Perspectives of mindfulness

The idea and practice of mindfulness has a long history in some of the world's religions and is also articulated in a number of secular discourses. The therapeutic potential of mindfulness is now being recognized and is being researched in a diverse range of healthcare settings including mental health. Being mindful presupposes that individuals whose awareness is not impaired do have a choice in what phenomena they attend to and how they act. For the psychiatric nurse, understanding the idea and practice of mindfulness is useful for developing both trans-cultural awareness and to recognize that personal inattention could compromise care. In terms of mental health promotion, mindfulness is worthy of consideration as an important life skill. This paper explores the notion of mindfulness from a number of perspectives. The paper does not claim to have explored all the options. The Buddhist understanding of mindfulness provides the perspective for continuity within the paper and is used to illuminate any similarities and differences with the secular discourses being considered.