Mindfulness Talks

In clinical psychology and well-being mindfulness is a cognitive skill, generally developed through mental exercises, of sustaining metacognitive awareness (paying attention) towards the contents of one's own experiences including bodily sensations in the present moment. The term mindfulness derives from the Pali word sati, a significant element of Buddhist traditions, and the practice is based on ānāpānasati, Chan, and Tibetan Buddhist meditation techniques.

Since the 1990s, secular mindfulness has gained popularity in the West. Individuals who have contributed to the popularity of secular mindfulness in the modern Western context include Jon Kabat-Zinn and the "father of mindfulness" Thích Nhất Hạnh.

Clinical psychology and psychiatry since the 1970s have developed a number of therapeutic applications based on mindfulness for helping people experiencing a variety of psychological conditions. Clinical studies have documented mental health benefits of mindfulness in different patient categories and in healthy adults and children.

Mindfulness research has also long attracted criticism, particularly in its early decades, due to concerns about limited methodological rigor and weaknesses in study design.

From Mindfulness on Wikipedia