Mindfulness is paying attention here and now with kindness and curiosity. See the research page for information on the benefits of mindfulness.
- Examples of mindfulness practice include:
- Becoming aware of the breath;
- Noticing thoughts as they pass through the mind;
- Feeling the various physical sensations of an emotion;
- Attending to the body at rest and in motion:
- Noticing what happens in the body when there is stress;
- Paying attention to all the sounds in the room;
- Feeling the stomach rise and fall with each breath
- Watching the thoughts that arise when there is boredom;
- Choosing to respond rather than react to stressful situations;
- Practicing sending kindness to oneself and others.
Mindfulness practice is widely used in business, healthcare, and education to improve attention and well being.
Mindfulness practice does not depend on or interfere with any religion, cultural context or belief system. Mindfulness can be completely secular. Fortune 500 companies provide mindfulness instruction to their employees to reduce on-the-job stress, hundreds of hospitals refer patients to courses in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to develop skills to cope with physical and emotional pain, and dozens of schools (private and public) across the country are using mindfulness practices to help their students succeed.
Mindfulness practice can save time in school
Mindfulness practices help students focus and pay attention. A few minutes of mindfulness practice can improve the learning environment. Many teachers report that on the days when students practice mindfulness, the students are calmer and the class accomplishes more than on days when mindfulness is not practiced.
- Ryan, Oliver. “How to Succeed in Business – Mediate” CNN Money. July 20, 2007
- Elias, Marilyn. USA Today, 6/8/09 Mindfulness Meditation Being Used in Hospitals, Schools
- See the Association for Mindfulness in Education Mindful Education Map
- See testimonials on the Association for Mindfulness in Education Mindful Education Map