What is Mindfulness?
One of the most well-recognized Western definitions of mindfulness comes from Jon Kabat-Zinn, one of the central founders of the field and creator of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (1979):
“The awareness that arises through paying attention on purpose in the present moment and non-judgmentally in the service of self understanding and wisdom”
Kabat-Zinn’s use of the term mindfulness has become a landmark definition but similar conceptual definitions also include:
An open and receptive attention to, and awareness of, what is occurring in the present moment
An attention that is receptive to the whole field of awareness and remains in an open state so that it can be directed to currently experienced sensations, thoughts, emotions, and memories
Waking up from a life lived on automatic pilot and based in habitual responding
The basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we are doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is going on around us
Mindfulness for mental health
Mindful awareness is the foundation of all we do at MWCA and it can be a powerful therapeutic tool that can be applied, successfully, to help individuals cope with life’s challenges, and address symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. Research by the US National Institute of Health (NIH) proved that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy reduced the risk of depressive relapse and was comparable in efficacy to antidepressant medication.
