DBT 4 - One Mindfulness: One Thing at a Time

DBT 4 - One Mindfulness: One Thing at a Time

Marsha Linehan has drawn these skills from Eastern and Western meditation practices, and related them to psychological and behavioral techniques. Mindfulness has to do with the quality of awareness that we bring to what we are doing and experiencing, to being in the here and now.  It has to do with learning to focus on being in the present, to focusing our attention on what we are doing and what is happening in the present. We have to learn to control our attention. Many of us are distracted by images, thoughts and feelings of the past, perhaps dissociating, worrying about the future, negative moods and anxieties about the present.   Sometimes, it can be difficult to put these things away and concentrate on the task at hand but it’s worthwhile. You will find your effectiveness improve, even if it may seem that you are slowing down. That perception will bring you peace while your output actually increases. So the one-mindfulness skill is an effort to help us focus our attention on the here and now – one thing at a time - to be able to absorb the DBT information and take part in the present. This can be a difficult skill for people to learn. It requires lots of practice and willingness. Be patient with yourself. Overview The ideal of one-mindfully is to do one thing at a time. If you are going to eat, eat.  Don't read or watch TV at the same time. The reasons for this are so that you can give your full attention to what you are doing and do your best job, but ALSO so that you will feel completely present and not fragmented when you are doing these important things. One of the ways to approach the idea of mindfulness and one-mindfully is through learning to breathe mindfully, or conscious breathing. Our breathing goes on all the time, but mostly it's not conscious. We are not thinking about it. Conscious Breathing Conscious breathing and meditation are other ways of staying one-mindful. As you breathe in, notice that you are breathing in. As you breathe out, notice that sensation.  Don’t hold onto anything. Notice the important connection between your mind and body as the fresh air nourishes your body. This technique can help you keep your mind on your breath. As you practice, your breath will become peaceful and gentle and your mind and body will also become peaceful and gentle. This is not a difficult exercise. In just a few minutes you can realize the fruit of meditation. A Day of Mindfulness You may consider trying a day of Mindfulness as practice. If an entire day of it seems like too much mindfulness, try performing a task without ANY thought of getting it over with.

Photography is a mindfulness activity. It requires focus to find something worthwhile in the rubble.  

Think of one that you might be able to practice!