“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgementally.”

-Jon Kabat-Zinn

Definition

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing our attention to the present moment without judgement. It is a moment to moment awareness of present events. It is about paying attention in a curious and compassionate manner.

We can practice mindfulness by intentionally bringing our awareness to our experiences while they are happening. When we are able to pause and notice what is happening in the now, we can more fully experience life.

It can sound simple enough to stop and pause, but it is difficult to practice. Our world is fast-paced and we are more used to the going than the stopping. It doesn’t help that our brains are wired to be thinking in the future or in the past. With practice, mindfulness gets easier, like anything else we put effort into.

Try It

Mindfulness is about tending to what is happening. It can be explained with words only to a certain extent, because it is after all, a practice. It is something that requires the effort of remembering over and over.

Take a moment to practice for 30 seconds to pause and notice what’s going on around you and what you see. Notice shapes, sounds, colors, and what you hear. Notice yourself breathing. Even if you do it for 5 seconds, you are practicing mindfulness. Try to practice this pause in a compassionate non-judgemental way.

History

Mindfulness dates back to ancient asian traditions. It’s important to recognize the vast history of mindfulness, as it has only recently been introduced to western culture. Mindfulness is a significant element of Buddhism. Over 2,000 years ago, mindfulness was taught as one of the facets of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha explained mindful practice as a clear comprehension of what is taking place.

Finding Peace

We are human and life is hard. Life is full with moments of unsatisfaction, pain, and despair, but when we look at our lives as they are with a nonjudgemental attitude, without condemning it, we can find peace. There is a way to look at the world and touch life more fully. Mindfulness can lift us out of despair when we practice noticing our experiences without judging it.

Often when we bring our awareness to a present moment, we are hit with our minds wandering all over the place, our body aching, and some anxiety. This is okay. This is all part of being human, and this difficulty is actually an important part of the practice. Try to continue to bring your attention back to the present to whatever extent you can. Test out the practice for one breath today, then try two breath tomorrow, and continue to extend it each day. Another idea is to add in a 10 second kindness pause for yourself during a morning or evening routine.

Mindfulness practice can reduce stress and positively impact our well-being. I invite us to insert short pauses in our every day lives. We can go on a walk and simply notice what we notice. We can sit for a moment and just breathe.

To learn more about the benefits of practicing mindfulness, check out my next blog post.

Sending all the well wishes to you.

Love, Danielle

Mindfulness Photography © Mindful Photo Studio Danielle Waters

Article Summary

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing your attention to the present moment without judgement.
Mindfulness dates back to ancient Buddhist traditions, and was taught as one of the facets of the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path.
Although it seems hard to practice, we all have the innate ability to access mindfulness as a practice in our lives.
We can try to insert short pauses in our every day lives by going on a walk and simply notice things, or sit for a moment and just breathe.