Keep in mind how to cope with cancer
MEDI T A T I O N T E C H N I Q U E used by companies such as Google, Apple and KPMG i s p l a y i n g a n important role in i mproving the lives of people who have cancer.
Mindfulness has become increasingly popular in recent years and research has shown what a powerful factor it can be in enhancing our health, happiness and effectiveness. Companies that have embraced the practice have reported many benefits, including employee wellbeing and reduced stress, anxiety and depression.
The mindfulness group is one of the most successful activities at Chai Cancer Care, providing valuable techniques for clients at any stage of their cancer journey.
“For a person newly diagnosed with cancer, having treatment or adjusting to life afterwards, the physical and emotional fallout can be overwhelming. There are huge issues to confront,” says Diane Siskind, one of Chai’s counsellors and a facilitator of the mindfulness group at Chai’s flagship centre in Hendon.
“Mindfulness enables us to focus our attention and awareness on the present moment while also calmly acknowledging and accepting feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations,” she says.
Rather than tune out or withdraw from the world, mindfulness is about deepening one’s awareness in everyday life, so that calm, clear thinking replaces habitual reactive “autopilot” patterns. Advocates say that it has transformed their perspective on life.
“Our clients have reported its value in helping them to manage pain, fatigue, nausea and disrupted sleep,” says Siskind, “so even though something is happening to them regarding their health, these techniques provide a positive way to their situation”.
The group meets in one of Chai’s bright, comfortable rooms and clients begin each session with a breathing exercise.
“Concentrating on the breath and noticing its rhythm and sound is very calming and relaxing,” says Siskind. “It anchors the person in the present and helps ‘pause’ the mind, which can easily run off in all directions.”
Participants are then guided through a series of exercises, designed to quieten the hubbub in their heads. One technique, body scanning, involves mentally checking in with each part of the body to see how it feels. “This can help a person whose mind is preoccupied by pain,” says Siskind. “The aim is not to avoid the pain but to notice it, let it go and move on, always staying with the present moment.”
Another sensory exercise asks clients to listen for nearby sounds and then more distant ones. “Here, too, we aim to notice, but not label or get stuck,” says Siskind.
But what difference can such apparently simple techniques really make? The combination of trained guidance and a group setting, Siskind believes, helps give a deeper understanding of the process. However, mindfulness is very much a takeaway technique that can be used anywhere — and even a three-minute session is effective.
“It may help you notice that you are feeling tired, so you can choose to rest; if you recognise your neck is painful, you may consider adjusting your posture or go for a walk. A breathing practice can help deal with the anxiety that arises around appointment times for procedures and investigations. As a tool to bring about a relaxed, calmer approach to life, mindfulness is invaluable.”