MemphisCounselor

Mindfulness is a simple, but profound concept. It comes from the thousands-year-old tradition of Buddhism and Taoism, but is not tied to any religion in any way. Mindfulness is simply focusing one’s attention on the current moment and what is coming in via the five senses. It is just as important for what it is not; it is letting go of our mind’s wandering into the past or future, evaluation, and categorization.

Mindfulness can certainly be practiced as meditation. Usually one begins with focusing on the breath, bringing the focus back as the mind wanders, without judgement. Practicing mindfulness in the form of meditation may have even greater benefits than other forms, but that does not diminish the huge benefits of any type of mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness can be practiced in the shower, while driving, while cleaning the house, etc. Once it is seen by the definition above, it becomes easy to find time to practice.

So what is gained by practicing mindfulness?
1. It is practice for controlling our attention.
2. It increases our awareness of inner processes.
A. Sensations
B. Emotions
C. Thinking
D. Action Tendencies
3. It is “letting go” practice.
4. It quiets our “mind clutter”, providing silence within which inner wisdom can arise.
5. Provides practice for non-judgement
6. Provides practice for living in the now.
7. Helps us learn about our “self”
8. Lets us experience the power of just being, versus doing.
9. Helps us learn to differentiate between what is real (what comes in via our senses) and what is mind generated (evaluations, judgements, stereotyping, predicting, mind-reading, etc).
10. It also helps us differentiate between what is real versus what our emotions are telling us.