Mindfulness, the practice of conscious attention to the present moment while maintaining a non-judgmental mindset. This mind state has been to focus of Eastern practitioners for centuries and in recent years, has been of increasing interest in the West, as more and more people search for effective tools to help them cope with and manage what seems like an ever-increasing pace of life.
Neuroscience is examining the effects of conscious thought on people from all walks of life, including those who participate in various psychological therapies and those with specific needs. Studies are beginning to show that there can be measurable benefits from engaging in specific types of meditation practices, many of which include elements of mindfulness. It turns out that our minds are more plastic and receptive to conditioning than previously imagined. By actively participating in various thought processes, we can change our mental and emotional orientation, thereby increasing the quality of our thoughts and our lives. There are many different applications and approaches that incorporate and support mindfulness. Thoughtfulness is one of these approaches.
The Thoughtfulness Approach includes a collection of related practices. Thoughtfulness is based on several assertions that form the foundation of the approach. Some of these include:
- The mind is a mechanism that decodes, associates, categorizes, stores, and retrieves data.
- The mind produces myriad thoughts that are available for consideration, interpretation, and application.
- Thoughts may be categorized according to their type, relevance, and usefulness.
- Thoughts may be applied, discarded, stored, or transformed.
- Thoughts often produce emotions, which are processed in a way similar to that of data.
- Emotions are often felt in the body and may be processed in a number of different ways.
- The mind/body is an empathetic system, and responsive to external conditions.
- Thoughts and emotions are often over-associatioed and may result in misperceptions and dysfunctional thinking.
- Dysfunctional thoughts and emotions may be cleared from the mind/body through the use of phycho-somatic processes, without the use of drugs or invasive procedures.
- The tools one needs to effectively manage one's thoughts are universally available, regardless of race, gender, age, socio-economic status and spiritual or religious belief systems.
- The Thoughtfulness Practice may be used in conjunction with spiritual and religious systems.
When practiced on a regular basis and with conscious attention, Thoughtfulness has the potential to reduce time spent in states of worry, anxiety, isolation, loneliness, anger, bitterness, depression and fear. Thoughtfulness has the potential to increase enjoyment, raise self-esteem, increase productivity, elevate mood, improve sleep, boost energy levels, and increase a general sense of wellbeing.
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