If one of the key functions of coaching is to support clients become more empowered, then mindfulness is a highly useful preparatory step in helping our clients tap into their inner resources.
In her fabulous book Mindful Coaching Liz Hall states;
“mindfulness has gone mainstream … it has helped us to build an impressive evidence base, a vocabulary which allows us to discuss what it means to be human, and has helped us to widen access to the transformative and healing potential of mindfulness.”
It is no surprise then that mindfulness should find its way into the coaching relationship.
It might be that the coach can call on some basic breathing, relaxation or introductory meditative techniques to help clients manage stress, reduce anxiety or build confidence in the moment. These techniques we know can contribute to a reshaped or reframed perspective, which can then have a knock on effect and benefit in aiding attention, decision making and improved performance over time. It has been shown that these benefits impact on our improved wellbeing.
One of the key points here is that mindfulness is about staying connected with the present (in the moment). Liz Hall, in her book mentioned above, noted this by using Jon Kabat-Zinn’s oft-quoted mindfulness definition;
“paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.”
You will notice, Kabat-Zinn doesn’t just say focussed attention, rather “attention in a particular way”. By this Kabat-Zinn means three specific things:
Purposeful
Present moment orientated
Non-judgemental
By purposeful we are talking generally about intent (Why do I want to do this? What do I expect to get out of it?) and commitment (practice, practice, practice – because practice as we know makes permanent). When our clients are looking for changes they are looking for them to become permanent (not perfect).
This is an important point and related to non-judgemental for there is no perfect.
By present moment orientation we mean living in the now. Not what was, or what will be. We need to stop dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. A useful way of keeping the focus on the present is by noticing things in the here and now; our breathing, our body sensations, our thoughts and emotions (and this relates to both the client and the coach).
The coaching situation remember is a relationship.
And, when it comes to non-judgemental, we know that judgements (and unrealistic expectations) lead only to disappointment. We need to ‘let go’ of judgements, for who are we to judge? Are we not imperfect beings? Most clients come into coaching because they are feeling stuck, or lacking focus, or want to improve some aspect (like confidence) or maybe just develop and grow.
We are all imperfect and need to develop a state of humbleness, for how else can we be open and receptive enough to gain the benefits we can from coaching?
Bringing it all together
Mindfulness coaching then is a way to help our clients tap into their inner resources, to better connect with themselves and with others, and to bring harmony to their lives in the here and now through bringing, what is often termed, ‘wise attention’ to the fore.
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Email me direct if you are interested in mindful, trauma-informed, intimacy or spiritual coaching, or if you would like to join my new Pink Tantra Towards Awakening group for chat rooms, video channels and in-person workshops around tantra and intimacy practices robert.pinktantra@gmail.com
See my personal development / personality profiling book DISCover the Power of You published through John Hunt Publishing Ltd, 2017. ISBN: 978-1-78535-591-2
And for a bit of light reading, see my first historical fictional novel Fermented Spirits published through Austin Macauley Publishers, 2022. ISBN-13: 978-1398437159