Key principles for practicing mindfulness: non-judgment, patience, beginner's mind, trust, non-effort, acceptance, abandonment, gratitude. These people have learned to make decisions based on their self-describing principles of who they want to be, not on what their impulses push them to do in the moment. The practice of mindfulness is based on Buddhist teachings and principles, but anyone can enjoy it, regardless of their religious beliefs. Mindfulness, a form of awareness, has eight key principles, known as the eight pillars of mindfulness.
This list includes 7 of the most commonly taught principles of mindfulness, but there are certainly many more lessons than these. On a personal level, the principles of these ancient lessons have been as beneficial to my daily life as the stress-reduction aspect of the practice. While it can no longer be argued that meditation helps to significantly reduce stress, anxiety and depression, the old principles of mindfulness can also be incredibly useful in dealing with the mental and emotional obstacles of everyday life. This is a list of some of my favorite lessons and principles, the ones that have helped me transform the way I see the world and move through it.
