Mindfulness—waking up to what is—is a non-judging awareness in the present moment. Mindfulness arises when you pay attention on purpose in a way that is friendly and non-interfering. It is possible to develop and to bring mindfulness into all activities of daily life, both internal and external.

Paying attention this way carefully and with sensitivity, can be done as a formal meditation, or informally, as a way of noticing the flow of your daily life. The benefits of mindfulness include lower stress and higher calmness, in the mind and the body as well as developing insight and wisdom into the habits of judging, thinking and reacting that are at the core of stress reactions. Ultimately, by becoming more mindful, you will learn to make stronger and deeper contact with the moments of your life. The growing medical research base suggests that mindfulness developed as a meditation skill and practiced daily offer benefits that affect both psychological and physical conditions.

• Awareness that is reflective, non-judging and accepting
• A natural human capacity
• Cultivated by meditation
• Effective way to reduce stress and anxiety
• Powerful means for connecting with our deepest and best qualities as human beings