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C h e c k o u t A B M P 's l a t e s t n e w s a n d b l o g p o s t s . Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. a b m p . c o m . 97 limitations as research in other fields (such as publication bias and other limitations), there are good indications that mindfulness can be especially useful in dealing with pain and stress; indeed, mindfulness has been shown to provide measurable benefits in each of the areas listed earlier (yes, even test scores). 4 MINDFULNESS AND MANUAL THERAPY Many bodywork and massage therapy practitioners are familiar with the concept of mindfulness, and see value in it. When I polled the 1,553 practitioners in our Advanced Myofascial Techniques discussion group on the question "Do you think mindfulness can be useful to bodyworkers?" 98.5 percent of respondents responded in the affirmative, 1.5 percent weren't sure, and 0 percent disagreed. 5 A large number of entry-level massage and bodywork training programs (though not all) include attention to mindfulness or to its cousins therapeutic presence and focused attention. (A whopping 93 percent said mindfulness principles were "included" or "emphasized" in their original bodywork training; only 7 percent said mindfulness was "barely mentioned," or not included.) Numerous body-mind approaches used as extensions or adjuncts to hands-on bodywork, such as Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, focusing, Rosen Method, hakomi, sensory awareness, and somatic experiencing, use mindful attention to bodily sensation as a primary method. INTEROCEPTION AND MYOFASCIA Though different sources interpret "mindfulness" in many different ways, attention to present-moment bodily sensations (interoception) is a key aspect of most, if not all, mindfulness applications. 6 (The other aspects common to most mindfulness practices include: attention to sensory experience of one's surroundings, or exteroception; attention to one's thoughts; and an attitude of acceptance and observation, rather than judgment or evaluation.) 7 As hands-on practitioners, we know it is mindful attention to body sensation where our scope has the most obvious and relevant overlap. Whether referred to as mindfulness or not, focused body-based attention is an integral part of many manual therapy techniques and approaches. Touch itself tends to focus the receiver's (and the giver's) attention on the point of contact; many methods leverage this effect by intentionally directing the receiver's attention toward the felt experience itself, as a way to enhance or underscore its therapeutic impact. One example of this approach from our Advanced Myofascial Technique repertory is the Core Point Technique (Image 1). In this technique, we're specifically directing the client's attention toward their interoceptive (felt) experience of compression movement. (For more on the Core Point Technique, see "Working with Bone," Massage & Bodywork, November/December 2013, page 114, and the video on page 115.) In any hands-on modality, whether we realize it or not, we are also invoking body-based mindfulness whenever we: • Ask about our pressure. • Invite the client to let a body part relax or be heavy (Image 2). • Draw a client's attention to their breath, tension, movement, etc. The Core Point Technique is an example of applying mindfulness principles to hands-on work. In this case, the client's attention is directed to the sensory experience of compressive connection through the long bones of the arm. Image courtesy Advanced-Trainings.com. Inviting your client to let a tensely held arm or leg relax or be heavy is another example of how simple body-based mindfulness is commonly used in hands-on work. Image courtesy Advanced-Trainings.com. 1 2