ATTITUDES OF MINDFULNESS
mindfulness is the practice of becoming fully awake to the possibilities each moment. it requires that we acknowledge our own priorities and histories and set them aside consciously to recalibrate our response to benefit our actions.
in proposing a framework for amplifying mindfulness in everyday life, jon kabat-zinn offers 9 attitudes that may be cultivated to promote mindful action.
opening the doorway to just one attitude at a time can allow us the spaciousness, clarity, and humility to acknowledge our default reactions. this in turn, increases the likelihood of resolution of conflicts within ourselves and with others.
awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the moment, non-judgementally... in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.
jon kabat-zinn
ACCESS MINDFUL ACTION
each attitude of mindfulness can serve as a doorway to mindful action. by studying the nine attitudes at length, we give ourselves nine possible pathways to constructive action. by narrowing the parameters of inquiry we replace our habitual reactivity with reflexivity and compassionate listening.
9 attitudes of mindfulness
NON-DOING
relinquishing the struggle to control the narrative of the day. allowing ourselves to be aware without reactivity so we can respond to events in a more constructive way.
NON-JUDGING
being mindful of our own judging tendencies. acknowledging the role of our own biases and preferences and setting them aside in the moment.
PATIENCE
allowing events to unfold in their own time. getting comfortable with ambiguity and accepting that things will reveal themselves in time.
TRUST
having a fundamental belief in our own wisdom and goodness. honoring our own feelings and intuition and having trust in the wisdom of others.
BEGINNER'S MIND
being open curious and probing. bring the capacity to embrace wonder and awe to a situation rather than preconceptions and certainty.
ACCEPTANCE
making our peace with things as they actually exist and not as we may wish them to be. acceptance is not a passive stance but an active cultivation of reality which can lead to mindful action.
LETTING GO
allowing ourselves to be open to all the possibilities and to embrace change without fear. our inability to let go lies at the root of our terror of the unknown and our unwillingness to change or compromise which leads to grasping and suffering.
GRATITUDE
gaining perspective and acknowledging our privileges which gives us compassion for others.
GENEROSITY
connecting with our expansive natures. altruism and generosity iterate our agency and express our sense of belonging to a larger community.
