4 Definitions of Mindfulness

Hi, welcome back to your Daily Mindfulness. In today's session, we're going to explore some of the nuances of how we define mindfulness. And to do this, I'm going to offer you several different definitions of mindfulness that are overlapping, but also distinct. So first by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, this is one of the most common, who says mindfulness is the awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose in the present moment, non-judgmentally, the awareness that arises from paying attention on purpose in the present moment, non-judgmentally.

Sylvia Boorstein, another teacher says, mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn't more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is without either clinging to it or rejecting it. So notice how that one lands for you. And then this one by the great Zen teacher, Thich Nhat Hahn.

He says, mindfulness shows us what is happening in our bodies, our emotions, our minds, and in the world. Through mindfulness, we avoid harming ourselves and others. So notice that one, which also has an outward orientation. So each explanation should give you a textural feel for what mindfulness aims to cultivate. It is an experience that we're trying to figure out the words for.

How do we define it? The definition I've proposed for mindfulness is the practice of being with our experience rather than in our experience in a way that is spacious, curious and heartfelt. So that's another one you can add. And the idea here is not to give you the definitive answer, but for you to hear a lot of different perspectives on mindfulness. Since you are practicing with us on Mindfulness.com and you're developing your mindfulness practice, I think it's important to have a number of different perspectives to see where they overlap and where there might be some distinctions as you start to develop your felt sense of mindfulness in your life. So thanks for your practice and for being on the journey.

Let's settle in for today's meditation.