Mindfulness and Yoga in Schools A Guide for Teachers and Practitioners

CHAPTER 6: MINDFULNESS ON THE CUSHION • 101

meditation includes an acceptance and knowing that it is the nature of the mind to become
distracted (Willard, 2016). What happens next is one of the many different ways one type of
meditation is different from another. Broadly speaking, there are at least two broad forms of
meditation: meditation with simple awareness of the present moment and focused concen-
tration meditation (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Stahl & Goldstein, 2010; Waters et al., 2015).
Mindful awareness meditation is practiced in a manner that brings full attention and
awareness to the present moment and to the internal and external phenomena that are pres-
ent (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Stahl & Goldstein, 2010). Awareness meditation involves a simple
noticing of these experiences (Cook-Cottone, 2015). In some forms of this type of medita-
tion, there is no effort to change anything that the meditator is noticing (Hanh, 1975; Kabat-
Zinn, 2013; Waters et al., 2015). The practice is to observe dispassionately without volition,
distraction, grasping, or aversion (Wallace, 2011; Waters et al., 2015). You may notice sense
impressions such as sight, sounds, tastes, and sensations of the skin. You may notice cogni-
tive processes via the working of your mind, such as thoughts, memories, and cognitive
reactions (Cook-Cottone, 2015). You will also notice emotions that present in both body and
mind (Cook-Cottone, 2015; Kabat-Zinn, 2013). Acem meditation is an example of awareness
meditation. In this form of meditation, thoughts, memories, feelings, and sensations arise
and pass through the meditator’s objective awareness without any intentional attempt to
control the content (Waters et al., 2015).
Mindful awareness meditation also includes forms of meditation that involve awareness
of internal and external experiences, along with an intention to keep focus on the present
moment and to turn attention away from mental distractions (e.g., memories or planning;
Cook-Cottone 2015; Waters et al., 2015). Willard (2016) explains that mindfulness medita-
tion practices can be summed up using the four Rs that he learned from Vancouver-based
mindfulness instructors Brian Callahan and Margaret Jones Callahan: Rest, Recognize,
Return, and Repeat (Willard, 2016). According to Willard (2016), the process is quite simple
(Figure 6.2).

Present Moment Attention (Resting of Attention) on:

Noticing (Recognizing Wandering Thoughts)

Self-Regulating

• Awareness
  
  
  • Allow
    
    
    • The return of
      attention
    
    
    • Gently
    
    
    • Affectionately
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Repeat

• Without Judgment


• With compassion


• In inquiry


• Thoughts


• Emotions


• Body


• Anchor

FIGURE 6.2 The process of meditation.

Source: Cook-Cottone (2015) and Willard (2016).