What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a set of skills that you learn, through meditation and other practices, and apply to your life. Over time, these skills enable you to be more present, less reactive, kinder to yourself and others and more self-aware. This is Jon Kabat-Zinn’s definition of mindfulness (Kabat-Zinn is the founder of secular mindfulness): “Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and without judgement.”Living in the moment, noticing what is happening and making choices in how you respond to your experience rather than being driven by habitual reactions."

Mindfulness is simply awareness. It’s the awareness that gives you the power to know what your mind is doing, and being really present for that experience.

Why is that useful?

We spend a lot of time using our minds in ways that make us unhappy; going around in circles thinking about worries, bad memories, self-critical thoughts, and so on. Our minds can get stuck on thoughts or beliefs that aren’t true, and totally blow things out of proportion.

e me happier?"

Another way to say the same thing is that you learn to respond - rather than react. 

When you are mindful, you have the awareness that allows you to respond consciously, rather than react automatically. This is so simple, but it’s an extraordinary power that can radically transform your life and your mind.

We often spend a significant amount of time using our minds in ways that make us unhappy, such as dwelling on worries, bad memories, and self-critical thoughts. Our minds can become fixated on thoughts or beliefs that are not true, blowing things out of proportion. This pattern can persist for a long time, possibly our entire lives, because we lack the awareness to recognize what we are doing and that there is an alternative.

Through mindfulness, we have the ability to observe our thoughts, perceptions, judgments, and beliefs and ask ourselves, "Do I want to dedicate my energy and attention to this? Or is there a different way to use my mind in this moment that would be more beneficial and bring me greater happiness?" Another way to express the same idea is that mindfulness allows us to learn to respond, rather than react.

When we are mindful, we possess the awareness that enables us to consciously respond, rather than automatically react. This simple yet extraordinary ability can profoundly transform our lives and minds.

Compassion, connectedness, and kindness are also fundamental to all our mindfulness programs and are beneficial for our health and well-being. Learning to treat ourselves with the same warmth, acceptance, and compassion that we would offer to a friend is one of the aspects that makes mindfulness practice so valuable and transformative.

Compassion

Compassion, connectedness, and kindness are also central to all our mindfulness programmes, and are so good for our health and wellbeing. Learning to treat ourselves with the sort of warmth, acceptance, and compassion that we would show to a friend is one of the things that makes mindfulness practice so valuable and transformative.