Posted By June Atkind

Mindfulness meditation provides an opportunity to truly experience the present moment for the duration of the meditation session, and has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of people who meditate on a regular basis beyond the practice session. Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as “Paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” During meditation practice, the breath often provides the focal point, giving the mind something to pay attention to that is occurring this very moment. In mindfulness meditation, as we practice returning to awareness of the breath each time we are distracted by external events such as sounds and activity around us, or internal events such as thoughts and feelings, we gain skill in directing our attention and maintaining focus on the breath.

Any activity can be done mindfully, by slowing down and directing our 5 senses to experience what we are doing in this moment. If you have ever mindfully eaten a raisin, or a sandwich, you will have undoubtedly noticed that the flavor was incredibly more intense than when you grabbed a handful of raisins on the go, or quickly consumed a sandwich at your desk as you worked through lunch hour. See for yourself the difference between walking from wherever you are sitting right now to the nearest door, and mindfully walking back to your seat – slowly, noticing the contact between your foot and the floor, the many, subtle movements and adjustments that we typically make without any awareness, in order to maintain our balance and move our bodies forward in space. If you’ve never tried washing the dishes mindfully, focusing on the plethora or sensory experiences, rather than being caught up in thinking about all the things you’d rather be doing, or the feeling of resentment that you are stuck, again, doing those dishes, I highly recommend you walk mindfully to your kitchen sink and give it a try right now!

Best of all, life can be lived mindfully. By identifying, and remembering to pay attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally, to the values we hold dearest – relationships, professional integrity, health, spirituality, community, etc. – in the presence of all of the internal and external distractions, we can experience mindful living. Using our values as a compass, we make choices that are informed by, and lead us towards our values. I ask myself, in this moment, what choice, or response to what life may be throwing my way, will result in being the kind of parent, partner, friend, citizen, colleague, etc., that I aspire to be? Of course there will be challenges, and, of course, being human, we will lose sight of our values, go on “auto-pilot”, react to internal and external challenges rather than respond mindfully to situations. But with every moment we have the opportunity to re-focus on what is most important, just as we re-focus on the breath every time we become distracted during mindfulness meditation practice.

Mindful living isn’t easy, but living life in alignment with one’s values is well worth the effort. All journeys begin with a first step. Before you move on to the rest of your busy day, notice, really experience, a couple of deep, mindful breaths. If you didn’t jump right up to try any of the suggested mindful activities, consider trying one of them right now. For inspiration, check out Jon Kabat-Zinn’s classic Wherever You Go, There You Are (1994). Or for further instruction, guidance, and support for mindful living, see the course and program options at Needham Psychotherapy Associate’s Center for Mindfulness.