The most basic definition of mindfulness is being fully present in this moment without being caught up in judging this moment. Simply sensing things as they are rather than evaluating whether or not they are what we wanted, expected, or feared. It may be helpful to think of mindfulness as the opposite of mindlessness which tends to lead to a feeling of being on autopilot or simply reacting to a pattern of living.

Research suggests learning and practicing mindfulness can lead to physical and emotional benefits. Those who learn mindfulness skills generally report they cope with stress better, get better sleep, have more energy and enthusiasm for life, and experience less pain.

Studies looking into the impact of learning mindfulness have shown small but significant improvements on a wide variety of medical conditions. Since mindfulness just means being present with what is happening right now, a lot of people report their quality of life improves as they practice mindfulness. In short, life just ends up being richer when we show up for the moments of our lives.

Sometimes the words “mindfulness” and “meditation” are used interchangeably, and it can be confusing. One easy way to think about it is to consider that mindfulness can be practiced in a formal or informal way.

The informal practice of mindfulness is basically being present in our day-to-day life with whatever we’re doing. If we really taste the food we eat, see the sights around us, listen to what others are saying, feel the warm water on our skin when we shower, etc. then we are engaged in the informal practice of mindfulness.

The formal practice of mindfulness is meditation. It’s a way to reduce distractions, quiet ourselves and unplug from the doing part of life so that we can more deeply focus on just being fully present.

The informal practice of mindfulness takes no additional time at all. You simply do the things you’re doing with more awareness. The formal practice can take as much or as little time as you like.

Some research suggests that even a few minutes of meditation a day can have a positive impact on the brain and result in other benefits. Frequent small periods of practice are generally considered to result in better outcomes than infrequent longer periods of practice.

The word “mindfulness” is everywhere these days, and some of the material being offered as part of this movement may lack grounding in science. True forms of mindfulness training have been developed with a commitment to research-based results. This has led to some evidence-based mindfulness skills training options which, in some cases, have decades of proof supporting how useful it can be. At Intermountain, we’re committed to offering evidence-based mindfulness skills training taught by qualified instructors.