WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?
HOW WE CAN HELP
The definition of mindfulness according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the creator of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction the eight-week course is this:
"Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally. And then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”
www.mindful.org
Mindfulness is the natural ability to be directly aware of what is happening in the present moment, both internally, in our bodies and minds, and externally, in the world around us.
The practice can be used to open your mind and become aware of reflexive, emotional reactions that can lead to bad decisions. By training your mind to focus only on the present, you learn not to get lost in regrets from the past or worries about the future. Letting go of such thoughts may help you worry less and accept things as they are. The practice of mindfulness guides you to be in control of your mind, instead of your mind controlling you.
Mindfulness is training for the mind, as exercise is training for the body. “While people used to believe that the brain became fixed after a certain age, newer research has revealed that the brain never stops changing in response to learning.
Chen Q, Yang H, Rooks B, et al. Autonomic flexibility reflects learning and associated neuroplasticity in old age. Human Brain Mapping. 2020;41(13):3608-19. doi:10.1002/hbn.25034
