U.S. Army Adopts Mindfulness Meditation

In an unusual departure from traditional prescriptions for coping with high stress the United States army is recommending something more eclectic to its soldiers in Iraq – mindfulness mediation.

According to Army Major Victor Won, Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, mindfulness is a simple but ancient approach to living that Western medicine has begun to recognise as a powerful tool for dealing with stress, illness and other medical or psychological conditions, and it could help soldiers in any circumstance.

Quoting the definition of the term used in the book ‘Wherever You Go, There You Are,’ by popular mediation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, he added, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way or maintaining the awareness on purpose, in the present moment.”

Major Won said it would be more effective for soldiers to learn and train mindfulness prior to deployment as the practice will offer soldiers a means to cope with their mental stress before getting into a high-stress environment. (MORE)

Source: The Hindu