revolution - signalling the arrival of mindfulness in the mainstream, making its way into schools, corporations, government agencies and more. The article honed in on how folks are incorporating this new-age concept into their lives. But what is mindfulness? Is it any good for us?

Apparently it is. There is a significant amount of wisdom in Eastern thought and evidence to suggest that we should let go of the many things which bind us and keep us from finding peace as well as keep us from experiencing the limitless freedom that exists in our everyday lives. Its techniques can provide significant psychological and physiological benefits. Generally speaking, when people experience stress, our brain activity that's responsible for conscious thinking and planning decreases, while regions that quickly activate the body's stress response increases, elevating the risk of stress-related diseases. Researchers however, have discovered that mindfulness practice actually reverses these patterns. Adoption has been rapid, perhaps due to its potential to help the bottom line: Aetna, an insurance provider, estimates that since

COLUMNIST'S PROFILE

Lena Gidwani is a resident of Guangzhou for 13 years, selfconfessed networker, magazine editor and an avid writer. Lena Gidwani，網絡工作者、雜志編輯、作家，在廣州居住13年。

instituting its mindfulness program, it has saved about USD$2,000 per employee in healthcare costs, and gained about USD$3,000 per employee in productivity. Transport for London reduced by 71%, the number of days off for stress, anxiety and depression among employees attending a stress reduction and mindfulness workshop.

And these days, it's taking off in China faster than you can say zen. In Beijing, tucked away in the hutongs, the Mindfulness Centre offers both private and group coaching. When the moon is full, there are extra guided meditations offered free. In Shanghai, workshops are offered regularly by various organizations and held anywhere from temples to cafes, for everyone from high-level executives to blue-collar workers. A recent workshop hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai for its members touted practical evidencebased tools for mindfulness in the workplace and home, and had a full house. Kids too are taking on the challenge. Ms. Anna G, an early years teacher at ISA International School in Guangzhou, helps her two-year olds to think more carefully about the consequences of their actions and become more compassionate towards others. “One is never too young, or old, to practice. It develops concentration and self- awareness, and helps with emotional regulation and cognitive focus.”

I agree totally. As a working mother in busy Guangzhou, time is precious, and I build upon the values my children gain both at school and home by taking time during the week to turn off all gadgets and simply focus on being calm and still. It's good for us all to be away from technology and know that we will survive for a short time without texting a friend, answering an email or being on a social network. We extend this to the dinner table too. We eat slowly, even silently (on occasions!), using all our senses to focus purely on the food. We ask the kids to think about where the food originally came from, the process it has been through and how it came to be on their plates. Appreciating the little moments of life, the wonders of nature and the world around us, helps to improve our quality of life and peace of mind, and gratitude for something we usually take for granted and can be very rewarding and more satisfying. Our neighbors, a lovely family from Hunan, have taken heed and now carry out similar exercises with their children, noting a vast difference in behavior.

To mindfulness and beyond, may your life be richer, more peaceful and focused. For what comes next is amazing…

正念在中國

2014年初，《時代》周刊有一期封面文章叫《正念革命》，揭示正念思潮已走向主流。這篇文章闡述了人們如何將正念融入生活之中。然而，什么是正念？對我們是否有益？

東方的智慧很早就有與正念相關的哲思，即對束縛自身的東西放手。正念能為身心帶來益處。人在經受壓力時，意識思維減弱，壓力反應增強，罹患疾病的風險隨之提高。研究發(fā)現，正念可增強人體對壓力的承受能力。

正念在中國也迅速流行起來。北京胡同里的正念中心可以提供一對一或一對多輔導。在上海，有各種組織定期為各階層人士開辦進修班。孩子們也加入了正念大軍。一些教師會引導學生多考慮行為后果，多為他人著想。

我個人很推崇正念。在忙碌的廣州，作為在職媽媽，時間很寶貴，但我每周都會抽時間關掉所有有干擾的小玩意，集中精神保持身心平靜。暫時與科技隔離，意味著我和家人要在短時間內，不發(fā)短信，不回郵件，不逛社交網絡。用餐時，我們慢慢地、靜靜地吃飯，全身心感受食物，讓孩子思考食物從源頭到餐桌的所有經歷。享受這點滴時刻，感受自然的神奇，對習以為常的事物懷抱感恩之心，提高了我們生活的質量，也使我們的心態(tài)更為平和。

保持正念，尋求超越，祝愿自己的生活更加富足、平靜、專注。接下來，你將收獲驚喜。