What are the Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness?
These are some possible positive outcomes of practicing mindfulness according to Mindful Magazine:
- Helps to understand your feelings and thoughts better
- Helps to stay focused on tasks and activities
- Helps in connecting with people more easily
- It decreases stress (Mindful Communications & Such, 2022)
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us (Mindful Communications & Such, 2022). Practicing mindfulness is not such a "big deal" as it might be seen by some: whenever a person directs their attention on the present moment, they are being mindful (2022). Mindfulness is an ability that everybody naturally possesses, however they tend to forget about it in the constant rush of everyday life. By regularly cultivating mindfulness through specific exercises, a person can become more contented and balanced, as numerous studies show (2022).
What are Some Misconceptions About Mindfulness?
Barry Boyce, an expert on mindfulness listed these common misbeliefs about mindfulness:
- It 'isn’t about “fixing” you'
- It 'is not about stopping your thoughts'
- It 'does not belong to a religion'
- It 'is not an escape from reality'
- It 'is not a panacea' (Mindful Communications & Such, 2022)
How Can One Start Practicing Mindfulness?
As Selva states, mindfulness can be practiced at any place, in any time (depending on the task, of course) (Selva 2021). Mindful Magazine recommends to follow these steps to tune into practicing mindfulness:
- 'Set aside some time.
- Observe the present moment as it is.
- Let your judgments [and thoughts] roll by.
- Return to observing the present moment as it is.
- Be kind to your wandering mind.' (Mindful Communications & Such, 2022)
Some studies also highlight that practicing mindfulness has three core elements: the person's intention with the practice, their undivided attention, and their judgment-free and kind attitude towards themselves (Sousa and Saphiro 2018). They state that there are formal and informal ways of cultivating mindfulness. Informal ways include any sort of activity through which the practitioner is able to preserve their attention on the present moment, for example swimming, washing the dishes, or even dancing (Sousa and Saphiro 2018).
What are its Origins?
Mindfulness is deeply rooted in the traditions of ancient Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism (Selva 2021). Yoga, for instance, is one of the oldest forms of movement meditation, incorporating several mindfulness exercises, such as the body scan. Mindfulness spread to the West mostly in the twentieth century, where it became extremely popular (Selva 2021). Perhaps the most influential person who started conducting in-depth studies about mindfulness in the USA was Jon Kabat-Zinn, a former Buddhist monk. 'Kabat-Zinn founded the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School' (Selva 2021), and here he developed his program called Mindfulness Based Stress-Reduction (MBSR). This program aimed to reduce the level of stress of patients with anxiety by mixing the Eastern philosophy of mindfulness with modern Western science (Selva 2021). MBSR served as a ground for further studies in the field of mindfulness, and inspired the development of similar programmes, such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). The research is still ongoing.
Some Exercise Examples
Ackerman, Courtney. 2021. '22 Mindfulness Exercises, Techniques & Activities For Adults (+ PDF’s)' https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/ [accessed 30 January 2021]
Mindfulness Exercises website. 2022. https://mindfulnessexercises.com/free-guided-meditations-mindfulness-talks/ [accessed 30 January 2021]
Why is it Called an Embodied Practice?
Mindfulness is just as much about the body as it is about the mind and soul. 'Although often associated with mental training, mindfulness is much more than a mental exercise' (Sousa and Saphiro 2018). Being fully present in a certain moment involves being aware not only of thoughts, feelings and surroundings, but also paying attention on the physical experiences of the body. That is the reason why mindfulness is compatible with certain activities, and can be practiced in the form of movement meditation, too.
