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What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a way of being that helps us to come back to the present moment, to slow down, observe what is going on without judgement or reactivity. Being present to ourselves in this way allows for more creative engagement with ourselves and with the world around us.
When we take the time to notice what is going on inside of ourselves we will discover that our mind is a very busy place. We spend of a lot of our time thinking about the past or planning for the future. These ruminations often give rise to worry and anxiety and rob us of the ability to be truly present either to ourselves or to those we come into contact with. Recent research has revealed that we have thousands of thoughts each day and that well over 90% of them are repetitions of the thoughts we had during the previous days; hence we get into very automatic and repetitive ways of responding to ourselves and to life. One of the many liberating insights people have on a mindfulness course is the realisation that their thoughts are not facts.
As we cultivate and develop mindful presence we begin to feel more alive and life takes on a vivid quality. Copious amounts of research now demonstrate the benefits of mindfulness for such conditions as stress, anxiety, panic, depression and a host of other conditions. One of the most powerful lessons that mindfulness teaches us is that with a little training we can go a long way in supporting our health and wellbeing.
Mindfulness is not simply a technique. It is an act of love. Our willingness to see clearly, to hold ourselves closely just as we are, while being this way with another, is a revealing and deeply healing expression of care – an embodiment of compassion. Compassion begins at home, with ourselves; whether offering or seeking care, we are all wounded and we are all whole.
-Saki F. Santorelli