Traditionally rooted in Zen and Eastern Buddhist meditation disciplines, mindfulness meditation is not a technique but a way of being and of seeing the nature of self. Universal in practice, this discipline focuses on an awareness of the breath, body, mind, and environment, helping individuals become aware of what is happening in the present moment.
Mindfulness meditation involves an awareness of present-moment sounds and activities without blocking block them out. During this meditative practice, the mind simply flows from one thought to the next, without focusing on one specific thing (Fortney, 2017; Kabat- & Davidson, 2011). The meditator directs awareness to whatever presents itself, which could be an external object or sound or an internal sensation, emotion, or thought. The meditator notices the passing object or internal sensation but does not attach judgment, analysis, or emotional reactions to it. The result is a sense of resting in the present moment. The goal is to observe the observer; that is, to get outside oneself and observe one’s own thought processes (Seaward, 2018).
WHAT IS MINDFULNESS MEDITATION?
Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the breath or bodily sensations, nonjudgmentally acknowledging distracting thoughts as they occur, and returning to present moment. The most common form of mindfulness meditation used in healthcare settings is based on the secular mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) approach developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts in the late 1970s. Kabat-Zinn was the first to apply mindfulness meditation in a behavioral healthcare setting for populations with a wide range of chronic pain and stress-related disorders. According to Kabat-Zinn (2016), “Mindfulness is awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally” (p. 1).