What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is something of a buzz word these days.  Perhaps you’ve heard about the health benefits of meditation and mindfulness and are curious about it.  Maybe you’ve seen an advertisement for a meditation app and wondered what it’s all about.  If you’re interested in exploring meditation, you’re not alone. According to the National Health Interview Survey conducted by the CDC, the percentage of U.S. adults who practiced meditation more than doubled between 2002 and 2022, from 7.5 to 17.3 percent. The same survey found that meditation was even more popular than other wellness practices like yoga.

So, what is mindfulness?

To the uninitiated, the idea of mindfulness can seem like something difficult or complicated.  Images of a monk sitting in complete stillness and silence might come to mind.  You may think that in order to meditate, you need to somehow completely clear your mind and not think of anything.

In fact, mindfulness is a lot more simple.  It is a basic human ability.  You were born mindful.  Babies do it all the time.  It’s something you innately know how to do.

Simply put, mindfulness is purposefully paying attention to the present moment.

Take a few seconds and observe what’s going on around you.  What do you see?  Do you hear anything?  Are you cold?  Warm?

Congratulations, you just practiced mindfulness.

We all already have everything we need to be mindful; however, mindfulness is like a muscle that requires exercise.  We can become more mindful by cultivating and growing our natural awareness.  We do this by paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, in a friendly and non-judging way.  Imagine you are watching your mind and body as an outside observer.  Notice your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without getting caught up in them or letting them control you.

To better understand this, think about a baby.

As part of my personal mindfulness journey, I took a course in mindfulness based stress-reduction (MBSR).  The analogy of a baby is one of my favorite thought exercises, and it comes from an example used in this course.  As mentioned earlier, babies are naturally mindful.  Babies are experiencing everything for the first time, and so they observe everything without any preconceived notions or judgement.

Take a look at your hands.  When’s the last time you actually looked at them?  What do you see?  Perhaps you might notice little hairs on the back of your hand.  Or you might notice your veins or the way your tendons move as you wiggle your fingers.  What’s the texture of your skin?  Is it soft or rough?  Dry?  Smooth or textured? Rub your fingers together.  How does it feel?

When babies look at their hands, they do not have any knowledge of what a hand is.  And so, everything about them is fascinating and something new to take in.  They are not thinking about to-do lists or worrying about what needs to get done.  They are simply aware - soaking in the current moment and their present experience.

At the same time, babies have no knowledge of what a hand should be.  Therefore, they simply observe without judgement or criticism.  Imagine a baby has a patch of dry skin on the back of her hand.  She might notice it or feel it, but that thought is simply awareness, not connected with any judgement.  She is not thinking, my hand looks dry, I should apply moisturizer.  The dry patch is not something “good” or “bad.” It is simply something she notices.  Maybe it tickles or hurts when she touches it.  Maybe it feels slightly different.    

How can we strengthen our mindfulness muscles as adults?

Life, especially the fast-paced nature of modern life, has taken us away from our natural state of mindfulness.  We all carry distraction devices known as smartphones with us everywhere we go.  We multitask, plan for the future, and ruminate over mistakes we’ve made.  All of these things keep us from being fully present in the moment.  The antidote to this is mindfulness and meditation.

Mindfulness is purposely paying attention to the present moment.

One of the simplest, though not necessarily easiest, ways to practice mindfulness is a choiceless awareness practice.  In it, you simply observe what’s happening around you, without trying to change anything.  You don’t need to focus on any particular object.  Simply be aware of your surroundings without making any judgements.  Let everything be just as it is.  If you find your mind drifting to other thoughts, that’s ok.  Gently bring your awareness back to the present moment.

When does awareness become judgement?

Here’s an example of how you might experience your thoughts beginning to creep in during your awareness practice:

Awareness: I see clouds in the sky…

Judgement: I see clouds in the sky.  Is it going to rain?  I hope it doesn’t rain while I’m driving home later.  Oh, my windshield wipers need to be replaced.  I forgot to stop and get some new ones this weekend.  Maybe I should order them online instead of waiting to stop in at the auto store…

This is completely normal.  Your mind is simply doing what it does best — thinking.  The key is to notice when your thoughts drift in.  When this happens, you don’t need to judge yourself or be upset that you’re not “doing it right.”  Meditation is concentration and mindfulness at work together.  Your concentration will slip, mindfulness will notice when that happens.

Remember, mindfulness is like a muscle.  If you are just getting started, it will take time and practice to develop.  Similarly, if it’s been a long time since you exercised your mindfulness muscle, it may take some work to get back into the habit.  Don't get discouraged if you find it difficult at first. Start with short, regular practices and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.

This article is for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.