What Is Mindfulness?
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”. Viktor Frankl
Mindfulness is the practice of the moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, emotions and body, that we can cultivate through adopting a non-judgmental attitude with a sense of openness and curiosity. Mindfulness gives us choice in how we respond in a situation, subsequently giving us an increased sense of choice and freedom.
Human beings swim in thoughts like a fish swims in water and these thoughts can have a direct impact on how we feel and act in any given moment. Whilst being mindful entails being in the present moment, the process of mindfulness, which is never ending, is to notice the way our
mind wanders, and then gently guide it back to the present moment.
Human beings swim in thoughts like a fish swims in water and these thoughts can have a direct impact on how we feel and act in any given moment. Whilst being mindful entails being in the present moment, the process of mindfulness, which is never ending, is to notice the way our mind wanders, and then gently guide it back to the present moment.
We tend to spend most of our time either thinking about the past or planning for, or worrying about, the future. This can inevitably lead to problems such as depression or anxiety. However, the past is gone and the future hasn’t happened; the only moment we have any control over is now – the present moment – and by focussing our attention here we can help alleviate discomfort, suffering and make our lives more rewarding and fulfilled.
A useful way to visualise this is the infinity loop – our minds loop around the past to the future in a continuous process, rarely pausing in the now – the present moment is the intersection or centre point and this is where we need to be if we’re being mindful.
When practicing mindfulness, the breath can provide a useful anchor to return to when the mind drifts off. Focus on your breath and feel it in your body, when your thoughts wander just notice them and don’t judge them, just be curious as to where your mind went and gently bring your attention back to your breath. The repetition of this cycle is the practice of mindfulness.
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