Mindfulness practices have the ability to transform our relationships through the power of deepening the capacity for love, compassion, and forgiveness. Even 15 minutes of mindfulness practice a day can begin to direct us towards adopting the tools to enable us to connect on a meaningful level in our relationships. Mindfulness can help us overcome feelings of unworthiness so that we be more open to love, trust, and compassion.

Mindfulness practices help us understand our patterns of reactivity, judgment, and defensiveness, and through our practice those negative patterns begin to dissolve, and we can focus on a richness in our relationships that we’ve never experienced before. Everyone wants their relationships to have a greater sense of connection and closeness –we want to feel truly known. The practice of mindfulness can free us from the negativity of self-judgment, shame, and inadequacy in our relationships; and through the power of our mindfulness practice, we can transform our relationships and open our hearts to a deeper experience of love and compassion.

So how do we accomplish these meaningful relationships?

Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity

Scientific research has shown that mindfulness can literally change the structure of the brain, and enable us to build healthy, supportive relationships. Neuroscience shows us how our brains work –and how we can prevent our minds from running us. So what happens in the brain when you do mindfulness? Lets consider the phenomena of neuroplasticity – that, in fact, you can change the wiring in your brain based on your experience and how you think about things. We used to think that we are at the mercy of our genes, yet now that idea couldn’t be more false! In fact, the neurons in your brain keep changing based on your experiences, – and how you change your brain is up to you! Just like the old familiar story that goes – we are handed a deck of cards but we get to choose how to play them. We can now understand this phenomenon through neuroimaging studies that show how the neurons wire and unwire in the brain, demonstrating how we think. Every time our neurons wire together we’re laying down new memories. The good news is we can unwire them and build in new habits, which can lead to our choice for a more flexible and happier life. Neuroplasticity enables us to be the architects of our own brain – to create new connections, and walk new paths towards all of life’s possibilities – especially towards nurturing and meaningful relationships.