Mindfulness simply means being aware, in the present moment. It entails being fully present with yourself, and with everything around you, in a nonjudgmental way.
Practicing mindfulness calms your body and your mind, and is a scientifically proven method for decreasing stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain. By focusing on the present, and becoming more aware of what is actually happening in the moment, you learn to let go of what’s troubling you from the past. In addition, you learn to worry less about the future. Mindfulness is a choice. You can still learn from the past and plan for the future, but you’ll have the option of living more fully in the present moment, if you wish to, rather than automatically being dragged into the past or future and not even knowing that you’re missing valuable parts in the journey of your life.
Practicing mindfulness also helps you to take more responsibility for yourself, and is a way of becoming more accepting of yourself. Mindfulness is both a technique as well as a set of principles with which to live your life more fully, and feel more whole.
Mindfulness could also be called “heartfulness” because it is a way of facilitating the integration of your head with your heart. And it begins with focusing your awareness on something that is always with you, and continually unfolding in the present moment—your breathing—which is where your mind, body and spirit all meet.