What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is not about stopping your thoughts and clearing the mind
On the contrary, mindfulness is about accepting the moment as it is, including all ranges of experience → noticing judgments, when the mind is racing or quiet, experiences that are unpleasant or pleasant, and everything in between. Mindfulness is also about being self-aware; staying focused on what’s important.
Mindfulness is not about trying to relax or be calm
Instead, mindfulness is about being perceptive and curious. Mindfulness will not eliminate life’s stressors, but it may change one’s relationship to stress by helping one to be fully present and engaged with whatever is happening, whether it’s a calm or challenging moment.
Mindfulness is not a passive practice
Mindfulness is about responding instead of reacting. Many people believe that practicing mindfulness will enable people to walk all over them, but mindfulness can be quite fierce – identifying areas that need change or action. Mindfulness also encourages facing and accepting reality rather than avoiding it. It involves acknowledging and understanding one’s thoughts and emotions rather than escaping from them.
9 attitudinal foundations for a mindfulness practice
1. Non-Judging
Cultivate an awareness that is free from evaluation and judgment. Rather than categorizing experiences as good or bad, right or wrong, simply observe them without attaching value.
2. Patience
Allow things to unfold in their own time. Develop patience with yourself and the meditation process. Recognize that progress may be gradual, and change takes time.
3. Beginner’s Mind
Approach each moment with a fresh and open mind, as if you were experiencing it for the first time. Release preconceived notions, expectations, and assumptions, fostering a sense of curiosity and openness.
4. Trust
Develop trust in your own experience and in the process of mindfulness. Trust in your ability to navigate challenges and uncertainties with mindfulness and awareness.
5. Non-Striving
Let go of the need to achieve specific outcomes through meditation. Instead of striving for a particular result, or meditating a certain way, focus on being present and notice how each moment arises, engaging in the practice without a sense of goal-oriented effort.
6. Acceptance
Embrace things as they are in the present moment, without trying to change or resist them. Acceptance does not mean approval; it means acknowledging reality without judgment. Try to allow the moment to be just as it is, not needing it to be any different.
7. Letting Go
Release attachments to thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Allow them to come and go without clinging or pushing them away. Cultivate a sense of letting go and surrender.
8. Kindness and Compassion
Cultivate a friendly and compassionate attitude towards yourself and others. Treat yourself with kindness and approach challenges with a sense of understanding and compassion. Treat each moment like you would a friend.
9. Gratitude
Develop an attitude of gratitude, recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of your life and the present moment. Focusing on the good that’s in your life, savoring it.
Formal Practices
Formal mindfulness practices, such as meditation, serve as targeted exercises to enhance mindful awareness throughout the day. Just as a workout at the gym strengthens muscles, meditation acts as a mental exercise, with each mindful moment akin to a ‘bicep curl’ for the brain. These structured practices have a specific time set aside to train the capacity to be fully present in the moment.
Body Scan Meditation
The body scan meditation is considered a formal mindfulness practice that involves directing focused attention to different parts of the body, usually starting from the toes and moving up to the head. The goal is to bring awareness to each part of the body, noticing present-moment sensations (including noticing no sensations at all) without judgment.
Key points
- Train attentional focus
- Practice expanding and narrowing attention
- Cultivate friendliness and non-judgment to the present moment experience
- Practice being with a wide range of experiences
Try a body scan meditation
What is an “anchor”?
In the context of meditation, an anchor refers to a specific point of focus that is used to help bring attention and awareness to the present moment. The purpose of an anchor is to provide a stable point of reference that can be returned to whenever the mind starts to wander or becomes distracted. Anchors are commonly used in meditation practices to cultivate mindfulness and concentration.
Focused Attention Meditation
Also known as: Anchoring Attention Meditation
The focused attention meditation is a technique that involves using a specific point of focus, typically within the body, such as the feet, seat, hands, breath, sounds, or an object in the visual field) to help “anchor” the attention to the present moment. Participants are guided to bring their attention to the sensations associated with this point of focus on the body, referred to as the anchor during practice. This anchor serves as a point of reference that one returns to whenever the mind wanders or becomes distracted.
Key points
- Train attentional focus, enhance ability to stay focused on the present moment
- Recognize when the mind has wandered, enabling the mind to let go of distractions
- Cultivate friendliness and non-judgment to the present moment experience
Try a focused attention meditation
Informal Practices
Informal practices are less structured than formal meditations, and are valuable for integrating mindfulness into daily routines, making present-moment awareness a way of life rather than a separate practice.
3-Step Breathing Space Practice
The 3-step breathing space practice is often used as a brief mindfulness practice that can be done anywhere, at any time. It provides a way to step out of automatic pilot mode, pause, and bring mindful attention to your experience. It’s designed to bring awareness to your present moment experience, particularly in times of stress or difficulty. It’s a useful tool for managing stress, anxiety, and other challenging emotions.
Key points
- Decenter from “thinking” mode
- Create pause during challenging moments to create space for more intentional choices
Try a 3-step breathing space practice
10 Finger Appreciation Practice
The 10 finger appreciation practice serves as an informal mindfulness technique designed to counterbalance the natural tendency toward negative information know as the negativity bias. Its purpose is to foster an awareness of positive moments throughout the day, preventing them from being overshadowed or overlooked. Anchored to the present moment through tactile awareness, this practice redirects the attention toward acknowledging and savoring the good and pleasant aspects already present in one’s life
Key points
- Train attentional focus toward focusing on the good that’s present
- Turn a good fact into a good experience
Try a 10 finger appreciation practice
Responsive Breathing Space Practice
The responsive breathing space is an adaptation of the 3-step breathing space practice, designed specifically to address moments of heightened reactivity. This meditation technique aims to foster skillful responses to challenging situations, encouraging individuals to create pauses in order to move away from reactive behaviors and toward more thoughtful and intentional actions made through active choice.
Key points
- Develop the capacity to respond intentionally (vs react impulsively) in the face of difficulty
- Engage with a wide range of experiences
Arrive Kind 