OREANDA-NEWS. January 25, 2016. Mindfulness expert Cheryl Jones debunks common myths about mindfulness in a Huffington Post blog called, “6 myths about mindfulness we all need to stop believing.”

Among them, Jones addresses the myth that mindfulness is about achieving a blissful state:

This isn’t entirely accurate. In mindfulness meditation there is no objective to achieve relaxation or some altered state of being. Mindfulness meditation involves a willingness to simply be with whatever is happening within us and around us — with a gentle and open mind…

…Mindfulness requires courage to see things as they are rather than how we wish they were. We may need to engage in therapy or counseling to heal the inner conflicts and patterns that cause our suffering. The good news is that mindfulness practice helps us have the patience and compassion necessary for positive change.”

Jones, who is the Wellness Program Strategy lead for Aetna’s National Care Management group, says that even though mindfulness has been a hot topic, it isn’t well understood. “There are numerous scientific publications on mindfulness. We’ve known for a long time that mindfulness reduces stress. We now know it can change our brains. Mindfulness is about full awareness of the present moment, the one we’re in right now, with a gentle and open mind.”