Thich Nhat Hanh
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.”
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being present, nonjudgmentally, in the moment
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focusing on the simplicity in all things
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adopting a “beginner’s mind”
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practicing lovingkindness and compassion
Observations and quotes that clarify the utility of mindfulness in the practice of librarianship:
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Mindfulness is about listening and awareness, which are both key to providing effective reference services/assistance to library users.
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When we are focused on the present, unencumbered by assumptions, judgments, thoughts of past or future, we can better honor and fulfill the needs of our patrons (students and faculty in the academic setting)..
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Louise Toot observes, in her article "Zen and the Art of Dealing with the Difficult Patron" (224) that "helping patrons mindfully means that not only are we open to any patron that comes to us, we are focused completely on him or her. Our mind is fully concentrated on the patron and nothing except the patron, as if the patron has become our whole world for the time being."
What is mindfulness?
"...paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally."
Jon Kabat-Zinn