The Meditative World Of John Kabat-Zinn
Bringing Meditation Into The Treatment Room
“Meditation is the only intentional, systematic human activity which at the bottom is about not trying to improve yourself or get anywhere else, but simply to realize where you already are.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
I must confess, I had completely forgotten about Jon Kabat-Zinn. I was rather surprised when his name came up while searching for other article information. When I saw it, I realized I hadn’t thought of him in a long time. Gosh, he was a big personality in the mindfulness field and ahead of the curve when it came to innovative health care with mindful processes. He created a validation for the benefits of meditation from a Dr’s perspective that was new at the time. It allowed more serious consideration for its use in health and well being in western culture. I remembered seeing him on various talk shows back in the day, doing interviews and giving examples of his methods to skepticism and sometimes ridicule too. Mainstream media seldom likes an outsider, no matter what field the person may be in, that claims you have the self agency to take charge of your well-being , especially your mind.
Thinking all this made me consider that perhaps mindfulness still needs to get more attention a an addendum in health care, even though its more widely know as a way to reduce stress. And even though Jon Kabat-Zinn established the ‘Stress Reduction Clinic' and the 'Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society' at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the importance of mindfulness can often be overlooked as a valuable part of not just mental health but mental health during physical illness and recovery. And as Zinn explains in his various interviews, mindfulness should be taught as a part of life management to all ages so people can understand how to navigate their emotional life in a healthier and more rewarding way.
Perhaps the most ‘spiritual’ thing any of us can do is simply to look through our own eyes, see with eyes of wholeness, and act with integrity and kindness.”
Jon Kabat-Zinn, from His book, Wherever You Go There You Are
A Little Background On Jon Kabat-Zinn
As it is explained in this Jon Kabat- Zinn biography at GoodTherapy,
Zinn is listed under the heading of famous psychologists, and rightly so. His efforts and work in bringing eastern techniques of mindfulness into the western medical culture wasn’t an easy career path to go down. Zinn was straight forward in his understanding of the benefits mindfulness could bring into patients lives and persisted in spite of the mockery he faced.
From the biography it states Jon Kabat-Zinn is a biologist who developed the mindfulness-based stress-reduction program (MBSR) and founded the Stress Reduction Clinic in Massachusetts. It continues that while Zinn was studying molecular biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he attended a talk by Philip Kapleau, author of The Three Pillars of Zen, that introduced Zinn to the concepts of meditation and mindfulness.
That curiosity in starting his own Buddhist mindful meditation practice in 1965 allowed Zinn to consider and understand the importance such practices have on the mind. And from his own experiences he could envision the help it could have on patients, aiding in improving their mental status. In 1979 he put his ideas into a serious practice.
In an article from The Guardian : Master of mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn: ‘People are losing their minds. That is what we need to wake up to’ by Robert Booth it explains that Zinn was part of pioneering an eight-week mindfulness-based stress-reduction course (MBSR)at the University of Massachusetts Medical School for patients with chronic pain, harnessing the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation as taught by the Buddha, but with the Buddhism taken out. “I bent over backwards to structure it and find ways to speak about it that avoided as much as possible the risk of it being seen as Buddhist, new age, eastern mysticism or just plain flakey,” he says.
The Importance of Zinn’s Life Work
Zinn did ground breaking work with his course as he introduced mindfulness concepts into the medical community along with the the general public that were simple but powerful ways to handle life’s emotional chaos. In his work, especially with his patients, he taught mindfulness as a way that you could befriend your mind and improve your healing outcomes. In some cases, patients found out they could improve how they felt about their chronic pain, anxiety, depressions, and more. And while he made it clear that mindfulness meditation did not replace medical care, it could move you into self care of your healing process by managing your emotions about whatever health condition you did have. He showed that learning how to welcome in your mental attitude and engage with it mindfully let you move past your barriers to have a more enriched and fulfilled life in spite of physical conditions or emotional issues.
Through Zinn’s teachings and through his many books on the subject of mindfulness, he taught that even if you do not have an illness or are not recovering from a medical condition, mindfulness is a profound concept for everyone that can improve and change a person’s life with long lasting effect. Its also accessible to everyone because you do not need any special equipment to do it. Its just you with yourself.
When practiced regularly as part of your healthy lifestyle, mindfulness can help you maintain self care before emotional issues get out of hand. Your ability to direct your health with simple things like breathing practices, awareness, meditations and yoga have yet to become common tools instead of a novelty or last ditch, desperate grasp at recovery because you have tried everything else and have gotten nowhere. But if you think about it, perhaps that validates the use of these mindfulness techniques as Zinn promoted because they still can work wonders with your mind, healing, and life, even when you arrive late to the practices.
While naysayers may overlook the worth of practices like mindfulness, Jon Kabat-Zinn made an indelible mark on health care and self care with mindfulness. His methods and persistence in teaching, understanding and directing a person’s reaction to things like stress or illness allowed many to see that they could overcome their own assumed inability to live peacefully and joyfully in spite of life and its challenges. This cant be understated in today’s world where there is a real fight to control your mind going on right in front of you everyday. Knowing mindfulness is knowing how to safe guard your mind . You are less vulnerable to getting stuck in mind stories.
In Jon Kabat-Zinn’s paper “SOME REFLECTIONS ON THE ORIGINS OF MBSR, SKILLFUL MEANS, AND THE TROUBLE WITH MAPS” his words about the transformation power of mindfulness carry weight and hope for everyone suffering whether its just everyday coping you need or illness related. He showed his patients that emotional pain can be transformed into emotional peace.
In Zinn’s words,
Although it is not stated explicitly in this text, he sees the current interest in mindfulness and its applications as signaling a multi-dimensional emergence of great transformative and liberative promise, one which, if cared for and tended, may give rise to a flourishing on this planet akin to a second, and this time global, Renaissance, for the benefit of all sentient beings and our world. ~Jon Kabat-Zinn
Jon Kabata - Zinn’s Books About Mindfulness
Jon Kabat-Zinn has written many books on mindfulness and meditation. You might be familiar with one of his notable ones Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life: This is one of Kabat-Zinn’s most popular books, which explores the concept of mindfulness and its application in everyday life. Another one of his notable books is Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness: This book offers a comprehensive guide to mindfulness and its application in the face of stress, pain, and illness.
Zinn’s hope and intent to help change how people understood and dealt with stress and who suffered emotionally in every day situations that overwhelmed them kept him involved in teaching meditation and putting his understanding into many other books. Here is a book list (not comprehensive). You can also find a variety of Zinn’s videos on you tube. For more in depth information with ways to learn and experience mindfulness too you can find it all at his web page .
Book list:
• Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment―and Your Life: This book provides an introduction to mindfulness and its benefits, as well as practical tips for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.
• Coming to Our Senses: Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness: This book explores the connection between mindfulness and our physical and spiritual well-being, and offers practical advice for cultivating greater awareness and compassion.
• Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting: This book focuses on the application of mindfulness in parenting, offering practical advice for parents to cultivate greater awareness and compassion in their relationships with their children.
• Guided Mindfulness Meditation Series 1: A Complete Guided Mindfulness Meditation Program from Jon Kabat-Zinn: This book provides a comprehensive guide to mindfulness meditation, with guided meditations and exercises to help readers cultivate greater awareness and relaxation.
• Meditation Is Not What You Think: Mindfulness and Why It Is So Important: This book explores the concept of meditation and its importance in modern society, offering practical advice for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.
• Arriving at Your Own Door: 108 Lessons in Mindfulness: This book offers a collection of 108 lessons in mindfulness, covering topics such as meditation, awareness, and compassion.
• Mindfulness Meditation for Pain Relief: This book explores the application of mindfulness in the management of chronic pain, offering practical advice and exercises for cultivating greater awareness and relaxation.
• Falling Awake: How to Practice Mindfulness in Everyday Life: This book provides a comprehensive guide to mindfulness, offering practical advice and exercises for incorporating mindfulness into daily life.
These books offer a range of perspectives and insights on the concept of mindfulness and its application in various aspects of life.
Until next time,
Love Laughter and an Undivided Life.
Mariangela