According to Marchand, meditation is the formal practice of training one’s mind to keep attention where it is wanted. And mindfulness meditation is one of these ways.
“There are many different meditation techniques,” Marchand says. “Mindfulness meditation is just one of the many types available.”
The goal of mindfulness meditation is to keep the awareness on an exact moment in time. This differs from the typical “autopilot” state of mind for one very important reason.
“Autopilot is when the mind wanders -- thinking about the past, the future or something in between,” Marchand says. “But in a state of mindfulness, we keep our attention on the present, which is the exact opposite of autopilot.”
Experts say that mindfulness meditation is the solution to autopilot thinking. That’s because it redirects the mind to what’s going on -- right here, right now.
One of the most important parts of mindfulness is the ability to stay out of the chaos associated with a wandering mind. This, in itself, can be life-changing.
“Through mindfulness meditation, we experience thoughts and emotions. But we experience them as an observer – rather than being washed away by the never-ending torrent of cognitions and feelings that flood our minds,” Marchand says. “It’s like standing next to a river but watching from a safe distance instead of getting swept away.”