I think there are two contexts of Mindfulness that may be better identified before venturing into how the term is used. First, Mindfulness can be viewed as a disciplined focus on something specific (or intentionally on nothing at times). It is a practice of really controlling what and how the mind focuses on one moment, thought, or emotion. This practice branches into real time experiences and interactions with others as well as individual meditations. It is an effective way of compartmentalizing, to think and feel better. I mean that by choosing what to focus on, through the tools of visualization and critical choices in what we pay attention to, there is a more definite manage of thought process and emotional intelligence along with good communication with another person. So in this way, the first term of Mindfulness can be categorized into three parts; focus of the thoughts, focus on the emotions, and focus of the experiences.
The next context of Mindfulness that I wanted to become more aware of is how it relates to consciousness. Although the first term of Mindfulness deals with things within the mind, like thoughts and processing emotions, here it’s a little different. In this term, it deals with being aware of which identity we are navigating through. In some ways, I would say it is the extension of the practices explained earlier, in compartmentalizing and managing thoughts, emotions and experiences. Through controlling our attention, we have the privilege of separating ourselves from whatever we are giving our attention to. This is important because it allows for the distinction between who we are and what we do, or who we are and what we feel. Staging the processes of these things that happen in the mind can give us more control over what we allow to influence us fundamentally. For example, living through a traumatic experience just last week, could impact how we see ourselves, as strong or weak, safe or abandoned, favored or disliked.
Through reasoning and shielding negative thoughts and feelings, we can recover from that kind of experience wiser and more in control of our feelings or anxious to severe extents. That process that is identified as Mindfulness (the first term) leads into what I am trying to convey as the term in this new context. It relates to consciousness because, when using that example, who do you want to identify with more; strong or weak, safe or abandoned, favored or disliked? If you choose strong rather than weak, not only do your thoughts and feelings gravitate towards this idea, but you as a persona, can imagine yourself as being so. Therefore, the way in which you navigate and the way that you presume to exist is in the mode of being strong.