Understanding the Definition of Mindfulness: Part 2
In the previous post, I mentioned that mindfulness, or at least the version of mindfulness taught by Jon Kabat-Zinn, involves paying attention in the following three ways. 1. On purpose 2. In the present moment 3. Nonjudgementally The main topic of the previous post was paying attention on purpose. The main topic of this post is paying attention in the present moment. To start off, I want to say that I actually think it's only possible to pay attention in the present moment. I don't think it's possible to pay attention in the past or to pay attention in the future, since the past and the future don't exist. Therefore, the phrase "in the present moment" might seem redundant. That said, I still think this part of the definition is valuable, because even if paying attention always means paying attention in the present moment, it can be helpful to be reminded of this fact, and also to think about why being in the present moment is important. That's what I re