Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a state that can be cultivated in which one is aware of one’s present experience and responds to this experience in a non-judgmental and non-reactive way. The practice of mindfulness often leads to a sense of balance and psychological well-being. To cultivate mindfulness, you don’t need to try to create any particular state of mind such as relaxation or focus. Instead, your task is to simply become aware of each thought, feeling or sensation as it arises in the present moment and to let each thought, sensation or feeling pass away without judgment or attachment. While this is a simple practice, it can be both challenging and transformative. Our usual mode of being involves replaying scenes from our past or planning for our future. Mindfulness is a tool for training our mind to be fully present with our experiences as they are happening.