In December of last year, I interviewed a wonderful mindfulness teacher, Psychiatrist and author, Jeff Brantley, M.D.. Jeff is Founder and Director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine, and author of the popular book Calming Your Anxious Mind: How Mindfulness & Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, & Panic
In this interview Dr. Brantley gives us some quick tips about how we might be able to take 5 Good Minutes to bring mindfulness into this New Year and calm our anxious minds.
Elisha: What are some of your favorite ways to take 5 Good Minutes each day?
Jeff: Well, the first thing to recall is that whether we say 5 minutes or 1 minute or 1 day or 5 days, those notions are all just IDEAS about time.
Our life actually is happening in the present moment, which is timeless. So the practice in the 5 good minutes books, while they can be done in 5 minutes of “clock time” are actually invitations to readers to come into the present moment intentionally and consciously more often.
Then, after linking this more conscious “presence” to a particular “intention” (to become more relaxed, for example, or to feel more generous in spirit, or more forgiving, perhaps), the practices in the books ask the reader to act “wholeheartedly.” Here, wholehearted action simply means actually doing it-the specific “five good minutes” practice-and doing it without attachments to outcome or to being caught up in judgments.
In terms of some of my favorite ways to practice 5 good minutes, I enjoy practicing mindfulness in the changing situations and conditions of daily life. For example, walking from my office to the car, or waiting for a meeting to begin, or at home with my loved ones or my dog, in each case paying attention on purpose to what is happening with and attitude of acceptance and kindness, allowing things to be as they are, and allowing myself simply to notice.
Another favorite way to practice for me is to work with the “heartful” practices like lovingkindness or forgiveness. For example, when I become aware of folks around me, especially if they appear in distress, I like to do some silent meditation wishing them well, that they be at peace, or be supported in whatever way they need.
And, when I notice my own inner critics being very harsh on me for something that has happened and I try to practice forgiveness for them and for myself in whatever I did.
Thank you Jeff!
To the readers: What are some ways you can think to take 5 Good Minutes? Please let us know your questions, comments, or stories, your interaction below creats a living wisdom for us all to benefit from?
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When I notice I am getting caught up in my reactions, I do what I call check my compass, the way a hiker in the woods needs to stop now and again and see where they are. I tune into my breath, then my body, then my mind, then my surroundings–noticing and accepting what ever my current experience is. Then I refocus forming a conscious intention for whatever is now most important. The short cut is simply saying to myself drive, drive, if I am driving, or walk, walk if I am walking, or eat, eat, etc.
Hello! I’ve been working at kindness to myself and have come to a sort of impasse : At what point is forgiving yourself taking the easy way out? I find myself silencing my inner critic by forgiving myself for missing deadlines, chores, deliveries, etc. There is an element of motivation in demanding the best from yourself that I fear losing from practicing kindness to myself. Is this a valid concern or is it my mind trying to go back to its known pattern? Thank you!
Hello Yvee, You’re touching on an important topic that Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche coined as the difference between “true compassion” Vs. “idiot compassion.” It’s important to discern between the two.
If the compassion or kindness keeps you avoiding some sort of pain in your life, by just continually letting it pass, then that would be “idiot compassion.”
Karen Kissel Wegela (who I interviewed on Psychcentral) argues that sometimes, “true compassion can be described as ‘ruthless.’” For example, we may need to withold the alcohol from the alcoholic even though it elicits pain or we may need to set boundaries with those who are hurtful. In other words, we need to be willing to act in the greater interest of health for ourselves and others and this requires a level of awareness that most of us don’t have in difficult moments.
So the question is, is your action in the greater interest of your health and well-being? I hope that helps…
Thank you, Elisha. Once again, you’ve helped me with the right words and framework for directing my mindful inquiry. It helps enormously and I’m truly grateful. Thank you for all you do!
Last reviewed: 9 Dec 2009
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