Mindfulness...what is it?

I'm sure someone here can explain this to me. I just met with my therapist and just before our session ended she had asked me if I knew what mindfulness means. I told her that I had heard the term before, but have no idea what it is all about. She says we will discuss it when I meet with her again next week. I think I read about it somewhere having to do with DBT, but I honestly can't remember.

Mindfulness is a sort of philosophy and mental discipline where you focus your awareness on the present moment yet simultaneously accept without judgement your emotions, thoughts, and sensations.

Sounds complicated.

Really, it's supremely simple. It just incorporates a lot.

Boiled down, it comes to this: Focus on the now without judgement.
This makes it easier for me to be agitated without calling it "bad" and getting dragged farther into increased agitation.

My current therapist talks about this a lot - he uses a combination of mindfulness and CBT. Vertigo explained it really well. Another way to think about it (I'm getting this from my 'mindfulness workbook') is the difference between "doing" and "being" mode. We spend most of our time in "doing" mode - going through the day on autopilot without really being fully aware/present in the moment (like when you drive a familiar route and when you arrive realize that you don't really remember getting there). "being" mode is doing the best you can to be fully aware of all your senses and thoughts without judging. For someone like myself who tends to catastrophize physical sensations, the difference is feeling my heart pounding and instantly going to "why is it doing that?? something is really wrong!!! I'm having a heart attack!!) to feeling my heart pounding and simply acknowledging the sensation and the thoughts for what they are (sensations and thoughts). I find it very helpful for anxiety, not so much for depression.

Thanks for the explanation. I have a DBT book I purchased that talks about it apparently. Maybe I should actually read it

Mindfulness to me is a walking meditation. It is being present in what you are doing at the moment. Meditation helps train you for mindfulness but it is not just meditation, to successfully practice mindfulness you need to bring that meditation into each moment of your day to day life. Easier said then done to be sure.