Mindfulness doesn’t involve sitting on a pillow and becoming one with the universe. Mindfulness is about realizing the extent of suffering, greed, delusion, and injustice in our world. Kabat Zinn suggests that mindfulness practice can be used to help us become more aware.
It's possible to practice mindfulness without suppressing its effects
The ability to bring your mind back into the present moment is one of the most important aspects of mindfulness. This can be accomplished by being open to your thoughts, feelings, and opinions without judgment. It is important that we recognize that emotions and thoughts can change. Avoiding negative thoughts is not a wise idea. This will actually give your mind more energy in a subsequent moment.
Although you can't stop all negative thoughts, regular mindfulness can help identify them. You can then pause and think about what you want instead of reacting. The practice of mindfulness can help you cope with situations that normally make you feel frantic and upset.
Observing one's perception of and reactions to sensory objects
Sensory processing includes the ability to observe one's response and perceptions of sensory objects. This process involves the use of sensory receptors, which detect sensory stimuli and organize these sensations into a mental model. All sensory systems have absolute and difference thresholds, or the smallest difference between stimuli that can activate a sensory system. These thresholds allow us to understand how we perceive the world. But perceptions are also influenced by beliefs, values, culture, and life experiences.
A global mindfulness movement
Companies can use corporate mindfulness to boost employee wellbeing. This movement began among tech companies and has been adopted by many established US and European businesses, as well government agencies. Be it Google, Aetna, or Beiersdorf, companies are realizing the benefits of mindfulness as an employee-engagement tool.
Research has shown that mindfulness practice can lead to improved mental and physical health. The benefits of mindfulness are not only felt by those who practice it, but by their community. For example, it improves the skills of emergency workers, police, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and other volunteer workers. It can also help individuals and communities to cope with stress and increase cognitive flexibility.