Mindfulness Training by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Jon Kabat-Zinn is the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, an eight-week mindfulness training program. Kabat-Zinn was born in New York City in 1944. He attended Haverford College, before going on to complete a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the 1970s, he ended up working as a microbiologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester (UMass Medical School). While there, he began developing what would become the MBSR. It all started with him inviting patients to engage in self-care in the university hospital’s basement. Fast forward over four decades and MBSR has become the gold standard for mindfulness therapy. 

Beyond founding MBSR, Jon Kabat-Zinn has authored several books, including Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness, Wherever You Go, There You Are, Coming to Our Senses, and Mindfulness for Beginners. He is also a professor emeritus of medicine at UMass Medical School, the founder of the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at UMass Medical School, and a board member of the Mind and Life Institute, which facilitates dialogues between the Dalai Lama and Western scientists.

Today, you can find Kabat-Zinn teaching, giving lectures, and offering in-depth mindfulness training courses around the world. In his view, mindfulness can be practiced by anyone. There is no trick to it. Rather, it can be achieved by being aware of who we are, how we are, and where we are.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is the eight-week mindfulness training program founded by American molecular biologist Jon Kabat-Zinn. The program was developed in the 1970s while Kabat-Zinn was working at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester (UMass Medical School). He identified chronically ill patients who were not responding to conventional forms of medicine and recruited them to join what would become the MBSR program. Little did Kabat-Zinn know that this was just the beginning. Today, MBSR leads the way in mindfulness research and training through its application of mindfulness to the stresses of everyday life. Over 25,000 people have completed the program, and MBSR classes are taught across the globe, in hospitals, at yoga retreats, and at fitness facilities. MBSR was even adapted for use by the United States military to improve combatants’ “operational effectiveness.” 

MBSR is a group program or workshop focused on mindful awareness and mindfulness. It spans eight weeks and is led by certified trainers. The program encompasses a mix of weekly group meetings lasting 2.5 hours, a 7-hour, one-day retreat, 45 minutes of daily homework, and formal instruction on three techniques key to mindfulness: mindfulness meditation, body scanning, and yoga postures. Group discussions and explorations of behaviours, thoughts, and emotions are integral to the program. Throughout the eight-week program, participants are encouraged to focus on informal practice as much as formal practice, which means incorporating mindfulness into their daily routines. At the core of MBSR are the 7 attitudes of mindfulness: non-judging, patience, beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, and letting go. More specifically, MBSR programs aim to teach students about the benefits of mind and body awareness and how it can reduce stress, pain, and illness, mindfulness meditation, non-judgmental awareness in daily life, equanimity in dealing with change or loss, experiential exploration as it relates to stress, achieving serenity and clarity, and how to experience a more joyful life through stress management. To learn more about Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, read his book, Full Catastrophe Living, in which he goes into detail about the program and what it entails.

Lastly, what is unique about MBSR is that it is evidence-based, research-based, and secular. Though it has its roots in Buddhist teachings, Kabat-Zinn designed the training program to be entirely free from religion.

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.” It is done, he believes, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom. 

Kabat-Zinn claims that most people take themselves too seriously, a phenomenon known as “selfing” in which we live our lives according to the narrative we construct that is focused on “I,” “Me,” and “Mine.” Mindfulness counters this narrative, helping people realize there is no story of “me.” 

Further, Kabat-Zinn says mindfulness is a human ability we already possess. However, it becomes more readily available to us (and thus beneficial to us) when we practice it on a regular basis. He also states that attaining mindfulness is simpler than a lot of people think. Any time you bring awareness to the present via your senses, thoughts, or emotions, you are being mindful. Research shows that training yourself to be mindful actually changes the physical structure of your brain. 

Jon Kabat-Zinn also says that mindfulness has many benefits. First, MBSR can help relieve pain and improve psychological well-being in those suffering from chronic pain. Studies have confirmed MBSR’s ability to improve the quality of life for people struggling with lower back pain. It may also help people cope with migraines, headaches, and rheumatoid arthritis. Second, as the name suggests, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction can help people better manage stress. When we are not mindful of our thoughts and feelings, it can lead to greater reactivity and feeling overwhelmed by our emotions. Practicing mindfulness helps to slow down the body’s functions, from your heart rate to your blood pressure. In turn, this can help people who frequently deal with stress. A third benefit of mindfulness is that it can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. As mentioned, when we don’t remain in the present moment, unconscious behaviors and thoughts take over, contributing to a heightened sense of anxiety or depression. In contrast, when you learn to tune into the inner world of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours and practice becoming more accepting of them, this can help reduce the severity of anxiety and the symptoms of depression.

Jon Kabat-Zinn discovered meditation through Phillip Kapleau, an American teacher of Zen Buddhism and Zen missionary who spoke at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology while Kabat-Zinn was a student there. Over the next decade, he studied meditation under several other Buddhist teachers, like Thích Nhất Hạnh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, teacher, author, activist, and poet, and Seungsahn, a Korean Seon master of the Jogye Order and founder of the international Kwan Um School of Zen. Kabat-Zinn also studied (and later taught) at the Insight Meditation Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the study of Buddhism and located in Massachusetts. Therefore, it was throughout the 1970s that Jon Kabat-Zinn was first introduced to meditation by multiple leading Buddhist figures. His studies led him to open the Stress Reduction Clinic at UMass Medical School in 1979. This clinic would be the basis for what would become his Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program. As early as 1982, scientific studies on mindfulness meditation were published through the research conducted at Kabat-Zinn’s Stress Reduction Clinic. He applied the basic principles of mindfulness meditation to patients in a medical setting, and based on these results, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program was born. From the beginning, the goal of the MBSR program was to help alleviate the suffering of debilitating medical conditions like chronic pain and other illnesses. Given his microbiology background, Kabat-Zinn opted to remove the Buddhist context and any connection between Buddhism and mindfulness when developing MBSR. Instead, choosing to reframe mindfulness in a scientific, research-based context.

Mindfulness and meditation are two terms often used interchangeably in the health and wellness world, and we are going to explain them both. Mindfulness is about being aware. It is the practice of bringing our attention to our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. Since mindfulness is a basic human ability that is rooted in engaging with the present in a non-judgmental way. Therefore, it can be practiced by anyone anywhere, anytime. Whenever you bring awareness to your state of mind, surroundings, or what you’re experiencing, you are practicing mindfulness. The basics of mindfulness practice are as follows:

1. Devote time and space. There is no minimum time requirement, nor any special equipment necessary for mindfulness. However, to practice mindfulness, you must devote some time and space in your day to the practice. 

2. Observe the present moment. The goal of mindfulness is not to empty your mind. Instead, you should strive to pay attention to the present moment (your thoughts, feelings, and sensations).

3. Let your judgments melt away. The goal of mindfulness is to bring awareness to the present moment without judgment. Non-judgment is integral to the practice of mindfulness. Therefore, if you notice judgmental thoughts in your mind, acknowledge them and try to let them go.

4. Guide your mind back to observing the present. It’s normal for our minds to get carried away. When this inevitably happens during your practice, gently guide your thoughts back to the present moment.

5. Always be kind. Throughout your mindfulness practice, remember to be kind to yourself and your mind. No matter how many times your mind wanders off course or you let judgmental thoughts in, don’t get discouraged. Acknowledge that your thoughts have gotten away from you and redirect them to the present. Recognizing and returning your thoughts to the present is a part of all mindfulness practices.

Moving on to meditation, meditation is a key component of mindfulness. It is rooted in exploration. Contrary to popular belief, the goal of mindful meditation is not to empty your mind. Kabat-Zinn notes that this is a  huge misconception about meditation. Clearing one’s mind of distractions does not mean you will reach a special meditative state that will free you from physical or emotional pain. No such state exists. Rather, meditation provides a place to explore the inner workings of our minds, including our thoughts, sensations, and emotions. It is a space to suspend judgment and unleash our curiosity about the mind. Mindful meditation is a key component of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training program. Keep in mind that there are many types of meditation. The basics of a breath-focused meditation practice are as follows: 

1. Find a comfortable seated position. Choose a spot that is stable, supportive, and comfortable, and will remain so throughout your meditation practice.

2. Adjust your posture. Sit tall, but don’t stiffen your body. Let the natural curvature of your spine guide you. Straighten your upper body and relax your shoulders. Don’t forget about your legs. If you’re sitting on the ground or a cushion, cross your legs comfortably. If you’re sitting in a chair, rest your legs so the bottoms of your feet are flat against the ground. Finally, relax your arms. Your upper arms should be parallel to your body while your lower arms and palms can be resting on your thighs in a position that feels natural (palms facing up or down). 

3. Relax your gaze. Drop your chin and direct your gaze downwards. Soften your focus so that if your eyes remain open, you are not concentrating on anything specific in front of you. You may also choose to close your eyes.

4. Pay attention to your breath. Start by focusing on the physical sensations of your breath. This may include the sound of air moving in and out of your nostrils and the rise and fall of your belly or chest.

5. Recognize when your mind wanders. The goal of a breath-centric meditation is to focus on the breath. Therefore, it’s important to recognize and acknowledge when your mind wanders away from the breath. Invariably, this will happen throughout your practice. There is no need to pass judgment. Rather, simply notice when your mind wanders and gently guide it back to the breath.

6. Lift your gaze. Only when you are ready, open your eyes (if they are closed) and lift your gaze. Take a moment to notice any sounds or sights in your immediate environment. Then, take note of your feelings, thoughts, and emotions at that moment. You may also consider how your body feels.

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the three qualities of mindfulness are mindfulness meditation, body scanning, and yoga postures. 

Mindfulness meditation is a form of meditation that focuses on awareness of the present moment, including what you are thinking, feeling, and sensing in the moment. Non-judgment is a key element of the practice of mindfulness meditation. 

Body scanning is another quality of mindfulness critical to the MBSR program founded by Kabat-Zinn. It is derived from the meditation practice of “sweeping” the body, part of the Burmese U Ba Khin tradition, and involves paying attention to the parts of the body and any accompanying bodily sensations in a gradual sequence. A person may begin this sequence at their feet, working their way up, or at the head, working their way down.

Yoga, referred to as mindful yoga, is a Buddhist-style mindfulness practice that incorporates yoga teachings and postures. It was designed to be a form of physical exercise that is also meditative. This hybrid mindfulness-yoga concept was pioneered by Jon Kabat-Zinn in North America in 1990.

The seven pillars of mindfulness are at the heart of Jon Kabat Zinn’s Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. They are as follows: 

1. Non-judging: Mindfulness is a practice without judgment. The goal is to become an unbiased, impartial witness to your own thoughts and experiences by focusing on the present moment.

2. Patience: Patience is a recognition that mindfulness requires time and space. It is not a practice where you will see immediate results, and you should not let this discourage you. 

3. Beginner’s Mind: Those practicing mindfulness should aim to view things as a beginner as if you are seeing things for the first time. Try to enter each practice free from any preconceived notions or expectations. 

4. Trust: Trust is central to mindfulness. Through mindfulness, you can learn to trust yourself and your feelings.

5. Non-Striving: Non-striving is about letting go of the results and attempting to see and accept things as they are. 

6. Acceptance/Acknowledgement: Acceptance is being open and receptive to your thoughts and feelings, whatever they may be. 

7. Letting Go: If you practice mindfulness regularly, you’ll likely begin to notice common thought patterns. Letting go is the act of recognizing these thought patterns, whether negative or positive, observing them as they are, and then letting them go.