Mindfulness

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally,” Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness is about being fully aware of whatever is happening in the present moment, by becoming aware of your mind and body, how the two are inextricably linked to be able to experience life in the here and now. 

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The practice of mindfulness is rooted in Buddhism, however you can see mindful practices with even deeper roots, particularly in yogic traditions It has become more and more a universal and secular practice, so anyone can benefit from a little mindfulness.
 
In fact, it has become more mainstream in the West, thanks partly to Jon Kabat Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course and you may find local GPs prescribing mindfulness practices to help you deal with stress, anxiety, depression, pain and illness. It is being widely researched, with evidence showing changes in our brains, moods, ability to deal with our thoughts and feelings and therefore live more in the present.

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Who else feels like their minds are often (if not always) full of worries, regrets, planning what you need to do that day, having flashbacks of embarrassing or sad events? We are too often caught up in the past, or worrying about the future. Mindfulness helps us to truly be in the present moment, recognising how those thoughts make us feel, recognising patterns of thinking so that we can be at ease within ourselves.

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Personally, I find that mindfulness helps me to be me, wholly and completely, no apologies. I’m able to more easily recognise how I’m feeling and how it may be impacting my ability to function in that given moment. I’ve always seen myself as a whole human being, but mindfulness makes me feel like a fully whole being, like all my corners have been lit up and filled out.