Mindfulness

Etymology

The English word “mindful” plus “-ness,” but the modern sense is a translation: the Pali Buddhist term "sati" was rendered “mindfulness” by scholar T.W. Rhys Davids in 1881. It entered secular use largely through Jon Kabat-Zinn’s clinical stress-reduction program from the 1970s.

noun · /MYND-fuhl-nuhs/
The practice of maintaining nonjudgmental, moment-to-moment awareness of one’s thoughts, sensations, and surroundings.
What it names
A trainable quality of attention — being present without commentary — distinct from relaxation or emptying the mind, with which it is often confused.
Example
Mindfulness didn’t stop the anxious thoughts; it let her notice them arrive without being swept off by them.
Related idea
Related to metacognition, thinking about one’s own thinking, but the two differ in aim: metacognition analyzes and evaluates mental activity, while mindfulness observes it without judgment or interference.