By Laura

Mindfulness is one of the buzzwords of spirituality and personal growth, especially relating to Buddhism and mediation. But, what exactly is mindfulness? What does it mean to be mindful?

Fundamentally mindfulness is a simple concept. Its power lies in its practice and its applications. Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality. It wakes us up to the fact that our lives unfold only in moments. If we are not fully present for many of those moments, we may not only miss what is most valuable in our lives but also fail to realize the richness and the depth of our possibilities for growth, and transformation.
— Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn. p.4

Mindfulness is about paying attention to the moment we are in. It is a word used to remind us of the present moment. Our past is gone and our future hasn't yet arrived. Where we are, is the point in between: this moment, here, now.

Our thoughts often take us away from being here, now. Often our thoughts are stuck in the past or worried about the future. Really, the imagined future and the remembered past are just series of present moments.

Take a moment to observe yourself having thoughts. When you observe the thoughts, you are no longer inter-meshed with the thoughts. You see your thoughts as separate from you. You are no longer your thoughts.

Your breath always keeps you here, now. Like waves, it is a constant ebb and flow. While being with the breath, you can observe how thoughts try to put you in the past or the future or create inner turmoil. Watch your thoughts without judgement.

While practicing mindfulness, don’t be dominated by the distinction between good and evil, thus creating a battle within oneself.

Whenever a wholesome thought arises, acknowledge it: “A wholesome thought has just arisen.” If an unwholesome thought arises, acknowledge it as well: “An unwholesome thought has just arisen.” Don’t dwell on it or try to get rid of it. To acknowledge it is enough. If they are still there, acknowledge they are still there. If they have gone, acknowledge they have gone. That way the practitioner is able to hold of his mind and to obtain the mindfulness of the mind.
— The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. p.39

Mindfulness is being aware of your present moment. You aren't doing anything else. You are observing this moment, here, now. You are not judging, reflecting or thinking. Moments are like a breath, which is why we use breath to be in the moment. Each breath, like each moment is replaced by the next breath. You're here to be awake and aware of this moment.

Thich Nhat Hanh on finding mindfulness in a busy world:

Q: How do you maintain mindfulness in a busy work environment? At times it seems there is not even enough time to breathe mindfully.

A: This is not a personal problem only; this is a problem of the whole civilization. That is why we have to practice not only as individuals; we have to practice as a society. We have to make a revolution in the way we organize our society and our daily life, so we will be able to enjoy the work we do every day… When you drive around the city and come to a red light or a stop sign, you can just sit back and make use of these twenty or thirty seconds to relax — to breathe in, breathe out, and enjoy arriving in the present moment. There are many things like that we can do. Years ago I was in Montreal on the way to a retreat, and I noticed that the license plates said Je me souviens-”I remember.” I did not know what they wanted to remember, but to me it means that I remember to breathe and to smile (laughter). So I told a friend who was driving the car that I had a gift for the sangha in Montreal: every time you see Je me souviens, you remember to breathe and smile and go back to the present moment. Many of our friends in the Montreal sangha have been practicing that for more than ten years.

By practicing mindfulness we can relax and enjoy our lives more. We can learn to appreciate each moment as if it were a special gift.