Introducing Mindfulness

This is the first post of a series by Lucinda Sykes, M.D. from Meditation for Health. 

Mindfulness is a surprisingly simple way to support psychological health and well-being. It’s been shown to be especially helpful for people living with chronic illness and disability. This post introduces you to mindfulness, and guides you in a short exercise of mindful self-enquiry.

In this way, you can experiment with the mindful way of being here now. And if you
decide you’d like to learn more about mindulness, you can follow up the suggestions listed at the end of the post.

Could Mindfulness Be Helpful for You?

Research shows that mindfulness has helped many people to improve their mood, lessen their suffering, and support their own healing. Check out our clinic’s list of more than 150 research studies that investigate mindfulness. Each title links to a summary of the research.

Psychologists say that being mindful helps people notice more happy moments. When we’re mindful, we’re more able to recognize and enjoy life’s simple pleasures, even during times of challenge and disappointment.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a particular way to be aware of the present moment. When you’re being mindful, you’re paying attention to what you’re experiencing right now without needing to judge or change anything.

Here’s a short definition used by many mindfulness teachers:

Mindfulness means...

• paying attention,
• on purpose,
• in the present moment,
• nonjudgmentally

To learn more about mindfulness, see the next post – a guided exercise of “Mindful Self-Enquiry”.

This gives you a chance to explore mindful awareness for yourself.