What is Mindfulness

With so many different definitions of mindfulness, it can often be difficult to understand what mindfulness is, as well as being able to identify whether or not someone is practising mindfulness.

Simply put, mindfulness is a moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations and the surrounding environment. In other words, it is an awareness of our awareness. Some may also say that being mindful is related to being open, nonjudgmental, friendly, curious, accepting, compassionate and kind; however, these can be considered qualities of our awareness. Mindfulness is a fairly common practice across many different therapies, since its focus on cultivating a neutral awareness of a situation can offer a first step in breaking cycles of rumination, patterned behaviours, emotional dysregulation, as well increasing self-awareness. This can enhance cognitive flexibility and build resilience.