Mindfulness meditation can lead to a transformational shift in self-experience by revealing Experiential Focus (EF) as a critical aspect of human well-being. EF is momentary self-reference centered on the present, allowing individuals to perceive themselves as constantly changing and “more verb-like” rather than fixed objects. EF frees us from limiting beliefs, assumptions, and patterns we create, leading to open-hearted expansiveness, wisdom, and joy. In contrast, Narrative Focus (NF), which is about linking experiences across time, has been associated with increased ruminative thoughts about the self.
To investigate whether mindfulness meditation reveals distinct modes of self-reference, Norman Farb and colleagues recruited participants upon enrolment in the eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme. The study found that mindfulness meditation reveals EF, represented by evolutionary older neural regions of the brain, which may serve as a return to the neural origins of identity. This self-awareness in each moment arises from the integration of basic bodily sensory processes, avoiding rumination associated with NF. By cultivating EF through mindfulness meditation, we can access a critical aspect of human well-being.
Reference:
Study by Norman A. S. Farb, Zindel V. Segal,Helen Mayberg, Jim Bean, Deborah McKeon, Zainab Fatima, and Adam K.Anderson,Attending to the present: mindfulness meditation reveals distinct neural modes of self-reference.
