What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a particular quality of awareness that arises from an open, non-judgemental and kind attentiveness to all experience. The practice involves noticing and accepting whatever arises, rather than trying to change experience (e.g. pushing away negative thoughts and feelings, 'clearing' the mind).
What can it do for me?
Regularly engaging in mindfulness practice has been demonstrated to have a number of mental and physical health benefits. It can:
- Reduce levels of stress
- Increase quality of life
- Enhance self-compassion
- Decrease anxiety and depression
- Strengthen the ability to disengage from negative emotions
- Boost working memory capacity
- Increase relationship satisfaction
- Reduce chronic pain
A video by Professor Jon Kabat-Zinn briefly introducing mindfulness: