Glossary

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. A third-wave therapy developed by Steven Hayes. Rather than trying to change or reduce difficult thoughts, ACT teaches you to observe them without identifying with them, to accept them, and to act in accordance with your values despite their presence. The paradox of control is central: trying to control your thoughts and emotions generally makes the problem worse.

An almond-shaped group of brain structures involved in learning, memory and emotional salience. It participates in responses to threat, but it is not a single fear button and cannot explain a person's anxiety by itself. Claims about meditation changing its activity or structure depend on the study and should not be used as a personal diagnosis.

A label used for paced-breathing practices that aim to create a regular relationship between breathing and cardiovascular rhythms. Six breaths per minute is not a universal target, and effects on HRV, cortisol or emotion depend on the protocol and person. Use a comfortable rhythm and treat the result as an observation, not a diagnosis.

A brain network whose activity varies with tasks involving internal thought, memory, planning and attention. It is not synonymous with distraction, and findings about mind-wandering, happiness and meditation-related activity depend on the study and context. They do not justify a simple personal prediction.

A state of total immersion in an activity, described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Characterized by intense concentration, a loss of awareness of time, and a merging of action and consciousness. Different from mindfulness - flow is oriented toward an external task, mindfulness toward inner experience - but both share the absence of rumination and mind-wandering.

A fundamental concept of Buddhist philosophies: everything that exists is in constant transformation. Nothing is permanent, neither pleasures nor sufferings. Recognizing impermanence is not nihilistic - on the contrary, it allows you to be fully present to what is, knowing it will change. It is also an antidote to excessive attachment and resistance.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. A cognitive therapy based on mindfulness, developed by Mark Williams, John Teasdale and Zindel Segal. It combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness practices and has been studied for preventing depressive relapse in selected clinical populations. It is delivered as care, not as a self-diagnosis or guaranteed personal outcome.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. An 8-week program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts in 1979. It combines mindfulness meditation, gentle yoga and exploration of stress reactions. It has been studied in many contexts, but study quality, populations, outcomes and effects vary; it is not a universal treatment.

A state in which attention leaves the present task for unrelated thoughts: daydreams, ruminations or plans. Mind-wandering is common and can be distracting, but it can also support planning and creativity. A single population average does not predict your attention or happiness in every task.

A state of intentional attention to the present moment, without judgment. Jon Kabat-Zinn defines it as 'paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.' It is not a state of relaxation or mental emptiness - it is a quality of attention.

The brain's ability to change structurally and functionally throughout life in response to experience. Brain-imaging studies can report differences after training, but results depend on the method, sample and comparison. Neuroplasticity is a capacity, not proof that a short practice will rewire your brain in a predictable way.

One branch of the autonomic nervous system involved in functions such as digestion and cardiovascular regulation. The common 'rest and digest' explanation is useful but simplified. Slow breathing may influence how some people feel, yet no single exercise guarantees a measurable switch or treats a health condition.

A group of frontal brain regions involved in planning, decision-making, attention and aspects of self-regulation. Mindfulness does not train it like a single muscle, and a simple prefrontal-cortex-versus-amygdala story hides how distributed and context-dependent these processes are.

An acronym developed by Tara Brach for working with difficult emotions. Recognize (identify what's happening), Allow (let the experience be there), Investigate (explore with curiosity what's happening in the body and mind), Nurture (offer yourself compassion). This sequence transforms your relationship to emotional discomfort without trying to suppress it.

One of the oldest Buddhist meditation techniques, meaning 'to see things as they really are.' It consists of systematically observing bodily sensations, thoughts and emotions with equanimity. Vipassana retreats typically last 10 days in complete silence. Jon Kabat-Zinn drew heavily on Vipassana to develop MBSR.