Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to a meditative practice most commonly associated with Buddhism that dates back to 25 centuries ago as part of the Buddha's teachings. It has become increasingly popular in the Western world over the past 2 decades. Mindfulness meditation involves the practice of becoming fully aware of the present moment and all that is happening in the moment. Observations of the present moment are made without judgment, without categorization or opinion. Rather, the idea is to observe what is actually there in the moment.

Becoming fully aware of the present moment through the practice of mindfulness meditation is thought to make it possible for people to truly experience life, because life can only be found in the present moment. The premise is that individuals often spend much time thinking about the past, the future, or places other than where they actually are. Our attention is given to things that take away from our ability to accurately perceive and experience the present. Living out of the moment separates us from our experiences and makes it more difficult to deal with life in an effective and mindful fashion. Our minds are occupied by thinking, judging, worry, or other distractions, with the result that we are not being fully aware of the present. The belief is that if we are not really there (or fully present), it is difficult to see things deeply and clearly. Instead, we perceive events in a vague fashion without deep understanding. Further, by living so much out of the moment or in a mindless fashion, we are not truly ourselves. That is, by functioning with our minds elsewhere, in the past or in the future, our body and mind are separated from each other. By practicing mindfulness in a concentrated fashion, our body and mind become one or are reunified and we become our true selves.

The ability to practice mindfulness must be learned and developed through regular practice. Certain methods are taught to develop the capacity for mindfulness, with attention to the breath being one of the most important. For example, one might pay attention to inhaling and exhaling by saying such things as, “Breathing in I know that this is my in-breath, and breathing out I know that this is my out-breath.” By paying attention to breathing in and out, the individual is brought to the present moment. Distracting thoughts and emotions that divide one's attention and interfere with clear thinking and perception are removed. In a sense, everything stops, and what is left is the present moment with all of its contents. The practice of mindfulness (being in the present moment) can be done in a fashion that is traditionally associated with meditative practice. For example, it may be practiced in a quiet setting set aside as a place for meditation using specific steps designed to develop the capacity for mindfulness in an optimal fashion. However, expert practitioners of mindfulness make it clear that the practice can also be done in any daily activity such as washing dishes, driving a car, or walking.

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