Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of developing nonjudgmental, present-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment. In contemporary psychology, mindfulness emphasizes attention trained to sustain focus on the present moment and to observe experience with curiosity, openness, and acceptance. The concept has roots in Buddhist contemplative traditions, but modern secular approaches adapt it as a skill rather than a religious practice.

Formal practices include seated or walking meditation, body scan, breathing exercises, and mindful movement such as yoga or tai chi. Informal practice involves bringing mindful awareness to routine activities, such as eating, commutes, or conversations. Many programs structure instruction into courses that teach formal practices and strategies to maintain mindful attention across daily life. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) are among the most widely studied secular programs, typically delivered in eight-week formats.

Applications and evidence: Mindfulness training is used in clinical and nonclinical settings to reduce stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and burnout, and to improve attention and emotion regulation. Systematic reviews show small-to-moderate effects for some outcomes, with greater benefits in combination with other therapies and when delivered by qualified instructors. Limitations include variability in definitions, heterogeneity of interventions, and methodological concerns; some critics caution against overstatement of findings. Potential risks are relatively rare but can include temporary increases in distress for individuals with trauma history. Ongoing research continues to explore mechanisms, such as enhanced meta-awareness (decentering) and changes in brain networks involved in attention and emotion regulation.