Mindfulness
Self-awareness and mental control as the ground a whole life rests on.
Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present — aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
It’s about being fully engaged with the present moment — our actions, our surroundings, our bodies. Yet we frequently lose focus, our minds straying to past regrets or future worries. This constant mental drifting fuels anxiety and disrupts our peace of mind. Despite our wandering minds, mindfulness can always bring us back to the present moment.
The best way to understand mindfulness is to experience it firsthand. While its definition may vary slightly across different sources, the core essence remains the same.
Common ways to cultivate mindfulness.
Active meditation
Using an anchor or repetitive action — breath, mantra, movement — to actively center the mind. Zazen, walking meditation, and mindful yoga are classic forms. Ideal for beginners learning to manage a wandering mind and build concentration.
Passive meditation
Allowing the mind to be free — observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment or active engagement. This non-directive practice opens deeper states of relaxation, self-awareness, and insight beyond initial concentration.
Mindful living
Short moments of mindfulness woven through the day: acknowledging beauty and gratitude, treating people, animals, and objects with kindness, making eye contact so others feel seen — choosing to treat others the way you wish to be treated.
Conscious breathing
Pausing, closing your eyes, and focusing on the breath — inhaling through the nose and out through the mouth. The simplest doorway back to the present, available anywhere, in under a minute.
Mindful movement
Combining mindfulness with physical activity through yoga, qi gong, martial arts, or any sport or hobby that brings you fully into your body and into the moment.
Practicing mindfulness over time enables us to access a state of grace — to consciously respond rather than merely react to what comes our way.
Why practice at all?
When we meditate, it’s important not to fixate on the benefits — we simply practice. But the benefits are real: by being mindful we reduce stress, enhance performance, gain insight, and increase awareness by observing our own minds. Mindfulness also turns our attention outward, to the well-being of others.
Mindfulness meditation offers a unique opportunity to suspend judgment and tap into our natural curiosity about how the mind operates — approaching our experience with warmth and kindness, toward ourselves and others. It equips us to rise above the dramas of daily life and make wiser, more discerning decisions.
Eight key facts about mindfulness.
It is innate
Mindfulness isn’t new or foreign. It is the willingness to observe thoughts and feelings without judgment, and to gently guide attention back to the present so action comes from an intentional place.
No drastic change required
Mindfulness cultivates the strengths you already have, inviting you to explore how you interact with the world while expressing your authentic self.
Accessible to all
The practices are universally applicable and easily learned by anyone, regardless of background or belief — rooted in principles that support a healthy, balanced human experience.
A way of life
Mindfulness transcends technique. It is a way of being — present in every facet of life — that reduces stress and fosters lasting inner peace. Not a fleeting state, but a sustainable way of living.
Evidence-based
The positive impact of mindfulness on health, happiness, and relationships is supported by both scientific research and personal experience.
Transformative potential
Mindfulness can create positive social change by cultivating universal human qualities and fostering effective responses to complex challenges.
Sparks innovation
In a world of increasing complexity, mindfulness inspires creative, resilient solutions to seemingly intractable problems.
Nothing to fix
Mindfulness focuses on recognizing and cultivating the best of who you already are — not on becoming someone else.
Resources to deepen your practice.
Books
- The Untethered Soul — Michael Singer
- Wisdom of the Ages — Wayne W. Dyer
- The Miracle of Mindfulness — Thich Nhat Hanh
- The Power of Now — Eckhart Tolle
- Wherever You Go, There You Are — Jon Kabat-Zinn
- The Mindful Way Through Depression — Williams, Teasdale, Segal & Kabat-Zinn
- The Power of Habit — Charles Duhigg
Apps
- Headspace
- Calm
- Insight Timer
- Ten Percent Happier
- Expand — by the Monroe Institute
Guided meditations
- Wayne W. Dyer — Meditations for Manifesting
- Dr. Joe Dispenza — guided meditations & retreats
- Jon Kabat-Zinn — guided meditations on YouTube
- Deepak Chopra — meditations & retreats
- Tara Brach — free meditations on her website
- UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center — free library
Podcasts & classes
- The Mindful Podcast — Mindful Magazine
- Ten Percent Happier — Dan Harris
- On Being — Krista Tippett
- Daily Meditation Podcast
- Local MBSR (mindfulness-based stress reduction) courses
- In-person or online meditation retreats
The key is finding what resonates with you and making mindfulness a regular practice — even a few minutes a day. Consistency is what strengthens the ability to remain mindful.
Who holds this aspect.
Suzanne believes that elevated consciousness — knowing oneself and enabling greater conscious choice — is the key to success in all areas of life.