Definition and Components of Mindfulness

Mindfulness as Regulation of Attention

Mindfulness, or mindfulness, is defined clinically as the ability to maintain focused attention on the immediate experience of the present moment.

It is not simply relaxation or a blank mind, but an intentional regulation of attention.

According to experts such as Kabat-Zinn, it involves "paying attention in a particular way: intentionally, in the present moment and non-judgmentally."

This means that the individual voluntarily directs his or her focus to what is happening here and now, whether it is an external experience (sounds, tactile sensations) or internal (thoughts, heartbeat), preventing the mind from wandering to the past (rumination) or to the future (worry) automatically.

The Attitude of Openness and Acceptance

The second essential component is the attitude with which the experience is approached. An orientation of openness, acceptance, and curiosity is required.

This involves relating to mental and physical events without labeling them as "good" or "bad," and without attempting to change, suppress, or cling to them.

For example, if an itching sensation or a thought of boredom arises during practice, the instruction is not to immediately scratch or criticize oneself for being bored, but to notice that sensation with curiosity ("wow, I feel itchy here") and accept it as part of the present experience.

This posture of "non-judgment" is fundamental to breaking cycles of automatic emotional reactivity.

Differentiating between Consciousness and Thinking

It is vital to distinguish between thinking about experience and being aware of experience. Mindfulness seeks direct experience.

If a person is eating an apple, "thinking" would be analyzing its calories or remembering to buy more fruit.

"Being mindful" (Mindfulness) would be noticing the texture of the peel, the burst of flavor when biting into it, the sound of crunching, and the sensation of swallowing.

Clinical practice trains the patient to get out of the "doing/analyzing" mode and into the "being/feeling" mode, thus reducing the cognit