What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness may seem like a fad word, a buzzword of the moment. But, as Merriam-Webster points out, it’s also “a state, a trait and a practice.” It can be used in different ways at any given time. It can be a moment of awareness, like noticing a color or feeling the air on your skin; it can be a trait such as the ability to focus on one thing at a time, as in meditation and other mindfulness practices; or it can be a mindful lifestyle that includes savoring meals, exercising regularly and connecting with others.

In its most basic form, mindfulness is the awareness that you’re living in the present moment—and that’s not always an easy feat. It’s a state of being that requires a lot of effort to cultivate, even for short periods of time.

There are many approaches to mindfulness practice, but one of the most common is seated meditation. The goal is to train the mind to focus on the present experience, and to recognize and accept thoughts that come up as they arise, without judgment. Some meditations can last as little as 10 minutes, while others are up to an hour.

As a mental health practice, mindfulness is rooted in ancient Buddhist teachings. Its rise into the mainstream was largely due to Jon Kabat-Zinn, who taught the first Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program at the University of Massachusetts medical school in the 1970s. Kabat-Zinn based his program on teachings from several Buddhist teachers, including Philip Kapleau and Thich Nhat Hanh. He realized that his patients would often try to avoid painful experiences, such as chronic pain, and that this only served to exacerbate the problem. Instead, he helped them learn to observe their thoughts and emotions with a nonjudgmental attitude and accept the pain.

Research has shown that mindfulness can improve the quality of a person’s life. It can help alleviate stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, relieve pain and discomfort, increase sleep quality, reduce gastrointestinal problems and ease depression. In addition, it can enhance a person’s self-esteem and relationships. By increasing a person’s awareness of their habits, including eating behaviors, mindfulness can also help them make healthier choices.

Mindfulness has become a popular practice in many settings, from corporate offices where people meditate before meetings to prisons, where the practice has been shown to reduce violent behavior and incarceration rates. It’s been incorporated into many therapeutic interventions, such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. It has even been incorporated into the curriculum of the US Military, where it has been found to increase performance and reduce psychological distress in soldiers.

The key to mindfulness is to find a way that works best for you, and commit to it regularly. It’s like going to the gym — once you get in the habit, you’ll see the benefits. Just be sure to take it slow – it’s a new skill that will take some time to develop.what is mindfulness