Mindfulness, paying attention on purpose

Jon Kabat-Zinn defines mindfulness as "the awareness that emerges through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment,"

We sometimes equate practicing yoga poses with mindfulness. But are they really the same thing? I will argue that you can absolutely practice yoga and have your mind be somewhere else completely (not mindful).  Your body will still be getting some of the benefits of the physical practice, but you will be missing a lot of what yoga is. Yoga is about controlling the mind through paying attention, not disconnecting or wandering away in your thoughts. In fact, some say that a mindfulness practice is the opposite of post traumatic stress and can help turn the “stress” into “growth.”

Try doing at least ONE THING totally mindfully today. Maybe it’s something very mundane like washing the dishes or folding laundry, or perhaps a walk in nature or a creative project. Whatever you choose, put your whole attention on it and see how you feel when doing it (did you get distracted often? how did you bring yourself back?) and also how you feel when the mindful task is complete? More focused? Clearer? Connected? Bored? Don’t judge your feelings, just notice. That’s what this practice is all about, paying attention as a radical means of self care.