Mindfulness

What is Mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is nothing other than present-moment awareness, an open and friendly willingness to understand what is going on in and around you.” - Eline Snel

Mindfulness is learning to pay attention to the present moment without judgment. One of the myths of mindfulness is that it is about clearing your mind of all thought. Mindfulness is not about clearing your mind as much as it is about creating a gentle awareness and acceptance of what is going on in your mind and finding grounding in breathing exercises.

What are the benefits of practicing mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a beneficial practice for anyone and everyone that can be practiced anywhere and at any time. Mindfulness-based interventions are based in science and have nearly 35 years of research and development behind them. Mindfulness training provides people with simple, practical tools that help them work directly with nervous system states to self-regulate and focus attention. When we’re stressed, threatened, anxious or angry, our ability to access the parts of the brain where higher-level decision-making occurs is compromised. Mindfulness can act as a concrete tool for bringing the cortical regions of the brain back online.

Some of the found benefits of mindfulness in school-based contexts are:

· better focus and concentration

· an increased sense of calm

· decreased stress and anxiety

· improved impulse control

· increased self-awareness

· skillful responses to difficult emotions

· increased empathy and understanding of others

· development of natural conflict resolution skills

Source: Mindful Schools