Mindfulness - What's With All the Hype?

"Mindfulness" has become quite a buzzword these days. While the fact that the practice of mindfulness is gaining mainstream popularity is a sign to be welcomed, like other buzzwords it can be open to misinterpretation and even misinformation.

As a mindfulness practitioner, I value the positive impact that mindfulness has had on my life and those I coach and train. For me it's important to set the record straight so that more people can benefit from the practice.

So, if you've been wondering what all the hype surrounding mindfulness is all about, I'd like to dispel some of the myths you might have heard about the practice:

Myth #1: Mindfulness is a "technique" to get rid of thoughts.

Minds are busy and noisy. That's the reality for most of us, especially as we live in an "always on" world full of distractions such as email and social media.

Mindfulness is not a technique to escape the internal noise. Rather, it is a practice that enables us to observe the contents of our minds with openness, curiosity and non-judgement.

Myth #2: Mindfulness equals meditation.

Meditation is a practice to cultivate mindfulness, but you can also be mindful off the cushion as you carry on your daily activities. Mindfulness meditation helps to train your mind to be in the present moment; to build your "mindfulness muscle", so to speak.

Myth #3: Mindfulness is about relaxation.

While you may feel more relaxed after a session of mindfulness meditation, the practice is far from being a passive exercise aimed at relaxing you. When we are mindful we come face to face with the reality of our lives - the good, the bad and the oh-so-nasty!

Myth #4: Mindfulness is a way of "blissing out" and escaping the harshness of the world.

Far from it! We are all aware of the many challenges we face, not only on an individual level but also as humanity and a planet as well. Mindfulness is not an attempt to escape these realities; rather it is about coming to terms with our experience of these challenges.

When we can embrace the discomfort of our messy lives and fractured world, we are in a better position to take skillful action to bring about change, instead of merely reacting and adding to the noise that already exists.

Myth #5: Mindfulness is a religious practice aimed at getting you to enlightenment.

I wish :-) ! In mindfulness practice, there's nowhere to get to, no "higher state" to achieve. This aspect of the practice takes some getting used to. After all, so much of how we operate as human beings is goal-oriented. As someone who has consumed huge amounts of personal development material over the years, the idea that I don't need to "improve" myself was initially hard for me to get my head around!

While the hype around mindfulness may be warranted, and more and more scientific research is showing its many benefits, it's wise to be informed so that you don't fall into the trap of believing the misinformation that tends to follow buzzwords.

Dr Maria Phalime is a Business & Leadership Coach, Speaker and Award-winning Author. Contact her to learn more.