I've done a heap of "training" (not sure what other word to use!!) in this when I have been an in patient at times. I used to think it was all hooey until my labour believe it or not. I was able to use it to get through 7 hrs of synto at top level with out ANY pain relief. Eventually I was exhusted and had to get and epi but to do that was enough for me (the midwife with me thinks it is a birth suite record!!) It is also amazing for those bad days when you just feel so overwhelmed with mummy duties. You can use the skills to just break things down in your mind and slow down your thinking process and just take things bit by bit. So now days I am a much bigger fan!! Much to my psychologists delight who has been trying to make me see that it is useful for years!!! LOL You found some great resources too.
I did a lot of mindfulness, both with my previous psychiatrist, and also as an inpatient at The Albert Rd Clinic - a private psychiatric hospital in Melbourne.
Mindfulness won't fix your depression by itself, but it is a great tool in helping you to exercise that muscle (so to speak) in your brain about being to process and then being able to let go of emotions and negative thoughts that enter your mind. It also makes you more aware of your virtually unconscience though process, which is a big part to overcoming depression and other mental illness.
I truly believe everybody should at least give it a try.
The best book i have come across is:
"The Mindful Way Through Depression" by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal and Jon Kabat-Zinn, The Guildford Press, 2007.
These guys run a special mindfulness clinic at a hospital in America, and have great sucess. It is also good for people with chronic pain issues.
The book comes with a CD of guided meditations - they are very useful. And i am usually such a sceptic and not into these things - but they have scientific studies to back up their beliefs. The tracks last from being around 5 mins to the longest (a total body scan, great to last thing at night to clear your mind so you can sleep) which is almost 30 mins.
I got mine from Amazon, i think it was around $25.
Bookmarks