Mindfulness has many definitions. I prefer Jon Kabit-Zinn's definition: "Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally".

I will quote wildmine.org for elaboration: "First of all, mindfulness involves paying attention "on purpose". Mindfulness involves a conscious direction of awareness. We sometimes (me included) talk about "mindfulness" and "awareness" as if they were interchangeable terms, but that's not a good habit to get into. I may be aware I'm irritable, but that wouldn't mean I was being mindful of my irritability. In order to be mindful I have to be purposefully aware of myself, not just vaguely and habitually aware. Knowing that you are eating is not the same as eating mindfully. . .left to itself the mind wanders through all kinds of thoughts--including thoughts of expressing anger, craving, depression, revenge, self-pity, etc. As we indulge in these kind of thoughts we reinforce those emotions in our hearts and cause ourselves to suffer. Mostly those thoughts are about the past or future. The past no longer exists. The future is just a fantasy until it happens. The one moment we actually can experience--the present moment--is the one we seem most to avoid".

I became aware (not mindful) of mindfulness last night when I was watching 60 Minutes. I did some research and began "trying" to be mindful. At first I found it very difficult to do. Each present moment I was thinking of the future moment. I became mindful of this. When I tried to pay attention to the present moment, again, I was thinking about the future moment. When the future moment became the present moment I was thinking about the future moment. I realized that if I kept doing this, well, before I know it, I would be dead. Never having lived.

As riding a bicycle is exercise for the body, mindfulness is exercise for the mind. In just 10 hours of being mindful, my anxiety has decreased, my blood pressure has decreased (I have a blood pressure monitor), my depression has decreased, and my anger has decreased.

What are your thoughts about mindfulness?

[Altered Moment]

Jon Kabat-Zin was interviewed on 60 minutes last night. Anderson Cooper went to one of his retreats in Nor Cal. Oh I see that is why you are talking about it, you saw it too. I love him and read his books years ago.

I have found that practicing meditation a lot makes it much much easier to be mindful during ordinary activities. You don't have to do it that way but that is what I do. I love mediation. At first it was very very hard. Monkey brain. The technique of not fighting thoughts and not judging them but just watching them float by really works. I use my breath as my device. The breath is so intricately tied to every cell in your body that I think focusing on it is going to the core. When my mind wanders I bring my attention back to the breath. Each time calmly doing this. With much practice it becomes easy to fall below the busy scattered layer of normal awareness into deeper layers. The breath is very deep in the diaphragm by then. I can't even explain the experiences I have had at this level. At it's root breath means spirit.

This practice has made it much much easier to catch myself during the day and stop and take two breaths to get centered and present again. Nothing like living in the present. I agree with Zinn that is all there is. The only reality is the moment now.

I did have a weird reaction when watching it. When they talked about Google doing it and everyone was doing it and how accepted and popular it is, I got a little upset. It was like I know where the buried treasure is and I don't want anyone else to know. I have this secret weapon and I don't want anyone else to have it. How selfish is that. Of course I do want the whole world to know about it and benefit from it and I think the world would be a better place. But that little selfish bastard in me did raise his head.

[gayleggg]

I watched that show, too. I'm going to dust off my copy of one of Zinn's book that I have and read it again.

[WrkNPrgress]

My therapist recommended his book 'Full Catastrophe Living' to help deal with a recent diagnosis of mine.

I've done meditation before but never carried on the practice for very long. So I'm picking it up again and I enjoy it. I find it very useful for a number of things. Reducing anxiety being the main thing. Handling of pain, handling the unknown, and building my own concentration and most importantly self-acceptance and equanimity.

I am glad more people are getting into meditation. That being said, I hear a lot of people misunderstanding the overall goals of meditation. I have a friend who does this but gets impatient with her partner for not following along at her own pace— which defeats the basic concept, IMO.

I have another who seems to think it's all about focusing on a specific task she wants to accomplish. So she'll chant in her mind the whole time— about that thing or person. Which to me, is not the goal either.

But to each their own, as they say. It's good thing to have more people in the world being self-aware.

[sideblinded]

I'm reading 'Wherever you Go There You Are" by Kabat-Zinn now and it is helping me. I missed the program .....drats.

I might get the 'Full Catastrophe Living" one after this one.

[Tomalovely]

Zinn is great for meditation. I have only watched his videos and done the guided meditations. I find a lot of inspiration from Eckhart Tolle and Thich Nhat Nhan as well. They are all coming at it from different perspectives, so I find each resonates with me on different topics.

[Fuzzybear]

Thanks, good post
I miss many good posts, will practice this more

[*Laurie*]

I started practicing mindfulness meditation when I was 17, with TM (Transcendental Meditation). That was back in 1979...kind of funny, because meditation back then, to most westerners, was pretty much akin to dancing with the devil. And now it's so popular. Which is great, because mindfulness is an immensely helpful way to live life. Anyway, I went on to read Jon Kabot Zinn and others who wrote about mindfulness meditation.

With all the mindfulness practice I've done and continue to do, it has never been as powerful to treat my depression as medication has been. It's a kind-of second to medication. I wish I could say that mindfulness practice helps my anxiety, but nothing I've found yet seems to really kick my anxiety in the butt.

[Service Cat]

I meditate about 10 minutes a day on my breath, and I try to live mindfully, but it's difficult and my life is so boring that being mindful is like watching paint dry.

[leomama]

I actually read recently that for people with my condition, PTSD, mindfulness may do more harm then good as it may stir up memories. That being said my doctor actually prescribed daily mindfulness for me to deal with my emotional stress.

[avlady]

recently i watched a george carlen u tube video online about the past present and future. i never laughed so much and there are other videos by him too. some may not agree with the material, but keep going on listening and you'll be laughing too!!