What Is Mindfulness?
Be Aware or Be Present
1.
the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
"their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition"
2.
a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.www.dictionary.com
“…focusing one’s awareness on the present moment…” Read this out loud.
One more time.
Read it out loud and let it sink in.
Focus on the phrase and think about it. It seems sample, right? But, not so…
So many distractions are all around us. Emails, texts, phones, music, the noise of cars going by, people talking nearby, and more. But these are just some of the external distractions.
What about the noise in your head? Anxiety, stress, depression, doubt, fear, and, more! “I’m not good enough….” “How can I pay that upcoming bill?” “Why can’t I…” “Where will I go on vacation this year?” and all those other negative thoughts. This lack of ability to control and many stray thoughts are something I work on daily – mindfully.
Mindfulness is the practice of consciously training our attention – by simply focusing on what’s happening here and now. Moment-by-moment, being aware of our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment with openness.
Be Aware or Be Present
Or, put another way – finding your path to enlightenment.
Enlightenment is to know our true nature, the true nature of the world, and the purpose and meaning of life.
On the one hand, it means “to be aware” or PRESENT, on the other hand, it means your burden is lighter
The phrase, “the path to enlightenment,” is attributed to Buddha, dating back to 400-500 B.C., when the practice of mindfulness was alleged to have been first embraced by Buddhists.
More recently, mindful practice was introduced to the mainstream by Jon Kabat-Zinn, an American professor emeritus of medicine and the creator of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.
“Mindfulness can help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness,” says Kabat-Zinn. Today, the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program created by Kabat-Zinn, is offered by medical centers, hospitals, and health maintenance organizations around the world.
The eight-week MSBR was also my introduction to the practice of mindfulness. Since, I try to make the practice of mindfulness a habit, doing it for a minimum of ten minutes every day.
“It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
This article was originally published on my site at https://donnapresents.com/what-is-mindfulness/.
What types of mindful practices have tried? Meditation is a habit that may come easily to some, or not. I have been meditating for over five years, but there were many days I found myself slipping. These days, not so much, not since I completed the no-cost Action Habits Challenge by Connie Ragen Green, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, independent publisher, and serial entrepreneur. You can check it out here.
I’m Donna SLam, who loves to blog about how meditation brings self-compassion, peace of mind, and clarity to my life and those of others by sharing tips and strategies on how to live a fulfilling and purposeful life. I enjoy championing others to lead a healthy and happy life through meditation, walking, self-development, and, spending precious time with loved ones.
