mindfulness scientific evidence

[scratchet]

i have read quite a few articles on the scientific evidence for mindfulness but I've yet to find anything conclusive, although there are a number of small studies that have already been mentioned in previous posts. i would love to find something that tested against a large number of people with participants from different social groups, ethnicity, nationality, gender etc. with a good control group. but i don't think such study exists, and not sure who would fund it. most studies are sponsored with the aim of selling a drug or product at the end. but mindfulness is free to anyone who is willing.

i was a little concerned about the lack of evidence to begin with but decided to go ahead with it anyway as the general ideas and philosophy appealed, and I'm glad i did. i do of course continue to question everything that i read with the best logic i can. i would you urge you to do the same, you might find the evidence is right under your nose.

[Gareth]

I am a scientist through and through, always been a logical kind of guy that needs to see evidence to believing anything.

But I got diagnosed with MS, and I was scared and stressed as hell, and I read somewhere that meditation was good for stress relief, so I did it.

I need no other evidence than the way that I feel, the way that I see mindfulness helping me countless times every day. I believe that mindfulness meditation is different, depending on the mind that it is operating on. But for me at least, it has been miraculous.

[piedwagtail91]

I'll second what Gareth says. I went to mindfulness not wanting it to work. I was using it's failure as an excuse to kill myself.
I worked out what it was about on session 2 and haven't looked back. The scientific side of things is of little interest. I've had three great years after 26 years of depression and anxiety hell. I've had to read about the history of mbct for work but that's as far as I feel I want to go.

[rara]

Forget Wikipedia and forget science and stats...no wonder you are confused!

Practicing mindfulness on, example, breath quietens the mind anyway, does it not?

[rara]

I'll second what Gareth says. I went to mindfulness not wanting it to work. I was using it's failure as an excuse to kill myself.
I worked out what it was about on session 2 and haven't looked back. The scientific side of things is of little interest. I've had three great years after 26 years of depression and anxiety hell. I've had to read about the history of mbct for work but that's as far as I feel I want to go.

Oh, and "like"

[van veen]

Hardly this got to do with confusion, it is a way to seek the truth underneath meditation, otherwise it would be the same as be devoted to father Pious or any other cult-like figure.http://www.tricycle.com/blog/meditation-nation
By the way: this is an interesting article on meditation.

[piedwagtail91]

i really don't see where this is leading. i meditate to learn/enhance the skills which i then use in my daily life.
i honestly don't need a scientist to tell me whether or not it works or why it should or shouldn't.
i know it does,
and from where my life was to where it is now is really all that matters.
i don't see practicing meditation as devotion to anything , it's just meditation, building awareness, building the skills i didn't have before.
i've seen it work for many others, some still coming to meet ups after 5 or 6 years and still seeing benefits.
i don't really need scientist to advise me, my still being here is all the proof i need.

[JonW]

"I honestly don't need a scientist to tell me whether or not it works or why it should or shouldn't."
I'm agreeing with this. The proof is experiential.

[rara]

Aye!

[rara]

Pleeeeeease can we get like buttons on the forum?