由美國馬薩諸塞州大學醫學院教授Jon Kabat-Zinn於1979年創立的MBSR是一套完善、有系統、以人為本的訓練課程，透過學習“專注默想”以及持之以恆的練習，讓參與者達致“靜”的境界，從而加深認識自己，令自己生活得更好更健康。Kabat-Zinn形容“專注默想”為一種有系統的思想集中訓練，藉此培養出一種無時無刻，不受外在環境影響都能發揮出來的專注能力。“專注默想”亦能視作一種思想高度集中、不被外在事物擾亂、接納現狀、活在此時此刻的狀態。從東方的角度來看，“專注默想”即是內功的修煉。透過沈思及反思用以訓練精神，學習專注及培養心靈的練習。

專注默想講究全神貫注，目的在於活在當下。我們並不把默想當作一種技藝，反而作為一種透過日積月累的經驗從而形成習慣的養生方法，用以解決生活上不同的問題。每個人對事物的看法和體認源於本身的專注力。所以，調整專注力便可有效處理因壓力引起的有關問題。學會「退一步海闊天空」及仔細體會自己的思維和意識去達致“靜”的境界，可以舒緩過敏的神經反應，令人更正過往處理問題時的弊病，從而日後能正確自如地處理問題。

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