What is mindfulness? - Attentive (2023)

Consciousness. It's a pretty simple word. This suggests that the mind is fully aware of what is happening, what you are doing, the space you are moving through. This may seem trivial, except for the irritating fact that we often stray from the topic at hand. Our minds race, we lose touch with our bodies, and soon we're engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that just happened or we're worried about the future. And that makes us anxious.

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.

However, no matter how far we stray, mindfulness is there to bring us back to where we are and what we are doing and feeling. If you want to know what mindfulness is, you'd better give it a try for a while. Since it's hard to define in words, you'll find slight variations in meaning in books, websites, audio, and video.

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.

Mindfulness is a quality that every human being already possesses, it is not something you have to evoke, you just have to learn to access it.

The types of mindfulness practice

Although mindfulness is innate, it can beGrown using proven techniques. Here are some examples:

1. seated,going, standing andmovingmeditation (also possiblelying downbut often leads to sleep);
2. Brief pauses that we insert into everyday life;
3. Combining the practice of meditation with other activities, such asyogaosports.

The benefits of practicing mindfulness:

When we meditate, it doesn't help to look at the benefits, just to do the practice, and yet there are benefits or no one would do it.

When we are attentive, we reducestress, improveperformance, gaincomprehensionmiknowledgethroughseeing our own mindand increase our attention to the well-being of others.

Mindfulness meditation gives us a moment in our lives when we can suspendjudgmentand release our naturalcuriosityabout the functioning of the mind, addressing our experience withwarmth and kindness- for ourselves and for others.

8 facts about mindfulness:

1. Mindfulness is not dark or exotic.It seems familiar to us because it is what we already do, how we already are. It takes many forms and has many names.
2. Mindfulness is not something special that we do.We already have the ability to be present, and that doesn't require us to change who we are. But we can cultivate these innate qualities with simple practices that have been scientifically proven to benefit ourselves, our loved ones, our friends and neighbors, the people we work with, and the institutions and organizations of which we are a part.
3. You don't need to change.Solutions that ask us to change who we are or become something we are not have failed us time and time again. Mindfulness recognizes and cultivates the best of who we are as human beings.
4. Mindfulness has the potential to become a transformative social phenomenon.This is why:
5. Anyone can do this.The practice of mindfulness cultivates universal human qualities and does not require anyone to change their beliefs. Everyone can benefit and it's easy to learn.
6. It is a way of life.Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It brings awareness and care to everything we do, and reduces unnecessary stress. Even a little makes our lives better.
7. It is evidence based.We don't have to be attentive to faith. Both science and experience demonstrate its positive benefits for our health, happiness, work, and relationships.
8. This generates innovation.As we grapple with the increasing complexity and uncertainty of our world, mindfulness can lead us to effective, resilient, and cost-effective responses to seemingly intractable problems.

Mindfulness is not just in your head

When we think about mindfulness and meditation (with a capital M), we can get stuck thinking about our thoughts: let's do something about what's going on in our heads. It's as if these bodies we have are inconvenient bags for our brains to carry.

Having all of this in your head, however, lacks a good old-fashioned gravity feel.

Meditation begins and ends in the body. It involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are and what's going on, and that starts with being aware of our bodies.

This approach can make it appear to float, as if we don't have to walk at all. We can just float.

But meditation begins and ends in the body. It involves taking the time to pay attention to where we are and what's going on, and that starts with being aware of our bodies. That very act can be calming, since our body has internal rhythms that help it relax if we give it the chance.

How to sit for meditation practice

Here's a posture practice that can be used as the beginning stage of a meditation practice period or just something to do for a minute, perhaps to steady yourself and find a moment of relaxation before getting back into the fray. If you have injuries or other physical difficulties, you can modify it to suit your situation.

1. Take your place.Wherever you're sitting—a chair, meditation cushion, park bench—find a spot that gives you a stable, solid seat without perching or hanging backwards.
2. Watch what your legs do.If you're on a cushion on the floor, cross your legs comfortably in front of you. (If you already do some sort of seated yoga pose, go for it.) If you're in a chair, it's a good idea to have the soles of your feet touch the floor.
3. Straighten, but do not stiffen, the upper body.The spine has a natural curvature. Let it be there Your head and shoulders can rest comfortably on your vertebrae.
4. Position your arms parallel to your upper body.Then let your hands fall to the top of your legs. With the arms at the sides, the hands will land in the correct place. Too far ahead will make you have a hunch. Too far back will make you stiff. You are tuning the strings of your body, not too tight and not too loose.
5. Lower your chin a little and let your gaze gently fall downward.You can let your eyelids droop. If you feel the need, you can lower them all the way, but it is not necessary to close your eyes during meditation. You can just let what appears before your eyes be there without focusing on it.
6. Being there for a few moments.Chill out. Pay attention to your breathing or the sensations in your body.
7. Start again.Once you've established your posture, feel your breath, or some say "follow it," as it goes in and out. (Some versions of the practice put more emphasis on the exhalation, and for the inhalation you simply pause.) Inevitably, your attention will leave your breath and drift elsewhere. When you realize this, in a few seconds, a minute, five minutes, bring your attention back to your breath. Don't worry about judging yourself or obsessing over the content of your thoughts. To come back You go, you come back.
8. Is that.That is the practice. It is often said that it is very simple, but it is not necessarily easy. The job is to keep doing that. The results will be cumulative.

Try this mindfulness meditation for beginners:

A 5-minute breathing meditation to cultivate mindfulness.This practice is designed to reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions, calm down when your temper flares, and improve your concentration skills.

More information about mindfulness:

Explore the science of mindfulness, learn to meditate and practice mindful movement, and dispel some of the myths about mindfulness withConscious Startup Guide.