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Mindfulness

Psychology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Attentive awareness of present experience without immediate judgment.

Detailed Definition
Mindfulness involves noticing sensations, thoughts, emotions, and surroundings as they arise, rather than being wholly carried away by them. In poetry, it can slow a scene until rain, breath, dust, or a cup's warmth receives exact attention. This awareness does not erase suffering; it changes the speaker's relation to suffering by creating a little space between experience and reaction, where description, compassion, or choice may become possible.
Example
Example in poetry:
A haiku that attends closely to rain, breath, or birdsong demonstrates mindfulness through focused awareness of the present moment; Mary Oliver’s close observations of animals and landscapes often model mindful attention; A poet can slow a scene down by recording one sensory detail at a time instead of rushing toward a conclusion; Repeating an image such as a candle flame can show a speaker returning gently to present awareness.
Additional Notes
Mindfulness is focused awareness of sensations, thoughts, and surroundings as they occur, without immediately labeling them good or bad. Poetic uses often emphasize breath, texture, sound, and the present moment. It differs from passive calm because it involves active attention.
Also Known As
Present-Moment Awareness Contemplative Awareness Attentiveness
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