Mindfulness is the state or process of bringing one's attention to the the present moment and not being attached to distractions that pass through the mind.
When we use the phrase 'mindfulness' what are we referring to in reality? First we can breakdown what we mean by the term 'mind.' See chapter Mind.
Mindfulness is more about one faculty of the specifically and that is our attention. A more sophisticated state of awareness in the moment is attributed to mindfulness as its characteristic property. Having a meta-attentional state is what we mean by mindfulness, we are aware of the objects, sensations, experiences, thoughts etc. that pass through out attention.
The second layer of mindfulness has to do with the element of not reacting or being attached to that which passes through our attention. One who is mindful simply observes that which occupies their attention as it passes from our mind's eye. One is not focusing on the subject of attention but aware of attention itself as a container and whatever falls within it.
Executive function and control.
When one develops the meta awareness and not being attached to that which occupies their attention, they now have the ability to decide how they will respond to the various elements which occupy the attentional space. This executive function results in greater control over one's emotions and oneself in general.
Mindfulness is traditionally from the Buddhist 7th step in the eight fold path, 'right mindfulness,' and is a response to the problems of impermanence, attachment as the cause of suffering and the non-self.
John Kabat-Zinn is a professor of medicine at Mit and he popularized mindfulness in the west in 1979 when he founded the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program.
David Black distinguishes three usages of the term mindfulness; a trait of the tendency that a person will enter into a mindful state, a state that a person achieves of present awareness, and the practice of mindful meditation.
1. Material form Elementary components that make up not only the physical body but the external environment.
2. Feelings Subjective affective repercussions of an experience. Pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral feelings.
3. Perception Being aware of attributes of an object or an event. Recognizing the color of an object, its shape, size, or any other perceptions that result from analyzing the world, our material bodies or the mind.
4. Volition Reactive or purposive aspects of the mind that include intention as well as behavior.
Volition can manifest as follows:
(a) Bodily behavior (any activity),
(b) Verbal behavior (speech, scolding, etc.),
(c) Psychological behavior (proliferating thoughts, cultivating thoughts of compassion, analyzing, practicing mindfulness, etc.).
5. Sensory consciousness Being conscious of something. Knowing a sensory stimulus (visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, or taste) or a thought (concerning the past, present, or future). (page 2)
Nandini D. Karunamuni 5 aggregrate model of mind
Benefits of Mindfulness
increases attention regulation, body awareness, and emotional regulation
(Holzel, 'How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective.' 2011, Perspectives on Psychological Science ) (537-539)
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691611419671?journalCode=ppsa
Creates coherent and healthy sense of self and idenity by enhancing responsibility, authentifcity, compassion and self-acceptance:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00044/full (page 6)
positive Structural changes in the brain for patent swith Alzheimer's
(Larouche 2015 'Potential benefits of mindfulness-based interventions in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: An interdisciplinary perspective.' 199-212)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432814003611?via%3Dihub
Increase of Executive function through increase of grey matter in the prefrontal cortex allowing the brain to process information faster.
(Luders 2012 'The Unique Brain Anatomy of Meditation Practitioners: Alterations in Cortical Gyrification.')
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3289949/
Oops! It's one of those situations again. Apparently, this chapter is still being researched and written. Achilles has been busy coordinating the Community Housing Program and designing the Flow Optimization consulting program. Check back soon for the completion of the first draft of this chapter!
AJ 14.2.18, 27.3.20, 12.3.21
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