Being Mindful about Mindfulness: An Invitation to Extend Occupational Engagement into the Growing Mindfulness Discourse

Abstract

This paper provides a rationale for the recognition of mindfulness in the occupational science discourse. There is a plethora of diverse scholastic interest in mindfulness, however not within the occupational science discipline. Mindfulness has a natural fit with occupation; its informal practice of awareness cultivation facilitates heightened engagement in and attunement to activity and the formal practice of mindfulness through meditation is itself an occupation. This paper reviews mindfulness and its contribution to enhancement of life quality and personal well-being. Additionally it speculates why mindfulness is not adequately represented in occupational science literature and research, and provides rationale for the inclusion of mindfulness into the discipline's field of investigation. In constructing this rationale, mindfulness is differentiated from the psychological concepts of flow, consciousness, and presence which in the literature are more commonly associated to participation in occupation. The author's own mindful experience while engaged in occupation serves as a backdrop against which to support the inclusion of mindfulness into occupational science scholarship.

Keywords:

• Mindfulness
• Flow
• Consciousness
• Presence
• Moments

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks are extended to reviewers of earlier drafts of this paper, particularly the JOS editor and reviewers for thoughtful comments and suggestions. To those who aspire to live a mindful existence, your example has been inspiring. This paper was written in partial fulfillment of the author's requirements for a doctoral degree in occupational science at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.