Introduction to Mindfulness_349810_bookemon_ebook.pdf Coaching and Practising Mindfulness | Page 15

awareness, enhance emotional intelligence, and effectively handle
painful thoughts and feelings.
Although mindfulness has only recently been embraced by Western
psychology, mindfulness is not new. It’s part of what makes us
human — the capacity to be fully conscious and aware.
Unfortunately, we are usually only in this state for brief periods of
time, and are soon reabsorbed into familiar daydreams and personal
narratives. The capacity for sustained moment-to-moment awareness,
especially in the midst of emotional turmoil, is a special skill.
Fortunately, it is a skill that can be learned.
Mindfulness is an elusive, yet central, aspect of the 2500 year-old
tradition of Buddhist psychology. We can talk about mindfulness or
write at length about it, but to truly understand mindfulness we have
to experience it directly. This is because mindfulness points to
something intuitive and pre-conceptual. With committed practice,
every person can gradually figure out how to become more and more
mindful in life, even in the face of significant suffering. Cultivating
mindfulness is, and has always been, a deeply personal journey of
discovery.it is an ancient practice found in a wide range of Eastern
philosophies, including Buddhism, Taoism and Yoga. Mindfulness
involves consciously bringing awareness to your here-and-now
experience with openness, interest, and receptiveness. Jon KabatZinn, a world authority on the use of mindfulness training in the
management of clinical problems, defines it as: "Paying attention in a
particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally."
Mindfulness is about waking up, connecting with ourselves, and
appreciating the fullness of each moment of life. Kabat-Zinn calls it,
"The art of conscious living." It is a profound way to enhance
psychological and emotional resilience, and increase life satisfaction.

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