What is Mindfulness?

Dr. Patricia Rockman, a family physician and the Director of Education and Clinical Services at the Centre for Mindfulness Studies, discusses mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to, and seeing clearly whatever is happening in our lives. It can help us respond to life’s challenges in healthier ways. It does so by helping us get back in touch with the full range of our inner and outer resources for learning, growing, and healing, resources we may not even realize we have.

With mindfulness, we train ourselves to pay close attention to what is going on in the present moment; just as it is. Much of our stress and pain is caused by our regrets about the past, worries about the future or judgements about the present. When we connect with the present moment, we become aware of these habitual thought patterns. This enables us to create new, healthier ways of responding to life’s challenges.

Mindfulness is not religious—anyone, with any belief system, can enjoy its benefits.

Mindfulness can:
• Increase personal and professional resilience
• Reduce the negative effects of stress
• Assist with a variety of conditions including anxiety, depression and chronic pain

[patriciarockman]

Caron, Thank you so much for your comment. Mindfulness is difficult to explain because it is first and foremost experiential. Your write that the word is now used in so many ways as to have become at least confusing if not meaningless.
best,
pat

[jod]

Very clear and concise description of a not-so easy to understand concept.

[clmbrt]

I really needed to see this today of all days. It feels as though the word mindfulness has become so cliche that I just turn it off when I hear it. This is one of the best explanations I have ever heard.