Is Mindfulness a Meditation?
By Rene Doumal | Submitted On January 28, 2014
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Is mindfulness a meditation?
Mindfulness has become a popular word nowadays. We hear it within multiple context. And if you have ventured to know more about it you may have realized it seems to have something to do with meditation.
But what is mindfulness? Is it really a kind of meditation?
The short answer is yes and no.
But in order to get to the heart of the issue, we need to get a better understanding of what really mindfulness is all about.
So what is mindfulness?
It has been defined as "paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment non-judgmentally." This is one of the most popular definitions of mindfulness used by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Of course, there are variations of this definition that you may come across, but this one captures the essence of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is really a way of paying attention. But it is not paying attention to anything because someone asked you to. Like your teacher in the classroom, when you were lost or distracted. It is paying attention on purpose, even without being asked.
It is really nothing other than awareness.
Though you may not hear about it as much, there are some Christian traditions that can be classified as meditation. Early Christian monks practiced reading the Bible slowly and carefully consider the meanings of each verse, a practice called "lectio divina." It's widely regarded as the first instance of meditation in Christianity. Prayer is also considered a form of meditation.
Mindfulness is an incredible skill, it is a practice that is taking the world by storm and helping more and more people live in their present.
Some of the key components of mindfulness are not dissimilar to the three core conditions offered by Roger’s; congruence, empathy, and unconditional positive regard (UPR). The emphasis is on providing these conditions to oneself through mindfulness-based practice. The main aim is to be fully and unconditionally present with all that is in your consciousness as it occurs.
Lissa Balisson came into class to discuss the significance of mindfulness. She described mindfulness as being in tune with yourself, but most importantly being in the present. One of the benefits being presently mindful and aware was to lessen the likelihood of being turbulent and agitated throughout the day. Often, we do things without thinking much about it, and we lose appreciation of the experience.
At its essence, mindfulness is about developing a focused state of mind through a process of directing and controlling thoughts and thought patterns at a specific time. It involves developing a better sense of self-awareness, being focused on breathing or anything else that helps to create a point of focus, removing mental
“Mindfulness” takes on a slightly varied definition based on the practitioner and the researcher. The Oxford dictionary (2016) defines mindfulness as “A mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” Weijer-Bergsma et al. (2012) states, “Mindfulness is a form of attention training using meditation techniques, in which participants learn to pay attention in a specific way” (pp. 238-239). Mindfulness has also been described as “the process of engaging a full, direct, and active awareness of experienced phenomena that is spiritual in aspect and that is maintained from one moment to the next” (Van Gordon et al.,
It is so sad to say, but many people do not know what mindfulness meditation is and its benefits. Unfortunately I was one of the people that did not know what it meant although I was close, I wasn’t exactly right. I thought it was changing ones state of mind from negative to positive in order to over come a fear of a certain thing. In this research paper, I will discuss the benefits that mindfulness meditation does and the alternatives there are to this meditation.
We alto often underestimate the reality of mindfulness. Countless of stressors will arise that presents itself to individuals in our society today. These stressors influence the climax of our restrictions in life on how much we can bare. Frequently, individuals lose sight of their emotions and reaction upon impulse rather than reasoning. To successfully obtain mindfulness, an individual must develop the ability to harness their consciousness while in their present surroundings. During this process, the individual becomes knowledgeable about their emotions, organize thoughts, and implement positive solutions. Thus, individuals acquire an increase of their self-confidence and become a resilient person.
In recent decades mindfulness meditation has grown increasingly popular in modern societies. As researcher Jean Kristellar (2007) explained, “Mindfulness meditation, also known as "insight meditation" or "Vipassana practice," has helped to show how meditation can contribute to therapeutic growth and personal development.” (pg. 393). My research has found there is a commonly held misconception that meditation requires the individual to clear their mind of all thoughts, resulting in “mindlessness.” However, all meditation techniques leads to the ability to maintain focus and awareness. Mindfulness meditation is an ability to acknowledge thoughts and observing them in a non-judgmental manner rather than focusing on a simple object. As humans, we often live our lives on autopilot mode and tend to forget to be aware of the present. Mindfulness is said to help develop the skill of being aware of yourself and everything around you. Practicing mindfulness aides promoting relaxation while bringing awareness to the present which leads to taking control over daily life.
Mindfulness is a type of meditation that helps you to focus on the important things in life. During mindfulness, you focus entirely on the present and allow your mind to accept events as they occur. When you practice mindfulness regularly, it can help you to reduce the impact of distractions on your mind. In addition, mindfulness helps you to determine the things that are really important. You become better grounded, so it is easier to accomplish your to-do list and stay on track.
It is very interesting that in this chapter, Siegel, Germer, and Olendzki (2009) layout the common misunderstandings of mindfulness which are critical when mindfulness becomes a trend in not only psychotherapy, but also daily life currently. The authors list the common misconceptions of mindfulness, including: (1) having a
As mentioned above, mindfulness is a method of transformation. It not only brings about healthy physiological improvements and a greater sense of inner harmony, but it also affects the practitioner on many more subtle levels than may be initially realised.
Mindfulness is one of the key practices taught by many spiritual disciplines because it helps quiet the mind and also helps improve a person 's understanding of his own thoughts and emotions.
Mindfulness is a simple idea. Its power arises from its practice and application. It means paying attention or being aware, on purpose, in the present moment, without judgment.
Mindfulness can be defined as focusing in the present through the self-regulation of attention to allow for increased awareness of one’s mental events and experiences characterized by acceptance, openness, and curiosity (Bishop, Lau, Shapiro, Carlson, Anderson, Carmody, & et al., 2004, p. 232). A key component of the third-generation therapies are mindfulness