Why IS it so hard to pay attention?

 

NYtimes - avoiding distractions

At tonight's meeting - 3/29/2016, the group discussed the manuscript titled: "Why is it so hard to pay attention, or is it? Mindfulness, the factors of awakening and reward-based learning," by J. Brewer, J. Davis, and J. Goldstein.  

This manuscript  reveals how traditional operant conditioning practices cause stress,  provides insight into how mindfulness training can lead to reduced stress levels, and offers suggested methods of tracking changes over time. 

Notes From The Manuscript: 

• Mindfulness has been found to have therapeutic value in areas ranging widely from general stress management to addiction intervention 
•  Action (indulging in pleasurable activities) leads to outcome (enjoyment of the activity) which causes us to desire repetition of the activity (craving).  This cycle of wanting and getting reinforces our habits of wanting more and does not bring happiness.  
• We are conditioned to deal with stress in ways which perpetuate it instead of relieve it. 
• The authors use the example of holding a hot coal while standing outside in the cold in order to warm up to indicate solutions that seem to work but which really cause harm in the long run.  (eating chocolate or smoking cigarettes when stressed) 
• Learning to pay attention to the present moment, or mindfulness practice, helps us notice the effect these actions have (holding the coal burns your hands).
• It takes 3 things to form a habit in reward based learning:
• a trigger
• a behavior 
• a clearly defined reward 

• The Dialogues of the Nikayas provides a way to use the natural human condition of seeking rewards to gravitate from temporary happiness to joy and contentment
• 7 Factors of Awakening 
1. Sati = Mindfulness
2. Dhamma-vicaya = Interest and Investigation
3. Virya = Energy  
4. Piti = Joy and Rapture
5. Passaddhi = Relaxation and Tranquility 
6. Samadhi = Unification and Concentration of mind
7. Upekkha = Equanimity and Equipoise (mental calmness & balance of interest)

Habit Building through reward based learning:

Trigger --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------STRESS
Behavior --------------------------------------------MINDFULNESS (notice the cause of the stress)
Reward------------------------------------------------------NOTICE joy, peace, etc, every moment

The more often we participate in this cycle, which utilizes our natural reward-based learning process, the more we become capable of transforming suffering and stress  into peace and joy. 

NEXT WEEK:  

The article we will discuss at the meeting on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 will be, "Effectiveness of Mindful Meditation on Attention, Short Term Memory and Visual Reaction Time on Normal Individual" by Rachna Butola and Renu Chauhan.

If you need assistance in accessing the article, please contact me.  I would be happy to assist you.

Continuing: 

Remember also, if you havent yet obtained a copy, the group is  currently reading Sam Harris' Waking UP: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion 

Tell us what you think of the articles and of the book while you are making your way through it in the comment section of the blog!
 


As always, try to remind yourself throughout your week, "this is it,"  and try to pay attention to exactly what is going on around and inside of you.