What is Mindfulness?
- Rhucha Kulkarni
- Oct 13, 2024
- 3 min read
To understand what Mindfulness truly is, requires a very mindful mind :)
When we talk about being mindful, what may often come to mind is a monk or saint, sitting on a forlorn mountain in a meditative pose, lost in a deep state of trans ! After all, mindfulness as a concept originated in the Eastern philosophies such as Hinduism and Buddhism.
In fact, this esoteric view is a mindfulness misconception. Mindfulness is not a distant, far away concept practiced by a select ‘superlative’ few ! Mindfulness is very much an integral part of every human being ! Here is how…
Definitions of Mindfulness
Is mindfulness about focusing on the “mind”?
Is mindfulness about focusing what’s “within the mind”?
Is it about focusing on the “present moment”?
Is it about focusing on the “nothing”?
It is all these and much more!
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 – An Intrinsic State of Being
Many of us think of mindfulness as an exotic concept ! We need to stress and strain our body, mind and soul to be mindful ! What a paradox, because contrary to this popular belief, every human being already possesses the ability for mindfulness ! Mindfulness is not something you have to conjure up, you just have to learn how to access it !
A common misconception is that mindfulness is “all in the head”. Nothing can be further from the truth. Mindfulness practices, like meditation, begin and end in the body*. Somatic experiences can often be the most profound mindful experiences, and being tangible and concrete, are great for beginners who wish to embark on the Mindful Way ! For example, paying attention to where we are and what’s going on, and that starts with being aware of our body. That very act can be calming, since our body has internal rhythms (breathing, body sensations, etc.) that help it relax if we give it a chance.
Mindfulness is all about learning to access the treasure trove we already have within !
How to Access Mindfulness
The beautiful part about mindfulness is that there is no one way to being mindful. Moreover, accessing mindfulness does not require struggles. The Mindful Way stems from universal human qualities, it does not require anyone to change their values or beliefs ! So many paths to mindfulness means that every one of us can choose what suits us best ! And so, it’s easy to learn mindfulness, like any skill it requires curiosity, consistency and concrete action towards the below tenets:
· Awareness: Mindfulness involves a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens*2. It requires you to cultivate a sense of “pause”, from the world, totally absorbing in the present moment.
· Acceptance: Paying attention to our thoughts and feelings without judgement; there is no “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. *2
· Kindness and Compassion: Mindfulness involves being kind to oneself*3, treating oneself with compassion, like one would a close friend. For example, in a Mindfulness meditation session, it is ok for your mind to wander off into a train of thoughts from time to time. Just bring yourself back without chiding yourself or being harsh on yourself.
In essence, mindfulness is about “being comfortable with just BEING”
Goal of Mindfulness
The goal of mindfulness is to wake up to the inner workings of our mental, emotional, and physical processes.*5
Mindfulness is proven to help address a host of mental health concerns, such as stress, anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, etc. It helps elevate the quality of life. Clearly, mindfulness has profound implications in today’s fast paced world, where prioritizing mental health is becoming a core necessity.
The best part is that a Mindful practice does not need much time, it only needs constant commitment. In fact, Mindfulness is more than just a practice. It is about bring a sense of awareness, love and care into caring into everything we do—and it cuts down needless stress. Even a little makes our lives better.
Sources
*3 Happiitude certification
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