City dwellers seek to pursue a slower pace and a return to their true selves

Commenting on the importance of mindfulness in a face paced country, SMU Professor of Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources Jochen Reb, who is also the Director of the Mindfulness Initiatives, noted that from a positive perspective, it is good that companies and individuals now attach importance to the health of their employees. As acceptance of mental health issues is growing, more people will also take the initiative to seek psychological help. On another level, Prof Reb also expressed concern about the issue of "fast-food meditation" and whether it only helps to treat the symptoms but not the root cause. He explained that convenient apps and the condensed version of mindfulness workshops may lead to users not actually understanding what they are doing and why they are doing certain practices. He concluded that mental wellness requires long-term investment, and everyone deserves to take the time to get to know themselves well, to recognise and take care of their emotions. Chang Ching Chen, Senior Content Strategist from the SMU Office of Integrated Information Technology Services and a Mindfulness-Based Reduction (MBSR) trainer, shared what led her to become a MBSR trainer and her observations on the psychological issues that are becoming increasingly prevalent among students, and how she hopes to help the youths and the elderly groups through mindfulness practice.

Source
Lianhe Zaobao