Put simply, mindfulness is awareness of the present moment and circumstances. The concept of mindfulness is Buddhist in origin and can be defined in many different ways in modern society: for example, as a kind of mental attitude that one may adopt, or a set of techniques that can anchor a person’s consciousness in the present. People think many thoughts at once and many of them are concerned with the past, or the future, or abstract things. Being mindful means keeping your mind on the here and now.
This can be very calming, allowing worries and regrets to be left alone, especially when it is the focus of meditation. Mindfulness is currently frequently discussed in the media as a treatment for many things, including serious anxiety and depression, chronic pain, and feelings of being overwhelmed by modern life, stress relief. However, being mindful is not always easy, and mindful meditation, in particular, needs regular practice to become effective.
One might choose to be mindful in daily life simply by paying attention to current tasks, but mindfulness is usually associated with doing so with a particular attitude of curiosity, openness, and acceptance. That way you can be open to your actual experience, free of preconceptions and without being distracted by your reactions to it. Mindfulness is at its most acute when one is focussing one’s mind entirely on it: such a state of mental focus being described as meditation.
Meditation is sometimes described as ‘falling awake’ as a contrast to falling asleep. Meditation can be classified as concentration meditation, where there is one particular focus, such as a sound, or as mindfulness meditation where the focus is on all aspects of the present moment. However, complete awareness of the present is very often easier to achieve by paying particular attention to one aspect of it, at least initially, so the two kinds of meditation are intertwined.
The movement of breath into and out of the body is a very popular initial focus of attention in mindful meditation as it is always present and involves just enough bodily movement to keep one interested. Some people prefer a repeated silent phrase (called a mantra), or a set of rhythmic, simple movements, or enjoy being guided through a meditation by verbal instructions and reminders from a teacher or an audio track.
How can you be mindful? Just observe, become patient with yourself. Mindfulness or meditation is no more than being naturally awake, aware and present to what is happening. Most meditation methods support this. All you need is to sit quietly in a pleasant, comfortable place and notice what happens: The sounds and sights around you as they change. Your breathing in and out as it changes. Your thoughts and emotions as they come and go – That is enough – The more, the better. Try and be mindful every day.