mindfulness...

I'm starting to read about "Mindfulness" as mindfulness meditation is said to improve the quality of one's  live.  Jon Kabao-Zinn  has an eight week stress reduction clinic at the University of Massachusetts and his research shows (...and he has tons and tons of research to support his findings!) that practicing formal and informal meditation can greatly improve the quality of one's life.   As I won't be visiting the clinic soon, I am reading one of his beginner books to better understand the practice of experiencing mindfulness and just now gathered more information to better understand the definition.

mindfulness:  "Paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally".  via Kabao-Zinn

So, what does the definition mean:

Paying attention "on purpose" - a conscious direction of our awareness
An example would be paying attention on purpose to yourself eating. You would be conscious of the process and experience all of the flavors and textures as you eat and when your mind wanders, you purposefully bring your attention back to you eating.
Paying attention "in the present moment" - being concerned with knowing what is going on right now
When you pay attentio to the present moment only that is all you experience and whenyour mind wanders and thinks about the past or future, you bring it back to the now so calmness and contentment can grow.
Paying attentions "non-judgmentally" - mindfulness is a non-reactive state
This means mindfulness is not good or bad and when judgments are noticed, we experience them and let them go.
via Wildmind Buddhist Meditation

Well, my beginner book will be read next week and I'll soon see if I'll be practicing mindfulness.