What is Mindfulness?

• I have recently discovered the practice of “mindfulness”.  There is no mysticism in this; it is no transcendental mind-emptying ritual.
• In fact it is derived from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy; it is evidence-based. It is shown to help engender calmness, alleviate depression and generate a more focused and “present” approach to life, so that less time is wasted fretting or regretting.

I am no expert on this.  But I am in the process of reading the wonderful book:
“Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world” by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
available here.

Ruby Wax’s quote on the cover says “If you want to free yourself from anxiety, then read this book.”  I couldn’t agree more. 

• The idea is to become more aware of the moment, to be more in touch with the present, with your body and its senses, so that Life is not wasted by dwelling in the future or the past.
• The mind often tries to help “solve emotions” by doing what it is good at, namely: reasoning, replaying, running through problems again and again, worrying and planning.
   
• However, emotions don’t actually need solving! With the help of mindfulness meditations you can move from the mind’s “Doing” mode, into a “Being” mode.  Here you are simply aware of your own body, your surroundings, the present moment and the way you feel. It then becomes easier to face the emotion, acknowledge it, experience it and move on.
• “You are not your thoughts!” You can step back from them and regard them as mental events passing through like clouds across a sky.
• Meditations do not aim at “emptying the mind”. The aim is to build an ability to BE.  To focus on what is around you and in you NOW.  To be gentle with yourself, show compassion to yourself.