The White Sands Missile Range Army Substance Abuse Program hosted an Intro to Mindfulness Workshop on January 23, 2024, at the Professional Development Center. Dr. J. Yoni Libbie, a neurologist and educator, shared his expertise and insights on mindfulness and what it means from his professional perspective.
Libbie explained that mindfulness involves being present in the moment, and meditation is one of the many techniques that can be used to achieve mindfulness. According to Libbie, our minds are constantly active, with thoughts about past, present, and future events and often even events that will never happen. He describes this as “monkey chatter.”
“Mindfulness is not immediate. You are not going to get mindfulness in a couple of sessions,” said Libbie. “You may go out buy a singing bowl, some robes, shave your head. It's not going to make you mindful. A lot of people will buy the latest tchotchke and get into it, and then after a while, they are very disappointed because Satori or Enlightenment didn't show up. We, in the West, are very impatient. We want mindfulness now.”
Libbie also reviewed the physiology of happiness and the neurochemicals that make people feel good, including dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, such as how oxytocin plays a role in maternal bonding with their child.
During meditation, Libbie mentioned that sometimes upsetting thoughts may come to mind. However, he advised that it is essential to keep in mind that these are just thoughts. Before a thought arises, it is merely vapor and entirely safe to acknowledge and then let go.
"If you are meditating, you are free-flowing thoughts. Sometimes, disturbing thoughts are part of it. Some people get very upset. So I always tell them to talk to a professional," said Libbie. "When you begin meditating, the most important thing you can do as a meditator is learn how to let go. Let that thought go."
During the class, Libbie conducted two activities. The first activity involved asking the participants to chew a saltine cracker for three minutes without swallowing and record their experience. Chewing the cracker mindfully for three minutes enabled the participants to experience the flavors and sensations of the cracker with all their senses. As a result, the saliva in their mouth broke down the carbohydrates into sugars, making the cracker taste sweet.
The participants were asked to engage in a mindfulness exercise during the second activity. They were instructed to close their eyes, listen carefully for three minutes, and note the different sounds they heard. Afterward, Libbie posed the question, "Why is the monkey chattering?" He pointed out that, despite the task of listening, the "monkey" in their heads was still chattering, which was agreed upon by the group.
After attending the mindfulness event, the participants better understood what to expect from it. They now have more realistic expectations regarding mindfulness. The ASAP team will include more mindfulness sessions with Libbie in their upcoming plans. Furthermore, the team is also planning to organize yoga and other wellness-related classes for the benefit of team WSMR.
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