Mindfulness

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a way of being that is based on the Buddhist tradition dating back to nearly five thousand years. Currently, there are many definitions of  this concept. One popular definition, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn is “paying attention in a particular way, in the present  moment and nonjudgementally”. It means living in the moment; not necessarily for the moment. It entails bringing your awareness and senses to whatever you are doing in the present and not focusing on the past or the future.

When you live mindfully, you bring more awareness to your life. You are able to savour each moment and experience as life unfolds. You no longer live life on automatic pilot on account of habituated responses; you allow yourself more space to make positive, directed choices which can result in considerably lowering your stress level.

Three aspects of mindfulness

Let us examine in greater detail the three main aspects of mindfulness: paying attention, living in the moment and breathing. Paying attention means narrowing your field of vision so that you can see clearer and in finer detail. This would lead to better understanding and appreciation on the object(s) of our attention. Love is promoted as this practice enhances our relationship with ourselves and with others around us.

Living in the moment means centering oneself in what is happening in the now. When your thoughts are not centred, this can negatively affect your health, your relationships and the overall quality of your life. Your emotional energy becomes frittered from the chaos of mindlessness. 

In the Eastern traditions, the breath is viewed as the link between the mind and body. A beginner’s exercise in mindfulness breathing  is to sit with your eyes closed, your spine upright and bring attention to your breath as it enters and leaves your nostrils. If your attention wanders, you gently bring it back to the breath which serves to anchor your awareness. In this way, you, often referred to in this context as the witness, can eventually begin to observe and thereby create space between your thoughts, feelings and sensations without necessarily reacting on these. It helps you to be proactive. 

Concluding remarks

The overall effect of mindful living is that you develop increased awareness and with that a greater capacity to enjoy present moments and make conscious, healthier choices in your everyday life. Your behavior is no longer an automatic function of habitual thoughts and feelings. Your stress levels decrease as you become more proactive and less reactive.

Reference

Full Catastrophe Living.1990.Jon Kabat-Zinn