How to measure your level of awareness and why you need it

What is mindfulness

Mindfulness is the art of staying in the present moment, fully and deeply feeling everything that is happening.

People often get stuck in their thoughts, ceasing to pay attention to their condition. Returning to the present moment helps to get rid of everything that prevents you from enjoying life, establish emotional balance and return a sense of well-being.

Professor Jon Kabat Zinn, one of the most famous mindfulness researchers, definedD. S. Ludwig, J. Kabat‑Zinn. Mindfulness in Medicine / American Medical Association it as a process of involvement and non-judgmental acceptance of external and internal experience.

He arguedR. Baer, ​​P. Geiger. Mindfulness: Connecting with your life: A review of the DVD mindfulness for life: An interview with Jon Kabat‑Zinn / PsycCRITIQUESthat mindfulness is not a set of techniques, but rather a way of life. It cannot be understood with the intellect, but it can be experienced in practice.

Why Develop Mindfulness

In modern psychology and medicine, practices aimed at developing awareness, applyD. S. Ludwig, J. Kabat‑Zinn. Mindfulness in Medicine / American Medical Association, to:

• reduce stress, anxiety and depression;
• increase tolerance for pain and disability;
• establish positive thinking;
• strengthen motivation for positive changes in life, whether it be a healthy diet, sports or the rejection of bad habits;
• recover from chronic diseases;
• enrich relationships with other people;
• develop emotional resilience and the ability to deal effectively with stress.

mindfulness helps1. J. D. Teasdale, Z. v. Segal, J. M. Williams. Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness‑based cognitive therapy / Journal of consulting and clinical psychology
2. J. E. Boyd, R. A. Lanius, M. C. McKinnon. Mindfulness‑based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder: a review of the treatment literature and neurobiological evidence / Journal of psychiatry and neuroscience
3. E. L. Garland, M. Oh Howard. Mindfulness‑based treatment of addiction: current state of the field and envisioning the next wave of research / Addiction Science & Clinical Practice alleviate conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, defeat addiction, relieve chronic pain and improve quality of life even in the presence of serious diseases.

How to assess mindfulness

In order to have some sort of tool to measure the level of awareness, Ruth Baer, ​​a professor and researcher at the University of Kentucky, createdR. Baer, ​​G. T. Smith, K. b. Allen. Assessment of Mindfulness by Self‑Report: The Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills / Assessment Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ).

This 39-question test allows you to determine not only the basic level of awareness, but also the results in different aspects of this skill:

1. Observation. Perception of the external and internal world.
2. Description. Ability to put experience into words.
3. Conscious actions. The ability to concentrate on any business, without drifting into your thoughts and without acting on the machine.
4. An invaluable inner experience. The ability to accept any events and emotions without subjecting them to the assessment of the inner critic.
5. Lack of reactivity. Actively turning off negative thoughts and emotions in order to accept the experience.

This test maybeE. Bohlmeijer, P. M. Klooster, M. Fledderus. Psychometric properties of the five facet mindfulness questionnaire in depressed adults and development of a short form / Assessment show how much a person is inclined to positive thinking, whether he is often in a good mood and feels his life is prosperous.

It can also be used to determine how successful your mindfulness practice is.

How to take the survey

Read the statements and answer how often this happens to you, based on a five-point scale:

• 1 - never or very rarely;
• 2 - rarely;
• 3 - sometimes;
• 4 - often;
• 5 - very often or always.

Test items marked with the letter R (reverse) are reversed. When you answer such questions, points should be put in reverse. That is, if what is described in the paragraph is not typical for you, instead of one, you put 5, if it happens rarely - 4, sometimes - 3, often - 2 and always - 1.

Here is the list of statements:

1. When walking, I consciously notice what sensations arise during the movement.
2. I'm good at expressing what I feel.
3. I criticize myself for irrational or inappropriate emotions (R)
4. I perceive my feelings and emotions without feeling the need to somehow respond to them.
5. When I am doing something, my thoughts are wandering around and I am easily distracted (R).
6. When I take a shower or lie in a bath, I pay attention to how the water touches my skin.
7. I can easily put my hopes, opinions, and expectations into words.
8. I don't pay attention to what I'm doing because I'm daydreaming, upset, or otherwise distracted (R).
9. I can observe my feelings without getting lost in them.
10. I tell myself I shouldn't feel what I feel (R).
11. I notice how food or drink affects my thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
12. It's hard for me to find words to describe my thoughts (R).
13. I am easily distracted (R).
14. I believe that some of my thoughts are abnormal or bad and I should not think about such things (R).
15. I notice my sensations - for example, the wind in my hair or the sunlight on my face.
16. I have a hard time finding the right words to express my feelings (R).
17. I evaluate whether my thoughts are good or bad (R).
18. It's hard for me to stay focused on what's going on in the present (R).
19. If I have upsetting thoughts and images, I simply note their presence, without going into negativity.
20. I track the sounds around. For example, the ticking of a clock, the singing of birds, or the noise of passing cars.
21. In difficult situations, I can refrain from automatic reaction and act consciously.
22. I can't find words to describe the bodily sensations (R).
23. I seem to be acting on autopilot - without paying much attention to what I'm doing (R).
24. If disturbing thoughts or images come up, I calm down fairly quickly.
25. I tell myself that I don't think the way I should.
26. I notice the smells of things around.
27. Even when I'm frustrated as hell, I can find the words to express it.
28. I do a lot of things quickly and inattentively (R).
29. When I have disturbing thoughts or images, I can simply note that they are there without reacting to them.
30. Some of my emotions are bad and inappropriate. I believe that I should not experience them (R).
31. I notice visual elements in art and nature: colors, shapes, textures, patterns of light and shadow.
32. I put experience into words easily and naturally. I have a natural inclination for this.
33. When I have upsetting thoughts or images, I just notice them and let them go.
34. I do my work or some tasks automatically without thinking about what I'm doing (R).
35. Disturbing thoughts or images can affect my self-esteem.
36. I pay attention to how my emotions affect my thoughts and behavior.
37. Usually I can describe in some detail how I feel at a particular moment.
38. I find myself doing things without paying attention to them (R).
39. I condemn myself for unreasonable ideas (R).

After completing the test, add up the scores and get a total score. Also rate your skills in each category by adding up the scores for specific questions:

• Observation: 1, 6, 11, 15, 20, 26, 31, 36
• Description: 2, 7, 12R, 16R, 22R, 27, 32, 37
• Conscious actions: 5R, 8R, 13R, 18R, 23R, 28R, 34R, 38R
• Invaluable inner experience: 3R, 10R, 14R, 17R, 25R, 30R, 35R, 39R
• Lack of reactivity: 4, 9, 19, 21, 24, 29, 33

If you are confused by items marked R, download the questionnaire at this link, print and go through without thinking about the return questions.

How to use the results

The total score can vary from 39 to 195. The higher the better. Psychologists don't make extra categories like "lives on autopilot" or "practically a Buddha," and neither will we.

We can only cite figures from one researchJ. Gu, C. Strauss, C. Crane. Examining the Factor Structure of the 39‑Item and 15‑Item Versions of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire Before and After Mindfulness‑Based Cognitive Therapy for People With Recurrent Depression / Psychological Assessment, in which men and women 23-78 years old with a history of depressive episodes in the past took the test.

Participants completed a questionnaire and then attended eight two-hour sessions of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. They were taught to meditate and apply this skill in everyday life, and then again they were given a test.

The mean values ​​in each category were as follows:

• Observation: before - 25, after - 28.3
• Description: before - 26.2, after - 27.7
• Conscious actions: before - 24.1, after - 25.8
• Non-judgmental perception: before - 24.7, after - 27.7
• Lack of reactivity: before - 20.1, after - 22.7

Yours may be close to this or very different. It doesn't really matter. The questionnaire helps you find out where you are now, what you need to work on to improve the quality of your life, and then evaluate the progress of your studies. And until you have 195 points, there is always something to work on.

How to develop mindfulness

There are many techniques for developing the skills of being present in the present moment. We will give one good meditation, which is free provideDownload Your 3 Mindfulness Exercises Pack (PDF) / Positive Psychology on Positive Psychology.

This is the Wheel of Mindfulness practice by Dr. Daniel Siegel. The session lasts about 30 minutes and helps to develop attention to inner experiences.

1. Find a quiet place and take a comfortable position for meditation. You can sit on the floor or a chair. The main thing is that the back is straight, the shoulders are straightened and relaxed. Place your palms on your knees and close your eyes.
2. Watch your breath. No need to change its frequency or depth - just pay full attention to how it happens. Perform about 6-10 breaths and exhalations.
3. Imagine a wheel with a center and four equal sections. In the middle is your attention - the point from which you will view each of the parts.
4. First section: five senses. Direct all your attention to what you are feeling. First, concentrate on hearing: distinguish between the loudest and quietest sounds. You may even hear your own breathing or something you didn't notice before. Then go through the rest of the senses: touch, smell, taste, and sight. Spend about 20 seconds on each of them, trying to distinguish the smallest details.
5. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Now pay attention to the sensations inside your body - run from head to toe, checking the condition. Where is tension, warmth, tingling, pain felt?
6. Take a deep breath in and out again and pay attention to what is going on in your head. Examine your emotions, thoughts, memories, hopes, dreams, and other products of mental activity. Don't try to silence your thoughts - just watch them. Keep doing this for 30 seconds.
7. Take a deep breath in and out and focus on the center of the wheel, the point from where you looked at all your sensations, feelings and emotions.
8. Inhale and exhale. Focus on a sense of community with other people. Feel the connection with your loved ones, then with all your neighbors, compatriots, people on one continent and, finally, on the whole planet. Spend about five breaths (inhales and exhales) on each of these sensations.
9. Focus on your breath again to bring you back to the present moment. When you're ready, open your eyes.
10. At the end of the meditation, you can write down what you felt at each of the steps. What sensory stimuli, bodily sensations and thoughts noted that they were aware of being in the center of the wheel, and with whom they felt connected. Write whatever you want. Perhaps you will get some interesting insights during the practice.

Try this meditation several times a week or even every day, and after 4-8 weeks of regular practice, take the questionnaire again. Most likely, your results will grow.