Mindfulness Is:

Bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis (Marlatt & Kristeller, 1999)

Mindfulness captures a quality of consciousness that is characterized by clarity and vividness of current experience and functioning and thus stands in contrast to the mindless, less “awake” states of habitual or automatic functioning that may be chronic for many individuals (Brown & Ryan, 2003)

Broadly conceptualized… a kind of non-elaborative, nonjudgmental, present-centered awareness in which each thought, feeling, or sensation that arises in the attentional field is acknowledged and accepted as it is (Kabat-Zinn, 1990, 1998; Shapiro & Schwartz, 1999, 2000; Teasdale, 1999; Segal, Williams, & Teasdale, 2002; as cited in Bishop et al., 2004)

We simply bring our mind to whatever activity we are doing and observe it in a nonjudgmental way. In running, we can be mindful of our breathing, the landing of our feet and the swinging of our arms. Simply coming back to what we are doing is very healthy. The parameters of mindfulness are "not too tight, not too loose." We should avoid being either too rigid or so relaxed in how we work with mind and body. As we run, it is revitalizing and refreshing for the mind when we recognize for just a moment that we are running, that we are present and breathing. In that moment we are not absorbed in worry about the future or regret about the past. Running provides a way of fresh and immediate technique for realigning our life to what is happening now (Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, Running with the Mind of Meditation, 2012).

Check For Upcoming Mindful Leadership live events in your area

Enroll in the 7 Principles of Mindful Leadership Online Course