What is Mindfulness?

“Mindfulness means paying attention, in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”

    Jon Kabat-Zinn

Mindfulness is a way of learning to relate directly to whatever is happening in your life. It can be a way of consciously and systematically working with your own stress, as well as the challenges and demands of everyday life; it is a way to take control of your own surroundings.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was started in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, who also founded the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts that year. Jon Kabat-Zinn brought a form of meditation known as Mindfulness into the medical mainstream. Today, the MBSR curriculum focuses on the experiential cultivation of both formal and informal mindfulness practices.

“Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment. We feel more alive. We also gain immediate access to our own powerful inner resources for insight, transformation, and healing.” 

Jon Kabat-Zinn

Research over the past 3 decades indicates that the majority of the people who complete a mindfulness program report a greater ability to cope more effectively with challenging short- and long-term situations.