Facing catastrophe through Mindfulness

let's face it. Life on this planet can seem a real catastrophe. And yet, amidst the pain of human existence lie hidden gems of well-being: moments of pure happiness. The eyes of a child when it laughs. The sound of a loved one's voice. The smell of our mother's food. The softness of a baby's skin. And yes, there are fakes of those Moments of pure happiness. There's a wave of "chemicals our body produces" to feel pleasure when we get a compliment, buy those "gorgeous-fashion-and-shoes!" or get another "like" on our embellished post . What's the difference between reality and a fake? The first leads to freedom. The second leads to addiction and emotional bondage.

And then there's COVID-19. It appeared out of nowhere like an intruder in the night. Without warning. Shaking up our "normality." Forcing tens of thousands of people to be confined indoors, and to the fear of millions of possible infection, on the verge of panic.

O Mindfulness can help us face these difficult times?

Let me know the reader after reading this article (and thanks for sticking with me through some of the geekier reviews so far).

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is often defined (according to Dr John Kabat-Zin) as"the awareness that arises by deliberately paying attention to the present situation without judgement". The concept originates from Vipassana, a meditation technique first taught by the Buddha, which emphasises Mindfulness and Equanimity as a means of developing Wisdom (through understanding the law of impermanence) and thus eliminating suffering. Most spiritual traditions emphasise similar concepts: from the contemplative early Christian fathers and mothers of the desert, the mindful dance of the Sufis, to the disciplined rituals in the Koran. The resulting mindset is to find happiness in moments uncontaminated by our desires and aversions. Gratitude follows quickly. And even in cases of great pain, the mental suffering, which usually accompanies and increases that pain, is greatly reduced or even completely dissipated.

What has been proven about the benefits of Mindfulness?

Scientific research on the impact of Mindfulness lacks rigour. From poorly structured studies (with no control groups or hastily organised practices, such as a single 15-minute meditation, for example) to well-meaning researchers who do not practise themselves, less than 1% of published research reaches the standard of excellence of medical research. However, several conclusions can be safely formulated. Regular practice of Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to bring benefits on several levels, namely:

• greater ability to focus;
• improvement in memory capacity;
• ability to stay calmer under stress and metaconsciousness;
• "good corporate citizenship".

How is all this related to COVID-19?

The author suggests that tackling the implications of COVID-19, in our daily lives, can be enhanced through the best proven, problem-solving methodology to date: the same as strategic consulting (you know what they say: "once a consultant, always a consultant"). So if you (like the author) are confined at home, unsure of the duration of quarantine, and want to know how to continue to create value for your employing institution and society, while surviving your child's noisy antics and preserving the remaining sanity of your marriage... here's a three-step problem-solving methodology that might be helpful:

Stage (i) "Framing and analysing the problem": these "are big words" for what we usually call "but what's going on here?". In a COVID-19 context there are many benefits to focusing our mind (aka "convergent thinking") on understanding what the real problems we are facing are by asking powerful MECE questions (Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive, nerdy expression for: being organised in your thinking), such as:

• Are we already infected? If so, how can we cure ourselves without infecting anyone else? If not, how can we reduce the likelihood of being infected, while caring for those who live with us?
• What kind of remote work can we do? What would be the best conditions for it? What adjustments can we make from now on?
• How can we make the most of our 'forced retreat' for relationships with those we live with? And for the relationship with ourselves?

Stage ii) "Generating ideas / hypotheses for solutions": this is where creativity comes into play to discover ideas that may not be so obvious but have a great impact. With COVID-19, creativity to find solutions within four walls is key, for example, for each of the above questions respectively:

• Strengthening the immune system with a healthy and creative diet, regular exercise and a confident outlook (the link between fear and a weakened immune system has been scientifically demonstrated) is fundamental;
• Finding creative solutions to the challenges of 'forced' remote working is essential: the author finds herself in a sea of remote learning platforms, imagining how the most interactive classes can take place without seeing students and is already feeling nostalgic about Friday afternoons in the company of 'her' 60+ generation Z students. Even multitasking and constantly looking at phones are recalled with nostalgia;
• One of the author's friends started filming a series of "dance shows" with her husband and two daughters. And she says that "it was an unexpected blessing to be able to share so much time 'with nothing to do' with my family". 

Stage iii) "Buy-in and solution implementation": this is where it starts to get more challenging! Making it happen. Moving from ideas to action. With COVID-19, this can mean:

• Cook healthy meals and set a time for a daily yoga practice (every day even);
• Contact the telecommunications company to increase the speed of the Wi-Fi to ensure higher quality video (and contact them again when they don't show up);
• Courageous conversations with those with whom we live. Starting by thanking them for their presence in our lives, and moving on to ask for their help in making this time together more productive.

And how can the Mindfulness support this problem-solving process?

Scientific research on the impact of Mindfulness on problem solving is both nascent and promising. Beth Rieken et all (HBR, 2019) proves how Mindfulness (particularly the quality of mindful attention: open, curious and gentle) is a strong predictor of innovativeness in problem solving. The author's own research (Ph.D. Proposal, Buckingham University, 2020) is testing the hypothesis that the benefits of regular Mindfulness practice (over a 13-week period) improves components of problem solving, namely:

Stage (i) "Framing and analysing the problem": requires attention, focus and memory;

Stage (ii) "Generating ideas / hypotheses for solutions": requires creativity, which is enhanced, with greater calm under stress and metaconsciousness;

Stage (iii) "Buy-in and implementation of solutions": requires empathy and compassion (the visible traits of "good corporate citizenship").

Now tell me. Can Mindfulness help us face these troubled times? The author's answer, unequivocally, is: Yes, it can. We can then ask "Why" and "How", the additional questions that this short article answers. If you are convinced that you can, I invite you to start practicing 10 minutes every day. I hope you enjoy and find useful the practice of 10 minutes of daily meditation in this audio I recorded which you can find in this LINK (the audio is available exclusively in English).

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Author's notes:

This brief article answers the questions raised by the author based on secondary (the most valid scientific research to date) and primary data (the author's own experience with Mindfulness, over the last 20 years, an estimated total of 10,100 hours of meditation) and Strategic Problem-Solving Consulting (over the last 25 years). In addition, the author points to other relevant research.