Mindfulness, the conscious presence

Mindfulness comes from English and can be translated with the periphrasis ” presence and awareness in what you do and what you are here and now “ .

To render and fully understand the meaning of the word , however, one must take a step back, looking at its origin.

The mindfuness in fact finds full correspondence in the ancient classical Buddhist meditation practice ; however, far from being something simply passive, mindfulness becomes a technique that combines the Eastern tradition with modern Western psychology , also becoming an effective method to cope with the difficulties and uncomfortable situations that life presents day after day. 

In the West, one of the pioneers of this practice and the spokesperson for the approach of mindfulness as a therapy was the professor and doctor Jon Kabat-Zinn , who also applied it at a clinical level.

After studies have been carried out and scientific research has been carried out on the benefits that can be found following meditative practices, the application of mindfulness has also taken hold in the workplace and education .

Read also Mindfulness for management >>

How mindfulness works

Mindfulness aims to activate a healthier , more peaceful, conscious and welcoming lifestyle in people. The value of hospitality, first characteristic of this practice, also becomes the ability to observe without judgment, to then evaluate and discover how to deal with the problems that arise, so as to find the right ways out. 

In fact, a psychologist, psychotherapist, counselor or mindfulness expert will propose an introductory and initial level of meditation practice that is adequate and suitable for the daily contexts of the person or persons who wish to experience this practice of well-being and emotional education or re-education.

Here is a video by psychiatrist and psychotherapist Pietro Spagnulo who illustrates mindfulness in 15 minutes, complete with an example of practice and exercises.

Mindfulness for happiness

Stress, anxiety, depression, panic attacks : mindfulness takes us away from daily automatisms and impulsive reactions, bringing us back to the moment we are living. A mental process that aims to lead people to seek a better, present and more lucid, aware, active and serene lifestyle .

Happiness , after all – as Hermann Hesse said ” There is no duty in life, there is only the duty to be happy ” – is above all a duty .

Mindfulness is today at the center of various researches, above all because it is the applications and benefits that can be obtained are many.

Mindfulness studies and research

A recent study by Brown University states that mindfulness is a practice capable of activating an important neurophysiological mechanism, which involves the alpha rhythm, or neural oscillations.

As The Guardian reports , another Cambridge University study states that through mindfulness, students can support and improve mental health.

And from Harvard the confirmation that mindfulness meditation can help relieve anxiety and mental stress, also modifying some brain mechanisms in patients suffering from depression. 

Useful references:

>  Aim , Italian Association for Mindfulness 

> ” Healing with Meditation “ Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sogyal Rinpoche, Clifford Saron 

> ” Meditation as medicine “ Dalai Lama (Bhiksu Tenzin Gyatso), Jon Kabat-Zinn, Richard J. Davidson