Guest Editorial

Kabat-Zinn et al introduced mindfulness, a concept and technique borrowed from Buddhist meditation practices, to the field of psychotherapy. It is defined as the “the awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment to moment ” (1). Unlike other forms of meditation that emphasize distancing oneself from the present to reach a higher state of consciousness, mindfulness stresses upon a fuller awareness of, and thus a greater involvement with, the present moment. The fuller awareness incorporates all visual, auditory, gustatory, tactile, cognitive and emotional information available to consciousness at that moment (2). Further, all occurrences are observed but not judged, i.e. they are not given labels like good or bad, healthy or sick, important or trivial, etc. (3). The seemingly complex task of being mindful requires regular practice, and it has oft been said that psychotherapists must first become adept in mindfulness themselves, before being able to effectively use it with their clients. Steven Hayes has placed mindfulness, along with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), under the ‘new or third wave Cognitiv