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Office of the Provost Mindful University Project
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Mindfulness 101

Students meditating on the quad.According to expert Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness is the awareness that comes from “paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” The capacity for mindfulness is built during the practice of meditation. During meditation, we place our attention on an object of focus, such as our breath.  It is not about keeping your mind from wandering. Rather, each time you notice your mind has wandered and gently guide your attention back to the present moment, you are strengthening your mindfulness “muscle.”

With regular meditation and mindfulness practice, you may begin to notice greater awareness and presence in many areas of your life.  A large body of research, including multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses, has found that mindfulness-based interventions can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression, improve attention and emotional regulation, and enhance overall psychological well-being. Emerging evidence also suggests mindfulness may have positive effects on certain aspects of immune function and inflammation, although more research is needed to confirm these biological effects (Goldberg et al., 2022; van Agteren et al., 2021).

Five mindfulness myths

Myth #1: I can’t meditate because my mind is too active

Good news…everyone has a really active mind!  Our mind is built to think. An active mind is not a barrier to meditation; it’s the reason why many people benefit from it. Meditation is not a practice to cease all thoughts. Instead, it’s about knowing what’s on your mind and having a better relationship with what you find there. Picture your mind as a river. Sometimes it’s calm, and sometimes it’s raging. But it’s always moving. Your mind is always having thoughts, just like the river never actually stops flowing. When you meditate, it’s like sitting on the bank of the river, watching the water flow by. Meditation is about noticing when your mind has wandered and gently returning your attention to the present moment. That act of returning is the practice.

Myth #2: Meditation is difficult

Like learning any new skill or habit, mindfulness can feel unfamiliar at first. There is no “perfect” way to practice, and you don’t need to get it right. The techniques can be as simple as noticing your present-moment experience with curiosity and kindness. One reason why meditation may seem difficult is that we often try too hard to concentrate, are overly attached to results, or are not sure we are doing it right. Learning meditation from a qualified teacher is the best way to ensure that the process is enjoyable and you get the most from your practice. With practice, mindfulness often becomes easier and more natural.

Myth #3: I don’t have enough time to meditate

It’s easy to become overwhelmed when thinking that you have to add one more thing to your day. However, mindfulness can be integrated into daily routines, such as while walking to class, washing dishes, waiting in line, or taking a few mindful breaths before an exam or meeting. You can even schedule a block of time on your calendar like you would any other important meeting you wouldn’t skip. Keep in mind that even just a few minutes of meditation is better than none. It’s strange, but many people report that when they spend time meditating regularly, they actually feel like they have more time in their day and can accomplish more while doing less.

Myth #4: Mindfulness and meditation will make me less competitive or lose my drive for success

Mindfulness doesn’t reduce motivation, it actually changes how you pursue your goals. Research suggests that mindfulness can enhances focus, cognitive flexibility, self-efficacy, emotional regulation, engagement in learning, helping people perform under pressure while reducing unhelpful stress and burnout. Instead of being driven by fear or perfectionism, mindfulness supports purposeful, values-driven action (Tzelepi et al., 2023; Li et al., 2023;  Dawson et al., 2019)

Myth #5: Mindfulness is a religious practice

While mindfulness has roots in contemplative and religious traditions, the mindfulness taught in educational, healthcare, and workplace settings is secular. Practicing mindfulness does not require adopting any religious or spiritual beliefs.

Resources

We’ve gathered our most favorite mindfulness meditation resources here for you. Using a meditation app is a great way to get started with your practice. All have free content to access, as well as affordable annual memberships if you’d like even more choices. You’ll also find a list of introductory books on living mindfully  as well as video and audio resources.

Mindfulness research
Meditation apps
Books

All of the below books are available at Rush Rhees Library.

For other mindfulness books available at Rush Rhees, you can check out our list here.

Videos
Audio tracks