What is mindfulness and what it takes to become more mindful in our daily lives?
According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is:
“(..) an ancient Buddhist practice which has profound relevance to our present-day lives. It has to do with examining who we are (…) and with cultivating some appreciation of the fullness of each moment we are alive. Most of all, it has to do with being in touch.”[1]
Many of our activities are performed in an unconscious state of mind, in a more or less routine mode, constantly thinking about more things that need to be done or places that we need to be and not being absorbed by and attending only to the tasks at hand. \
Mindfulness theory tells us that certain mental qualities or attitudes, “(…) provide a rich soil in which the seeds of mindfulness can flourish”.[2]
They suggest we practice:[3]
- Patience
- ‘Letting Go’
- Non-Judging
- Trust
- Generosity
But the more we do, the easier it becomes to relate to others and ourselves in a different way.
If for example, by the way in which you are behaving, actually ‘broadcast’ patience, empathy and openness, others will come to you more easily and it will certainly change the quality of your relationships.
Furthermore, you will feel less stressed and more in harmony with yourself and what you are doing.
[1] Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Wherever you go, there you are”, New York 1994, p. 3.
[2] Kabat-Zinn: “Wherever you go”, p. 47.
[3] Compare also with Chade-Meng Tan: “Search inside yourself”, p.159 et. seq.
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author: Jenny Ebermann Jenny Ebermann on the Web
Planting The Seeds For Mindfulness | Business 2 Community
LINK: http://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/planting-the-seeds-for-mindfulness-0295439
