What is Mindfulness?

Summary: Mindfulness can be thought of as a special way of working with attention and awareness. Jon Kabat-Zin popularized mindfulness in the West during the 1970s and he defines mindfulness as:

Paying attention on purpose, to something in the present, non-judgmentally.

Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.

Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment.

Though it has its roots in Buddhist meditation, a secular practice of mindfulness has entered the American mainstream in recent years, in the form of the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program.

Here are a few key components of practicing mindfulness.

1. Pay close attention to your breathing, especially when you’re feeling intense emotions.

2. Notice—really notice—what you’re sensing in a given moment, the sights, sounds, and smells that ordinarily slip by without reaching your conscious awareness.

3. Recognize that your thoughts and emotions are fleeting and do not define you, an insight that can free you from negative thought patterns.

4. Tune into your body’s physical sensations, from the water hitting your skin in the shower to the way your body rests in your office chair.

5. Find “micro-moments” of mindfulness throughout the day to reset your focus and sense of purpose.