Get Some Headspace: 10 minutes can make all the difference Read Online Free Page A

and mindfulness, then why not visit our dedicated research section of the website at: www.getsomeheadspace.com/Clinical-Research
    The case studies
    In addition to the stories described above, you’ll also find a chapter entitled Tales from the Clinic, which brings together a number of case studies from over the years. Some of these people have been referred to me by their doctor or GP for specific symptoms, but many more have come simply because they’re looking for more headspace in their life. Written with the kind permission of each individual, these case studies demonstrate the simplicity, power and potential of a daily meditation practice.
    Diary and feedback
    Although meditation is all about letting go, keeping a diary when you’re starting out can really make a difference. You can use the diary section provided at the back of this book to help keep track of your progress and visit our book page on the Headspace Facebook site to share your experiences, www.facebook.com/HeadspaceOfficial
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    Mindfulness and meditation – what’s the difference?
    Let’s be honest, it’s hard to hear the word ‘meditation’ without thinking of a yogi in a loincloth on a mountain-top somewhere in the Himalayas. That, or a shaven-headed monk or nun sitting in a monastery, chanting, chiming bells and blowing horns, while cloaked in thick clouds of incense and orange robes (been there, done that). Or perhaps stoned-out hippies in tie-dye T-shirts spring to mind, or groups of New Age enthusiasts running around in the woods taking it in turns to hug a tree or two. There’s no escaping it, the word ‘meditation’ comes with baggage.
    When a few progressive Western doctors tried to introduce meditation into mainstream healthcare more than thirty years ago, they were pretty much laughed out of the hospital they worked in. Not to be deterred, they changed the name to ‘mindfulness’ and continued with their research. Now although mindfulness, in the form it has come to the West, has its origins in the Buddhist meditation tradition, there is nothing inherently ‘Buddhist’ about it. Mindfulness is the key ingredient of most meditation techniques and goes far beyond the formal aspect of sitting down with your eyes closed. Mindfulness means to be present, in the moment, undistracted. It implies resting the mind in its natural state of awareness, which is free of any bias or judgment. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? This is in contrast to how most of us live our lives, which is to be constantly caught up with all the little (and big) thoughts and feelings, and to be critical and judgmental of ourselves and others.
    It’s usually when we’re caught up in all the little things that we start to make mistakes. At least that’s the way it’s always been for me. And those mistakes can affect our performance at work, our relationships with others, even the bottom line in our bank account. Whenever I think about a lack of mindfulness I’m reminded of a time when I was living in Moscow. The school where I worked used to pay me in US dollars and as the salary was quite good I was able to save up a bit of money each month. It was just after the financial crisis of the late 1990s, and so nobody trusted the banks. People either hid their money under their mattress, or tried to find a way to squirrel it out of the country. I’d been saving up for a meditation retreat, so on my next flight back to the UK I decided to take what money I had with me.
    The government had introduced strict rules about taking money out of the country – the main rule being that you couldn’t take any. So I’d resorted to tucking $500 down the front of my underwear. Standing there in my monk’s robes with a wad of cash shoved down my pants, I couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty, no matter how good my intention was to spend it on a retreat. In fact, I got so caught up in all the little thoughts of anxiety, of rehearsing my Russian for the customs officials, that