Mindfulness: the meaning and principles

Article by: Patty Mulder

Last update: May 14, 2026

Mindfulness: this article describes the concept of Mindfulness in a practical way. After reading you will understand the basic principles of this powerful personal happiness philosophy. This article covers its meaning, origins, benefits and practical tips. Enjoy reading!

Background of Mindfulness

Vipassana is a Buddhist attention training that aims to bring people into an experience of present existence, as it really is. This has been applied in Buddhism for 2,000 years as a specific Buddhist meditation technique.

In the Western medical and / or psychotherapeutic context, mindfulness became known through American researcher Jon Kabat-Zinn, molecular biologist and founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts.

He derived the term mindfulness from the Vietnam monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who was banned from his country of origin during the Vietnam War and lived in France, among other places. He trained others in the training of attention according to Buddhist teachings in the sixties.

Many other Buddhist monks also taught Vipassana in its pure form, which eventually led to many Western practitioners, of what was later called mindfulness. Nowadays, mindfulness is used in, among other things, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program (MBSR), and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).

With this practice, you learn to bring your attention to the present moment. This philopsophy practices can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. The key to mindfulness is paying attention to what’s happening inside and around you.

Conscious attention

The definition and meaning

Mindfulness means giving conscious attention to this moment and being aware and perceptive without judgement. Despite it being derived from the Eastern Buddhism, mindfulness is used in Western psychotherapy where stress reduction is central.

This philosophy has been shown to be an effective instrument to combat stress. Through this tool, people who experience a high degree of stress due to, for example, a burn-out, learn how to better deal with stress.

This philosophy is being fully present with full attention to the moment. Not thinking too much about the past or the future. It is about the here and now. Through mindfulness, one learns to deal with stress and tension, which can lead to worrying about the future.

Some key elements of this method are:

Present moment: It means focusing on what’s happening right now
Mind wanders: During the execution of meditation, our thoughts often drift away, but we learn to bring them back gently
Mental health: Mindfulness helps improve how we feel in our minds
Thoughts and feelings: We watch our thoughts and feelings without judgment when we practice mindfulness
Everyday life: Mindfulness is useful in our daily routines
Regular practice: Doing mindfulness regularly is important for its benefits

Mindfulness is acceptance

Although this philosophy has its roots in Buddhism, practitioners don’t necessarily have to have knowledge of Buddhism, Vipassana, Yoga or other meditation techniques.

One of the most important elements is to reach acceptance. In the West, people are very much driven by the things they need and what is expected of them. With this philosophy one learns to accept that certain things in life can not be controlled and that it is not necessary to constantly be in control.

It’s mainly about learning to deal with situations that you are not able to control. Mindfulness is therefore the state of mind that is typified by the awareness of one’s own physical experiences, feelings and thoughts without immediately giving in to automatic responses.

To work towards full mindfulness, one follows training, meditation and other attention exercises.

Characteristics of Mindfulness

This philosophy refers, on the one hand, to training in which one learns to live more consciously and to deal with stressful thoughts and emotions.

On the other hand, it is a form of meditation, in which one becomes aware of the physical and mental sensation and situation of the moment in a non-reactive manner. The conscious attention is central to this.

More features of this philosophy include:

Being present in the here and now
Observation without judgement
Acceptance of what is

Mindfulness has all of the above ingredients. One learns to live with their own human unrest, including irritation, impatience, frustration, anger and sorrow. Through this philosophy one learns how to cope with everything that leads to unrest.

The benefits

Mindfulness is often offered in training sessions and helps people get rid of stress, learn better how to handle stress, become more focused and happier, enjoy more, work more effectively and sleep better.

These are a number of topics that lead to complaint reductions. In addition, training this philosophy also results in the following:

Reducing stress and therefore better dealing with stressful situations
Improving concentration and performance
Being able to relax
Positive self image
Reduction of fear and anxiety
Reduction of feelings of depression
Reduction of sleeplessness

Due to this philosophy, a shift in brain activity takes place from the left to the frontal cortex, which results in less fear. People who have had a depression more than three times in their life have a 50% less chance of relapse after following a mindfulness training.

Figure 1 – Benefits of Mindfulness

Practice and tips

A training deals with some theory in combination with (meditation) exercises. After the training, candidates receive a lot of exercises that they can use at home, including meditation exercises.

Practice makes perfect and in order to achieve the right mindset it is important to practice daily. Through mindfulness one learns to see things as they really are. The exercises concern perceiving, giving attention, not judging and accepting.

Recommended books and publications on mindfulness

Mindfulness helps you pay more conscious attention to what is happening right now. Not by pushing thoughts or feelings away, but by noticing them without immediately getting caught up in them. The books and publications listed below provide further insight into this philosophy, MBSR, acceptance, stress reduction, attention training, and the scientific basis of this philosophy in practice.

Baer, R. A. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125-143. → This article provides an early and clear scientific explanation of mindfulness as a clinical intervention. Baer discusses how this philosophy can help with issues such as stress, worrying, and emotional reactivity. This makes this resource valuable for readers who want to view mindfulness as more than just a relaxation technique.
Bishop, S. R. (2002). What do we really know about mindfulness-based stress reduction? Psychosomatic Medicine, 64(1), 71-83. → Bishop takes a critical look at the state of research on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. This is useful because the topic is often explained in popular terms, whereas the scientific basis requires careful scrutiny. The source helps maintain a nuanced perspective on what this philosophy can and cannot do.
Bishop, S. R., Lau, M., Shapiro, S., Carlson, L., Anderson, N. D., Carmody, J., Segal, Z. V., Abbey, S., Speca, M., Velting, D., & Devins, G. (2004). Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 11(3), 230-241. → This article is important because it attempts to define mindfulness more precisely. The authors describe this philosophy as attention to the present moment, with an attitude of openness and acceptance. This aligns well with the core of the article: practicing attention without immediate judgment.
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822-848. → This publication demonstrates how being present in the moment is linked to psychological well-being. The source aligns well with this philosophy because it shows that mindfulness is not merely an exercise but can also influence how people cope with thoughts, emotions, and daily experiences.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness. New York, NY: Delacorte. → This book is one of the most important foundational works on mindfulness in modern healthcare. Kabat-Zinn describes how Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction can help people deal with stress, pain, and illness in a different way. The book makes it clear that this philosophy is not intended to make everything pleasant, but to deal with experiences more mindfully.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. New York, NY: Hyperion. → An accessible introduction to mindfulness in daily life. Kabat-Zinn shows that this philosophy isn’t limited to a meditation cushion, but can also be practiced during ordinary moments such as walking, working, eating, or waiting. As a result, this resource is well-suited for readers who want to start small and practical.
Keng, S. L., Smoski, M. J., & Robins, C. J. (2011). Effects of mindfulness on psychological health: A review of empirical studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(6), 1041-1056. → This review discusses the effects of mindfulness on psychological health. The authors conclude that this philosophy is associated with, among other things, greater well-being and fewer psychological complaints. This makes the source a strong one for the scientific basis of this philosophy.
Segal, Z. V., Williams, J. M. G., & Teasdale, J. D. (2018). Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression. New York, NY: Guilford Press. → This book is important for Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). MBCT combines this philosophy with cognitive therapy and is often discussed in the context of recurrent depressive symptoms. The source clearly demonstrates how this philosophy helps to notice thoughts without immediately treating them as truth.
Shapiro, S. L., & Carlson, L. E. (2017). The Art and Science of Mindfulness: Integrating Mindfulness into Psychology and the Helping Professions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. → This book connects mindfulness with psychology, counseling, and professional helping professions. It is useful for readers who want to understand how this philosophy can be carefully applied in coaching, therapy, care, and counseling, without simplifying it to mere relaxation.
Shapiro, S. L., Carlson, L. E., Astin, J. A., & Freedman, B. (2006). Mechanisms of mindfulness. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(3), 373-386. → This article examines the mechanisms behind mindfulness. The authors discuss, among other things, attention, intention, and attitude. This is important because mindfulness is not just about sitting still or breathing. The way in which someone pays attention helps determine the benefits of the practice.
Williams, M., & Penman, D. (2011). Mindfulness: A practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world. London, England: Piatkus. → A practical and accessible guide to mindfulness in a busy life. The book includes exercises that help you use attention, breathing, and daily routines more mindfully. This makes it particularly suitable for readers who want to apply this philosophy immediately without delving deeply into the theory.
Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597-605. → This article shows that brief mindfulness training can influence attention and cognitive performance. This aligns well with the practical value of this philosophy: regular practice can help you respond more mindfully and be less likely to automatically get caught up in distractions or stress.

How to cite this article:
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Original publication date: December 28, 2017 | Last update: May 14, 2026

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Article by:

Patty Mulder

Patty Mulder is an Dutch expert on Management Skills, Personal Effectiveness and Business Communication. She is also a Content writer, Business Coach and Company Trainer and lives in the Netherlands (Europe).
<b>Note: all her articles are written in Dutch and we translated her articles to English!</b>