Mindfulness is a state of mind, a philosophy, a practice, and a way of being in the world. Mindfulness is the conscious way we capture moment to moment experiences through heightened awareness of sense sensations, feelings, and detail the processing of influencing information.
There is an incredible difference between walking through life and walking into life. The roots of mindfulness can be found in the ancient teachings of the Buddhists, carried forward by Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk who invites us to “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.”1 Expanding on the importance of mindfulness is the wonderful works of author, researcher, and artist Ellen Langer who describes the views of mindfulness and mindlessness as either being fully engaged; paying attention to context and variability or being on auto-pilot; behavior is ruled and routine is governed, paying little or no to subtle changes2.
When it comes to happiness we can be our generators of serotonin just by thinking, seeing, appreciating and embracing positive experiences that literally invade our lives like raindrops of a spring shower. The catch is we have to pay attention; we have to notice the rain, the temperature, how it makes us feel, and the smells that accompany the rain, the flurry of the people as they hide for shelter or run out into the street to kick in the puddles; embracing the full experience moment by moment.
The practice of mindfulness can be incorporated into a daily routine of simply paying attention, or taken to a deep level of mindful mediation. Daily mindfulness is accomplished when we attentively check-in with our selves, consciously being aware of the senses: sights, tastes, smells, touch and sounds. This also includes awareness of how it makes us feel; happy, sad, melancholy, invigorated etc. Mindful meditation is a relaxation practice of being in the present with one’s self and focusing awareness on breathing and thoughts that float in an out of one’s mind without judgment, just simply acknowledging their existence.3
The benefits of practice mindfulness range from a more complete experience in life to fine-tuning thought patterns that ultimately give a higher sense of control and awareness.
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1 Good Reads (2015). Thich Nhat Hahn quotes “Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” Retrieved from: http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/299262-walk-as-if-you-are-kissing-the-earth-with-your
2 Langer, E.J.(1990). Mindfulness. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press
3 Seaward, B.L.(2013). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning
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