Mindfulness (from a psychological standpoint) involves 'bringing one's complete attention to the present experience on a moment to moment basis.
And that's just the beginning really. There's a lot of work required around the ideas of self regulated attention, conscious awareness, metacognitive skills. It's about, in part at least - maintaining open and curious attitudes, and thinking in alternative categories.
Just at this time of night, after a really full and busy day, I'm not sure how up to this concept I really am - but I thought that I would at least give it a bit of a beginners peek, and a baby step. In visiting mindfulness.org.au I learn that 'mindfulness meditation is becoming widely popular as and adjunct to conventional medical and psychological therapies'. OK, that's good. Where do I begin? How do I begin?
I am reading a quick introduction that explains that mindfulness is about being present in the moment, and about being a quiet and non judgemental observer of ones own thought patterns. It talks about watching the stream of consciousness rather than 'swimming in it'. One of the most interesting bits of the introductory statements, to me, is the explanation that mindfulness can then therefore give us information about the state of the mind. Mindfulness can be a 'how are you going' check in, of your own mental state.
I think it's all too much for me tonight. I try to watch and listen to my own thoughts and all I see and hear right now is sheer exhaustion. This is going to have to wait. Mindfulness, for me, will have to be a work in progress. I suspect that it needs to be, all of the time, anyway.
I will need to do a lot more exploration of and research on the topic before I have anything of any substance to really write about it here.
Ouch. More homework!
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