正念：8 种正念练习、益处及入门指南

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgment. It’s a way of training your mind to be more aware and less reactive.

Click on a mindfulness practice to see a quick tip:

Mindfulness MeditationBody ScanMindful BreathingMindful MovementBreathing SpaceLoving-Kindness

Mindfulness meditation

Find a quiet space, sit comfortably, and focus on your breath. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back to your breathing.

Mindfulness often involves simple techniques like:

• Focusing on your breath
• Observing your thoughts and feelings
• Paying attention to physical sensations in your body

These practices help you step back from automatic reactions and see your experiences more clearly. It’s like developing a “mental muscle” that allows you to return to a state of calm, even when faced with difficult situations.

Mindfulness is originally based on Buddhist philosophy. The Buddhist rationale behind mindfulness is that cultivating positive qualities diminishes the strength of negative attitudes and forms the basis of a more compassionate and loving heart toward oneself and others.

Elements of Mindfulness

There are thought to be five core aspects of mindfulness that anyone can develop:

• Nonreactivity to inner experience:  This involves the ability to observe internal experiences, such as thoughts, emotions, and sensations, without feeling the need to react or engage with them.
• Becoming a Curious Observer: This is about tuning into what’s happening inside you right now. It’s like turning on a gentle spotlight to illuminate your thoughts, emotions, and body sensations, without trying to change them.
• Acting with awareness: How often do you drive home or eat a meal without really noticing? This aspect of mindfulness is about fully engaging in what you’re doing, moment by moment. It’s the difference between sleepwalking through life/ being on autopilor and being truly present.
• Finding Words for Your Inner World: Sometimes, putting a name to what we’re feeling can be powerful. This part of mindfulness involves describing your inner experiences. It’s like being a friendly reporter for your own thoughts and feelings.
• Nonjudging of experience: We often criticize ourselves harshly or label experiences as “good” or “bad.” This element of mindfulness encourages a kinder, more accepting approach to whatever you’re experiencing. It’s not about approving everything, but rather observing without harsh judgments.

Mindfulness exercises

There are many ways in which mindfulness can be practiced. Below are some techniques that can be incorporated into daily life:

Mindfulness meditation

Mindfulness meditation is a formal practice of mindfulness, and ultimately a formal practice of presence. The key principles of mindfulness meditation are non-judgment, patience, having a beginner’s mind, trusting oneself, being non-striving, letting go, and acceptance.

Tips for mindful meditation:

• Pay attention to what is being experienced in the moment, either in the breath or body, without judgment or interpretation.
• Use the breath as an anchor to return attention to when the mind wanders.
• Expand attention to include as many mental, emotional, and physical experiences that arise, as they occur, from a stance of calmness and neutrality.
• Observe bodily parts and bodily sensations (the body scan technique) and all perceptions, thoughts, emotions, and internal experiences through an open and accepting focus.
• Do not resist, judge, grasp, or evaluate experiences, including bodily pain and general sensations and emotions.

Mindful breathing

Mindful breathing can be done formally through practice or informally by pausing throughout the day to use the breath as a focal cue to bring awareness back into the moment.

To start:

1. Find a comfortable position
2. Close your eyes or soften your gaze
3. Notice your natural breath without changing it
4. Pay attention to the sensations of breathing
5. When your mind wanders, gently bring focus back to the breath

Begin with short sessions, like 5 minutes daily. Gradually increase duration as you feel comfortable. You can practice anywhere, anytime. Remember, it’s normal for thoughts to arise – the practice is about noticing and returning to the breath without judgment.

Mindful Movement

Mindful movement includes practices directed at moving the body in an intentional way to cultivate present-moment awareness.

One example is walking meditation where the focus is on walking with the intention of cultivating present-moment awareness and a sense of compassion.

To practice mindful walking, walk at a slow pace to become aware of the nuance of each step. As the mind wanders, use the awareness of each aspect of the foot touching and lifting from the ground to bring attention back to the moment.

Mindfulness in everyday life

Therapeutic presence can also be cultivated through informal mindfulness practices, such as non-judgmental awareness of aspects of daily life.

To start:

1. Choose a daily activity (e.g., eating, walking, or washing dishes)
2. Engage fully with your senses during this task
3. Notice sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and physical sensations
4. Observe thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them
5. When your mind wanders, gently return focus to the present activity

Start with one activity daily. Gradually expand to more moments throughout your day. The goal is to be present and engaged, rather than operating on autopilot.

Body scan

The Body Scan is a mindfulness technique that involves systematically focusing attention on different parts of the body.

Here’s a brief overview:

1. Lie down or sit comfortably
2. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths
3. Start at your toes, gradually moving attention up through your body
4. Notice sensations in each area without judgment (e.g., warmth, tension, tingling)
5. If your mind wanders, gently bring focus back to the body part you’re on
6. End by becoming aware of your body as a whole

The primary purpose of the Body Scan technique is to cultivate a deep awareness of physical sensations throughout the body, helping to ground you in the present moment and develop a non-judgmental acceptance of your physical state.

Loving-kindness

Loving-kindness meditation, also known as Metta, is a practice that cultivates goodwill towards oneself and others. It is considered the basic underlying attitude of all mindfulness practices in some Buddhist traditions.

To start:

1. Sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths
2. Begin with self-compassion, silently repeating phrases like “May I be happy, healthy, and peaceful”
3. Gradually extend these wishes to loved ones, acquaintances, and even difficult people
4. Visualize each person as you direct kind thoughts their way
5. End by extending loving-kindness to all beings

This practice is all about cultivating a genuine feeling of goodwill, rather than forcing emotions.

Visualization

Visualization uses mental imagery to promote relaxation and positive emotions.

Here’s a brief guide:

1. Find a quiet, comfortable space
2. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths
3. Imagine a peaceful scene (e.g., beach, forest) in vivid detail
4. Engage all your senses in the visualization
5. Notice how your body feels as you immerse in the image
6. If your mind wanders, gently return to the visualization

The purpose of visualization is to create a mental refuge, reduce stress, and cultivate positive emotions. It can be particularly helpful for managing anxiety, improving mood, and enhancing overall well-being.

3-minute breathing space

The 3-minute breathing space is a mindfulness technique taught in MBCT (Mindfulness Based Cognitive therapy) designed to increase present-moment awareness.

Here’s how it works:

1. Awareness (1 minute): Notice your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment
2. Gathering (1 minute): Gently shift focus to your breath, observing each inhale and exhale
3. Expanding (1 minute): Broaden awareness to your whole body, accepting any sensations

This practice serves as a “mini-meditation,” helping to pause, reset, and respond more skillfully to life’s challenges. It can be especially useful during times of immediate stress.

Mindfulness in therapy

Mindfulness can be incorporated into therapeutic methods to help a variety of conditions.

A mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) is a structured program or therapy that uses mindfulness practices to address specific mental health, physical health, or wellness goals.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) integrates mindfulness techniques into cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to prevent relapse in individuals with chronic depression.

MBCT utilizes mindfulness exercises like sitting meditation, informal meditation, and body scans, originally developed for managing chronic pain in MBSR, and applies them to address the experience of chronic psychological distress.

The goal is to help individuals develop a mindful awareness of their thoughts and feelings without judgment, enabling them to disengage from ruminative patterns associated with depression.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was initially developed to help individuals cope with chronic pain by developing intensive meditation habits. 

It involves approximately 90 hours of assigned time, including eight sessions (mostly 2.5 hours long with one full-day silent retreat) and daily 45-minute homework assignments.

Key practices taught in MBSR, which often serve as foundational techniques in other mindfulness-based interventions, include mindful eating, body scan meditations, and yoga.

Benefits of Mindfulness

Below are some of the areas in which mindfulness can be helpful:

Mental health

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can be helpful for a range of mental health concerns, including anxiety (e.g., social anxiety, generalized anxiety), depression, and stress.

Studies have shown that MBIs can be as effective as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), a widely used psychotherapy.

Research on MBIs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has shown promising results, but further research is needed.

Stress

There is overall support for a moderate effect of MBIs on reducing stress6. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that online MBIs had a significant and moderate effect size for stress.

One study found that after an 8-week mindfulness intervention, students had significantly lower distress scores during an examination period compared to controls who received the usual support.

MBIs have also been shown to be beneficial to employees in reducing stress, burnout, mental distress and somatic complaints, while improving mindfulness, well-being, compassion and job satisfaction.

Chronic pain

Mindfulness may also be beneficial for those with chronic pain6. A review of 30 randomized controlled trials found that mindfulness meditation interventions led to improvements in chronic pain management.

There is also some evidence to suggest that MBIs can reduce blood pressure and improve cancer-related fatigue. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of MBIs for other physical health conditions.

Relationships

Although mindfulness has traditionally been an intrapersonal practice focused on individual internal experiences, interpersonal mindfulness recognizes the value of practicing mindfulness with others.

Mindfulness may enhance present-moment awareness during interactions, improve active listening skills, reduce reactive behaviors, and can foster non-judgmental attitudes towards others.

Research suggests that mindfulness is positively associated with interpersonal relations in the workplace.

Getting started with mindfulness

If you are considering a mindfulness-based intervention, it can be helpful to think about the following:

• Time Commitment: Mindfulness programs often require substantial time investment, with MBSR typically involving about 90 hours over 8 weeks.
• Accessibility: Cost and time constraints can make mindfulness programs challenging to access and maintain for some individuals.
• Instructor Qualifications: It’s crucial to find qualified, experienced mindfulness instructors, especially for formal programs like MBCT.
• Potential Adverse Effects: While generally safe, some individuals may experience adverse reactions like anxiety or depersonalization, particularly with intensive meditation.
• Measurement Challenges: Accurately measuring mindfulness progress can be difficult due to its subjective nature and complex definition.

If you are looking to incorporate mindfulness on your own, try following these steps:

• Decide what type of mindfulness practice you think you can reasonably do, whether that be a formal meditation or incorporating mindfulness into your everyday routine.
• Start small: Begin with short, 5-minute sessions and gradually increase duration as you feel comfortable.
• Choose a consistent time: Practice at the same time each day to establish a routine.
• Find a quiet space: Designate a calm area in your home for practice. If you choose to incorporate mindfulness in other spaces such as at work, try using headphones and playing some calming music to help.
• Use guided meditations: Start with apps or online resources that offer guided sessions for beginners.
• Explore different techniques: Try various methods to find what resonates with you.
• Be consistent: Regular practice, even if brief, is more beneficial than occasional long sessions.

正念：8 种正念练习、好处和入门

正念是一种有目的地、不加判断地关注当下的方式。这是一种训练你的思维变得更加清醒、更少反应的方法。

单击正念练习即可查看快速提示：

正念冥想身体扫描正念呼吸正念运动呼吸空间慈心

正念冥想

找一个安静的空间，舒适地坐着，专注于呼吸。当你的思绪走神时，轻轻地将你的注意力拉回到呼吸上。

正念通常涉及简单的技巧，例如：

• 专注于你的呼吸
• 观察你的想法和感受
• 注意身体的身体感觉

这些做法可以帮助您摆脱自动反应，并更清楚地了解您的经历。这就像发展一种“心理肌肉”，让你即使面对困难的情况也能恢复平静的状态。

正念最初是基于佛教哲学。正念背后的佛教原理是，培养积极的品质可以减少消极态度的强度，并形成对自己和他人更加富有同情心和爱心的基础。

正念的要素

人们认为任何人都可以培养正念的五个核心方面：

• 对内在体验无反应：  这涉及观察内部体验的能力，例如思想、情绪和感觉，而不需要对它们做出反应或参与。
• 成为一个好奇的观察者：这是关于调整你内心现在正在发生的事情。这就像打开一盏柔和的聚光灯来照亮你的想法、情绪和身体感觉，而不是试图改变它们。
• 有意识地行动：您有多少次开车回家或吃饭时没有真正注意到？正念的这一方面是指时时刻刻完全投入到你正在做的事情中。这就是梦游人生/处于自动驾驶状态和真正活在当下之间的区别。
• 为你的内心世界寻找词语：有时，为我们的感受命名可能会很强大。正念的这一部分涉及描述你的内心体验。这就像成为一名友善的记者，讲述自己的想法和感受。
• 不评判经历：我们经常严厉地批评自己或将经历标记为“好”或“坏”。这种正念元素鼓励你以一种更友善、更容易接受的方式来对待你正在经历的任何事情。这不是批准一切，而是不带严厉判断地观察。

正念练习

练习正念的方法有很多种。以下是一些可以融入日常生活的技巧：

正念冥想

正念冥想是一种正式的正念练习，最终也是一种正式的临在练习。正念冥想的关键原则是不评判、耐心、拥有初学者的心态、相信自己、不争、放手和接受。

正念冥想的秘诀：

• 注意当下正在经历的事情，无论是呼吸还是身体，不要做出判断或解释。
• 当思绪走神时，用呼吸作为锚点来重新集中注意力。
• 扩大注意力，涵盖从冷静和中立的立场中产生的尽可能多的精神、情感和身体体验。
• 通过开放和接受的焦点来观察身体部位和身体感觉（身体扫描技术）以及所有感知、想法、情绪和内部体验。
• 不要抗拒、判断、把握或评估经历，包括身体疼痛和一般感觉和情绪。

正念呼吸

正念呼吸可以通过练习正式进行，也可以通过全天暂停，以呼吸作为焦点线索，将意识带回当下，非正式地进行。

开始：

1. 找一个舒服的位置
2. 闭上眼睛或软化你的目光
3. 注意你的自然呼吸而不改变它
4. 注意呼吸的感觉
5. 当你的思绪走神时，轻轻地将注意力带回到呼吸上

从简短的训练开始，比如每天 5 分钟。当您感觉舒服时，逐渐增加持续时间。您可以随时随地练习。请记住，出现想法是正常的——练习是要不带判断地注意并回到呼吸。

正念运动

正念运动包括有意识地移动身体以培养当下意识的练习。

一个例子是步行冥想，其重点是步行，旨在培养当下的意识和同情心。

要练习正念行走，请缓慢行走，以意识到每一步的细微差别。当思绪游离时，利用脚接触和抬起地面的各个方面的意识将注意力带回到当下。

日常生活中的正念

治疗性存在也可以通过非正式的正念练习来培养，例如对日常生活各个方面的非评判性认识。

开始：

1. 选择一项日常活动（例如吃饭、散步或洗碗）
2. 在此任务中充分调动您的感官
3. 注意视觉、声音、气味、味道和身体感觉
4. 观察想法和情绪，但不要陷入其中
5. 当你走神时，轻轻地将注意力转移到当前的活动上

从每天一项活动开始。逐渐扩展到一天中的更多时刻。我们的目标是参与并参与，而不是自动驾驶。

身体扫描

身体扫描是一种正念技术，涉及系统地将注意力集中在身体的不同部位。

以下是简要概述：

1. 舒适地躺下或坐下
2. 闭上眼睛，深呼吸几次
3. 从脚趾开始，逐渐将注意力转移到全身
4. 不加判断地注意每个区域的感觉（例如温暖、紧张、刺痛）
5. 如果您走神了，请轻轻地将注意力带回您所在的身体部位
6. 最后了解你的身体作为一个整体

身体扫描技术的主要目的是培养对整个身体身体感觉的深刻认识，帮助您立足于当下，并对您的身体状态形成不带偏见的接受。

慈心

慈心冥想，也称为“Metta”，是一种培养对自己和他人善意的修行。在一些佛教传统中，它被认为是所有正念练习的基本态度。

开始：

1. 舒适地坐着并深呼吸几次
2. 从自我同情开始，默默地重复诸如“愿我快乐、健康、平静”之类的短语
3. 逐渐将这些愿望延伸至亲人、熟人，甚至是难以相处的人
4. 当你以善意的方式引导每个人时，想象他们
5. 最后以慈心布施给一切众生

这种做法是为了培养真诚的善意感，而不是强迫情感。

可视化

可视化利用心理意象来促进放松和积极情绪。

这是一个简短的指南：

1. 寻找一个安静、舒适的空间
2. 闭上眼睛，深呼吸几次
3. 想象一个生动细节的宁静场景（例如海滩、森林）
4. 让你的所有感官都参与到可视化中
5. 注意当您沉浸在图像中时您的身体感觉如何
6. 如果你的思绪走神，轻轻地回到想象中

想象的目的是创造一个精神避难所，减轻压力，培养积极情绪。它对于控制焦虑、改善情绪和增强整体健康特别有帮助。

3分钟的呼吸空间

3 分钟呼吸空间是 MBCT（正念认知疗法）中教授的一种正念技巧，旨在提高当下意识。

它的工作原理如下：

1. 意识（1 分钟）：不加评判地注意你的想法、感受和身体感觉
2. 聚集（1 分钟）：轻轻地将注意力转移到呼吸上，观察每次吸气和呼气
3. 扩展（1 分钟）：将意识扩大到整个身体，接受任何感觉

这种练习可以作为一种“迷你冥想”，帮助暂停、重置并更巧妙地应对生活中的挑战。在面临即时压力时，它尤其有用。

治疗中的正念

正念可以融入治疗方法中，以帮助治疗多种疾病。

基于正念的干预 (MBI) 是一种结构化的计划或疗法，利用正念练习来解决特定的心理健康、身体健康或健康目标。

基于正念的认知疗法

基于正念的认知疗法（MBCT）将正念技术融入认知行为疗法（CBT）中，以防止慢性抑郁症患者复发。

MBCT 利用静坐冥想、非正式冥想和身体扫描等正念练习，最初是为管理 MBSR 中的慢性疼痛而开发的，并将其应用于解决慢性心理困扰的经历。

目标是帮助个人在不带判断的情况下对自己的想法和感受形成正念意识，使他们摆脱与抑郁症相关的沉思模式。

基于正念的减压

基于正念的减压（MBSR）最初是为了通过养成强化冥想习惯来帮助个人应对慢性疼痛。 

它涉及大约 90 小时的指定时间，包括 8 个课程（大部分为 2.5 小时，其中包括一整天的静修）和每天 45 分钟的家庭作业。

MBSR 中教授的关键实践通常作为其他基于正念的干预措施的基础技术，包括正念饮食、身体扫描冥想和瑜伽。

正念的好处

以下是正念可以提供帮助的一些领域：

心理健康

基于正念的干预措施（MBI）有助于解决一系列心理健康问题，包括焦虑（例如社交焦虑、广泛性焦虑）、抑郁和压力。

研究表明， MBI 与广泛使用的心理疗法认知行为疗法 (CBT) 一样有效。

MBI治疗注意力缺陷多动障碍 ( ADHD )的研究已经显示出有希望的结果，但还需要进一步的研究。

压力

总体而言，MBI 对减轻压力有一定作用6。一项随机对照试验的荟萃分析发现，在线 MBI 对压力有显着且中等的影响。

一项研究发现，经过 8 周的正念干预后，与接受常规支持的对照组相比，学生在考试期间的痛苦分数显着降低。

MBI 还被证明有利于员工减轻压力、倦怠、精神困扰和躯体不适，同时提高正念、幸福感、同情心和工作满意度。

慢性疼痛

正念对于患有慢性疼痛的人也可能有益6。对 30 项随机对照试验的回顾发现，正念冥想干预措施可以改善慢性疼痛的管理。

还有一些证据表明 MBI 可以降低血压并改善与癌症相关的疲劳。然而，需要更多的研究来确定 MBI 对其他身体健康状况的有效性。

人际关系

尽管正念传统上是一种专注于个人内部体验的内心练习，但 人际正念认识到与他人一起练习正念的价值。

正念可以增强互动过程中的当下意识，提高主动倾听技巧，减少反应行为，并可以培养对他人不评判的态度。

研究表明，正念与工作场所的人际关系呈正相关。

开始正念

如果您正在考虑基于正念的干预，考虑以下几点可能会有所帮助：

• 时间投入：正念项目通常需要投入大量时间，MBSR 通常需要 8 周内约 90 个小时。
• 可访问性：成本和时间限制可能会使正念项目对某些人来说难以访问和维持。
• 教练资格：找到合格、经验丰富的正念教练至关重要，尤其是对于 MBCT 等正式项目。
• 潜在的不良反应：虽然通常是安全的，但有些人可能会经历焦虑或人格解体等不良反应，尤其是在密集冥想时。
• 测量挑战：由于正念的主观性和复杂的定义，准确测量正念进展可能很困难。

如果您想自己融入正念，请尝试执行以下步骤：

• 决定你认为你可以合理地进行哪种类型的正念练习，无论是正式的冥想还是将正念融入你的日常生活中。
• 从小处开始：从 5 分钟的简短课程开始，然后在您感觉舒服的情况下逐渐增加持续时间。
• 选择一致的时间：每天在同一时间练习以建立习惯。
• 寻找一个安静的空间：在家里指定一个安静的区域进行练习。如果您选择将正念融入其他空间（例如工作场所），请尝试使用耳机并播放一些平静的音乐来提供帮助。
• 使用引导冥想：从为初学者提供引导课程的应用程序或在线资源开始。
• 探索不同的技巧：尝试各种方法来找到与你产生共鸣的方法。
• 保持一致：定期练习，即使很简短，也比偶尔进行长时间练习更有益。

资源

审稿人作者

索尔·麦克劳德博士

曼彻斯特大学心理学学士（荣誉）、研究硕士、博士

《简单心理学》主编

Saul McLeod 博士是一位合格的心理学教师，在继续教育和高等教育方面拥有超过 18 年的经验。他曾在同行评审期刊上发表文章，包括《临床心理学杂志》。