When reading across blogs and newspapers, I very often come across something along the lines like ‘be mindful’,’ mindful coaching’ or ‘mindful leadership’. Whereas these words sound very trendy and up to the point, I am sure many readers actually wonder what mindfulness actually is and what it takes to become more mindful in our daily lives and interactions.
Well, according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is:
“(..) an ancient Buddhist practice which has profound relevance to our present-day lives. It has to do with examining who we are (…) and with cultivating some appreciation of the fullness of each moment we are alive. Most of all, it has to do with being in touch.”[1]
In fact, most of our days in this fast spinning world are spent with running around, going to work, fetching the children, cooking, cleaning, shopping and doing whatever else needs to fit in our busy agendas. Unfortunately, many of these activities are not performed with a conscious state of mind, but rather in a more or less routine mode, constantly thinking about more things that need to be done or places that we need to be at. Time runs fast and the next thing we know is that many years have gone by, children grew up, excellent moments passed nearly unnoticed and we did not even realize what was going on. At a certain point, it therefore makes sense to stop, turn around and start enjoying all these little things in our daily lives that make every moment unique and worth living. There won’t be fewer things to do, less tasks to fulfill, but our change in attitude will allow us to see the different facets and moments of our existence through different glasses, those of consciousness.
Following different authors with international renown, such as Chade-Meng Tan or Kabat-Zinn, certain mental qualities or attitudes, “(…) provide a rich soil in which the seeds of mindfulness can flourish”.[2] These are:[3]
- Patience
- ‘Letting Go’
- Non-Judging
- Trust
- Generosity
[1] Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Wherever you go, there you are”, New York 1994, p. 3.
[2] Kabat-Zinn: “Wherever you go”, p. 47.
[3] Compare also with Chade-Meng Tan: “Search inside yourself”, p.159 et. seq.
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author: Jenny Ebermann Jenny Ebermann on the Web Jenny Ebermann on Twitter Jenny Ebermann on LinkedIn Jenny Ebermann RSS Feed
Grown up in Brussels, of German nationality, I am an accomplished spokesperson and communicator, speaking and writing several languages. Having lived in and extensively travelled to different countries and continents, I possess hands-on Corporate Communications, Marketing/Communications and External Relations experience in a variety of sectors and industries.
Being also a professional coach with particular interest in issues encountered by expats, I am a strong participative team leader and influencer; strategic planning and analysis as well as proactive thinking and flexibility are definitely my strengths.
Raising my voice on matters of interest, networking, communicating and coaching are my passions.
Being also a professional coach with particular interest in issues encountered by expats, I am a strong participative team leader and influencer; strategic planning and analysis as well as proactive thinking and flexibility are definitely my strengths.
Raising my voice on matters of interest, networking, communicating and coaching are my passions.
Planting The Seeds For Mindfulness | Business 2 Community
LINK: http://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/planting-the-seeds-for-mindfulness-0295439
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