Mindfulnesses

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The practice of maintaining a heightened awareness and focused attention on the present moment, often used in meditation or therapeutic contexts
2. A state of active, open attention to the current experience, emphasizing observation without judgment and fostering emotional regulation
3. An encompassing approach to being aware of one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in a non-reactive manner, promoting mental clarity and emotional health

Etymology: "Mindfulnesses" is simply the plural of "mindfulness," so the core history belongs to that base word. "Mindfulness" is formed from "mindful," which is "mind" plus the suffix "-ful" (full of, characterized by), and "-ness" (the state or quality of). Both "mind" and "-ful" are native English material, with "mind" going back to Old English "gemynd" and "-ful" descending from Old English "full." The noun "mindfulness" is attested in English from the 1500s, when it meant simply being mindful, or keeping something in memory. The modern sense, attention deliberately directed to present experience without judgment, came much later and owes its meaning to a deliberate translation choice. Early twentieth-century Buddhist scholars working with Pali texts rendered the Pali term "sati" (memory, recollection, awareness) as "mindfulness," and the word was popularised in the West through this usage and later through secular programmes in the late twentieth century. The plural "mindfulnesses" is the form of this noun used when speaking of distinct instances or kinds of mindfulness, such as different practices or types of attentiveness.

Synonyms: awareness, attention